This post will briefly explain the “SMS online library” available to you from the SMS 2003 Systems Management Server program group. It will also provide you with some tips and tricks to use to be more proficient navigating through it.
The SMS Online library that originally shipped with SMS 2003 has been updated with new and improved information and it is always at your disposal because it lives snugly inside the Systems Management Server program group. It was designed and intended for you to use if you are experiencing problems or if you are just trying to understand how things work.
The Systems Management Server’s SMS Online Library as mentioned can be started from within the program group or from the run command or a shortcut using the following command:
%WinDir%\Help\sms\00000409\sms.srv\htm\smswrapper.chm
Once you have opened the online library you are presented with the home screen as show above. From here simply select the hyperlinks to view any of the following subject lines:
Installed Documents and Documents on the CD
SMS 2003 Release Notes
%Windir%\Help\sms\00000409\sms.srv\htm\Readme.chm
What's New in this version of SMS 2003
%Windir%\Help\sms\00000409\sms.srv\htm\Whatsnew.chm
Documents on the Web
SMS 2003 Product Documentation
Http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/techinfo/productdoc/default.mspx
SMS Feature Packs
SMS 2003 Device Management Feature Pack
Http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/downloads/2003/dmfp.asp
SMS 2003 Operating System Deployment Feature Pack
Http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/downloads/2003/osdfp.mspx
The SMS online library help file can be accessed from anywhere within the SMS administrators console from the right-click context menu, by pressing the F1 function keys or from the run command or a shortcut using the following command:
%Windir%\Help\sms\00000409\sms.srv\htm\Sms20hlp.chm
When launched you are then presented a new screen and from here you are provided with the Contents, Index, Search and Favorites tabs.
The help files (Sms20hlp.chm) opens to the Contents leaf and contains the following main headings:
SMS Online Library
SMS Administrator Console
Security
Configuring SMS Site Settings
Managing and Locating Resources
Managing Inventory
Distributing Software to Clients
Distributing Software Updates
Using Repots to Organize Information
Monitoring Software Usage
Using Remote Tools to Manage Clients
Maintaining a Sire Database
Backup and Recovery
Monitoring Your System
Understanding Product Compliance Issues
Tools
Glossary
From here you can use the ‘Index’ where you can find a standard file index page that is listed alphabetically. You can either scroll through the Index page leaf or type in a keyword to search for. For example if you wanted to find information about the Recovery Expert simply type in the keywords ‘Recovery expert’ and it brings you to the “Recovery Expert” index heading. Then double-click ‘Overview’ and it will bring up the topics found context menu for you to select the topic that you are interested in.
To use the ‘Search’ feature all you need to do is enter any keywords or a brief description of the problems that you are experiencing. As in the example above type in the keywords ‘Recovery expert’ and select ‘List Topics’ or hit the enter key to bring up the results.
NOTE: Unlike the original help file you do not need to quote the search keywords to filter your results because this functionality is now built into the applet.
TIP: You can click the “Title” dialog bar to sort your results alphabetically to make it easier to navigate.
The ‘Favorites’ tab is where you are allowed to store the help pages that you frequently use for future use. This cuts down on the time that you would spend looking up information that you would use frequently.
When you are in either the Contents, Index or Search tabs looking for information simply click on the ‘Favorites’ tab and you will see the current page that you are looking at displayed to the left of the blank Topics page. Right mouse click into the blank area under ‘Topics:’ and then from the context menu select ‘Add’ to place the current article into your favorites. To remove or display your favorites highlight the article in question and select either ‘Remove’ or ‘Display’ to perform your action.
To navigate away from any tab that you are working in click the home icon (The house or home picture) that is located neatly in the top taskbar and you will be placed back to the original start page.
Once you are familiar with the Contents, Index, Search and Favorites tabs you should become familiar with the icons at the top of the screen.
Hide – This hides the left hand section so that you can only see the page that you are looking in.
Show – This is only displayed if you have selected the ‘Hide’ tab and when it is selected the ‘Hide’ tab once again becomes visible.
Back – By selecting this icon you are always moved back to your previous screen. You can select this icon as many times as needed until you are back to the point that you started at which is usually the home page if you launched the applicati0on form the program group.
Forward – This allows you to move forward when used in conjunction with the Back icon.
Home – The home icon as stated previously will bring you back to the home or original page that was displayed when you opened the application.
Options – By selecting this icon you are presented with a context menu that will allow you to do the following. You may notice that many items here have their own icons presented to you in the icon bar as well.
Hide Tabs – Same as the Hide icon.
Back – Same as the Back icon.
Forward – Same as the forward icon
Home – Same as the Home icon.
Stop – This allows you to stop your searches if they are in progress.
Refresh – This allows you to refresh the current screen if needed.
Internet Options – This is the same as the internet options found in the Tools menu of Microsoft Internet explorer.
The last section of the options menu contains the two following options:
Print – This is where you would print your topics.
Search highlight off – This allows you to turn the search highlighting function off. If it is currently turned off it is then displayed as Search highlight on. This allows you to toggle it as needed.
TIP: The Search highlight function can be useful if you want to copy the contents of the search results leaf to an application such as Microsoft Word and not have the highlighted text copied as such to the clipboard buffer by simply turning it on.
Additional Information
Within the \%WinDir%\Help\sms\00000409\sms.srv\htm directory you can find all of the information found in the SMS Online Library as well as additional information as detailed below:
DistribSwUpdateContext.chm – Information about the Distribute Software Updates Wizard.
ReadMe.chm – Contains the Systems Management Server 2003 Service OPack 2 Installation Release Notes
ReadMe.htm – Contains the Systems Management Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Installation Release Notes
Readme_Operations.htm – Contains the Systems Management Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Operations Release Notes
Sms20hlp.chm – Contains the Administrator Help as used when the F1 key or the Help icon is selected in the SMS console.
Sms_Srw.chm – Provides you with information for the Microsoft SMS Recovery and Repair Tools
SmsWrapper.chm – This is the SMS online library as it appears in the SMS 2003 Systems Management Server program group.
WhatsNew.chm – Contains the what’s New in SMS 2003 Service Pack 2 notes
NOTE: When Microsoft releases service packs to SMS 2003 as well as SMS 2.0 the online help is always updated to provide you with the most current and up to date information available.
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