User manual POLAROID ID CARD MAKER SOFTWARE

ID Card Maker version 4 1 2 ID Card Maker version 4 Contents CHAPTER 1 Introduction 3 3 5 7 11 What is ID Card Maker? Minimum Requirements What's On the CD 6 What's New In Version 4 Year 2000 Compliance CHAPTER 2 Installation 13 17 CHAPTER 3 Setting Up IDCM (Tools Form) User Accounts 21 User Permissions and Passwords 21 Configuring IDCM 27 Preferences 28 IDServer Setup 41 i ID Card Maker version 4 Contents Capture Devices Printers Encoding 52 56 45 Database Management 59 Database Options 60 60 61 64 72 81 Database Tables and Forms Modifying Tables and Forms Edit Field Definitions Window Database Management window Attaching to Another Database 79 Added Security with Field Definition files Importing 83 Importing 83 85 95 Advanced Import Exporting 95 Exporting the Entire Database Badge Design 97 Menu Commands Badge Objects Bar Encoding 98 120 125 104 121 Using the "Insert Image" Command Magnetic and Smart Chip Encoding Reports 129 Search Criteria 131 Fields to Show in Report 132 Data History 135 Add-ins 139 Image Export Selected Export 140 141 Repairing and Compacting 145 CHAPTER 4 Search Form 147 149 Searching for Records ii ID Card Maker version 4 Contents CHAPTER 5 Creating Badges (Personal Data Form) 155 Create and Edit Capture Printing History 158 161 164 167 158 Batch Printing Appendix A Navigating ID Card Maker Graphic File Formats Hardware Setup PDC 2150 Camera Signature Tablet 171 Appendix B 175 Appendix C 177 177 177 178 Fingerprint Capture Device Appendix D SQL and Boolean Operators IIF Statements 183 179 Appendix E Appendix F Input Masks & Field Formatting Input Masks 187 190 Field Formatting 187 Appendix G Best Practices 193 INDEX 197 ID Card Maker version 4 iii Contents iv ID Card Maker version 4 ID Card Maker Polaroid Corporation Commercial ID Systems & Solutions 4650 Executive Blvd. Ft. Wayne, Indiana 46808 ID Card Maker version 4 1 Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Polaroid. ID Card MakerTM is a registered trademark of Polaroid Corporation. Copyright © 1994-2004 ImageWare Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IDServerTM is a registered trademark of ImageWare Systems, Inc. Microsoft, MS, MS-DOS, Microsoft Access, Windows, Windows NT 2000, Windows 98 and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. TrueTypeTM is a registered trademark of Apple Corporation. FlashBusTM is a registered trademark of Integral Technologies, Inc. SecurCodeTM is a registered trademark of CMI. 2D SuperscriptTM is a registered trademark of Datastrip Corporation. 2 ID Card Maker version 4 CHAPTER 1 Introduction What is ID Card Maker? Welcome to ID Card Maker, the world's leading software for the creation of digital photo ID badges! ID Card Maker combines database, badge design, image capture, point-and-click hardware setup, and badge printing all from within one userfriendly interface. ID Card Maker comes in three versions: Level I, Level II, Level III. The difference between them is the absence or presence of "features", which add functionality to ID Card Maker versions. Level I is the lowest and level III is the version with the most features. The features are controlled by the "security key" or "dongle" that comes with your software. The dongle plugs into the printer port on your computer, and a USB version is also available. The software will not work without it. The keys are clearly marked "Level I", "Level II", and "Level III". As you read this manual, you may see screenshots or read about features of ID Card Maker that are different from what you see on your own monitor. That is because you are running a different level key with features that are not present. We have tried to indicate clearly through use of icons in the margins of this manual which application features are associated with which "levels." " ID Card Maker version 4 3 Introduction Here is a brief description of what this software package has to offer: Database · Based on Microsoft Access 2000, ID Card Maker can store up to 100,000,000 records · Attach to ODBC databases · Personal information is entered in standard text fields using Windows' "point and click" interface · · · · · · · User-definable database fields Perform searches for single records or groups of records Create completely customized reports of your data Import and export data to and from another database file "Repair and compact" utilities included for database integrity User accounts and passwords for database security More... Badge Design · · · · · · · · · · · · · Design badges in a "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) window Badges are printed exactly the way they appear in the design window A "Toolbar" for quick access to commonly used commands Image "ghosting" and "see through" Unlimited badge designs Export card layouts PDF417 2D bar code Datastrip Superscript 2D bar code Single- or double-sided badge design Rotation of text, images, bar codes, and badge Up to 300% ZOOM in the design window Create Rosters with text, photos, headers and footers More... 4 ID Card Maker version 4 Minimum Requirements Image Capture and Display · · · · · Capture portraits, fingerprints, and/or signatures Import images Images are immediately available for preview and printing Images accessible to other applications Up to 30 images per record, and use all images in badges and rosters Hardware Setup · Use any TWAIN or Video for Windows input device · Use any PVC card or Sheet printer, which uses a Windows printer driver · Point and click configuration of hardware options Badge Printing · Print badges at the click of a button · One-at-a-time or Batch printing · Sheet printing Optional add-on modules · Expert Image Export (export select images) · Expert Data Export (export data from select fields and for selected records) Minimum Requirements Please verify that your computer meets the following requirements before installing ID Card Maker: Operating System: You must be running Windows 98/2000/XP, or NT 4.0 (does not support USB). ID Card Maker version 4 5 Introduction CPU (central processing unit): You must have a Pentium-level CPU running at 400 MHz or higher (for 2000/XP Operating Systems). RAM (random access memory): You must have a minimum of 128 megabytes of RAM. Best results are obtained with 256 megabytes or more. Hard Disk Space: You must have up to 90 megabytes of free hard disk space depending on which installation options you choose. · ID Card Maker requires approximately 45 megabytes of disk space. In addition, extra disk space is required to store individuals' images. Typically, a single portrait is 10K-12K. Therefore, if you have 500 individuals, you will need an additional 5,000K-6,000K of disk space--or 5-6 megabytes--to store their portraits. Storing fingerprint and signature images requires additional disk space. · ID Card Maker uses a "runtime" version of Microsoft Access 2000 as its database engine. If you do not already have the "runtime" version of Access, the installation wizard will install this 43 megabyte application. Backup your database regularly. · ID Card Maker on-line User Manual (in PDF format) requires approximately 2 megabytes of disk space. Video Capture Card: While some cameras connect to your computer through a serial or Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, others require you to install a separate video capture card. Consult your camera's documentation. CD ROM: ID Card Maker only installs from a CD. Your PC must have a CD ROM drive. Keyboard and