Setting Up Integrations Using the gwappint.inf File

The gwappint.inf file controls how document-producing applications are integrated with GroupWise. During GroupWise client installation, it is installed in the Windows system32 subdirectory. It is a text file that can be viewed and modified in a text editor such as Notepad. You might want to print the gwappint.inf file from a user workstation to help you understand how integrations have been set up for your users during GroupWise client installation.


Understanding the Three Levels of Integration

The gwappint.inf file provides for three different levels of integration, to meet the needs of different types of document-producing applications:


ODMA Integration

The Open Document Management API (ODMA) is an industry standard for applications and document management programs to use in achieving seamless integration. ODMA is platform-independent. GroupWise DMS is 32-bit ODMA-compliant, and can automatically integrate with all 32-bit ODMA-compliant applications. Applications that are not 32-bit ODMA-compliant must have integrations created for them to be used with GroupWise DMS.

The 16-bit ODMA integration standards are not 100% compatible with the 32-bit ODMA integration in Windows 95/98/2000. Therefore, 16-bit applications that are ODMA-compliant must still have integrations created for them to be used with the GroupWise DMS.


Point-to-Point Integration

This integration involves applications that are not 32-bit ODMA-compliant. Novell® has written macros for various applications, such as Microsoft Word, which allow them to be integrated with GroupWise. This provides the same functionality as for 32-bit ODMA-integrated applications. These applications can be selected for integration when the GroupWise client is installed.

Integration macros are written in the macro language of the application being integrated with GroupWise. Macro calls are made to GroupWise dialog boxes to replace access of the application's own dialog boxes (for example, Open and Save).


No Integration

Non-integrated applications rely on Windows 95/98/2000 associations. When a reference icon is selected in GroupWise, the file's extension is examined to determine which application to use. The application is launched and the file is opened.

Functions performed in a non-integrated application are not managed by GroupWise. So, if the file is renamed or saved to a different location, the file will not be part of a GroupWise library. When the file is opened later, a message will be displayed reminding the user that the file is not under management of GroupWise. However, if you simply edit the file and re-save it without changing the name or location, GroupWise will continue to provide management of the file.


Understanding the gwappint.inf File

The gwappint.inf file includes the following sections and lines:


[executable_name] Sections

The gwappint.inf file contains one [executable_name] section for each integrated application. It supplies the name of the executable for the program being integrated.


Integration= Line

Each [executable_name] section must have an Integration= line, where digits identify the type of integration employed for the executable:

Integration = 0 (No Integration)
Integration = 1 (Point-to-Point Integration)
Integration = 2 (ODMA Integration)

DualExe= Line

Some programs, such as Lotus Word Pro, use a small startup executable that, in turn, calls the main program. Use the DualExe= line to specify the name of the main executable. You can specify the full path to the main executable, or you can specify the path relative to the startup executable.


AppName= Line

The AppName= line assigns the application an arbitrary name for use in the [ODMA Application Extensions] and [Integration State] sections.


AppKey= Line

The AppKey= line is used only with point-to-point integrations (Integration=1). It specifies a value used by GroupWise to pass information to and from the integrated application. The value must be unique among the point-to-point integrations defined in the gwappint.inf file.


Examples Based on Standard Integrations

The table below shows how the standard integrations are implemented in the gwappint.inf file:

Application Executable Version Comments

Corel
Presentations

prwin.exe

3

If it is already installed on the workstation, GroupWise installation will change the Integrations= line to 0 and the application will be available for selection as a non-integrated application.

7

For ODMA integration, change the DualExe= line to SYSTEM\PRWIN70.EXE and the Integrations= line to 2.

8

For ODMA integration, change the Integrations= line to 2.

Corel
Quattro Pro

qpw.exe

6.1

If it is already installed on the workstation, the GroupWise client installation will change the Integrations= line to 0 and the application will be available for selection as a non-integrated application.

7

For ODMA integration, change the Integrations= line to 2

Corel
WordPerfect

wpwin.exe

6.1

If it is already installed on the workstation, the GroupWise client installation will change the Integrations= line to 0 and the application will be available for selection as a non-integrated application.

7

For ODMA integration, change the DualExe= line to SYSTEM\WPWIN7.EXE and the Integrations= line to 2.

Lotus
Word Pro

wordpro.exe

96

This application is 32-bit ODMA-compliant. Therefore, if installed before GroupWise, it will be available for selection as an ODMA-integrated application.

97

For ODMA integration, change the DualExe= line to SYSTEM\WORDPRO.EXE and the Integrations= line to 2.

Microsoft
Binder

binder.exe

97

This application is 32-bit ODMA-compliant. Therefore, if installed before GroupWise, it will be available for selection as an ODMA-integrated application.

Microsoft
Excel

excel.exe

95 and 97

The Integrations= line will be set to 1 for both versions.

Microsoft
PowerPoint

powerpnt.exe

97

This application is 32-bit ODMA-compliant. Therefore, if installed before GroupWise, it will be available for selection as an ODMA-integrated application.

Microsoft
Word

winword.exe

95

If it is already installed on the workstation, GroupWise installation will change the Integrations= line to 1 and the application will be available for selection for point-to-point integration.

97

For ODMA integration, change the Integrations= line to 2.


[ODMA Application Extensions] Section

The [ODMA Application Extensions] section lists the file extensions GroupWise associates with particular document-producing applications. Examples include:

Application File Extension

Corel WordPerfect

.wpd

Microsoft Excel

.xls

Microsoft PowerPoint

.ppt

Microsoft Word

.doc


[Integration State] Section

The [Integration State] section records whether the user has turned integrations on or off for integrated applications.


[Non-Integrated Defaults] Section

The [Non-Integrated Defaults] section provides two configuration settings that apply to all non-integrated applications:


WaitInterval= Line

The WaitInterval= line specifies a number of milliseconds for the GroupWise client to wait before it attempts to communicate with a non-integrated process. The wait interval allows the application to start completely before GroupWise contacts it. The default wait interval is 1000 milliseconds (one second).

The default setting supplied in the [Non-Integrated Defaults] section can be overridden for specific applications by including a WaitInterval= line in the application's [executable_name] section.


ShowMessage= Line

The ShowMessage= line indicates whether or not to display a message to the GroupWise client user if GroupWise cannot contact a non-integrated application. Use ShowMessage=1 to display the message or ShowMessage=0 to suppress the message.

The default setting supplied in the [Non-Integrated Defaults] section can be overridden for specific applications by including a ShowMessage= line in the application's [executable_name] section.


Editing the gwappint.inf File

The gwappint.inf file is a text file that can be modified using any text editor (Notepad, for example). By editing the gwappint.inf file, you can add integrations for applications for which Novell has not provided integrations.