plasc date import

[broc]

Oh, forgot to mention another couple of 'traps'.....
When you get to import PLASC data, you will find that the APS code does not like PLASC 2006, so you need to download another little utility from RM to convert PLASC 2006 to PLASC 2005 so you can import your student data. Of course you can create a CSV of student data instead, but you must then convert it to PLASC 2005 format to import. Beware however the RM utility 'parsing' the CSV file does not like embedded blanks. Our Office 'Systems' Manager (She looks after SIMS, bless her!) accidently slipped a spurious blank into one of the fields (while we were trying to 'bulk' update the student data), making it 4 chars long, not 3. The CSV to PLASC utility threw a fit, and we spent ages experimenting with the damned thing until we discovered it really wanted 'ENG' and would not accept 'ENG '.

Don't spend too much time looking for the flightdeck code as a seperate entity either, it automagically appears when you set up test sessions!

I wonder if your head of IT will like the tests so much after the students try using it? Our ICT Coordinator had a very glum expression after playing with the tests for 15 mins.

[beeswax]

good morning world. good morning trees. good morning sky. (I'll give it an hour)
beeswax

[beeswax]

ok, I tried to import plasc data this morning. some of the details were invalid and only the valid data had boxes ticked, so the little professor in me clicked next to try and reach the Merge Summary Details stage, and there it stuck with the progress bar at about 50%. anyone here come across this?
beeswax

[Snuffkins]

There's actually an update now for the APS and DPS, should have been automatically downloaded into the file_store. I think the APS is 10.1.3. It fixes the plasc problem so you can import the plasc report without having to alter it. Although you will have to make another CSV file with the reg group, teaching set etc... Cause that's not part of the plasc report.

[beeswax]

ran the updates last thursday/friday. been onto the APS server and stopped and started postmaster + tomcat. it imported my first csv file (where all the fields were valid) immediately giving me exactly 0 pupils, 0 subjects etc.

[beeswax]

just a quick heads up on what happened and how it was resolved.

1. the person who was filling in the SIMS data for pupils' SEN needs was only inputting a code for those pupils who were in need of SEN, and leaving the column blank for those who didn't need it, rather than inserting an 'N'. This was quickly resolved.

There was a second invalid column, ILA, or Initial Learning Assessment, which again couldn't be left blank. As there was no way of adding this in SIMS, the data was opened in Excel and the extra column added with a value of 5, which is the mean value for ILA.
The file was converted to plasc and re imported, and voila! the ILA column was blank again, though now the pupils had been added and I can move on to the next stage. It seems the ILA column values can be altered later, but something has to be entered initially.
I registered the problem with RM/QCA and they were on the phone to me within 10 minutes.
beeswax

[Jake]

I just finished the csv with the teaching set, initial level assessment etc, and got it in. Proper PITA this is though. Certainly hasnt been the smoothest of rides so far