Mouse What's On the CD The ID Card Maker CD contains: · The ID Card Maker application and Access Runtime files. Installing this application will copy all the files needed to run our photo ID badging system. · On-line User Manual. This manual has been converted to a Portable Document File (PDF). Once installed onto your computer, you can read the "electronic" version of this manual. If you do not have Adobe's free Acrobat Reader, you may also install this from the CD. 6 ID Card Maker version 4 What's New In Version 4 · The ID Card Maker What's New document. When you run ID Card Maker's Setup Wizard on the CD, you will be presented with the option to install any or all of these components. What's New In Version 4 Security History Included On Every Version. When given permission to view badge history, all levels of users can now see when badges were issued and badge status. Users can also view and print all badge history. When viewing data history or record events, customers can now view and print out the date an event occurred, the workstation that was used, who the operator was, the operation he/she performed and a description of the operation. Viewing Image History. In the IDServer setup window there is a box that allows the user to enter, between 0 and 9, the number of old history images to keep. Users can then view them on the personal data form by right clicking a displayed image that has a history. Installing Wasp Barcode Fonts. Wasp barcode fonts can now be installed and are automatically activated after the initial install. Wasp Codabar/Mod 10 for Barcode Encoding. In the barcode properties of IDLayout, the Wasp Codabar/Mod 10 is added to the dropdown encoding selection. Mod 10 Check Digit for Barcode Encoding. In the barcode properties of IDLayout, the Mod 10 check digit is added to the dropdown encoding selection. Database Keyless Demo. IDCM demos are now available without a key. Once installed, users can run IDCM in a keyless demo mode. In demo mode, all badges will have a watermark with the word "demo" written across them. ID Card Maker version 4 7 Introduction Text Data Now allowed In Importing. Users can now import/export from both .csv and .txt extension files. Default Database. IDCM now has an updated simple default database that allows users to quickly install a working application with sample layouts, enrollment fields and reports. Sample Databases and Card Layouts. There are now multiple application-specific and vertical application sample databases and card layouts available. These files are located in a separate folder on the CD and are not automatically installed with the application. Modifying Database Structure over the Network. When creating a new database over the network, an error 'file in use' would appear. This happened only over the network and it is now fixed. IDNumber in Advanced Imports. Previously, advanced import into SQL or other ODBC databases required an IDNumber whereas the equivalent MS Access did not. This restriction has been removed and the import automatically assigns the appropriate values for the IDNumber. IDServer Box. The IDServer box no longer will pop up in front of the User Interface window. IDSetup Changed in IDServer. IDSetup.exe has been changed to fix the problems created when a directory or database name contained spaces. Messages Changed To Be More User Friendly. The language in the database management form is less technical, making it easier to understand and more user-friendly. Imaging Automatically Display Images. The 'automatically display images' check box is now enabled for level I and II users, giving small to medium businesses the option to display the images they acquired. Select Different Images. Users can now select different image sources on the fly to speed the enrollment process. Simply hold down the 'Alt' key and simultaneously select the primary image source on the capture instance form. This will enable the user to switch to get-from-file without having to go through the IDServer setup. 8 ID Card Maker version 4 What's New In Version 4 Direct Interface with Polaroid 2150 Digital and Logitech QuickCam Cameras. This feature allows the camera to be controlled via the software, enabling the user to speed enrollment, while saving time and money. Polaroid Olympus Camera Capture Interface. A DDIShell.exe capture interface was written specifically to work with IDCM. This capture interface is automatically installed and ready to use with the Polaroid Olympus camera. Flashpoint Capture Routines. A flashpoint capture routine now allow images up to 640 x 480 to be captured and provides a greater range for panning. This allows the frame grabber camera to move the interface to all sections of the captured image for better selection. Flashbus90 Interface. The flashbus90 interface allows the frame grabber camera to be mounted on its side to capture an image 480 wide x 640 tall instead, enabling a higher resolution portrait picture. This also allows greater vertical panning instead of the horizontal default. Crop Current Image Interface . When acquiring an image in IDServer there is now a "crop current image" interface window that allows the captured image to be cropped and enhanced. Cropping Mode When Capturing Image. Each time an image is captured, the image cropping box will open to modify that image. This feature was previously set to 'automatic' which would bypass the cropping window if the image had the correct aspect ratio. The cropping box will no longer be bypassed; it will always open. Image Capture of Small Image. If an acquired image's natural size is less than half the height of the screen, the cropping window will zoom the image 2 to 1 or 3 to 1 if necessary. Rotate Image in Cropping Window. When acquiring an image via TWAIN, Video for Windows, direct scan or 'get from file', there are now two buttons in the cropping window that allow rotation of the image either clockwise or counter clockwise. Reducing Resolution in Cropping Window. When acquiring an image, cropping will also reduce the resolution to avoid creating an image with a higher resolution than requested in IDSetup. Newly Supported Image Files in IDServer. When acquiring images in 'get from file', PIC and PCT image files are now supported. ID Card Maker version 4 9 Introduction Badge Layout Barcode Field In IDLayout. When selecting a barcode in IDLayout, an 'IDLayout-New badge Object' window opens. Inside this window is a dropdown box called 'Name of Database Field containing the Barcode Text'. The 'Barcode' option has been added back to the dropdown box as a field selection. Test Print In IDLayout. When creating new card formats or modifying existing ones, users may test print card layouts. This enables users to ensure that the background, text, and image boxes are accurately placed. Solid Box feature In IDLayout. The solid box feature can be added behind an existing object or text on a card design and will wrap itself around the object or design like a picture frame. Or, the box can be created first so the added text will automatically adjust to fit inside the box. This feature is now available on all levels of IDCM. New Apply Button in IDLayout. The image and text dialog boxes in IDLayout now have an 'apply' button to allow the customer to save changes without the dialog box closing. IDLayout Expression Builder. When selecting a new image or text badge object in IDLayout, there is a dropdown box that allows users to select name of the database field containing the image or text file name. If selecting the equal sign (=), a button with an arrow appears on the right hand side of the box. This will open an edit expression window. When adding expression editing options to the expression box located at the top of the window, the expression builder used to fail to display in this box using Windows XP. The expression box has now been modified and will display under all windows platforms. More Seamless Software Installation Software Installation. To make it easier for users to install IDCM, there is now an automatic install of the Access 2000 runtime and USB hardware key driver. Camera/Printer/Settings Defaults On Setup. When IDCM is being installed, the customer can select a printer and/or camera configuration. Install Process For USB Key. The option to use a USB key instead of a parallel key is now integrated with the install process. 