DQI TOOLBOX 'Frequently-Asked Questions'

Welcome

Contents

• General
• What is DQI TOOLBOX?
• When will the Windows^TM version (Version 2) be available?
• What about support and training?
• Installation and Set-Up
• What type of computer do I need?
• What about networking?
• Multiple users
• My printed output looks peculiar
• Operations
• Organising forms and files
• Data security
• Caution required when printing
• Problems with low system memory
• Floppy disks
• Various technical problems and their remedies
• Contact information

General

What is DQI TOOLBOX?

The principles of the Dynamic Standard Setting System (DySSSy) and how it is actualised in the DQI TOOLBOX computer package are explained in a separate document:
[Link to separate page here]

When will the Windows^TM version (Version 2) be available?

Information about the new version of DQI TOOLBOX, including the planned launch, is available in a separate document:
[Link to separate page here]
If you already have DQI TOOLBOX Version 1, you will be able to upgrade to Version 2 for Windows^TM at a nominal additional cost only. Files created using Version 1 are compatible with Version 2, so it will be unnecessary to repeat any of your work when upgrading to Version 2.

What about support and training?

The package has been specifically designed to be easy to install and to use and no special knowledge of computers is required.

During trials, we have found that a 'typical person who knows nothing about computers' can readily become proficient with the package in about an hour. Normally, the person who first sets up and tries out the package will soon become proficient without any need for formal instruction, using the built-in Help facility that gives relevant information at every stage. In a small group, this person will easily be able to demonstrate and explain the package to colleagues and help them to get started.

There is a dedicated Helpline to answer all questions that might arise during installation and use, either 'how do I...' or because something seems to be wrong.

For larger groups of users, or where the system is being used in a network context, we shall be pleased to arrange on-site help and training as necessary - typically, this would consist of a half-day visit with a talk and demonstrations and, within reason, would be available without extra charge within the U.K. mainland.

Installation and Set-Up

What type of computer do I need?

Any modern IBM-compatible computer should be readily capable of running DQI TOOLBOX without any special provisions. Details are given in a separate document:
[Link to separate page here]

What about networking?

DQI TOOLBOX is specifically designed to work either on a single, 'stand alone' computer or on a local area network. When connected to a network, it is possible for users to share files and for simultaneous multiple access to data. Of course, it would not be sensible for two users to try to change a record at the same time and this is restricted!

Multiple users

DQI TOOLBOX offers password protection so that only authorised persons can access the files. If the package is to be used for more than one project, or if there are concerns about who can see and/or change what, it is possible to set up any number of separate password-protected accounts. Individual files can be protected against being changed, or against being read at all, by users of different accounts.

My printed output looks peculiar

Version 1 of DQI TOOLBOX is a completely self-contained package with its own printer drivers and control of printed output. Because of the vast number of different printers available, each with its own particular requirements and peculiarities, some care can be required when first setting up the printing options of the package. Sometimes a bit of experimentation might be necessary. Once this has been done, however, all printed output should be completely satisfactory.

Version 2 of DQI TOOLBOX uses the Windows^TM system to control the appearance of printed output and, provided that this has already been set up to produce correct results (e.g. from a word processing package), there should be no problems with the output from DQI TOOLBOX.

Operations

Organising forms and files

DQI TOOLBOX offers you a two-tier system to organise your work. At the 'top level', information is stored in files on the computer's disk(s). Each file contains one or more form sets, where each form set consists of a linked Standard Form, Audit Form ('Protocol'), Data Record(s) (sets of replies to the questions on the Audit Form), Audit Record (the computer's analysis of the audit), Audit Summary (your assessment of the results) and Action Plan.

If you consider the analogy of a filing cabinet, the computer files are analogous to the drawers of the filing cabinet (which, typically, might be labelled by subject or location, etc) and the form sets inside the files are analogous to the cardboard folders inside the filing drawers, each folder containing one set of the six forms stapled together.

Thus, each file ('drawer') can contain any number of form sets ('cardboard folders'). How this is organised would probably follow your normal preferences when storing standards and audits on paper.

Data security

Every computer user needs to take precautions against the possibility of accidental damage to or loss of important information, arising either from human error or from hardware or software problems or other disasters. Sooner or later, something happens which could be regretted!

Accordingly, we strongly encourage users of DQI TOOLBOX to make regular copies of their work as security against the unthinkable. There is a choice of ways in which this can be done, depending on the amount of data involved and whether or not the computer is private, shared or networked. At the very least, files can be copied to floppy disks which are removed to a different location from the computer. How often this is done depends on how much work you do not mind repeating should your computer fail, for example!

Caution required when printing

When using DQI TOOLBOX 1·0, there is a circumstance whereby the act of printing a form can sometimes lead to data loss. This can occur when an unsaved form is displayed on the screen and can easily be avoided as follows:
1. If you have just been typing or editing a form, save it.
2. If a form is currently displayed on the screen, exit from it so that the list of form sets is displayed.
3. Select the form set that you wish to print and operate Print. When the (magenta) selection box appears, 'click' the items that you wish printed. That's it!

Problems with low system memory

On computers with limited memory resources or those running space-consuming concurrent processes, difficulties can be experienced when dealing with large or complex form sets. In this context, 'memory' refers to the 'R.A.M.' (the computer's 'brain space') rather than the file space available on disk(s).

The symptoms that you might experience are:

• A message box appears to the effect that there is insufficient memory, and the package might then close down.
• The (green) Save/Revert box appears when exiting from ('closing') a form set that you have not altered or edited in any way, i.e. you have only opened the form set to view or print it. Stop!
• It is not possible to use the View feature to see how a printed page will look, or actually to Print.
• It is not possible to create new forms or paragraphs or data sets.
• The text in some paragraphs does not appear. Stop!
If any of these problems should occur, stop! Please be aware that if you operate 'Save' when exiting from a form set under these circumstances the existing, stored version of the form set will be replaced by whatever is currently on screen - this might not be desirable if information has been lost from memory because what you save will be incomplete. The safest course of action is to select 'Revert', which will leave the filed version of the form set unchanged, and then exit from DQI TOOLBOX and ascertain why there is a shortage of system memory.

Floppy disks

It is useful to keep copies of important files on floppy disks for security and to transfer information between machines. However, working directly with files on floppy disks is much slower than copying them to the computer's internal hard disk(s) and working with them there. Also, it can be a nuisance having catalogue entries (in the main List of Files...) that refer to the floppy disk drive(s) because a different disk might actually be present from the one containing a particular file.

We would recommend that you copy files onto the computer's hard disk before working with them, and copy the updated version back from the hard disk to the floppy when the work is completed. This can conveniently be done either at the 'DOS prompt' (e.g. C:\DQI\DATA\>) or using File Manager within Windows^TM. Please note that each file is actually stored in two parts, with the same name but suffices .DBF and .FPT. These pairs need to be kept together, i.e. it is essential always to copy both parts.

Various technical problems and their remedies

[Link to separate page here]

Contact information

• fill in a request form on-line now by 'clicking' this link or
• E-mail us now at dqi@wolfbane.comor
• call us on U.K.(+44)-Oxford(1865)-395661 or
• fax us at U.K.(+44)-Oxford(1865)-721000 or
• write to us at: DQI TOOLBOX, 85 Cherwell Drive, Oxford OX3 0ND, U.K.

[Link here to DQI TOOLBOX Version 1]

[Link here to news of DQI TOOLBOX Version 2 for Windows]

[End of document, updated to 13 February 1997]