Connecting to a Helix Server via Helix Client is relatively simple, whether connecting to a Server running on a local network (LAN) or a remote network (WAN) via the internet.

This document covers general tips for Helix Client users, as well as providing links to technotes for more advanced configuation options. For information on configuring a machine for Helix Server, see Helix Server Access Configuration Tips.

When you connect to a Server for the first time, Helix Client manages the connection in a temporary work space. When you Quit Helix Client (or Disconnect from the Server) you are given an opportunity to save a connection document. Saving this file (if you are uncertain where to save it, we suggest saving it into your Documents folder) gives you rapid access for reconnecting to your Helix Server.

The connection is also added to Helix Client's Recent Items menu: choosing its connection document from the Recent Items menu reconnects you much faster and more efficiently than an initial connection.

The saved connection document can be thought of as a shortcut for reconnecting to the Server, but it has many more features. A saved structure has these benefits:

1. Instant reconnection to the Server: no waiting for large structures to download.
2. Window positions preserved: your customized setup is not forgotten between connections.
3. Queries (open, power, and quick) preserved: your custom queries are nore forgotten between connections.
4. Reduced load on Server: by storing the collection structure locally, the Server does not have to send that information repeatedly, making it able to handle Client data requests faster.
5. Bandwidth reduction for slow networks: by storing the collection structure locally, network traffic is reduced to a minimum, resulting in better performance over slow networks.

Helix Client detects when you have used Helix RADE to update a database. The next time you use its connection document, a dialog informs you that the database structure has been updated. When this happens, your saved window positions and queries are reset to the defaults set in Helix RADE. To set those preferences permanently, open the collection with Helix RADE, switch to User Mode (with the appropriate user name, if more than one exists) and set the window positions and queries. Those settings become the new defaults when connecting from Helix Client.

Note: The Client Connection Document used to be called a structure file. You may see that term used in older technotes; the terms are synonymous.

The Client AutoConnect mechanism is controlled by editing setting in your local Helix Client preference file. There is currently no provision for embedding these in a distributed Client.

You can set a Helix Client workstation to automatically open a saved connection document or to connect to a specific Server every time the Client is launched. A detailed technote on configuring these options is found in Technote R6939: AutoConnect & AutoOpen Preference Interaction.

Helix Client can use the Collection and Recovery buffers to increase performance when working from a saved structure file. For Helix Client, the Collection Buffer need only to be 1-2 MB larger than the size of your locally saved structure file. Do not set it to the size of the collection! Most structure files are less than 5MB, so set the Collection Buffer to 10MB; that is more than sufficient for virtually all collections.

The Recovery Buffer is a small area used as in internal scratch pad. Setting the Recovery Buffer larger than 5MB is going to do nothing but waste memory.

Administrators can disable the Connect command, forcing users to work from saved connection documents.

For a Client (Classic or OS X) that is distributed to multiple users, or moved from computer to computer, the HVIS/0 resource can be edited to disable Connect.

On a single machine (OS X only), the HxDisableVisit preference disables Connect.

Helix's Quit Apple event allows you to create simple scripts that can avoid all dialog boxes when disconnecting from a Server. (This is useful if you need to shut down a remote Client in order to make backups, etc.) Sample scripts are found in the "Things You Might Need" folder that is created in the Helix folder when you run our installer.