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TM
S C B A T R A K
I N S T R U C T I O N M A N U A L
Version: 2.10
Oct. 28, 1993
Copyright 1993 Raymond A.J. Pesek All Rights Reserved
This program is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that
the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to
resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help.
The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem
with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at:
545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 or send a CompuServe
message via CompuServe mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. You
can also reach the ASP via a FAX machine at (616) 788-2765.
Written by:
Raymond A.J. Pesek
4706 Cottonwood Lane
Brunswick, Ohio 44212-2412
CompuServe Mail: 72270,650
TABLE OF CONTENTS
----------------------
End User License And Warranty Disclaimer Agreement ... Page 3
Equipment Requirements ............................... Page 4
Installation ......................................... Page 5
Introduction ......................................... Page 7
General Information Applicable To The Entire Program . Page 8
Dialog Boxes ......................................... Page 8
Key Combinations ..................................... Page 8
Field Characteristics ................................ Page 8
General Screen Navigation ............................ Page 10
Using The List Boxes ................................. Page 11
General Menu Operation ............................... Page 12
Fast Quit Option ..................................... Page 13
Shell To DOS ......................................... Page 13
Air Bottle / Back Pack / Mask / PASS Unit
Menu Layouts ......................................... Page 14
Field Descriptions (alphabetical) .................... Page 17
Explanation Of Main Menu Selections .................. Page 28
Fill Log Instructions ................................ Page 32
Air Bottle Report Descriptions and Instructions ...... Page 35
PASS Unit Report Descriptions and Instructions ....... Page 39
Back Pack Report Descriptions and Instructions ....... Page 41
SCBA Mask Report Descriptions and Instructions ....... Page 43
Miscellaneous Information ............................ Page 46
Error Handling ....................................... Page 48
Registration ......................................... Page 48
Page 2
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT:
---------------------------
Raymond A.J. Pesek will be referred to as LICENSOR. You or your
organization will be referred to as the LICENSEE. The SCBA Trak
computer program will be referred to as the SOFTWARE.
This SOFTWARE remains my property. Upon registration, you are
NOT purchasing this SOFTWARE, but are purchasing a license to
USE this intellectual property. Registered LICENSEES are granted
a license to USE the SOFTWARE for perpetuity on only one computer
at a time, although the SOFTWARE may be INSTALLED on as many
computers as needed. Multiple licenses are available to
registered users at a discount. Please see the registration form
for details. Each license will have a separate and distinct
serial number. LICENSEES of the unregistered version are granted
a thirty (30) day license for evaluation purposes only.
The LICENSEE is prohibited from reverse engineering, decompiling,
or otherwise disassembling this SOFTWARE. You may not lease or
rent this SOFTWARE to other users.
WARRANTY DISCLAIMER:
-------------------
LICENSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES RELATING TO THIS
SOFTWARE, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT
LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. LICENSOR WILL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT
OR SIMILAR DAMAGES DUE TO LOSS OF DATA OR FOR ANY OTHER
REASON, EVEN IF LICENSOR OR AN AGENT OF LICENSOR HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT
SHALL LICENSORS LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES EVER EXCEED THE
PRICE PAID FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE, REGARDLESS
OF THE CLAIM. THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISK
AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE. IF THE
DISCLAIMER OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
LAW, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ARE HEREBY LIMITED IN DURATION TO THIRTY (30) DAYS
FROM THE DATE YOU RECEIVED DELIVERY.
THIS SOFTWARE IS OFFERED "AS IS" ONLY !
Some states do not allow the exclusion or the limitation of
liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the
above limitations may not apply to you.
(continued on next page)
Page 3
This agreement shall be governed by the laws of The State of
Ohio and shall inure to the benefit of Raymond A.J. Pesek and
any successors, administrators, heirs, and assigns. Any action
or proceeding brought by either party against the other arising
out of or related to this agreement shall be brought only in a
STATE or FEDERAL COURT of competent jurisdiction located in
Medina County or Summit County, Ohio. The parties hereby
consent to in personam jurisdiction of said courts. If any
provision of this agreement is held void or unenforceable, the
remainder shall remain valid and enforceable according to its'
terms.
YOUR USE OF THIS SOFTWARE CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF
THESE TERMS.
EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
----------------------
This program will run on any IBM-compatible computer with at
least one 1.2M or 720K floppy drive. A hard drive is not
required, but highly recommended. The program makes use of
temporary files during its' operation, and running it from a
floppy disk will produce very slow operation. A color monitor
is also recommended, but not required. DOS version 3.3 or later
is required. Approximately 460K of available RAM memory is
required. A hard drive cache will noticeably speed things up.
If expanded memory is available, SCBA Trak will use it for
storing data and program code to achieve faster operation. Upon
startup, 512K of expanded memory is allocated for use. This
amount of memory can be changed by the user, if desired. A
command line switch, //E:xxx , where the xxx's are replaced
by a number, effects this change. EXAMPLE: Starting the program
with the command SCBATRAK //E:0 <enter> will disable all
use of expanded memory. Starting the program with the command
SCBATRAK //E:1024 <enter> will allocate one megabyte of
expanded memory for use by the program. You might want to
allocate more memory if you have several hundred or thousand
items in at least one of the inventory files. SCBA Trak only
uses extended memory for the DOS shell function, if available.
IBM is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation
Page 4
INSTALLATION
------------
An automatic installation program is provided with some of the
shareware versions and all of the registered versions, except
for those supplied on 360K diskettes. Change to the floppy drive
where the SCBA Trak disk is inserted, type INSTALL and press Enter
(INSTALL /M if you don't have a color monitor). If you have
absolutely no idea what the instructions on the screen are telling
you, just keep pressing the Enter key or answering Y to the
questions and the program will be installed. To run the program,
change to the directory where SCBA Trak is installed, type
SCBATRAK at the DOS prompt and press the Enter key.
If you received the program in an archived format (usually from
a computer bulletin board or on program copies supplied on a 360K
diskette size), the file README.1ST has the instructions on
installing the program. If you're reading this manual, you
already know how to extract the files from the archive.
If you are a REGISTERED user of my program SCBABOTL, you can
use your current data files with SCBA Trak . You have two
options:
1. Change the installation program default directory from
\SCBATRAK to the one used by SCBABOTL, or ;
2. Install the program into the new directory and then manually
copy the following data files from the SCBABOTL directory
to the new SCBATRAK directory:
DEPTNAME.DAT SCBABOTL.DBF SCBABOTL.DBT FILL_LOG.DBF
If you are using SCBABOTL version 1.3 or later, also copy these
two files: PASSUNIT.DBF PASSUNIT.DBT
When SCBA Trak starts for the first time, it will detect the
presence of the SCBABOTL-style data files. You will be asked
if you want the data files converted. If you have already
copied the SCBABOTL data files to a floppy disk for backup
purposes, just follow the directions on the screen. If you
elect to proceed with the conversion and have not backed up the
files, you run the risk of losing all of your data if the
conversion should be interrupted by a power failure, etc.
If you are an unregistered user of SCBABOTL, the files will NOT
be converted and you'll have to manually reenter all of your
data (or register).
Page 5
Each time the program starts up, it tests for the existence
of the required data files. If they cannot be found in the
current directory, the program will automatically create new
ones. These data files are:
1. SCBABOTL.DBF the air bottle inventory file
2. SCBABOTL.DBT the "maintenance notes" file for the air
bottle inventory
3. FILL_LOG.DBF the fill log file
4. SCBATRAK.DAT the file which holds the "F" key programming
and other program configuration information
5. PASSUNIT.DBF the PASS unit inventory file
6. PASSUNIT.DBT the "maintenance notes" file for the PASS
units
7. SCBAMASK.DBF the mask inventory file
8. SCBAMASK.DBT the "maintenance notes" file for the mask
inventory
9. BACKPACK.DBF the back pack inventory file
10. BACKPACK.DBT the "maintenance notes" file for the back
pack inventory
11. NAMELIST.DAT the file that holds the list of names used
to speed up entries of apparatus designations
When the program starts for the first time, "index" files are
created. These file names have an extension of .NSX and are
used to keep track of where the information in each (.DBF) file
is stored, for quicker access.
These index files are critical. If one or more of the index
files are accidentally or deliberately deleted, new ones will be
created the next time the program is used. If the program is
acting weird, like it can't find an item you "know" is entered,
one of the index files may have been damaged. Simply delete all
of the files with an extension of .NSX and restart the program.
DO NOT copy the (*.DB*) data files via DOS to another computer.
SCBA Trak maintains internal counters regarding the storage of
your data in the SCBATRAK.DAT file. This file also contains
program and computer configuration information. If you use the
main menu "COPY . . ." and "RESTORE . . ." functions to transfer
data between computers, everything will remain in sync.
Because of the temporary files used in this program, your
CONFIG.SYS file should have a FILES=xx statement, where the
xx is replaced by a number of 20 or higher, or the program may
not run. The installation program can check this for you.
Page 6
INTRODUCTION
------------
This program was written to allow easy record keeping of your
Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and PASS (Personal Alert
Safety System) units.
