Here are some of the questions which we regularly receive. If you are just getting ready to install Cadet Records Manager, try our Before You Install suggestions. If you have installed Cadet Records Manager, but are just starting to use it, see our suggestions on what to do before using Cadet Records Manager for the first time.You may also want to check out our Additional Suggestions for using Cadet Records Manager. If your questions are not answered on these pages, or below in the FAQs, please contact us.
1. I cannot view the Reports. When I click on the Process Reports command button, I see a message that the system cannot find MS Access.
You do not have MS Access installed on your system, or your system does not have the file associations set correctly for Access databases.While you can use the CRM programs, you will not not be able to view any reports until MS Access is installed on your system.
2. During installation, I received a message that Windows XP would not replace a file because it is protected. What should I do?
You can safely ignore this message and continue with the installation. Your system has a version of this file which is newer than the one that is in our installation package, and Windows is correctly refusing to allow an older version to be installed. CRM will run correctly with the newer version of this file.
3. Is there a limit on the number of awards (or activities, courses, promotions, merits, or supply items) that I can associate with one student?
No. Cadet Records Manager uses a true relational database, which allows you to associate as many detail records as you wish with a single student personnel record.
4. Can I add our own local Activities, Awards, Courses, and Supply Items?
Yes, you can. Be sure to create an ID value for each one that will be easily recognizable. For Activities and Courses, we recommend that you use the LET level as the last character of the Activity or Course ID value, such as AdvTrg1 and AdvTrg2. This will permit easy recognition of different versions from the drop down lists in the grid screens. To add supply items, you must use a supply category which already exists in the database. If the item is not within one of the standard supply issue areas, use the Local Item category. If you are entering several of the same type of items, such as several jackets with different sizing, note that the Supply Item Description field must be exactly the same for each of these. If not exactly the same, then you will have more than one entry in the Item drop-down list on the Student Supply Issue grid screen. We suggest that you create the first new item, then copy the description using the Ctrl-C keys. Then click on New to create the second item, and when your cursor is in the description field of the new item, use the Ctrl-V keys to paste in the description.
5. I entered a student’s ID number incorrectly, but did not discover this until after adding detail records for this student. Can I change the ID number without losing the detail records?
Yes, you can. Simply retrieve that student’s current record using the Search screen, and change the ID number in the ID field. When you click on Update, Cadet Records Manager will warn you that you are attempting to change the ID value, and that this change will affect all of the detail records. Click on Yes to confirm the change, and all of the detail records will also be changed to the new student ID number.
6. During installation, I received a message that a file was in use and the installation could not be performed. What caused this?
This includes messages such as "File in Use - storage.dll or compobj.dll" then "Application error - call to undefined dynalink". When you install a Windows-based program, it tries to install all of the supporting Windows files that it requires. In many cases, those files already exist on your system. However, they must not be in use during the installation process. You should exit from all other programs before attempting to install Cadet Records Manager. This includes programs which are started automatically when you start up your system, especially MS Office. As soon as Cadet Records Manager is installed, you can use any other program once again. If you are using Office 95 or Office 97, you probably have the Office toolbar on your desktop. Close it, and then start the installation again. If you are on Windows 3.x, press Ctrl-Esc keys to see the Task window. Select the entry for Office with a single click, then click on the End Task button. After the installation is completed, you should exit from Windows and restart to cause the Office software to start up once again.
7. I want to use my own Order numbers, but Cadet Records Manager uses the year value for the first 4 characters.
You do not have to use the year value, however, you must use 4 digits instead. You may not use alpha characters. When you use your own sequence, you will not have the advantage of having Cadet Records Manager provide you with the next sequence number to be used. If you use your own, the sequence numbers must be increasing, or Cadet Records Manager will not be able to correctly determine the Current Rank for each student. The order numbers are sorted by character sequence.For this reason, we also recommend that you do not use year values such as "9798", as this will cause problems when the year 2000 arrives (and you then use "0001" as the year value, which is "less" than "9798").
8. When I changed to another tab screen on the Student Information & Reports program, I received a message indicating that the data I just entered has been discarded. What caused this?
On the grid screens (for student detail records), you must move the mouse cursor off of the grid row to cause the values to be saved to the database. The easiest way to do this is to use the Tab key to tab past the end of the row. You can also click the mouse in any other row of the grid. If you do not leave the row in which you made the changes, the changes will be discarded because they have not been saved to the database. If you click on the Refresh button, you will receive a message asking if you want to save your changes.
9. If I go into the Award Order set up screen and change the Order Date for an existing Order which has already been used on student detail records, will the new Order Date show on the student detail records?
Yes. Cadet Records Manager uses a true relational database design, which ensures that data is entered only once and stored in only one location. Any changes made to that data are visible to all parts of the program.
10. A student has dropped out of our JROTC program. Should I delete that student’s records?
That depends. If the student dropped out very quickly, then deleting is probably wise. But if the student stayed only one term and then dropped out, archiving is the better way to go. For archiving, you should enter the Drop Date using the Activation History button on the main Student Info screen. Complete the Final Evaluation screen if appropriate. That will make that student’s records available for archiving. Note that once the drop date field contains an entry, this student will no longer appear on any of the roster reports or any of the "All Records" reports. Therefore, do not enter a future drop date for currently active students. After archiving the dropped student’s records, you will still be able to access that information using the Archive Database reports. You will also have the option of re-activating the student’s information in the event that he/she returns to the JROTC program later on.
