STIPalm User Manual
Contents
1. To sort records in their original order choose to sort on the TimeStamp field 4 Filtering Searching The filter feature allows the end user to display only those records that match specified search criteria Filtering searching can occur based on just one field or across all fields on a form To apply a filter 1 Tap the arrow underneath the list of records and select the field that is to be used to filter the records 2 On the dotted line type the desired search criteria 2002 STIPalm Usage e 17 It is possible for a field or button to be present for one student but not for another Field View does not apply to the buttons in Record View Courses Guardian amp Attendance 18 e Usage 3 Tap the Search icon magnifying glass icon to perform the search and filter the records Only the records that match the search criteria will be displayed To switch off the filter and display all the records tap the X icon If using the SPT 1500 series handheld the student number can be scanned into the search criteria field from a bar coded ID card to quickly display a student record Otherwise tapping the record will display the student s demographic information Record View Once the desired student has been located in the list either by tapping the record or scanning into the Student ID search criteria field the Students form switches to Record View and displays the demographic information specific to th2. Desktop software is required by ALL handheld applications that synchronize with the PC it is the manager through which all data must go in order to get from the PC to the handheld The Palm Desktop software is included with each handheld device at the time of purchase but it can be upgraded to the latest available version by visiting the Palm Inc Web site at http www palm com software desktop A self guided training course program is available on the site to help get the end user started HotSync Cradle The HotSync cradle connects the handheld to the PC This connection is made through a serial communication port COM1 COM2 etc on the desktop machine The cradle is the device into which the handheld connects and through which data is sent from the PC to the handheld Supplied with the handheld at the time of purchase this device makes synchronization possible It is important to note that many different handheld models require unique cradles For example the Symbol SPT 1500 and the Palm III series both use the same type of cradle but the Palm V uses a different type and the two are not interchangeable Synchronization Database StiP mdb The STIPalm conduit does not read data directly from the STIOffice database 2002 STIPalm person to export data from one centralized location and then allow all end users throughout the school to synchronize Use the Compact Synchronization Database feature periodical
3. HotSync Manager by clicking on the Startup group in the Start Menu The Install Tool installs applications on a per user basis It must be executed once for each handheld that is to receive the application Not all handheld applications synchronize with a desktop application 6 e Introduction Palm Desktop Software Palm Desktop is required by ALL handheld applications that synchronize with the PC it is the manager through which all data must go in order to get from the PC to the handheld The Palm Desktop software is included with any handheld device at the time of purchase but it can be upgraded to the latest version available by visiting the Palm Inc Web site at http www palm com software desktop The Palm Desktop software is the component that allows communication between the PC and the handheld whereas the HotSync Manager facilitates that communication HotSync Manager The HotSync Manager a component of the Palm Desktop software is responsible for actually transferring data from the PC to the handheld When the HotSync button is pressed on the handheld cradle it invokes the HotSync Manager software which in turn queries the Palm Desktop software to determine which applications are to be synchronized what data is to be transferred and how the transfer should occur The HotSync Manager should reside in the Windows System Tray i e it is always active waiting for a HotSync process to be started eithe
4. enough to accommodate a certain data set If it is discovered that a certain data set would require a greater amount of memory than is available on the handheld then the QBE filter on which the export is based can be modified along with any supplemental options to accommodate the memory requirement The export can be run in a test mode as many times as necessary in order to find a suitable data set to fit the available memory on the handheld Pressing this button begins either the calculation or the export process depending on whether the Calculate and Test Only check box is turned on or not While either process is executing the Apply button is disabled If the export is in test mode it will be re enabled once the test is complete If pressed before the Apply button this function will simply close the Export window without doing anything else If pressed while in the middle of the export process this function will stop the export process and empty all the tables in the synchronization database This will prevent a partial export from accidentally being transferred to the handheld This process is NOT the same as a compact database operation Options Remembered As with most reports in the STIOffice application all option settings are remembered the next time the export procedure is run This feature does not apply if the Cancel button is pressed Settings are saved only when the Apply but
5. export to include each student s current class schedule and make that information available to the STIPalm handheld application The term on which the exported schedule is based is relative to the value of the Date field located on the export window Guardian This will instruct the export to include each student s guardian and emergency contact information and make it available to the STIPalm handheld application Attendance Usage e 13 The check box for this option resets itself after each use 14 e Usage This will instruct the export to include each student s attendance record for the specified date The date in question is the value of the Date field located on the export window Calculate and Test Only If the amount of available memory on the handheld is an issue this option can be used as often as necessary to determine the subset of students and supplemental data that can be safely exported When this option is chosen no data is actually exported to the synchronization database Instead only the amount of memory necessary to export the chosen set of data with the chosen set of options is calculated and displayed for the end user so that appropriate decisions can be made Approximate Memory Required on the Handheld Apply Cancel This is an estimate based on the amount of data contained in the export The approximation exists only for determining if the amount of available memory on the handheld is
6. name The contents of this column cannot be changed There is another column that can be optionally displayed to the right of the student name The contents of this column are customizable The data displayed in the right column can be chosen from a list containing most of the fields of the student record stored on the handheld To change or display the contents of this column tap the arrow in the top right corner of the screen and select the additional field to display To remove the right column and display just the student name choose the Name field from the list The fields Class Schedule Guardian Info Daily Attendance Characteristics amp Flags should never be chosen to display in the right column They contain no usable data 3 Sorting Records The Sort feature allows the end user to select a field by which to sort The end user can then choose to sort the records in this field in ascending order A Z or descending order Z A The default sort order is to display the records in the order in which they were exported To Sort Records 1 Tap the arrow next to Sort Field to select the sorting field The Sort Field list box is located at the bottom of the screen immediately to the right of the Order toggle switch which is labeled A Z or Z A depending on the current order 2 Tap the A Z icon to toggle between sorting the records in ascending order A Z or descending order Z A Note
7. the end user These features employ STT s powerful QBE technology and offer a number of export options specific to the STIPalm export process Such specifics include 1 Restricting the export to limit the amount of memory that will be occupied on the handheld 2002 STIPalm Benefits Limitations Licensing 2002 STIPalm 2 Selecting a specific date other than today to which exported data applies 3 Categorizing specific discipline infractions so that the handheld quickly reports a student s current status e g Suspended Expelled etc All options are remembered the next time the export procedure is run to ease future data entry processes Customizable Views on the Handheld The forms displaying student data on the handheld can be configured in a number of ways to suit end user preference Forms can be viewed in either one or two column modes while data can be filtered and or sorted based on almost any combination of available fields STIPalm allows student demographic information to be literally at one s fingertips Data is portable and available on demand for applications such as hall monitoring and security Questions about a student s suspension status or English proficiency for example can now be answered on the spot in the hall In the case of medical emergency when a student is unconscious or cannot communicate a simple scan of an ID card will yield emergency contact phone numbers and a current cla
