Report Assist

[ComputingData]

Laserblazer: No problem, just thought you would like to know that the steps were quite similar.

[SneakyBeaky]

SneakyBeaky: That is the InstallPlus.exe program actually running, updating other items in the folder. It should be executred in admin mode as it has admin properties. If you try the fix that I mentioned before, I'll put a 'delete and retry' routine in the installer code - this may fix it for you.

 

Ok ComputingData, I have now done that. Strange why it has the problem on my desktop running Windows 7 64 but not on my laptop running windows 7 x 32.

[ComputingData]

Doesn't happen on my x64 Win7 at all. Ever. Seen it on XP once or twice though. Windows is a strange beast! lol.

[kaphc]

Just out of interest, I wanted to mention that when we are doing the install and setup of ReportPlus, the final bit to download school settings doesn't seem to be working as well as it suggests. One the "Installation" page of the Teachers help sheet, the final box suggests that the teacher will be prompted to update Reportplus to bring over settings that the Administrator has installed.

 

We haven't been seeing a prompt for this and a couple of teachers missed this step out so I had to talk them through what to do. Might be a minor bug or might just be us, but am interested to see which!

[ComputingData]

No, it's not a bug - it's a misprint. That box should instruct them to click 'Download school settings'. Thanks fo letting me know - I'll report it to the office asap so they can recreate and upload that page.

[kaphc]

Thanks, that makes sense. Will watch out for the new page on the site if we have any more installs to do.

[ComputingData]

The pdf doc on the website (teachers quickstart) has been updated with the misprint removed. I've also uploaded another doc that shows the control words you may like when creating custom front pages, etc...

 

I think Lizzy has also (at the same time as updating the teachers quickstart) updated the help file that can be downloaded into the program - I think the instruction manual update pdf will also be updated in the next few days as it is based upon that file.

[mhussain]

Is there a way to change the font Size of a particular line in a paragraph?

[ComputingData]

Just one line? To avoid inconsistency it keeps the report paragraph text to the same font type and size (you can change to bold/italic/underline though). You can change the overall font and/or size for the report text if you like. If you let me know more details I can perhaps suggest something or implement something in an update to the program?

[mhussain]

yeap just one line is there a way to do this?

[ComputingData]

It doen't do this currently, but if you PM me with you r number, I'll call you and I'll see if I can sort it out for you.

[Hiyawatha]

Been away from Report Assist for three years, but would like to get back in to reports I saved at the time. In view of your last paragraph, ComputingData, is there a way of being reminded of a password, which I have forgotten ? People have changed at my school, so there may be noone there who remembers. Would a password have been logged anywhere else other than at my school ?

[laserblazer]

I've sent tou a PM

[ComputingData]

Hiyawatha: The password usually used for ReportAssist was 'domino', the admin password was 'shine'. The turtle.mbd file was a passworded MS-Access database - the password is either 'merlin27' or 'lancelot' (there may be more, but MS-Access uses XOR password encryption and it takes only 30 seconds to figure it out in your head!).

 

I think, but I'm not to sure that even if you changed the password, the original one still worked. If not just access teh database directly using the passwords above and look in the reports table for your work.

[Hiyawatha]

Many thanks to laserblazer and to ComputingData. I tried "domino" with instant success to enter the old files. Saved me a lot of time asking around the office etc. V. grateful.

[kaphc]

@ComputingData - quick question if you are around. We have a couple of users who are writing reports on their own laptops at home but they don't have internet access set up on them. I've downloaded Reportplus from the website onto a memory stick and installed the software for them via that. Then I've popped the school settings onto a memory stick too and loaded those.

 

The step we haven't completed is Validating the software by entering the school Licence name and the username / password because this is obviously the bit that requires the internet access. So far the teachers appear to be OK writing and saving the reports. But will the fact that we have missed out the validation step cause any problems, either with the report writing or when we come to collate all the reports together?

[ComputingData]

The validate will remove the 'watermark' on printing, it also allows you to paste OUT of the program and export to a word style file (an RTF). The validated username is the 'area' on our servers that any upload pupil file will be saved to.