11. I already have a database (or spreadsheet or word-processing document) with cadet information. Can I load this information into Cadet Records Manager’s database?
Theoretically, yes. However, you must ensure that all of the data meets the stringent requirements that Cadet Records Manager enforces when you enter data through our programs. This includes proper length and formatting of the various data items, supplying values for all required fields, ensuring that ID values are unique, etc. This requires considerable technical expertise, knowledge of the design of the Cadet Records Manager database, and expertise in creating custom Append/Update queries in MS Access. Therefore, we recommend that you do not attempt this yourself. We cannot support you if you load data into Cadet Records Manager any other way than entering data through our programs. Please call us if you wish to discuss this issue in more detail.
12. We have more than one computer in our program. Can we use Cadet Records Manager on more than one computer?
Yes and no. You have purchased a single-user license, which allows you to use Cadet Records Manager on a single machine. Cadet Records Manager is designed as a single-user product, and does not support multiple, concurrent users. However, we do allow you to install the programs and database files on a network disk drive which is accessible by more than one computer. If you do this, two users cannot access/update the same record at the same time. To use CRM on a network, generally you will not install Cadet Records Manager on the second system, but only create shortcut icons which point to Cadet Records Manager programs on the shared disk drive on the first system. (There are some cases where this will not work. If that occurs, please call us for assistance.) If you have two systems which are NOT networked, and you install CRM on both systems, you will then have 2 completely separate databases, and there is no way to merge updates from both systems. Therefore, for non-networked systems, you should limit data entry to only one system, and make the second system an inquiry-only system for Cadet Records Manager. Make a backup of the database on the data entry system, and use it do a database restore on the other system. If you have questions about multiple copies of Cadet Records Manager, please call us first, to avoid losing data.
13. Cadet Records Manager runs very slowly on my system. What can I do to correct this?
There may be several reasons for slow performance. You may have insufficient system resources because you are running other programs at the same time. You may have less memory in your system than we recommend. Adding additional memory to your system generally will result in a very noticeable performance improvement, because Cadet Records Manager is a fairly large program. We recommend at least 16MB of memory, and at least a 486DX-66 processor.
14. I accidentally dragged the slider bar on the Calendar Control of a date field, and now it shows a year value about 2 centuries into the future. What should I do?
Press the Escape key on your keyboard to discard any changes you have made in the graphical portion of the Calendar Control. Unfortunately, the Calendar Control does not allow us to set limits for how many years go by when you drag the slider bar, and it is extremely difficult to go to a specific year using the slider bar. Use the F1 key to view the Help book when you are running Cadet Records Manager, and go to the information on how to use the Calendar Control for more hints about using this control.
15. Is Cadet Records Manager Year-2000 Compliant?
We believe that it is. All date calculations are computed using Microsoft Windows’ built-in functions, and Microsoft claims that these functions are Year-2000 compliant. We will monitor this situation as time goes on to ensure that all date calculations are correct. HOWEVER, you must set your system to require 4-digit year values. Bear in mind, also, that some older systems' BIOS may or may not properly handle the year 2000. Since software programs may use the system's date, this may cause problems.
16. I just entered a new promotion for a student, but when I returned to the Student Information tab screen, the Current Rank/Assignment field did not show the new value. Why not?
When you enter a new detail record on a grid screen, you must commit (save) that change by going to another grid row. If you failed to do this, the change you entered was not saved, and would not appear on the Student Information tab screen.
17. I want to enter historical orders to be able to enter a complete history for my fourth year students. How can I make Cadet Records Manager provide automatic order numbering for other years?
Use the Organization Information Set Up screen, and change the Order Year Value field. This value is used as the year value in the automatic order number sequencing. Be sure to reset it to the current year when you are finished entering historical data.
18. I need to search cadet records to find parents’ names. Does Cadet Records Manager allow me to do this?
Not directly. There is currently no function within the programs to allow this. We have noted your request, and will consider providing a general search by any field capability in a future upgrade In the meantime, if you know how to create queries and reports in MS Access, you can create your own custom searches.
19. Can the supply item prices be updated automatically?
Not at the current time. We are investigating the possibility of automatic updates directly from your ArmyLog CDs for a future upgrade.
20. Why don't some of the student records appear on reports?
Any student record in which the drop date field of the Activation History contains a value will not show on the Roster reports or any of the "All Records" reports. For this reason, we suggest that you do not enter a date, even a future date, in the drop date field of the Activation History until the student has actually dropped from the program or graduated.
21. I created an Award (or Promotion) order, and have created student detail records which use this order. But when I try to print the Award (or Promotion) order, no data appears except '#Error'. What am I doing wrong?
When you choose the Award (or Promotion) Order report icon on the Report Launcher screen, a box appears which asks you to enter the order number. You must enter the entire order number, such as '1997-A001'. If you do not enter the entire order number exactly, the report will have no data.
