PC Checkout User GuideVersion 3.0 – 3.10+

ContentsI. Overview, Limitations & System RequirementsII. Checkout StationIII. SentinelIV. Remote Control ModuleV. Live MonitorVI. Setup / configuration filesVII. Special featuresVIII. TroubleshootingIX. FAQ

I. Overview of the PC Checkout System

The PC Checkout System is an application suite (currently free) designed primarily for use in small to medium sized public libraries. The Checkout Station handles the sign-up process for public access computers, controls user time limits, and manages a reservation queue. The Remote Control Module lets staff administer the system from any computer on the local network. The Sentinel client programs control access at the individual computer stations. The system is highly configurable and customizable, right down to the colors used in the display. Depending on the setup, your library’s public access computers can fully manage themselves – no more sign-up sheets!

Note: PC Checkout requires installation of the free program PowerOff (by Jorgen Bosman, included in the PC Checkout System installation packages) on Sentinel client stations for full functionality. This program runs as a service. HideGUI, developed by Scott Vermeersch, is included with the Sentinel program as a means to hide various desktop elements; this program does not need to be installed separately.

It is highly recommended that you include other security software, such as DriveShield/Deep Freeze, Fortres, etc. or comparable group policies, on both the sign-up station and the public computer stations that the PC Checkout system will be managing, in order to lockdown the desktop. At a minimum, the Start Menu and Task Manager need to be disabled, and patrons should not be able to view or modify files stored on the hard drive.

Limitations

The following features are not currently implemented in the PC Checkout System:

Ability to sign up at an open station without first signing up at the checkout station

Advance reservations (beyond the current day) Online reservations (if they need to come to the library to use the Internet,

how can they sign up from home?) Integrated print management Ability to reserve a specific station (experience shows this to be a bad idea)

System Requirements

All PC Checkout system components require a Windows™ - based PC. One computer is required for use as the checkout station, while the Sentinel and RCM modules run on existing public and staff computers. For reliable operation, at least a 500Mhz processor and 128MB RAM are recommended for the sign-up station, running Windows™ NT, 2000 or XP. Various PC Checkout components have been tested with Windows ™ 95, NT, 2000 and XP.

II. Checkout Station

There are six components to the main screen of the PC Checkout Station:

At the top of the screen are a logo panel for your library’s name, and a clock (updates on the second).

At the bottom of the screen are the Account Info, Wait For a Station, and Help buttons.

The main portion of the screen is the Status Grid. This displays information on all managed computer stations including their name, current status, time checked out, and time due. It will also display patron names for stations that are on-hold.

When a patron clicks on a station, they may be given the opportunity to check out that station, or place a reserve on that type of station, depending on the current status of the station selected, and provided their card passes all validation tests. If you use the Live Monitor add-on, card numbers will be checked against your patron database. If you designate stations or programs as requiring validation for Internet access, card numbers are checked against a second validation file. Temporary cards* may be issued to visitors and will allow full computer access. (Live Monitor versions have been developed for use with SIRSI Unicorn WorkFlows, DRA classic, and Dynix; versions can be created for any telnet-based database; SQL integration is being researched).

* A note regarding temporary cards: these are not checked against any validation files, and may consist of any number format. It may be helpful to make their format similar to your library’s barcode format, but this is not necessary. You may also find barcode generator software useful in creating barcodes for temporary cards.

Checkout Station – main screen

When a patron clicks on the Account Info button, then enters their card number, they can view their time usage and account status, or delete a reserve they have placed. Clicking on Wait For a Station” will initiate the reservation process. Clicking on the Help button displays a Help text screen, which staff can edit as needed.

Note: the main program cannot be closed unless a.) it is closing time, in which case the program shuts down automatically, b.) a staff member shuts the station down remotely, or c.) the public is allowed access to Task Manager.

General Usage

Patrons can check out any station that is listed as “Available” by clicking on the station, entering their library card number (and PIN, if enabled). They receive a 2-digit Access Code, which will “wake up” the station they have checked out.

Patrons are informed of any failures in the checkout process, due to invalid card numbers, fined, etc.

