Pico Educational Systems Ltd - Technical Networking

Either select an existing drive mapping or a share mapped as a drive, orcreate a folder and share that as a drive, then install to that new mapping. The installation program picks up the path the installation is being made to and uses these folder paths to write to the application ini files.

A UNC path may also be used.

In some cases the installers may not be able to access the server drive you are trying to install to from the CD.

If this happens, copy the CD folders to the mapped drive you wish to use and run Start.exe from there.

The Network System Installation File is SSnetsys.exe in the System folder on the CD. This is only needed to restore system files if corrupted.

Short Filenames 8.3 Compliance

The main network installation uses 8.3 compliant folder names

The Network Upgrade (Version 2.00 to Version 3.00)

When you run the network upgrade, Study30n.exe you will be asked to browse for the main folder - (Top Studyscn folder)

UNC paths can be typed into the path box although you cannot "browse" to them.

The installer should then be able to find the files it uses as a reference point. It will rewrite the various .ini files and update them with the paths it finds during its installation. It should confirm the location of each application and of the data folder.

This upgrade can also be run to correct an installation that has initially been made to the wrong drive (e.g.directly to the server).

The Network System files should still be present - if they are not, use the Install Network System Files button on the Autoinstaller panel to re-install them. This will have been done automatically in new installations

The Network System Files

THESE ARE AUTOMATICALLY ADDED TO EACH APPLICATION FOLDER DURING ALL NEW VERSION 3 INSTALLATIONS
Once the system files are installed, any client machine only needs a shortcut to the appropriate application(s).

No system files are needed on client machines.

File Access Permissions

All writeable files are located in the active "Db" folder.

QuickScan has a file in its application folder called QSStart.ini, which contains the path to the "Db" folder. where its writeable .ini file "Quick.ini" is located.

Info.txt, also in the "Db" folder, contains the college information and can be edited via the StatScan System Menu.

StudyScan has a file in its application folder called SSStart.ini, which contains the path to the "Db" folder where its writeable .ini file "Study.ini" is located.

The .ini files in the data folder need read/write access.
The data folder "Db" under the Studyscan application folder needs read, write and modify (file create) access.

The "Db" folder can be sited outside of the main installation.
Check that the ini files in the "Db" folder point to the correct location - which can be on a different drive.

The .ini files in the StatScan folder need read/write access.
StatScan is only for use by Tutors and should not be available to students.

Please see the "NetExtras" folder Readme.txt file for details of alternative QuickScan versions.

Windows 2000 networks also need share properties setting.

Known Issues and Reasons or Workarounds

The following is a description of known issues and reasons or workarounds as applicable.

Problem:
Message: "Corrupt Installation Detected" and installation halted
Meaning:
If you do not have sufficient access rights to install programmes you will get a message "Corrupt Installation Detected" and the installation will be halted. Either have your user permissions modified or ask your IT support to install the programme for you.

Problem:
Message: 'Batch Codes not set.'
Meaning:
QuickScan Batch codes for student numbers are not set or exhausted so QuickScan will not run.

Problem:
Message: QuickScan will not run and gives an error message: "Error 75"
Meaning:
Error 75 is always related to file access permissions for the programme. The active data folder needs Modify/File Create rights, and the ini files in the StatScan folder need read/write rights. No write access is required on client machines.

Problem:
Message: QuickScan will not run and gives an error message: "Error: The file ‘quick.ini’ cannot be found in the QuickScan Directory or the QuickScan INI Directory…”
Meaning:
Either the path in QSStart.ini in the QuickScan folder is not correct or there is no INI file in the active data folder (this would probably indicate a need for re-installation).

If the active data folder does not have modify/file create rights for the user, this error will also occur. The active data folder is the only one that requires extra permissions but the programme cannot work without them.

The data folder “Db”under the StudyScanapplication folder needs read, write and file create (modify) access. The .ini files will be located into the active Db folder so that this will then be the only folder in the application that requires modify rights for students. StatScan’s ini files will still need read/write rights for Tutors.

Problem:
Message: Error at the end of QuickScan “Access Denied”
Meaning:
This suggests that the identity log file has been left open, either by someone attempting to open it in Excel, or as a result of a crash which has left the file stuck open. Close the file – restarting a Stand-alone will have that effect. On a network the file “countid.csv” will need to be stopped individually.

Problem:
Message: StudyScan will not run and gives an error message: 'Unable to run StudyScan at this time because audio is in use by another application or not available on this system.'
Solution:
Check to see if there is a sound card or, make sure audio is not in use by another application, or check to see that the sound card works for other applications, if not, there may be a problem with the sound card setup.

Problem:
Message: QuickScan produces an error message ''Data has changed..." and cannot create its report.
Solution:
This error is caused by the Vbdb300.dll DLL file installed by Corel. To rectify this problem use the system restorer to replace the system files. If Corel data functions are required place the Vbdb300.dll into the Corel Application folder before restoring the StudyScan Suite System.
On networks, a local Client installation of Corel can also have the same effect.

