Easy Auction(tm)
Networking Easy Auction(tm)

Network Ready

You must also guarantee that your Network recognizes this type of file sharing:

• Novell Networks: ready to run
• DOS or Windows 3.1/Workgroups: SHARE.EXE must be loaded on each computer. Additionally, you may need to specify some command line parameters:

  SHARE.EXE F:/4096 L:/399

• Windows 95/98: Folders and files are flagged as shared through "properties" on the computer that owns the folder/files. If you have problems (e.g. DOS ERROR 65), change the shared property from "unshared" to "share" with full access.

  Other considerations:

  • If you are networking two computers together for the first time, you need to ensure that
    1. Both Computers: you have installed NETBUI, you're using appropriate network cables & hub (or a cable designed to work without a hub), that both computers have been configured to the same Network (Start >> Settings >> Control Panel >> Network >> Identification), and that the server has been configured to "Share" files.
    2. Server: The hard drive is "shared" (e.g. My Computer >> C >> Share >> Full
    3. Server: Load the EasyAuction software into a directory called "AUC" on C:
    4. Server: Create a shortcut to "auc.bat" in the C:\AUC directory
    5. Server: Change the working directory (Shortcut/Properties) to the AUC directory
    6. Client: Map the server's harddrive as a drive letter (e.g. "E")
    7. Client: Create a shortcut to "auc.bat" in the E:\AUC
    8. Client: Change the working directory (Shortcut/Properties) to the E:\AUC directory

  Our experience with using working directories without mapping to drive letters has been dismal. We have this software running on Windows ME, Windows 98 SE and Windows 2000 in our office without difficulties.

• FILES: running in a DOS or some versions of WINDOWS environment also requires that you include adequate FILES and BUFFERS in your CONFIG.SYS startup file:

  FILES = 99
  BUFFERS = 99

Networking Mechanism

While this sounds bad, it really isn't. First, most Easy Auction(tm) functions should not be shared anyway (e.g. adding donations or creating the catalog). Besides, if you add an item to the donor file, it is highly unlikely that a networked user would be adding the same item. Second, the program keeps track of item records numbers uniquely, regardless of how or when the items are added.

Network Functions

In the scheme of auction events, the following list describes network interaction:

• Entering Donations: this function can be shared. Be aware that items entered by others will not appear in your "donations list" until you exit back to the menu and reload the "donations list".
• Catalog Preparation: although this function can be shared, it's best to handle it as a group activity on one computer. This allows everyone to share in decisions (which items should be silent, which should be oral), and to create packages without major conflcts.
• Sale Functions: this functions can all be shared:
  • Buyer Number assignment: this function can be shared. Because of the physical requirements in handing out bidder paddles, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you separate bidder numbers into two piles (e.g. 1-100 and 101-200), and give one number series to one computer operator and another to the next. It is possible to enter each bidder number independently from a bidder list, but it goes much faster if you enter in the same consecutive series. Hint: have buyers numbers assigned manually - buyers write their name and other info on a numbered sign-in sheet, and then take the corresponding bidder number. When a sheet is full, give it to the computer operator for data entry. This is quick, easy, and creates a manual backup (as opposed to entering bidders directly into the computer).
  • Sales: this function can be partially shared. If you have two compsuters, have one of them record SILENT auction results while the other records ORAL auction results. Don't have both computer updating the same information.
  • Check-out: this function can be shared. Check-out is done by specific bidder number anyway, so you can have as many check-out computers as you want. Hint: End the SILENT auction about 10 items before the end of the ORAL auction. This gives the SILENT auction computer a chance to enter all sales before people start checking out. Have check-out start with the SILENT auction computer, giving the ORAL auction operator time to finish up the ORAL auction. When all sales are entered, both computers can check-out.
• Post Sale Reporting: these functions should be run on one computer, although network print spooling would be very convenient to the process.