10 ID Card Maker version 4 Year 2000 Compliance New Default Install Path. The default install path has now been changed from C:\ITC to C:\IDCM for new installations. Other Features IDCM Includes Education Functionality. Education level I functionality is now in IDCM level II. Education level II is now in IDCM level III. Shortcut From Personal Data Form. When right clicking on the back button in the personal data form, a short cut window opens. This window allows users to go directly to and from the IDLayout screen, IDSetup window or the configuration form. Previously, if the database had been recently modified and the shortcut to IDLayout was selected, the field list was not updated. This has now been fixed to reflect the current field list. Release Notes Available. Polaroid Commercial ID Systems will place updated release notes on the Polaroid-ID.com website when available to help end users better understand new and existing features. Compatibility List. A compatibility list for all databases and drivers that have been tested with IDCM v4.02M is available. Larger Control Window. Since the trend is toward longer field names, the control window has been stretched from 1 to 2 inches long. IUpdated Topaz Driver. There is now an updated driver, SigPlus.exe, in the installation process for the Topaz signature pad. The previous driver TopazSetup.exe is now obsolete. Updated Acrobat Reader. Acrobat version 5 will be installed if there are no applications associated with the .pdf extension. Updated Rainbow Driver. The install process now includes an updated version for the Rainbow Key USB driver (version 4.51). Year 2000 Compliance ID Card Maker is Year 2000 compliant, but only if the following setting has been made: ID Card Maker version 4 11 Introduction Go to Windows Control Panel folder (Start Settings Control Panel) and double-click Regional Settings. Click the Date tab. Select MM/dd/yyyy for the Short date style. You must now use four-digit year dates in all ID Card Maker date fields. 12 ID Card Maker version 4 CHAPTER 2 Installation ID Card Maker uses a "wizard" to guide you through the steps for installing the software. Note: If you intend to install ID Card Maker in a networked environment, each computer must "map" the shared network drive onto which certain files must be copied before installation. (Your Network Administrator must create a network directory which will contain the database and image files, and assign full Read, Write, and Delete privileges to it. Though the Administrator may name this directory anything, for simplicity's sake, we suggest you name it "IDCM".) To "map" the drive, perform these steps: 1. 2. Double-click the "Network Neighborhood" icon on your desktop. All available network resources are displayed. Double-click the workstation/file server where your Network Administrator created the shared directory, then right click on the folder representing the hard disk. Choose "Map Network Drive" from the pop-out menu. Allow Windows to assign a drive letter, and ensure that "Reconnect at logon" is checked. 3. Note to Windows NT, 2000, and XP users: Before you install ID Card Maker, you must log on to Windows with full Administrator privileges. If you do not log on with Administrator privileges, required software keys will not be written to Windows' registry and ID Card Maker will not operate properly. ID Card Maker version 4 13 Installation To install ID Card Maker, perform these steps: 1. Insert the ID Card Maker CD in your CD ROM drive. If "auto insert notification" is enabled in the Device Manager tab of your System control panel, ID Card Maker's installation wizard will automatically begin. If the installation wizard does not begin automatically, open Windows Explorer and browse the ID Card Maker CD. Doubleclick on the file named "Setup.exe." Follow the on screen prompts. You will be prompted to select a "Network" check box if you wish to install ID Card Maker in a networked environment. If you check that option, enter the drive letter and path to the directory your network administrator created earlier. A Select Printer dialog box appears. Select from the options. If your printer will not be connected to LPT1, select the option None of the above. Click Next. A Select Camera dialog box appears. The default is PDC2150. Click Next. Repeat steps 1-3 at every workstation on which you will run ID Card Maker. At subsequent workstations, the setup wizard will detect that the ID Card Maker database has already been installed on the network drive. You will be prompted to overwrite the database. Click "No" at that prompt--do not overwrite the database. Proceed as usual. You received a "security key" with your software - either a USB key or a parallel port key. Follow the installation instructions below for your specific key: Maker. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · USB - Attach a USB key to any available USB port on each computer running ID Card · Parallel Port - Attach a parallel port key to the LPT1 parallel printer port for each computer running ID Card Maker. 14 ID Card Maker version 4 If your printer is currently connected to your computer's LPT1 port, unplug the printer's cable and attach the security key in its place. The security key has a female connector at one end and a male connector at the other. It will only attach to your computer one way. The printer's cable may now be reattached to the back of the security key. (Note: ID Card Maker also may not work if your printer is plugged into the security key and the printer's power is OFF. Either attach your printer to another parallel port, or always keep your printer's power ON when using the ID Card Maker software.) Note: Each "security key" has a unique serial number. After you install ID Card Maker, the serial number of the key can be displayed by pulling down the HELP menu in any application window and selecting ABOUT.) The setup wizard will create a program folder and program icons for ID Card Maker in the Programs section of Windows' START button. While you are now ready to begin using ID Card Maker, it will not be optimized for use until you have set some program preferences and instructed the program to use your specific cameras and printers. Therefore, first-time users should carefully read the next chapter, "Tools," before continuing. Note: When you launch ID Card Maker, you are presented with an initial Logon window. The User Name and Password fields are disabled; a short message in the body of the Logon window explains that "logon" is disabled until a user account with "System Administrative" privileges is created. See "User Accounts" on page 