When a station has been checked out, its status changes to "Checked Out" until the patron signs on at the actual station - then, the status changes to “In Use.”

When a station has been in use for longer than the associated checkout time limit, it becomes “Overdue.”

When a patron attempts to check out a station that is in use, and all of the stations of that type are in use, they will be given the opportunity to place a reserve on that type of station. They can also use the “Wait For a Station” button to do so directly.

If Priority Reservations are enabled, new reservations will be added to the reserve queue in order based on the amount of time already used today by that patron.

Reservations in the reserve queue are filled in order, as soon as a station of the corresponding type becomes available or overdue.

Reservations may be made in advance (for the current day only) if Scheduled Reservations are enabled.

Stations closed for service will not respond.

III. PC Checkout Sentinel

The PC Checkout Sentinel is a program that runs on public computer stations (clients) that can be checked out using the PC Checkout sign-up station. The Sentinel screen contains information on the current status of the client, a log-on / log-off button, and buttons which launch the various applications available on the client. (Note: Although the Sentinel is limited to launching 8 programs, one or more of these could be menu-type programs that then provide access to additional program choices. A “file browser” program, allowing access to floppy drives, CD-ROM drives, USB drives and more have already been developed.)

When a station is available (not in use), the Sentinel will be “Sleeping.” After a patron checks the station out, the button becomes active and the text will change to “Sign In.” If the station is put on hold, the text changes to “On hold for patron name.” After entering the correct access code, the log on button will change to a log off button, and the application launch buttons will become enabled (as shown in the screenshot). When the patron is finished, clicking on the “Log Off” button will check-in the station and reboot it (if so configured), possibly putting it on hold for another patron.

While the Sentinel is “logged on,” an unobtrusive bar will appear at the top right corner of the screen, indicating the amount of time left for the current user session. If less than five minutes are left (this can be adjusted), the time bar will begin flashing red and green to warn patrons that the session is almost up, and that they need to save their work, etc. before their time expires and their computer reboots.

The Sentinel also displays informational messages, including up to five configurable time-left warnings and a daily limit warning, and that they should request a time extension if necessary.

IV. PC Checkout Remote Control Module

The PC Checkout Remote Control Module is used to handle all of the various administrative tasks required to manage the PC Checkout system. This includes remote check-in, closing, and rebooting of Sentinel stations, temporary card and authorized card management, user messages, reservation viewing / modification (in development), and station control as described below.

To add / remove a card number from the list of patrons validated for Internet access, click the [Authorize] button. Applications designated as using the control file will only be available if the card number checked out to that station has been validated against this list. You can un-authorize a card by entering a – (dash) before the number.

To issue a temporary card, click the [Temp Card] button. Patrons using temporary cards will have access to all programs available on the client stations, but will still be subject to session time limits. Temporary cards “expire” after one use, but the same number may be reactivated an infinite number of times. Temporary cards are not checked against any validation files or patron databases. Temporary cards are not affected by daily time limits.

To view the reserve queue, click the [View Reserves] button. This will display a grid with reservation position numbers, card numbers, Internet availability, reservation code, on-hold names, station type requested, and earliest time. (Future updates may include the ability to remotely modify reserves in the queue.)

To remove a reserve (requires patron card number), click the [Rem. Reserve] button.

To reset a patron’s daily time limit, click the [Reset Time] button. Please note: this resets a patrons daily timer to 0, which may result in their reserves taking priority over other patrons who have actually used less time that day.

To enter a message to display to a user the next time they log on, click the [Messages] button. You can enter both a title and the message text. Once a message has been shown to a user, it is removed from the corresponding message file. A record is made in the log file that the message was displayed.

To add/remove a card number from the list of banned users, click the [Block User] button. Banned users have no computer access using the system. You can un-block a user by entering a – (dash) before the number. Note: re-authorizing a card number will NOT remove it from the blocked user list!

If your system administrator has enabled debugging, you can turn debugging mode on or off by clicking the [Toggle Debug] button. WARNING: turning on debugging mode can result in extremely large log files!

