Administration: Getting Started : Providing Catalogs
   
Providing Catalogs
Catalogs to be shared by your workgroup must be administered by the Cumulus Server, which means that they must appear in the list of catalogs administered by the Server (in the Catalog Access window). Catalogs administered by the Cumulus Server have to be stored locally on the computer running the Server application. So before you jump into providing catalogs for your workgroup, make sure that you create or note the location(s) that will house the catalogs you provide.
You have a couple of options for providing catalogs to be administered by the Cumulus Server. You can either create new catalogs or add existing catalogs to the list in the Catalog Access window. If you add catalogs from previous Cumulus versions, you must migrate them to the current Cumulus format. The sections that follow describe how to provide catalogs to your workgroup using any of these routes.
Creating New Catalogs
The first step in creating new workgroup catalogs is to create or note the location where they will be stored on the computer running the Cumulus Server. So if you haven’t already done so, do that now.
Then you can log on to the Cumulus Server from any Cumulus Desktop Client and tell the Server where the catalog is to be stored and what you want to call it.
You create new catalogs via the Catalog Access window. For a detailed description see “New Catalogs” .
Adding Existing Catalogs
Catalogs to be administered by the Cumulus Server must be stored locally on the computer running the Server application Only catalogs stored in locations approved by the Cumulus Administrator can be used by Cumulus. So before you add a catalog for your workgroup, make sure that it is stored in appropriate location. You can then log on to the Cumulus Server from any Cumulus Desktop Client and tell the Server where the catalog can be found.
Catalogs created with Cumulus version 7 or 8 can be opened with Cumulus 9, but must be migrated explicitly in order to support the new features. Catalogs created with Cumulus versions earlier than 7 can not be opened with Cumulus 9 and must be migrated before they can be used. (See “Migrating Catalogs”, for more information.)
To add an existing Cumulus catalog to the list:
 
1. Log on as Cumulus Administrator to the Cumulus Server (see “Logging On as Cumulus Administrator” ).
2. In the Catalog Access dialog box, click Add to List.
The Browse window appears.
3. If necessary, select the location where the catalog is stored from the Look In drop down menu
4. Select the desired catalog file (.ccf) from the list an click Open.The added catalog appears in the catalog list of the Catalog Access window.
Your catalogs are now administered by the Cumulus Server and can be accessed by Cumulus Clients.
Catalog Availability
There are two levels of catalog access to keep in mind when managing user permissions:
Catalog availability – Determines whether or not a catalog is available for sharing at all. If available, the catalog is available to every Client who connects to the Server, unless you define specific user access restrictions.
User permissions – Determines how a catalog is shared. You can define which access permissions users have. (See “User Properties”.)
Making Catalogs Available
Just because a catalog appears in the list of catalogs administered by the Cumulus Server, it doesn’t mean that it can be shared by your workgroup. You first have to make each catalog available before it can be accessed by Clients.
To make a catalog available to Clients in general:
 
1. Log on as Cumulus Administrator to the Cumulus Server (see “Logging On as Cumulus Administrator” ).
The Catalog Access window appears. You can see which catalogs are accessible to clients by selecting a catalog and noting whether the Share Catalog option is checked for that catalog.
2. Select the catalog you wish to make available to Clients and enable Share Catalog.
A dialog asks you to confirm the change of the sharing status of the catalog in question.
3. Confirm the change.
The catalog is now available to every Client who has got the respective permissions, see “User Properties” .
Making Catalogs Unavailable
There are two ways to make a catalog unavailable to Clients. Both are done from the Catalog Access window. You can:
temporarily deactivate it in the list of catalogs administered by the Cumulus Server by disabling Share Catalog.
permanently remove it from the list of catalogs administered by the Cumulus Server by clicking Remove from List. The catalog is not deleted, but is no longer administered by the Cumulus Server.
To make a catalog unavailable to Clients in general:
 
1. Log on as Cumulus Administrator to the Cumulus Server (see “Logging On as Cumulus Administrator” ).
The Catalog Access window appears. You can see which catalogs are accessible to clients by selecting a catalog and noting whether the Share Catalog option is checked for that catalog.
2. Select the catalog you wish to make unavailable to clients and disable Share Catalog. A dialog box appears asking you to confirm the change of the sharing status of the catalog in question.
3. Click OK.
The catalog still appears in the list of catalogs administered by the Cumulus Server, but it is no longer available to be shared by Clients.
To remove a catalog from the list of catalogs administered by the Cumulus Server:
 
1. Log on as Cumulus Administrator to the Cumulus Server (see “Logging On as Cumulus Administrator” ).
The Catalog Access window appears.
2. Select the catalog you wish to remove from the list and click Remove from List.
If the catalog to be removed is being used by a Client, a dialog box appears in which you can determine the length of time the Clients have before they will be disconnected. This dialog box also lets you send these Clients a message on the impending disconnection.
3. Click OK.
The catalog is removed from the list in the Catalog Access window, but is not deleted from the system.