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Users of Enterprise RPA consider ease of software and robot maintenance, security and scalability to be its most important features. Integrated cognitive and machine learning for processing unstructured data is also important, as is the availability of robot operational analytics.

Question & Answer

Question

What is the Notes Install Cleanup Executable (NICE) tool and how is it used?

Answer

You can use the Notes Install Cleanup Executable (NICE) tool to clean up a failed install, failed uninstall or failed upgrade of Notes and ICAA. You can also use the tool to uninstall an existing version of Notes and ICAA, and clean up extraneous files, before performing an upgrade install.

The Notes Install Cleanup Executable tool (nice.exe) tool is available for download from the IBM Support FTP site at the following link:

NOTE: The .zip file linked above contains the Notes 10.0 version of nice.exe that was updated to that was updated to work with ICAA 2.0.

- Windows platforms only
- Must be run by an administrator
- Notes 6.x and higher (cloud or on-premises)
- ICAA 1.0.1 and higher (cloud or on-premises)

The tool removes various files and settings, including registry setting values, program files, and Notes user data files. It obtains the location of applicable files and folders by searching the registry for settings that contain a 'xpdInstallLocation' or 'XPD_INSTALL_LOCATION' value, such as the following:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[UpgradeCode]

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[UpgradeCode]
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftwareIBMLotusExpeditor[UpgradeCode]
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftwareIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE1]
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftwareIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE2]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE3]
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE3]
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftwareIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE3]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE1]
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE1]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE2]
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREIBMLotusExpeditor[TARGETUPGRADECODE2]
The tool checks to see whether Notes processes and services are running.
If NICE detects certain processes, you are instructed to shut down Notes. NICE does not close
these processes for you. The process list includes the following:
notes2.exe
ntaskldr.exe
notes.exe
nlnotes.exe
sametime75.exe
nminder.exe
soffice.bin
soffice.exe
If NICE detects certain services, it will stop them. The service list includes the following:
Lotus Notes Diagnostics
Multi-user Cleanup Service
Lotus Notes Single Logon
Lotus Notes Smart Upgrade Service
NICE then removes the following items:

-- Shared DLL files based on the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSharedDlls registry setting

-- Notes workspace directory (for 8.x and higher) -- User's Data Directory/workspace

-- Program files (if the Remove all program files check box or command line option is enabled) -- All 'Program FilesIBMLotusNotes' directory contents are removed except the Program FilesIBMLotusNotesData subdirectory.

Note: The above is true only if Remove Data Files is not enabled.

-- Desktop shortcuts -- Notes, Domino Designer, Domino Administrator, and embedded Lotus Symphony desktop shortcuts are removed, as are applicable Start > Programs Shortcuts items.

-- Notes data files (if the Remove all data files check box or command line option is enabled) -- The Notes data directory, as specified in the registry, is deleted.

Note: Prior to running the NICE tool consider backing up your Notes client . For details, see 'Backing up and restoring Notes client data' in the Notes and Domino wiki.

The tool removes various files and settings, including registry setting values, program files, and ICAA user data files. The tool checks to see whether ICAA processes and services are running.
If NICE detects certain services, it will stop them. The service list includes the following:

• IBM Notes Diagnostics
• Multi-user Cleanup Service
• IBM Auto Update Service

NICE then removes the following items:

-- Shared DLL files based on the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSharedDlls registry setting

-- Program files (if the Remove all program files check box or command line option is enabled) -- All 'Program FilesIBMICAA' directory contents are removed except the Program FilesIBMICAAData subdirectory.

Note: The above is true only if Remove Data Files is not enabled.

-- Desktop shortcuts -- IBM Client Application Access shortcut is removed, as are applicable Start > Programs Shortcuts items.

-- ICAA data files (if the Remove all data files check box or command line option is enabled) -- The ICAA data directory, as specified in the registry, if not empty, is deleted.

Note: Prior to running the NICE tool consider backing up your ICAA.

Consider running the NICE tool in the following situations for Notes and ICAA:

-- Clean install -- Remove the existing Notes installation, and clean the registry, to prepare for a clean install.

-- Failed install -- Detect the install version from the registry and clean up registry settings and files on the system to prepare for a clean install of the same release.

-- Failed upgrade -- Detect the install version from the registry and clean up registry settings and files on the system to prepare for a clean install or the upgrade release.

-- Failed uninstall -- Detect the version from the registry and clean up registry settings and files on the system to prepare for a clean install.

For all situations, the following occurs for Notes and ICAA

Notes

-- If a Notes version is not detected in the registry but files exist in the default location , you are prompted to remove those files from disk. For example, if there is no entry for Notes in the Add/Remove Programs dialog, NICE detects whether there is a key in registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARELotusNotes, gets the PROGDIR and DATADIR information from the registry, and does the deletion. If there is no key in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARELotusNotes, NICE does nothing.

