is there a way to limit the number of users hitting the share?

i know i can use the share properties to limit the number of users...but how would i feed that into an error code for my script?

i assume i could do copy and if it dies use the error code...but with the current layout i notify the users via message box that a copy is about to occur before i actually start copying.....so they would get one "about to copy" message box and one "oops, it's to busy"....

tia,
justin

You could possibly try creating a batch file to copy and run the upgrade and use the built-in NT Scheduler to run it. Use some kind of timing based upon alphabetical user names. i.e. A-C = 11:00AM D-F = 11:30 AM etc...

You could put the candidate computer names in an INI file and check it with ReadProfileString. You could use the same file to log with WriteProfileString. Then pace the rollout by placing limited number of candidate machines in the file at a time.

You could do it all remotely from a central console, pushing out the file and initiating the install using the scheduler. This you could do after hours, providing you can get your users to leave their machines powered up.

We have an idea about such implementation.
the problem was: how can we count.
solution: create a temporary file on server which can be updated with the
WriteProfileString function.
We know when the limit of active user has been reach by checking the filesize
of that temporary file. We are using for all user an entry with same length.

Code can be:

code:

---

$check_file="c:\check-install_process"
IF (GetFileSize($check_file) < 167) ; max 6 active users at the same time
  $check_key=@date+" "+@time+" "+@ipaddress0
  ; - lock entry -
  IF (WriteProfileString($check_file,"install",$check_key,"busy") <> 0)
  ENDIF
  ;
  ; your code to copy and install service pack NT SP6a
  ;
  ; - unlock entry -
  IF (WriteProfileString($check_file,"install",$check_key,"") <> 0)
  ENDIF
ELSE
  ? "Warning KIX-INSTALL: too many users active for an installation run. possible next time."
ENDIF

---

code:

---

[install]
2001/10/18 05:33:08=busy
2001/10/18 05:33:09=busy
2001/10/18 05:33:11=busy
2001/10/18 05:34:52=busy

---

thanks for the replies guys!

justin

The WriteProfileString will not generate an error.
Reasons:

• file is very small. the amount of information written is also very
  small.
  
• as user the file will only open during f.e. the time of the write
  operation.
  
• how many users are trying to write to that file at the same moment?
  we are using such structure for the creation of all kind of dynamic
  files, which contains much more information.
  only very slow server can be a problem for very great INI files, but
  your one will never be a problem for the server.