[sims] Difficulties reading OMR forms SIMS Attendance

[EddyJ]

School have connected DRS OMR to a new PC to read attendance registers. OMR successfully handshakes with the PC but when they attempt to read an OMR form the OMR machine bleeps several times and then displays the message " IS NOT A VALID INTEGER VALUE.

School are using a compact Lenovo Think Centre with 64 bit Win 7. The PC has no serial port so we are using a Startech USB/Serial converter (which we know works at other schools).

 

The user in question has local admin rights and UAC is also turned off.

 

Any suggestions/tips would be welcomed.

[3s-gtech]

Could you try another OMR? They're getting very old and crusty now, so that one could have had a knock or something that has done it in.

 

Have you double checked the USB COM port settings to make sure they're correct?

[EddyJ]

Thanks for this. We thought of this so went armed with a spare OMR. Sadly got the same result. We also checked the USB settings in device manager and SIMS and they matched. We've also changed them to see if a different com port but still no joy. When doing a test handshake all appears well until you try to read a form and then it falls over.

[David_Grashoff]

Eddy - can you just clarify where the error message occurs as I doubt it can be on the OMR display ?

[EddyJ]

Thanks David. Apologies, I didn't make myself clear with the original posting, it should have read...

 

OMR successfully handshakes with the PC but when they attempt to read an OMR form (using Routines | Attendance | OMR | Read OMR Absence Sheet) the OMR machine bleeps several times and then the PC displays the message " IS NOT A VALID INTEGER VALUE.

 

Any ideas?

[Mac6]

Hi,

 

If your still having connection issues, check these settings;

 

1: Ensure the Baud rate is set to 96k in device manager

2: If the OMR is a CD200 series, set flow control to Hardware

3: Ensure the Baud rate set in device manager is the same setting in SIMS

 

Failing that give the DRS helpdesk a call. Although we wont support the USB/Serial device we will try to get the issue resolved.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[David_Grashoff]

Thanks David. Apologies, I didn't make myself clear with the original posting, it should have read...

 

OMR successfully handshakes with the PC but when they attempt to read an OMR form (using Routines | Attendance | OMR | Read OMR Absence Sheet) the OMR machine bleeps several times and then the PC displays the message " IS NOT A VALID INTEGER VALUE.

 

Any ideas?

If memory serves me correctly this sounds like the OMR is not detecting the correct number of timing marks on the OMR sheet. These marks are the black lines running vertically down ths side of the OMR sheet. Assuming you are feeding the sheet correctly face down and these marks on teh bottom ? Has anyone written above or below the marks ? Does feeding a different OMR form give a different error ? That said Andy Mc may know more than I.