Using a Network Shared Index

[krosal]

On the Server;
I have installed the Everything Search on a server and have added multiple 'Folders" in the Index locations. I have also created the network share where the Everything.db is located.
ie;
\\Server name\share name

I have setup the Database Location to the "Everything" folder share. The server indexes the locations on the server and creates the Everything.db fine.

On the client;
I have pointed the client to the network Database location.

How do I have multiple users access the network "Shared Everything.db"

I was told that this may work if I enter the following information, but not sure where I'm supposed to enter this. From the command prompt?

make sure Everything is not running (the -db and -read-only option will not work if Everything is already running)
run Everything with the -db <everything.db> -read-only Everything.exe \\server\share\Everything.db -read-only

I'm not sure where to enter the -db Everything.db -read-only Everything.exe \\Server\Share\Everything.db -read-only

Can someone please help me out on this?

Thank you!

[krosal]

OK, I have ran the following on my computer from the command prompt and I believe I have entered everything correct. When I ran the command it launched the Everything Search.


everything.exe -db \\Servername\sharename\everything.db -read-only

However, when I search for anything, nothing shows. Does anyone have an idea what I'm doing wrong and cannot search the database on the server?

I have the server location shared with read access for all domain users.

[NotNull]

Is there actually a \\Servername\sharename\everything.db ? (use quotes when it contains spaces) What is it's size?

[krosal]

Hello,

Yes, for confidentiality I didn't put the server's name in the question.

\\Server8\Everything$\Everything\Everything.db

But that database is just 1k and then there is another one in there that is 13MB. the 13MB db is named like Everything.Server8.administrator.db

Is the larger database the one I should be referencing in the example below?

run Everything with the -db <everything.db> -read-only Everything.exe \\server\share\Everything.db -read-only

I have the Database location set on the Server and the client the same \\Server8\Everything$\Everything. Everything on the server is able to find the 526,000 files/folders but the client doesn't find anything.

Thank you,
Kelly

[NotNull]

Be aware that the Everything database is kept in RAM. Only when you exit Everything (on the server), the Everything.db is written to disk (or run a scheduled everything.exe -update to force Everything to write the database to disk on a regulare base).

But it sounds like an ETP Server is better suited for your needs.
If you can describe what you want to accomplish, we might be able to assist you in finding a good solution.

EDIT: 13 MB is what you can expect for a database with around 250.000 files/folders. But there is no harm in trying Everything.Server8.administrator.db instead of Everything.db (you open the database in read only mode after all).

[krosal]

We are currently using an older free search application that wants to crash every once and awhile.

We are indexing from 2 separate servers, with one at a different location, for a total of 12 different folders. The current indexer is sharing a database for the clients, at each location, for file searching access to a shared database.

If an ETP server would work best for a solution, that would be great. I was looking at this feature, but wasn't sure if would fit our situation.

Please let me know if this would work for us.

Thank you,

Update;

I tried the ETP server setup and configuration on the server last night and today, but was not able to get any searching to find anything. I added 10 or so shares and setup/configured the ETP server. I finally ran the Everything.exe -install-client-service. I did see the service running, but never seen a list of files anywhere for it to search. I'm not sure if the Everything should show files and folders, but a search did not bring anything up.

[NotNull]

@krosal:
I will answer your questions, but that will take some time (there is a lot to say ..)

Maybe someone else here can help you out in the meantime.

[krosal]

Thank you for your Help, I sincerely appreciate that.

Do you recommend that I go the ETP route or the File/Folder method? I actually went back to the file and folder method, thinking for what I read, that all the clients need to have the same mapped drives as on the ETP Search Server. So I went back again and set it up with the File/Folder method.

I do have it all setup again, but need to get the client to communicate to the Everything Database. I do also understand that the database only updates on close, so I could run a scheduled task to start and stop this I'm thinking.

Anyway, when you have a minute and feel like sending me something to check that will get great. I will check back every once and awhile. I'm in no real rush, so a little here and there will be good with me.

Thank you!

Kelly

[krosal]

I have the 'Everything' loaded on the network server and shared as 'read only' for all domain users.

I have set this up with multiple 'Folder' Indexes. The server shows all the folders and files for a total of 526,402 objects listed.

The shared database is located on the server's C:\Everything
The 'application installation' is also located in the C:\Everything folder

The Everything.db when Everything is closed is around 22 MB in size.

Performing a search on the server works, but on the client does not. I don't believe the client is searching the network database.

On the client, I ran from an Administrator Command Prompt the following;

Everything.exe \\server\share\Everything.db -read-only

When Everything loads on the client, I receive the following error message;

Unable to open file list: \\server8\everything\everything.db is not a valid file list


I do see that when Everything is running on the Server that the Everything.db is only 1k in size. Do I need to possibly create a scheduled task to close Everything, copy the everything.db to a different location and point the client to this location. Then finally restart the Everything on the Server?

Maybe this would work?

Thank you,

[krosal]

It looks like closing the database on the server made it where my PC could access the information. Yahoo!

I am still receiving the error upon launching 'Everything' from the command prompt.

Unable to open file list: \\server8\everything\everything.db is not a valid file list

I will see if I can figure that one out since I wasn't receiving it the past few days.

[froggie]

Try

Everything.exe -db \\server\EverythingDB\Everything.db -read-only

and read this post

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7615&p=25648&hilit= ... nly#p25648

[krosal]

OK, I see I wasn't doing it quite correct. I will try that and let you know.

