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CONTENTS:
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with compliments from
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DES is a simple program to help you get your data
in to your PAM more easily. DES also enables you to review all the
Paddock Activities records for a chosen season...
Many farmers now have laptop computers and mobile
computers in tractors, spreader trucks and the like.
Licensing Issues
If you are a licensed PAM user, you are welcome to
install DES on as many of your mobile computers as you have. You may
also allow a spraying or spreading or harvesting contractor (who works
on your property) to install Mobile DES on their mobile computers
for the purpose of entering production data for your PAM dataset.
You would need to simply export your basic lists to their Mobile DES
and when they leave your property have them export their DES data
to you to import into your PAM.
If you run PAM MultiClient, you may apply for a DES
MultiClient version. Under no circumstances are you permitted to use
DES to generate revenue in a data collection/bureau service business.
There are some circumstances under which Fairport may reserve the
right to charge a licensing fee for DES on a per client basis. Please
contact Fairport if you require further information.
General Concepts
You install the DES Data Transfer Utilities program
on the computer where your PAM program is installed and you install
the Mobile DES program on your mobile computer. A laptop, a Zynx computer
in a tractor or a spreader truck or a spray rig ... wherever you have
a mobile computer that is capable of running this small and useful
program.
You can choose to enter all the data for a selected season or just
the basic set of configuration lists (the bare essentials).
Getting Started
Getting the PAM data (lists, paddocks etc)
into DES.
To transfer data to DES you run the DES transfer
utilities program and dump the DES data on to a PCMCIA card, a USB
"Thumb Drive" or whatever you usually use to move data from
your desktop PC to your mobile computer. For example, if you have
your mobile computer networked with your desktop PC, simply copy the
DES data to the mobile computer via your network.
Running DES (that is Mobile DES) ... click on the "Import from
PAM" button, choose the drive and folder where your PAMtoDES
data file is located, then let DES finish its importing job.
Now... you have the PAM lists loaded ... you can start entering records.
This is a very easy task and should not require any training or on-line
help.
Transferring your DES records to PAM
Click on the Export to PAM button
Select the destination Drive (and Folder)
Click OK ... DES will extract the data and compress
it and transfer it to your nominated Drive and Folder ... and inform
you when it’s finished.
DES will create a file with a name like this ...
"Mar 7 @ 9-30.D2P". That is: Month, Day, Time followed by
the extension D2P (DES to PAM)..
You can now take the PCMCIA card, USB Drive, Floppy
Disk or whatever it is that you move your data from your mobile computer
to your desktop PC and once the data transfer medium is in you desktop
PC, run the DES Data Transfer Utilities on the desktop PC to incorporate
the new records into PAM.
"DES Tops Up PAM" mode
During the busy periods of the year, you might want
to send data to PAM quite regularly ... Please Do So !!
If you want DES to be up to date with PAM ensure
you transfer the PAM data back to DES on a regular basis ... However,
if you don't care if DES is up to date or not, you can use the "DES
Tops Up PAM" Mode.
Each time you export data to PAM, DES is ready to
accept new records. Data from DES can be sent to PAM as often as you
like without having to send data back to DES.
"DES Keeps Up To Date With PAM" mode
With the "DES Keeps Up To Date With PAM"
Mode you refrain from using DES after you have exported to PAM until
you have refreshed it with a new export from PAM. Keeping DES up to
date with PAM is not required unless you are choosing to export the
complete set of records for a season. See Q&A below for more information
on this subject.
Questions & Answers
Q. Can I run more than one copy
of DES?
A. Yes indeed. PAM can merge data
from an unlimited number of DES systems.
Q. Can I keep entering data in DES
after exporting to PAM?
A. Yes, if you use the "DES
Tops Up PAM" mode... simply keep entering data and sending it
to PAM on a regular basis.
Q. Is there any disadvantage in
the "DES Tops Up PAM" Mode?
A. Yes ... but only minor issues.
1) Each "DES Tops Up PAM" operator will
not see what data has been entered in PAM (at the desktop) and by
other DES operators.
2) You can't add to lists (eg of consumables) in
DES ... so if a DES operator wants new items in his/her pick lists
they will need to synchronise with PAM.
Q. What does the <<New Record>>
sign on the various activities screens mean?
A. This indicates that the record
you are looking at was added since the last "Export to PAM".
Please Note : Only new records are added into your
desktop PAM. Editing or deleting old records will have no effect on
your desktop PAM data.
Q. Does DES run in MultiClient
mode?
A. It can. However, depending on
the way you intend to use it, the MultiClient version of DES may not
be free. Before using DES in a MultiClient environment, please contact
Fairport.
