unicorn standalone training guideumanitoba.ca/libraries/staff/unicorn/standalone.pdfstandalone...

Unicorn StandaloneTraining Guide

DOC-STDTGEN-U

Publication Name: Unicorn Standalone Training GuidePublication Number: DOC-STDTGEN-UVersion Number: 2002First Printing: September 2002

Additional copies of this document can be downloaded from the Customer Support section of the Sirsi web site,www.sirsi.com or www.customer.dra.com.

© 2002 Sirsi Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

The processes and all the routines contained herein are the proprietary properties and trade secrets of SirsiCorporation. Except as provided by license agreement, this manual shall not be duplicated, used or disclosed for anypurpose or reason, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Sirsi Corporation. The information in thisdocument is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Sirsi Corporation.

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in sub-paragraph (b)(3) ofthe Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause in DFARS 252.227-7013.

Rights for non-DOD U.S. Government departments and Agencies are as set forth in FAR 52.227-19(c)(1,2).

Sirsi®, WebCat®, Vizion®, WorkFlows®, Unicorn®, UnicornECOLE®, UnicornOASIS®, UnicornSTILAS®, SiteSource®, DRA®, DRA Net®, Inlex®, MultiLIS®. Taos®, Taos & Design®, and JurisLink� are trademarks of SirsiCorporation.

Other product and company names herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. All titles, versions,trademarks, claims of compatibility, etc., of hardware and software products mentioned herein are the sole propertyand responsibility of the respective vendors. Sirsi Corporation makes no endorsement of any particular product forany purpose, nor claims responsibility for its operation and accuracy.

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Table of ContentsUNICORN STANDALONE .......................................................................................................................................1

OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................................1INSTALL THE STANDALONE CLIENT...........................................................................................................................1CREATE A STANDALONE CONFIGURATION.................................................................................................................4

Configure the workstation with a barcode scanner ..............................................................................................4Configure a workstation without a barcode scanner ............................................................................................6Download Screens ................................................................................................................................................6

UPDATE DELINQUENT USER FILE ..............................................................................................................................7Update Delinquent User File................................................................................................................................7

RUN THE STANDALONE CLIENT .................................................................................................................................9UPLOAD STANDALONE DATA TO THE HOST COMPUTER ..........................................................................................12

Before you begin .................................................................................................................................................12Upload Data .......................................................................................................................................................12

MOVING FILES INTO UNICORN DATABASES.............................................................................................................13Schedule the Load Standalone Transaction Report ............................................................................................14

Standalone Training Guide

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September 2002 1

Unicorn Standalone

OverviewThe purpose of Sirsi�s standalone product is to provide libraries anautomated way of logging transactions if the server is unavailable. TheStandalone utility transfers standalone data saved to the hard drive of aPC to the server. The Loadstand report applies the transaction files to theUnicorn database. A workstation must be configured in advance to use asa standalone workstation.

Install the Standalone ClientTo install the standalone client, the following file must be installed:

upd_ws.exe

This file is part of the Unicorn installation CD. To install the file followthese steps:

1. Login to WorkFlows at the administrative level.

2. From the menu, select Command, then All Wizards.

3. Select the UPDATE_STANDALONE wizard. This wizarddownloads the standalone client, necessary screens to providedefault information, and�if the Update Delinquency Statusreports have been run with the appropriate settings�a list ofcurrently delinquent users.


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4. Select all check boxes, including:

� Update programs

� Update screens

� Update the list of user status

5. Select the appropriate disk drive letter using the list.

6. Click OK.

7. Enter the User ID of the workstation user, and click OK.

For example, If your library policy name is MAIN, the genericCirc login is probably MAINCIRC. If your library policy nameis DEWEY, the generic Circ login is probably DEWEYCIRC.

8. A series of Download screen windows display, asking, �Is thedrive ready?� Each time you see one of these windows, clickYes.

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9. When the download is complete, the following confirmationwindow displays. Click OK to close the window.

10. The Update Standalone Utility: Main window displays. ClickCancel to close this window.

11. Open Windows Explorer to access the C drive.

a. To open Windows Explorer, click Start, then Programs. Youshould see Windows Explorer listed. If you are usingWindows 2000, click Start, Programs, Accessories.

b. Click Windows Explorer.

12. Locate, and click drive C on the left side of the screen.

13. The upd_ws.exe file will be in the list of files displayed onthe right. Double-click upd_ws.exe to install the client. Thisopens an install shield similar to the one used for WorkFlows.

Note Verify this is upd_ws.exe, not wpd_wf.exe.

14. Sirsi recommends that you answer Next to all questions andaccept the defaults. By default, this installs Standalone into aProgram Files/Sirsi/Standalone folder. The install shield alsocreates a shortcut for Standalone on your computer�s Desktop.