It is comprised of five distinct modules, one for keeping track
of air bottles you own, one for keeping records of all bottles
you fill, whether for your organization or for someone else,
one for keeping track of your PASS units, one for keeping track
of your SCBA masks, and one for keeping track of your back
packs. Because most departments have more than one mask per
back pack (either spares or masks assigned to individuals) I
have broken the masks away from the back packs for record keeping.
Information you enter in the "fill log" relating to when one of
your air bottles was filled and where the bottle is physically
located will be transferred automatically into your air bottle
inventory file to keep your records up to date.
Air bottle hydrostatic test dates, fill dates, and ultimate life
dates (if applicable) are tracked to help assure your bottles
are safe to use. A "visual inspection" date can also be used
if you perform these types of inspections. Visuals can be for
the external or internal condition of a bottle.
Masks and back packs are assigned a "certification date" used
to keep track of repetitive maintenance requirements, such as
bench or flow tests. A "visual inspection" date can also be
used to track the routine checks of the equipment. Visual
inspections are normally accomplished at the beginning of
each shift on full-time departments, but may not be done for
as long as a month on part-time or volunteer departments. As an
alternative, you can use the visual inspection date as the date
when the mask fit checks are performed. If you're using the
battery powered amplified mask mouthpieces (speakers), I suggest
you change the batteries at the same time you perform your
annual certification or maintenance.
PASS units are tracked to assure their batteries are not older
than a user-specified age. Generally, PASS unit batteries are
changed every twelve months, but you can set any interval you
need. Functional tests are normally accomplished at the
beginning of each shift on full-time departments, but may not
be done for as long as a month on part-time or volunteer
departments.
Page 7
GENERAL INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO THE ENTIRE PROGRAM
====================================================
THIS SECTION IS IMPORTANT ! If you don't read anything
else, read the next few sections.
DIALOG BOXES
------------
Dialog boxes are simply pop-up boxes that ask you to either
enter information or make a selection from those presented in
the box. Pressing the Esc key will cancel the box. If you are
asked to make a selection from those presented, you can do so
by using the "left arrow" and "right arrow" keys to position
the cursor bar over the desired item and pressing Enter, or
by tapping the first letter of the desired item.
KEY COMBINATIONS
----------------
Throughout this manual you'll see references to "key
combinations." It'll be shown as (for example) Alt+X . This
means you should hold down the Alt key, tap the X key, then
release the Alt key to get the desired function to work.
FIELD CHARACTERISTICS
---------------------
The collection of information relating to a particular item is
known as a "record." Example: If you have two hundred bottles
in your inventory, you have two hundred records, one per bottle.
Data is entered into a record by a "fill in the blanks" method.
These "blanks" are known as "fields." The fields share certain
behavior characteristics.
If the field allows you to enter both upper case (capitalized)
and lower case (uncapitalized) letters, the extreme left-hand
character is automatically capitalized for you. You do not
have to hold down the "shift" key. An example of this type
of field is the "Manufacturer:" field.
Page 8
If a field requires all of the characters to be capitalized,
there is no way you can force it to accept uncapitalized
characters. An example of this type of field is the
"Serial Number:" field.
If a field is generally required to be all numbers, it may or
may not allow you to enter letters. If it does, the cursor
will not leave the field until all of the characters are
of the proper type. An example of this type of field is the
"Duration In Minutes:" field in the air bottle inventory.
This field will either accept numbers (e.g. 60 for a sixty
minute duration bottle) or the letters N/A to indicate a
cascade or bank bottle. If you try to enter an invalid
sequence, like 6/0 , the characters will display on the
screen, but the cursor will not advance to the next field
until you correctly enter the duration.
A very few fields are "required entry" fields. This means you
cannot leave these fields blank. An example of one of these is
the "Last Filled:" date field in the fill log. Obviously, if
you are logging the filling of bottles, you cannot leave the
date that you filled it blank.
If the cursor will not leave a field, it's because you have
tried to leave a "required entry" field blank or because you
have entered obviously incorrect data, like a date of 14/31/92.
All dates are entered in a MM/DD/YY format or a MM/YY format.
Since there are only twelve months, the example shown is
obviously incorrect.
If you change the extreme left-hand character of a field that
already has data entered in it, the rest of the field will be
erased. Example: if you want to erase the "Manufacturer:"
field, you would move the cursor to the beginning of that
field and tap the space bar. All of the previously entered
characters in the field will be immediately erased. If you are
just correcting a typo that is not the extreme left hand
character, no other characters will be affected. If you have
inadvertently changed the data in a field, you can press the
Esc key WHILE THE CURSOR IS STILL IN THAT FIELD and the old data
will be restored. If you have moved the cursor out of that field,
you will have to go back and reenter all of the previous data.
Note: Pressing the Esc key, while restoring the previous data,
will also take you back to the menu. Note #2: The bit about
tapping the space bar does not work on certain fields, like the
"Certified Every xx Months". For these fields, you must use the
"Delete" (Del) key to erase the characters.
Page 9
GENERAL SCREEN NAVIGATION
-------------------------
The little blinking line or box is known as a "cursor." It
shows you where the characters you type will appear on the
screen. The cursor has two modes (shapes): a "single underline"
known as "overstrike mode" and a "small box" known as "insert
mode." The cursor mode is changed by pressing the key labeled
"Insert" or "Ins." When the cursor is in the "overstrike" mode,
any characters you type will replace the one currently above the
cursor. When the cursor is in the "insert" mode, the characters
you type will be "inserted" just before the character that the
cursor is on, with the characters to the right of the new
character being shoved to the right one position. Try it,
you'll see what I mean.
To move the cursor around the screen, you use the "up" and
"down" arrow keys. The "up arrow" will take you backwards to
the previous item while the "down arrow" will take you to the
next item. This holds true even if the next or previous item
is on the same line. You cannot use the "left/right" arrow
keys to move around the screen.
When adding NEW records into an inventory, pressing the PgUp
or PgDn keys will take you from any item on the data entry
screen back to the menu. Pressing the Esc key will do the
same BUT if you have entered new information into a particular
field, and the cursor is still in that field, pressing the Esc
key will cause the new information to be erased and the old
information restored (if any), before it returns you to the
menu you started the entries from.
When browsing EXISTING records, the PgUp key will take you
"backwards" in the inventory to the previous record. The PgDn
key will take you "forward" to the next record. Pressing the
Esc key will return you to the menu you started the browse from.
There is a message at the top of the screen showing you which
record number you are on and the total number of records to be
browsed. If, for some reason, either of these numbers should
be incorrect, you can reset the counters by copying all of the
data files to a floppy disk (via the main menu "Copy . . .")
function, and then immediately restoring all of the data files
(via the main menu "Restore . . .") function. During the "restore",
all of the record counters are reinitialized to the proper value.
Page 10
If you have either added a new record or changed the
information in an existing record, a dialog box will appear as
you leave the record. The dialog box will ask you if you want
to print a new maintenance history report for the record you
just added or changed. Tapping the Y key or the Enter key
will print the report; tapping the PgUp, PgDn, or Esc keys will
skip the printing.
The program has been written to minimize the number of times
the Enter key needs to be hit. If an entry accepts a certain
number of characters and you type that many characters, the
cursor automatically advances to the next item.
Example: the WORKING PRESSURE entry accepts four digits. When
you type the fourth digit the cursor moves to the next item. If
you type less than four digits, you must press the Enter key to
continue with the entries.
When viewing the listings of different items, you can press the
Ctrl+PgUp key combination to be taken to the top of the list, or
the Ctrl+PgDn key combination to go to the bottom of the list.
USING THE LIST BOXES
--------------------
SCBA Trak also makes use of "list boxes" to ease data entry.
A list box operates like a menu. When the cursor enters certain
blank fields a list box will appear, giving you different
selections to choose from. If you like one of the selections,
move the cursor bar over the desired one using the "up arrow"
and/or "down arrow" keys, and press Enter.
Optionally, you can just tap the first letter of the selection
you want and the cursor bar will be positioned there
automatically. Example: Items in the list boxes are shown
alphabetically. You want the name Truck-7 . Instead of
repeatedly tapping the "down arrow" key or using the "PgDn" key
to get to the bottom of the list, you could just tap the T key.
The cursor bar will jump to the first item beginning with the
letter T . Repeatedly tapping the T key will cycle the cursor
bar among all items starting with the letter T . When the
cursor bar is on the item you want, press the Enter key and the
data will be entered into the field for you.
List boxes are used in three places: When entering mask sizes
into the mask inventory, when entering "air bottle types" into
the air bottle inventory, and when entering the apparatus
designation or personnel names into the "Last Known To Be On:"
or the "Assigned To:" fields.
Page 11
All sections of the program have a "Last Known To Be On:" or an
"Assigned To:" field. Both are used to record the last known
location (either on a truck or assigned to an individual) of the
particular item. This list box is not pre-programmed, but
adds new selections as you enter them into the program.
The list of names used in the "Last Known To Be On:" and
"Assigned To:" fields are stored in a file named "NAMELIST.DAT."
