When upgrading Microsoft Dynamics GP, it is quite common to get one client (often on the SQL Server) updated first and then update the system and company databases using Dynamics GP Utilities. The final step is then to go around the various workstations and upgrade the client application on those machines.

The process of upgrading often entails installing the application in a new folder or un-installing the application and then installing the new version. What this means is that it is very common to start with a new Dex.ini file for the new installation.

Ok, so you ask "What's the problem?".

Well, there are many settings stored for a workstation in the Dex.ini file and if you start with a new Dex.ini, these settings will be lost and will have to be replaced.

I am not going to go through all the Dex.ini settings, but I will highlight a few common ones that can cause issues if they are not copied across when upgrading.

• OLEPath
  You will be unable to access Note Attachments until this setting correctly points to the network share with for your notes.
   
• ST_MachineID
  Named Printers will not until this setting is restored to identify the current workstation. If you try to use the Named Printers setup window to add this setting back, you will be told that the Machine ID has already been used. You must edit the Dex.ini.
   
• IMPath
  To be able to launch Integration Manager from Dynamics GP, this setting must point to the location of the application.
   
• IMExecPath
  To be able to run an integration from Dynamics GP, this setting must point to the IMRun.exe application.

There are many third party or addon products that also use Dex.ini settings. For example: The Support Debugging Tool stores a number of settings including where its setup file is stored, whether Advanced Mode is enabled and the positions and sizes of its windows.

Leslie Vail, The Dynamics Confessor, has a comprehensive list of Dex.ini settings that she has gathered over a number of years:

• Dex.ini Downloadable File Updated

The Support Debugging Tool's Dex.ini Configuration window can be used to automatically update the Dex.ini file with settings which are the same for all users, for example: OLEPath, but cannot be used for settings that are specific to a workstation, such as ST_MachineID.

So please make sure that you check the Dex.ini settings in your pre upgrade system and make sure that the relevant settings are transferred into your post upgrade system.

Note: You could always copy the Dex.ini across, but you would need to change Initial=TRUE, Synchronize=TRUE and update the many of the paths (eg: DynHelpPath, DexHelpPath, Word Macro File, Letters Directory, ReportDictionaryPath, FormDictionaryPath, etc.).

Hope this is useful.

David