8. update is performed and the forms and or tables are altered 2 Ifthe STIPalm handheld application has to be reinstalled for any reason such as allowing the batteries to completely drain Usage e 15 The HotSync Operation Download Data to the Handheld The purpose of the HotSync operation is to transfer data exported from within STIOffice to the handheld The HotSync process does not remove anything from the synchronization database nor does it add to that database To keep the data on the handheld current a HotSync operation should be performed immediately after each export process is performed from within STIOffice and an export should be performed at least once daily This is true of each HotSync process after the second one performed after installing the application See The First HotSync Operation Installing the Handheld Application and The Second HotSync Operation Transferring Forms Tables amp Data for more details The Handheld Side STIPalm 16 e Usage Once data has been exported from STIOffice and transferred to the handheld by way of a HotSync operation the student information is available on the handheld via the STIPalm application Tap the ST Palm icon on the Application Launcher to start the application When the application starts it is in List View mode listing all the forms that are available to view There is only one form available at the start With the Students form highlighted press
9. 15 16 17 Name Status Possible values are e Withdrawn e Expelled e Suspension ISS e Suspension OSS e Clear Withdrawal Date Discipline Start Date If the Status is Withdrawn then this field represents the withdrawal date If the Status is Expelled then this field represents the expulsion date If the Status is Suspension XXX then this field represents the starting date of the suspension Discipline End Date If the Status is Suspension XXX then this field represents the ending date of the suspension sometimes referred to as the Return date Student Number Class Schedule Button Guardian Button Daily Attendance Button Address Address and City Phone Number Area Code and Phone Number Home Room Teacher Grade Level Ethnic Code Birth Date Social Security Number Lunch Code Buses Arriving Bus Departing Bus Usage e 19 Filtering the letter B on the Student Name field will find all students whose name contains a B not those whose name begins with B Chapter 2 in the Symbol SPT 1500 Product Reference Guide contains an excellent section on using Graffiti The Student Number field is not a good choice for the right column since it will be the same for each record 20 e Usage 18 19 20 21 Locker amp Combination Appears as Locker Combination Parking Permit Decal Number Primary Language Characteris
10. AM Minimum Handheld Recommendations While the STIPalm application is supported on many different types of Palm OS compatible handhelds only the following devices and configurations have been tested and verified by STI e Symbol SPT 1500 if using bar code reading function e Palm Vx if not using bar code function e 4MB RAM 8 MB preferred Software Recommendations Palm Desktop 4 0 1 2002 STIPalm Introduction e 7 This is probably not the version that came packaged with the handheld The version that was shipped with the handheld can be upgraded to Palm Desktop version 4 0 1 at any time but it is recommended that this be done immediately The latest version of the Palm Desktop software can be obtained at http www palm com software desktop Installation Which Installation Program Should Use There are two installation programs provided on STP s Web site Only one is necessary depending on the current configuration of the end user s machine The STIPalm application requires the Microsoft Data Access Components MDAC 2 5 in order to function properly The installation for MDAC is contained in one of the installation files provided by STI but not the other The only difference between the two files is the inclusion of MDAC The file with MDAC is much larger and will require significantly more time to download Therefore it is important to know which installation program is necessary ISSTSPim MDAC exe This insta
11. C and it is an invaluable resource for understanding key technologies such as the HotSync process the Graffiti handwriting software and beaming The book also contains descriptions and explanations of how to use the SPT 1500 laser scanner built in applications such as Date Book and Memo List and the handheld unit in general It may also help the novice handheld end user to install and run the self guided training course available from the Palm Inc Web site http www palm com software desktop If this link does not work or if the file has been moved then the following link may prove to be more successful http www palm com support downloads QuickTour_ENG exe Introduction e 1 Features The term end user will be used to refer to the person operating the handheld while the term user will refer to the actual handheld device 2 e Introduction STIPalm offers a dual pronged approach to student records management Data is entered on the desktop PC through the STIOffice application and then transferred to the handheld for mobile access to the most common elements of the data such as e Student demographic information including address phone number grade level homeroom teacher etc e Student discipline information such as suspension expulsion detention e Attending status enrolled withdrawn e Class schedules e Guardian and emergency contact information e Daily attendance In order to manage t
12. Install MSVCRT DLL only if necessary e Check for existence of MDAC 2 5 install if necessary Note If using the ISSTSPlm exe installation then only the check is performed If MDAC is not located then the installation aborts e Install the Install Tool API file INSTAIDE DLL to Palm Desktop path e Determine number of Palm Desktop Users PLM_USERCOUNT e For all users get Palm User Name handheld name and store in a list e Select Destination if STIOffice folder not detected earlier e Select Users to install e Copy STIPalm conduit to WINDOWS or WINNT folder e Copy Configuration Database to InstallPath e Copy STIPalm handheld application to SST folder e Copy HotSync API file HSAPI DLL to Palm Desktop Path e Configure ODBC data source used by STIPalm export from within STIOffice e If PLM_USERCOUNT gt 0 Try to install the STIPalm handheld application for each user silently This actually notifies the Install Tool that these applications will need to be installed on the handheld during the next HotSync operation e Import Palm Desktop Users optional e Restart the HotSync Manager to recognize the newly installed conduit Files Installed A number of files are copied to the workstation during the installation process The installation program only uses some of them and of these some are deleted when the installation terminates The files that are of importance outside the scope of the installation p
13. STIPalm User Manual Information in this document is subject to change without notice Student and school data used herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted 2001 2002 Software Technology Inc All rights reserved Palm OS Palm Computing HotSync Graffiti and the Palm Computing Platform Compatible logo are registered trademarks and Palm the Palm logo the Palm OS logo the Palm trade dress and the HotSync logo are trademarks of Palm Inc or its subsidiaries PocketPC is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp Third party products and brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners Software Technology Inc 4721 Morrison Drive Suite 200 Mobile AL 36609 3350 1 877 844 0884 This manual which covers material through STIPalm version 1 0 was last updated on October 2 2002 Any further changes made to the application will be discussed in the release notes that accompany each update Contents 2002 STIPalm Introduction PUPON T r be oeetee eee dictates aa v oe aac Intended Use ccscccsicssscerieate wate ra E E Ea EES IEEE AD i n E S E E E E E E Bar Code Scanning maeiennaer User Based Synchronization ssseesseeeeseeeseeeresreerrsreere Customizable Data Export Download eee eee Customizable Views on the Handheld cccceseeeee BLAN EEEE eather ree oe eee T Pita OMS 22 o oo ex hcset coe rata eee eee acess hee Te eS DACENSING sas seshsieii nc nessa each E Ou
14. and tutorials designed to familiarize the end user with the handheld and engender a high comfort level in no time 2002 STIPalm STIPalm is an extension to STIOffice that allows student data to be exported for download into a Palm OS compatible handheld The STIPalm features in STIOffice provide a mechanism for exporting student data and configuring the use of demographic information stored in the handheld The STIPalm handheld application incorporates form based data viewing with features like bar code scanning record sorting and record filtering searching With these features applications such as hall monitoring and security will become fast mobile electronic and most importantly customizable This document will guide the end user through the installation configuration usage and troubleshooting processes of this product which promises to bring your student records management into a whole new light This document assumes a minimal familiarity with the Palm Computing platform the HotSync process and Palm OS compatible handhelds The fundamental concepts and technologies of the handheld and its use are described in the manual shipped with the device It is recommended that the new end user consult this manual before attempting to install the STIPalm application For the Symbol SPT 1500 this book is entitled Symbol SPT 1500 Product Reference Guide This book explains how to connect the handheld to the desktop P