If this file is not present in the current directory when
SCBA Trak first starts up, the air bottle inventory will be
scanned and a new list box generated from the air bottle
records. Only the air bottle inventory is scanned since you
shouldn't have a back pack where there isn't also a bottle.
SCBABOTL USERS NOTE - SCBABOTL did not allow lower case entries
at all. If you like to see lower case entries in the list box,
you must go back into each record and manually change each
field. Then get back to the main menu and use the key combination
Alt+N (hold down the Alt key, tap the N key, then release
the Alt key) and a new list box with mixed case names will
be made. Use this same procedure if you have different
variations of the same name that you want eliminated from the
list box.
GENERAL MENU OPERATION
----------------------
To make a selection from a menu, tap the space bar, the "up
arrow" or "down arrow" keys to move the cursor bar over the
desired item and press Enter. Optionally, you can just type the
very first letter of the desired item and the selection will be
made for you. Example: You want the "Erase selected items from
the data files" item from the main menu. You could either tap
the cursor arrow key until this selection was highlighted and
then press Enter, or you could simply tap the E key. If
there is more than one item on a given menu beginning with the
same letter, you can only select the first item this way. The
second item can only be selected by manually moving the cursor
bar with the arrow keys and then pressing Enter.
Since all of the module menus are pretty much identical, you
can use some shortcuts. Example: You want to add new bottles
into the fill log. You start the program and from the main menu
you tap the F key to get to the fill log menu. From the fill
log menu, you tap the A key to add new entries. With just two
keystrokes, you're ready to get to work. If you were adding new
PASS units, from the main menu you would tap the P key to get
into the PASS unit module. From the PASS unit menu you would
tap the A key to add new PASS units into the inventory.
Page 12
Pressing the Esc key from a menu will take you back to the menu
you just came from. If you are at the main menu and press the
Esc key, a dialog up box will ask if you want to quit the
program. Press the Esc key, the Enter key or the Y key to quit
the program. Pressing the N key or moving the cursor bar over
the NO block and then pressing Enter will cancel the program
termination.
FAST QUIT OPTION
----------------
Available from all menus and most places in the program is a
"fast quit" option. Instead of hitting the Esc key or the Q
key repeatedly to quit the program, you can use the key
combinations Alt+X or Alt+F4 . These will save all of your
data and immediately quit the program. If this function doesn't
work, it's because you're in a part of the program where it
isn't safe to use it.
SHELL TO DOS
------------
The key combinations Alt+S or Shift+F9 will shell you to DOS
from all menus and data entry screens. This function actually
swaps the SCBA Trak program out of conventional memory and stores
it in either extended memory, expanded memory, or, as a last
resort, as a temporary file on the disk. Thus, you will have all
but around 8K of your total memory available. The temporary file
is about 600K in size and is marked with a READ ONLY attribute to
prevent accidental erasure while in the shell. If you have
sufficient extended or expanded memory, the swap takes less than
one second. If the swap file must be stored on the disk, it can
take several seconds. To return to the program, type EXIT and
press the Enter key, just like the prompt says. NOTE: If you're
running the program from a floppy, this function probably will
not work unless you have sufficient extended or expanded memory.
With a swap file size of 600K, it might work on a 1.44 megabyte
3 1/2" high density floppy, if your data files are tiny.
NEVER, EVER LOAD A TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) PROGRAM
FROM THE DOS SHELL ! TSR's occupy a section of memory even when
not in use so they're ready for instant recall. Examples of
common TSR's are the DOS Print printer spooler, memory managers,
pop-up calculators and menu programs. If you load such a program
from the DOS Shell, and then return to SCBA Trak , the TSR cannot
be unloaded unless the computer is rebooted, and significant
amounts of memory may be made unavailable for use by other
programs.
Page 13
AIR BOTTLE / BACK PACK / MASK / PASS UNIT MENU LAYOUTS
======================================================
The menu general layout for the air bottles, back packs, PASS
units, and SCBA mask modules are the same. The menu layout for
the fill log will be described under the section FILL LOG
INSTRUCTIONS.
REPORTS
-------
This menu selection takes you to a new menu where the various
reporting functions are available. The reports particular to
each module will be described later.
ADD NEW (whatever) TO THE INVENTORY
-----------------------------------
This menu selection allows you to enter new data into each
inventory. Each record MUST have a either a SERIAL NUMBER or an
I.D. NUMBER or the entry will be cancelled. See the later
section titled FIELD DESCRIPTIONS on how to use each field.
After entering a new item, a dialog box will appear asking if
you want the maintenance history report printed. These
maintenance reports are normally kept in a notebook where
changes can be written in by hand, with the SCBA Trak program
being updated at a later time.
BROWSE/EDIT ALL (whatever) INVENTORY RECORDS
--------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to look through each inventory item
by item. Pressing the Esc key will return you to the menu. Use
the PgUp, PgDn, and arrow keys to scroll through the list to
find the item you are looking for. Usually the first two
columns are locked in place so you can use the right arrow key
to review additional information that is not able to be seen
when you first select this function without losing track of
which item you were looking at. You can also use the key
combination Ctrl+PgUp to jump to the very top of the list or
the key combination Ctrl+PgDn to jump to the very bottom of
the list.
Page 14
When you first select this function, SCBA Trak will look for items
that need immediate attention. The following conditions are
checked for:
Air bottle inventory - any bottle that is either currently
overdue for hydrostatic testing AND the very first character
in the "Last Known To Be On:" field is not the star ( * ) OR
has a life limit (like the fifteen year ultimate life limit on
composite bottles) that has passed ;
Back pack inventory - any back pack that is currently overdue
for certification AND both the "Last Certified:" and the
"Certified Every xx Months" fields are filled in AND the very
first character in the "Last Known To Be On:" field is not the
star ( * ) ;
Mask inventory - any mask that is currently overdue for
certification AND both the "Last Certified:" and "Certified
Every xx Months" fields are filled in AND the very first
character in the "Assigned To:" field is not the star ( * ) ;
PASS unit inventory - any PASS unit that is currently overdue
for a battery replacement AND both the "Last Battery Changed:"
and "Battery Changed Every xx Months" fields are filled in AND
the very first character in the "Assigned To:" field is not the
star ( * ) ;
If there are any items meeting these criteria, the relevant date
will show up in blinking red (blinking black on a monochrome
monitor) and a new blinking line will appear at the bottom of
the display to warn you that there is something you need to look
at. This new line will alert you even if none of the items
currently on the screen are overdue for attention.
If SCBA Trak is unable to calculate a critical date, such as
the "Next Certification Due", because the "Last Certification"
date or the "Certified Every xx Months" fields were left blank,
the word MISSING will display in yellow to alert you that
something is missing from that record.
Page 15
When the list is on the screen, use the "up arrow", "down arrow",
of "PgUp" and "PgDn" keys to find the item you want more detail
on. Place the cursor anywhere on the row of the desired item
and press the Enter key to bring up all the details on that
item. The LINES OF NOTES: field will be blank if no notes have
been entered. Press the F2 key to enter or review any maintenance
notes. If you want to examine other items, you can use the PgUp
and PgDn keys to browse the rest of the inventory from where you
started. Pressing the Esc key will return you to the menu where
the browse was started.
There is a message at the top of the screen showing you which
record number you are on and the total number of records to be
browsed. If, for some reason, either of these numbers should
be incorrect, you can reset the counters by copying all of the
data files to a floppy disk (via the main menu "Copy . . .")
function, and then immediately restoring all of the data files
(via the main menu "Restore . . .") function. During the "restore",
all of the record counters are reinitialized to the proper value.
Upon leaving a record, if you have added or changed existing
information, you will be given a dialog box with the option of
printing a new maintenance history report.
SEARCH FOR/EDIT A (whatever) INVENTORY ENTRY BY SERIAL NO. OR
I.D. NO.
--------------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to type in any portion of the SERIAL
NUMBER or I.D. NUMBER and the program will search for that
sequence of characters. If more than one match is found, a list
of all items matching the search criteria will be displayed.
Use the "up arrow", "down arrow", or the "PgUp" and "PgDn" keys
to highlight the item you want from the list, and press Enter.
If you type in the entire serial or ID number, the search is
several times faster than if you only type part of the number.
QUIT BACK TO THE MAIN MENU
--------------------------
This selection, or the Esc key, will take you back to the main
menu.
Page 16
PROGRAM DIFFERENT BOTTLE TYPES TO THE LIST BOX
----------------------------------------------
This selection only appears on the air bottle menu. It allows
you to customize the different bottle types that will appear in
the BOTTLE TYPE list box. Right now, there are three different
hydro test intervals; 3, 5, and 10 years. Only composite bottles
have an "ultimate life", which is fifteen years. Because new
technologies will undoubtedly appear that may change these
figures, I have made the list box programmable (so I didn't have
to write a change to the program and so you didn't have to
upgrade). The "Bottle Type:" field is just to describe the
construction of the bottle. The "Hydro Test Interval In Years:"
field allows you to enter in any number (up to twenty years) for
the particular bottle type.
