Minimum
Recommended
Access 2000 Runtime is included in the package for users without a full copy of Access 2000 or XP.
This can be installed by running the setup program on the CD. Make sure that you select 'Access Runtime' from the Installation Features list. Note that any existing version of Access 97 is likely to conflict with Access 2000 runtime, so it is strongly recommended that you uninstall it first.
IE5.5+ is required for correct display and printing of reports. The setup program for Internet Explorer 6 is included in the package. This located as ie6setup.exe in the 'IE6' folder on the CD. You will need an internet connection to download and install the required components from Microsoft.
A client represents a company or organisation for which you are carrying out asbestos surveying work.
Each client may own one or more sites. A survey report is generated for each site.
A site's report is based on the samples that have been collected from it.
The table below is an example of this hierarchy. Survey Manager's interface revolves primarily around a Main Menu and then a Clients screen, Sites screen, and Samples screen. Each of these is used to edit their respective objects.
| CLIENT | CLIENT | |||||||
| SITE | SITE | SITE | ||||||
| SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE | SAMPLE |
The list of sites on the Main Menu provides quick access to any current site. Further, the screen for each client lists every one of the sites it owns with the site's photograph (if available). Pressing the 'Open' button next to one of these listings will allow you to edit that site. You may then use the 'This Client' button from the Sites screen to return to the Clients area.
Once you are on the Sites screen, you can move between each site using the two arrow buttons [<] and [>] at the bottom of the window. Note that the sites are grouped by which client they belong to.
You can only create a site from the Clients screen. First open or add the client for which you would like to add the site. Then click on the 'Add New Site' button under the client's list of existing sites.
Simply open up the required site, and click the 'New' button in the 'Site Samples' box. This is the recommended method of adding a new sample. If you are currently viewing or editing a site's samples, though, you may add a new sample to the site by clicking the 'New Record' button. This is the right-most gray button at the very bottom of the Samples screen.
After adding all information and samples for a site, you can print an entire survey report for presentation to the client. Click on the 'Print Full' button on the Sites page. In addition to all of the reports listed on the Sites page, the full survey report includes: a cover page; main index; an index for each section; a contact information page.
Please be aware that printing may take a few minutes. You will be notified once the operation is complete.
Changes in UK Law may mean that clients require an electronic copy of the asbestos survey report. Survey Manager provides this in the form of updatable HTML (web) pages. A full survey report for a site can be saved to a folder using the 'Export Full' button. Individual reports may also be saved by selecting the report from the list and then clicking 'Export'. For full survey reports, survey_index.html is created in the selected export directory. This is the main index file and provides links to the other survey report pages.
In many cases, you can undo a change by holding down the CONTROL key and pressing Z once. Repeat this to continue restoring previous values.
Whenever you want to include a picture in the database, for example a photograph of a site or sample, you are presented with a dialog box where you can select the file. The default folder that this box opens into can be altered in the Setup area of Survey Manager. From the Main Menu, click Setup, and then Browse the Default Image Path to the desired location.
Similarly, when you choose to export a report or a full survey, a box appears to select the destination folder. This default export folder is editable as the Default Export Path in Setup.
When you want to include a site or sample photograph or drawing, you have the choice of 'Import' and 'Link' buttons to insert the image file into the database.
Importing a picture saves it into the database itself. The external image file can then be safely moved or deleted without losing any information from the database. If you want to update the photograph or drawing, you will need to import an updated version, or link to it.
When you Link to an image, Survey Manager relies on the image file staying in its same location. The linked image file should not be moved, renamed, or deleted. It may be edited though - and when it is, the picture used by the database will be automatically updated.
If you plan to use the database from more than one location, it is recommended that you import instead of linking to images. If you want to update site drawings etc. easily at a later date, attaching images using the Link option offers more flexibility. Images in GIF, JPEG, BMP, WMF and EMF file formats are supported by both methods.
These can easily be modified along with your company name, address and logo that are displayed in survey reports. Click on the Setup button on Survey Manager's Main Menu; then look in the Survey Report Generation box.
If you include "{!ClientName!}" or "{!SiteName!}" in the survey title field, they will be replaced with the actual name of the client/site for which each report is generated.
All of the survey reports are based on the HTML layouts in the 'templates' folder. You can edit these using a standard web editor like Dreamweaver or FrontPage. When generating reports, the Survey Manager reads each of the templates and inserts the necessary report data according to special instructions in the HTML code. These instructions appear between {! ... !} and {# ... #} markers in the HTML templates. Be careful not to remove or delete while editing the layout of pages.
The instructions are unique to Survey Manager, and include variables and commands. Variables are substituted by a value when they are handled by the report parser. Commands, on the other hand, perform other functions in addition to inserting a value wherever they are placed in the HTML template. You may use these when you redesign the format of reports. Useful commands and variables are given below for reference.
| Variable Name | Value |
| {!SurveyTitle!} | The title of the survey.* |
| {!CompanyName!} | Your company name.* |
| {!CompanyAddress!} | Your company address.* |
| {!SiteName!} | Name of the surveyed site. |
| {!ClientName!} | Name of the company that owns the site. |
| {!SiteAddress!} | Address of the surveyed site. |
| {!ClientAddress!} | Address of the site's owner. |
| {!Date!} | The current date, in DD/MM/YY format. |
| {!FontFace!} | The selected font.* |
| {!FontSize!} | The selected font size (a number from 1 to 5).* |
| Command Name | Description |
| {# UseFile FILENAME #} | Instructs Survey Manager to export file FILENAME along with the survey report. If you use any additional file (e.g. a company logo) in a report, then this must be placed in the 'templates' directory. You must also inform the Survey Manager that you want to include the file by using this command. |
The application attempts to print to your system's Default Printer. This can be changed in Windows through the Printers section of Control Panel.
It is recommended that you change the settings of your default printer to use 'Error Diffusion' dithering.
The error message box should include a reason for this error. Check the following:
If you have edited the report templates, some commands may have incorrect syntax. The error message that appears indicates which command is causing the problem and why. You may need to refer to or restore the original templates that are included in the package.
These messages are due to low amounts of free hard disk space, RAM, and windows resources (which are consumed by all running programs). Ensure that you have at least 20MB free space on the same hard drive as Survey Manager. Then try restarting the computer. It is also suggested that you minimise the number of other applications running at the same time. If the problem persists then consider upgrading the amount of RAM that the computer has.