15. ap on the HotSync icon in the application launcher The user name is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen The term end user will be used to refer to the person operating the handheld while the term user will refer to the actual handheld device 12 e Usage In the client server model of computing the server is the host of data It is the server that is queried when the client requests a view of the data The STIOffice application is considered the server of the data that STIPalm requests In this case the server is also responsible for determining which clients have access to data how exactly the data should be served and how the data should be managed These operations are paralleled through processes available via the Utilities STIPalm menu within STIOffice Users In order for synchronization to occur the handheld resting in the cradle must be identified as a valid user of the STIPalm application This should have been done during the initial installation process but it can be repeated should changes need to be made or new users added The Utilities STIPalm Users menu item exists for this purpose Add Edit Users Choosing the Utilities STIPalm Users menu item will display the Handheld Users browse box from which users may be added changed or deleted When either the Insert or Change button is pressed a form appears from which the new user can be ent
16. ber here 1 The HotSync process will not transfer any student data to the handheld if the STIPalm handheld application does not exist on the handheld device 2 The STIPalm handheld application is installed onto the handheld device during the first HotSync operation performed after executing the installation utility TRANSLATION The first HotSync operation performed after the initial installation will do nothing but transfer the STIPalm application to the handheld device The Second HotSync Operation Transferring Forms Tables amp Data The sole purpose of the first HotSync operation performed after executing the installation utility is to transfer the STIPalm handheld application to the handheld device The second HotSync operation is responsible for transferring the forms and tables used by the handheld application plus any data that has already been exported from within STIOffice The second HotSync operation performed after executing the installation utility will require much more time than any other HotSync operation The amount of time required for the second HotSync operation is uncharacteristic of the usual amount of time for a normal download This is because there is much more data being transferred The forms and tables only need to be transferred once it is not required that they be transferred at every HotSync There are two situations though that will require the transfer of forms and tables again 1 If an
17. cator at the top of the screen when viewing the launcher The diagram is shaped like a AAA battery and is a graph of the estimated amount of power remaining in the batteries Don t forget to read the manual that was packaged with the handheld at the time of purchase Troubleshooting 27 Glossary of Terms 2002 STIPalm ADO ActiveX Data Objects See MDAC for full details Application launcher The application launcher is the equivalent of the Windows desktop on the handheld This is the location from which handheld applications are opened In addition to providing a method to open applications the launcher displays the current time battery level and application category To view the launcher tap the upper left icon on the silk screened area of the handheld This icon resembles a house on newer devices and a large right pointing arrow on older devices Compact Records become inaccessible when they are deleted from a Microsoft Access database but they are not actually removed The space required by the records remains occupied in the database although the records themselves are blank Repetitive adding and deleting of data in an Access database can cause it to become fragmented and use disk space inefficiently Compacting the Access database makes a copy of the file and removes any blank records that exist This process effectively shrinks the database to the minimum size necessary which can substantially speed up record ret
18. chronize Therefore they do not require a desktop application STIOffice serves as the desktop application for the STIPalm system This is where the data originates and it is the only place where the data can be altered in any way The STIPalm export along with the HotSync process is the mechanism for getting data from the desktop application to the handheld 2002 STIPalm System Requirements In order for the STIPalm system to function properly the following physical devices are necessary 1 Palm OS compatible handheld with appropriate HotSync Cradle Preferably a Symbol SPT 1500 in order to utilize bar code scanning functionality but any Palm OS compatible handheld will work e g Palm models III V VU m100 series m500 series etc Handspring Visor TRG Pro Symbol SPT 1700 series etc 2 Pentium PC with the following minimum characteristics e 32MBRAM e Windows 95 e ADO2 5 3 STIOffice version 3 2 4 Palm Desktop software version 3 0 Although Windows 95 is the minimum operating system requirement STIPalm will work on any Windows 9x NT 2000 machine Recommendations The following is a list of the minimum recommended configuration for optimal daily performance Minimum PC Recommendations There is very little that can be done externally to speed up the HotSync process the following minimum PC recommendations can prevent unwanted crashes of the HotSync Manager e Pentium II 266 e Windows 98 SE e 128 MB R
19. crosoft Windows 2000 8 P Palm Desktop 4 Palm Desktop software 5 Palm Desktop Software 4 Palm OS 1 3 7 Palm Pilot 4 Parent Form 16 Parking Permit Decal Number 19 PDA 4 Period and Course Name 21 Phone Number 19 PocketPC 3 Primary Language 19 Q QBE 2 13 R Record View 18 Registry 11 Right Column 17 20 Room Number and Day Code 21 S Scanning an ID Field 18 20 Schedule 13 17 18 Schedule Term 2 Search 9 18 20 Search Icon 18 20 Second Column 17 20 Social Security Number 19 Sort fields in ascending order 17 Sort fields in descending order 17 Sorting Records 17 Special Education Student 17 19 SQL Server 7 0 8 SST EXE 9 23 SST INI 9 23 Status 2 13 STIDistrict 8 STIDistrict Import Engine 8 STIOffice 23 34 e Index STIOffice version 7 10 StiP MDB 4 14 26 StiPA DLL 4 STIPalm Conduit 4 STIPalm Synchronization Database 4 14 26 STITextbook 8 Student Number 19 Subform 16 20 Suspension Expulsion Detention 13 Synchronization Database 4 14 26 SYS TPS 9 23 T Tapping Checkboxes 16 Term 2 Test Mode 14 Time Required for a HotSync Operatiion 15 U User Intervention 6 9 22 Users Have Not Yet Been Set Up 23 Using the Laser Scanner to Read a Bar Coded ID 18 20 V View Palm Desktop Users Button 12 24 Viewable Area 18 Vocational Student 17 19 W Windows 2000 8 Windows CE 3 Windows Registry 11 Withdrawal Date 19 Withdrawn 13 19 2002 STIPalm
20. e chosen student All of the available fields are listed with prompts on the left and values on the right If there are too many fields to be seen at one time then the two arrows at the bottom of the screen to the right of the End button one pointing up and one pointing down can be used to scroll through the list of fields If a field is blank or empty for the currently displayed student then it will not appear in the list of available fields For example if the STIOffice export included attendance data but the particular student whose demographic information is currently being viewed has no attendance record for the specified day then the Attendance button will not appear for the student From this form other subforms may be invoked such as the Guardian Attendance and Schedule subforms These forms will be displayed when the corresponding fields are tapped unless of course they do not appear for the current student In all other cases tapping a field will switch the Students form to Field View Field View Tapping a field in Record View switches the form to Field View In Field View only the information relevant to the specific field tapped is displayed Field View exists because the handheld screen offers only a limited amount of viewable area and in Record View that area is being used to display both prompts and data Field View offers two advantages 1 More descriptive prompts ca