The Remote Control Module displays the current status of all stations managed by the Checkout Station. Status information is updated in real-time, whenever the status of a station changes. Responses from the Checkout station, to commands sent from the Remote Control Module, are usually received immediately.

Clicking on an individual station (in the Status Grid) will present additional, station-specific options:

To remotely clear a station that is closed for service, click [Clear Station].

To clear a station that is currently on hold, click [Clear Hold].

To extend the time-due on a station by 10, 30 or 60 minutes, click [Extend Time].

To remotely close a station for service, click [Service Station]. To remotely check-in a station, click [Check-in Station]. To remotely reboot a station without changing its status, click

[Reboot Station].

Note that the current access or reservation code, patron card number, and on-hold name are also shown on this screen.

Special Administrator RCM Features

If you need to shut down the checkout system before closing time – perhaps for severe weather or a holiday closing, or while testing the system – it is possible to force a system shutdown. Click the “Authorize” button, and type in (case sensitive): ShutDown

It is also possible to reboot the checkout station from the RCM module. This can be useful if you’ve made a change to the configuration file, and don’t want to wait until the next day for the changes to go into effect. Click the “Authorize” button, and type in (case sensitive): Reboot

V. Live Monitor add-on

The Live Monitor add-on can be used to check the current status of a patron's account at the time of checkout. For example, with SIRSI Workflows / WebCat, the Live Monitor can validate a checkout attempt against a patron's account status, expiration date, and PIN. With DRA Classic, it can determine the current card status only.

Some of the account statuses recognized by the Live Monitor add-on include:

OK Delinquent Blocked Barred Expired Previous card (DRA version)

Please see the separate instructions for setting up the Live Monitor client station if you are including this in your system, as the Live Monitor add-on is customized for each location.

VI. Setup / Configuration

Installation of the PC Checkout System components is minimally invasive. By default, no changes are made to the system registry. Configuration data is stored in a local INI file (future updates may include the ability to store this information in the registry).

Important note regarding configuration files:

You may not use the pound symbol (#) when specifying values in the configuration files. The (#) symbol is interpreted as a special character by the Checkout, Sentinel, and RCM programs and can result in errors in both the display and time calculations.

Checkout Station - Installation & Setup

To install the main PC Checkout Station program, run “PCCSetup.exe”

Program settings for the checkout station can be stored either in the registry or in a configuration file. The program will first look for settings in the registry, then in the configuration file; however, the program will not read information from both locations.

To configure the checkout station using the INI file, manually edit the CHECKOUT.INI file located in the CONTROL sub-folder of the installation folder.

Configuration Settings

Note: True/False (T/F) settings can be entered either as the words True or False, or as the numbers 1 or 0, respectively.

[License] INI section: License: enter your license number here User: enter your user name here

[Main] INI section: NumberOfStations: this is the number of computers you wish to manage MainTitle: this text is displayed at the top of the main checkout screen and

identifies your library DailyLimit: this is the maximum number of minutes that a patron may use

the computers during one day UsePin: (T/F) set this to true if your Live Monitor version includes PIN

recognition.

UseLiveMonitor: (T/F) if you are using the Live Monitor add-on, enable this option

UseBigForms: (T/F) enable this feature if you are using an operating system (such as Windows XP™) which uses larger than normal form components (default scheme), and certain forms (such as card number entry, PIN entry) look “strange”

PatronPrivacy: (T/F) set this option to True if you do not want identifiable patron information (card numbers, names) to be recorded in the daily log files

UseValidation: (T/F) set this option to True if you want to require Internet users to have their cards validated in the PC Checkout system; setting this to False will grant all users Internet access

AllowTimeExtensions: (T/F) set this option to True if patrons can request additional time from desk staff

DailyMinuteLimit: set this to the maximum number of minutes users *should* have in one day; set to 0 (zero) or a very high number (i.e. 5000) for no limit; this value coordinates with the EnablePriorityReserves option.

