Zero Configuration Client Support

Enterprise Architect can be used on client machines without having to be installed on those machines. This can ease deployment in a corporate environment, by running the system from a read-only shared folder. This enables a System Administrator to install Enterprise Architect once for all users rather than once on each computer.

• The ea.ini file will be read if it exists in the same directory as ea.exe
• To add settings, copy the value lines from a registry export of defined Enterprise Architect options
• It is recommended that you specify JET 4 support using the line "JET4"=dword:00000001
• You specify a keystore and the keys to checkout using the values 'SKT', 'SharedKeyFolder', 'SSKSAddress', 'SSKSPassword' and 'AutoCheckoutEx'
• Use the Cloud Service to deploy shared models without requiring additional database drivers and other software

Note: It is still preferable to install locally where possible. Without a local installation these restrictions apply:

• The automation interface and scripting will not be available (without running the object registration as part of the install)
• Firebird models (with the extension .feap) cannot be loaded (without registering the ODBC driver as part of the install)
• JET 3.5 is no longer installed by default on Windows systems, and JET 3 drivers are unlikely to be available, so you will need to enable JET 4
• No file extensions will be automatically registered in this scenario; users can still manually configure Enterprise Architect to open .eap files
• The file handler allowing Enterprise Architect to open source files and documents directly from the file system will not be available

The system administrator must first follow this process:

1. Install Enterprise Architect.
2. Open the application.
3. Connect to a keystore containing the key(s) everyone should use.
4. Select 'Start > Workspace > Preferences' to display the 'Preferences' dialog, click on the 'General' page and select the 'Use JET 4.0' checkbox.
5. Click on the Close button and then close down Enterprise Architect.
6. Open your registry editor and export HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Sparx Systems\EA400\EA\Options.
7. Create an ea.ini file in the directory to be shared.
8. Copy these keys into the ea.ini file from the exported registry: JET4, SKT, SSKSAddress, SSKSPassword, and AutoCheckoutEx.
9. Copy the Enterprise Architect install files from 'Program Files' to a network share or USB device.
10. Optionally, mark the target directory as read-only.

Note:

• If the appropriate values for the ea.ini file are already known, steps 2-5 can be skipped
• Defaults can be configured by placing them after a registry key of the form "INIFILE_VERSION"=dword:00000043; these will only be executed when the existing value for this user is not the same value as the one in the file

Example - Checkout an Ultimate Key

This example sets JET 4 and configures a keystore. Using a configuration file to specify the settings for all users means that the users can select a key without having to connect to a keystore, as shown here. The first time this example is run it checks out an Ultimate key, but allows the user to request a different key on subsequent logins.

     "JET4"=dword:00000001

     "SKT"=dword:00000001

     "SSKSAddress"="ssks://licenseserver"

     "SSKSPassword"=""

     "INIFILE_VERSION"=dword:00000043

     "AutoCheckoutEx"=hex:1a,00,00,00

An Enterprise Architect user will just need to run the system from the network drive or USB device.