The "Ultimate Life In Years:" field allows you to specify if a
bottle must be condemned after a specified period. I understand
the IAFC has petitioned the D.O.T. to remove the current fifteen
year life restriction on composite bottles, but I also understand
that at least one manufacturer is planning on introducing a "no
hydro-ten year life" bottle. Anyway you look at it, you should
be covered for all of the forthcoming changes.
FIELD DESCRIPTIONS
==================
This section describes each of the fields used throughout the
program and how they are used. Not all fields are used in all
sections. The fields are listed here alphabetically. Some of
the fields may have a module name before it, which is not
shown. Example: the actual field may be MASK SERIAL NUMBER, but
it is shown here under just SERIAL NUMBER.
ASSIGNED TO
-----------
This field is identical in function to the "Last Known To Be
On" field, but is used in the PASS unit and Mask modules to
differentiate that these items could be assigned to an
individual as well as to a truck. This field uses the same
list box to aid in entry, and you can still enter names
manually, if necessary. If there are more names in the pick
list than can be displayed at one time, two small vertical
arrows will appear along the left border of the list box to
notify you of this condition.
Page 17
If you want to enter a name not in the list box, press the Esc
key to remove the list box, and type the new name into the
field. Manually entered names will NOT be added to the pick
list. Since masks and PASS units are commonly assigned to
individuals, I did not want personnel names or badge numbers
cluttering up the list box needlessly.
The ASSIGNED TO entry has another purpose. It can be used to
exclude an item from the "needs some kind of attention" series
of reports. If you have a missing PASS unit, for example,
simply enter the phrase *Missing in this field. If the very
first character is the "star" ( * ), that PASS unit will be
excluded from the "needs a new battery" report, while still
showing up on the inventory listing. This also works on the
mask inventory.
BATTERY CHANGED BY
------------------
This field is used to record the initials or badge number of
the person changing a PASS unit battery. It is for reference
use only, and can be left blank if desired.
BATTERY CHANGED EVERY (blank) MONTHS
------------------------------------
This field is used to calculate when a PASS unit is due for a
battery change. It is added to the LAST BATTERY CHANGE date to
come up with the due date. If this field is left blank, a
warning box will appear. SCBA Trak cannot calculate when the
next battery change is due if it doesn't know how often you
want to change them.
BOTTLE TYPE
-----------
This field uses a list box. When the cursor enters a blank
field, you are given a choice of bottle types. The defaults
are:
Composite 3 year hydro 15 year ultimate life
Aluminum 5 year hydro no ultimate life
Steel 5 year hydro no ultimate life
Steel 10 year hydro no ultimate life
Other:
Page 18
If the bottle you are entering fits one of these categories,
move the cursor bar over the item and press Enter. If the
bottle does not fit one of the selections, position the cursor
bar over the "OTHER:" category and press Enter. You will now
enter the bottle type, hydro test interval in years, and
ultimate life in years, (if applicable). Leave the ultimate
life field blank if the bottle is not life-limited.
The bottle type is displayed one of two ways:
(type) 3/15 or;
(type) 5 yr
If the bottle has an ultimate life, the digit(s) before the
slash character are the hydro test interval in years, while
the digits after the slash character is the ultimate life in
years. If the bottle has an ultimate life, but you have not
entered an "Original Hydro Date," you will be prompted to do so.
Otherwise, the program cannot calculate the end-of-life date.
Some manufacturers specify the "Date of manufacture" on the
label instead of an original hydro. Same difference.
If the bottle does not have an ultimate life, only the hydro
test interval is displayed. (second example)
If you need to change the information in this field, move the
cursor to the beginning of the field, tap the space bar to
blank out the bottle type (the numbers will remain in view) and
then tap the Enter key. The list box will now appear.
CERTIFICATION BY
----------------
This field is used to record the name of the individual or
company performing the last mask or back pack certification. It
is for reference use only, and can be left blank if desired.
CERTIFIED EVERY (blank) MONTHS
------------------------------
This field establishes the repetitive maintenance interval for
masks and back packs. If this field is left blank, a warning
box will appear. SCBA Trak cannot calculate when the next
certification is due if it doesn't know how often you want
the certification done.
Page 19
DATE FILLED
-----------
This field is used to record the date an air bottle was filled.
It is used to as an indicator as to whether you think a bottle
should be emptied and refilled before the next use.
DATE OF ENTRY
-------------
This field is used to record the date a particular entry was
made into the program. It is used as a cross check to assure
that items are being updated as necessary. It will automatically
use the date as reported from the computer's internal calendar,
but you can change it if necessary.
DATE OUT OF SERVICE
-------------------
This field is used only in the PASS unit inventory. It is used
to record when a PASS unit was taken out of service for
whatever reason. It is for reference use only, and can be left
blank if desired.
DURATION IN MINUTES
-------------------
This field is used in the air bottle inventory to record the
anticipated duration of a bottle in minutes. It can be used by
the program to exclude bottles from the "needs refilled" report.
If the duration is not applicable, as in cascade or bank bottles,
or the old 1800 psi bottles being used only for air bags or air
tools, you can enter N/A in the field. It helps differentiate
between the different types of high pressure bottles when you have
to find one.
Page 20
ENTER NOTES (Y/N)
-----------------
This field only appears when initially adding an item into an
inventory. If you answer Y for "yes", you will get a pop-up
window where you can enter maintenance notes or any other type
of information you desire. Just follow the directions on top of
the window. Pressing the F1 key from inside the window will
give you a list of editing keys you can use. These notes will
be shown on the maintenance history printouts. It is suggested
that you enter your notes with the date, such as:
08/20/93
--------
(type the notes here)
This will give you a more readable format.
ENTRY BY
--------
This field is used to record the initials or badge number of the
person making the actual computer entry. It is used in case a
question should arise about some of the entered information. The
entry is stored in "temporary memory" and will be displayed
automatically for other entries, to eliminate redundant typing.
It is for reference use only, and can be left blank if desired.
FILLED BY
---------
This field is used to record the initials or badge number of
the individual who filled the air bottle being entered. It is
for reference use only, and can be left blank if desired.
HYDRO TEST COST
---------------
This field is used to record the cost of the last hydro test.
It is used by the program in calculating an average cost for
the budget report. It can be left blank if desired.
Page 21
HYDRO TESTED BY
---------------
This field is used to record the name of the individual or
company performing the last hydrostatic test. It is for
reference use only, and can be left blank if desired.
I.D. NUMBER
-----------
This field allows you to enter an department assigned
designator for each item. This could be a stick-on property
tag or any other type of designator. It can be left blank if
not used, as long as a Serial Number has been entered. Each
item must have a Serial Number or an I.D. Number, or both, or
the program will automatically erase the record.
LAST BATTERY CHANGE
-------------------
This field is used to record the date a PASS unit's battery was
changed. It is used by the program to calculate when a battery
change is due. If this field is left blank, a warning box will
appear. SCBA Trak cannot calculate when the next battery change
is due if it doesn't know when the last one was installed.
LAST CERTIFICATION
------------------
This field is used only in the mask and back pack inventories.
It is used by the program to calculate whether an item is
coming due for a repetitive maintenance item, such as a flow
test or bench test. If this field is left blank, a warning box
will appear. SCBA Trak cannot calculate when the next
certification is due if it doesn't know when the last one was
performed.
Page 22
LAST HYDRO TEST DATE
--------------------
This field is applicable to bottles only. It is entered in the
standard MM/YY format. It allows tracking of bottles coming due
for hydro testing. This is a "required entry" field and cannot
be left blank.
LAST KNOWN TO BE ON
-------------------
This field is used to record the last place where an item
was located. It is used as an aid in locating an item that
needs maintenance. This field uses a list box that grows
dynamically.
Example: If you have added an air bottle, a back pack, or one
of your bottles to the fill log, whatever you type into the
"Last Known To Be On:" field will automatically be added to
the list box, if not already present. Let's say the first
bottle was stored on Engine-1. When you make the next entry,
a list box will pop up with Engine-1 listed. If you want
to use Engine-1 , just tap the Enter key. If you want something
else, press the Esc key to remove the list box, type Engine-2
(or whatever) into the field, and that name will be added to
the list box for use the next time. If there are more names
in the list box than can be displayed at one time, two small
vertical arrows will appear along the left border of the pick
list to notify you of this condition.
Be aware that the list box is very specific: It thinks
"Engine-1" is different from "Engine 1" is different from
"ENGINE-1" etc.
The LAST KNOWN TO BE ON field has another purpose. It can
be used to exclude an item from the "needs some kind of
attention" series of reports. If you have a missing bottle, for
example, simply enter the phrase *Missing in this field. If
the very first character is the "star" ( * ) , that bottle will
be excluded from these reports, while still showing up on the
inventory listing. This also works on the back pack inventory.
Page 23
LAST REPAIRED
-------------
This field is used to record the date a unit was last repaired.
It is strictly for reference use only, as in determining if a
repair should be covered under warranty. It can be left blank
if not used.
LAST TESTED
-----------
This field is used to record the date of the last functional
test of a PASS unit. It can be left blank if not used.