21. ID Card Maker version 4 15 Installation 16 ID Card Maker version 4 CHAPTER 3 Setting Up IDCM (Tools Form) You arrive at the Tools window by clicking TOOLS in the Search window. The Tools window is where ID Card Maker's "tools" are located, e.g., importing and exporting databases, designing badge layouts, setting application preferences, etc. The following window appears allowing access to different application functions: Tools Window ID Card Maker version 4 17 Setting Up IDCM (Tools Form) Returns you to ID Card Maker's "home" page. BACK Opens a standard Windows Open dialog to navigate to a text file containing data exported from another database. ID Card Maker will import all the data. (See "Importing" on page 83.) IMPORT Takes you to an Advanced Import window in which you have a variety of options for importing or updating data in your database. You may import from either a text file or directly from a Microsoft Access database. Text and/or Images. (See "Advanced Import" on page 85.) Will export the entire database (text only) to a comma-delimited ASCII text file. (See "Exporting" on page 95.) ADVANCED IMPORT EXPORT Allows you to export a specified set of records to a comma delimited ASCII text file. The EXPORT DELIMITED TEXT file button is disabled until you tell ID Card Maker which records you want to export. Use the SELECTION FROM REPORT LIST BUTTON immediately below to do this. Selection specification is a "pick list" displaying the names of your Reports. (See "Exporting a Group of Records" on page 96.) Selecting a Report from this list will use its query to specify which records will be exported. Opens a "badge design" window in which you may create your ID badges in a graphical window. (See "Badge Design" on page 97.) EXPORT SELECTED RECORDS BADGE LAYOUT Takes you to a User Permission window in which you create "user accounts"--user names, passwords, and application privileges. (See "User Accounts" on page 21.) EDIT USER ACCOUNTS 18 ID Card Maker version 4 Takes you to a Reports window in which you may create, edit, and print reports. (See "Reports" on page 129.) REPORTS Takes you to a Configuration window where you may configure your application options. (See "Configuring IDCM" on page 27.) CONFIGURATION Will immediately print the contents of the "print queue." (If you selected "Batch print" and "Always queue" in the Printer Options Dialog of ID Server Setup, clicking a record's PRINT button sends the badge to the print queue instead of to the card printer. See "Printers" on page 52.) Takes you to a Data History window where you may view a log of record and application events. (See "Data History" on page 135.) PRINT QUEUED BADGES DATA HISTORY Opens a selection window allowing you to launch custom "miniapplications" which add functionality to ID Card Maker. (Add-ins may be present in the higher versions of our software, and may be purchased and installed separately for the lower versions.) ADD-INS Though you may access and use any of the tools at any time, you will want to visit several areas first in order to optimize ID Card Maker for your personal use: · · · · · User Permissions (to create "user accounts" and set application "permissions") Configuration (to set program preferences) ID Server Setup (for camera and printer setup) Database Management (to modify database fields) IDLayout (to design badges) The chapter sections which follow will describe each of these program areas. ID Card Maker version 4 19 Setting Up IDCM (Tools Form) 20 ID Card Maker version 4 Section 3.1 User Accounts You arrive at the User Permissions window by clicking TOOLS EDIT USER ACCOUNTS. User Permissions and Passwords Through its use of a secure logon, ID Card Maker allows you to have control over who is able to access the ID Card Maker application. This prevents unauthorized users from creating, editing or printing badges and reports. The following is intended for those few individuals who will have permission to create "user accounts." A record is created in a hidden table for each authorized "user" of ID Card Maker; a "user name," initial "password," and "access options" are entered into each record. Only someone with permission to access specific application functions (e.g., create, delete, print, etc.) is allowed to use them. The application administrator may assign an initial password for each user, but users may change their passwords at any time thereafter. Though the application administrator can never "read" a user's password (passwords always appear as asterisks), he or she may over-write or delete a user's password at any time, or delete the "user account" (record) entirely, thereby denying that individual access to the application. When you log on to ID Card Maker for the first time, the User Name and Password fields in the Logon window are disabled, indicating that a "System Administrator" has not yet been created. To "secure" the application, that is, force the initial Logon window to require user names and passwords, at least one user account with "System administrator" privileges must be created (see below). If all "user accounts" with "System administrator" permission are deleted, the logon window will stop forcing the use of user names and passwords. This is a visible ID Card Maker version 4 21 reminder that at least one "user account" must be created which has over-all access to the database. Create a User Account The first time you click the EDIT USER ACCOUNTS button, an empty User Permissions window appears. CREATE, DELETE, SAVE, and UNDO buttons are located at the top. Creates a new "user account." Each "user account" is denoted by a "record number" at the bottom left of the User permissions window. CREATE Deletes the current "user account." DELETE 22 ID Card Maker version 4 User Permissions and Passwords When a "user account" has been created or edited, the SAVE button saves the changes. SAVE This button undoes the actions taken since the last "save" in a "user account." UNDO Click the CREATE button to create a record for yourself. An "Operator" box in this window contains text fields. Enter a "user name" up to 8 characters in the User Name field. This is the name you will enter when you logon to ID Card Maker. Enter a descriptive name for the user in the Full Name field (e.g., first and last names, or employee ID, etc.), up to 50 characters long. Enter a password, up to 15 characters, in the Password field. Passwords may be alphanumeric and are case sensitive! There is a "System administrator" check box labeled in red. At least one person must have this option checked. It forces the use of User Names and Passwords at the initial Logon window. Until a System Administrator for ID Card Maker is assigned, anyone may launch ID Card Maker to create records and print badges. Important! Only someone with System Administration permission is able to access the Database Management portion of ID Card Maker. Database Management is where the System Administrator may modify database fields, and create, copy or attach to Microsoft Access or ODBC databases. (See "Database Management" on page 59.) Below "Operator" is a "Permissions" box. This section contains check boxes to enable or disable access to application functions. A function is enabled for a user when its box is ID Card Maker version 4 23 checked. (Click the SYSTEM, RECORD, or PRINT buttons to enable or disable all the options below them.) The individual permissions are: Configuration This permission allows you to use all the tools in the Configuration