21. e to handhelds the term hard button refers to any of the buttons either on the handheld or the cradle that are physical switches These include the following buttons on the handheld Power Date Book Address Book Scroll To Do List Memo List and the HotSync button on the cradle These buttons are sometimes called application buttons By contrast soft buttons are the icons located above the hard buttons and below the touch screen display These include the Application Launcher Menus Calculator and Find buttons HotSync button The button on the HotSync cradle On most cradles this is the only button that exists Pressing this button will begin the HotSync process Pressing this button is one of only two ways to begin a HotSync process the other is to activate it through the HotSync Manager software on the handheld itself HotSync error log A log produced by the HotSync process every time a HotSync operation is performed The name is actually a misnomer because the log is always produced whether any errors occurred or not This log is prepended with the results of each HotSync process and is user specific meaning that a separate log is kept for each handheld that synchronizes with the desktop PC 2002 STIPalm 2002 STIPalm License In the context of STIPalm a license is a grant of use Most software is licensed by user whereas STIPalm is licensed per handheld device The product is sold with an unlimited license
22. ed across multiple applications such as STIOffice STIClassroom and STICaller Read only Data cannot be entered within the STIPalm handheld application Although the term synchronization implies two way communication at present data can only be updated from within the STIOffice desktop application STIPalm export The data contained within the STIPalm handheld application is a subset of that which is contained in the STIOffice desktop application The STIPalm export sends that subset of data to a special file the synchronization database which holds the data until it is synchronized with the STIPalm handheld application Glossary of Terms e 31 STIPalm user Unlike the classical meaning of the word an STIPalm user is a specific handheld device that is permitted to synchronize with STIOffice data Synchronization database A Microsoft Access 2000 database which is written to during export from STIOffice and is read from during synchronization Synchronize The process whereby data is sent from the desktop PC to the handheld This process is governed by the HotSync Manager which is controlled by the Palm Desktop software This process is often called a HotSync process 32 e Glossary of Terms 2002 STIPalm Index A ActiveX Data Objects 5 7 Administrator 2 ADO 5 7 Area Code 19 Arriving Bus 19 Attendance 13 17 18 21 Attendance Type 13 22 Backup 5 Batteries 15 26 Birth Date 19 Buses 19 C Character
23. ered or the existing user can be modified Import Palm Desktop Users A quick way to enter users is to import existing Palm Desktop users handhelds The View Palm Desktop Users button located to the left of the Exit button on the Handheld Users browse box provides this functionality Export STIOffice provides an export feature with a set of record selection filter criteria for getting data from the desktop application to the handheld All of those options are explained here 2002 STIPalm QBE The STIPalm export employs STI s QBE filter mechanism for creating complex record selection criteria This is the best way to create a virtual group of students and it is completely customizable at any juncture Export Options 1 Suspension Expulsion Detention Including withdrawn students requires more memory on the handheld than may be necessary Most applications can be deleted from the handheld if more memory becomes necessary Date Book Address List To Do List and Memo List cannot be deleted 2002 STIPalm This list box will contain all discipline dispositions defined in STIOffice Each disposition can be marked as resulting in either a suspension in school or out of school an expulsion a detention or none of the above This is done by clicking on each item in the list box repeatedly until the appropriate code appears to the left of the disposition name in the Type column The status
24. fields available on the Attendance form while in Record View Supplemental explanations for some items are included underneath the item and indented for clarity 1 Student Number 2 Type e A All Day e H Half Day e T Tardy e O Other 3 Attendance Code 4 Attendance Type e E Excused e U Unexcused Troubleshooting Common Errors 22 e Troubleshooting This section will describe some of the more common problems encountered with the STIPalm system The concentration here is on specific error messages encountered while in the process of installing exporting or synchronizing with respect to the STIPalm application Errors During Installation There are a number of circumstances that could cause the installation process to fail Other errors however are not fatal and will not result in the failure of the installation but may require some end user intervention upon completion of the installation process There may be other unforeseen errors that occur this list is by no means exhaustive but it is indicative of the common errors for which the installation utility specifically tests If an error occurs during installation then the Installation Finished screen of the install utility will report the error The error code listed should be recorded and STI support should be called immediately at 1 800 844 0884 so that the error can be 2002 STIPalm A fatal installation error is usually indicative of a much larger pr
25. he Import All as Active Users check box is turned on 13 Press the Copy All Marked to STIPalm button 14 Close STIOffice 15 Open lt InstallPath gt SST usually this is C SSTS2 SST 16 Double click the file StiP Pre 17 Select the user for whom the Install Tool is to transfer the handheld application the next time a HotSync operation is performed Once the HotSync Manager is notified for the specific user the application will be installed onto the handheld during the next HotSync operation by that user 18 Press the OK button 19 Press the Done button 20 Press the OK button 21 Repeat steps 16 20 for all desired handhelds 2002 STIPalm The installation utility should not be run while a HotSync operation is being performed 2002 STIPalm 4 An unspecified error occurred while trying to install the STIPalm application lt InstallPath gt SST StiP Prc for user lt PLM_USERNAME gt This is a rare error and should it ever occur the simple solution should be to do the following e Make sure the handheld is set up as a Palm Desktop user using steps 1 7 above e Make sure the user is set up as an STIPalm user using steps 8 14 above e Manually install the application for the specified user using steps 15 21 above 5 The HotSync Manager must be restarted before it will recognize the new STIPalm conduit An attempt was made to restart it but it appears to be in use at the
26. his data appropriately STIPalm offers a variety of features intended to enhance the end user experience by simplifying common tasks and customizing end user options Bar Code Scanning A very useful feature of the STIPalm handheld application is its ability to quickly look up a student by scanning a bar coded identification card With the proper equipment e g the SPT 1500 handheld with integrated laser scanner from Symbol Technologies Inc combined with the Fargo Quatro ID card printer portable student demographics are only a push button away It is possible to scan bar codes using equipment other than the Symbol Palm Terminal Note however that the Symbol Palm Terminal offers the great advantage of a single integrated device whereas third party solutions may require two handed operation Contact STI sales personnel for information regarding third party bar code reading add ons User Based Synchronization Through STIOffice STIPalm can be configured to allow only specific handheld devices to synchronize with STIPalm data This limits the number of end users who have access to the data and allows an administrator to control which of these end users can access portable student demographics This feature has the added benefit of preventing unauthorized end users from transferring student data into personal handheld devices Customizable Data Export Download The data export features from within STIOffice are completely customizable by
27. i E E How STIPalm Works rer E EE E Components cstis oeer er e E E ept eii Synchronization Database StiP mdb eeeeeeeeee STIOfiCe EXpOrt wisest ves i er The Palm Paradigm nesen a e a a des ceaseactte Palm Desktop Software ccessessssseseeceeeeeceseeeeeeeneeees HotSync Mana getsin eare Install Tool e a tenets E deaeenes te Desktop Application c ccsceesseesceeeceeseeeeeeeeeeeeenseeneenas System Requirements essseseseeeeeseeeseeeeeteresesrrtrrereerstserrerrsrrerseseeee Recommendations issii riin E E E E Minimum PC Recommendations ccccceceeseceseeereees Minimum Handheld Recommendations c cccee Software Recommendations cccccssceescesseeeeeeesteeeees Installation ESS09d BS ed 1101 3 eee ee ne ee Installation Requirement c ccecceesceesceeeceeeceeeeseeeseenseeneeeneeees An Inside Look at the Installation ccc ececcecesseceeeseeeeeenseee Files Installed n ie eee denealedeceesveiteacelecs voessbenea tebeves STTPalm Conduit senenn E RS Un Installation s e Gees ted A REES There is No Un Install Feature c cccccceeceeeeeeenee How to Disable STIPalm Synchronization How to Disable STIPalm Features Within STIOffice Contents e iii Compact Synchronization Database ee eeeseeceesecseesecneeeecseeecsaeceseeesaeeaeeaesaeeeeens 15 The First HotSync Operation Installing the Handheld Application 0 0 15 The Second HotSync Ope
