Software Version 1 FAQ

Listed below are frequently asked questions about Version 1 of our Windows Software

1. My reports do not appear aligned properly. How do I fix this?
2. I am having problems printing. Pages are missing, or there are blank pages.
3. How can I find out if there is an upgrade available?
4. I need to download the latest version. What do I do?
5. I have installed an upgrade and now my reports are not formatted properly.
6. My software suddenly comes up in Client Mode or says Coupons unavailable and I cannot generate any more reports.
7. I had a problem while administering test and have lost the responses. How do recover them without administering the test again?
8. I have a network. How do I set up your software to administer to a number of respondents on the network at once?
9. I have upgraded to SigmaSoft for Windows. How do I read my old Interactive or On-Site software files?
10. What are the SigmaSoft for Windows minimum hardware requirements?
11. I have a new version (1.2 or later) which is supposed to print faster, but it is still slow, how do I print faster?
12. Will the SigmaSoft for Windows Software run on Windows NT?
13. I am having problems scanning. How do I set up my "mark read" scanner?
14. While administering the MAB-II, the computer locked up during the performance section. How do I prevent this?
15. I have a Macintosh. Will the SigmaSoft for Windows Software work for me?

1. My reports do not appear aligned properly. How do I fix this?

There are two ways to fix this problem. If you have an older version of our Windows software you must use a mono-spaced font. Select the Options menu, choose Report and the Report Settings window is displayed. Click on the Report button (the current font is displayed in this button). From the Font window, change the font to Courier New, and select a point size of 10 or 11. Click on OK to select the font, and then Yes to save the changes. The report must now be regenerated. With the Output window displayed, click on File, then New to erase any previously generated report, then create a new one. The second option is to download the most recent version of our software. See our Software page for the most recent versions.

2. I am having problems printing. Pages are missing, or there are blank pages.

There are two ways to fix this problem. If you have an older version of our Windows software you should try the following:

• Restart your SigmaSoft for Windows Software. (If it is already loaded, exit it and start it up again.)
• After pressing OK at the About window, select your respondent from the list of respondents in the Respondent Database window.
• Click on the Report button, choose the report you are generating and click OK.
• Click on Yes to begin generating the report. When the report has been generated, it is displayed in the Output window.
• Select File from the menu bar and choose Print. Click on OK to start printing the report.

The second option is to download the most recent version of our software. See our Software page for the most recent versions.

3. How can I find out if there is an upgrade available?

Find out what your current version is by loading your SigmaSoft for Windows Software. On start up, the About window is displayed. The version number is displayed in the About window as well as in the title of the main window. Compare your version to the numbers listed on our Software page.

4. I need to download the latest version. What do I do?

If you require the latest version of our SigmaSoft for Windows Software, locate your program from the list on our Software page. Click on the program title to begin downloading. If you are asked either open the file or save the file to disk, choose save file to disk. Choose a directory to store the setup program for the new version. Once the update has been downloaded, locate it in the directory that you saved it in with your Explorer or File Manager and double click on the icon to start the setup software.

Install the software to the same directory as your current SigmaSoft for Windows Software. (If you are upgrading from a DOS version, do not install to the same directory). Any installed coupons and registration will remain intact.

5. I have installed an upgrade and now my reports are not formatted properly.

If you have installed a newer version of our SigmaSoft for Windows Software and now your reports do not appear correctly, it is most likely due to the new typeset reports. To fix the report fonts, take the following steps:

• Select the Options menu, choose Report and the Report Settings window is displayed.
• Click on the Report button (the current font is displayed in this button).
• From the Font window, make sure the font is not a mono-spaced font such as Courier New, and select a point size of 10 or 11. A recommended font is Times New Roman Click on OK to select the font, and then Yes to save the changes.
• The report must now be regenerated. With the Output window displayed, click on File, then New to erase any previously generated report, then create a new one.

6. My software suddenly comes up in Client Mode or says Coupons unavailable and I cannot generate any more reports.

If your software has been registered, and later starts in Client Mode, or you cannot generate reports due to Error 2528: Protection Error, your files may have been moved due to a disk defragmentation utility, such as Disk Defragmenter in Windows 95. You will need to reregister your software to regain your coupons. To prevent this from reoccurring, make sure your defragment software does not move hidden and system files, or run a Defragment Files Only and do not run a Full Defragmentation.

7. I had a problem while administering a test and I have lost the responses. How do I recover them without administering the test again?

Whenever you edit a respondent's data, or administer a test, the changes you make are stored in a file called BACKUP.CSV (if you are using an older version of our software) or BKddhhmm.CSV, where dd is the date, and hhmm is the hour and minute the file was created (if you are using the most recent version). If your computer crashes or you forget to save your changes, all is not lost. Simply import this file to retrieve your latest changes:

• From the SigmaSoft for Windows Software, choose Window from the main menu, and then Respondent Database.
• Select File from the main menu, then choose Import.
• Select a backup file from the Import Data window and click on OK
• From the Import respondent data window you can see the respondent demographic information and choose to import the file by clicking on the Yes button.
• Click on the Edit button from the Respondent Database window and then click on Edit Responses. If the responses are all red, then there is no retrievable information in the backup file, and the test will have to be retaken in this case.
• To retake the test, or complete a partial test, click on the Administer button in the Edit Respondent Information window. If the test contains subtests, deselect any completed subtests before administering.

