SOL Tracker Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Last Update: February 2004

This document should be able to answer some of the more frequently asked questions about using and managing SOL Tracker. The questions are organized by section. Just click on a question and you will jump to that answer. This FAQ is frequently updated, so check back with it often.  If, after scanning this FAQ and the SOL Tracker User's Guide, your questions have not been answered, you may contact Technical Support.

IMPORTANT NOTICES
SOL Tracker Maintenance Guide: This guide can be downloaded here  and is primarily aimed at assisting support staff personnel responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the SOL Tracker software at any given location or on a district-wide basis.  It is written for technically-oriented users that may have a limited understanding of the testing process and the data that SOL Tracker contains, and likely have had limited or no interaction with the software.  It is designed to supplement the SOL Tracker User's Guide, but provides detailed information on many processes including importing HBEM data, importing course grades from a school-wide system, and transferring student information between schools.  This has been updated for Version 3.1. VERSION 4.0 WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE: Version 4.0 is currently in the final stages of beta testing, and we anticipate its general release soon.  This is a significant upgrade, adding much more functionality to the software, including new No Child Left Behind reporting, tracking of many more fields, improved report organization, features designed for guidance counselors, variable graduation requirements, automatic upgrades via the web, plus much more.  Refer to the  What's New in Version 4.0 document for details on the new features. Please contact Successline to obtain a copy.  
KEEP INFORMED ABOUT UPDATES AND INFORMATION REGARDING SOL TRACKER...

Click here to send an email to us in order to be added to our contact list.  With this, we will inform you via email of any important information or updates regarding the software.  Please be advised that we hold all contact information as strictly confidential, and it will be used only for the purposes stated here, and that it will never be given to any other entity. 


For Version 4-specific questions, please check here first.  Any information contained on the Version 4 FAQ supercedes the information contained on this page.
Look for this icon for Version 3.1-specific questions.
Look for this icon for Version 3.0-specific questions, which are generally applicable to later versions.  
This icon indicates questions that have been added within the last few months. 
This icon indicates an item that has been updated since its original posting. 
Please Note Questions dating back to Version 2.0 have been left (no icon) in this FAQ, although that version is no longer supported.  These questions generally apply to later versions unless otherwise stated.

    

Installation & Setup


Printing & Reports

Importing Data

Maintenance

Using SOL Tracker

Installation & Setup

When installing version 3.1 onto a Windows 2000 computer, there is an error message regarding the "scrrun.dll" file, and I am told that I may need to upgrade the operating system.  Also, when SOL Tracker is run, a message says that it is in an uncompiled state.  What should I do?

This message occurs because the version of scrrun.dll included with the installation program is from Windows XP.  However, the version that is already installed with Windows 2000 should operate fine.  There is no need to upgrade the O/S.  This is the source of the message regarding the uncompiled state.  You can check the box to not display the compilation message and it will not appear.  There are not any significant effects related to this.

 

Successline imported all of our data and gave us a CD.  How do I set this data up for use with SOL Tracker?

The CD that was given to you by Successline contains a complete SOL Tracker Data File.  This file contains all student and testing data pre-loaded from Harcourt-Brace disks.  You do not need to go through the import process --- this has already been done for you.

Regardless of whether you are a district office or school, the CD that was given to you should contain a file named for your location with a .MDB extension, and might contain a creation date within the file name (i.e.; Pleasantville Elementary Aug 5 2002.mdb).  To set up this data for use, follow these steps:

  1. Copy the [Your Name].mdb file from the CD to where you wish the data to reside.  This can be either on a hard drive, or on a network server if you wish multiple users to connect to the same data.  Please refer to Section 5.1 of the SOL Tracker User's Guide for information on how to implement the data at your organization.
  2. Locate the file that you copied to your hard drive or network (through either My Computer or Windows Explorer).  Right-click on this file and choose Properties.  Uncheck the Read-Only checkbox.
  3. Start SOL Tracker.  
  4. If this is the first time launching a given installation of SOL Tracker, you will be prompted that the local Data File at C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\Data.mdb was attached, and that it has an invalid identity.  You will be asked if you wish to identify the file now with a license disk.  Select NO.  You will then be prompted about browsing to a Data File.  Choose YES.  Skip to step #6.
  5. If you are already attached to a Data File when you start SOL Tracker, you can choose to browse to another.  Click on Utilities from the main rainbow screen, then click on the Data Utilities button.  Next, click on the Data File tab, then click on the button to browse to another Data File.
  6. Using the file browser, locate the Data File that you copied from the CD and click Open.  After a few seconds, a message will indicate that you are attached and you will be prompted to log in. 
  7. If you wish to verify that your data is there, click on the Review Tests button from the main rainbow screen.

