Application unavailable while offline error

Hi,

could you please check whether you enable the runtime for Express to keep the installation instead of removing it?

In the system control panel, open "Java", on the first page, section "temporary internet files", click "settings/options" and make sure, that the option "keep temporary internet files on disc" is switched on.

If this is the case, make sure that the available space for these files is big enough.

I think, in your case, to make Express run again it is a good idea just to reinstall it after deleting it. The best way to uninstall it is click in the dialog described above the "delete files..." button.

Bye,

Frank

I am assisting Megan on this problem.  I have checked that "keep temporary internet files" is ticked, but because of the way the laptop build has been designed it's very locked down.  As soon as we grant administrator rights, Megan can launch the application fine with no problem.

Therefore, that leads me to think she is being deined access to something under her profile.  When you launch ARIS Express are there any files or folders users need read/write access to?

Hi,

yes, there is the folder where the webstart cache is located (you can change this in the dialog I mentioned above). Then, there is a user profile directory, where the user's settings are stored in a file.

Bye,

Frank

So to clarify, the webstart cache for Windows 7 is stored here:

C:\Users\username\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\Cache

Could you please advise which folder the user's settings are stored in their profile?

Thanks

Hi Phillip,

there are no preferences about the location. Some customers have restrictions in the user's profile; in that case we just recommend to change the location for the folder.

The folder you describe should allow read/write access. Can you assure that this is the case for your colleague's account?

Bye,

Frank

Yes Megan does have read/write access to the location of the Java cache: C:\Users\username\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\Cache

But, you also suggest there is a folder in addition to this to save: "user settings" where is this?  and are there ANY other locations on the C:\ drive ARIS stores files?  For example: C:\Windows\System32 maybe?

Thanks

Hi,

on Windows XP, the directory where user settings are stored is "C:\Documents and settings\<username>\ARISExpress".

On Windows 7 systems, this should be "C:\Users\<username>\ARISExpress".

Bye,

Frank

On Windows7 the Aris user context is

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\LocalLow\ARIS71 (cf. Installation&Admin-Guide of ARIS "Professional"),

so I suppose it should be C:\Users\%username%\AppData\LocalLow\ArisExpress  resp.

I have an update on this from further investigations:

I have tested this under an account with admin rights, and one without.  The only discrepancy I can find between the two, is the Java variable "User Home Directory" is pointing to the wrong location when the user has no admin rights.  Therefore ARISExpress cannot find the User.cfg etc...

Can you suggest what would be causing this?

Hi Phillip,

no idea. Maybe the user account (that one without admin right) runs a logon script etc... which changes the user directory to a server path or another location. Please ask your IT here.

Bye,

Frank

Hi Frank,

Any folder redirect would be irrelevant because both accounts: the one with admin rights and without both point to the same folder location.

It looks like there is something: a Java variable or command which is being blocked when there are no admin rights, so ideally we would need the ARIS developers to advise how the "User Home Directory" variable works in Java.

Thanks

Any update on this please guys?

Hi Phillip,

there is really nothing special going on with ARIS Express and Java. ARIS Express stores its files in exactly threee locations:

1. the program itself in the JAVA cache location as you configured it in your system control panel
2. the user settings and log files in $HOME/ARISExpress
3. sample models shipped with ARIS Express in $HOME/Documents/ARIS Express

Only the first two folders are critical for running ARIS Express.



It often happens that location 1 gets "cleaned" by custom scripts or some kind of registry/profile cleaner software.

Hi Sebastian,

Thanks for your reply.

I believe it's number 2 which is causing the problems.  This appears to be what Java refers to

as the "User Home Directory" in the Java Console log, and is where the ARIS User.cfg is stored.

.

The above screenshot shows what happens when ARIS works correctly, and with no performance problems.  It is from the local administrator account.

However, a standard user has group policies applied and Folder redirection which appears to be causing problems where ARIS cannot locate the correct location for the "User Home Directory".  It points to: \\ServerName instead of \\ServerName\RedirectedDocs\Username.

One solution would be if we are able to set the "User Home Directory" to a location of our choice, on the C:\ drive would be good.

Can you please advise if this is possible, or anything else which may assist in resolving this issue.

Thanks

Somehow, a bell is ringing. I think we had a report about that before where ARIS Express had trouble when the user profiles are stored on a server.

As far as I know we make use of the Java variables and there is no way to overwrite it just for ARIS Express. Frank, can you confirm that?

Hi Phillip, hi Sebastian,

we actually use the directories the system tells us. There is no way to set it as system variables.

This possibly can affect other applications as well.

I take this as a requirement for one of our next releases for Express (setting the user home via system variable) and will discuss that with the corresponding developers.

Bye,

Frank

Hi Frank,

One question; If the User Home Directory is a system variable then, where is it pulling this from exactly?  I've checked the Windows Environment Variables and the "set" cmd command, but these dont reveal that location.  If we were able to force this system variable some how, I think that would be one avenue for our testing.

Thanks

Hi,

if I execute the "set" command, I get

    USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and settings\<my user>

    and: (whithout the local drive!)

    HOMEPATH=\Documents and settings\<my user>

Normally, as far as I know, these should be set by the system.

But, in addition, trying to set the environment path of the variable "user.dir" could be helpfull as well.

Did that work?

Bye,

Frank

Hi Frank,

Thanks for that, but the user.dir did not have any effect over the User Home Directory.

Are you guys the developers of ARIS Express (Frank and Sebastian)?  Is there not a part of the JavaScript that informs the application where to point the User Home Directory to?

Hi guys, any update on the above questions please?

Hi Phillip,

I fear that there is nothing we can do from our side. The paths are delivered by the system. We need to rely on those paths, and as long we did no implement a mechanism, where this can be set from "outside", there is no chance from our side to influence the behavior of your system.

Bye,

Frank

Hi Frank,

So just to clarify then, as developers of ARIS Express you do not know where the "User Home Directory" is being pulled from in the below screenshot:

I appreciate your time spent looking into this matter.

Regards,

Phill

I had the same problems with ArisExpress and always downloading the program again and again. Additionally i was not able to use the program offline . Neither under Win XP nor Win 7. Tried on various different Systems...

Finally the solution was as simple as easy. While ArisExpress was running perfectly on my MacBook Air under Mac OSX (under all circumstances - offline or online) i just changed my strategy for the usage under Windows (yes I know that's very sad, but sometimes I have to use Windows in some environments on my job ;-))

I just downloaded the ARISExpress Edition once again. This time I ignored the Windows version (which is some executable package) and decided to use the "Free Download for other Systems"  for my Windows XP instead. I mean its just Java, isn't it ? ;-)

However you will get a file called express.jnlp downloaded (instead of that "mysterious aris-express-setup.exe"). Just doubleclick the express.jnlp and everything gets installed and works like a charm. Even offline.  

No more requests for "do you want to switch the application online". 

Hope it will help you too.....