-- If there is no Add/Remove Programs entry for Notes, but there are registry keys in either HKCUSoftwareLotusNotesInstaller or HKLMSoftwareLotusNotes, you can remove those registry settings. For example, if there is no Add/Remove Programs entry for Notes, NICE gets the PROGDIR and DATADIR information from HKLMSoftwareLotusNotes and continues to remove program files, remove shortcuts, and clean the registry.

ICAA

-- If a ICAA version is not detected in the registry but files exist in the default location , you are prompted to remove those files from disk. For example, if there is no entry for ICAA in the Add/Remove Programs dialog, NICE detects whether there is a key in registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIBMICAA, gets the PROGDIR and DATADIR information from the registry, and does the deletion. If there is no key in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIBMICAA, NICE does nothing.

-- If there is no Add/Remove Programs entry for ICAA, but there are registry keys in either HKCUSoftwareIBMNotesInstaller or HKLMSoftwareIBMNotes, you can remove those registry settings. For example, if there is no Add/Remove Programs entry for ICAA, NICE gets the PROGDIR and DATADIR information from HKLMSoftwareIBMICAA and continues to remove program files, remove shortcuts, and clean the registry.

Once you understand exactly which files and settings the tool will remove, run theNotes Install Cleanup Utility (NICE) tool as follows:
Note: Consider backing up the user's files before running the tool. See 'Backing up and restoring Notes client data' in the Lotus Notes and Domino wiki for information on file backup.
1. Log in to the Windows operating system as an administrative user and ensure that Notes or ICAA is not running.
2. Locate and run the NICE tool; double-click the nice.exe executable.

The tool checks for an existing Notes or ICAA installation, informs you what version is installed, and enables you to specify removal options. When ICAA coexists with a Notes client, you can choose which instance to remove.

2. Optionally enable Remove all program files to remove applicable files and folders in the Program FilesIBMLotusNotes directory for Notes, or Program FilesIBMICAA directory for ICAA.

Note:

- All 'Program FilesIBMLotusNotes' directory contents are removed except the Program FilesIBMLotusNotesData subdirectory.

- All 'Program FilesIBMICAA' directory contents are removed except the Program FilesIBMICAAData subdirectory if it exists.

3. Optionally enable Remove all data files to remove the user's data directory, as specified in the registry.

Note: The Remove all data files check box is disabled when Notes or ICAA is installed in multi user mode.

4. Click Remove to delete the files impacted by the above options.

Note: If neither option is enabled, the tool only removes the registry entries and stops services; then NICE leaves all the files on disk..

5. Respond to any confirmation prompts.

6. A progress bar indicates the progress of the cleanup process. When cleanup is complete, the NICE user interface closes.

NICE can also be run silently and/or by using the command line. See below for the options:

• Nice.exe [-h | -?] [-rp] [-rd] [-wipe] (/qn/qn+/qb/qb+)

Nice will print the result of run to %TEMP%Nice.status. If successful, the content of the file will be 'OK'. Otherwise, the content of file will be 'FAILED'

Have questions about this Technote?

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Internal Use Only

SPR# DCOE8RQRXV has been submitted an enhancement request to create an equivalent tool for cleanup after Domino server installation:

This technote provides information on the Notes Install Cleanup Executable (NICE) tool. This tool can be used for both IBM Notes and IBM Client Application Access (ICAA).

Related URL

Comparison of the Best RPA (Robotic Process Automation) Tools in the market:

In any organization, there are a lot of tasks which are repetitive and time-consuming in nature. While doing these type of tasks, there is always a huge possibility for error occurrence because of repetition.

Hence, in order to avoid these errors and save time, a lot of RPA Software are available in the market.

Daily tasks which are performed on the software by employees are automated using the bot. The software which uses the bot for performing this automation is called the RPA software. A bot is nothing but an infected computer with a malicious software.

What You Will Learn:

• Top 10 Robotic Process Automation RPA Tools

What is Robotic Process Automation?

Robotic Process Automation saves time and human efforts to a major extent.

It is a time saver and a cost-effective one too. Important features of robotic process automation include platform independence, scalability, and intelligence.

Every RPA system must include the three capabilities stated below:

• Communicating with the other systems in either way screen scrapping or API integration.
• Decision making
• Interface for bot programming.

It is not mandatory to have programming skills for using RPA Tools. Small, Medium as well s large-scale organization can use RPA tools, but these organizations should be able to depend on the software heavily.

Types of Robotic Process Automation

Given below are the various types of RPA:

• Attended automation: These tools will require human intervention while performing automation processes.
• Unattended automation: These tools are intelligent and have decision-making capabilities.
• Hybrid RPA: These tools will have combined capabilities of both attended and unattended automation tools.

