Installing the new Auto Updater

Due to the change in webhosting services, the newest version of Auto Shop Writer, and future enhancements, it is now important to install your new Auto Updater.  Please follow these steps exactly, and you will have no difficulty !

ON THE SERVER

1)  Click on the following link.  It will ask if you want to Run or Save the file.  Select Save.  Then use the popup browser to find, and highlight, the ASW9s folder.  Then select OK, and the file will be downloaded, and saved to the proper location.

http://www.mlsbservices.com/Ff07ml01J/MLS9aus.exe

2)  Click on the Windows Start button ( lower left corner of your monitor ), select All Programs, and then look for the Startup folder.  Click on it, and you will see ASW Update.  Click on the right mouse button, and select Properties.  There is a field that says Target.  Click on the box.  If the whole entry is highlighted, click again so that just the | cursor is showing.  Now hit the End button on your keyboard.  The entry, at the end, will say either  ASW9Update.exe  or ASW9aus.exe.  Change only that section so it reads MLS9aus.exe   and then press the OK button.

3)  Click on the Windows Start button and look for the entry on the right side of the popup that says Computer.  Click on it.  Now select the drive where ASW9s resides.  In most cases it is on the server but some network people have put it inside a shared folder, or on a data drive.  Find the ASW9s folder and click on it.  When it opens, you should see a folder titled MLS.  If not, you can click on the right mouse button and select New, Folder, or you will see it as an option at the top of the screen.  If there is no MLS folder, add one ( inside the ASW9s folder ).

4)  Click on the following link, and save it to the MLS folder that is inside the ASW9s folder.

http://www.mlsbservices.com/Ff07ml01J/ASWRun.exe

5)  Shut down the server, then re-start it. 

ON THE WORKSTATIONS

Right click on the Windows Start button.  Select Open Windows Explorer.  Go down the left column and click on the + sign next to Network.  Click on the + next to the computer that is the server.  Find the ASW9s folder, and look inside of it to the MLS folder.  Find the file ASWRun.exe and press the right mouse button.  Select Copy.  Now go up the list to the ASW9c folder. Click once on it so that it is highlighted.  Click the right mouse button and select Save.  You will be asked to overwrite the existing file, and select OK ( Yes ).

When you finish the previous step, the ASW9c folder contents should be displayed on the right side of the window.  Look for ASW9.exe, and click the right mouse button.  Select Rename, and then click on the right side of the 9 ( before the period ).  When you have the cursor in the right place, type 2 and hit enter.  Your file name should now be ASW92.exe.   You can now exit this window and start ASW 9 from the desktop icon.  It will take a moment but then you should see the message that your file was updated.

COMMENTS

In the past you had no access to the Auto Update program.  Now, if you go to the taskbar tray ( its on the right side of the bottom line of your monitor, and you may need to click on the ^ symbol to reveal all the tasks running ), you will see an ASW icon.  Right click on it, and a popup menu appears.  If the icon is not there, then the updater is not running.  You can force an authorization, or an update, view the log, or even clear it of old entries.

This program will immediately start running.  However, until DPP fees are recorded for the 3rd quarter, the new program will not be updating on your computers.  All payments received by July 1 have been posted !  We will update payments daily.

Updates starting with Version 9.23.00 are the latest version built with the “compatible” tools.  The functionality is the same as the new MLS version posting soon built with all of the actual Microsoft tools.  We intend to keep testing that version prior to distribution.

Updates for ASW 9 ( .22.30 to .22.36 )

Over the past week, you have received a series of updates.  Your system should now be on ASW 9.22.36.  A few notes are in order:

  • Some of the updates corrected problems that arose from the major review we have done of all code, with optimizing, over the past few months. 
  • We did try a new email system for those who had non-functioning email capabilities.  It is called CDO, but we quickly found that many people do not have it running on their Windows computers.  ( It is a native part of Windows but may not be active ).  Since the older SMTP worked fine for them, we added it back in.  If your email used to work, and doesn’t now, go to ASW – Tools – Email Setup, and check the box that says SMTP ?, then Save it.  It will work immediately.  We will still try to find a solution for those of you who have email NOT working.  We know the problem is with your ISP ( Internet Service Provider ), but we’ll see if we can find a method that does work for you.  It was pleasing to hear from lots of people who said “What happened ?   We used the email all the time and it was working great !”

As with every major update, we have people suddenly suggesting lots of new ideas.  Please go to the Forum ( you can see it on your Help menu ), and post your thoughts in the proper sections there.  Then others can start brainstorming with you !

On your main toolbar in ASW, you will see a chat icon and the word Tech.  THIS IS LIVE.  Save a dime, and when you need help, click that button.  It will start an instant chat, and you can ask your question.  From there, if we need to connect to your computer, we send a link in the chat that starts the process, and you don’t have to “go anywhere” or “type in a code”.  It will be much easier.  Be sure to always put your name/shop at the beginning of the chat.  Its important to us to keep that personal connection !

More will be coming soon …