3 Bugs and a Thank You in 5.2.7

Version 5.2.7 dated 2013-01-02 from the Beta site W7-Pro SP1 64 bit

I installed over top of the version dated 2012-12-17 and replaced the portable versions for the same date which means that the configuration from 2012-12-17 was carried forward.

1) Even though the check box to "Load on Windows startup" is ticked, the portable instances must have a shortcut in the Startup folder or be started manually. If this has to remain this way to avoid a registry entry, the portable should instead grey out the check box and its text. Even better, replace the check box and text with just text "To Start with Windows, add a shortcut to your Startup folder".

2) The portable version may be run in multiple instances, however, I have 2 portables that start, from the Startup folder, earlier than the installed version and are preventing the installed version from starting, which is bad.
When the installed is not running and I click its icon in the Task Bar and choose Settings, I see the settings for the first portable, not the installed version, which is even 'badder' .
Once I Exit both portables, I can start the installed instance manually.
I can then manually start the two portables and, with all 3 running, monitor 3 different interfaces, and when I click the icon in the Task Bar for the installed version and choose Settings, I see the settings for the installed version, which is good.

3) Once the router interface has been set up in a portable, the interface can't be removed/deleted, it continues to be listed as "Router 192.168.0.1 / primary interface 1". Not a big deal, unlikely many people will experience this and it doesn't interfere with anything.

4) the [Setup] button is now active when the Portable monitored interface is "Ignore local traffic within the LAN: Microsoft", thanks, this is a fix, not a bug.

J

Seems the only way a different installed version (portable vs installed, etc.) could be showing settings for one another is if they shared same config file (the database). Is that how you have them set up - to use the same folder / DB? Other than that, how could they get settings for another version?

On # 1 - I have the portable version & when I check Load on Windows Startup, it automatically starts (in Vista, using a std user acct).
When you say the portable must either have a shortcut in "Startup" folder, which do you mean?

However, read what I found (apparently) on why auto starting the portable in a NON Admin acct, can't access WinPCap, thus not showing options to Ignore local Traffic, until... Da da daaaaa http://www.softperfect.com/board/read.php?8,14147

I've confused you, I'm sorry.

There can be only one installed instance because of the registry settings required, there's no option here, that's the way the installer works, there is no second installed version.
There can be many portable instances because there are no registry settings.

Database locations:
The folder "G:\portable" is not for only Networx, it's for all 'portable' DATA for many applications. For example I have my screenshots in G:\portable\ScreenshotCaptor.
I have one installed instance with its db in G:\portable\networx\stats, monitoring interface for router
I have one portable instance with its db in G:\portable\networx\stats-portable-1, monitoring interface for D-Link wireless adapter
I have one portable instance with its db in G:\portable\networx\stats-portable-2, monitoring interface "Ignore local traffic...."
There's no 'shared' database.

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Other than that, how could they get settings for another version?

Good question, that's the first 'bug'.

.EXE locations:
The installed instance is installed in C:\Program files.
One portable instance exists in G:\portable\networx\stats-portable-1
One portable instance exists in G:\portable\networx\stats-portable-2
All separate folders, none 'shared'.

Startup:
The portable instances have the check box for Main > Load on Windows startup ticked but won't start with Windows unless they have a shortcut in my Startup folder.
That's the second 'bug'.

The installed instance has the check box for Main > Load on Windows startup ticked, and
it will start with Windows if neither of the portable instances have a shortcut in my Startup folder but
it won't start properly if even just one of the portable instances have a shortcut in my Startup folder because they start sooner than the installed instance and the installed instance 'sees' the portable instance #1 and gets 'confused'.
That's the third 'bug'.

I checked my "Customize notification icons" and found that both portables had icons, the installed did not have an icon. This may indicated the cause of the third bug, i.e. the installed finds no icon of its own so it finds the icon for the first portable and uses that database and config. All icons are the same default icon.
Andrew provided instructions on changing the icon but I can't remember what they were. Perhaps having different icons would resolve the third 'bug'. I'll look for the instructions and test the theory.

I located the instructions to use different icons:

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2012-09-08 post http://www.softperfect.com/board/read.php?8,13343,13358#msg-13358

It's now possible to place a custom icon (*.ico file) in the application's folder.

It must have the same name as the executable file, e.g. networx.ico.

This allows you to have custom NetWorx icons in the notification area to clear up confusion between multiple instances.