15. When the Standalone Client has successfully installed, clickFinish.


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Create a Standalone ConfigurationCreating a configuration is part of the initial installation of Standalone ona workstation. You do not need to repeat this step, unless you need tochange the configuration settings listed in step 5 below.

Configure the workstation with a barcode scanner1. Open Windows Explorer to access the C drive.

2. Go to the Program Files/Sirsi/Standalone folder, and double-click the file, pcconfig.exe.

To locate the Standalone folder

a. Open Windows Explorer. Click drive C on the left of thescreen.

b. The contents of drive C are listed on the right side of yourscreen. Locate, and double-click Programs.

c. Locate, and double-click Sirsi, then Standalone.

d. Refer to these instructions any time this document asks youto access the Program Files/Sirsi/Standalone directory.

3. Select a workstation configuration command. At installation,you should use Create by typing c and pressing ENTER.

4. Specify the drive to use for maintaining the standalone log file.Type c or other designated drive in the space displayed. PressENTER.

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5. Answer y to Does the workstation have a barcode reader.This prompts a series of questions concerning your barcodereader. Answer based on documentation provided for yourbarcode reader. Questions are as follows:

� How is the reader connected to the workstation

� Reader speed

� Reader parity

� Reader start character

� Reader send character

� How many characters are in the barcode

� How many characters should be skipped

� How many characters should be kept

� Does the barcode have a check digit

� Do you want to add a barcode

6. Answer the remaining questions by typing either y (yes), or n(no) and pressing ENTER.

� Does the workstation have a receipt printer?

Note The use of a receipt printer with Standalone is not currentlyimplemented.

� Will dates use the European format?

� Do you want to save these modifications?

7. Type Exit or e to exit system and press ENTER.


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Configure a workstation without a barcode scanner1. Follow steps 1-4 from �Configuring a workstation with a

barcode scanner.�

2. Answer n to Does the workstation have a barcode reader.

3. Answer the remaining questions by typing either y (yes), or n(no) and pressing ENTER.

� Does the workstation have an OCR reader?

� Does the workstation have a receipt printer?

Note The use of a receipt printer with Standalone is not currentlyimplemented.

� Will dates use the European format?

� Do you want to save these modifications?

4. Type Exit or e to exit system and press ENTER.

Download ScreensThe screens necessary to run Standalone are stored in the sdl.out file.

1. Access drive C. The sdl.out file is located in the list of files onthe C drive.

2. Copy and paste the sdl.out file to the directory folder wherestandalone was installed. The default folder is:

Program Files/Sirsi/Standalone

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Update Delinquent User FileOne option of the UPDATE_STANDALONE wizard is to download alist of delinquent users to the local standalone directory. This is anoptional feature to be performed at the discretion of your library.

By using patron delinquency information in the Standalone Workstationclient, staff can immediately determine whether to discharge an item to apatron.

An Output Options setting in the Update User Delinquency Status Report(or the Update Select User Delinquency Status Report) creates this list.Downloading the file provides the standalone client and workstationoperator information regarding delinquent users while standalone is inuse. This prevents some transactions from failing when the standalonedata log files are loaded onto the Unicorn server.

The Update User Delinquency Status and the Update Select UserDelinquency Status reports include an output option called �GenerateList of Delinquent Users.� This option prompts the user to choosewhether to produce a file of delinquent users.

Update Delinquent User FileTo promote efficiency of library operations, and keep the delinquencyfile accurate, Sirsi recommends that you run UPDATE_STANDALONEon a regular basis at each workstation.

1. Log in to WorkFlows.

2. Select Command, then All Wizards from the menu.

3. Select the UPDATE_STANDALONE wizard.

4. Clear the Update Screens checkbox. The only check box thatshould be selected is Update the List of User Status. Select theappropriate drive for the update from the list.

5. Click OK.

6. Click Yes on the Download User Status List window.

7. A confirmation window displays, click OK to close the message.


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8. Click Cancel to close the Update Standalone Utility window.

9. Open Windows Explorer and locate the C drive. Thedumpdate and delinq files will be in the list of files on the Cdrive.

10. Copy these files to the directory folder where standalone wasinstalled (Program Files/Sirsi/Standalone, pg. 4). These willreplace old dumpdate and delinq files.

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Run the Standalone ClientThe following conditions apply to the standalone workstation:

� The workstation can only record activities based on thecommands that it can perform.

� The standalone workstation must have either an item ID orcall number/copy, and/or a user ID.

� The standalone workstation cannot search or displayinformation from the Unicorn database about items or users,since the workstation is temporarily disconnected from thehost computer where all information is stored.

� Data recorded by the standalone workstation will be copiedfrom the standalone hard drive to the host computer by thesystem administrator, and the host computer will then try toperform each recorded transaction as if a library operatorwere at a regular workstation. Errors result when an activityrecorded at a standalone workstation would have beenblocked or would otherwise fail when done in a real Unicorndatabase.