28. installation process These errors will not terminate the installation process but will probably require some end user intervention once the installation process is completed 1 An unspecified error occurred while trying to determine the number of users This means that when trying to determine the number of Palm Desktop users the function returned zero Most likely this means that users have not yet been set up This will not prevent the files from installing but it will prevent the Install Tool from notifying the HotSync Manager to transfer the handheld application This will also prevent any users from being set up from within STIOffice which will in turn prevent any synchronization of the STIPalm application from occurring See below for the steps necessary to resolve this problem An unspecified error occurred while trying to determine the handheld user name This indicates that when trying to determine the Palm Desktop name of a user the function returned an empty string Most likely this means that users have not yet been set up This will not prevent the files from Troubleshooting e 23 The handheld should be used at least once say to install applications or synchronize the Address List before the STIPalm installation utility is executed 24 e Troubleshooting installing but it will prevent the Install Tool from notifying the HotSync Manager to transfer the handheld application This will also prevent the user f
29. isable STIPalm Features Within STIOffice How to Disable STIPalm Synchronization To prevent STIPalm from trying to synchronize when a HotSync operation is performed follow these steps 1 Right Click on the HotSync Manager icon in the system tray Choose Custom from the context menu W Choose the appropriate user handheld for which synchronization is to be disabled from the drop list at the top of the dialog box Click on STIPalm in the Conduit column of the list box Press the Change button Choose Do Nothing as the Synchronization Mode Click the Set As Default check box to permanently disable STIPalm synchronization or leave it off to disable it only for the next HotSync operation 8 Press the OK button Slt SOY 9 Repeat steps 3 8 as necessary for each user 10 Press the Done button How to Disable STIPalm Features Within STIOffice To make the Utilities STIPalm menu item and all submenu items appear disabled within STIOffice delete the StiP MDB file located in the STIOffice installation path If however these features need to be re enabled at a later date then simply rename the StiP MDB file StiP old for example instead of deleting it Change the extension back to MDB and the features will reappear within the STIOffice application Installation e 11 Usage The Server Side STIOffice To determine a handheld user name t
30. istics 17 19 Checkbox 16 Class Schedule Button 19 Clear 19 Client Server Model 12 Column Display List Box 17 Combination 19 Communication Port COM1 COM2 etc 4 Compatibility 1 3 7 Compatible Devices 1 3 7 Conduit 4 Cradle 7 D Daily Attendance Button 19 Departing Bus 19 Desktop software 4 5 23 Discipline End Date 19 Discipline Start Date 19 Disposition 13 2002 STIPalm E Emergency Contact 1 Name Relation Phone 21 Emergency Contact 2 Name Relation Phone 21 Emergency Contact Information 2 13 17 18 English As Second Language 17 19 Ethnic Code 19 Expelled 3 19 Export Options 2 F filter 12 Filtering Records from the Export 12 Find Records 9 18 20 Forms Manager 3 16 19 G Gifted Student 17 19 Grade Level 19 Graffiti 1 Guardian 2 13 17 18 Name Relation Phone 21 Guardian Button 19 H Handheld Batteries 15 26 Hard Button 6 Home Room Teacher 19 HotSync Button 6 HotSync Cradle 7 HotSync Error Log 25 HotSync Manager 5 Import Engine 8 Include Withdrawn 13 Inclusion Options 13 Install Tool 5 10 23 ISSTSPlm exe 23 ISSTSPlm exe File 8 ISSTSPlm MDAC exe 8 L Limited English Proficiency 17 19 List View 18 20 List View mode 16 Locker 19 Locker Combination 19 Lunch Code 19 Index e 33 Magnifying Glass Icon 18 20 MDAC 5 7 Memory Limit for Export 13 Microsoft Access 2000 4 14 26 Microsoft Data Access Components 5 7 Microsoft SQL Server 7 0 8 Mi
31. l workstation 1 The Palm Desktop software must be installed version 3 0 or higher 2 STIOffice v3 2 or higher must be properly installed If either of these conditions is not met the installation program will report the problem and exit immediately Incidentally if the ISSTSPlm exe program is executed and the Microsoft Data Access Components MDAC 2 5 has not been previously installed the installation will halt as well An Inside Look at the Installation 2002 STIPalm The installation process is designed to require little end user intervention Many operations take place behind the scenes of which the user is left unaware This section will attempt to outline the installation process including the actions that go unseen and the decisions that prompt those actions e Search for SST INI abort if not found This file should be located in WINDOWS folder on Windows 9x WINNT folder on Windows NT 2000 e Read InstallPath from SST INI e Search for SST EXE abort if not found First search in InstallPath if not found then search the local hard drive e Read Data Path from SST INI e Search for SYS TPS in Data Path abort if not found e Ensure STIOffice is properly installed Make sure that the SST folder exists underneath the Data Path Installation e 9 e Ensure STIOffice version 3 2 or later exists on the workstation abort if earlier version e Ensure Palm Desktop software and HotSync manager is installed e
32. llation includes the Microsoft Data Access Components MDAC version 2 5 which is required for STIPalm to function properly The installation file is over 12 MB in size so it is important to know whether this particular version is necessary If a workstation has any of the following software installed then this much larger installation program is NOT necessary e Microsoft Windows 2000 e Microsoft Access 2000 e Microsoft SQL Server 7 0 e STIDistrict e STITextbook e STIDistrict Import Engine The end user can acquire the ISSTSPlm exe file from STT s Web site if any of these exist on the local workstation 8 e Installation 2002 STIPalm ISSTSPim exe For workstations that already have the Microsoft Data Access Components MDAC 2 5 installed the ISSTSPIm exe installation program available from STI s Web site will suffice to install the STIPalm application This installation file is necessary if ANY of the following have already been installed on the workstation e Microsoft Windows 2000 e Microsoft Access 2000 e Microsoft SQL Server 7 0 e STIDistrict e STITextbook e STIDistrict Import Engine All of these applications either install MDAC themselves or require MDAC in order to function properly If any of these applications are present and functioning then the installation of MDAC is not necessary Installation Requirements Before the STIPalm installation can commence there are two important requirements of the loca
33. lly reduce the amount of disk space required by the system This feature can be used as often as needed but it should never be used between an export and a HotSync process because it will remove all data from the most recent export STIOffice Export In order to get data to the handheld it must first be exported from STIOffice This is accomplished from the main menu Utilities STIPalm Export Once this export process has been performed the options chosen are remembered for future use Data is exported from the STIOffice database into the synchronization database which is what the STIPalm conduit uses to transfer data to the handheld Once data is exported from STIOffice it remains in the synchronization database until either another export is performed or the Compact feature is executed It is not necessary to include the file StiP MDB in any backup This file can be recreated by performing the export process again The Palm Paradigm 2002 STIPalm For many end users this may be the first exposure to the use of handheld devices This section will attempt to explain the design and intention of the handheld platform its interdependencies and why it is the platform of choice for mobile student records The handheld paradigm consists of four integrated parts 1 Palm Desktop software 2 HotSync Manager 3 Install Tool and 4 A desktop application for managing data on the PC Introduction e 5 Look for a shortcut to the
34. ly to reduce the amount of disk space occupied by the exported data Instead data is exported from within STIOffice to an external database which is called the STIPalm synchronization database This Microsoft Access 2000 database is located in the same path as the STIOffice application on the local workstation NOT the path of STIOffice data Since the synchronization database is stored locally this means that each workstation intended to synchronize with the handheld must perform an export from within STIOffice The synchronization database is a Microsoft Access 2000 application Therefore ADO 2 5 is required on the workstation in order for the STIPalm conduit to communicate with it ADO 2 5 is included with one of the install programs for STIPalm and the other install program will not continue unless it detects ADO 2 5 installed on the workstation The synchronization database is vital to the proper functioning of the STIPalm application It contains the forms that display the data on the handheld as well as the list of valid users who are allowed to synchronize with the PC Through daily use the synchronization database can grow to be quite large This is due largely to the way that Microsoft Access handles the repetitive insertion and removal of data For this reason there is a feature in STIOffice Utilities STIPalm Compact Synchronization Database to shrink the database back down to size This feature is but it can substantia