LAST VISUAL
-----------
This field is used to record the date of the last visual check
of an item, if necessary. The visual check can be for external
condition or internal condition, like in the air bottle annual
internal visual inspections some organizations perform. It can
be left blank if not used. It can also be used to record when
the last mask fit test was done, if you assign a mask to each
person.
MANUFACTURER
------------
This field is used to record the actual manufacturer of a
particular item. Be aware that the actual manufacturer of an
air bottle is probably not be the same as the manufacturer of
the back pack. It can be left blank if desired.
Page 24
MASK SIZE
---------
This field is used to record the size of an SCBA mask.
The mask sizes shown in the list box are pre-programmed and
cannot be changed. If you want to manually enter a different
size, press the Esc key to get rid of the list box and you
can then enter your own size. Your manually entered size will
never be added to the list box. Note: If you do have a size not
shown in the list box, please let me know and I'll add it to
the next version of SCBA Trak .
MODEL NAME / NUMBER
-------------------
This field is used to record the actual model name or model
number of an item. Useful in the event of a recall. NOTE: This
field is used by some of the modules (like PASS units) to
determine the ordering of the printouts. It can be left blank,
but try not to do so.
ORIGINAL HYDRO DATE
-------------------
This field is used to record the date of the original hydro or
the date of manufacture of air bottles. It is used by the
program to calculate the ultimate life for composite bottles.
Otherwise, it is used for reference only.
OWNER
-----
This field is used only in the fill log. You will enter the
name of the owner of the air bottle you have filled,in order to
differentiate your bottles from others you may have filled. You
must enter a name here even if you only fill your bottles. You
can program up to ten names to the "F" keys for faster entry.
Your departments' name must be programmed to the F1 key, as
described in the fill log instructions.
Page 25
PURCHASE COST
-------------
This field is used to record the actual cost of an item. It
might be useful when calculating value for an insurance or
hazmat claim. It is for reference use only, and can be left
blank if desired.
PURCHASE DATE
-------------
This field is used to record the date an item was acquired. It
can be used to determine if an item is still in warranty. It is
for reference use only, and can be left blank if desired.
PURCHASED FROM
--------------
This field is used to record where the unit was originally
purchased. It is for reference use only, and can be left blank
if desired.
REPAIR COST
-----------
This field is used to record the cost of the last repair. It is
for reference use only, and can be left blank if desired. The
info in this field is NOT totalled anywhere, and is not saved
when new cost data is entered. If you want to retain the cost
data for each repair, you must enter it in the Notes window.
REPAIRED BY
-----------
This field is used to record the name of the person or company
who last repaired this unit. It is for reference use only, and
can be left blank if desired.
Page 26
SERIAL NUMBER
-------------
The serial number of the item is entered here. If there is no
serial number, (as with most SCBA masks), leave the field
blank. If this field is blank, you must enter an I.D. number or
the record will be automatically erased. (You can't track
something if you can't differentiate it from the others.) The
back pack inventory section has spaces for two serial numbers,
in case you have units with both pressure reducers and
mask-mounted regulators. If your units do not have mask-mounted
regulators, leave that field blank.
SERIAL NO. OR I.D. #
--------------------
This field is used only in the fill log. If you are entering
one of your bottles, you can enter either the serial number or
the i.d. number and the program will retrieve the remaining
information from the inventory file.
TESTED BY
---------
This field is used to record the initials or badge number of
the individual performing the last functional test of a PASS
unit. It is for reference use only and can be left if desired.
TESTED EVERY (blank) DAYS
-------------------------
If functional tests of PASS units are recorded, this field
establishes the maximum interval between checks. The program
will add this figure (in days) to the LAST TESTED date to
determine if a PASS unit is overdue for a functional test. This
field cannot be left blank, even if the "Last Tested" field is
not being used. You must either enter a retest interval of 0 to
999 days or N/A , as desired.
Page 27
VISUAL BY
---------
This field is used to record the initials or badge number of
the individual performing the visual inspection of a unit. It
can be left blank if not used.
VISUAL EVERY (blank) DAYS
-------------------------
If visual checks are recorded, this field establishes the
maximum interval between checks. The program will add this
figure (in days) to the LAST VISUAL date to determine if a unit
is overdue for a visual inspection. This field cannot be left
blank, even if you are not using the "Last Visual" field. You
must either enter in a visual test interval of 0 to 999 days
or N/A as desired.
WORKING PRESSURE
----------------
This field is used to enter the working pressure of an air
bottle or back pack. This number is not used in any
calculations.
EXPLANATION OF THE MAIN MENU SELECTIONS
=======================================
LICENSE
-------
This is a screen that displays the conditions under which you
may use the program. By using the program, you acknowledge
that you have read and explicitly agreed to these conditions.
This is an ABBREVIATED license; the full license and disclaimer
is contained at the beginning of this manual. I had to add this
item to the menu in case you had received a copy of the shareware
version without a copy of this manual.
Page 28
FILL LOG RECORDS
----------------
This selection takes you to the program module where you will
record information about all air bottles you have filled for
either your department or someone else.
MASK INVENTORY AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS
--------------------------------------
This selection takes you to the program module where information
about all SCBA masks you own will be entered. All maintenance
information for masks is recorded in this section.
AIR BOTTLE INVENTORY AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS
--------------------------------------------
This selection takes you to the program module where information
about all air bottles you own will be entered. All maintenance
information for bottles is recorded in this section.
BACK PACK INVENTORY AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS
-------------------------------------------
This selection takes you to the program module where information
about all back packs you own will be entered. All maintenance
information for back packs is recorded in this section.
PASS UNIT INVENTORY AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS
-------------------------------------------
This selection takes you to the program module where information
about all PASS units you own will be entered. All maintenance
information for PASS units is recorded in this section.
Page 29
COPY DATA FILES TO A FLOPPY DISK FOR BACKUP
-------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to copy all of your data files to a
floppy disk for back up purposes. You should make a back up
copy at the end of each session where you have entered new data
or changed existing information. If you fail to make backups of
your data, a computer failure could cause you to lose all of
your information. The back up disk allows you to save a copy
in another location to minimize this possibility. Before the
data files are copied to a floppy, the program first checks to
make sure the disk and drive are ready. If there is a problem,
or if there is insufficient space to hold all of the data files,
the program will warn you and then abort the copy procedure.
ERASE SELECTED ITEMS FROM THE DATA FILES
----------------------------------------
This selection allows you to erase some or all of the items in
any of your data files. It is password protected; you are given
two chances to enter the correct password. The very first time
you use this item, you will be given instructions on entering a
password. Lost passwords cannot be retrieved, but they can be
erased. If you have forgotten your password, use the key
combination Ctrl+Backspace to erase the current password. You
will than have to enter a new password.
After entering the correct password, you will be presented with
another menu. From this menu you can either erase an entire
data file or just selected items. Most items are selected by
serial number (or I.D. number for the masks), while bottles in
the fill log are selectively deleted by specifying the starting
and ending dates. Before the actual erasure occurs, you will be
given one last chance to cancel the procedure. Directions are
given on the screen.
RESTORE DATA FILES FROM A FLOPPY DISK
-------------------------------------
This selection copies the data files from the aforementioned
backup disk and replaces the files in your current directory
with the backup files. This selection is destructive; if you
inadvertently restore old data, your new data will be lost.
Page 30
Because of this, a dialog box will appear before the actual
restore asking you if you want backup copies made first. If
you answer YES, your existing data files will be copied to new
files as shown:
SCBABOTL.DBF -> BOTL_DBF.BAK
SCBABOTL.DBT -> BOTL_DBT.BAK
FILL_LOG.DBF -> FILL_DBF.BAK
PASSUNIT.DBF -> PASS_DBF.BAK
PASSUNIT.DBT -> PASS_DBT.BAK
SCBAMASK.DBF -> MASK_DBF.BAK
SCBAMASK.DBT -> MASK_DBT.BAK
BACKPACK.DBF -> PACK_DBF.BAK
BACKPACK.DBT -> PACK_DBT.BAK
Before beginning the restore process, the program will check
the backup disk and drive to assure the needed files are
present. If there is a problem, the program will issue a
warning and abort the restore procedure.
OPTIONS
-------
You can set program options from this selection. Questions are
answered by pressing the Y key for "yes" or the N key for "no."
"Do you have a color monitor ?"
<self-explanatory>
"Do you prefer having items listed in order by I.D. Number
rather than by Serial Number ?"
<Some departments have their own identification system in use,
and do not use the serial numbers. Answering Y to this question
will cause new index files to be created with items listed in
order by the I.D. number rather than the Serial Number.>
Page 31
"Do you want the inventory listing printouts grouped according
to the "Last Known To Be On" or "Assigned To" fields ?"
<Some departments are very strict about what equipment is on
what apparatus. They do a yearly inventory to assure they
still have all of their equipment and it is where it's
supposed to be. This option rearranges the inventory printout
so it groups all of the equipment on one piece of apparatus
together, so they do not have to hunt around a sequential
list. This is one of the reasons I provided the list box; to
assure them they would not have ten different variations of a
single apparatus name listed.>
If you have a CGA monitor, a fourth question will appear
asking if you are seeing "electronic snow" on your monitor. If
you are seeing snow, answer Y and it will disappear. If you
don't know what "electronic snow" is, you don't have it.