1. Open the Standalone shortcut on the PC�s Desktop.

2. Press ENTER at the Login command line.


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3. Enter the User Access and Library.

4. To make everything due on the same date, TAB to the defaultdue date field and type a date using the format MM/DD/YYYY.

-OR-

Leave blank to calculate the due date at the time standalonetransactions are loaded. Press ENTER to complete the login.

4. Use the following keys or key combinations to perform functionswithin the standalone client:

F5 Charge Item

F6 Discharge Item

F7 Renew Item

CTRL+E Return to the command line

5. To exit the standalone client, press CTRL+E to return to thecommand line, type HALT, press the spacebar, then pressENTER.

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Standalone Screen ExamplesF5 - Charging Items in Standalone

F6 - Discharging Items in Standalone

F7 - Renewing Items in Standalone


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Upload Standalone Data to the Host ComputerWhen the server is online, you need to update standalone data from eachstandalone workstation to the host computer. To upload the recorded datafrom the standalone workstation to the host computer, follow the stepsbelow.

Before you beginThe Log file contains all of your standalone transactions. This file mustbe moved (not copied) from the Program Files/Sirsi/Standalone directoryto the C drive.

1. Drag or cut and paste the Log file from the Standalone folder tothe C drive.

2. Open the Utility toolbar.

Upload Data

1. Select the Standalone Upload Utility wizard . TheStandalone Utility: Main window displays.

2. If applicable, select the library that created the Log file.

3. Using the gadget, select the Log file location where the data willbe uploaded.

Drop-down listappears only for multi-library systems If you

are a single library,your library name

should appear. If itdoes not, contact the

Helpdesk.

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4. Click Load to upload data. Select Cancel to cancel the procedurewithout uploading data.

The following prompt displays in the Standalone UtilityConfirmation step:Is diskette ready?

5. Click Yes to confirm that the disk is ready. The standalone datais uploaded.

On a single-library system6. Go to the server. Go to Sirsi/Unicorn/Standalone. (This will be

on the D drive on an NT server.) Move the log file from C to thedirectory under ../Standalone that matches the library that madethe log file.

Moving Files into Unicorn DatabasesTo complete the processing of standalone data and to update the Unicorndatabases, use the Load Standalone Transactions Report to take thetransaction files and apply them to the database.

The Load Standalone Transaction Report moves the standalonetransactions from the workstation to the Unicorn Database.

This report will consolidate, concatenate, and sort the transactions bydate. The report includes both, failed transactions and successful loads.The number of logs printed will be twice the number of failedtransactions because both the request and response are logged by thisreport. If a corrupt file causes the Load Standalone Transactions report toterminate, a warning message is included in the report log.


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Schedule the Load Standalone Transaction Report

The workstation server must be running to schedule and run this report,or the report will fail. Do not halt the workstation server until the reportdisplays on the finished list.

1. Open the Reports toolbar.

2. Select the Schedule New Reports wizard . The defaultproperties screen for new reports may appear. If so, accept thedefaults by clicking OK.

3. If the Load Standalone Transactions report is not displayed in theTemplates tab, click the Admin tab. Select the Load StandaloneTransaction report.

4. Click Schedule. The Load Standalone Transaction report doesnot require any selections to be made. Select the Schedulebutton only to run the report.

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5. Verify Basic Information and click Schedule.

6. Select your Scheduling and Distribution options. Accept thedefaults (or make desired edits) and click OK.

7. Review the confirmation window message, and click Close.


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To view the completed report

1. Click the Finished Reports wizard (once again, the defaultproperties screen for new reports may appear. If it does, acceptthe defaults by clicking on OK).

2. Highlight the Load Standalone Transactions Report on theFinished Report list and click View.

3. Accept the defaults and click OK.

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The report will open in the word processing application designated byyour report properties. Failed transactions display in the report. For moredetailed information about this report, consult the online help in Unicorn.

Note Once transactions have been uploaded and files have been movedinto the Unicorn databases, you should remove the standalone transactionlog file from each workstation, which can be located directly under the Cdrive.

Sample Log from a Load Standalone TransactionsReport

Report Log for Standalone Transactions LoadedReport 'loadstand' scheduled as 'Load Standalone Transactions'Load standalone transactions.UNICORN application program interface server v2000 started on Wednesday, June 21,2000, 4:32 PM Transactions will be read from standard input. Reply transactions will be written to standard output. Error requests and responses will be logged in /r/sirsi/Unicorn/Standalone. History logging of requests will be in /r/sirsi/Unicorn/Logs/Hist. No system logging will be done. 1 transaction(s) read. 0 transaction(s) failed.UNICORN application program interface server finished on Wednesday, June 21, 2000,4:32 PM


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