When logging in, please keep in mind that each Data File contains its own set of users and passwords, so if you set a password for the admin account in the local Data File, this does not affect the Data File that was copied from the CD.  By default, there are two accounts in these Data Files that come from Successline: admin and user.  Neither have a password initially.

The Data File provided by Successline should be completely intact and no further processing should be needed.  You can go ahead and start running reports or browsing through the test or student records.  Depending on your agreement with Successline, additional data may need to be loaded for future testing periods.  Please refer to Section 14.1 of the SOL Tracker User's Guide for information on importing data.  Keep in mind that if you are a school location, it is most likely that your district office will do the actual importing of data from Harcourt-Brace, and send only the applicable data for your school on disks or via email.

NOTE: If you place your Data File onto a network, all users that will connect to the data need all rights, except Supervisory.  This includes Read, Write, Modify and Delete rights.



 After installing version 3.1, the process to update my existing Data File to be compatible with the newer version wants to delete my Spring 2002 data.  Why is this and should I do it? 

Version 3.1 has been modified to accommodate for Electronic Testing and Expedited Re-Takes, which are newly implemented aspects of End-of-Course testing.  Typically, this data comes from the various scoring sources (Pearson or Harcourt-Brace) within its own import file.  The data is separate from the "normal" End-of-Course pupil data files from Harcourt-Brace.  If you imported either of these types of files with SOL Tracker prior to version 3.1, your data will be either inaccurate or incomplete due to the fact that it was not designed to read those fields.  Version 3.1 can read this data and handles the importation of these files much like the normal pupil files, via the Import Wizard.  However, the internal processes for handling the data are different (for an explanation of this, please refer to this FAQ question).  Because electronic testing can overlap manual testing, if you do not delete this data, either when prompted by the Data File update process or later via the Test Mass Delete utility, your data will be inaccurate and jumbled up together. 

To be clear, you need to delete your End-of-Course Spring 2002 data (except for English Writing) if you have imported either the electronic testing data or the expedited re-takes data.  If you have only imported the End-of-Course pupil data, then there is no need to delete it.  This also applies to any other testing period in which you have imported electronic testing or expedited re-takes data (maybe Summer 2002 or Fall 2001?).  The update process will not automatically delete that data, but if that applies to you, then you need to delete it manually and then re-import with v3.1.  

Another note: If you had electronic testing or expedited re-takes scored by Harcourt-Brace, and you have already imported (with a version of SOL Tracker prior to 3.1) the End-of-Course pupil Spring 2002 data along with the End-of-Course SPBQ data, but have not yet imported the electronic testing or expedited re-takes data, then you will need to delete the SPBQ data only.   After this, you can import the electronic testing and/or expedited re-takes data with v3.1, then re-import SPBQ data.  The reason why you might need to delete the SPBQ data is because Harcourt-Brace combines all testing SPBQ into the same file, so your SPBQ file will contain the records for normal pupil, electronic testing, and expedited re-takes.  If you had not already imported your electronic testing or expedited re-takes when SPBQ was imported, all of those corresponding SPBQ records for electronic testing (or expedited re-takes) would be incorrectly attached to the wrong tests.  If you had your electronic testing scored through Pearson and had no expedited re-takes, then your SPBQ data will only reflect the normal manual testing of students and nothing needs to be deleted.

If you need to delete data yourself, you can follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you do a backup of your Data File prior to modifying it.
  2. Go to Utilities and click on Data Utilities.  Select the Tests Mass Delete tab.
  3. Select EOC for Disk Type, and specify SPRING for the Season and 2002 for the Year.
  4. If you only want to delete SPBQ, check the box to do just that.  Otherwise, it will delete both tests and SPBQ data according to your criteria specified.
  5. Click on the button to start the deletion, and confirm when prompted.  You may want to go to the Review Tests screen to spot check your data to make sure you did it properly.  If not, restore your backup try again.


