ComCap Installation

ComCap5 is usually distributed as a ZIP file COMCAP5.ZIP, which should first be unzipped into a temporary folder. The program CM5ETUP.EXE should then be run to install ComCap5.  About 20 Mbytes of disk space is required for applications, help and supporting files.  ComCap may be installed on Windows XP, but is only supported on Windows Vista, 7, 2008 and later.

If you have received an executable with the name COMCAP5S.EXE, this should be run to install the software.

Important: a user with administrative level privileges must install ComCap, and configure the service version.

ComCap is normally installed into the C:\Program Files\Comcap directory. On Windows 64-bit editions, the install directory will be C:\Program Files (x86)\Comcap.   .  Note the Background Service version is not installed when running set-up, but from within ComCap itself, using Common Settings, Capture Logging.  Note the installation directory can be changed, if you don't want non-Microsoft software buried under Program Files with it's various security restrictions, so c:\magenta could be an alternative.

ComCap 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:

C:\Users\All Users\Magenta-Systems\ComCap5

The actual files are comcap5.config and comcap5.current, so the complete file name is C:\Users\All Users\Magenta-Systems\ComCap5\comcap5.config.  The comcap5.config file is only updated when configuration changes occur, the comcap5.current file contains dynamic information updated ever few seconds, such as log names and serial numbers.  A sub-directory certificates is used to save SSL/TLS certificates.

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

C:\Users\(Administrator)\AppData\Roaming\Magenta-Systems\ComCap5\comcap5.forms or

where (Administrator) is replaced by the user logon name. If access to directories is blocked, or they don't exist, then the configuration files are stored in the ComCap program directory.

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 https://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.

Please keep a safe copy of the userreg.txt file away from the server in case you need to re-install ComCap in the future.  Ditto the configuration files mentioned above.

ComCap is run from Start, Programs, Magenta Systems, then click ComCap5.  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 ComCap is dependent upon other Windows services running, specifically Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and Telephony, and will not start if these are disabled.

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.

For the ComCap tray application needs administrator rights in order to start and stop the ComCap Service. This can be done just when needed by right clicking on the ComCap icon and selecting 'Run    as administrator', or permanently through Properties, Compatibility, tick 'Run this program as an administrator'.

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 UNINSTAL5.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.