Home Forums Discussions Problems Taking Laptop offsite

I finally got my laptop and server interacting.. while my IT guy was doing this I had 10 encounters that I needed to chart. I wanted to take the laptop home to do them; however, when I try to start up AC it reports it is unable to find server/databses. It there a way to take laptop off site use it, back it up, and restore it to main computer the next day...I apologize if this topic has been "beat to death" but was unable to find answer to that particular issue

If you have high speed internet in both places the best option is to put Logmein.com on the computer at the office and then you can simply use your laptop to log in and it is just like doing notes at the office.

You can also copy the files off your main server by doing a backup and then use the restore utility on your laptop -- do notes and then restore again - very time consuming.

There is a sync feature but Jon has always been leary of its use.

First of all, I agree with Steven, it is safer and easier to use the free version of LogMeIn to connect your laptop to your office computer and complete the encounters. See this recent discussion.

You are now getting an error because the laptop AC program cannot find the database that you synced with on your main computer at work. However, you can reset the path to use the database on your laptop by using Amazing Utilities:
1. Open the AC folder (located in C: Program Files) and double click on "Amazing Utilities".
2. At the bottom of the window, click on Reset Paths, and wait for the process to complete, then click Quit.
3. Start Amazing Charts; It will ask you to find the database. Use "Browse" to navigate through the folders on your computer to the path to the local directory - "C:\Program Files\Amazing Charts\Amazing Charts.xml".
4. AC should start up, using the database on the laptop.

Now be very careful when you take the laptop back to the office network. It will sync again just fine (once you select the office main computer's database at the startup of Amazing Sync). However, whether you sync or not, remember, the laptop will is now set to use its internal AC database, not the main computer's, once you login to AC. So you could, in error, think you are entering data into the office AC database, but actually you are only entering into the laptop's database. You have to manually reset the path to the office main computer to use the laptop in the office. Use the 4 steps above, but browse for the main computer AC folder on your network.

I can't tell you how many times I messed this up, until I finally gave up and began using LogMeIn.

The LogMeIn solution is far better for keeping your AC at from being lost/mangled/goobered.

LogMeIn is free and pretty easy to install; send me a PM if you get stuck and need help.

I found logmein is very convinent to reach the office PC and AC Charts. The only problem is the text is small and annoying. I can not work on it too long.
Actually , I was in the process of setting up my lapotop to synchronize with the main PC . Just I wanted to creat more templates while I am at home. But it seems to complicated issue to sync to the main PC.
Any simlper way?

We tried setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that in theory would have allowed us to link the laptop remotely to the main database, but could not get it to work because it was too slow over our DSL connection. If you have a really fast connection, like FIOS, that might be a route to explore.

I use a VPN on my MAC at home to connect via a cable modem. It works great. So does the VPN connection from my smart phone .

How to create a VPN?

You may find the text small because you are logging into a computer at the office with a very large monitor and high res - the picture on my laptop at home is much smaller if I log onto my computer with a 24" monitor and higher res than if I log onto one of the workstations at the office with a 15" monitor.

Mohamed,

Steven is right. Try logging into something smaller. Also, I have not checked, because I use VPN and RDP, but maybe LogMeIn Pro gives you more options. I would contact LogMeIn support and tell them your issue. I bet they could help you.

Also, VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. It is used at all levels of remote computing. There are many ways to set it up it is usually much easier if you have a static IP address. To put it mildly, if you have to ask, it is probably going to be a little difficult to set up.

If you have a static IP and WINXP or WIN7, then you could easily do Remote Desktop Protocol. But, by far, the easiest turnkey solution is LogMeIn.

The other possibility is to trial GoToMyPC. I know it isn't free, but if it works better, it may be worth it.

Did you ever solve your networking problem?

I have logmein pro. I never tried to log to a cleint pc.I will try. I will ask logmein support and see if they have an answer. My internet connection has static IP address.

What is your OS on your laptop?

I will try the log me in approach.. The text is quite small.. Have not tried on AC yet but have logged into Quickbooks remotely and have difficult time.. Definitely don't want to upset the apple cart, so to speak, by switching back and forth between main computers.. thanks for the input..

Bert,
my laptop OS is windows 7.

There are quite a few options, which should allow you to see the screen easily. Here are some:

On the top toolbar on the right, you will see a button called OPTIONS. Click on that. Try:

-- Click on the far icon where it says Full Screen.
-- The next step will be to click on the Push Pin after the Tool Window has moved to the middle. This will keep it on top all the time.
-- Two boxes to the left of the Full Screen icon is one called View with a little arrow pointing downward. This will give you many options to resize the screen to your liking.
-- The spaces to the left of that is an icon with a magnifying glass, which allows you to magnify certain areas.
-- Now the most important option is the next to the last one, between Full Screen and the View option is an icon with a computer and a diagonal area from bottom right to top left. This is an incredibly important feature. Once you know the resolution of the computer you are remoting in from, you click on these and match the resolution so that the host computer is using the same. This will insure that once you click on the Full Size button on the right, both computers will be identical.
Basically, the far three icons will allow you to make the host computer look just as you want it.

Bert,
I tried what you just said on other PC I have at home . I think that will solve the problem with logmein.
Thanks again, Your are awesome.

I try. Glad to help.

I plan to post more on this later after I have tried the new version (see below), but Ifcook mentions being a Mac user. Currently, I use Timbuktu Pro to go from my remote Mac to the office Mac running Windows and AC Under Fusion. My remote Mac is on a satellite internet connection and LogMeIn doesn't work, either from the Mac or from a Windows machine. Timbuktu is coming out with a Windows version in a month or two, and I plan to try it. Probably because of years of familiarity (and the fact that it works for me) I prefer TB2 for several reasons, including that it seems faster.