UDS Green Industry Software, Inc. Newsletter

November 14, 2005

 

 

 

Topics in this newsletter:

 

 

It is time to prepare for the next user conference. It will be about ActiveApplications SQL version and the new features that will be available. Another important part of this newsletter is information on the new Active Plays that make training on AA easy. As usual Brian has a few words to say, too.

 

Brian's Comments

 

It is my newsletter so I will make my comments first. This winter is the time for you to switch from ActiveApplications to AA - SQL. Don't panic yet. It is not a requirement for you to switch but it should be a high priority in your IT budget.

 

As you may have heard we have been developing the SQL version of ActiveApplications for several years. It is the product we actively sell to new customers. The AA Standard version most of you are using is nearing the end of its life cycle. Fortunately for you and your companies we have been preparing for many years.

If it can be fit into your budget this year you should be planning to convert to AA - SQL this winter. The conversion from AA Standard will never be easier than it is now. The conversion programs are ready. The installation costs will be minimal because the remote connection capabilities of networks and SQL should make a visit by UDS personnel unnecessary. Data compatibility is currently high so you will not have to fill in much missing information. The function compatibility is high so your users will not notice much of a change.  We are converting the programming platform from Visual Basic to .Net and this will be the basis for future development.

New programming at UDS will be done in .Net. This means new features will be first available in SQL and only selected new applications will be available in AA Standard. Because .Net is more compatible with the SQL database the conversion to AA Standard may not be easy or may not be done. Things like RFID, portable order process scanning applications and true web site ordering are all being done for the SQL system.

There is a cost for the AA - SQL system upgrade. Please contact me to find out the cost.. brian@udsgis.com <mailto:brian@udsgis.com> or 800 626-7247  Extension 203. Or visit the www.aasql.com <http://www.aasql.com> web site. Current users of ActiveApplications Standard covered by a support contract will receive 30% off the normal price on purchases of AA - SQL.

 

This Years Conference

 

Our plans are to have the user conference in February. Many new features in the AA - SQL will be available then so we will have more to show. This conference will highlight the conversion process, too. New features for AA Standard and AA SQL will be discussed. Bring your questions, issues, problems and hopes for the future with you to the conference. You will learn a lot and receive valuable coupons, too.

      An agenda will be published closer to the conference date. Plan now to attend. Your attendance and input will determine the course over the next year.

Now decide where to have it.

 

Choose a Location for the conference

 

In the past we have only had conferences in Grand Rapids because the UDS personnel were in Grand Rapids and we could never get enough votes to move it. This year part of the company is in Florida and he does not want to go north unless he must. I beg you to vote to move the location to Tampa Florida. Tampa has direct flights on many airlines from many cities. The climate is warm. We will hold the conference near the airport for easy fly in and out connections.

 

You will decide where to hold the conference. So please vote on this page: <http://www.activeapplications.com/Survey%20Folder/survey.htm> .

 

Possible Locations are:

Grand Rapids, MI Cold, Snow, Yuck

Tampa, FL (warm)

Miami, FL (warmer yet)

Atlanta, GA

Chicago, IL

Los Angeles, CA

Anywhere in Hawaii

You name the location

 

Active Plays are a must to download and use

 

What are Active Help Plays?

 

A Play is an animated training presentation that explains a particular feature, function, or benefit within Active Applications. There is a "Help Agent" resembling a simple cartoon character that talks, moves around, and sometimes makes life-like gestures to further articulate important information being presented. Realism is enhanced through the extensive use of screen images taken from the actual software.

 

Active Help Plays can now be selected for viewing from the Active Accounting version 8.1 Main Menu!

 

Version 8.1 of ActiveApplications added the ability to access Active Help Plays from the ActiveApplications main menu. The CD distributed to all UDS customers had all of the then available Active Help Plays.

 

When the Active Help Plays installation is performed, your Active Accounting users will have an additional alternative to the F1 Key help system.  When selecting the Help button on your main menu, they will see a new option on the drop down menu named: “Playmaker Play List”.  Selecting the Playmaker Play List option displays a list of Active Help Plays organized by Active Accounting application name, such as: Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Estimating, General Ledger, etc, ...  To run and view an Active Help Play, click on the desired title.  It is not even necessary to quit out of Active Accounting to view the selected play.  The play will run from beginning to end automatically unless the person viewing the play decides to select the new “Step” function button to view the play one scene at a time.  The Active Help Plays can also be backed up or forwarded one scene at a time.  The Step function allows the viewer to proceed at a comfortable pace in order to be able to digest all of the information provided.