All of this can get confusing, so the following chart may help you.  If you are still unsure of what to do, please contact Technical Support. 

Imported
EOC pupil?		 Imported
Electronic
Testing files?		 Imported
Expedited
Re-Takes files?		 Imported
SPBQ data?		 Resolution
No No No No Nothing to delete.  Import all data, in order shown, using version 3.1.
Yes No No No Nothing to delete.  Import electronic testing and expedited re-takes, followed by SPBQ, with version 3.1.
Yes No Yes Yes Delete all EOC data and re-import in order shown using version 3.1.
Yes Yes No Yes Delete all EOC data and re-import in order shown using version 3.1.
Yes Yes Yes Yes Delete all EOC data and re-import in order shown using version 3.1.
Yes Yes Yes No Delete all EOC data and re-import in order shown using version 3.1.
Yes No No Yes Delete all EOC data and re-import in order shown using version 3.1.
Yes No files No files Yes Nothing to delete and no need to re-import using version 3.1.





When I upgrade my copy of SOL Tracker 3.0b to a newer one (3.0c or 3.0d), the process that updates my Data File appears to lock up during the Indexing part.  What can I do?

Some computers may lock up during the "Indexing" section of the Data File update, and we are not sure why.  It may be a resources issue.  However, this is one of the last steps during the update process from Revision "B" to "C", and you can manually perform the final steps.    

To manually complete the update process from "B" to "C", follow these steps.  These steps are not meant to be taken in lieu of the automated process, but only if the automated process locks up during the "Indexing" section.  There are other processes prior to Indexing that should have been completed successfully by SOL Tracker.  Follow these steps:

  1. Open your Data File directly with Access 2000.
  2. Go to the Tables section and double-click on the Settings table to open it.
  3. There should only be one record (row) in this table.  Locate the Revision field and change the "B" to "C" (don't use the quotes shown here).
  4. Close Access 2000.
  5. Run the Compactor utility on both the Program and Data File.
  6. Open SOL Tracker.  At this point, if you have upgraded your software from "B" to "D", you will be prompted about having SOL Tracker update your Data File from "C" to "D".  Choose to postpone the update process for now.
  7. From the Main screen, go to Utilities and then click on the Data Utilities button.
  8. Click on the Index Data tab.
  9. Check the checkbox to process all records, then click on the button to start the Indexing.
  10. Depending on the amount of data, this may take a while, but you'll see a progress meter displayed during the process.
  11. Once the Indexing is complete, exit SOL Tracker.
  12. Start SOL Tracker again.  If you are prompted to update your Data File from "C" to "D", choose to do so now.  
  13. Your Data File is now updated.

Note that if you are using a networked Data File, only one user needs to perform the update process on that Data File.  


 When I install the software on a particular computer, I get a message stating that the DDCATCH2.DLL library could not be registered, and I am prompted as to continue installation or not.  If I continue, many similar messages appear for other files, and SOL Tracker will not run afterwards.  What is wrong?

We are not sure why, but on some versions of Windows98 or Windows95, the Windows Installer mechanism (used by SOL Tracker) will not properly register libraries.  It might be an issue on a computer that does not have Microsoft Office installed, or it might be the version of Internet Explorer.  This problem should not occur on Windows 2000 or later because the Windows Installer is native to that Operating System.  However, we believe that on some versions of Windows 95/98, not all required files are installed by the "patch" that is built into the Microsoft-created pre-installation routines (which we use to install SOL Tracker).

We have found that in most cases, installing the Microsoft Visual Basic Runtime files will fix the underlying mechanisms for registering libraries.  The install file can be downloaded from Microsoft's site at:

        http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q290887

From that page, click on the link for the VBRun60sp5.exe file and save it to your hard drive.  After it is downloaded, close all programs and run that file.  It is fairly quick, and might require you to reboot.  If not, we recommend that you reboot the computer anyway.  After the reboot, uninstall SOL Tracker by running SETUP.EXE from the installation CD and choosing the Remove option when prompted.  Afterwards, re-install SOL Tracker again and the messages related to the libraries should not appear this time.
 