Problem:
Message: Multiple errors on startup.
If another program has been uninstalled or if Windows has been re-installed this process often deletes system files. This would have the effect of removing system files needed by The StudyScan Suite
Solution:
Use the StudyScan Suite System Restorer or
Network System Files installer to replace the missing files.
Both restorer utilities can be run from the installation CD on the Network Installation options page of the Autoinstaller.

Backing Up Data

To back up data and start afresh create a new folder (e.g. “Db06_07”) and select all .mdb, .ldb .csv and .qrf files in the existing data folder. Cut them, and then paste them into your new folder. Replace Study.mdb in the original Db folder with a copy from the Studyscn\Quickscn\Db folder. This file acts as a reference file for StatScan and holds StudyScan data.

We recommend clearing data annually – this will prevent the programme from running slowly and may help to prevent errors.

Printing Issues

Fault: Titles not centred on printout on HP2200D printer
This problem can be rectified by installing the Win LJ 4+ Driver

PRINTING ON NETWORKS
The programme normally looks for an LPT port to print to

NT Networks may need to print to LPT2

Novell Networks may need to spool to a print queue on an LPT port or it may be necessary to establish a bindery print queue. If this is the case, we recommend setting up a separate login for users of the programme, which captures the printing process on login and releases it when the user logs out, resetting to the default configuration for the client machine. IP/IPX Printing to queues seems to work OK in Novell.

NOVELL ZEN WORKS CLIENT SOFTWARE

Another recent succesful approach uses the Novell ZEN Works setup to capture the local printer port to LPT1 and redirect printing

Go into Network Neighbourhood
Find the appropriate printer queue and Right Click on it
Select the Novell Option 'Capture Printer Port' to LPT1
Disable Bi-Directional printing

On other Novell Networks installing a basic windows driver for the printer and capturing LPT1 has also worked

NDPS printing will not work if the printer objects are very low in the tree hierarchy (over 66 characters in thepath/context) or if there are ANY spaces in the path to the printer object or the object name itself. iPrint works fine, but the same restriction as for NDPS may apply.

Where problems have been encountered with Hewlett Packard Laserjet printers, these have mostly been resolved by following HP's own recommendation to use the generic Windows Laserjet 4 Plus driver, given in answer to most issues raised with HP for Laserjet printers.

THESE FILES WERE DESIGNED FOR NETWORKED INSTALLATIONS

Which QuickScan Executable to use

QuickScan (QuicksID.exe) is usually given the widest access.
This is the "Audio and I/D version that stores student codes.

The Student Support department should be asked to specify on which machines they would like to run StudyScan (Studyscn.exe).
StatScan (Statscan.exe) is only for use by the administrating tutor and is the programme that generates and reprints reports.

QuicksID.exe is the audio version with identity code entry
QuickmID.exe is the mute version with identity code entry
Quicksnd.exe is the audio version without identity code entry
Quickscn.exe is the mute version without identity code entry

OTHER VERSIONS OF THE PROGRAMME IN THE NETEXTRA FOLDER ON THE CD

QSDMid49.exe - Mute / ID QuickScan modified as described below
QSDAid49.exe - Audio / ID QuickScan modified as described below

QSDMid49.exe Would replace QuickMID.exe
QSDAid49.exe Would replace QuicksID.exe

These versions "look up" the I/D code entered by the student in a text database drawn from the Student Management Information System (MIS).

It requires a text extract from the MIS database to be placed in the data folder and named "students.txt". This text database should contain the students' date of birth details, together with their identity code (usually an enrolment number or library number).

When these versions of QuickScan are started they will not allow students to continue if they have not entered a valid identity code listed in the file "students.txt"

Although this works it has mostly been found too draconian!

Versions with modified QuickScan Report

QSDMid56 Mute QS which prints I/D code entered by student on QuickScan report.
QSDAid56 Audio QS which prints I/D code entered by student on QuickScan report.

Versions with First Name and Surname as well as Student I/D entry at start

QSDMid57 Mute QS with First Name and Surname as well as Student I/D entry at start.
QSDAid57 Audio QS with First Name and Surname as well as Student I/D entry at start.

RESTORE30C.EXE Restore original version for stand-alone machine
RESTORE30N.EXE Restore original version for network
THESE VERSIONS DO NOT HAVE THE DYSPRAXIA DIAGNOSTIC ELEMENT

Utility to Repair a Damaged Study.mdb StudyScan Database

ResDB.exe

FIRST MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF Study.mdb

If the Study.mdb database has been corrupted it may be possible to recover it using this utility. Place a copy of the utility together with a copy of the corrupted database into the StudyScan application folder and run the ResDB executable. If this has been successful you will usually see a difference in file size between the corrupt and restored database files.

Then replace the corrupted database with the "restored" one.

Study.mdb - Spare empty StudyScan Data File

Quikfile.exe - QuickScan file copier

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