Thank you!!

[krosal]

Yes, that did work entering the following command

Everything.exe -db \\server\EverythingDB\Everything.db -read-only

Now my next question would be;

The database updated instantly when I ran this command from the command prompt and the everything was closed on the Server.

What is the procedure if I want to have clients connecting to this when they log into their PC's or when they launch the Everything search application. Making this easy for the users. While having access to the database.

Does the database need to be closed all the time, or can a copy of the database be put somewhere and then this would be the database accessed.

[NotNull]

Let's see if I understood what you did so far:

• You installed Everything on on of your 2 servers
• You used folder indexing for all folders that you want to publish to the users
• It's database will be saved in the C:\Everything folder on that server
• The C:\Everything folder is shared as \\server\EverythingDB
• On a PC you run
  Everything.exe -db \\server\EverythingDB\Everything.db -read-only
  to open the database on that client
• That way you were able to list all the files and do a search
• Now you want to know how to how to start this automatically on users' PC's

Am I close?

Other question: Do you index your files as \\server\share\folder\file.txt or are you using folder mappings (M:\folder\file.txt)?
In other words: What do you see on the client: \\server\share or M:
And is this M: also available on the server?
(replace M: with actual values)?

Does the database need to be closed all the time, or can a copy of the database be put somewhere and then this would be the database accessed.

No, database doesn't need to be closed.

[krosal]

Hello,
I currently on have the Everything installed on (1) server. We do have a remote location that needs to be taken care of after the final solution is up and running at the primary location.

Answers to your question;
1. Yes - folder indexing is currently being used.
2. The database is saved in the c:\Everything folder on the server.
3. The c:\Everything is shared as EverythingDB.
4. to open the database on the PC I have to run from a batch file Everything.exe -db \\server\EverythingDb\Everything.db -read-only.
5. I am able to list all the files and do a successful search.

The other question;
Do you index you files as \\server\share\folder\file.txt

I have all the server folders listed on the Server in "Everything" as \\Server\Share Name

This server was not mapped with drive letters.
However, I do have them mapped with drive letters in case I switch to the ETP server setup.

[NotNull]

For a simple Proof of Concept ETP Server (refinements can come later):

• ETP Server
• Select one of your servers as the dedicated ETP server. Depends a little bit on bandwidth between locations, which file server has the most changes and where the majority of the data is located. For now -creating a concept version - this doesn't matter. Just pick the one with the most files on it.
• Install Everything on that server (settings in installation folder;install the Everything service).
• Let Everything find the files on that server (progress is visible in statusbar)
• Go to Menu:Tools > Options > Indexes > NTFS
• In the Local NTFS volumes: box, click on each volume and for that volume, disable Include in database (we're using folder indexing for this test; NTFS indexing follows later)
• Click the OK button
• That should result in zro files in the result list (if not, repeat NTFS steps for ReFS)
• Go to Menu:Tools > Options >Indexes > Folders
• Click the Add button
• In the Folder: box add one folder that is available on your server (use the \\server\share syntax)
• Click OK
• Repeat this for one folder on the "other server" (use the \\server2\share2 syntax)
• Click OK
• In Everything's result list you should see files from server1 and server2
  (If you don't see the files from server2, you are probably running Everything under an account that has no acces to the folder on server2)
• Go to MEnu:Tools > Option > ETP/FTP Server
• Enable Enable ETP/FTP server
• Configure Listen on port: = 2121 (if that port is free on your server)
• Configure username and password. You need those to connect from the client to the ETP Server. Let's say: dummy/secret
• Click OK
• If asked for, allow Everything's port 2121 through the firewall
  
  ETP Client
• Install Everything on one of your client PC's (settings in %APPDATA%\Everything;No NTFS indexing)
• Ther should be no files listed
• Go to Menu:Tools > Connect to ETP Server...
• Enter hostname (= server1 ; the name of server where Everything ETP server is running )
• Enter port. username and password (2121, dummy and secret)
• Click OK
• Now you should see the same files as you saw on the server, without the need for a local database.

[krosal]

Thank you for that information!

I will let you know how it goes.

[krosal]

That worked perfect - Thank you!

Is there a way to have the client automatically connect to the ETP server when they launch the application?

Thank you!

[krosal]

I did a search and found the way to do this.

Thank you so much for your help!

[NotNull]

This was just a basic proof of concept. There are more steps for a complete solution, among which

• Running on the server without you being logged on
• Automatic connection from clients
• Using NTFS indexing for local disks
• Choosing between UNC paths or mapped drives
• Finetuning the ETP Server
• ...

[krosal]

Wonderful - this site, support and the application is awesome.

I will definitely look into this more...

Thank you all for your support!

[krosal]

I have setup the 2nd ETP server just like the 1st ETP server, both with the same folders to be accessed and same port number. The 1st server works perfect and clients can connect to it. The 2nd server shows all the files & folders that are being indexed, however the client can connect to this ETP server.

I get an error;

Unable to connect to ETP server: getaddrinfo failed 11001

This server can be accessed for other things so I don't believe it's being blocked. Unless it can't use the same port number 2121 as the other ETP server at the main location.

Thank you,

[krosal]

I figured it out. I see that the Windows firewall was on for the Server. Once this was turned off it was able to connect perfect.