DailyLimitBlock: (T/F) set this option to True if patrons may not use the computers any longer after reaching their daily limit

MsgBoxDelay: set this option to the number of seconds the OK button should be delayed on pop-up messages (reduces chances of patrons “missing” their access code) – to disable, set to 0 (zero) (recommended: 1 or 2 seconds)

PrintReceipt: (T/F) set this option to True if you have a receipt printer set up as the default printer at the checkout station; you may add a header to your receipts by creating a text file named “RCTMSG.TXT” in the CONTROL folder; receipts will contain the date/time, card number, and access/reservation code

AskFor1: (text) this option is included if you wish to change the text on the card entry form (one library preferred using PIN’s only instead of card numbers) (default: “Please enter your”)

AskFor2: (text) “ “ (default: “library card number.”) ReceiptBlankLines: (integer >= 0) acts as an additional line feed at the

end of printed receipts NoKioskMode: (T/F) If this is set to True, the Checkout program will run in a

window (not full-screen), and closing the window will close the program; use this if you decide to have staff handle the computer checkout process. (Default: False)

ShowDirections: (T/F) If set to true, the Directions text will be shown at the end of the checkout process

[Warnings] section:

NumberOfWarnings: (between 0 and 5) You can specify up to three “time’s almost up” warnings at a given number of minutes remaining

Warning1 through Warning5: number of minutes remaining at which to send a warning message to the user that they only have _ minutes remaining; each warning will trigger separately

[RemoteControl] section:

AutoShutdown: (T/F) this determines whether or not the stations will be powered off at closing time (recommended: True)

EnablePoweroff: (T/F) this determines whether or not the client computers will automatically reboot/logoff when a session ends (out of time, daily limit, holds waiting, etc.) (recommended: True)

AllowCancel: (T/F) if this set to true, users will be able to cancel the automatic logoff features (recommended: False, except during testing & setup)

PoweroffPassword: set this text to the password used when installing the Poweroff service on your public stations.

ShutDownTimer: this is the amount of time, in minutes, that users will have to finish their work when the checkout system shuts down at the end of the day (regardless of the time left in their current session)

TimeUpAction: (1/2) set this to 1 to have stations reboot when checked in, or set to 2 to have stations log off instead.

PowerOffDelay: this is the amount of time, in minutes, that a patron will have to finish their work before the station reboots for a hold or when a daily time limit is reached after their computer time has completely expired (reboot countdown timer)

[Ports] section: (change these if necessary or if your network settings require other port numbers to be used)

RCMPort: this is the port number for the RCM program (default 5001) SentinelPort: this is the port number for the client Sentinel programs

(default 5002) LiveMonitorPort: this is the port number for the Live Monitor add-on

(default 5003) PoweroffPort: this is the port number for the PowerOff remote control

program (default 3210)

[Colors] section:

Note on color values: these must be entered as decimal Windows color values. To convert from a hex RGB color value, re-order the hex digits as BGR, and convert to decimal format. Example: to convert hex color value F1AB23, re-order the digits as 23ABF1, and use a scientific calculator (Windows ™ has a built-in calculator) to convert to a decimal number: 2337777. An online color converter

such as http://www.draac.com/colorconvert.html may be helpful in choosing and converting colors.

Buttons: the color of the oval-shaped buttons on the main screen Panels: the background color of most fixed-text boxes Main: the background color of the main checkout screen Header: the color of the headings on the Status Grid

[Reservations] section:

EnablePriorityReserves: (T/F) enabling this feature will insert new reserves into the reserve queue in order based on the amount of time already used today

EnableScheduledReserves: (T/F) this setting allows users to enter a time along with their reservation. The time they enter will be the earliest time that their reserve can be filled. For example, a scheduled reservation with a time of 5:00 will remain in the queue, unfilled, until some time after 5:00. The reserve may not get filled at that exact time if stations are in use, or if other patrons with less time used during that day have also placed reserves. (While this feature works as advertised, it is not recommended due to the confusion it can cause if a scheduled reserve never gets filled because of the Priority Reserves feature.)

UseVoiceAnnounce: (T/F) enabling this feature will cause the sign-up station to make an audible announcement when a station gets put on hold for someone: “Attention please: Patron name: station name is now on hold for you.” (The announcement is made using a text-to-speech program called TextSound. Usage of this feature may require the installation of TextSound and the purchase of a corresponding license at a cost of approximately $30.) A chime sound will also play.

