Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Salvador Manzo 
It's the best thing since r*y inserted sliced bread.


On 6/12/08 1:43 PM, "Roger Wright" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> IOW, you really like it, right?!?   
> 
>
> 
> Roger Wright
> Network Administrator
> 727.572.7076  x388
> _
>  
> 
> 
> -Original Message-
> From: Ben Scott [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 3:57 PM
> To: NT System Admin Issues
> Subject: Re: FedEx Ship Mangler
> 
> On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 2:49 PM, Joseph L. Casale
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> Anyone use this?
> 
>   Unfortunately, we have to use FedEx Ship Manager (FSM) here.  That
> software is a giant pile of steaming canine excrement.  It's hugely
> bloated.  We run it on Pentium 4 computers with 1 GB RAM, and it's
> still very slow to start.  (UPS WorldShip is nice and speedy on the
> same PC.)  FSM is fragile and falls apart spontaneously.  The UI is
> clunky and counter-intuitive.  It's hard to find things.
> 
>   It keeps all its data in a database server they've licensed (Sybase
> Adaptive SQL Anywhere), but the only approved way to back it up is
> using the program UI.
> 
>   If you're using it with a thermal label printer, it sends printer
> control codes directly.  It apparently decides which control codes to
> send by looking at the name of the Windows printer object (icon).  So
> if we rename the printer from "Eltron LP2844" to "FedEx label
> printer", it formats the labels incorrectly.
> 
>   When you start the application, it actually starts several other
> processes which run concurrently with it.  That includes the database
> server, which runs as a tray icon.  If and when the main application
> crashes, you have to run a special utility to close all the other
> processes down before you can restart the main process properly.
> 
>   Their phone support varies from "well meaning but unable to help" to
> "totally incompetent".  Circa 2000, while on a tech call, I said I was
> running Windows 98, and the phone tech asked, "Windows 98... is that
> like Windows 95?".
> 
>   They expect you to run it as administrator, and they get confused
> when you explain about things like "security" or "user accounts".  It
> expects to be able to write to the FedEx registry branch(es) under
> HKLM.  It also expects to be able to write to a few directories under
> the program install directory.  So far, I've found that granting
>  permission to  on the files and registry branches in
> question will make it work okay.  The objects are:
> 
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FEDEX
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FedEx Services
> C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Rate
> C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\ROUTE
> C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Temp\
> 
>> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running
> on
>> the console as it doesn't run as a service?
> 
>   Correct.
> 
>   Welcome to hell.  Here's your copy of FedEx Ship Manager.
> 
> -- Ben
> 
> ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
> ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm>  ~
> 
> ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
> ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm>  ~


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RE: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Roger Wright 
IOW, you really like it, right?!?   

   

Roger Wright
Network Administrator
727.572.7076  x388
_
 


-Original Message-
From: Ben Scott [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 3:57 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 2:49 PM, Joseph L. Casale
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Anyone use this?

  Unfortunately, we have to use FedEx Ship Manager (FSM) here.  That
software is a giant pile of steaming canine excrement.  It's hugely
bloated.  We run it on Pentium 4 computers with 1 GB RAM, and it's
still very slow to start.  (UPS WorldShip is nice and speedy on the
same PC.)  FSM is fragile and falls apart spontaneously.  The UI is
clunky and counter-intuitive.  It's hard to find things.

  It keeps all its data in a database server they've licensed (Sybase
Adaptive SQL Anywhere), but the only approved way to back it up is
using the program UI.

  If you're using it with a thermal label printer, it sends printer
control codes directly.  It apparently decides which control codes to
send by looking at the name of the Windows printer object (icon).  So
if we rename the printer from "Eltron LP2844" to "FedEx label
printer", it formats the labels incorrectly.

  When you start the application, it actually starts several other
processes which run concurrently with it.  That includes the database
server, which runs as a tray icon.  If and when the main application
crashes, you have to run a special utility to close all the other
processes down before you can restart the main process properly.

  Their phone support varies from "well meaning but unable to help" to
"totally incompetent".  Circa 2000, while on a tech call, I said I was
running Windows 98, and the phone tech asked, "Windows 98... is that
like Windows 95?".

  They expect you to run it as administrator, and they get confused
when you explain about things like "security" or "user accounts".  It
expects to be able to write to the FedEx registry branch(es) under
HKLM.  It also expects to be able to write to a few directories under
the program install directory.  So far, I've found that granting
 permission to  on the files and registry branches in
question will make it work okay.  The objects are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FEDEX
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FedEx Services
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Rate
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\ROUTE
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Temp\

> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running
on
> the console as it doesn't run as a service?

  Correct.

  Welcome to hell.  Here's your copy of FedEx Ship Manager.

-- Ben

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm>  ~

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm>  ~

RE: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Joseph L. Casale 
ROTFLMAO, Freaking hilarious...
I sooo didnt need another headache :)

I planned on using a Digi port server for the Eltron printer, I hope that works 
:) I was going to use newer drivers, but now I am worried! I best use the old 
ones on FedEx's site. So lame...

This info rocks though, thanks!
jlc


From: Ben Scott [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:56 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 2:49 PM, Joseph L. Casale
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Anyone use this?