Industries using RPS:

Robotic process automation is mainly used in Banking, Insurance, Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Telecommunication industries.

• Healthcare: In the healthcare industry, it will help in appointments, patient’s data entry, claims to process, billing etc.
• Retail: For the retail industry, it helps in updating orders, sending notifications, shipping products, tracking shipment etc.
• Telecommunications: For the telecommunications industry, it will help in monitoring, fraud data management and updating the customer data.
• Banking: Banking industry use RPA for more efficiency in work, for accuracy in data, and for the security of data.
• Insurance: Insurance companies use RPA for managing the work processes, entering customer’s data, and for applications.
• Manufacturing: For manufacturing industry, RPA tools help in supply chain procedures. It helps with the billing of materials, Administration, Customer services & support, Reporting, Data migration etc.

How is it Different from a Desktop Application?

Both Desktop applications, as well as RPA, perform multiple tasks.

But how are these two different?

The difference will be identified when it comes to the decision making capability.

RPA helps for front-end operations and back-end operations.

While dealing with the front end operations RPA will require an understanding of the natural language. Backend operations require dealing only with structured and unstructured data. Dealing with structured data means working with a database and dealing with unstructured data includes working with documents and images.

General functions of RPA include:

• Opening different applications like emails, moving files etc.
• Integration with the existing tools.
• Collecting data from different web portals.
• Processing data which includes calculations, data extraction etc.

Points to consider while selecting the tool:

• Platform independence
• User-friendliness
• Cost
• Scalability
• Industry specific
• Maintenance and support services by a company
• Tool Smartness: It should act as an end-user.

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Top 10 Robotic Process Automation RPA Tools

Given below is a list and comparison of the most popular RPA Tools.

#1) Blue Prism

Description: Blue Prism RPA provides all core capabilities.

It can work on any platform with any application. For using this tool you should have programming skills but it is user-friendly for developers. This tool is perfect for medium and large organizations.

Features:

• It supports multi-environment deployment model.
• Security provided for network and software credentials.
• It can be used on any platform.
• Can work for any application.

Pros:

• High-speed execution.
• Platform independence.

Cons:

• You should have programming skills.
• High price.

Tool cost or Pricing: $ 15000 to $ 18000 annually.

Click here for the official URL.

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#2) Inflectra Rapise

Description: Rapise provides support for hybrid business scenarios. It can automate Web, Desktop and Mobile applications. It is friendly both for programmers and non-developers. Rapise is on-premise solution.
This tool is perfect for small and medium organizations.

Features:

• Supports automation projects of any size
• Record and play functionality
• Web & desktop automation; Web and screen scraping
• REST and SOAP calls and email processing (gmail, Office 365, private mail servers)
• Provides open platform for enhancements and integration
• Provides special support for Microsoft Dynamics applications.

Pros:

• Non-developer friendly
• Backed up with training and certifications.
• Fast execution.

Cons:

• Windows-only platform

Pricing:

$1,599 / Single developer license, unlimited execution agents; Unlimited support and free upgrades for 1 year from purchase.

=> Click here for Rapise Details

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#3) UiPath

Description: UiPath provides all core capabilities. It provides support for Citrix. It is user-friendly for non-developers too. It can handle complex processes. And this tool is perfect for any size of business.

Features:

• It provides security by managing credentials, providing encryption and access controls based on the role.
• It can automate faster. Eight to ten times faster automation through Citrix too.
• Provides an open platform.
• It can handle any process, in any number, irrespective of its complexity.

Pros:

• No programming skills required.
• Ease of use through drag and drop facility.
• Provides good features, free of cost.

Cons:

• Limited coding functionality.

Tool cost or Pricing:

For small teams and individuals, UiPath provides the community edition. It is free.

UiPath Enterprise RPA: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

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#4) Automation Anywhere

Description: Automation Anywhere provides all core capabilities. It provides on-premise and cloud services. This user-friendly tool is perfect for medium and large organizations.

Features:

• Provides Bank-grade security.
• Provides security through authentication, encryption, and credentials.
• Real-time reports and analytics.
• Provides platform independence.

Pros:

• User-friendliness.

Cons

• IQBot needs an improvement.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

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#5) Pega

Description: Pega is a Business Process Management tool. It can be used on desktop servers. It provides only cloud-based solutions or services. It can work on Windows, Linux, and Mac. This tool is perfect for medium and large businesses.

Features:

• It will help you in the deployment of your solutions to the customers.
• It provides a cloud-based solution.
• It doesn’t store any execution data in a database, rather everything gets stored in the memory.
• With this tool, you can distribute the work to desktop, server, and employees as well.