EstimateWaitingTime: (T/F) (still buggy) when set to true, patrons will be given an estimate as to how long their wait will be (at a minimum) for an available station (not recommended if allowing priority reserves, because waiting times may change drastically) (NOTE: This feature is not currently implemented!)

[ClosingTimes] section:

Sun, Mon, etc. - closing times for Sunday - Saturday in HH:MM:SS military time format. These are the times when the PC Checkout system will automatically shut down; you can set a different time for each day of the week.

[ComputerTypes] section:

NumberOfTypes: (current maximum of 5) this is the number of unique computer types that are available; for example, you might have word processing stations, Internet stations, game stations, photo stations, etc.

For each of the five available computer type definitions, there will be a section [TypeX] where X is the number of the type.

Each of these sections requires the following values:

TypeName: this type name will be displayed during the reservation process to indicate what this type of station offers.

CheckoutLimit: this is the minimum amount of time (in minutes) a patron has to use this type of station (unless the time due would be later than closing time, in which case the time due is set to closing time).

HoldLimit: this is the amount of time (in minutes) a patron has to claim a station that has been placed on hold for them before the hold expires.

UseControl: (0=never, 1=always, 2=optional/ask): determines whether the validation card file will be used when checking out or reserving this station: “never” means that Internet access is not available at this station, and there is no need to validate the card; “always” means that this station only offers Internet access, and requires a card to be in the validated card list; “optional/ask” means that both Internet and non-Internet programs are available at this station, and patrons whose cards are not validated for Internet access will be asked during the checkout or reserve process if they wish to proceed (only non-Internet programs will be available from the Sentinel interface).

CheckoutExpire: this is the amount of time (in minutes) that a patron has to sign on to a station after they have checked it out. (Recommended: 5-10 minutes, allowing time for a restroom visit.)

For each public station, there needs to be a section [StationX], where X is the number of the station. The example/default configuration file contains settings for only one station – therefore, you will need to add a section for each additional station.

Each of these sections requires the following values:

Number: a unique identifying number for each station (in the range from 1 to the number of total stations) (Usually, Station1 would have this set to 1, Station2 would have this set to 2, etc. - although this is not necessary)

Name: the station name that will be displayed on the checkout screen

Type: this type number determines rules for length of checkout, length of hold time, and checkout/hold expiration time limit (matches a Type as defined above)

Directions: this text is displayed at the end of the checkout process, and briefly tells the user where this station is located in the library

NetworkName: this is the network name of the station, used primarily for PowerOff remote reboot / shutdown calls

Note: The stations will display on-screen in the order they appear in your configuration files / registry settings; that is, [Station1] will be displayed first, then [Station2], etc. The Number entry for a particular station does not affect the display on the screen. This allows you to change the order of the computer station list, or add/remove stations, without changing any settings on the other client stations.

Sentinel - Installation & Setup

Run SentinelSetup.exe on each client station. You will also need to install the PowerOff service on each Sentinel computer as well (explained later).

To set up the Sentinel configuration, manually edit the file SENTINEL.INI, located in the CONTROL sub-folder of the Sentinel installation folder.

Note: True/False (T/F) settings can be entered either as the words “True” or “False,” or as the numbers “1” or “0”.

[Main] INI section: CheckoutStationName: this is the network name of the sign-up station

computer. Port: this is the communication port number for the Sentinel / checkout

station communication. (defult: 5002) StationNumber: this number should uniquely identify this client station, and

match the client station number in the checkout station configuration files. UseBigForms: (T/F) enable this option on Windows XP ™ stations when not

using the classic theme. UseTimeOut: if the Sentinel does not detect mouse or keyboard activity for

the given number of minutes, it will automatically check itself in; set to 0 (zero) to disable this feature (default setting is 10 minutes)

ShowCountdown: (T/F) enable this option to display the countdown timer bar at the top of the screen

FlashThreshold: (integer) set this to the number of minutes remaining at which you want the timer bar to begin flashing (default: 5)

[Colors] section:

Background: color of the main Sentinel screen (see previous color information).

