Multi-User ShipRush

This page is technical in nature. The target audience is a PC or network technician or qualified PC power user.

 

During installation of ShipRush, there is a prompt asking which PC will be the central or 'server' PC for ShipRush. The ShipRush database server is installed on this PC. This PC is then installed with the ShipRush database server. Workstations can then be directed to connect to the central ShipRush database simply by specifying the PC name of this 'server' PC.

 

Note that the ShipRush 'server' listens on IP port 3841. If a personal firewall is in use (or if the XP or Vista firewall is turned on), this port must be opened in the firewall so that network workstations can connect.

 

 

Note that when the Order Manager is used, there are two ShipRush databases: One for the ShipRush shipping system and a second database for the Order Manager system. The documentation primarily discusses the ShipRush shipping system database.

Networking the ShipRush Database (alternate method)

After the installation of ShipRush, the easiest way to share a ShipRush database is to simply choose one PC to be the 'master' PC that will hold the ShipRush database. To locate the database, review the section on ShipRush Data Files.

 

If ShipRush is already on that PC, simply direct ShipRush on the other PC's to use the database on the 'master' PC. This is discussed in Step 2 below.

 

If the database should be put on a file server, simply copy the database to the file server, then direct ShipRush to use that database instead of the local database. Read about this beginning with Step 1 and continuing with Step 2 below.

 

Networking Method 1: Direct ShipRush to use a database over the network
 

  1. Identify the location of the ShipRush database

  2. Share out the folder one level above the \Database\ directory. (Contact a PC technician if you need help creating a share and allowing access to the share)

  3. On each PC, start ShipRush

  4. Go to Settings | Advanced | Connection Settings

  5. Select Connect via Network Share and navigate to the share created in step 'b' above. For example, if the share created was 'ShipRushData' on the PC named PACKING, enter the location: \\packing\shiprush\database\

  6. Close Settings

 

 

Networking Method 2: Moving the database to a shared location

 

  1. Close ShipRush on all PC's

  2. Identify if the "Z-Firm ShipRush" NT Service is running on the 'main' ShipRush PC. If it is, the data files should not be moved, rather Method 1 above should be used.

  3. If one PC has the bulk of the data, use it as the starting database. (If this is a new setup that has not shipped yet, any PC that has already gone through the ShipRush wizard will do.)

  4. Create a directory on the file server for the data. Make sure this directory is shared and that all users have full rights to it.

  5. Copy the data base from the starting database to the file server directory. The starting database is a hidden directory:
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Z-Firm LLC\ShipRush\Database\

  6. Now in ShipRush settings, configure each PC to connect to this new database location (in the Advanced area of settings).

  7. Restart ShipRush and check that everyone sees the same shipping history, etc.

  8. Done!

 

 

 

The shared database is now in use. Note that some settings, like printers and settings related to the accounting or CRM application are local and are set on a PC by PC basis.