 

If the computers are validated once, then they remain validated until the end of August (even without an Internet connection) - they will have a green 'lock' with a red 'lock hinge' if they are validated with no Internet.

[Hiyawatha]

ComputingData or laserblazer: I have started to get into ReportPlus. Am trying to set up a bank of my own favourite statements in each of the different subjects. So far I have been able to write in a bunch of statements, but they transfer themselves on each move to a different subject. Is there a way to open a new list for each different subject please ?

[ComputingData]

Not currently - I think you are the first to request this. You can structure the list of favourites if you like though like a 'tree'. Just right-click the list and 'insert', make it a 'heading' rather than a 'statement'. Then you can 'drag' statements into the folder by pressing SHIFT then click and hold the left mouse button above the statement then move the mouse to the folder. Then release the left mouse button and the shift key. Use CTRL if you want to copy rather than move. I'll investigate ways of expanding this so that the 'tree' could expand to a heading that is the same as the current subject or something? What do you think?

[Hiyawatha]

C/D, Many thanks - I'll try that and let u know .....

[Hiyawatha]

To ComputingData:

Your tip was extremely useful. I'm not sure I understood it completely and haven't found a way of dragging stuff around effectively yet, but I took up your idea of the tree within the statements area and found that I could simply add in the statements I wanted (my own as well), including Headings of each different subject with their own list of individual personal comments.

Many thanks for saving me hours of stress.

Not very good at working out how the Edugeek website works yet, but would like to record THANKS in large bold colour ....... Hiyawatha

[ComputingData]

no problem.

 

Are you going to the Edugeek conference in June? I will be there, so if you need some more help, take some notes about what you may want in the program and I'll try to help and/or add it.

 

-Anthony

[Hiyawatha]

Anthony, I have a confession - I am not the teacher in this household, tis 'er indoors wot is being driven slowly demented by what education is becoming these days - ticks, targets and endless bits of paper. Simply so that we can keep our heads above water, I try to supply a bit of back-up where I can. I found your website by accident - a happy accident - and it has proved invaluable in getting to grips with ReportPlus, which was handed to the school staff with no introduction, no training and no warning. "Just get on with it yourselves" they were told. So, if you're under 30 or computer friendly, you survive - if not, you have hours added to an already full workload and doing stuff of no educational benefit to the children whatsoever. It must be going on all over the country but, unlike the French, we just put up with it.

Thanks to you, I think we might be seeing the light at the end of the reports tunnel for this year. By next year, of course, Michael Gove will have changed everything once again - but by then we may have imploded .....................

[ComputingData]

I know it is getting pretty crazy, it's not just the ticks, targets and forms, but it's not just that - some Local Authoriities seem to be going either power mad or paranoid and blocking virtually all access to the Internet (for teachers!!!) unless they know about it first, even then they usually won't let them access a site that has a forum (of any kind). Some are even a bit funny about letting them access a site that has a user submittable FAQ section! A lot have bought into systems on behalf of their school - like 'caching proxy servers' that are designed to speed up Internet access, but because they have so many teachers accessing them with so many protection methods in place, turning off this proxy system leads to a dramatic increase in speed! A lot of the proxy systems are also 'buggy' in that they don't check to see if a file has been updated and cache old files - this appears to depend of the extension name of the file with executables being the worst affected. A lot are stuck with them with huge payment and support plans over a number of years - taking up all the combined technology grants from all schools in the area! Some LAs block the transfer of files over the Internet and also will not allow memory sticks to be accessed from a school computer and still expect the teacher to be able to work from home!!! It's the big brother "nanny" state gone mad. Hopefully now, there looks like a bit of sanity has arrived with the ability for some schools to be split from the LA.

 

Sorry about the rant... I should start a blog!

[Hiyawatha]

My little personal problems with reports pale into insignificance ........ Let's hope the new regime will improve things and we find that we have emerged, blinking, into the broad, sunlit uplands next year.