The following sections describe some specialized ways to configure the Messenger client software:
The Messenger configuration file (setup.cfg) controls how the Windows Messenger client software is installed by client users. It includes the following sections and parameters:
After you change information in the setup.cfg file, you must delete the nvlmsgr.exe file, then stop and restart the Messaging Agent so that it re-creates the nvlmsgr.exe file with the new configuration information. The new configuration information then applies the next time users install or update their client software.
The [NMSetup] section of the setup.cfg file enables you to control the options the Messenger client Installation program presents to the user during installation.
Specify the path where you want the Installation program to install the client software.
Specify the item on the Start > Programs menu where you want the Messenger client to appear. For example, you can specify Novell Messenger or GroupWise.
By default, the Start GroupWise Messenger Now check box on the Setup Complete page is selected. Specify No so that it is deselected by default when the user installs the client software.
By default, the View the GroupWise Messenger Readme check box on the Setup Complete page is selected. Specify No so that it is deselected by default when the user installs the client software.
By default, the Put an Icon on the Desktop check box on the Setup Complete page is selected. Specify No so that it is deselected by default when the user installs the client software.
By default, the Messenger client starts when Windows starts. Specify No so that it does not start when Windows starts. Users then need to use the desktop icon to start the Messenger client.
Defaults to the IP address of the server where the Messaging Agent is installed. If you move the Messaging Agent to a different server, update this information to match. See Changing the Messenger Server IP Address and Port Number.
Defaults to 8300. Specify a different port number if the default port number is already in use on the server. See Changing the Messenger Server IP Address and Port Number.
If you change the server address and/or port information, specify No if you want existing Messenger client installations to continue using the original server address and/or port while new Messenger client installations use the updated server and/or port information. Specify Yes so that both existing and new installations use the updated information.
If you do not set ForceAddressAndPort=Yes after changing the server address and port information, users need to use the /ipa and /ipp client startup switches to manually provide this information when they start the Messenger client or they need to update the Address and Port values of the \HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Novell\Messenger\Login key in the Windows registry. Using the ForceAddressAndPort=Yes parameter makes life much easier for users. They are prompted to update their client software and the address and port information is changed for them automatically.
By default, the Messenger client uses its own custom color scheme. Specify Yes to use standard Windows colors instead.
The [Languages] section of the setup.cfg file enables you to control what languages are selected by default on the Language Selection page. Specify Yes for a language that you want selected by default. Specify No for each language that you want deselected by default. For example:
ChineseSimplified=No
Chinese=No
Czech=No
BrazilianPortuguese=No
Danish=No
Dutch=No
English=Yes
Finnish=No
French=Yes
German=Yes
...
If you suppress the Language Selection page, all selected languages are automatically installed on users' workstations.
The [Show Dialogs] section of the setup.cfg file enables you to control what interactions take place when users install the Messenger client for the first time. If you choose to suppress a page, use the corresponding parameter in the [NMSetup] section to provide the information that the Installation program needs from the suppressed page.
Specify Yes for a completely non-interactive installation of the Messenger client. Provide all required information in the [NMSetup] section.
Specify No to suppress the Choose Destination Location page during installation. Make sure you have set the Path= parameter to the location where you want the client software to be installed on users' workstations.
Specify No to suppress the Select Program Folder page during installation. Make sure you have set the ProgramFolder= parameter to the item on the Start > Programs menu where you want the Messenger client to appear.
Specify No to suppress the Language Selection page during installation. Make sure you have specified Yes for each language in the [Languages] section that you want to be installed on users' workstations.
Specify No to suppress the Setup Complete page at the end of the installation. If you suppress this page, users cannot review the Messenger client Readme. Make sure you have set the LaunchNow= and IconOnDesktop= parameters to control whether the client starts automatically and whether users have desktop icons to start the client.
In general, Messenger client users do not need to be concerned with startup switches. However, they can learn about client startup switches by looking up "startup options" in Messenger online help. The client startup switches are summarized below as a reference for administrators:
| Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|
Starts the Messenger client without displaying the main window. By default, the client displays its main window on the desktop.
|
Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
/background |
-background |
Specifies the name of a file containing Messenger contacts to import. The file is created in the Messenger client using File > Export Contact List. The .nmx extension identifies the file as a Messenger contacts file. If the contacts file is not in the same directory where the client software is located, then you must provide a full pathname.
Specifies the IP address or DNS hostname of the server where the Messaging Agent is running.
|
Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
/ipa-network_address |
-ipa network_address |
|
/ipa-172.16.5.18 |
-ipa 172.16.5.19 |
On Windows, the Messenger user does not need to be aware of this information because the Messenger server Installation program adds the network address and port information to the setup.cfg file that it installs into the \novell\nm\ma\software\client\win32 directory. When the user downloads the client software and installs it, the Messenger client Installation program reads the server information in the setup.cfg file and updates the Windows registry of the user's workstation with the information necessary for the Messenger client to start. This startup switch, as well as the /ipp switch, are only needed to override the server information automatically stored in the registry.