I copied icons from other apps into the folders for the portable instances.
This did not affect the "Main > Load on Windows startup", they still required the Startup shortcuts.

However, the good news is that the portable instances and the installed instance all started with windows and the installed instance reports its own database values, it's no longer 'confused'.
I'd still call this a 'bug' because it requires additional user action to provide custom icons for the portable instances.
The custom icons which I copied bear no resemblance to Networx and if I were to open one of the apps to which the icons 'belong', I could still have problems (I haven't tried this).

To Andrew:
Could you provide some icons that do resemble the default Networx icon, with the portable version zip file.
They could be named by you to be "networx.ico1", "networx.ico2".... etc. up to "networx.ico9" should be enough for any user.
The default icon has 3 vertical bars, green, red and yellow. If you replaced the red bar with the 'number' or 'put' the 'number' within the red bar or replaced the red bar with the 'number', just for the portable icons, that would make it very easy to distinguish the installed instance (if used, has no number) and each portable instance (if used, has its own, unique, number).
Also, provide a "read me.txt" with instructions. The user would then choose a different icon for each portable instance and change the name to "networx.ico" and delete the remaining icons in the folder.
Thus, suddenly, the 'bug' becomes a 'feature'...

J

Well... yes, it is confusing. I don't know if Networx was designed to have as many instances of installed & portable versions running. But naming / renaming any icon file to networx.ico1 won't work (don't imagine) because it wouldn't be recognized. Be like naming networx.exe to networx.exe1 - it's no longer recognized as executable file. If this is what you mean.

Icons: You can replace the picture of an icon (for any prgm) w/ anything you want. But in this case, as Andrew said,

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It must have the same name as the executable file, e.g. networx.ico.

You can grab icons (or jpg / png files & save as .ico files, from anywhere, if you just want "different looking" icons - but say, all having some red, green, yell combo. Many prgms will do this - I'm sure, but I use Irfan View. Open the picture (can be any size), resize it (usually 32 x 32 or 16 x 16 for icons) & save as an *.ico file. Icons for the tray are probably 16 x 16.

Even starting w/ the default NW icon, you could rotate it 90 & 180 deg & have 3 icons. You can grab the icons for any app (usually) out of the .exe file, using something like free prgm, Resource Hacker. If use installer, can add to context. R click an exe file > Open w/ Resource Hacker. Open the "Icon Group" folder in RH - look at available icon sizes, # of colors. Gives the "ordinal name" for each - tells you which one to select from RH's "Icon" folder - the "ordinal numbered" icon selected in previous step.

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16 x 16 (16 colors) - Ordinal name: 1
16 x 16 (16.8mil colors) - Ordinal name: 2
32 x 32 (16.8mil colors) - Ordinal name: 3
48 x 48 (16.8mil colors) - Ordinal name: 4
16 x 16 (16.8mil colors) - Ordinal name: 5
32 x 32 (16.8mil colors) - Ordinal name: 6
48 x 48 (16.8mil colors) - Ordinal name: 7

If you just want icons w/ some red, yell, grn stripes - in some arrangement, you could grab flags from a site like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_colors_of_national_flags#Red.2C_green_and_yellow. Has many variations of red, yell, grn stripes. Click individual country flag links, save image as .png - if possible.

Import into something like Irfan View, resize & save w/ proper name. It (apparently) must be placed in each NW folder, but all icons would be named networx.ico, even though were different images. You could store these in separate folders for later use, w/ meaningful names.

You could also make some w/ a drawing prgm or draw by hand, scan - if have a scanner - & save as graphic, then use some prgm as mentioned, to resize & convert format to *.ico.

Or you could create custom icon, like simple one attached - I created in Irfan View.

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The user would then choose a different icon for each portable instance and change the name to "networx.ico" and delete the remaining icons in the folder.

Thanks for the tip re: IrfanView.

I created two icons in a Custom Icons folder, networx1.ico and networx2.ico and
copied them to the respective folders, then
renamed them to networx.ico.
They now clearly differentiate the networx instance in the systray.

I realized that my original naming convention was wrong because it didn't allow the thumbnail display of the icon image. The revised naming convention does.

Though not elegant, they serve my purpose. Andrew could likely do a better job though.

This does not alter the icon used in the Task Bar, but hovering shows the correct descriptions.