FILL LOG INSTRUCTIONS
=====================
This section of the program allows you to enter the information
about when each air bottle was filled. The information is
entered into a file separate from the file containing your
inventory information. The use of separate files allows you to
keep track of all bottles you fill for other organizations as
well as your own.
If you have entered any of your own bottles, the information
in the "fill log" file is automatically matched against your
inventory file. If the SERIAL NUMBER or I.D. NUMBER of a new
entry EXACTLY matches a bottle that had been previously entered
into your inventory, the new LAST FILLED DATE, FILLED BY,
ENTRY BY, DATE OF ENTRY, and LAST KNOWN TO BE ON data is
transferred into your inventory file to update your records
automatically.
ADD INFORMATION ABOUT NEWLY FILLED BOTTLES TO THE FILL LOG
----------------------------------------------------------
This is where you enter the information about all bottles
your organization has filled for anybody, including your own
bottles. When you are entering information about bottles owned
by another organization, the operation is similar to the
entering data into the inventory sections. After entering the
data, the air bottle inventory is searched for an exact match
on the pressure and serial number.
Page 32
If a match is found, the I.D. numbers are checked. If the fill
log I.D. number is blank or exactly matches the air bottle
inventory record I.D. number, you'll be given the option of
updating the inventory record with the "last filled" information
from the fill log. This is useful if you have bottles in the
inventory file that you maintain and fill, but do not own.
When entering information about bottles you own, a "short cut"
data entry function is used. When you press the F1 key (which
has your organization's name programmed to it), the data entry
screen changes slightly. Because the Working Pressure, Serial
Number, I.D. Number (if any) and Last Hydro Test Date are
already stored in the inventory file, all you have to do is enter
either the Serial Number or the I.D. number plus the information
on when the bottle was filled.
After you fill in the "Entry By" field, the program will go
into the inventory file and search for an exact match between
the characters you typed on the "Serial No. or I.D.#:" line.
If it finds an exact match, the Pressure, Serial Number, I.D.
Number and Last Hydro Test Date are automatically filled in
for you. If the bottle is currently overdue for hydrostatic
testing or is life-limited and the ultimate life date has
passed, a warning box will appear. Remember, SCBA Trak is basing
these warnings on the information in the air bottle inventory.
If a hydro test had been performed but the inventory record was
not updated to reflect this, the warning will be issued.
After you verify the information is correct, press any key
except Esc to accept the entry. If there was an error, press
the Esc key and the entry will be erased.
If no match can be found for either the I.D. Number or Serial
Number, the program will beep once, and flash a message on the
screen informing you that you will need to enter the remaining
info manually.
Although this might seem confusing, it is actually quite easy
to use. The main advantage is that organizations using I.D.
Numbers to track their bottles can use them to enter the fill
information without having to resort to "I.D. NUMBER TO SERIAL
NUMBER" cross reference sheets. It has the advantage of reducing
the number of total keystrokes needed to enter the data for all
users. It also allows you to review some of the information in
the inventory file. If you see that your newly filled bottle
has a later hydro date than what the program shows, you know
the inventory file needs updated.
The first time you fill in the "Entry By:" field with your
initials, they are temporarily stored in the computer's memory.
They will then "pop up" on all subsequent entries, similar to
how the "Entry Date:" field automatically "pops up" the current
date. This eliminates even more redundant typing.
Page 33
After you have completely entered each bottle, the program
automatically brings up a new blank data entry screen. This is
because you will normally be entering more than one bottle.
After you have entered the last bottle, and are at a blank data
entry screen, press the Esc key to return to the menu. Any
time you press Esc from this screen, the entry is canceled,
even if you had filled everything in and wanted to keep it.
BROWSE ALL FILL LOG RECORDS, STARTING WITH THE LATEST RECORD
------------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to review all the records in the fill
log file. When you first make this selection, you get a dialog
box asking if you want the list sorted by the date of filling
or by the organization name. If you select the date of filling
option, it starts at the most recent "last filled" date. If you
select the organization name option, the listing will group all
bottles belonging to each organization together, still in
ascending order by the date of filling. You have to use the
"up arrow" or "PgUp" keys to get to older records. It will
probably be used mainly to find records which need corrected,
like the one you just put in.
PROGRAM BOTTLE OWNER OR ORGANIZATION NAMES TO THE FUNCTION KEYS
---------------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to enter the names of the different
organizations whose bottles you fill. The names are assigned to
one of the "F" keys. When you need to enter their name, just
push the appropriate "F" key, and VOILA!
The program requires that your organization's name be programmed
to the F1 key, or the short cut entry function for adding bottles
to the fill log will not work properly.
REPORT ON BOTTLES FILLED FOR ONE ORGANIZATION, BETWEEN
SPECIFIED DATES
------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to enter a name of an organization,
a starting and ending date, and the program will display
and/or print out the list. Useful for billing purposes, or
to justify your time, etc. Organizations without their own
compressors appreciate a year-end report showing which bottles
you have filled for them. The name you enter here must match
the name the bottle was entered with EXACTLY.
Page 34
SUMMARY REPORT OF BOTTLES FILLED BETWEEN TWO SPECIFIED DATES
------------------------------------------------------------
This report shows only the total number of bottles filled for
each organization on and between the two specified dates. The
program can handle up to nineteen different names. If you have
used more names than that, the remainder will be lumped together
under the "OTHER:" heading. This is a particularly useful
activity summary since it is not cluttered up with serial
numbers, etc. Our department fills bottles for eight other fire
departments on a fairly regular basis. We were able to use this
report to successfully lobby for approval to buy a better
compressor.
LISTING OF BOTTLES FILLED BETWEEN SPECIFIED DATES
-------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to enter a starting and ending date,
and the program will display and/or print a list of every such
bottle. Useful for monthly reports & convincing the Chief you
really do need a larger and faster compressor.
AIR BOTTLE REPORTS
==================
INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT BY BOTTLE TYPE
---------------------------------------
This report scans your inventory picking out each different
combination of pressure and duration, and then totals them.
For example, the report will show how many 4500 psi/30 minute
bottles you have, how many 4500 psi/45 minute bottles you
have, etc. Up to nineteen different combinations of pressure/
duration can be displayed. If you have more than that, the
remainder will be lumped together under "OTHER:" .
Page 35
MAINTENANCE HISTORY PRINTOUT OF EACH BOTTLE
-------------------------------------------
This selection prints out a separate page for each air bottle.
The printout has all of your "maintenance notes" shown.
Normally, you use this only once, after you had entered all of
your bottles into the program. You would then place the
printouts in a notebook, adding the maintenance notes by hand.
After a bottle had some handwritten notes written on it's page,
you could go into the program and enter the notes.
PRINT OUT A LISTING OF THE ENTIRE BOTTLE INVENTORY
--------------------------------------------------
This report is simply a listing of every bottle you have in
your inventory. The program displays a guesstimate of how many
pages will be printed, as a progress indicator. Pressing Esc
any time during the printing will give you the option of aborting
the printout. Normally, this report would be printed rather
infrequently, just when you have made major additions to or
deletions from your inventory.
The bottles are listed in this order:
1. Pressure, from lowest to highest.
2. Duration, from lowest to highest.
3. Serial number or I.D. number, from lowest to highest
(picked by the OPTIONS main menu selection)
Example: 4500 psi/30 minute bottles are always listed before
4500 psi/60 minute bottles, and the first 4500 psi/30 minute
bottle on the list will be the 4500 psi/30 minute bottle with
the lowest serial or i.d. number.
The number appearing immediately after the "Next Hydro:" date
is the hydrostatic test interval in years.
If you have answered Y to the "group on . . ." question on the
main menu Options selection, the bottles will be listed in
groups, using the "Last Known To Be On:" field as the header.
Page 36
FIND ALL BOTTLES DUE OR ALMOST DUE FOR HYDRO TEST OR REFILLING
--------------------------------------------------------------
This selection searches your inventory bottles for 3 conditions:
1. The Next Hydro Due Date has passed or will pass within two
months from today, or
2. The LAST FILLED DATE was more than two and a half months ago
and the DURATION IN MINUTES is not specified as N/A .
3. If there are any life-limited bottles, and their life has
already expired or will expire within two months, they will
be shown on this report regardless of their hydro or last
filled date status.
Any bottle meeting at least one of these conditions will be
displayed on the screen. Use the "arrow" or "PgUp" and "PgDn"
keys to scroll through the listing. Pressing the Enter key will
give you the option of printing the list. The number immediately
after the printed "Next Hydro:" date is the hydrostatic test
interval in years. If the very first character of the "Last
Known To Be On:" field is the "star" ( * ) character, that bottle
will be excluded from the report (unless it's life is or will
be expired).
REPORT ON BOTTLES DUE OR ALMOST DUE FOR HYDRO OR VISUAL INSP.
