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The PCShare services allow connected Windows clients to access documents and printers, and are fully compatible with standard Windows programs, including multiuser applications. PCShare integrates powerful servers into Windows networks so that drives and printers can be mounted via the Windows network browser.

The PCShare built-in DHCP/BOOTP server allows automatic distribution of TCP/IP configurations to any Windows, Macintosh or other devices connected to a server network port. With the DHCP backup server capability all DHCP/BOOTP clients will continue to work if the main server fails. Remote Windows PCs can be integrated via WINS.

The TCP/IP protocol stack forms the backbone for the PCShare services. It is responsible for basic TCP/IP network functions, including those of network routing, which means that PCShare can be used to interconnect several physically separate TCP/IP networks, and transparently pass information between them as required.

The menu-driven PCShare Admin supports an easy setup of users, groups, volumes, printers, and DHCP from any Windows or UNIX system on the network. It also displays server and printer log files, system messages, program versions, server and PC activities, and offers the possibility of sending messages from any UNIX or Windows system on the network.

EtherShare is a high-end AppleTalk/AppleShare IP file server and print server software for Macintosh computers which are attached to UNIX computers through Ethernet, Token Ring, etc. Since EtherShare is compatible with PCShare, Macintosh users can share network printers and files with DOS, Windows, and UNIX users too.

The tar archive "HELIOSDIR/etc/pcscompat/pcapps25.tgz" contains the PCShare 2.5 client compatibility files which are needed for connecting to PCShare MS-DOS and Windows 3.x clients. If you need PCShare 2.5 client compatibility, execute the following commands as user "root":

# cd /usr/local/helios (use your HELIOS installation
directory)
# gunzip < etc/pcscompat/pcapps25.tgz | tar xvf -

All files will be extracted into the "HELIOSDIR/public" folder. Manuals for PCShare 2.5 are in the manuals > old folder on the HELIOS CD.

Many of the functions of PCShare are aided by the high performance of the UNIX operating system, with PCShare being closely integrated with a number of the more common system programs and facilities in UNIX.

For example, PCShare uses the UNIX program "syslogd". This program is responsible for passing information within the UNIX system itself, and is used by PCShare mainly as a medium of transport.

"syslogd", which runs continuously in the background within UNIX, has the task of processing status and error messages from other active programs, and sending them to a specific output device or file in accordance with its configuration. All of the PCShare modules use the services of "syslogd" to output system error messages and warnings.

By changing the configuration file "/etc/syslog.conf" on the UNIX server, the administrator is able to exactly control the flow of messages. For example, messages can be automatically passed on to users logged-on to the system (or entire groups), or simply stored in files or output to the system console.

With some operating systems, PCShare (as many other UNIX programs) will not log any error messages or warnings unless "syslogd" has been appropriately configured.

Any user in the TCP/IP network who requires access to the PCShare file server must be entered as a UNIX user in the "/etc/passwd" file. The user must also be assigned a group in the "/etc/group" file. Note that the administrator can specify whether a user is permitted direct access to the UNIX host or not, in addition to PCShare access. PCShare Admin updates these files automatically whenever you change users or groups.

The UNIX "passwd" program is used to assign passwords to users. The administrator can allocate new passwords, which are then automatically stored in the "/etc/passwd" file following encryption. PCShare Admin updates this file automatically whenever you change user passwords.

The UNIX program "cron" (cronos <Greek>= time), which runs continuously within UNIX, can be configured to start and stop specified programs at predetermined times. An appropriate entry in the cron configuration table (crontab) can be used to start and stop a particular server at a specified time of day. "cron" can also be used to automate data backup procedures.

"dump" is a data archiving program available on BSD UNIX systems. It is the recommended program for making backup (security) copies of network volumes to a tape streamer or other removable storage media attached to the UNIX host. You can read in the archive again with the "restore" command.

Important: If you have HELIOS EtherShare installed on the same server you must use its "dt" utilities (e.g. dt mkdir,
dt rmdir, etc.) instead of the following UNIX programs. See the HELIOS EtherShare manual for details.

The UNIX program "mkdir" can be used to create new subdirectories in the UNIX file system. "mkdir" can also be used by the administrator to create new directories/folders for the PC. Folders are best created or deleted by using
File > New > Folder (or File > Delete, respectively) on a Windows workstation. "rmdir" (remove directory) can be used to remove directories/folders when they are no longer needed.

The UNIX system program "chmod" (change mode) can be used to change user privileges for files and directories in the UNIX file system. You can also use "chmod" to change access privileges for files/folders created for PCs on the PCShare file server.

Important: You should never change the privileges of files in the HELIOS installation directory, or in spool directories used by the PCShare print server.

The UNIX programs "chown" and "chgrp" can be used to change the owner (creator) or group of a file or directory. Only the system administrator can change the owner of a file or change the file's group to one in which the owner is not a member.

Here we briefly describe the changes that have been implemented when updating PCShare to the 3.1 version.

If a volume is available for both EtherShare and PCShare server, PCShare will use the EtherShare desktop database as well. PCShare also co-operates with ImageServer (in this case you need to have installed EtherShare on your server, as well).

Beneath "system administrators" and "printer administrators" PCShare now offers the new group "queue administrators" whose members can use PCShare Admin to manipulate print jobs and queue configurations. Thus, they have even more privileges than members of the "printer administrators".

PCShare lets you send short messages to any connected Windows NT4/2000/XP client (for Windows 95/98/Me the WinPopup program must be running). These messages can be sent from the UNIX server using the UNIX "pcsmsg" program (see "pcsmsg" in 5.1 "File server utility programs").

PCShare allows printing to any printer on the network that is locally connected to a Windows PC.

The PCShare Admin > Statistics > Program Versions window provides various information about the program versions of the various PCShare programs that are installed on your system. Additionally it contains information about your PCShare, interface, and IP access list configuration.

HELIOS PCShare 3.1 User manual