Snippet Tool For Mac

Pros:

• Because of the event-driven approach, it works faster.
• It is a robust and reliable tool.

Cons:

• There is no on-premise solution.

Tool cost or Pricing: It starts at $200 per month. Contact them for pricing details. The company provides a free trial too.

Click here for the official URL.

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#6) Contextor

Description: This tool is perfect for any size front offices. It provides on-premise and cloud services. It provides support for Citrix. It works for all workstation applications.

Features:

• Contextor can communicate with the active applications as well as with the applications that are minimized.
• It can communicate with all workstation applications in parallel.
• It supports Citrix and RDP hybrid virtualization environment.
• It provides reports and analytics.

Pros:

• It works fast.
• It can be easily integrated with AI.

Cons:

• It only supports the Windows operating system.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

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#7) Nice Systems

Description: Nice RPA tool is named as NEVA-Nice Employee Virtual Attendant. It is a smart tool and helps the employees in repetitive tasks.

Features:

• It provides attended and unattended server automation.
• It will help you in automating mundane tasks, Compliance adherence and in Up-sell.
• This system is made for employees from the back offices, Finance, HR etc.
• It provides cloud-based and on-premise solutions.

Pros:

• Provides advanced analytics.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

#8) Kofax

Description: Kofax can work with any application virtually. Coding skills are not mandatory for this tool. It can process data from any website, desktop application, and portal.

Features:

• It does the repetitive tasks efficiently.
• Intelligent tool for monitoring and optimizing the processes.
• It can be managed centrally from a server.
• Easy to integrate with Kapow Katalyst Platform.

Pros:

• Efficient tool.
• Can work fast.

Cons:

• Needs to improve training videos.
• It may be a little difficult to learn.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

#9) Kryon

Description: Kryon RPA is named as Automate.

It has three solutions for automation. Unattended, Attended, and Hybrid. An unattended solution is an intelligent tool and can take decisions. Attended tool will give you speed, accuracy, and efficiency at work.

Hybrid automation is the combination of both attended and unattended automation.

Features:

• Kryon provides attended and unattended and hybrid automation.
• It is a scalable system.
• It helps in improving productivity.
• It provides recording facility.

Screenshot Tool For Mac

Pros:

• Efficiently performs repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
• It is user-friendly.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

#10) Softomotive

Description: Softomotive has two solutions for robotic process automation.

It includes Enterprise Automation and Desktop automation. Enterprise automation will help in increasing the productivity, performance, and efficiency of enterprises. And Desktop automation is for individuals and small teams.

It can automate desktop and web-based tasks.

Features:

• This tool will help you from the design process to the production process.
• It provides accuracy, security and error handling.
• It can be easily integrated with SAP, Salesforce, Oracle Financials, and PeopleSoft Automation etc.
• It is supported by .NET and SQL server.

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• It works five times faster than humans.

Cons:

• It is supported only by SQL server.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details.

Click here for the official URL.

#11) Visual Cron

Description: Visual Cron is an automation tool for task scheduling and integration. It is for Windows only. Programming skills are not mandatory for this tool.

Features:

• You can customize tasks according to technology.
• You can do programming using the API.
• Visual Cron can develop the features, as per your requirements.
• User-friendly interface.
• You can use the tool even if you don’t have programming knowledge.

Pros:

• Easy to learn.

Cons:

• It supports only the Windows operating system.

Tool cost or Pricing: Contact them for pricing details. It provides a trial period of 45 days.

Click here for the official URL.

Comparison for Top 5 RPA Tools

Given below is an exclusive comparison of the Top 5 best Robotic Process Automation Tools.

Additional Tools

#11) AntWorks:

AntWorks RPA is called as ANTstein. It can work with any type of data and it supports a code-free environment. It helps in BOT development without programming and designing processes.

Click here for the official URL.

#12) Redwood software:

This tool will help you by automating repetitive tasks. The system is easy to use and scalable. Redwood provides robotic processes as a service.

Click here for the official URL.

#13) Jacada:

Jacada RPA is for supporting interactions, Contact centers, and customer services.

For customer services, Jacada has taken the best features from RPA and desktop automation. It helps in improving accuracy, customer satisfaction, and productivity.

Click here for the official URL.

#14) Work Fusion:

For automating data related task, WorkFusion has provided SPA which is an AI-driven RPA. Also, it provides one more tool which is named as RPA Express. And you can download it for free.

Click here for the official URL.

Conclusion

Further to our comparison of each tool in detail here, Blue Prism is the best tool but you should get trained before using it. And training is costly as well.

UiPath is easy to use even for non-developers. It provides the same features, and even it servers small scale industries. For workstation applications, Contextor is the best option as they have a specialty in it.

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