[2005] Lan Based

[Loraine]

This is my first time in Networking. This is what i want to do. I have 2 computers which is my Server and Client. Im working on my server computer how can i know all the softwares installed on my client computer it must be shown in a listbox or datagridview. How can i do that ? If i click the button all softwares installed on my client computer will shown up in a datagridview or listbox

[Loraine]

Anyone can help me about this problem ?

[Shaggy Hiker]

You are writing both ends of this? Naturally, you would not want a computer to be able to find out what programs are installed on your computer unless you were certain that the other computer could be trusted. However, this all goes away if you can install a program on both ends. The Client program needs to collect all the information on that side, package it into an XML file, and send it to the server.

Normally, the server doesn't go out and ask the client for something, that's a bit backwards, since that reverses the roles. Do you intend to have the client get in touch with the server and the server respond with a request for information which the client then supplies? Or do you intend to have the client compile the list, contact the server, and send the list?

Alternatively, you would have each machine listening for connections, so each would be a server, and the central computer would be the client requesting information from all the different servers.

Aside from that you have the problem of figuring out how to build the list. This strikes me as being a major pain in the tuckus. How do you know what is a program? If you search for all *.exe files, you will get all the programs. In fact, you will get all the instances of Setup.exe, and every other little piece of subsidiary code installed all over the computer. That would mean lots of garbage. There may be a way to look at the registry for those programs that use it, but not all do. Consider the Add/Remove program applet in the Control Panel. That gives you a pretty good list, but it is far from a comprehensive list of all the programs on the computer.

So what set is sufficient? Do you want all the *.exe files, or are you willing to accept some other kind of set?

[chris128]

There are already plenty of free audit tools around that will do this for you so it cant be that hard. They just get a similar list to whats shown in add/remove programs. Perhaps you could use one of them instead of writing your own version (unless you are wanting to do it yoruself for the learning experience etc). One particularly good peice of audit software that I often use is called Spiceworks and it just sits on one machine and collects information about every PC (and other devices) on the network, including all their programs, hotfixes, IP addresses, printers, last user that logged onto them etc etc. You view the results on a local HTML page and you can even run searches for particular peices of software and it'l bring back any PC with that on. Oh and its free.