If after following these steps the libraries still will not register during installation, then contact Successline for an Alternate Installation CD that should allow you to install the software.  The Alternate Installation CD uses a different installation mechanism that is slower than the standard, but uses a different mechanism for registering libraries.  Once the software is installed using the Alternate Installation CD, there is no difference between the two methods and SOL Tracker will function the same.


 Which is better? Setting up my data on a WAN and having all schools link to it, or using the Dissemination utilities within the software?

There are pro's and con's to each method, and you will have to decide which system is right for your district.  

The benefits of setting up your data on a WAN are that you have centralized management of your complete set of data, without having to deal with multiple Data Files in multiple locations.  Also, all users throughout your district will dynamically see the data.  Changes made by one user are immediately visible to all users.  That's not to say that all users throughout the district can see everything --- you use security rights to limit what particular users can see or edit (like barring a user at a school from viewing other schools' data).  The disadvantage of a WAN is in the performance decrease.  Any network will slow down the access of data, especially if there are many users accessing the same data simultaneously.  Also, if the WAN goes down, everyone is locked out of SOL Tracker.

There aren't necessarily any added benefits by using the Dissemination utilities built into SOL Tracker.  There is more management involved, because you have to administer multiple Data Files (one at each school).  Plus, you have to create the Dissemination data sets each testing period, then load the appropriate one into each school's Data File.  This can be a time-consuming task.  However, the performance of the software should be better segregating the data into each school's Data File --- each school has fewer records total to have to "weed" through when running reports and fewer users to tie up network traffic lanes.

There is an added benefit for schools when hooked up to a WAN.  Some reports do not contain the necessary information if you choose to use the Disseminate processes.  Specifically, when schools are connected to a district-wide Data File via a WAN, any district-wide pass rates displayed at a school are crunched from the actual data.  When schools receive Disseminated information, they only have the DOE published district-wide pass rates, which include only Spring Adjusted testing scores.  You could not, at a school using the Dissemination method, run a report that compared district-wide FALL testing scores for two periods, because this data does not exist within your system.  However, connected to the district-wide Data File via a WAN, this data is available. 

We have found that it is about a 3 to 1 ratio of districts that use the Disseminate versus districts that use the WAN.  The reason for this, however, is probably due to the fact that earlier versions of SOL Tracker did not support the WAN setup, and continuing customers have just stuck with their original implementation.  But given a reasonable WAN speed, we would recommend using the WAN --- due to its simpler management.  But each situation is different.

On the Main ("Rainbow") screen, the school/district listed at the top of the screen does not match the school/district listed at the bottom.  Will this cause a problem?

It is important to understand the difference between the school/district listed at the top of the Main screen (under the "SOL Tracker" title) and the school/district listed at the bottom of the screen.  The one listed at the top identifies the Data File that this copy of SOL Tracker is currently attached to.  This will change if you browse to another Data File that has a different identity.

At the bottom of the Main screen, the holder of the SOL Tracker license is listed.  This should match the location in which this copy of SOL Tracker is installed.

When you first run a copy of SOL Tracker after installing it, you are prompted to insert a License Disk after your copy attaches to the default Data File, which is not identified as any school or district.  The License Disk identifies the Data File, and should be guided by what data will be used.  Obviously, if you are planning to use district-wide data for all your schools in a particular Data File, you do not want to identify that Data File as one given school, but the district.

Almost immediately after identifying the Data File, you will be prompted to license your copy of SOL Tracker.  This is done using a License Disk too, typically the same one you identified the Data File with.  However, you need to insert whichever License Disk is appropriate.  

Please keep in mind that you are required to use the appropriate license for any copy of SOL Tracker or any Data File.  It is illegal to use a district-licensed copy of SOL Tracker off-site at a school location if you do not also posses a license for that school.  Please contact Successline if you have any questions about licensing.

If, for some reason, you mistakenly identify a Data File by using the wrong License Disk, you may re-identify it by going to the Utilities screen, clicking on the Data Utilities button, clicking on the Data File tab and then clicking on the Change the identity of the currently attached Data File button.