35. moment The next statement present in the error message itself describes its solution You must remember to shut down and restart the HotSync manager BEFORE your next HotSync operation otherwise the STIPalm application will not be transferred to your handheld HotSync Errors Whenever the HotSync process produces an error the end user is prompted to view the HotSync Error Log The HotSync Log can also be viewed at any time by right clicking on the HotSync icon in the Windows System Tray and choosing the View Log context menu item Following is a list of the most common errors that occur during the HotSync process along with explanations of what the errors actually mean and any applicable solutions Missing User Profile No handhelds have been set up as STIPalm users To resolve this issue perform the following steps 1 Open STIOffice 2 Choose the Utilities STIPalm Users menu item 3 Press the View Palm Desktop Users button which is located directly to the left of the Close button 4 Click on each user that will be a valid STIPalm user to highlight it 5 Ensure the Import All as Active Users check box is turned on 6 Press the Copy All Marked to STIPalm button 7 Close STIOffice Unable to sync via DAO Unrecognized Database Format This message is extremely rare and it means that the improper conduit has been installed If this error should ever appear call STI suppo
36. n be displayed Only a small subset of the amount of characters used for a field prompt appears in Record View while the entire descriptive prompt appears in Field View 2 More data can be displayed In Record View the right column containing data has room for only a limited number of characters so in many cases not all of the data the field holds is displayed The entire field however is displayed when viewed in Field View The Students Form The Students form is really the whole of the STIPalm handheld application All data is accessed and viewed through various different views offered by this form List View Record View and Field View Even the three subforms from which 2002 STIPalm To determine which fields are hidden on the Students form turn field numbers on in the forms manager by pressing the Menus button and choosing Toggle Field Num from the Option menu Or just write F on the Graffiti area 2002 STIPalm data is viewed Guardians Attendance and Schedule must use the parent Students form to access data Fields Available on the Students Form Following is a list of the fields available on the Students form while in Record View Supplemental explanations for some items are included underneath the item and indented for clarity Items marked with an asterisk may not appear if they are blank or empty for a specific student 1 2 SOO OS ON aN 11 12 13 14
37. oblem such as an improper installation or an invalid version of STIOffice 2002 STIPalm reported In most cases the problem can be resolved over the phone but sometimes the error codes describe unforeseen problems and may take some time to discover It is recommended that this section be printed before the installation utility is executed Fatal Installation Errors The following errors if encountered will cause the installation utility to abort If any of these errors should occur STI support personnel should be contacted immediately and the error should be reported The encountering of any of these errors would point to an issue larger in scope than just the installation of the STIPalm application 1 STIOffice is not installed This condition is assumed if any of the following are true e SST INI does not exist in the WINDOWS or WINNT folder e SST EXE cannot be found on the workstation e SYS TPS cannot be located in the Data Path defined within SST INI STIOffice is not properly installed This condition is assumed if an SST folder does not exist underneath the folder where SST EXE is located STIOffice version is incorrect The minimum required version is 3 2 Palm Desktop software is not installed MDAC 2 5 is not installed when executing the ISSTSPlm exe version of the installation utility Non Fatal Installation Errors The following errors may occur under certain circumstances during the
38. of the student in the export is relative to the value of the Date field located on the export window Filter Options Include Withdrawn This option will override the setting within the currently chosen QBE filter and include withdrawn students in the export Including withdrawn students may be preferred in some cases Ifa student is found in the halls for example STIPalm will report him as withdrawn as opposed to not recognizing him at all Not including withdrawn students however will result in a lower memory requirement on the handheld This can be an important consideration if available memory on the handheld device is an issue Memory Limit for Export It is recommended that the handheld used for the STIPalm application not be utilized for any other purpose Other applications installed on the handheld will take up a certain amount of memory Restricting the amount of available memory on the handheld will limit the amount of data that can be exported It must be understood that the amount of memory each record occupies on the handheld is an approximation and that this figure should be allowed some leeway The main reason for this feature is that if the HotSync manager encounters an out of memory error during synchronization it will fail The spin box values increase and decrease in 1MB increments but an exact amount can be typed into the edit box portion of the control Inclusion Options Schedule This will instruct the
39. per school Schools purchasing the program may use it with any number of handheld devices MDAC To paraphrase from Microsoft s website Microsoft Data Access Components include ActiveX Data Objects ADO OLE DB and Open Database Connectivity ODBC Data driven client server applications deployed over the Web or a LAN use these components to integrate information from a variety of sources both relational SQL and nonrelational ADO is Microsoft s platform for providing Universal Data Access which is Microsoft s strategy for providing access to information across the enterprise ADO provides the interface to OLE DB which provides the underlying access to data MDAC 2 5 is necessary for STIPalm to function MDAC 2 5 or 2 5 SP1 is the only version of MDAC that will work MDAC 2 6 does not contain the correct components for STIPalm to function properly Palm desktop software This software shipped with all Palm handheld devices manages every HotSync and Install Tool operation The software is required for STIPalm to function PRC A file with a Pre extension The letters PRC are an abbreviation for Palm Resource A Palm resource is a program which runs on a handheld Other program types include PQA Web Clipping Application and PDB Palm Database QBE STI s Query By Example feature present in most STI applications allows for the building of custom sets of data QBE filters can be saved for future use and can be us
40. pt or the Guardian button to display the Guardian subform The Guardian subform appears in Record View with the student number at the top of the screen Fields Available on the Guardian Form Following is a list of the fields available on the Guardian form while in Record View Supplemental explanations for some items are included underneath the item and indented for clarity 1 Student Number 2 Guardian Name Relation Phone 3 Emergency Contact 1 Name Relation Phone 4 Emergency Contact 2 Name Relation Phone For each of these fields a question mark will appear anywhere a field was not supplied For example a guardian record could look like this John Doe 555 1212 if the relation field is empty or like this John Doe if both the relation and guardian phone fields are empty The Attendance Form If student attendance information has been exported and the current student has an attendance record for the date specified during export then a student s attendance information for that day may be accessed on the handheld While in Record View of the Students form tap either the Daily Attendance prompt or the Attendance button to display the Attendance subform The Attendance subform appears in Record View with the student number at the top of the screen Usage e 21 Fields Available on the Attendance Form Following is a list of the
41. r by pressing the hard button on the cradle or by invoking the HotSync application on the handheld itself The icon for the HotSync Manager looks like two circular arrows one red and one blue facing each other If this icon does not appear in the Windows System Tray the HotSync Manager is not active and communication between the handheld and the PC will not be possible To activate the HotSync Manager manually choose the Programs Palm Desktop HotSync Manager Start Menu item Install Tool The Install Tool another component of the Palm Desktop software is responsible for alerting the HotSync Manager when an application is to be installed onto the handheld Once the HotSync Manager has been alerted the application will be copied to the handheld during the next HotSync process The Install Tool is associated with handheld applications Prc Pqa etc and is invoked whenever one of these applications is executed on the PC During the STIPalm install process the Install Tool is made aware of the STIPalm handheld application and that it must be transferred to the handheld during the next HotSync operation Unlike normal executions of the Install Tool this notification is done during the STIPalm installation and the process requires no end user intervention Desktop Application Most handheld applications require a desktop application if synchronization of data is to occur Some applications such as games or calculators do not syn
