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copying files over a school network

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techidave:
Has anyone come across an easy way to copy files to student folders for a non techie teacher?  I am thinking something with a gui front end.

Our computer lab teacher needs to copy word documents and sometimes a IE shortcut for all users in the lab or sometimes certain users.  Most likely would need to be on their desktop.  Our school is big on shortcuts, doesn't matter how many, they just like them. 

We have windows 2003 servers and XP Pro desktops.  This will primarily be in the grade school ages 8-12 or so.  I am looking for a way they can do it without involving me everytime.  Not that it takes that long but sometimes there is a day or two delay before I can get it done.

am looking for ideas, scripts, software, coding snacks... no reasonable offer refused!   :D

Dave

Carol Haynes:
How about writing a batch file to distribute to a list of recipients and then the teach just has to drop a file on the icon?

techidave:
That sounds very good Carol but I am not very good with batch files.  but where does the list of recipients come from or stored at?

4wd:
What about setting some tasks in Yadis Backup, (one for each destination) ?

Then the teacher just drops what they want copied into a folder on their desktop, Yadis sees the change and copies to all the other PCs as soon as the path is available.

It says it backs up to almost anywhere so you could try to specify \\PC\path\path\path\folder etc.

EDIT: Seems to work, files are copied almost immediately.  Just don't set it to recreate the directory structure.

NOTE: It doesn't keep the directories synced, deletions on the watched directory won't be replicated on the student machines - you didn't ask for that.

40hz:
How about writing a batch file to distribute to a list of recipients and then the teach just has to drop a file on the icon?
-Carol Haynes (April 19, 2009, 04:48 PM)
--- End quote ---



If these are just files, as opposed to executables, you could create a series of read-only shared folders which could be mapped to a desktop shortcut called something like "Class Materials."  Once set up, you could then have the students open the folder (under a teacher's direction) and drag/copy any enclosed files onto the individual desktops. It's just like having the students get a book off the shelf and bring it back to their desks.

Access to specific folders could be controlled through the usual group/folder share privileges so the 8th graders wouldn't be loading shortcuts meant for the 12th graders, etc, or deleting or adding their own stuff to the folders.

You could even structure it in such a way that the individual teachers have read/write/delete access to these folders thereby allowing them distribution control over any files needed for their courses. These desktop folders could also be synchronized to the desktop from the server. Just be sure to set the override option to force the desktops to synchronize from the server folder only. Don't do a 2-way sync or you'll have major problems.

We set up a version of this for a school once. It worked out very well for them.

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There's always 'push server' (SMS et al) solutions for more complex deployments. But they can be quite expensive. They're also fairly complex to set up and administer. So, if you're uncomfortable with batch commands, something like SMS definitely is going to be out of the question.

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