Programs

 

Spector Client (Client) is configured to record program events by enabling the option within the Programs configuration tab. The Programs configuration tab can be found when

 

 

 

Figure 1: Programs Settings within Deployment Utility

 

 

 

Figure 2: Settings within Configure Computers View

 

 

 

Figure 3: Programs Settings within Viewer

 

 

 

Capture Programs

 

The Client provides the ability to record every program and program window executed on a monitored computer. For each program event, the Client will record:

 

 

The Client will record every program that creates a visible window on the computer. Programs that run in the background, or those visible in the system tray, will NOT be recorded unless they are opened by the user to reveal a window.

 

To record Programs that are run on the computer, select Capture Programs to put a checkmark in the option box. To disable program recording, clear the checkbox from the Capture Programs box.

 

 

Inactivity Timeout

 

The Inactivity Timeout setting controls how the Client determines when a program user is actively using a program. When a Program event is recorded, part of the information recorded about a particular session is how long a user was determined to be actively using that program. If a user is typing, clicking the mouse, or moving the mouse within a program window, then they are determined to be active in that program. The Inactivity Timeout controls the amount of time the Client should wait after mouse or keyboard activity has stopped in a program window before determining that the user is no longer active in the program. By default, this Inactivity Timeout is three minutes, which means a user will be determined NOT active in a program if typing or mouse activity stops after three minutes.

 

Note: When the active time is calculated for a specific program window, if the inactivity time is exceeded, all continuing inactivity—including the inactivity setting time—is assumed as inactive time. It is NOT counted as part of the active time for that program. Active time for a program window is only considered as that time when the inactivity event has not been reached.

 

 

Figure 4:  Programs Record Only

 

To Only Record Specific Programs

 

Most businesses will want the Client to record at all times the computer is being used, regardless of the application or program being run. However, there may be a situation where you ONLY want to record the computer when a specific Windows application is being used (possibly a business critical application) and you do NOT want to record everything else happening on the computer.

 

Note:   If you want the Client to record all the time, then make sure that the Only Record the Following Applications box is NOT checked.

 

If you wish to limit the Client to recording only certain applications, the Client must have the executable file name of the application. In order to configure the executable file name:

 

  1. Check on the Only Record the Following Applications box

  2. Click on Record Only Applications Listed

  3. Click on the Add button. The Select Applications to Record window will open. It is necessary to configure the executable file name of the application to record. This can be done by selecting the current programs running on the computer, browsing to a specific application executable file, or typing the executable file name. The folder path of the file name is NOT necessary.

  4. The applications listed are the current applications running on the computer from which you are configuring. These may or may not be the same applications you want to record on the computer. If you are unsure, you can either use the Browse button to find the application file executable, or you can run the application on the computer from which you are configuring, and then select the application from the list. The correct application file name will be added for any applications in the list.

  5. Click on the OK button

  6. Repeat steps 3-5 to add other applications you wish to record

 

Note:  The Client will only record when the applications listed have Windows focus. It will not record if the applications listed do NOT have Windows focus, even if the applications are running in the background.

 

If you wish to EXCLUDE certain applications from being recorded:

 

  1. Check the Only Record the Following Applications box

  2. Click on Record All Applications Except These Listed

  3. Click on the Add button. The Select Applications to Record window will open. It is necessary to configure the executable file name of the application to record. This can be done by selecting the current programs running on the computer, browsing to a specific application executable file, or typing the executable file name. The folder path of the file name is NOT necessary

  4. The applications listed are the current applications running on the computer from which you are configuring. These may or may not be the same applications you want to record on the computer. If you are unsure, you can use the Browse button to find the application's executable file, or you can run the application on the computer from which you are configuring, and then select the application from the list. The correct application file name will be added for any applications in the list

  5. Click on the OK button

  6. Repeat steps 3-5 to add other applications you wish to exclude

 

Note:  The Client will only record when the applications listed have Windows focus. An application may be running but not have Windows focus.

 

 

Program File

 

When Program events are recorded on the computer, the Client stores them in a data file that resides in the Data File Folder. If the Client is configured to upload recorded events to the Data Vault, this information will be frequently moved from the Program data file into the Data Vault. If the Client is configured to keep the recorded events on the computer, or the Data Vault is unavailable for uploading of events, then the size of the Program data file is a consideration. In general, the size of the Program data file is not much concern because a large number of events can be recorded in a relatively small data file size.

 

The following settings control the amount of storage space needed on the computer's hard drive to record Program events.

 

 

Delete Data After … Days

 

Select the number of days the Client should keep recorded program events on the computer. If Programs have been recorded before this number of days, then the Program events will be deleted. For example, if this setting is for ten days and today is August 11, the Client would keep all Program events recorded on August 1 and later. This setting is not a concern if the Client is configured to move Program events to the Data Vault. They would be moved frequently and would not reside for ten days on the computer.

 

The Default number of days is ten.

 

 

Maximum Data Size … Megabytes

 

Select the maximum number of megabytes the Program event data file should be allowed to grow. When the Program event data files have reached this size, the oldest recorded Program events will be deleted to allow for recording of new Program events, and to keep the Program data file under the maximum size. This setting should not be a concern if the Client is configured to upload recorded events to the Data Vault. If the Client is NOT uploading recorded events to the Data Vault this setting should still not be a concern unless the computer's user is accessing a large number of Programs over many days.

 

The default Program Data File size is one megabyte.

 

 

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