  Unfortunately, we have to use FedEx Ship Manager (FSM) here.  That
software is a giant pile of steaming canine excrement.  It's hugely
bloated.  We run it on Pentium 4 computers with 1 GB RAM, and it's
still very slow to start.  (UPS WorldShip is nice and speedy on the
same PC.)  FSM is fragile and falls apart spontaneously.  The UI is
clunky and counter-intuitive.  It's hard to find things.

  It keeps all its data in a database server they've licensed (Sybase
Adaptive SQL Anywhere), but the only approved way to back it up is
using the program UI.

  If you're using it with a thermal label printer, it sends printer
control codes directly.  It apparently decides which control codes to
send by looking at the name of the Windows printer object (icon).  So
if we rename the printer from "Eltron LP2844" to "FedEx label
printer", it formats the labels incorrectly.

  When you start the application, it actually starts several other
processes which run concurrently with it.  That includes the database
server, which runs as a tray icon.  If and when the main application
crashes, you have to run a special utility to close all the other
processes down before you can restart the main process properly.

  Their phone support varies from "well meaning but unable to help" to
"totally incompetent".  Circa 2000, while on a tech call, I said I was
running Windows 98, and the phone tech asked, "Windows 98... is that
like Windows 95?".

  They expect you to run it as administrator, and they get confused
when you explain about things like "security" or "user accounts".  It
expects to be able to write to the FedEx registry branch(es) under
HKLM.  It also expects to be able to write to a few directories under
the program install directory.  So far, I've found that granting
 permission to  on the files and registry branches in
question will make it work okay.  The objects are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FEDEX
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FedEx Services
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Rate
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\ROUTE
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Temp\

> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running on
> the console as it doesn't run as a service?

  Correct.

  Welcome to hell.  Here's your copy of FedEx Ship Manager.

-- Ben

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm>  ~

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm>  ~

Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Ben Scott 
On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 2:49 PM, Joseph L. Casale
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Anyone use this?

  Unfortunately, we have to use FedEx Ship Manager (FSM) here.  That
software is a giant pile of steaming canine excrement.  It's hugely
bloated.  We run it on Pentium 4 computers with 1 GB RAM, and it's
still very slow to start.  (UPS WorldShip is nice and speedy on the
same PC.)  FSM is fragile and falls apart spontaneously.  The UI is
clunky and counter-intuitive.  It's hard to find things.

  It keeps all its data in a database server they've licensed (Sybase
Adaptive SQL Anywhere), but the only approved way to back it up is
using the program UI.

  If you're using it with a thermal label printer, it sends printer
control codes directly.  It apparently decides which control codes to
send by looking at the name of the Windows printer object (icon).  So
if we rename the printer from "Eltron LP2844" to "FedEx label
printer", it formats the labels incorrectly.

  When you start the application, it actually starts several other
processes which run concurrently with it.  That includes the database
server, which runs as a tray icon.  If and when the main application
crashes, you have to run a special utility to close all the other
processes down before you can restart the main process properly.

  Their phone support varies from "well meaning but unable to help" to
"totally incompetent".  Circa 2000, while on a tech call, I said I was
running Windows 98, and the phone tech asked, "Windows 98... is that
like Windows 95?".

  They expect you to run it as administrator, and they get confused
when you explain about things like "security" or "user accounts".  It
expects to be able to write to the FedEx registry branch(es) under
HKLM.  It also expects to be able to write to a few directories under
the program install directory.  So far, I've found that granting
 permission to  on the files and registry branches in
question will make it work okay.  The objects are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FEDEX
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FedEx Services
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Rate
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\ROUTE
C:\Program Files\FedEx\ShipManager\Temp\

> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running on
> the console as it doesn't run as a service?

  Correct.

  Welcome to hell.  Here's your copy of FedEx Ship Manager.

-- Ben

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~   ~

Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Phil Brutsche 
Yessir

It's intended to be run by the end user to manually ship packages ala
UPS WorldShip.

The service you're looking for is what FedEx calls the FedEx Ship
Manager API. Keep in mind, though, that

a) It's a POS
b) FedEx doesn't ship a front-end to it, it's sole purpose of existence
is for third party developers to create software that can get rate
quotes, submit packages for shipment, etc.

It's an unfortunate fact of life that quite a lot of software is written
from the standpoint of a Windows 98 machine, even though none of it will
run on Windows 98.

Joseph L. Casale wrote:
> Anyone use this?
> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running
> on the console as it doesn't run as a service?
>  
> Is that for real?

-- 

Phil Brutsche
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~   ~

Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Salvador Manzo 
 Hmm, now that I think about it, I can¹t remember if that was the UPS or
FedEx software..


On 6/12/08 11:54 AM, "Auxiliary Services" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> The client portion also writes to HKLM.
> 
> 
> On 6/12/08 11:49 AM, "Joseph L. Casale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
>> Anyone use this?
>> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running on the
>> console as it doesn't run as a service?
>>  
>> Is that for real?
>>  
>> jlc
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 


~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~   ~

Re: FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Salvador Manzo 
The client portion also writes to HKLM.


On 6/12/08 11:49 AM, "Joseph L. Casale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Anyone use this?
> For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running on the
> console as it doesn't run as a service?
>  
> Is that for real?
>  
> jlc
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 


~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~   ~

FedEx Ship Mangler

2008-06-12 Thread Joseph L. Casale 
Anyone use this?
For the client/server model, the software has to apparently be running on the 
console as it doesn't run as a service?

Is that for real?

jlc

~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja!~
~   ~