42. r data in which case the form displayed is what is called a subform A subform can only be displayed subordinate to aparent form For example the opening screen is a form that lists all of the parent forms available to the application There is only one parent form the Students form so it is the only one displayed in the list This is why the Review button must be pressed in order to see the student demographics the form paradigm allows other parent forms to be called from within the STIPalm forms manager thereby simulating multiple different applications Pressing the Review button 2002 STIPalm allows the end user to choose which parent form to begin browsing Since Students is the only application residing within the STIPalm system it is the only form listed here List View 1 Single Column Once the Review button is pressed the end user is then browsing the Students form The Students form also appears in List View This form contains a list of all of the students that were exported from STIOffice Initially the list is sorted in whatever order was specified during the export but this order can be changed The list can also be filtered to contain only those students matching a certain criteria The following is a list of options available from forms in List View 2 The Right Column When the form initially opens there is only one column of data shown and it contains the student
43. ration Transferring Forms Tables amp Data 15 The HotSync Operation Download Data to the Handheld 0 eee ee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 16 The HMandheld Sid STUP abn rnin ren e E SEEE EEE ER ETEY 16 STIPalm is a Read Only Application sesesessseeeseeeeersesreriesessesesrerrersersesesreererserseseeee 16 The F ri Paradi oM ern aaa TEE eE EEEE EEEE e a E aa 16 The Students Form sessen Gerpes aapa eeoa oa Ee E EE E REAREA SE E 18 The Schedule Formi spiced a e an a e E EEE SE a 20 The Guardian Form ene eE E E E E EEEE ESS 21 The Attendance FOrMk s iecerei sssacisigansesasschunes t Eea Ee EE EEEE KEE e EEE aE EE 21 Troubleshooting 22 Common Errors sisc ssisecsvecssessssssecssues eip rs sess bes vebtiestsesbocsaues tadpayss asses ESSEET aS DREPES ES OaE Esp EESE 22 Errors D ne Installati n a re ea r a EE EE ETE EEAS 22 HotSync Errors s 35 2ssesssssveisidetesstecsaysotdsasyassccssyeosedstessaassebsottegevschsspsusedas TRE tp sssvecesess 25 Export Ertorss 35ss dsiscisssssseuseedeadustssesssodecatvessscssbeasdssbashsensensedeegtvachp ssteseeed dash be sssvenesees 26 No Forms Appear on the Handheld After the PRC is First Installed 26 Proper Care and Feeding of the SPT 1500 Handheld eee ee ceseeecseeeecneeseceaeeeeeseeaeeeeenees 26 Glossary of Terms 29 Index 33 iv e Contents 2002 STIPalm Introduction Purpose Intended Use The Symbol SPT 1500 Product Reference Guide contains a wealth of information
44. rieval within the database Conduit The software component that is responsible for transferring student data from the host PC to the handheld All Palm Computing applications that synchronize data require a conduit The STIPalm conduit is named StiPA DLL Context menu A list of choices presented whenever an item is right clicked in a Windows based operating system Glossary of Terms e 29 30 e Glossary of Terms Download In general the word download refers to the process of moving data from a remote location to a local host In the context of the STIPalm application downloading refers to the transfer of data from the desktop PC to the handheld See also synchronize End user This term will refer to the person operating the handheld The term user is employed by Palm Inc to refer to a handheld device Each device must have a name and this name is considered the user name of the device To avoid confusion the term end user will be used here to refer to the specific person in possession of the handheld Note To determine a handheld user name tap on the HotSync icon in the application launcher The user name is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen Graffiti This handwriting software is the primary system for entering text and numbers on a handheld device Within the Graffiti system simple strokes written with the stylus are instantly recognized as letters or numbers Hard button In referenc
45. rocess are listed here STIPalm Conduit In order for synchronization to occur the HotSync Manager needs a conduit for each application to synchronize data between the handheld and the host PC The STIPalm conduit file is called StiPA DLL and is located in the WINDOWS or WINNT folder on the workstation This file is used by the HotSync Manager only during synchronization Support personnel may occasionally ask the end user however to verify that this file still exists and is the correct version 10 e Installation 2002 STIPalm Un Installation 2002 STIPalm Once the MDAC file has been installed the file is recognized by the computer as part of its operating system and cannot be deleted Therefore there is no uninstall program However the user may disable the features of STIPalm from within STIOffice and the HotSync Manager There is No Un Install Feature In most cases un installation of an application means the removal of all files copied and the reversal of any Windows registry settings made during the installation process This can be done with the STIPalm application with the notable exception of MDAC which cannot be un installed The amount of changes made to the workstation during installation is so minimal however that un installation is unnecessary Instead the features of the application can simply be disabled from their respective points of use See How to Disable STIPalm Synchronization and How to D
46. rom being set up from within STIOffice which will in turn prevent any synchronization of the STIPalm application from occurring for that handheld See below for the steps necessary to resolve this problem Palm Desktop has no assigned users therefore the Install Tool cannot be notified to install the STIPalm application This means that users have not been set up which probably means that even though the Palm Desktop software has been installed the handheld has never been used before This could be a potentially dangerous error because it may mean that there are many more unforeseen errors yet to surface The following steps should solve this problem but the installation program should not be run until the user has some familiarity with the normal day to day operation of the handheld and its accompanying software To fix problems 1 3 after installing 1 Open the Palm Desktop software 2 Choose the Tools Users menu item 3 Press the New button 4 Enter the name of the handheld that will be used to synchronize 5 Press the OK button 6 Repeat steps 3 5 until all valid handhelds have been entered 7 Close Palm Desktop 8 Open STIOffice 9 Choose the Utilities STIPalm Users menu item 10 Press the View Palm Desktop Users button which is located directly to the left of the Close button 11 Click on each user that will be a valid STIPalm user to highlight it 12 Ensure t
47. rt at 1 800 844 0884 Troubleshooting e 25 Export Errors Most errors generated during the export process can be solved by either compacting the synchronization database restarting STIOffice or both Following is a list of the common errors that may occur during export 1 Can t add lt file gt Errorcode lt code gt Message lt message gt 2 Can t empty file lt file gt Errorcode lt code gt Message lt message gt 1 Can t add lt file gt Errorcode lt code gt Message lt message gt 2 Can t empty file lt file gt Errorcode lt code gt Message lt message gt And sometimes the above messages will also contain the following text File Error Code lt code gt If either of these errors occur it is recommended that the end user do the following 1 Compact the synchronization database 2 Restart STIOffice 3 Try to export again If the error persists contact STI support at 1 800 844 0884 No Forms Appear on the Handheld After the PRC is First Installed This is normal Until the handheld is synchronized via the STIPalm conduit no forms will appear on the handheld The forms will appear after the first HotSync operation that occurs after the STIPalm handheld application has been installed i e the second HotSync Operation Proper Care and Feeding of the SPT 1500 Handheld Consult chapter 17 Maintaining Your SPT 1500 Terminal in the Symbol SPT 1500 Product Reference Guide for a complete li
