More things you should know…
Switching between MemInfo and your desktop
At the top of the screen, you can slide that blue bar to the right or left if you need to.
We recommend that you “resize” the screen to become the size of the MemInfo window. Then you can easily click back-and-forth between MemInfo and other programs that you are using. On the right-hand side of that blue bar are the 3 familiar icons to minimize, resize, and close the entire Server window.
If you are using MemInfo on-and-off all day long, don’t keep logging out and then logging back in; instead, just minimize or resize the window to keep it running all day long. Then, at the end of the day, exit from MemInfo. (However, if you do not use it for a couple of hours, it might automatically log you off.)
If you close the window by clicking that “x”, you will be logged off. But that is not a good way of exiting from MemInfo. Data could possible get messed up. Always click on “Exit MemInfo” to end the program.
Here’s another trick: Edit your xxxxxx-x.rdp file using WordPad. Find the line that says screen mode id:i:2 and change the “2” to a “1”. This will cause the window to open as if it has been sized down. That will make it easy for you to switch between programs. “2” opens as full screen. “1” opens as half screen.
Terminology
The “online” system and the “server” mean the same thing.
“Local computer” is used ambiguously. Sometimes it refers to the online disk drive, and sometimes it refers to your own disk drive. We will try to be careful how we use that term.
RDC ID and Remote Desktop ID and .rdp icon all refer to your Remote Desktop Connection ID. It is one of the xxxxxx-x numbers that you have been given for setting up your computer to connect to the MemInfo Server. It is totally unrelated to your MemInfo user ID.
Using Windows Explorer [not Internet Explorer]
You can copy files back and forth from/to the MemInfo online server. But be careful!
Warning #1: If you want to see the Server computer and your local computer in the same Explorer window, you must run Windows Explorer on the Server. The Server can “see” your computer. If you run Explorer on your own computer, it cannot “see” the Server. Although: You can do a Ctrl-C (copy) on the Server Explorer and then to a Ctrl-V (paste) on your Local Explorer (and vice versa).
Warning #2: There are two C: drives! When you are looking at Windows Explorer on the Server, “Local Disk (C)” refers to the online disk drive . Your own C: drive will say “C on your computer”
Hint #1: Anytime you are saving a file (for example in Excel or Word), click on “Network” and then click on “tsclient” and then click on “\\tsclient\C”. That will take you to the C: drive on your own computer (rather than the C: drive on the Server).
The only folder that you will be able to copy on the Server is your church’s own “C:\_MemInfo\MemInfoData\xxxxxx\Transfer” where xxxxxx is the 6-digit number assigned to your church (it’s the same 6 digits from the icon that you use to start MemInfo).
MemInfo creates files into either your own computer at “C:\MemInfoTransfer” or on the Server at “C:\_MemInfo\MemInfoData\xxxxxx\Transfer”
Saving Output Files
MemInfo can save report and data files in two places:
(1) On the server at c:\_MemInfo\MemInfoData\xxxxxx\transfer
(2) On your computer at c:\MemInfo Transfer”
You can access and transfer files back and forth between the server and your own computer. On the server, bring up Windows Explorer and you’ll see the C: drive on the server and the C: drive on your computer. (You must user Explorer from the server. If you use Explorer on your own computer, you will not “see” the online server.) [refer to Using Windows Explo9rer, above]
Backups
Your data is automatically backed up every night in the wee hours of the morning. We are able to restore your data to any day in the previous 60 days (and maybe longer). If you need to have your data restored, contact us.
We recommend that you backup your data yourself, occasionally. If you want to download all of your data, from the menu go to File | Setup | Backup (Download) the Data
This will create a file named BackMI….zip in your “C:\MemInfoTransfer folder“. The .zip file contains your data files, auctions, and photos. These files, in a .dbf format, can be read into Microsoft Excel, Access and other programs.
User IDs:
There are two kinds of IDs: (1) Your MemInfo ID that controls what you are allowed to do in MemInfo. (2) An ID that connects your computer to the remote MemInfo Internet site – the “Remote Desktop Connection.” The first kind of ID defines the person. The second kind of ID defines the computer.
MemInfo User ID: Someone within your own organization assigns MemInfo IDs to the various users. Every user should have their own MemInfo ID – they don’t have to, but it’s recommended. Separate IDs are needed to enforce security measures. With each ID is defined what the user is allowed to do: enter data? view data? look at financial information? add other users?
MemInfo User IDs must be unique – unique among all MemInfo users across the country. So it is recommended that everyone’s ID begins with the initials of your church (example: “UUFR Art Lieberman”)
You might want to create a user ID named “UUXX Everyone” with a very simple password and give it rights to view member names and contact information, but not financial information. Usually, security is not an issue for this type of use.
If a user forgets his/her MemInfo ID, the administrator can look it up. However, passwords cannot be discovered. If a user forgets a password, the administrator can delete the password, and the next time the user logs on a new password will have to be entered.
Remote Desktop Connection (RDC or RDS): The MemInfo support team will give you a collection of IDs to be assigned to each computer that will be using MemInfo. It will be a 6-digit church ID followed by a hyphen and a digit. For example: 435143-1, 435143-2, 435143-3, 435143-4. And you will be given a password for each RDC ID. So, you might have 10 users who share 4 computers. There would be 4 RDC IDs and 10 MemInfo IDs.
Actually, an RDC ID can be assigned to 2 computers. Here’s the catch: If someone is using MemInfo on one computer, and then someone else connects in on a different computer but using the same RDC ID, the first user is kicked off and the second user takes over on the same screen that the first user was on. In some situations you might want to use the same ID on two computers. For example, if you have 2 computers at home, they should share the same RDC ID. Or a computer and a tablet. Or any situation where you have more than 1 computer and you are certain that no two people would be using those computers at the same time.
Once a computer has connected into the MemInfo system with an RDC ID, you won’t have to enter the RDC ID at that computer any longer; it will be sent automatically.
User Limits
- Timeout: If you leave your MemInfo session unattended for 3 hours, you will be signed off. (This policy might change in the future.)
- There is no limit on the number of RDC IDs (remote terminal connections or .rdp icons). However, we try to keep that number low.
- There is no limit on the number of MemInfo user IDs.
- There IS a limit to the number of simultaneous users. You will have purchased a number of “Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Remote Desktop Services licenses (CAL)” The number of licenses dictates the number of simultaneous users. This is totally independent of the number of RDC IDs or MemInfo IDs. You might have 6 RDC IDs and 15 MemInfo IDs but only 3 CAL’s. If 3 people are logged into MemInfo at the same time, a 4th person might be prevented from signing on. (Initially, we are looking into relaxing this limitation. If you run into this problem, please discuss it with MemInfo Support.)
Sluggish Performance
If the use of MemInfo seems to be slowing down over time, please contact MemInfo Support and we’ll check into speeding things up.
If it takes too long to start up when you first connect in, here’s a hint: If you will be using MemInfo on-and-off throughout the day, then simply minimize the window in between uses (it’s in that blue bar at the top-center of the screen).