window (e.g., Program Preferences, Database management, ID Server Setup, etc.). This permission allows the user to create, edit and delete user accounts. This permission allows users to create and edit the queries upon which reports are based. This permission allows the user to open and use the IDLayout badge design utility. This permission allows users to export data in the ID Card Maker database to an export text file. This permission allows users to import data from another database into the ID Card Maker database. This permission allows users to view the Badge History, Record History and Program History if they were enabled. This permission allows users to edit data in the ID Card Maker database. This permission allows users to delete records and their images in the ID Card Maker database. This permission allows users to create records in the ID Card Maker database. If you marked specific database fields as "protected," only someone with this permission may edit them. The fields are otherwise un-editable. (See "Edit Field Definitions Window" on page 64.) User accounts Edit reports Layout badges Export text Import text View history Edit records Delete records Create records Edit protected fields 24 ID Card Maker version 4 User Permissions and Passwords View protected fields If you marked specific database fields as "protected," only someone with this permission may view them. The fields are otherwise invisible. (See "Edit Field Definitions Window" on page 64.) This permission allows users to capture images. This permission allows users to print badges. This permission allows users to print reports. This permission allows users to perform "batch" operations (i.e. apply actions to groups of records). Image capture Print badges Reports Batch At the bottom of the User Permissions window is a text field for creating a "Search Filter" using a standard SQL Where clause. (See "Searching with SQL" on page 152.) For each user, you may elect to apply a filter that restricts the records a user may browse. For example, if you want to restrict a user to viewing only records belonging to the Engineering Department, you would enter: Department = "Engineering." That user will only be able to view records where the word "Engineering" is entered in the Department field. Add additional fields as needed providing authorized users a range of records to browse. Alternately, select a query from a report using the SELECT FILTER FROM REPORT LIST pick list. The SQL from the selected report will act as the "filter" for the user account. Create as many "user accounts" as you need. You may assign temporary passwords that the users may later change. Users may change their passwords as soon as they logon to ID Card Maker. At the opening "home page," clicking the PASSWORD button opens a small window in which the user ID Card Maker version 4 25 enters their old, then a new, password. . (The PASSWORD button does not appear until at least one "System administrator" user account is created.) 26 ID Card Maker version 4 Section 3.2 Configuring IDCM You arrive at the Configuration window by clicking TOOLS CONFIGURATION. A number of application preferences are set in an area of the program known as Configuration. Three buttons at the top of the Configuration window perform functions that require special user input. ID Card Maker version 4 27 IDSERVER SETUP ID Server is the portion of ID Card Maker that is responsible for image capture and badge printing. This button takes you to a Setup window in which you set your preferences for "input" and "output" devices (e.g., cameras and printers), as well as other options. (See ID Server Setup). ID Card Maker has a number of "management" functions: creating, copying and saving databases, attaching to alternate Microsoft Access or ODBC databases, "importing" database fields from another database, as well as adding, deleting and editing individual fields. Only someone with "System administrative" privileges may access Database Management. (See "Database Management" on page 59) DATABASE MANAGEMENT The main body of the Configuration window contains three tabbed properties sheets: WORKSTATION PREFERENCES (options applying just to the particular workstation), SYSTEM PREFERENCES (options applying to both a stand-alone system, and to all workstations in a networked environment), and ENCODING FORMULAS (text and data strings used for bar and magnetic encoding, as well as for other uses). (In a networked system, the System and Encoding formula preferences need only be set once.) Clicking on the "tab name" opens that property sheet. Preferences Workstation Preferences Five non-editable text fields display useful information about the ID Card Maker application: Database name This field shows the name and "path" of the database file to which you are currently "attached." That is, this is the file that contains the actual data in your database. This field shows where the ID Card Maker application is installed. This field shows where the IDServer components are installed. Application home directory Current working directory 28 ID Card Maker version 4 Preferences IDServer INI file This field shows the name and "path" of the file that stores IDServer settings. (IDServer is the portion of ID Card Maker which manages image capture, image retrieval and badge printing.) This field shows the "path" where IDServer will save and retrieve badge layout and image files used in a badge design. IDServer data path Five preferences may be set to offer workstation-specific features and functionality. These options must be configured at each workstation running ID Card Maker. Default badge layout The Default badge layout preference allows you to simplify data entry by establishing a default badge type whenever a record is created. Select from the pick list the badge you wish to use as the default. The list displays any ".bdg" (badge layout) files found in the folder you specified in the "Server data path." (See IDServer Setup) When you create your own badge layouts, ensure that they are saved to the folder you specified in the "Server data path" field. (Until you create your own badge layouts, only the "default" badge will appear in this list. After you have created your badge layouts, you may wish to return to this Configuration window to specify a new default badge.) In addition to listing all your existing badges, there are the following items in the Default badge layout pick list: [Expression1], [Expression2], and [Expression3]. Selecting any of these items allows you to use the "expression" in that field to determine which badge is assigned to the individual. (The Expression fields appear on the Encoding formula property sheet in this Configuration window.) While the Configuration window doesn't offer the ability to automatically insert "functions" the way you can in IDLayout's Expression Builder (See "Expression Builder" on page 114), you may manually enter functions, operators and text. Note that all expressions must begin with an equal sign (=). ID Card Maker version 4 29 You may use any function and operator that is supported by Microsoft Access 2000. However, Polaroid Commercial ID Systems only supports and warrants the following expressions: Expression1: This expression uses "nested if" statements. An "if" statement follows this syntax: iif (argument, result1, result2). In plain English, that means: "If such and such a condition is true, then make a certain result apply. Otherwise, if the condition is not true, apply