J

It is possible to change the task bar icon for most apps - I've done it w/ browsers. I'm surprised that NW doesn't use the same icon for task bar as for the tray (when substituting custom icons).

Come to think, the icon I was changing only showed up in task bar anyway (a browser).

Have you found that if select Load on Windows Startup - w/ portable - that you must start it in admin mode (once per boot) in order to have options to Ignore Local Traffic?

Or found a way around having to manually start it in admin mode to get those options?
One could set up a scheduled task to run in admin mode, but that'd still require entering PW at UAC prompt.

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Praxis

This does not alter the icon used in the Task Bar, but hovering shows the correct descriptions.

I'm fairly certain one could use Resource Hacker to replace the icon that a given .exe of networx used in tool bar (think they call it Task Bar) - but not positive. It was easy to do w/ Firefox, as the icon was placed in a folder "Icon."

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overworxed

Have you found that if select Load on Windows Startup - w/ portable - that you must start it in admin mode (once per boot) in order to have options to Ignore Local Traffic?

Which option are you referring to, or both?
-the option to monitor the 'Ignore local...' interface is always present and available but
-the check box for the option to 'Ignore local...' is always greyed when I monitor any interface,
regardless of whether I start the portable instances from the Startup shortcuts or manually using 'Run as Admin'.

--------- Why have multiple instances anyway?

Most users will only have one instance, to monitor the internet usage.
Some may have a second instance to monitor traffic within the LAN overall. A very few might monitor traffic between specific PCs.
I have 3 instances at the moment, but only to compare the reported values to determine which, on my system, is more 'accurate'.

I've proven that monitoring the router (SNMP), with either the installed or portable versions, is best, because the values come from the router itself, not the drivers. But not everyone can use this because their router has no SNMP.

This is followed closely by a combination of monitoring "All connections" plus the option of ticking the check box to "Ignore local..." which is only available in the installed version using the Networx driver rather than WinPCap.

This is followed closely by a monitoring "Ignore local..." in the portable version which uses the WinPCap driver.

I've proven that monitoring my D-Link wireless adapter in the portable version is useless because it reports all traffic including a steady stream of ARP, IGMP and such that it's totals are meaningless.


-------- Why have different icons?

Of course this is irrelevant if a user has only one instance, (installed or portable), or, has only multiple portable instances.
But when there's only one icon, and a portable instance starts before the installed instance, the installed instance gets 'confused'. Different icons eliminate this problem.

The ideal solution to provide different icons for each instance would be:
- Andrew would add an option to the 'Hidden' settings titled "Icon ID number" with a drop down to select one of a single digit series of numbers, from 0 to 9. The number would be used for the 'internal' icon which is used in both the Task Bar and Systray. It probably wouldn't be visible in Explorer unless he could modify the .exe based on the setting, but if he could, that would be perfection. The default would be zero.

The next best solution would be to provide a set of optional icons named "networx0.ico" through "networx9.ico" and let the user select which icon to rename to "networx.ico".

The suggestion to ask ordinary users to install and use IrfanView is very impractical. Just because you and I can use it, and get a kick out of doing so, doesn't mean it would/could be used mainstream.

The suggestion to ask ordinary users to install and use ResourceHacker is not practical at all and could lead to serious problems if the user is careless or doesn't understand how to use it correctly.

J

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Praxis

Which option are you referring to, or both?
-the option to monitor the 'Ignore local...' interface is always present and available but

No - on Portable. On my portable (as explained in Help Manual), you can only see / use "Ignore Local Traffic" in the DROP BOX under monitiored interfaces, if have WinPCap installed. For portables, forget the option at bottom of Main tab UI. It's always grayed out. That's not how you access options to "Ignore Local Traffic," when using portable version.

And, AFTER A REBOOT, (consistent w/ WinPCap.org's explanation) - if I just start NW in std user acct, or have it load automatically w/ Windows (in which case, it just seems to load w/ the security level of the [std user] acct being used) - the "Ignore Local Traffic..." options for my network card are NOT shown in the drop box list.

ONLY if the application using WinPCap (here, NW) is started ONCE in admin mode, per session / boot up, can WinPCap access (or allow) certain info to be used by the application (here, NW).

