multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

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Peter Muckle
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multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Peter Muckle »

Hi,

I need to work with one other person on an H&M project and just wanted to check - if I set up a shared access folder in Windows 10 on my PC, will the other person (with a copy of H&M) be able to open it remotely?

If yes, what is the best way to set this up at my end?

Thanks

Pete
Peter Muckle
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:33 pm

Re: multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Peter Muckle »

My other option is sharing it on www.centrestack.com which offers 'bi-directional sync via server agent'.

I'm looking for the simplest and cheapest way to work remotely with one other person.

Thanks
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Tim Green
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Re: multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Peter,

If by "shared access folder" you mean something like OneDrive or Google Drive or DropBox: DON'T do this for multi-user editing of a single project. These systems don't have proper file locking or two-way interaction with the application except for applications that are fully integrated in them and multiple users will either overwrite each other's work or you will get a problematic collection of "conflicted copies" of all topic and project files that multiple users have worked on, depending on the system you are using. It's very unlikely that CentreStack would be any better for this, because Help+Manual would need to interface with it directly unless multiple users were NEVER editing the project at the same time.

There are only two ways to do reliable multi-user editing: Either locally on your local network (LAN) with Help+Manual's own native multi-user editing or via a version control system, with each user working on a local working copy that is synchronized intelligently with the master copy on the version control server. See this chapter in the documentation for details:

https://www.helpandmanual.com/help/hm_m ... iting.html
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Peter Muckle
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:33 pm

Re: multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Peter Muckle »

Hi,

Thanks for your answer. I was hoping to set up a standard PC with a shared folder for use over the internet (not a LAN), but that doesn't seem to be possible.

The other option is for my partner to give me access via a VPN, which would require me to use my H&M license. The 3rd party has H&M. The help describes setting up floating licenses, but assumes one company and I'm not sure of the steps we need to take.

Thanks for any advice
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Tim Green
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Re: multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Tim Green »

Peter Muckle wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:34 pm Thanks for your answer. I was hoping to set up a standard PC with a shared folder for use over the internet (not a LAN), but that doesn't seem to be possible.
That is only possible if you never edit at the same time. The reason for this is that those shared Internet folders have no way of telling Help+Manual what another user in another location is doing. Depending on the system you will then either overwrite each other's work completely, or end up with multiple "conflicted copies" of your project and topic files, with different edits in each individual copy. Not good. :?
The 3rd party has H&M. The help describes setting up floating licenses, but assumes one company and I'm not sure of the steps we need to take.
Floating licenses are a special license type that you need to buy, and that doesn't have anything to do with multi-user editing. It only allows multiple users to use the same license keys. Multi-user editing is possible with both the regular Professional and the Floating licenses in the same way.
The other option is for my partner to give me access via a VPN, which would require me to use my H&M license.
Editing directly remotely is only recommended if you use Remote Desktop. That is reliable because Help+Manual and all data run on the remote computer and your computer is just connected by effectively what are very long keyboard, mouse and monitor cables. If there is a network glitch you don't lose anything because everything stays safely at the other end. Don't ever try to do remote editing directly via a VPN, however. That is both much too slow and very risky -- it isn't a question of whether you will lose data and corrupt your projects, just when. This is because all the data you are editing (the entire project) has to go back and forth via the network connection, along with the program itself if you are actually running the program via the connection.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Peter Muckle
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Re: multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Peter Muckle »

Thanks again Tim,

Can I use my existing license installed onto a remote desktop, and keep using it on my laptop?
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Tim Green
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Re: multi user editing - sharing a folder in Windows

Unread post by Tim Green »

Peter Muckle wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:58 am Can I use my existing license installed onto a remote desktop, and keep using it on my laptop?
Yes, that is not a problem. You are specifically permitted to have two installations for your own use.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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