a different result." The "argument" typically compares whatever is entered in a specified database field to a "value" (text, date or number) which you provide here. The syntax of the argument typically is: [database field]-[Boolean operator]-["literal text"]. (Note: literal text must be enclosed within quotation marks.) In the example in the graphic above, Department="technical" is the argument. That is, our program will look at every database record and see if the Department field contains the word "technical." If "technical" does, indeed, appear in this field, then this expression will make the word "tech" appear in the Badge layout pick list in the Personal Data window. (This example assumes that 1) you have a badge designed specifically for individuals belonging to the Technical department, and 2) that badge is, in fact, named "tech.") If you only have two badge designs, "tech" and "default," this expression would be easily written. "Tech" would be result1 and "default" (or the name of your other badge design) would be result2. The expression would be entered as follows: =iif (Department="technical", "tech", "default") However, if you have numerous badges associated with specific database fields, then you would use nested iif statements. The example in the graphic above inserts a second iif statement in place of result2. This second iif statement may contain yet a third iif statement in the location of its result2, and so on. The only difficulty in using nested iif statements is keeping track of the parentheses...each iif statement must have an opening and closing parenthesis. In the example in the graphic above, you can see there are only two iif statements. While the expression begins with just one opening parenthesis, it ends with two closing parentheses. 30 ID Card Maker version 4 Preferences Expression2: This expression uses the Microsoft Access "Choose" function. The Choose function will look for a number--1, 2, 3 and so on--in the specified database field, and enter the word you supply in quotes according to which order it appears in the expression. For example, in the graphic above, three words follow the database field "Department": "technical", "tech", and "default." "Technical" is the first word, "tech" is the second, and "default" is the third. If a record contains the number 2 in the Department field, then the word "tech" will be entered in the Badge layout pick list of the Personal Data window. If a record contains the number 3 in the Department field, then the word "default" would be displayed in the Badge layout pick list. This approach simply associates a specific number with a specific badge design. Use any field you wish to enter individuals' badge design number. Expression3: This last example is perhaps the easiest to use. If you have badge designs specifically associated with individual Departments, then use the =Department (or other database field) expression. This expression assumes two things: 1) you have a different badge design associated with each Department, and 2) the badge designs have the identical name as the actual Department (e.g., the Accounting department is issued a badge named "Accounting.bdg" and the Engineering department is issued a badge named "Engineering.bdg"). Therefore, this expression will automatically insert into the Badge layout pick list the word entered in their Department field. Since that word is the appropriate badge name, the correct badge will be issued to him or her. Automatically display images The automatic image display preference allows you to have captured images automatically display when opening a database record. If this option is not enabled, the image is not displayed until you click DISPLAY in the Personal Data window. The default setting is disabled. This option may be toggled on or off as often as you wish. ID Card Maker version 4 31 Enable data history This preference "turns on" a history of "application events" as well as changes made to specific records. When ENABLE DATA HISTORY is "on," a HISTORY button is displayed in the Tools window. Clicking HISTORY presents a log of events at both the application and record level. At the application level, it records when users log on and off the system, which ones accessed specific portions of the application and from which workstation, and more. At the record level, it records every event occurring in a record: image capture, badge printing, database field edits, and more. ID Card Maker does not begin creating a "history" until this option is checked. Enable badge history This preference "turns on" a history of badge issues. When enabled, a HISTORY button appears in the Personal Data window. When clicked, it displays a "snapshot" of the data- base as it was each time a badge was printed. It allows you to "look back in time" at the data recorded in the various database fields at the time each badge was issued. Enable Capture Selection Form This preference turns on a pop up form when you want to capture a new graphic in a record. During IDServer setup you decide how many portrait, fingerprints, and signatures to capture, this form will allow to select all or one of the choices to save going through ALL screens to capture. 32 ID Card Maker version 4 Preferences Enable SQL in Search Form Selecting this option inserts two new search fields in the "home page" of ID Card Maker: "SQL WHERE clause" and "SQL ORDER BY clause." The "SQL WHERE clause" field allows you to create very customized searches of your database using common "SQL" (Structured Query Language) commands. The "SQL ORDER BY clause" allows you to custom-sort the results of a query. (See "Sorting with SQL SORT BY" on page 153) Display Personal Data Form as a list Selecting this option changes your first "view" of database information from an ID Card Maker Personal Data form to a more conventional "table" displaying records in columns and rows. The view may be toggled between "form" and "table." Convert searches to upper case (for Oracle ODBC) This option will automatically convert text you enter in a search field to upper case. While searches in a Microsoft Access database are case-insensitive, Oracle and some other ODBC databases require text to be in all uppercase letters. System preferences Click the System preference tab to view and set these options. System preferences are "global." (In a stand-alone system, these settings control ID Card Maker on the local workstation; in a networked environment, these settings apply to every workstation running ID Card Maker and only have to be set once.) ID Card Maker version 4 33 Document Name for Print Manager The Document name for Print Manager preference allows you to associate a dynamic database field with a print job. That is, whenever you send a badge to the printer, that print job's "name" will appear in the Print Manager window with the contents of the field you enter here. For example, if you enter "LastName" (one of ID Card Maker's fields) in this preference field and send John Baker's card to the printer, Windows' Print Manager will report that "Baker" is queued for printing. Alternate field for ImageID ID Card Maker automatically "names" each image with a serial number when it is captured and saved (e.g., 255.jpg), and inserts the "number-name" in the database field "ImageID." There may be times when you will want to name the captured image with the contents of another database field, such as a person's Social Security number. In such a scenario, if a database record contains