SerialWatch Manual

Installation

Download the SerialWatch.exe file and run it.  This executable is a self extracting zip file that will execute and install script to load the SerialWatch.prc file and register the SerialWatch conduit.  Installation is straight forward.  The only thing you need to do is specify the install location.  

When you run SerialWatch.exe you will be prompted for an install location.  By default this location is C:\Program Files\SerialWatch.  Setup will load SerialWatch.prc so that it will be installed onto your Palm on the next hotsync.  The setup script will register the conduit with the Hotsync manager.

In the install directory (usually C:\Program Files\SerialWatch) you will find this manual, the license agreement and an uninstall.bat file that can be used to remove SerialWatch from your Palm desktop.   Under the subdirectory C:\Program Files\SerialWatch\install\programs, you'll find SerialWatch.prc should you need to reinstall it manually.

 

Using SerialWatch

This is the main view, it shows a list of items which you have loaded into SerialWatch.  Each item has is a record as shown in the Item View below.  You can click on the right hand column and add unstructured notes about the item.  If there are notes attached to the item, the note symbol () is displayed in this column

Tap on new to add new item.  This will bring up a blank Item View screen.
Tapping on an item in the Main View takes you to the item view.  This contains details on the item.  Chose the category and fill in the fields.  Selecting Private will hide the item when the Pilot is configured to hide secret items.

The Purchase Price and the Value can be displayed in the main view shown above in the right hand column.  

The buttons allow you to easily advance to the next record.  The hard up down buttons also do this.
This is an unstructured page for any miscellaneous notes.  You can reach this page either from the MainView by tapping in the right hand column, or through the Item View by tapping the notes button.

 

Options

This is the menu in the main view.  The preferences and set password are shown in the next few pictures.  Entering the registration key is shown in the registration section below
Under the menu in the Main View is the function to sum the value of the current category.  This gives a separate sum for the Purchase Price and the Value fields.
Under the Options menu you can set a password to protect your records.  This password will be requested each time SerialWatch is used.


The password protection for SerialWatch is does not encrypt the item records.  It only protects access to the records from someone casually browsing through your handheld.

 Lost Password:  If you forget you password you can recover your records by backing up you Palm, deleting SerialWatch and re-installing SerialWatch and its database.

  1. Hotsync you Palm handheld
  2. Locate the file wwSerialDB.pdb in you Palm users backup directory (see the backup details below).  Take a copy of this file to another location
  3. Delete SerialWatch from your handheld.
  4. Install SerialWatch.prc (from the SerialWatch install directory - C:\Program Files\SerialWatch\install\Programs) and install wwSerialDB.pdb.
  5. Hotsync your Palm

 

Desktop Export and Hotsync 

During Hotsync the SerialWatch conduit exports all your serialwatch records to a comma separated values (CSV) file.  This file is found in the serialwatch directory of each user.  For example if your palm username was joe and you had a typical install, you would find the SerialWatch.csv file in the directory C:\Palm\Joe\SerialWatch\. The following lines show an example of the csv file.  This file can be loaded into MS Excel and other spreadsheets and formatted as required then printed to keep a detailed record of your serial numbers.

Category,Name, Make, Model, Serial, Description, Vendor, Purchase Date, Purchase Price, Value, Insured, Notes, RecId
Unfiled,Camera,Nikon,F90x,123,Great camera,Teds,13/08/98,1800,1000,Yes,,10305537

 

Backup and Recovery

Standard HotSync provides backup of the WardWatch databases.  After performing a HotSync two database files will be present in your user’s backup directory on your PC’s hard disk.  If you installed the Palm Desktop software in C:\Palm, look for you databases in the following location.

C:\Palm\<userdir>\Backup

·         WwSerialDB.pdb – this file contains your patient records in a binary format readable by your Palm Organizer.

Note <userdir> = First six characters of the surname + the initial of the username for your Palm Organizer.

Recovery

IMPORTANT.  Before recovery of the databases for SerialWatch it is advisable that you make a copy wwSerialDB.pdb file from the backup directory to another directory for safekeeping.  

Recovery of the SerialWatch database is from the last HotSync or from a specific HotSync.  If your Palm has undergone a hard reset and had the complete memory cleared, then hotsyncing and choosing your existing user id will recovery SerialWatch and its databases.  The other method to recovery SerialWatch is to use the Palm Install tool to install SerialWatch.prc and wwSerialDB.pdb

 

Registration Key

Enter the Registration Key from the SerialWatch (item list) screen by choosing the Menu Options then Registration Key.  Tap OK and you will receive confirmation that the key has been stored.

IMPORTANT:  Keep your registration key in a safe place; you may need it if you need to recover SerialWatch from backup.  You may also need it for technical support and to obtaining upgrades.