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How and when to use the SEEWSID.BAT utility to identify the workstation ID

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About Workstation ID numbers

Each workstation must have its own unique WSID number, and the number should never be set to "0". The latest version of Pathways will detect duplicate ID numbers and automatically reassign a unique number number to the workstation. If each workstation has a non-zero unique WSID number, you can avoid problems such as:

• Workstation ID conflicts on the network
• "Unable to determine workstation ID" error messages
• Users not being able to sign on to PLATO Pathways

How to use the SEEWSID.BAT utility to quickly see the Workstation ID number

Download and save the SEEWSID.BAT file on to a floppy disk (or CD-ROM). Insert the floppy disk (or CD) at a PLATO Pathways workstation. Use My Computer to open the floppy (or CD-ROM) disk drive, and then open the SEEWSID.BAT file. The utility will find and automatically open the WCMIWS.INI file.

The file opens in a MS-DOS window and will look similar to the following:

[Versions]
OS=NT
BDE=32
Version=4.10.00.07
QT21=YES
QT40=YES
INDEO=YES
[OSVersion]
Major=00000005
Minor=00000000
Build=00000893
Platform=00000002
CSDVersion=Service Pack 2
W98SEorHigher=YES
[Locations]
0=;1;Q:\PWAY
2=;1;C:\WINNT\PWAY
10=;1;C:\WINNT\PWAY\LLL
27=;1;C:\WINNT\PWAY\DB
101=;1;C:\WINNT\PWAY\CACHE
102=;3;C:\WINNT\PWAY\TEMP
20=;1;C:\WINNT\PWAY\WINPLATO
301=;2;E:
[Initialization]
WSID=42
[WORKSTATION]
DONE=TRUE

In the above example, the third line from the bottom indicates the workstation's ID number which is "42" (WSID=42).

Here's how to change a workstation's WSID number:

1. Close the SEEWSID.BAT window and close any open applications on the workstation. At the Windows desktop, click Start | Run and type in C:\WINDOWS\WCMIWS.INI (or C:\WINNT/WCMIWS.INI on Windows NT/2000/XP workstations).

2. The WCMIWS.INI file will open. Change the WSID number to 1, or to the number you want to assign to the workstation: WSID=1

3. Save your changes, then exit the file.

4. The change will take effect the next time the user signs on to PLATO Pathways. If you changed the WSID number to 1, PLATO Pathways will automatically reassign a unique number to the workstation the next time a user signs on to PLATO Pathways.

Troubleshooting workstation using error logs that reference the ID number

Are you interested in troubleshooting problems that may be specific to a certain workstation? Since each workstation's WSID number corresponds to the workstation numbers listed in the PLATO Pathways error logs, you can use the error logs to help identify and resolve reoccurring errors at a particular workstation.

For example, if you review an error log and notice that one workstation consistently gets errors such as "cannot perform this operation on a closed dataset; I/O 103", run a diagnostics test on the workstation's network adapter (LAN card) ? it may be failing. A bad cable in one section of the network may also cause these errors at a particular workstation or group of workstations.

Error messages are logged in different error logs, depending on the error that occurred.

The error logs are found in the \PWAY folder in the \BIN subfolder, on both networked and standalone workstations:

• \PWAY\BIN\ERRORLOG.TXT
• \PWAY\BIN\TROEXCPTN.LOG

Typical information collected in the error logs may include the following:

• Date of error
• Exact time error occurred
• Application
• Type of error, Error ID, or Name of error
• Error message
• Version of PLATO Pathways
• Workstation number
• Source, File version, Value, or Location
• User ID or information, if available

The information usually most critical to troubleshooting is the error message, the application where the error occurred, the workstation number, and user information (if available).