Applies To
Express Software Manager version 4.0 and higher

Summary
This technical note describes some of the most useful troubleshooting tools available to you and explains how to use them to help you solve Express client problems.

Express Client Troubleshooting Tools
The following tools include log files generated by Express Software Manager, utilities provided with Express, files used by Express, and non-Express applications such as Notepad. All of these can provide you with important and useful information when solving Express client issues.

Express log files

• Express.log

  The Express.log file contains Express client errors and is located in the application library folder.

• Exinst.log and/or Client Installations report

  The Exinst.log file is the workstation installation log and is located in the application library folder. The log contains details of each client installation on client workstations, including a date and time, a user name, and a workstation name. This information remains in the Exinst.log file until the database is updated using Express Administrative Console or Express Library Manager Service. After a database update the data is moved from the Exinst.log file to the reporting database and can be viewed in the Client Installations report.

  The Client Installations report is accessible using Express Reports Console. The report displays details about each client workstation installation, including date and time, user, and machine name. This information comes from the Exinst.log file and will not appear in the report until you update the database. You can view the Client Installations report in Express Reports Console by opening the Administrator Tools folder, then the Library folder, and choosing the Client Installations report icon. (You can also find the report listed under the All Reports folder.)

• Excli32.exe

  Excli32.exe is the Express client and is installed on the client workstation. For details on using Excli32.exe as a troubleshooting tool, see Technical Note 1588, Determining if the Express Client is Installed, and Technical Note 1589, Installing the Express Client in Verbose Mode.

• Exinfo32.exe

  Exinfo32.exe is a utility provided with Express Software Manager. It can be found in the \Clients folder of the application library. Use Exinfo32.exe to get information about a particular client workstation.

  To use the tool:

1. On the client workstation, choose Run from the Start menu.

2. Browse out to the \Clients folder of the application library.

3. Select Exinfo32.exe and click Open.

4. Click OK to run the client troubleshooting tool.

You can use Exinfo32.exe to view a wide variety of information about the application library, including:
• Checking the details about the application library.

• Verifying that the workstation has the correct rights to the library files by clicking Details in the Application library group, then clicking Library Rights.

• Checking details about the Express metering client (if applicable).

• Checking details about the Express inventory client (if applicable).

• Determining if the client workstation requires the Express Client Install Manager service in order to properly install the Express client.

You can also edit both the local Hdc.ini file and the library Applib.ini files from the Application Library details dialog.

• Disabling inventory or metering in the application library.

  You can disable inventory or metering in the application library to help narrow down the source of problems you are seeing.

  Disable inventory by opening an application library in Express Administrative Console, then choosing Library Properties from the File menu. Select the Inventory tab and clear the Enable inventory client check box. Click OK. This will disable inventory for the entire library (for every client workstation that is writing to the library). Do this if you are seeing problems with client workstations and do not know if the problems are related to Express inventory or not.

  Disable metering by opening an application library in Express Administrative Console, then choosing Library Properties from the File menu. Select the Metering tab and clear the Enable metering client check box. Click OK. This will disable metering for the entire library (for every client workstation that is writing to the library). Do this if you are seeing problems with client workstations and do not know if the problems are related to Express metering or not.

• Applib.ini

  The Applib.ini file contains initialization values for the Express clients and is located in the application library. A common cause of Express client problems is an invalid or incorrect library path in the Applib.ini file. This path is written at the time the library is created, based on the path provided in the Library Wizard. If the path in the Applib.ini is incorrect, the Express clients will not be able to function properly. For more information, see Technical Note 1591, Verifying the Express Client’s Library.

• Hdc.ini

  The Hdc.ini file is installed locally in the \Windows directory on the client workstation and contains a path to the Applib.ini file in the application library. A common cause of Express client problems is an invalid or incorrect library path in the Hdc.ini file. This path is written at the time the library is created, based on the path provided in the Library Wizard. If the path in the Hdc.ini is incorrect, the Express client will not be able to function properly. The path in the Hdc.ini and Applib.ini files must match. For more information, see Technical Note 1591, Verifying the Express Client’s Library.

• Notepad

  Notepad can be used to easily determine if a particular client workstation and user have proper rights to the application library files and folders. The Express client needs to read from and write to the application library. If the library permissions don’t allow this, the client will not be able to write inventory and/or usage information to the library, and the client machine will not appear correctly in Express Administrative Console. Use Notepad on the client workstation to verify that you can create and save a file in the application library folder. For more information, see Technical Note 1593, Verifying User Permissions on the Library.

Related Technical Notes

1587	Troubleshooting Express Client Problems
1588	Determining if the Express Client is Installed
1589	Installing the Express Client in Verbose Mode
1591	Verifying the Express Client's Library
1593	Verifying User Permissions on the Library
9989	Express Software Manager 6.x Technical Notes
9991	Express Software Manager Technical Notes (5.x or lower)