-------------------------------------------------------------
This selection searches your inventory bottles for 3 conditions:
1. The Next Hydro Due Date has passed or will pass within two
months from today, or
2. The Next Visual Inspection date has passed as of today. Both
the "Last Visual:" and the "Visual Every xxx Days:" fields
must be filled in or this condition cannot be checked.
3. If there are any life-limited bottles, and their life has
already expired or will expire within two months, they will
be shown on this report regardless of their hydro or last
visual date status.
Page 37
Any bottle meeting at least one of these conditions will be
displayed on the screen. Use the "arrow" or "PgUp" and "PgDn"
keys to scroll through the listing. Pressing the Enter key will
give you the option of printing the list. The number immediately
after the printed "Next Hydro:" date is the hydrostatic test
interval in years. If the very first character of the "Last
Known To Be On:" field is the "star" ( * ) character, that bottle
will be excluded from the report (unless it's life is or will
be expired).
BUDGET REPORT ON BOTTLES NEEDING A HYDRO TEST BETWEEN SELECTED
DATES
--------------------------------------------------------------
This report allows you to get some information for budget
purposes. You enter a starting and ending date, and then
decide if you want to use the stored "LAST HYDRO COST" data to
generate the estimated cost. Only the costs from the bottles
needing tested between your selected dates will be used in the
averaging. If you want to enter your own guesstimate of how much
it costs to test/overhaul one bottle, answer N to the question
and you can then enter your own price. If you answered Y to
the question and the program finds that none of the bottles
have stored LAST HYDRO COST data, a warning will be issued and
you will be returned to the reports menu.
The program scans the inventory for all bottles that will need
a hydro test within the specified time period. A summary list
of each combination of pressure/duration will be displayed, as
well as an estimate of the total cost. The program can handle
up to nineteen different combinations of pressure/duration, with
anything over that displayed under the "OTHER:" heading.
Several vendors charge different prices dependent upon the
pressure or capacity of the bottle, so this makes a good
summary report. Pressing the P key will print this summary.
Pressing the Enter key will display the actual list of bottles.
Pressing the Enter key again will give you a dialog box with
the option of printing the entire list of bottles.
The program makes the assumption that a bottle that was last
tested in February (for example) will be retested in February
again, not in January. The program will NOT report on any
bottle that will need a hydro before or after the specified
dates, even if the bottle is currently "out of date." If the
very first character of the "Last Known To Be On:" field is the
"star" ( * ) character, that bottle will be excluded from the
report.
Page 38
LIST OF BOTTLES REQUIRING A HYDRO OR VISUAL THROUGH A SELECTED
DATE
---------------------------------------------------------------
This report allows you to enter any date and the program will
search your inventory for all bottles needing a hydrostatic test
or visual inspection on and before the specified date. Pressing
the Enter key gives you the option of printing the list. Bottles
entered where the very first character of the "Last Known To Be
On:" field is an asterisk or "star" ( * ) will be excluded from
this report.
SINGLE PAGE PRINTOUT OF ONE BOTTLE'S MAINTENANCE HISTORY
--------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to pick one bottle by it's serial
number or I.D. number and print out the page with it's
maintenance history.
PASS UNIT REPORTS
=================
INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT BY PASS UNIT MODEL
-------------------------------------------
This report scans the PASS unit inventory and gives you a
summary listing of how many PASS units of each model you
own. Pressing the P key from this screen will print
the summary.
PRINT OUT A LISTING OF THE ENTIRE PASS UNIT INVENTORY
-----------------------------------------------------
Like it says. If you have set the "group on . . .' option on
the main menu to yes, the PASS units will be grouped under the
"Assigned To:" field.
Page 39
LIST OF PASS UNIT'S NEEDING A BATTERY CHANGE THROUGH A
SPECIFIED DATE
------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows the user to enter a date and the program
will display a list of all PASS units that will need a battery
change on or before that date. Pressing the Enter key from this
screen gives you the option of printing this list. PASS units
having the "star" ( * ) as the very first character in the
"Assigned To:" field will be excluded from the report.
REPORT ON PASS UNITS NEEDING A BATTERY OR DUE/OVERDUE FOR
TESTING
---------------------------------------------------------
This selection displays a list of all PASS units that will need
a new battery within the next month, or should have already had
a battery change, but did not. It also displays all PASS units
which are due or overdue for a functional test. Pressing the
Enter key from this screen gives you the option of printing
this list. PASS units having the "star" ( * ) as the very first
character in the "Assigned To:" field will be excluded from
the report. If the "Tested Every xxx Days" field is blank, the
program will not list that PASS unit unless it needs a battery.
If the "Tested Every xxx Days:" field is blank, the "Last
Tested:" date for that PASS unit will not be in red if overdue.
SINGLE PAGE PRINTOUT OF ONE PASS UNIT'S MAINTENANCE HISTORY
-----------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to pick one unit by it's serial
number or I.D. number and print out the page with it's
maintenance history.
MAINTENANCE HISTORY PRINTOUT OF EACH PASS UNIT
----------------------------------------------
This selection prints out a separate page for each PASS unit.
The printout has all of your "maintenance notes" shown. Normally,
you use this only once, after you had entered all of your units
into the program. You would then place the printouts in a
notebook, adding the maintenance notes by hand. After a unit
had some handwritten notes written on it's page, you could go
into the program and enter the notes.
Page 40
BACK PACK REPORTS
=================
INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT BY BACK PACK MODEL
-------------------------------------------
This report scans the back pack inventory and gives you a
summary listing of how many back packs of each model and
working pressure you own. Pressing the P key from this
screen will print the summary.
MAINTENANCE HISTORY PRINTOUT OF EACH BACK PACK
----------------------------------------------
This selection will print out a maintenance history report for
each back pack you own, one per page.
PRINT OUT A LISTING OF THE ENTIRE BACK PACK INVENTORY
-----------------------------------------------------
This selection will print a listing of all back packs you have
in inventory. If you answered Y to the "Group on..." question
on the main menu OPTIONS selection, the back packs will be
grouped together, with all back packs on a single apparatus
shown together. The "Last Known To Be On" field is used to
determine the grouping. Otherwise, they are listed sequentially,
grouped according to the Manufacturer, Model, Pressure, and
Serial Number or I.D. Number.
Page 41
REPORT ON BACK PACKS REQUIRING A VISUAL INSPECTION OR
CERTIFICATION
-----------------------------------------------------
This selection displays a list of all back packs that will need
certification within the next month, or should have already
been recertified, but were not. It also displays all back packs
which are due or overdue for a visual inspection. Pressing the
Enter key from this screen gives you the option of printing
this list. Back packs having the "star" ( * ) as the very first
character in the "Last Known To Be On:" field will be excluded
from the report. If the "Visual Every xxx Days" field is N/A ,
that pack will not be listed unless it needs certification, and
the visual date will be shown as two dashes.
BUDGET REPORT ON PACKS REQUIRING CERTIFICATION BETWEEN
SELECTED DATES
------------------------------------------------------
This report allows you to get some information for budget
purposes. You enter a starting and ending date, and then
decide if you want to use the stored "LAST CERTIFICATION COST"
data to generate the estimated cost. Only the costs from the
back packs needing certified between your selected dates will be
used in the averaging. If you want to enter your own guesstimate
of how much it costs to certify one back pack, answer N
to the question and you can then enter your own price. If you
answered Y to the question and the program finds that none of
the back packs have stored LAST CERTIFICATION COST data, a warning
will be issued and you will be returned to the reports menu.
The program scans the inventory for all back packs that will
need certification within the specified time period. A summary
list of each combination of model/pressure will be displayed, as
well as an estimate of the total cost. The program can handle
up to nineteen different combinations of model/pressure, with
anything over that displayed under the "OTHER:" heading.
Several vendors charge different prices dependent upon the
pressure of the back pack, so this makes a good summary report.
Pressing the P key will print this summary. Pressing the
Enter key will display the actual list of back packs. Pressing
the Enter key again will give you a dialog box with the option
of printing the list of back packs.
Page 42
The program makes the assumption that a back pack that was last
certified in February (for example) will be recertified in
February again, not in January. The program will NOT report on
any back pack that will need certification before or after the
specified dates, even if the back pack is currently "out of
date." If the very first character of the "Last Known To Be On:"
field is the "star" ( * ) character, that back pack will be
excluded from the report.
LIST OF BACK PACKS REQUIRING CERTIFICATION THROUGH A SPECIFIED
DATE
--------------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows the user to enter a date and the program
will display a list of all back packs that will need
certification on or before that date. Pressing the Enter key
from this screen gives you the option of printing this list.
Back packs having the "star" ( * ) as the very first character
in the "Last Known To Be On" field will be excluded from the
report.
SINGLE PAGE PRINTOUT OF ONE BACK PACK'S MAINTENANCE HISTORY
-----------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to pick one back pack by the serial
number of it's pressure reducer or I.D. number and print out
the page with it's maintenance history.
SCBA MASK REPORTS
=================
INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT BY MASK MODEL AND SIZE
-----------------------------------------------
This report scans the mask inventory and gives you summary
listing of how many masks of each model and size you own.