a Social Security number, that number will become the "name" of the portrait image file (e.g., 261-21-8273.jpg) when it is captured and saved, and that number will be inserted in ID Card Maker's ImageID field. Once ID Card Maker names a captured image, it uses that "name" in the ImageID field until the record is deleted from the database. There are some inherent dangers in using an alternate field: · The alternate field must be set to "Unique Index" in the Edit Field Definitions window. (See "Edit Field Definitions Window" on page 64.) If a field, such as "LastName," is not set to Unique Index, ID Card Maker will not know which "Baker.jpg" to display if there is more than one Baker in the database. · Use of any field that does not consist of sequential numbers GREATLY reduces the functionality of ID Card Maker's "Directory Tree" structure. The "Directory Tree" is hardly noticed, but enhances the speed of image retrieval and display. ID Card Maker automatically creates subdirectories within the Portrait, Fingerprint, and Signature directories for every 1,000 images captured. The program was developed in such a way that, through the use of serial numbers and these subdirectories, images can be "found" extremely quickly--virtually instantly. If image names are not serial numbers, it may take a long time for ID Card Maker to "find" an image and display it on screen or print on a badge. Note: The database must be empty before this option can be enabled. 34 ID Card Maker version 4 Preferences Require images to print The REQUIRE IMAGES TO PRINT preference allows you to choose between making portraits optional or required when printing badges. If you leave this check box empty, cards may be printed even though an individual's picture has not been taken. If you place a check in this box, ID Card Maker will not print an individual's badge until his or her picture has been taken. Below the System preferences are some additional non-editable fields. These are for information only. Depending on whether or not you are attached to an ODBC data source, and other additional database configurations, these fields will display useful information. Encoding Formulas Click the Encoding formula tab to view and edit these options. There are eight text fields for entering a variety of "encoding formulas" or "expressions" which dynamically combine data from database fields and/or literal text strings. Mag Track 1, 2, and 3: In the Magnetic Encoding dialog of ID Setup (see "Encoding" on page 56), you will enter prefixes and suffixes for the magnetic encoding fields instructing your printer when to start and stop encoding data. The Mag track fields here are where you tell ID Card Maker what to encode. You must know what data your access control software is looking for. (Note: if your data string is very long, it may not all appear in the mag track field window. Use the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard to "scroll" through the data string.) If you enter expressions containing "syntax" errors, Microsoft Access may not allow you to "leave the field" until the error is corrected. If you do not know how to correct the error, simply delete the contents of the field and try starting over. ID Card Maker version 4 35 Create the encoding formulas and expressions using the ADD FIELD and ADD TEXT buttons: click in an encoding field or on its corresponding radio button to select it. Then click the ADD FIELD down arrow to display a list of all the database fields. Click the field you want to include in the formula. That field is inserted into the encoding formula. An ampersand (which links multiple values) is automatically supplied, allowing for placement of the next value. Add as many fields as your access control system requires. (You do not have to delete the last ampersand in the expression.) To insert static or "literal" text in the expression, click ADD TEXT. A small window appears allowing you to type the exact text required by your access control system. You do not need to enclose text in quotation marks in this window; ID Card Maker supplies them automatically. (However, if you are inserting only blank spaces with no additional characters, the space characters must be enclosed within quotation marks.) Enter the fields and literal text in the order your access control system requires them. Each time you use ADD FIELD and ADD TEXT, the new values are inserted at the end of the data string. If you accidentally insert the values in the incorrect order, use cut and paste to rearrange the data string. To manually create the encoding formulas: click in the encoding field or on its corresponding radio button to select it. Begin the expression with an equal sign (=). Type in field names or literal text in the required card reader order. Enclose literal text (that is, static text appearing on every card's mag track) within quotation marks (" "); if the contents of specific fields are required, type the field names exactly as they appear in the database; use ampersands (&) between fields and literal text to link multiple values. In addition, you may use TRIM, LEFT, RIGHT and other Microsoft Access formatting features to select portions of a database field (such as the first three letters of a last name, or the year of a date of birth). (See "Field Formatting" on page 190.) Repeat these steps for each of the mag track fields your access control system require. Bar Code: Follow the procedures above to encode data in the bar code field. Note, however, that like magnetic encoding, bar codes also require "prefixes" and "suffixes." Bar code prefixes and suffixes are specified within IDLayout ("Bar Encoding" on page 121). 36 ID Card Maker version 4 Preferences If your bar code font does not appear in the Encoding list in the Properties of Bar Code dialog of IDLayout, you must manually add the prefix and suffix characters to the Bar Code expression here. Insert the encoding characters as literal text (enclosed within quotation marks) at the beginning and end of your Bar Code expression. Both Names: ID Card Maker offers a database field called "BothNames" which links an individual's first, middle and last names. You may customize how the BothNames field displays people's names. If you want: Robert Smith You must type: FirstName & " " & LastName Left [FirstName, 1] & ". " & LastName Explanation The quotation marks contain literal text-- in this case, a space to separate the two names. Left [fieldname, 1] is a formatting command that instructs ID Card Maker to extract the first letter of the database field "FirstName." The quotation marks enclose a period and space after the first letter of the first name. Enter the fields in the order you wish them to appear. The comma and space enclosed in quotes separate the two names. R. Smith Smith, Robert LastName & ", " & FirstName ID Card Maker version 4 37 If you want: You must type: Explanation If you want to use a nickname, if present, instead of a first name, use a conditional "if" statement like the following: Bobby Smith or Robert Smith = iif (NickName = NOT NULL, NickName & " " & LastName, FirstName & " " LastName) The "iif" statement presents an "argument." If the argument is true, "result1" will occur; if the argument is false, "result2" will occur. The syntax is as follows: iif (argument, result1, result2) The expression in this example is interpreted in plain English as follows: If the NickName field is not empty (i.e., contains data), then add the contents of NickName, plus a