"LbShrMem.FindName: invalid 'shared memory' pointer" Error when Launching Reports in Horizon on Windows 10

There is a bug in the ILS system for Horizon by SirsiDynix where for what ever reason, reports are not accessible and you get the following errors.

You will need a SirsiDynix account to view the KB https://support.sirsidynix.com/kb/164380 but essentially when you go to run reports the ILS system errors out with a LBShrMem pointer error. In the past, by that I mean going back to Windows Vista putting in a global system variable for the ILS application resolves the error.

Variable name: HzShrMemBase
Variable value: 1912602624

However under windows 10 this prevents access to the ILS application but adding and removing the variable fixes it as does running the app in legacy mode for Windows XP SP2 but this is temporary. After a reboot the issue remains persistent. Doing file system scans (SFC) and check disk also occasionally resolves the issue, but the issue remains persistent and comes back after a couple shutdown and restarts.

After doing some intense investigation into this matter it appears to be related to security and application permissions.  Unfortunately thus far the only resolution I could find had to do with running the ILS application as an administrator and for staff convivence disabling UAC.

Step 1.  - Make the user using the application a local admin as shown below.

Make use a local admin

Step 2. - Set the app to run as administrator

Step 3. - Change UAC (Reason for this is to prevent the popup prompt)

After running the ILS application like this for 3 weeks I am confident that the issue has been mitigated.  Do I recommend running an application like this?  No.  However it was consuming IT resources having to go back and disk scanning, adding/removing system variables to get the report to run.  There is extra security precautions put on to the system for monitoring and firewall blocking.  For now that is all that can be done until an application update.

SQL for recovering a pull list on Horizon ILS

The Horizon ILS has a list of holds where the report is run but if the list is not kept it is lost and you have to run a sql script to recover the list.  You will require sql studio, and a login to the database.  Once logged in.

Select your ILS DATABASE using SQL Studio or change "$ILSDatabase" in the script below to be the name of your ILS Database and it will automatically select the database for you.

        

 USE [$ILSDATABASE]

 GO

update request set fill_date = NULL, fill_location = NULL,
fill_item# = NULL where
fill_date = datediff(dd,'01 jan 1970',getdate())

and fill_location = '$location' and request_status = 0

 

Below is a sample of what the script looks like in SQL Studio.

In the script change $location with your location code that is setup in Horizon to recover the branch pull list.

iTiva import error from Horizon ILS generated notices file

illion i-tiva automated phone software is pretty good but it is quirky.  After disabling the Phone Holds in the iTiva software we started getting import errors; but it wasn't a consistent failure.  As shown in the activity log shown below there was a successful import then 2 failures.

After further investigation by looking at the past notices located in the i-Tiva archive folder, I determined that i-Tiva requires a 1:1 mapping for the notices export from the ILS (in this case Horizon) to the notice.csv file.  When is imported into itivia.   With the covid-19 shutdown it was decided that we would disable the software from making calls when holds were available.  This was not disabled in the ILS and was being included in the generated notices.csv file. With the holds block "$HOLDSBLOCK" being included in the file, the import fails.

"V","","$HOLDSBLOCK","$HOLDSBLOCK","2222200*******","","Frist Name","Last Name","780-***-****","","**","Library Location","3222200*****","13/1/2021","Book Title.","*****-******"

After testing if the the file only had the block "$OVERDUEBLOCK" the import was successful.

"V","","$OVERDUEBLOCK","$NOTICEBLOCK1","2222200*******","","First Name","Last Name","780-***-****","","**","Library Location","3222200*******","19/12/2020","Book Title /","*****-*****"

To fix the export you have to make an edit in the Horizon Table Editor on the Telephone Messaging Control Block.

To apply the fix disable the For: hold notice.  It should appear unchecked as shown below.  That will fix your issue.

A special thanks to Mary Schmidt at SirsiDynix who worked with me as we determined the cause of the issue.

How to enable slip and receipt printing on Horizon ILS

This is a how to for enabling receipt and slip printing in Horizon.  This article assumes that the station
you are enabling this on has a network or local receipt printing installed.

Login to horizon and go to Circulation -> CKO Window

Go to CKO Window -> Tools -> Receipt Options.

This is a how to for enabling receipt and slip printing in Horizon. This article assumes that the station you are enabling this on has a network or local receipt printing installed.
Enable “Allow Printing of Slips and Receipts”

Select the Slips you want to print as shown below.

Enable printing in Windows -> select the receipt printer you want to use.

NOTE: That you may get a font substitution warning.  You must resolve this before being able to continue.  I prefer using Arial as a substitute font.

Select the receipt printer you want to use

Now you should be able to print slips and receipts in Horizon.

How to update a Horizon ILS Training Database

If you're a SirsiDynix Horizon library using SQL server this tutorial is for you.  I will cover how to restore a training database with a backup from the production database and then make changes in the Horizon Client to make those differences visible.

This tutorial assumes you have the proper permissions for both your ILS database and the Horizon client.  With this you can easily update your training database with the latest up to date information and depending on your hardware it can take as little as 5 - 10 minutes.

1. Log into the Microsoft SQL Management Studio on a workstation that has access to the backup or on the server itself.
   
   
2. Select your training database if not already made. Then select Tasks -> Restore -> Database
   
   
3. Make sure you have the database you want to restore the data to selected.   Then change the source to "From Device" and select your backup database file.  In this case Z:\DBBackup\$DATEOFMYBACKUP.bak
   

   
   
   
4. Make sure you check and make sure that Restore is checked.  Then go to options and check Overwrite the existing database. 
   
   ***IMPORTANT*** - Make sure the "Restore As" Data and Log files are for the database you have selected otherwise you could overwrite production data. 
   
   Since we are using the Training_DATA and Training_Logs we know that we are not using the production data because lets assume that the production db is called production.  With our production database called production lets assume our Rows Data is called production_data.mdf and the logs production_log.ldf.
   
   
   
   
5. The restore process will take about 5 minutes.  Then you can exit out of SQL Management Studio then open the Horizon Client with an account that has administrator access.
   
   
6. You will get a Middle Tier Error on login. Just note the error and click ok.  We will be fixing this
   
   
7. Once you are logged in go to Administration -> Table Editor -> Matham
   
   
8. Double click on the line in the box.
   
   
9. You want to find and edit two items shown below highlighted in Yellow
   
   Horizon App Server Version -> Select NO Horizon Application Server.  You don't need to put anything in the Horizon Application Server URL because we just disabled the URL.  I find it is a good idea to put TRAINING or something like that
   
   
10. Now we want to close that window and repeat steps 7 and 8 but now we want to select location
    
    
11. Double click the location line (this will be the name of the production database because we restored the training database from a backup.)
    
    
12. The next thing you want to edit is the Location NAME.  When you change this it will update the Horizon Client Window with a new header.  So I put ***TRAINING*** - $PUTWHATYOUWANTHERE.  You can see it is in the top left corner of the Horizon Client Window