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MedARKS Tips, Tricks and Other Essentials
Session 2
J. Andrew Teare, DVM
ZIMS User Conference
Sept. 2011
http://www2.isis.orgUser Conference 2011
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Topics
Windows 7 & DosBox Printing to a Network Printer Local USB printers User Defined Menu Shortcut Keys Scheduled procedures Batch entry of notes and problems Copy and paste between Windows and MedARKS Set your contact information ZIMSr2 & Existing MedARKS functionality ZIMSr2 & Data cleanup
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Windows 7 & DosBox
MedARKS will not run under 64-bit Windows 7; does run under 32-bit Windows 7
Some versions of 64-bit Windows 7 support a virtual XP machine (available free from Microsoft) and MedARKS will run on this virtual XP machine Appears to run correctly on a network when
running under the virtual XP machine
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DosBox
Free utility that emulates a DOS window under many versions of Windows, including Windows 7
MedARKS can run inside DosBox and seems reliable when used on a single machine
DosBox has serious, hidden flaws when running MeARKS in a multi-user environment. It will corrupt your data files.
Do not use when MedARKS is being accessed by multiple users on multiple workstations!
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Printing to a Network Printer
Several methods are available, but I find the “net use” command to be the easiest to explain, to use and to maintain.
“net use” function summary: The net use command allows Windows to capture
printer output that is intended for a local printer port (LPT1 – LPT4) and route it to a named network printer instead. The local printer port does not have to be a physical port – it can be a virtual port.
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Printing to a Network Printer
“Net use” command syntax. Open a DOS command prompt window and type the net use command using the following syntax:net use lpt#: \\printer_hub_name\printer_port_name
# = a number from 1 to 4
Type just “net use” at the command prompt to see a list of the active net use commands (confirm that the command worked)
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Printing to a Network Printer
Example:
net use lpt3: \\LK95DBD5\P1
Lpt3 is the local (virtual) printer port that MedARKS will use for printing
LK95DBD5\P1 is the address for the network printer
Install the MedARKS printer using Lpt3 and the appropriate print driver
Result:Print output from MedARKS is sent to the Lpt3 port, where Windows intercepts/captures that information and sends/routes it to the specified network printer – report is printed on that printer
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Local USB printers
DOS does not recognize USB ports. No known method to print directly from MedARKS to a local USB printer.
Solutions: On a network: Purchase a printer hub, attach to the
network and turn the local USB printer into a network printer.
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Local USB printers
Solutions: Make the local USB printer a shared network printer
and print to that printer from other workstations (still cannot print from the workstation to which the printer is attached).
Purchase a third party software that captures DOS print output and sends it to the USB printer. Examples: DOSPRN, DOS2USB & PRINTFIL
All these program have “try before you buy” policy, so you can determine that the software will work on your system. Memory conflicts can cause unexpected/unexplainable problems with MedARKS.
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Local USB printers
Solutions: Use “Disk save” option within MedARKS, creating a
file of the report on the hard drive. That file can be named within MedARKS, then located using Windows Explorer and sent print to the local USB printer.
Note: All formatting within the report will be lost by the conversion to a text file (no bold, no italics and page length can shift, so that page breaks are in the wrong location)
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User Defined Menu
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User Defined Menu
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Need the usermenu.app file in the \newmed\medarks folder
Download file from:http://www2.isis.org/support/MEDARKS/Default.htm
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User Defined Menu
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Shortcut Keys
Microsoft Standards Ctrl-C = copy selected text to MedARKS clipboard Ctrl-X = cut selected text to MedARKS clipboard Ctrl-V = paste text from MedARKS clipboard Ctrl-A = select all text (in field) Ctrl-Z = undo (previous change) Ctrl-F = Find (and Replace) within a text field Double left click to select a word
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Shortcut Keys
FoxPro Standards Ctrl-Y = clear the current text or date field Ctrl-W = close and save the memo field
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Shortcut Keys
MedARKS Standards F12 = Ctrl-W = close and save memo field F11 = Ctrl-Y = clear the current text or date field F8 = delete this entire record/event F9 = search for an accession number by species Alt-F9 = search for a non-accessioned animal by
species
When editing a memo field F5 = show standard text list Ctrl-F2 = run spell check
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Scheduled procedures
Procedures are scheduled by the simple process of entering into the master problem list with a future date. Example: Your consulting cardiologist suggests a
recheck cardiac ultrasound on the male jaguar in about 6 months. Enter the procedure “ultrasonography – cardiac evaluation” on the master problem list of the jaguar with a date that is 6 months in the future. Use the “scheduled procedures” report (clinical notes report menu) on a regular basis to determine the procedures that are coming due.
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Batch entry of notes and problems
Clinical Notes Batch Entry: Option is on the user-defined menu.
When to use? Series of identical entries into clinical notes
Example: a group fecal swab, from 15 birds in quarantine, yields a positive culture for Salmonella
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Batch entry of notes and problems
Master Problem Batch Entry:
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Batch entry of notes and problems
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Batch entry of notes and problems
Master Problem Batch Entry: Option is off the main clinical notes menu under:
Master Problem List Special Options
Most useful for entering the same procedure performed on the same day (e.g., quarantine examination) for a series of animals
There are other useful options on the same menu
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Batch entry of notes and problems
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Copy and paste between Windows and MedARKS
Get to place in MedARKS where you want to insert the text.
Highlight and copy text in Windows program to Windows clipboard (e.g., email pathology report)
Click on DOS icon in corner of MedARKS window
Caution: If the copied text contains lots of tabs, the format in MedARKS will usually be very different from the original. You can use the “find and replace” to locate all the embedded tab characters (ctrl-I) and replace with a space.
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Copy and paste between Windows and MedARKS
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Copy and paste between Windows and MedARKS
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Copy and paste between Windows and MedARKS
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ZIMSr2 & Existing Functionality
All existing MedARKS functionality has been promised
Improved functionality for aquariums Improved and unified scheduling (calendar)
functions Expanded standards Generalized sample and test model
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ZIMSr2 & Data Cleanup
The ability for drift to occur between institutions and the need to re-standardize between institutions was recognized from the beginning
Data quality utilities already exist in MedARKS
Building dictionary standards that can amalgamate data between institutions and form the basis for ZIMS standards moving forward is a very large challenge
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