space, plus the contents of LastName; otherwise, use the contents of FirstName, plus a space, plus the contents of LastName. (Of course, you must have a "NickName" field in the database for this expression to work.) Expression 1, 2 and 3: ID Card Maker provides three additional fields called Expression 1, 2 and 3 which you may use in your badge layouts or as the basis for selecting a default badge type each time a record is created. You may create expressions in the same manner as mag track and bar code encoding fields. Use ADD FIELD and ADD TEXT or type the data strings to create custom strings of information. When you finish entering all your formulas and expressions, click TEST FORMULAS. ID Card Maker verifies the syntax and integrity of each of the formulas, presents a window confirming the results, and displays a sample of each formula (extracted from the first record in the database). In addition, you may save your formulas to a text file by clicking the SAVE FORMULA button. A standard Windows Save dialog opens allowing you to name and save the formulas. To use formulas that you previously saved, click RESTORE FORMULAS. A standard Windows Open dialog allows you to navigate to the encoding formulas file you previously saved. Note: If you change the names of database fields in the Edit Field Definitions window and rebuild the User Field table( See "Modifying Tables and Forms" on page 61,) your formulas here may no longer "match" the field names in the database. Always verify 38 ID Card Maker version 4 Preferences that the field names used here in the Encoding Formulas of Configuration match the actual field names used in the database. ID Card Maker version 4 39 40 ID Card Maker version 4 Section 3.3 IDServer Setup You arrive at ID Setup by clicking TOOLS CONFIGURATION IDSERVER SETUP. ID Server is a utility that configures your image capture and printer settings. You may not capture or view images until you have run the ID Server setup program. When you click IDSERVER SETUP an ID Setup window appears. ID Card Maker version 4 41 1) The path and name of the SETUP FILE is identified at the top: C:\IDCM\dat.INI. (The path may differ if you did not accept the default installation directory.) Any changes you make here in ID Setup will be written to this file. The ini file name follows the "dat" MDB file name SO if the file is in the \IDCM\ directory and is named IDCMDAT.MDB it will be in " C:\IDCM\IDCMDAT.ini ". The ID Server DATA PATH is where ID Card Maker stores and retrieves images, badge and sheet layout files, and "field definition" files. (See "Database Management" on page 59.) However, you must tell ID Card Maker where on your disk or network you want these images and badge files to be stored. Ordinarily, the Server data path defaults to the directory where ID Card Maker was installed. ID Card Maker will automatically create separate Portrait, Fingerprint and Signature directories to store your portrait, fingerprint and signature images inside this directory, though you may elect to store them elsewhere on your hard disk or network. (See "Graphics Definition dialog" on page 45) If you specify a different directory as your Server data path, you must enter that path on each computer in the network running ID Card Maker. The UNITS: (Inches vs. Millimeters) radio buttons allow you to specify whether measurements related to captured images and badge size default to metric or English standard. The USE DIRECTORY TREE for image storage check box allows you to improve the speed and performance of image retrieval. Many operating systems handle file systems (storage and retrieval) inefficiently; they begin to experience sluggishness if they have to search for a specific file (in this case, the individual's portrait, fingerprint or signature) within a directory or subdirectory containing more than 2,000 files. Checking this box instructs ID Card Maker to automatically create additional subdirectories as needed for every 1000 image files that are created. (These subdirectories will be located inside the Portrait, Fingerprint, and Signature folders, which are created automatically when you mark the check box to capture their images.) In this way ID Card Maker will be able to search more quickly for and retrieve images. If you use CMI's SecurCode bar code reader and bar code fonts, turn them "on" by checking the ENABLE CMI SECURCODE BAR CODES check box. SecurCode bar code fonts offer increased security by appending to the database's bar code field an additional set of SecurCode characters encoded and read by the card reader using this system. Enter the additional characters (text or numbers) to be appended to the bar code field in the "Customer Code" field which appears immediately to the right when the box is checked. That "string" will now be added to the contents of the bar code field, and will display in the SecurCode font. 2) 3) 4) 5) 42 ID Card Maker version 4 6) The SEND PREVIEW DATA TO IDLAYOUT option allows you to view actual data from the database (i.e., images and text) when you place text and image objects on a badge layout as you design badges. When you check this option, an alert window informs you that the data (text and images) from the next record whose badge you preview in the Personal Data window will be used for display purposes in the badge design program. ID Card Maker will "read" the data in that record and write it to a text file ("Lpreview.txt") in the ID Server data path; when you select the "Preview" option in IDLayout, the application will "read" Lpreview.txt and use its information to "fill in" the badge objects. To later change the "sample" record, return to ID Setup and place a new "check" in this option. You will be prompted again that the next record you preview will be used in IDLayout. Use caution when selecting a record for badge preview; that record is "unsecured" in that anyone with permission to edit badge designs may view the contents of any database field placed, even temporarily, on the badge. Note: This feature allows you to keep up to 9 images. The 10th image will overwrite the older files. In addition to the settings and options that are configured directly within the ID Server Setup window, there are four additional "dialogs" or windows from which you may configure various hardware and software features: Graphics Definition dialog Encoding dialog Printer Options dialog ID Card Maker version 4 43 Graphics Definition dialog The Graphics Definition dialog is used to select: · which method you wish to use for either portrait, signature or fingerprint capture · image size · graphic file format · hardware options · software options · the number of images you wish to capture Printer Options dialog The Printer Options dialog is used to select: · PVC card and sheet/paper printers · print offset values · print queue options · enable Sheet printing Encoding dialog The Encoding dialog is used to select the "start" and "stop" commands which instruct the magnetic encoder on your card printer when to start and stop encoding data, and to select a Smart Chip protocol for Smart Card encoding. While not a "hardware setup" dialog, the Sheet Layout dialog is used to design the number and positions of multiple badges on a single sheet of material. You access the Sheet Layout dialog from within the Printer Options dialog. If you check the "Use Batch printing option" check box and the "Use Sheet formatting option," a new SHEET LAYOUT button appears. Sheet Layout dialog 44 ID Card Maker version 4