Panels: background color of the text panels (see previous color information).

[Scripts] section:

Startup: full path to a program you wish to run at startup. * Logoff: full path to a program you wish to run at logoff. *

* To use a Visual Basic script file as a startup or logoff program, you must include the path for wscript.exe – for example:

“c:\winnt\system32\wscript.exe c:\path\startup.vbs”

Please note that the current card number is stored in a file called “CARDNUM.TXT” in the same folder as the SENTINEL.EXE program for your convenience.

For each of the launch buttons, there will be either a section in the INI file [ActionX], where X is the number of the action button, or a registry sub-key of the same name.

Each of these sections or sub-keys requires the following values:

ButtonText: this text is displayed on the actual button Hint: this text is displayed as a pop-up hint when the user hovers the mouse

pointer over the button CommandLine: this is the full path to the program you wish to launch

(enclose it with quotes if there are spaces in the command line) Enabled: (T/F) if this is set to false, this button will not be available to

patrons (set this value to false for unused action buttons) InternetAccess: (T/F) determines whether or not this program requires

Internet access validation

Action Button Images

Each of the Sentinel’s action buttons – the buttons that launch various programs on the public stations – has an image file associated with it. These files - prog1.bmp through prog8.bmp - correspond to action buttons 1-8, and are found in the main Sentinel installation folder. The image size is 32x32 pixels. You can create your own BMP images to use for the buttons using MSPaint or another graphics editor, or you can use existing program icons (copyright laws may apply) by utilizing a program such as HushPage’s IconFilter.

Installing the PowerOff service on Sentinel client stations

PowerOff is a free program that allows for invisible remote control - including rebooting, logging-off, and powering down - of remote client stations. The PowerOff service must be installed on all Sentinel client stations if remote control functions are enabled.

Log on with administrator privileges. Locate and run the PowerOff.exe file in your PC Checkout Sentinel

installation folder. Un-check the box for “Visible in tray.” Check the box for “Allow remote control.” Click the “Settings” button. If you wish to change the PowerOff port, you must change it on EVERY

Sentinel station managed by the PC Checkout System, and change the

setting in the Checkout Station configuration file. Be sure to use the same port on each station.

Enter a password of your choice (use the same password on all client stations!).

Under the “Service” menu, click “Create service.” Under the “Service” menu, click “Save settings to service.” Close the program

Remote Control Module Installation & Setup

Run the RCMSetup.exe installation program.

Program settings for the Remote Control Module (RCM) are stored in a configuration file.

To set up the RCM, manually edit the file REMOTE.INI, located in the CONTROL sub-folder of the RCM installation folder.

Note: The RCM program can be installed on an unlimited number of staff stations, but only 10 simultaneous connections will be acknowledged. [Main] INI section or registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PC Checkout\RCM

NumberOfStations: set this to the same number of stations specified in the checkout station configuration (setting it lower will cause the RCM program to close; setting it higher will result in extra, possibly incorrect information to be displayed)

CheckoutStationName: set this to the network name of the main checkout station.

Port: set this to the port number specified in the checkout station configuration

UseBigForms: (T/F) set this to true if you are using Windows XP™ without the “classic” settings

EnableDebugging: (T/F) setting this to true will enable the “Toggle Debug” button on the main RCM screen. (Not recommended.)

Display Settings

The Sentinel module displays at a fixed size and requires a screen resolution of at least 800x600. The Checkout and RCM modules will automatically adapt to screen sizes of 800x600 or higher. It is recommended that you try different screen resolutions to find one that matches your computer setup. (Higher screen resolutions will allow the RCM and Checkout screens to display more stations without scrollbars.)

Firewall Settings

At a minimum, you will need to allow access to the ports specified in the configuration file for each module (Sentinel, RCM, and Live Monitor) on

computers that have any of the PC Checkout System components installed. Access to the specified PowerOff port (by default, 3210) will also need to be enabled.