 

New or updated Active Help Plays are posted to the support web site: www.activeapplications.com <http://www.activeapplications.com>.  Simply select the “Active Plays” button when you arrive at the 'Home' page to be taken to the “Active Plays” download page.  There you are able to download new Active Help Plays from the list of new or enhanced plays.  You will be prompted to 'save' your selected Active Help Play (.zip) file to a familiar folder on your hard disk. On your first visit to the Active Plays download web page please do not hesitate to contact UDS Support at extension 201 for assistance. UDS believes viewing these Active Help Plays will significantly shorten the learning curve for your new employees, and we would like to see all of our customers benefit from that.

 

If you have not as yet installed the Active Help Plays on the upgrade 7.1 to 8.1 CD, the directions for doing that are provided below.  If you are the person regularly applying Active Accounting updates to your system, you can do this!   For assistance do not hesitate to contact UDS Support at extension 201.

 

 

Directions for Installing the “Active Play List” on the Upgrade CD:

 

Under the Help button on the Active Accounting menu is a new option named “Playmaker Play List”.  You may set up your system so that when this menu option is selected, a list of current Active Plays arranged by application will appear.

 

  1. On the CD Rom disk is a folder named “Active Plays”.  Using MS Windows “Explorer”, Copy & Paste the Active Plays folder along with its' entire contents into the Active Accounting folder on your Server.  Keeping all the Active Plays within the Active Plays folder will insure things stay organized.  We are referring here to your 'Active Accounting folder' as the folder where all of your Active Accounting program files are saved and updates are applied.

  2. After pasting the Active Plays folder into your Active Accounting folder, Select from the Active Accounting main menu:  Reports / Control Files / Main Control File.  The System Control Information window will appear after a moment.  Within the “Company defaults” tab find the field box labeled: “Active Plays Folder”.   The field box will be blank at this point.

  3. Use the convenient 'browse” button just to the right of the field box to create the path to your Active Plays folder.

    1. Select this 'browse' button and the Select Active Plays window will appear.

    2. Browse to your Active Accounting folder and find the Active Plays folder you pasted there.

    3. Double-click on the Active Plays folder to select it.  The little yellow folder icon should now appear as an opened folder.

  4. Lastly, select the button labeled 'Open' in the lower right hand corner of the Select Active Plays window.

  5. With the suitable path now showing in the field box, save your changes by selecting the “OK” button in the upper right hand corner of the System Control Information window.

  6. Here is an example of what our path looks like: \\UDS\Active Accounting\Active Plays\, however, yours will of course, be different.

  7. Quit out of Active Accounting entirely then restart Active Accounting.

  8. From the Active Accounting main menu select:  Reports / Search for New Reports.  After a few moments the system may come back and say, “zero reports found”.

  9. From the Active Accounting main menu select:  Help / Active Play List, and the application list should now be displayed.

 

Developers Development Declarations

 

From the Developer's Desk:

 

The programming environment is changing at UDS Green Industry Software, Inc.  We have embarked on the adventure that is Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005.  These products were officially release on November 5, 2005 by Microsoft and represent a significant change to us as developers.

 

Do not except major changes immediately.  First it will take some time to understand and get acquainted with these new products.  But we have begun developing with the product.  The first products you will see are going to be in the Handheld and Mobile environment.  These are things like Pocket PC, Tablet PC, and even possible Smart Phones that are capable of running Windows Mobile.

 

We are excited to see what new and more stable programs can be developed with this tool.  And we will be sure to keep you informed of any new and exciting developments we come up with.

 

Travel Schedule

 

  1. 11/15/2005 California

  2. January 4-6, 2005 Minnesota Green Expo, Minneapolis, MN

  3. January 18-20 Mid Am Horticultural Trade Show, Chicago, IL

  4. February 3-4, 2005 Gulf States Horticultural Expo, Mobile, AL

  5. February ??, 2005 UDS User Conference TBA

 

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