8. I have a network. How do I set up your software to administer to a number of respondents on the network at once?

You may set up the SigmaSoft for Windows Software over a network with one copy of the software, running as the server, and permitting access to the server computer by clients on the network. Only one purchased copy of the software is necessary. A peer-to-peer network, such as Windows 95 networking, is required to properly use the SigmaSoft for Windows Software over a network. All reports must be generated from this server computer, which holds the coupons. All other computers are then recognized as client computers by the software, when properly set up. Client computers can only edit respondent data and administer tests.

To set up the software on a server computer:

• Install the software and register on a computer to be designated as the server. This computer will hold the shareable database containing all of the respondent information.
• Ensure that the directory containing the software on the server computer is shared with full read/write access.
• Password protect entry to the program in Options|Program and exit from administration in Options|Administration. This will prevent respondents from seeing the responses of other respondents on the server computer.

To set up the software on client computers:

• Permanently map a network drive to the server computer.
• Create a shortcut or icon link to software on the server computer, using the network drive letter.
• Run the software and set up paths in Options|Program using the network drive letter.
• Do not run the SETUP program to install the software on multiple computers, it is installed once only, on the server computer. Properly installed client copies will display Client Mode in the opening title screen, whereas unregistered standalone software will be displayed in Demonstration Mode.

9. I have upgraded to SigmaSoft for Windows. How do I read my old Interactive or On-Site software files?

The key to reading files from previous DOS versions of our software is the Import feature.

• Select the Respondent Database Window.
• From the menu, choose File and then Import.
• Change the List files as type to read either DOS Software. (The file extension is listed in parentheses).
• Change to the drive and folder of the original files using the Drives and Folders and click on the file that you wish to import.
• Click on OK.
• The respondent information is displayed. Click on Yes to import the record. For On-Site files there may be more than one respondent, click on Yes for each of these or All to import all at once.
• The names then appear in the respondent database. If the respondent had already been scored, the coupon level is retained, and you may generate more reports without using additional coupons.

10. What are the SigmaSoft for Windows minimum hardware requirements?

The minimum hardware requirements are:

• Windows 3.1 or Windows 95/98
• 8 MB of RAM
• 5 MB of free disk space (12 MB for the MAB)

11. I have a new version (1.2 or later) which is supposed to print faster, but it is still slow, how do I print faster?

To print the fastest, you must choose Print directly to printer and print to a non-Postscript printer. From the Options menu, choose Report, and select Printer in the Report Destination box. Click on Yes to save changes. To create a new printer driver that does not use Postscript, add a new printer, and select the printer of the same make and model that does not have "PS" in the description.

12. Will the SigmaSoft for Windows Software run on Windows NT?

The latest SigmaSoft JPI-R, CDI (English only), PRF, JVIS and MAB Windows version is now available for a free download by our registered users on our upgrades page. This version will work on multiple platforms such as Windows 95, 98, XP, NT, 2000 and ME. Check back for upgrades to SIGMA's other Windows software.

13. I am having problems scanning. How do I set up my "mark read" scanner?

Often, the problem is one of two settings: the communications port, or the scanner mode.

To change the communications port, start the NCS 3000 Scanning Software, choose Options, then Communications, and try a different Port and save your changes. Scan a test to see if there is any change.

The other common problem is that the scanner is not in 3000 Emulation Mode. To set the OpScan 5 in 3000 Emulation Mode, turn on the scanner while holding down the left button. When the Setup menu appears, let go of the left button, and press it repeatedly until Defaults Menu appears, then press the right button. If Image Mode appears, press the left button, then press the right button for YES when 3000 Emulation Mode appears. Turn off the scanner to save the setting.

A less common problem can be that the Read Level is set too high or low. In the NCS3000 Scanning Software, choose Options, then Communications, and change the Read Level, then save your changes, and test a scan. If there are too many blank responses, decrease the read level, and if there are too many errors, try increasing the read level. Too low a number may also cause "Skunk" errors.

14. While administering the MAB-II, the computer locked up during the performance section. How do I prevent this?

Hardware Graphics Acceleration may need to be disabled. From Control Panel, choose System, choose the Performance tab, then choose Graphics, and slide Hardware Acceleration to None.

15. I have a Macintosh. Will the SigmaSoft for Windows Software work for me?

While there is not a Macintosh version of the SigmaSoft for Windows software, we have had reports of clients successfully using "Virtual PC" to run our software in Windows emulation mode. There is no guarantee that it will continue to work for future upgrades, nor do we support Macintosh or Virtual PC related software questions.