48. sage of the STIPalm application is simple but there are many components of which the end user must be aware The most basic process consists of two steps 1 Exporting the data from within STIOffice 2 Synchronizing the data with the handheld There are however a number of functions being performed behind the scenes and an understanding of these components and processes can lead to a greater understanding of the product as a whole Components Following is a list of the major components required for the STIPalm application to function properly along with a brief explanation of the function of each component Handheld The handheld is a portable device onto which student data is downloaded when a HotSync process is performed The handheld contains the STIPalm Forms Manager the application for scanning bar coded ID s and viewing mobile student records Previous terms used to describe this device include PDA Palm Pilot PalmTop portable or simply Palm For various legal and industry reasons these monikers have all been abandoned in favor of the term handheld which will be used throughout this document and by support and sales personnel Desktop PC The desktop PC is necessary in order to synchronize STIOffice data with the handheld The PC contains two very important elements of the STIPalm application 1 STIOffice software 2 Palm Desktop software STIOffice contains the data to be placed on the handheld The second element Palm
49. ss schedule for use in contacting those with whom the student has had most recent contact These and other benefits make STIPalm a valuable resource in the school environment Data contained on the handheld is only as recent as the last HotSync process If STIPalm is not synchronized daily then the handheld information will become outdated The STIPalm handheld application is read only so student records cannot be updated in the field For example the handheld can report if a student is currently under detention but a detention issued in the hallway cannot be stored on the handheld and later uploaded to STIOffice STIPalm is not directly compatible with Windows CE or PocketPC handhelds Only Palm OS handhelds are supported at this time STIPalm is sold with an unlimited license per school This means that once the product is purchased there is no limit to the number of handhelds that can synchronize with the exported data The number of licenses is actually limited to 99 per workstation but this is a technical issue endemic to the Forms Manager software and not an intended limitation by STI If this should ever become a problem contact STI sales at 1 800 844 0884 for a solution Introduction e 3 How STIPalm Works Also try this alternate link when searching for the training software http www palm com support downloads QuickTour_ENG e xe It is not possible for one 4 e Introduction The overall u
50. st of do s and don ts to keep the handheld in tip top shape 26 e Troubleshooting e In order to keep the SPT 1500 handheld safe it is recommended that it be kept in the leather vinyl carrying case supplied at the time of purchase This case has a cardboard backing on one side to which the front of the device should be placed adjacent This will help protect the glass screen of the handheld e If using the bar code scanning features of the Symbol device keep the window from which the laser is emitted free of dust and fingerprints by gently cleaning regularly with a soft dry anti static cloth 2002 STIPalm 2002 STIPalm Clean the glass surface of the device with a soft dry anti static cloth only Do not use a damp cloth or any solvents The SPT 1500 uses two AAA batteries It is recommended that the batteries never be allowed to completely drain This will cause all applications installed after factory setup including the STIPalm application to be wiped from memory If this should happen the application can be easily re installed once the batteries are replaced but the next HotSync Operation will again have to transfer all the forms tables and data used by the STIPalm application which may take considerable time Use the laser scanner sparingly to preserve battery life The batteries will last much longer if it is only used when necessary The approximate amount of battery life can be determined by examining the indi
51. student record The Schedule Form If student schedules have been exported and the current student has a class schedule then a student s class schedule may be accessed on the handheld While in Record View of the Students form tap either the Class Schedule prompt or the Courses button to display the Schedule subform Initially the Schedule 2002 STIPalm The Guardian form appears in Record View so there is no customizable right column 2002 STIPalm subform appears in List View and displays only the period and course name As with the Students form List View allows a second column to display supplementary data to the right of the course name Choose the supplemental field from the list at the top of the screen Fields Available on the Schedule Form Following is a list of the fields available on the Schedule form while in Record View Supplemental explanations for some items are included underneath the item and indented for clarity 1 Period and Course Name 2 Student Number 3 Room Number and Day Code The Day Code appears enclosed in parentheses and defaults to if none exists The Guardian Form If student guardian information has been exported and the current student has a guardian record then a student s guardian and emergency contact information may be accessed on the handheld While in Record View of the Students form tap either the Guardian Info prom
52. the Review button to start viewing student data STIPalm is a Read Only Application Currently data cannot be entered on the handheld and then uploaded to STIOffice The application is completely read only This means that for the data on the handheld to remain current frequent exports and HotSync operations must be performed It is recommended that this process occur at least once daily e g each morning after daily attendance is taken In most cases there are no options to allow the end user to enter or change data within the handheld application There is however one feature of the software that could cause some confusion Whenever a checkbox is tapped anywhere within the STIPalm handheld application the state of the checkbox is visually toggled Visually in this case means just that the data represented by the checkbox has not changed at all This is strictly a visual impropriety of the forms manager Any form on which a checkbox is tapped and its state subsequently changed will generate a message at the closing of the form reminding the end user that the value of the corresponding data cannot be changed The Form Paradigm The entire STIPalm handheld application is based on forms that are used to view data Every screen in the application is a form and each form is designed to view a specific subset of the student data contained within the application In some cases the data displayed is dependent upon some othe
53. tics This field does not show any information while in Record View Tapping the field and switching to Field View will display a list box with the following five checkboxes 1 Special Education Student English As Second Language Limited English Proficiency Vocational Student Gifted Student ad a a Looking Up a Student To look up a student use the Filter feature of the Students form in List View The filter feature allows the end user to display only those records that match the search criteria specified by the end user Filtering searching can occur based on just one field or across all fields on a form To apply a filter 1 Tap on the arrow underneath the list of records and select the field that is to be used to filter the records On the dotted line type the desired search criteria Search criteria can be typed using either the on screen keyboard or the Graffiti handwriting recognition feature intrinsic to the Palm Computing Platform Make the search criteria as precise as possible Tap the Search icon magnifying glass icon to perform the search and filter the records Only the records that match the search criteria will be displayed so the more precise the search criteria the fewer records returned Using the Laser Scanner to Read a Bar Coded ID If using the SPT 1500 series handheld the student number can be scanned into the search criteria field from a bar coded ID card to quickly display a
54. ton is pressed There are however two controls on the Export window to which this tule does not apply Date and Calculate and Test Only The Date control will always default to today s date The Calculate and Test Only check box will always default to the off state 2002 STIPalm It is a good idea to perform a HotSync operation immediately after the STIPalm installation program terminates before doing anything else 2002 STIPalm Compact Synchronization Database Through daily use the synchronization database can grow to be quite large For this reason there is a feature in STIOffice Utilities STIPalm Compact Synchronization Database which can shrink the database This feature is optional and not required but it can substantially reduce the amount of disk space required by the system This feature can be used as often as needed but it should never be used in between an export and a HotSync process because it wipes out all data from the most recent export The First HotSync Operation Installing the Handheld Application Immediately after running the STIPalm installation utility it is necessary to perform a HotSync operation The very first HotSync operation performed after executing the installation utility is responsible for transferring the STIPalm handheld application to the handheld device even if an export has already been performed There are two important facts to remem
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