Computer Availability Map

A work-in-progress computer availability map for my school's library. The target machines are Windows.

Installation

Webserver installation

• You must install/use a webserver with mysql installed.
• Create a database named computer_availability.
• Run the SQL query located in the www/ folder on your mysql server with the computer_availability database selected. This is to create the tables.
• Within the www/ folder, drop both files into your web directory.
• Adjust the database.php file to reflect your mysql credentials.

Configuration

• Download and put the hook scripts/ folder into the root of a flash drive or another portable drive.
• In each script (login, logout, shutdown), adjust the url to point to the statuschange.php file on the server you're hosting the www files. (eg. http://mywebsite.com/path/to/statuschange.php)

Create the Executables

If you don't care to hide the source of the perl scripts from the users, skip this section.

• On the same computer, install cpan by installing Strawberry Perl and associated tools (http://strawberryperl.com/)
• After strawberry perl installation, search and execute the CPAN Client and input 'install PAR::Packer'
• Then you should run make.bat in the hook scripts/ folder to create the executables.

Installation on target computers

• Take your flash drive to the target computer(s).
• Adjust the copyfiles.bat Drive (eg. Z: or C:) to your flash drive’s drive.
• Run the copyfiles.bat script to copy the files into the correct locations.
• Goto the start menu and type in gpedit.msc, then press enter when the application pops up.
• Click the User Configuration/Windows Settings navigational tab
• Double click Scripts (Logon/Logoff).
• Double click Logon
• Press Add... -> Browse....
• If there is a file named “login.pl” then continue, if not then drag the file hook scripts/login.pl into this directory.
• Select this file and press OK then Apply
• Repeat these relevant steps for Logoff.

Usage

Goto http://mywebsite.com/path/to/data.php You will see a list of computers, their availability and the date that the status was last updated.

Note

You may not see the target computer(s) right away, they must be logged out of the current user after installing the hook scripts.