UseBasicNotes=1

September 2 2008

I was part of an interesting discussion with a customer last week, where essentially they needed some way to "prove" that the basic configuration of Notes 8 and the standard configuration of Notes 8 were really one and the same product.  I won't go into the details of the customer-specific situation, but it boiled down to how they approach their existing Notes applications as it relates to deployment, testing and the upgrade process.

Over the weekend, I learned of a really good way we can help the customer with the deployment aspect.  While Notes 8.0.2 shipped last week in both a basic configuration kit and a standard configuration kit, it appears we may be able to start moving away from distributing a separate basic configuration.  First, part of the reason for the basic configuration is to support lower-end hardware...and the performance/memory improvements in 8.0.2 standard configuration will help with that.  Second, though, is that we've established a simple INI parameter that allows one installation -- of the standard configuration -- to be run in either standard or basic mode.

Scott Vrusho, who manages the Notes/Domino maintenance release process, sent me over this quick write-up -- I like it:

A new feature has been added to Notes 8.0.2 that allows customers to install the 8.0.2 Notes Standard client, but launch the Basic client based on a Notes.ini parameter UseBasicNotes=1.  This notes.ini parameter will allow external programs that launch notes, such as a MailTo: URL, or launching an NSF file directly, to launch notes in Basic mode if UseBasicNotes=1 is set in the Notes.ini.  This will allow customers to rollout a single package, but define which users will launch Basic vs Standard via this notes.ini parameter.  For example, if a machine does not meet the hardware requirements of 8.0.2 Standard, but does for Basic, this will allow the client to launch in Basic mode until hardware has been upgraded,  By default, this parameter is not in the notes.ini and will launch the Standard client if it is omitted or set to 0.  Notes.ini parameters can be pushed out via administrative policy, which make it easier for customers to centrally control this feature.
Thanks, Scott, and the engineering team -- this will help further with Notes 8 deployments.

Ed Brill Highland Park, IL USA Category:  Notes and Domino 8  Add/View Comments [20]

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  1. 1  Andrea Waugh-Metzger  | 9/2/2008 12:40:39 PM

    That's a great ini parm! I'm happy they did that! I've been telling customers to use the "-sa" parameter in the launch line, but roll out the full version to everyone so they could manage the install packs. This .ini setting will make it EVEN easier! Woohoo!

  1. 2  Peter LaComb  | 9/2/2008 12:58:36 PM

    Now I feel good about not downloading the other package!

  1. 3  Bill Malchisky Jr. http://www.EffectiveSoftware.com | 9/2/2008 1:04:30 PM

    Thanks, Ed. This will simply dramatically ND8 upgrades for my clients, and existing sites with N8 installs. Bravo.

  1. 4  Chris Whisonant http://www.bleedyellow.com/blogs/lotusnut | 9/2/2008 1:12:03 PM

    Thanks IBM! This is a big deal that many customers need. Is this in the help file anywhere? I can't find it...

  1. 5  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 9/2/2008 1:27:06 PM

    @4 was added to the online release notes over the weekend.

  1. 6  Oliver Regelmann http://n-komm.de/blog | 9/2/2008 2:08:09 PM

    This is a good idea. But I don't think IBM should stop offering the basic setup. Not everyone wants to deploy a 600MB, half-an-hour install time setup on older hardware which will never be upgraded. Maybe in three, four years.

  1. 7  Marco Foellmer http://ebf.de | 9/2/2008 2:17:16 PM

    Thank You for the information. I would really prefer a client which detects automatically the right hardware reqs: If hardware is good enough than it should start in standard mode otherwise in basic.

    ciao marco

  1. 8  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 9/2/2008 2:24:44 PM

    @7 I don't think it's that simple - I know of at least one customer where even machines with the hardware to run Notes 8 in standard configuration are running basic configuration as part of their current roll-out plan.

  1. 9  Paul Mooney http://www.pmooney.net | 9/2/2008 3:11:47 PM

    I like it... means I can deploy one type of client (standard). Then, using policies I can define which client is loaded - so people with new hardware get moved to a group that is managed by dynamic policies.. then the right client loads.

    Nice one

  1. 10  Bill Malchisky Jr. http://www.EffectiveSoftware.com | 9/2/2008 3:18:23 PM

    @6, you can also use the Lotus provided MSI installer to create a more customized build and perhaps with a smaller footprint for your older hardware configurations, and add the UseBasicNotes=1 value to those INI files, accordingly, right out of the gate. Or use policies, if the respective enviroment is setup correctly to allow for that type of enhancement.

  1. 11  rob axelrod  | 9/2/2008 3:20:13 PM

    Awesome timing! Just this morning I started to write a tool that would iterate through the user's profile and switch all the shortcuts between basic and standard so that they could toggle between them. Fortunately I got distracted with some meetings before I could really get any of the coding done. This will save me loads of time and simplify deployments.

  1. 12  Bill Malchisky Jr. http://www.EffectiveSoftware.com | 9/2/2008 3:22:04 PM

    @7 That might be a good potential and indirect use of policies, as say, the Audit department would get the basic client, because we know their hardware is older, so give them basic now. Just a thought. But I can see the strength of what you describe, but can see greater issues with including it as a default or required configuration.

  1. 13  Dirk Rose  | 9/2/2008 3:36:40 PM

    Good stuff, but is it just me reading this as a limitation to this new feature: "This notes.ini parameter will allow external programs that launch notes, such as a MailTo: URL, or launching an NSF file directly, to launch notes in Basic mode if UseBasicNotes=1 is set in the Notes.ini.".

    I don't want that, I want my Notes to launch in Basic mode from its icon...

  1. 14  Vitor Pereira http://www.vitor-pereira.com | 9/2/2008 5:01:22 PM

    @13 Dirk, what Ed means is it will launch in basic mode *even* when launched from external programs.

    You can already launch in basic mode in a standard install if you point the shortcut to nlnotes.exe but if you launch by clicking on a mailto link it will always launch standard, until now.

  1. 15  Marty French  | 9/3/2008 8:55:55 AM

    I can't seem to get this feature to work correctly. I have the entry in the INI file correctly, but it still launches the standard client. I've restarted and tried it as a different user account. Any ideas?

  1. 16  Scott Vrusho  | 9/11/2008 4:53:56 PM

    @15 - Just retested, and it works for me. Ideas:

    1) Are you running Notes 8.0.2? This does not work in 8.0.1.

    2)Ensure in your notes.ini, if this is the very last line, ensure you put a carriage return after it.

    3) Did you edit the right notes.ini in case you have multiple ones on your machine?

    4) Did you shut down all Notes Standard centric windows/programs? Designer, Symphony, admin etc

  1. 17  Tom Dobrucky  | 9/16/2008 10:25:47 AM

    Anybody know where we can go to be more information on how to deploy and use this configuration parameter?

  1. 18  Mark  | 10/21/2008 12:22:59 PM

    I also ran into the same problem as of changing to UseBasicNotes=0. When I tried opened up the exe file, the Eclispe client loaded but Lotus Notes did not appear (though the nlnotes.exe file was running in my Program Manager).

    Could I be missing something as I went from LN6.5 to 8.02?

  1. 19  Abed  | 2/2/2009 1:38:52 PM

    Hi,I tried to input this parameter in my notes.ini package using the tuner and it still opens Notes in Standard mode.

    Please help. This is Notes 8.5

  1. 20  Douglas  | 3/26/2009 12:38:15 AM

    Beware if you intend to use this in multi user installations. We've missed an important project deadline trying to packet a stable version of 8.0.2 Standard for a 500+ rollout which does not crash when it is first started !

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