Once I manually start NW in Admin mode (1st time after reboot), THEN in drop box list of monitored interfaces, the options to "Ignore local Traffic" appear. Even if then close / restart NW during that SAME session (no reboot), it now can be started in std user mode & show all the "Ignore Local Traffic..." options in the drop box. This is consistent w/ WinPCap's FAQ explanation, how it works. Strange - yes, but I find it only works exactly as WinPCap's FAQ describes.
http://www.winpcap.org/misc/faq.htm#Q-7

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Q-7: Do I need to be Administrator in order to execute programs based on WinPcap on Windows NT/2000/XP?

A: Yes/no. The security model of WinPcap is quite poor, and we plan to work on it in the future. At the moment, if you execute a WinPcap-based application for the first time since the last reboot, you must be administrator. At the first execution, the driver will be dynamically installed in the system, and from that moment every user will be able to use WinPcap to sniff the packets.

In portables, on main tab UI, the "Ignore Local Traffic..." option w/ check box is ALWAYS grayed out.

I agree the work arounds I gave suggested for getting different icons were just that - work arounds & definitely not for everyone.
I --- don't even want to have to do it that way. If it's understood / accepted that a good # of users will use multiple instances of NW, it should be made easy for them to choose from and / or import different icons for the tray.

Re: Icon used for apps in the task bar. Windows puts those icons there & I believe usually gets them from an app's .exe file, where the icons are stored.
That means to change icons for diff instances of NW in Task bar, either NW would have to be coded to do that, or somehow (again, maybe thru NW coding), IF users had the opportunity to select / replace std icon, for multiple instances, once they choose a diff one & NW starts using it, NW would also change / add that "custom" icon to the .exe file, so Windows would pick it up. Or by some, possibly easier coded method.

Or, like in Fx (I don't know how realistic this is in something like NW), there is (was?) a separate icon folder, where Windows picks it up. NW would have to be recoded to include that. Since it seems common to use multiple instances, this doesn't seem like such a far fetched idea. I did this once to change the taskbar icon for a separate instance of Fx. If anyone's interested, I'll have to check notes how I did it.

Since networx.exe only has (3) 16x16 icons & 1 of those is 16 colors, the 16 x 16 icon that Windows would grab for the taskbar icon would be the 256 or 16.8 mil colors.
Replacing both of those w/ alternate icons (in different installations / instances) of networx.exe file, using Resource Hacker, would probably change the icon for each instance of NW in taskbar. Yes, it would be simpler if NW were programmed to choose diff icons.

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Yes, it would be simpler if NW were programmed to choose diff icons.

It is for the systray, but not for the Task Bar.

Andrew: Would you consider doing the Task Bar icons? (or provide 'official' different icons with the portable zip file?)
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overworxed: I'm sorry that you're having the problem with WinPCap authority, I have no solution for that. I always run as Admin and never have that problem myself.

J

You might want to install NW and keep a portable to see if you get the same results as I see on my system.
My portables are started by shortcuts in my Startup folder.
My portables always have the option to monitor the interface for "Ignore local...".
My portables appear to use the Networx driver(s) rather than the WinPCap driver which may explain the line above.

There are 10 screenshots in the 3 attached zip files. (The limit of 100KB per file forced me to have 3 files.)

1) Automatically start at boot time was ticked when WinPCAP was installed, but has since been changed to manual (I don't remember doing this).
2) Desk top (lower right corner only) showing:
-the installed instance, monitoring the router, graph at the bottom and the Desk band, with the default icon in the systray.
-two portable instances, monitoring "Ignore local..." and my wireless adapter, with custom icons in the systray.
3) Two - Service a and Service b showing that rpcapd is set to Manual start (not Auto) and that it's currently Stopped, even though the portable instances are running and supposedly require rpcapd.
4) Service PH from Process Hacker, also showing Manual and Stopped.
5) The security properties of a shortcut to rpcapd showing Permissions
6) Process Hacker showing the 3 instances of Networx,
PID 2704 is installed and big
PID 2960 is portable, wireless
PID 3020 is portable, Ignore local...
7) Three - Processes 2704, 2960 & 3020, showing they all are using packet.dll and wpcap.dll libraries which may be because 2704 started first and is using the Networx driver(s) and therefore they use it(them) too and don't need the rpcapd so it's never manually started, which is why it's not running.

This is W7-Pro 64 bit which may not be the same as your Vista.

Note the constant activity on the wireless graph, it's about 6 MB / hour, and produces totals far above the other two instances.

