ComCap Installation

ComCap is usually distributed as a ZIP file COMCAP.ZIP, which should first be unzipped into a temporary folder.

The program SETUP.EXE should then be run to install ComCap.  About 10 Mbytes of disk space is required for applications, help and supporting files.

If you have received an executable with the name COMCAPS.EXE, this should be run to install the software.

ComCap is normally installed into the program files directory, in the comcap sub-directory.  A user with administrative level privileges must install ComCap, and configure the service version. 

ComCap 4 may be accessed by users without administrator access to the PC, provided file permissions are set-up accordingly for the directories being used by ComCap.  Note that only administrators may start and stop Windows services.  If ComCap is configured to run as a service, non-administrators will be able to run the system tray application and monitor the service, but not start or stop it (the buttons are hidden).  The PC name, user name and security level are logged on start-up, for the service it will say: User: SYSTEM (Administrator).

All ComCap settings are stored in files, rather than in the registry, to ease sharing between users and back-up.  Actual configuration settings are stored in the Windows common application path, which will usually be:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Magenta-Systems\ComCap4

The actual files are comcap.config and comcap.current.  The former file is only updated when configuration changes occur, the latter file contains dynamic information updated ever few seconds, such as log names and serial numbers.

User specific information such as windows sizes and positions, fonts, etc, for the tray application is stored separately for each user:

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Magenta-Systems\ComCap4

The actual file is comcap.forms.  If access to directories is blocked, or they don't exist, then the configuration files are stored in the ComCap program directory. 

On Windows Vista, the base directory is now C:\ProgramData\Users.

Until registered, ComCap will only run for one hour before capture is automatically stopped.  It will be necessary to restart ComCap to continue capture.  ComCap may be registered using a secure order form at the web site http://www.magsys.co.uk/comcap/.  Once the order has been processed, a small file userreg.txt is returned as an email attachment, which should be copied into the ComCap program directory.  If ComCap is already running, it should be exited and restarted to see the new file.  When started, ComCap will show the name of the individual or company that registered the software and will run continually.  The registration status is shown in the information log on start-up and when capture starts.

ComCap is run from Start, Programs, Magenta Systems, then click ComCap4.  The ComCap icon will appear in the System Tray, which should be clicked to restore the main application window.  ComCap may be set-up to auto start each time windows is booted through Common.

Although the ComCap Background Service may be used logged-on to the ‘local system account’, for SQL use or access to network drives it's necessary to specify a specific user account with a password.  This also ensures that dates and times in ComCap will be formatted according to that user’s preferences, rather than the American default, and allows access to network resources.  Windows Echo printing is only possible when using the account of a user that has the required printer installed.

Note that the ComCap PC must be running continually for data to be captured.  Any power saving features, such as the hard disk being powered down, should be disabled, and suspending the PC will also stop anything being captured. 

See Null Modem Emulator (com0com) for details about installation of this extra.

Uninstalling

ComCap may be removed from the Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, or by running the program UNINSTAL4.EXE in the installation directory.  The uninstaller will remove all installed programs and files.  It will not remove any capture or log files that ComCap has created.