On Linux, this information is provided as explained in "Configuring the Linux Client Executable with IP Address and Port Information" in "Installing a Novell Messenger System" in the Messenger 1.0 Installation Guide.
Specifies the port number on which the Messaging Agent listens for service requests. By default, the port number is 8300.
|
Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
/ipp-port_number |
-ipp port_number |
|
/ipp-8400 |
/ipp 8301 |
Overrides the current ping interval at which the Messenger client notifies the Messaging Agent that it is still active. The default interval is every 10 minutes or as specified by the Messaging Agent /keepalive startup switch. This regular communication between the Messaging Agent and the client prevents firewalls and routers from disconnecting connections that seem to be inactive. You can decrease the interval if a specific client user keeps getting unexpectedly disconnected. Use a setting of 0 (zero) to turn off the ping activity.
|
Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
/keepalive-minutes |
-keepalive-minutes |
|
/keepalive-5 |
-keepalive 0 |
Specifies the language to start the Messenger client in. By default, Messenger starts in the language of the operating system, if it is available. If the operating system language is not available, Messenger starts in English, but after it has started, you can choose a different language using Tools > Options > User Interface Language.
For the Windows client, this language is saved in the Windows registry and is used as the default thereafter. For the Cross-Platform client, it is saved in the Java* preferences file for Messenger (~/.java/.userPrefs/Novell/Messenger/prefs.xml on Linux and ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.java.util.prefs.plist on Macintosh).
|
Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
/l language_code |
-l language_code |
|
/l-ru |
-l de |
Use one of the following language codes with the /l switch to select the language for Messenger:
Specifies the username to log into your Messenger system with.
|
Windows Messenger Client | Cross-Platform Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
/u-username |
-username |
|
/u-LTanaka |
-u MPalu |
For the Windows client, the user's initial successful login is stored in the Windows registry and is used as the default thereafter. If multiple users regularly need to run Messenger from the same workstation, you could set up a shortcut on the desktop using the /u startup switch for each user. Within Messenger, one user can log out and another log in using File > Log Out > Log In as a Different User.
For the Cross-Platform client, the user information is saved in the Java preferences file for Messenger (~/.java/.userPrefs/Novell/Messenger/prefs.xml on Linux and ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.java.util.prefs.plist on Macintosh).
You can use URL commands in Web pages add applications to make specific Windows Messenger client dialog boxes appear from those locations. Some URL commands take parameters. Use a question mark (?) between the command and the parameter. Use an ampersand (&) between multiple parameters.
Starts Messenger.
Opens the Send Instant Message dialog box so you can select a contact, or opens the Conversation dialog box, if you use parameters to specify a contact and, optionally, a message.
Syntax:
nim:startIm
nim:startIm?username=username
nim:startIm?username=username&message=message
Example:
nim:startIm
nim:startIm?username=LTanaka
nim:startIm?username=LTanaka&message=Good+morning
Use a plus (+) between words in the message. The message must not include spaces.
See also nim:invite.
Opens the Find dialog box so you can search for a new contact, or adds the specified contact to the specified folder in the Messenger main window, if you use parameters to specify a contact and, optionally, a folder.
Syntax:
nim:addContact
nim:addContact?username=username
nim:addContact?username=username&Folder=folder_name
Example:
nim:startIm
nim:startIm?username=LTanaka
nim:startIm?username=LTanaka&foldername=Team+Members
If the folder name consists of more than one word, use a plus (+) between words instead of a space.
Opens the Import Contact List dialog box so you can browse to and select a .nmx file, or immediately imports the contacts from the file into the Messenger main window, if you use a parameter to specify the .nmx file.
Syntax:
nim:import
nim:import?filename=filename
Example:
nim:import
nim:import?filename=c:\temp\contacts.nmx
Equivalent to nim:startIm.
Opens the Options dialog box.
Closes the Messenger main window but does not exit the Messenger client.
Opens the Messenger main window after it has been closed.
Exits Messenger.
When you install and start the Messaging Agent, it creates the nvlmsgr.exe file that users download in order to install the Messenger client. The information in this file includes the IP address of the server where the Messaging Agent is installed and the port number on which it listens for requests from Messenger clients so that users do not need to concern themselves with this information. If you need to move the Messaging Agent to a different server, so that it is using a different IP address and possibly port, each client installation needs to be updated with the new information.
Install, configure, and start the Messaging Agent on the new Messaging Agent server.
Edit the setup.cfg file in the following directory on the original Messaging Agent server:
\novell\nm\ma\software\client\win32
Scroll down to the ServerAddress= line and provide the new IP address.
On the ServerPort= line, provide a new port number if necessary.
On the ForceAddressAndPort= line, specify Yes so that all client installations and updates receive the new information.
Save and exit from the setup.cfg file.
Stop the Messaging Agent on the original server.
Delete the nvlmsgr.exe file from the following directory on the original server:
\novell\nm\ma\software\client\win32
Start the Messaging Agent again on the original server.
This creates a new nvlmsgr.exe file and, if you are using the auto-update feature as described in Setting Up Auto-Update, the clients automatically install the updated version of the client software, which includes the new address and port information. When the updated clients start, they connect to the Messaging Agent on the new server.