I had an older installer version (since I used portable). But now that it has ability to place an icon of choice in the prgm folder, which will be used for the TRAY icon, then that same custom icon (of users' choice) can be used to replace icons in the networx.exe "resources." I did it as a test & it's fairly straight forward. The icon I replaced the originals with (in networx.exe), IS picked up by Windows for the taskbar icon, when you open, say, the Settings UI.

FWIW, for the test, I just copied the 16 x 16 icon (16.8 mill colors) into IrfanView, rotated it 90 deg, then saved as an .ico file. You could use any pic you want, as long as you size it & save as a *.ico file, using something like IrfanView (or dozens of other apps).

Using Resource Hacker's "replace Icon" feature, it allowed importing that saved icon. (Users might want to back up the networx.exe file first, although Resource Hacker also does that (in same prgm folder), before saving a changed copy of the .exe file.

NOTE: A more up to date "resource editor" prgm might be "Resource Editor" - that may be a bit easier to use & updated features than Resource Hacker, that is no longer maintained.

You can also BU the entire original icon "resources" using Resource Hacker, before making any changes. The original icons could be restored, if desired. But, it's a bit of trouble for those unfamiliar w/ this sort of thing (though it no where near as difficult as "coding" a prgm & requires no programming skills).

Yes, I think the prgm should be modified to pick up that same custom icon placed in the prgm folder & put it in the .exe icon group, so it would also show up in the task bar. But... there may be some fairly significant drawbacks to doing that, especially for the avg user.

One being, the way the icons in the main .exe file are compiled, it's not possible (afaik) to replace just ONE of the 6 or so icons, of diff sizes (16 x 16, 32 x32, etc.).
So if it replaced the "original" icon set w/ the custom icon one chooses, what would happen if you decide to go back to original icons? Yes, it could be programmed to make a BU of the original icon set & when networx no longer finds a "networx.ico" file in the prgm folder, it could restore the original icon set. But, I don't know if Andrew wants to go to that trouble. However, if users typically run multiple instances, something like this seems reasonable.

Praxis - No offense, but you seem pretty knowledgeable - why would you run in admin mode for general use & especially for internet? The chance of infections that would then be able to do more damage, steal more info, is much greater because you're already running in admin mode - they don't have to guess the admin PW or enter one to carry out "admin stuff."

Earlier, I meant everything to do w/ different icons for different instances would be easier if it was coded. If a user was allowed to choose or import an icon, then taking it & replacing one or more icons in the executable, would be a fairly simple matter for a good coder.

If I can replace them, not being a coder, then I'm not sure how hard it'd be to make it automatic.

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why would you run in admin mode for general use & especially for internet?

Because there's nothing important to steal and nothing can run unless I let it. If I were to pick up something bad, next boot, I'm back to a clean system. I have images on 4 different drives to restore if necessary, but apart from 2 drive failures, I've never had to.

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Users might want to back up the networx.exe file first
and/or
what would happen if you decide to go back to original icons?

or just unzip the portable or re-install the setup.exe

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However, if users typically run multiple instances, something like this seems reasonable.

Something made Andrew make the change to pick up the .ico as an alternative, there must be some demand he was satisfying.

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of the 6 or so icons

the icons which I 'made' were 894 bytes each. I'm not going to determine the total for all 6 but I can see the downside to including 10 sets of 6 icons within the program, the size. If, and I don't know enough about icons, the single set of icons can be modified 'on-the-fly', i.e. the number changed, based on a value in the 'hidden' settings, the size would remain 'about the same'.

Let's drop further discussion on the icons and wait for Andrew.

Are you going to install a copy of NW and check if doing so will resolve your issue with WinPCap?

Yes, installed version of NW works - because it uses its own file to monitor traffic - not WinPCap - & shows options to Ignore Local Traffic, when booting it in a normal user mode.

Otherwise, for those using portable & want it to start w/ Windows (& show Ignore Local Traffic options), they'll either have to launch NW in admin mode - once per session - or create a task to start NW at Windows startup, in Windows task scheduler.

But if you normally run in user mode (hint, hint), then that scheduled task for portable NW would HAVE to be set to start in admin mode (because the portable won't work correctly if not started in admin mode), which will usually require a UAC pop up & entering admin PW. But at least, users would automatically be reminded to launch NW - if they prefer the portable over installer NW.

Whether using installer or portable, I (anyone) can easily change the icon in the networx.exe file to be same that shows in the task bar as the one manually placed in the program folder, so the tray icon will be the same in the task bar - for that same instance of NW.