Special note for Windows XP™ SP2 users: In testing, the firewall installed as part of Windows XP ™ Service Pack 2 has been shown to turn itself back on even after it has been turned off in the administrator account. To completely disable the built-in firewall and prevent it from re-enabling itself, you will need to log on as an administrator, and disable the Windows Firewall / Internet Connection Sharing service.

VII. Special Features

The PC Checkout System can effectively manage public access computer stations the way Library staff desire – but with a minimum amount of staff overhead involved. Following are some of the PC Checkout System’s most useful features.

Reserves are automatically filled as soon as a station becomes overdue, or when a station gets checked in and becomes available. Scheduled reservations are filled no earlier than the time entered when the reserve is placed. By enabling Priority Reserves, new reserves will be added to the queue in order based on the amount of time already used by that card number; that way, during exceptionally busy times, patrons who have not yet used the computers during a particular day will have their reservations filled before those of patrons who have already been on the computers earlier in the day.

Access Codes ensure that only the patron who checked out a station is allowed to access that station.

Under the strictest settings, Sentinel stations will sign off and restart automatically when daily time limits are reached, or when session time limits have been reached and a reserve is filled using that station, without any way for the user to intervene.

Sentinel stations (and the checkout station) can be set to shut down automatically at closing time.

All functions (except entering a card number - which can be assisted with a barcode scanner – PIN, and name entry) are activated by a simple point-and-click interface.

Station availability is plainly visible to users. Live account status checking automatically bypasses if the Live Monitor

add-on fails or disconnects. Help screen provides simple but complete information to patrons on how to

use the program. Patrons can view their account status and time usage without staff

intervention.

Patrons are warned ahead of time that their session will be ending soon, to give them a chance to ask a staff member to extend their time.

VIII. Troubleshooting

In real-world testing, current release versions of the PC Checkout System components have displayed a low rate of failure. They have been designed to withstand problems with other components, loss of network connections, etc. The checkout station system information is continually backed up; in the event of a power failure or crash at the checkout station, the system will come back online in the same state as before. The most frequent problems observed in testing were the result of unrelated software (not part of the PC Checkout system) crashes. Some issues with network traffic delays have been eliminated in recent versions.

To recover from a freeze / lock-up / crash at the checkout station, simply reboot the computer. The system will recover and load the previous system state information. Sentinel and RCM stations will reconnect and update automatically.

Invalid grid / exception error

An incorrectly configured Checkout station may cause this error. It is also possible (though improbable) to cause this error if a.) the Checkout station crashed or was shut down improperly, and b.) the number of stations was changed before restarting the system. Force the system to do a fresh startup (edit the file STATUS.FLG in the CONTROL folder, and make sure it only has a 0 (zero) in it).

Sentinel error messages

“Another Sentinel with this ID is already active.” This means that multiple Sentinel stations have been given the same ID number, in which case you will have to change one or more of the Sentinel station configurations.

Problems with automatic reboot / shutdown

In testing, we found that issues with the Windows XP™ firewall would prevent the PowerOff commands from reaching the intended target stations. If a patron logs off, but the Sentinel program remains on screen with a message of “This station will reboot shortly,” check your firewall configuration. Even if the PowerOff command is not executed, the Sentinel will force itself to reboot or shutdown five minutes after receiving a reboot status.

Note: The Windows XP™ firewall would sometimes re-enable itself on test stations, even though DriveShield™ was installed on the computers in question. See the above information on firewalls for information on how to completely disable the Windows XP firewall.

IX. FAQ

Reserves

Q. A patron is complaining because a computer is listed as on hold for them, but someone is still using it, and they’re losing time!

A. When a station, which is currently in use, is put on hold for a patron, the current user may have several minutes (depending on configuration) in which to finish their work, before the computer restarts. The on-hold patron may be concerned that they are losing time while waiting for the previous user to finish. This is not the case, since the actual checkout period begins when the patron claims their reservation. (This behavior will be corrected in a future release.)

Q. A patron is complaining because they just got forced off of a computer for a hold, and there are stations (of the same type) available!

A. It is possible that another user simply happened to log off of their computer shortly after the other station was put on hold. A patron will never be forced off of a computer (because of a hold) if there are other stations (of the same type) available when the reserve is placed or filled.