[Revised Jul 05].
This software is written for pharmacy staff. It and this on-screen-help assume that the operator will have pharmacy knowledge, but not necessarily any computer knowledge. The following information is for those users who are computer hobbyists and may wish to have access to raw data and have more control over the system.
Raw data
All raw data is accessible as RxOne uses Open DataBase Compliant (ODBC) drivers for the MS Jet Engine database, which means that it can be read by any ODBC program such as Access, Excel and many others. All tables and fields being meaningfully named.
See 'External reports' below for details.
Modifying the Windows setup.
Tune the system.
Useful improvements in speed can be obtained by setting the virtual memory swap file on a separate partition and generally tuning the system using known safe Windows techniques, and regularly defragmenting the disk and compacting the database.
Windows start up. Keep to the default start up and desktop. While a hobbyist user will have no problems with a non standard startup, if they ever want a holiday the system has to be handled by a reliever... it can be difficult to lead a non-expert user through a non-standard setup down the phone. Keep the task bar at the base (and visible), the program available on the Windows start-menu, and the colours standard so that when the help-desk refers to the 'blue bar'on their screen it is also blue for your reliever.
Autobooting. Do not make this program, or any other program or utility auto-booting... if an autoboot program ever failed, Windows would crash without control being available off the desktop. If this happens when the computer expert is away from the pharmacy, an inexperienced operator would be left with an unrecoverable situation. In such cases, the system is likely to be un-useable until a technician can call on-site and recover it, such visits being an extra charge. The monthly support charge assumes the Windows default setup is being used.
Other programs
Windows programs RxOne observes all Windows conventions and should have no problems running at the same time as other correctly written Windows programs. But load other programs only as you need them, do not autoboot them as they take memory and often machine time. We have seem machines running at only 25% of expected speed due to the overhead load of occasionally used autobooting programs.
DOS programs can be run as a Windows task and are generally fine, except for printing problems.;
Printers. DOS programs often open a printer at the start and keep it open. This results in delays of around 30 seconds for printing as the Windows driver waits for the end-of-file or close statement before printing. If two or more DOS programs are running at the same time, they may compete for the same printers and crash.
In event of problems, 'Shut down' Windows and 'Restart in MS-DOS mode' .
HealthSoft's DOS programs 'QuickScript' and 'Checkout', work correctly under Windows 95/98/ME/Win2000/XP in either a DOS shell or in full DOS mode, though they may have the printing delay. If so, use in MS-DOS mode when printing is required, and shift to a DOS shell once they are being used only for lookup.
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