Pressing the P key from this screen will print the summary.
MAINTENANCE HISTORY PRINTOUT OF EACH SCBA MASK
----------------------------------------------
This selection will print out a maintenance history report for
each mask you own, one per page.
Page 43
PRINT OUT A LISTING OF THE ENTIRE MASK INVENTORY
------------------------------------------------
This selection will print a listing of all masks you have
in inventory. If you answered Y to the "Group on..." question
on the main menu OPTIONS selection, the masks will be grouped
together, with all back packs on a single apparatus (or person)
shown together. The "Assigned To" field is used to determine
the grouping. Otherwise, they are listed sequentially grouped
according to the Manufacturer, Model, Size, and Serial Number
or I.D. Number.
REPORT ON MASKS REQUIRING A VISUAL INSPECTION OR CERTIFICATION
--------------------------------------------------------------
This selection displays a list of all masks that will need
certification within the next month, or should have already
been recertified, but were not. It also displays all masks
which are due or overdue for a visual inspection. Pressing the
Enter key from this screen gives you the option of printing
this list. Masks having the "star" ( * ) as the very first
character in the "Assigned To:" field will be excluded from
the report. If the "Visual Every xxx Days" field is N/A , the
mask will not be listed unless it needs certification, and the
date will not be shown in red.
BUDGET REPORT ON MASKS REQUIRING CERTIFICATION BETWEEN
SELECTED DATES
------------------------------------------------------
This report allows you to get some information for budget
purposes. You enter a starting and ending date, and then
decide if you want to use the stored "LAST CERTIFICATION COST"
data to generate the estimated cost. Only the costs from the
masks needing certified between your selected dates will be used
in the averaging. If you want to enter your own guesstimate of
how much it costs to certify one mask, answer N to the
question and you can then enter your own price. If you answered
Y to the question and the program finds that none of
the masks have stored LAST CERTIFICATION COST data, a warning
will be issued and you will be returned to the reports menu.
Page 44
The program scans the inventory for all masks that will
need certification within the specified time period. A summary
list of each combination of model/size will be displayed, as
well as an estimate of the total cost. The program can handle
up to nineteen different combinations of model/size, with
anything over that displayed under the "OTHER:" heading.
Pressing the P key will print this summary. Pressing the
Enter key will display the actual list of masks. Pressing
the Enter key again will give you a dialog box with the option
of printing the list of masks.
The program makes the assumption that a mask that was last
certified in February (for example) will be recertified in
February again, not in January. The program will NOT report
on any mask that will need certification before or after the
specified dates, even if the mask is currently "out of date."
If the very first character of the "Last Known To Be On:" field
is the "star" ( * ) character, that mask will be excluded from
the report.
LIST OF MASKS REQUIRING CERTIFICATION THROUGH A SPECIFIED
DATE
---------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows the user to enter a date and the program
will display a list of all masks that will need certification
on or before that date. Pressing the Enter key from this screen
gives you the option of printing this list. Masks having the
"star" ( * ) as the very first character in the "Assigned To"
field will be excluded from the report.
SINGLE PAGE PRINTOUT OF ONE MASK'S MAINTENANCE HISTORY
------------------------------------------------------
This selection allows you to pick one mask by it's serial
number or I.D. number and print out the page with it's
maintenance history.
Page 45
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
-------------------------
1. The file FILL_LOG.FRM is a basic form you can use to log
the filling of air bottles, if you don't already have one.
The layout is in the same order as you will enter information
into the SCBA Trak program. If your printer supports IBM
graphics, you can print it by typing at the DOS prompt:
COPY FILL_LOG.FRM PRN and pressing Enter .
If you have an older Epson printer (for example), all of
the lines and borders will have italicized letters instead
of single and double lines. This is because the printer does
not support IBM graphics. Not too much you can do except
make up your own form or use a different printer.
IBM is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation
Epson is a registered trademark of Epson Corporation
2. This file, MANUAL.DOC , can be printed with the same type
of command: COPY MANUAL.DOC PRN and press Enter. The
file has embedded form feeds so that the pages will be printed
properly. NOTE: If you view this file using certain types of
file viewers, and then save the file to disk from within the
viewer, the pages may not print properly later. The codes for
assuring the pages are sixty lines long are automatically
removed by some file viewers. Even just attempting to print
the file from within these types of file viewers will cause
the pages to print improperly. The DOS Edit.com editor
and the Windows Note Pad are two I know of with this
characteristic.
3. Since all dates are entered in a "mm/dd/yy" format, you
might be wondering how the upcoming turn of the century will
affect the program. Fear not, it won't. SCBA Trak does use a
one hundred year cycle to allow you to enter the dates with
just the last two digits of the year, but the cycle runs
from the year 1930 through the year 2029. If you enter a
date of 12/31/30, SCBA Trak assumes the year is 1930. If you
enter a date of 12/31/29, SCBA Trak assumes the year is 2029.
Precisely at midnight on December 31, 2009, the cycle will
change from 1930 through 2029 to 1960 through 2059. If you
are still using any fifty year old bottles at that time,
you should think about upgrading your equipment. And what
happens after 2059 ? No problem, I'll be long dead.
Page 46
4. NETWORK USE - Since this program is not one that will
generally be in continuous use throughout the day, I have
chosen to open all files "exclusive", for the sake of speed.
If you attempt to open a file that is locked by another user,
a dialog box will appear giving you the option of retrying or
returning to the menu. Some of the functions, like backing
up to a floppy, restoring the data files from a floppy, and
all reindexing operations require exclusive use of all the
data files. No one else can be using the program during these
operations. SCBA Trak will issue a warning if it detects
another user before it tries these functions.
Only the files needed for the specific module are opened.
If you're at the main menu (blue screen), all of the inventory
files are closed. While you're using the mask section, for
example, another user could go into the back pack section and
all "should" work OK. The only exception is when adding new
bottles into the fill log. Because the fill log entries
automatically update the air bottle inventory records, the
air bottle file will be opened exclusive when adding fill log
records. If someone else is already using the air bottle file,
you won't be able to add any bottles to the fill log.
If you are experiencing slow printing on the network, you
probably have a non-dedicated server. These servers usually
print only when a program is "idle," waiting for a keypress,
etc. However, SCBA Trak is rarely idle. During these times it
is busy cleaning up files, defragmenting memory, etc. To speed
up the printing, you'll have to disable these idle time tasks.
Start SCBA Trak with the command SCBATRAK //NOIDLE <enter> .
Your printing should speed up considerably, but at the expense
of slower operation of SCBA Trak , since it'll now have to
complete these tasks during foreground operation.
If you cannot run more than one copy of SCBATRAK.EXE because
of file or sharing errors, you may have to reset the file
attribute of SCBATRAK.EXE to READ ONLY. This is a known
peculiarity of certain brands of networks. If you have a later
version of DOS, you can do this by going into the SCBA Trak
directory and typing the command: ATTRIB +R SCBATRAK.EXE
and pressing the Enter key. If you need copy this file to a
disk, etc, the new copy will NOT have the READ ONLY attribute.
Page 47
ERROR HANDLING
--------------
Any serious errors in the program will cause a pop-up warning
box to be displayed giving technical details on the problem.
These errors include missing or corrupted files, screw ups
when I wrote the routine, etc. If you can, use Print Screen
to capture this data. A file with the name of CLIP?.ERR
will also be written to your disk with this information. The
"?" will be replaced by a number, starting with "zero." Each
time a new CLIP?.ERR file is written to the disk, the "?" is
increased by "one." Example: CLIP0.ERR CLIP1.ERR CLIP2.ERR
Please be sure to send this information along with a
description of how the problem was encountered when you
complain.
REGISTRATION
------------
This program is "user-supported" software, a.k.a. shareware.
That means I will strive to continue to improve it and offer it
as long as I know people out there are using it and supporting
my efforts.
I hate software manufacturers who offer low initial prices, then
zing you for upgrades every six months or so. When you register
this program, you will receive instructions for deactivating the
shareware commercial at program start up, and your name will
appear on top of the reports. This means you can receive all the
benefits of future improvements and new features for just the
price of one copy.
So, folks, please take the time to evaluate the program and offer
any suggestions or criticisms. In this way, we both can profit.
To print out the registration form, press the P key when the
"commercial" screen is being displayed, when the program first
starts up.
If you have a registered version, you can print an order form
from the main menu by using the key combination Alt+O ("O" for
"order", get it?)
I would appreciate a check sent with the registration. If you're
a corporate or government user and must use a purchase order,
that's fine. I'll invoice you when I send the disk. Personal
checks are OK also; if you were going to "stiff" me, you wouldn't
bounce a check, you just wouldn't register.
Page 48
The installation program used by SCBA Trak was written by
Lincoln Beach Software and is entitled FIRST IMPRESSION. Lincoln
Beach Software reserves all copyright protection worldwide.
For further information they may be reached at:
Lincoln Beach Software
P.O. Box 1554
Ballwin, MO 63022
(314) 227-2431
The author, Harold Holmes, may also be reached on
CompuServe at 70700,630.
Page 49