If you mistakenly license a copy of SOL Tracker with the wrong License Disk, you will need to uninstall the program, then re-install it and license it properly the second time.



Is there a way that I can save all of my settings before installing a new revision of SOL Tracker from the CD?

Yes.  Go to Utilities, then Program Maintenance, and click on the Save Settings tab.  This utility will save most local program settings into the NET.INI file that resides in your SOL Tracker 3 folder.  This NET.lNI file is not overwritten during an SOL Tracker installation.  After you install your new copy, the first time you run SOL Tracker, it will sense the NET.INI file an use the parameters that are specified within it.

You should note that there are not many settings that are saved locally.  Most settings are housed within the Data File that you are currently attached to.  In addition, installing a new copy of SOL Tracker (an upgrade or a re-install) will eliminate certain data, such as all logs and your stored last dissemination set (the one used to re-create a previous dissemination set).  It may be a good idea to print out your log files prior to installing a new copy of SOL Tracker.


I installed SOL Tracker at a school location, and inserted the License Disk.  The program said that it was licensed, but the main screen in the program displays "Unlicensed Copy".  Is my copy licensed properly? 

This problem affected only the original release of Version 3.0.  At the point where SOL Tracker read your License Disk, if you received a message stating that your copy was licensed and the message displayed the name of your school, then your software is properly licensed.  It will function properly in all regards.  However, the main ("Rainbow") screen will display a message stating that you have an unlicensed copy, even though your copy has been licensed.  This problem only applies to School-Level copies of SOL Tracker and will not affect District-Level copies.

You should upgrade to the latest version of SOL Tracker.  Please contact Successline for the latest installation CD.


I used the Data File Converter to convert my old Data File to Version 3.0.  However, when I got to the process to scan my Harcourt-Brace disks for the missing data, it wouldn't read any of the disks.  Also, when I attached to my converted Data File with the new version of SOL Tracker, I couldn't load any new HBEM data.  What is wrong?

The original release of SOL Tracker Version 3.0 has a problem with the blank Data File (CBLANK.MDB) that is used during the conversion process.  This problem prevents your converted Data File from reading Harcourt-Brace disks because it is missing essential tables for the process.  If you ran the Data File Converter, you would have seen these problems when you ran the procedures to scan the Harcourt-Brace disks for exclusions and/or 3rd grade English writing subtests.  Also, your converted Data File would not be able to import new information from HBEM disks from within SOL Tracker.  Again, this issue only relates to customers who are converting a prior version's Data File to the Version 3.0 format.  New customers, or those who do not convert, will not have problems with the blank Data File that is attached to by default (DATA.MDB) when you run SOL Tracker for the first time.

This problem was fixed with Version 3.0a.  It is recommended that you contact Successline to to obtain the latest version of SOL Tracker.  


When I ran SOL Tracker for the first time, it prompted me for a License Disk.  I put this in, but the software said that it was invalid.  What do I do?

It is likely that you have a bad disk that the license info was created on.  Contact Successline for a replacement disk.  Also, if you have two floppy drives, you must put the disk into Drive A:.


I set up a networked Data File, and then browsed over to this file and logged in as the 'admin' user.  I was required to specify a password.  However, when I installed a copy of SOL Tracker onto a computer, I can't log it using 'admin' and this password.  How come?

Security settings (including users and their passwords) are stored within each Data File.  Each Data File is a separate entity that contains its own list for security, even though the "names" of these user accounts may be the same within multiple Data Files.  By default, each blank Data File comes with two users: 'admin' and 'user'.  Neither of these have passwords initially.  When you browsed over to your networked Data File, you logged in as 'admin', and the system sensed that there was no password for this user, so made you create one.  

Next, when you installed SOL Tracker onto another computer, that computer attached (by default) to the blank Data File that was installed on its local hard drive.  This was a separate Data File, with the default accounts.  The 'admin' user within this local file has no password by default.  This is why when you attempt to log into it with 'admin' and the password that you had specified for the other Data File, it wouldn't let you log in.  

There are two ways around this.  First, you could just log in as 'user' each time you initially install a copy of SOL Tracker and it attaches to the local Data File, then browse over to your networked Data File and log in normally.  You browse to a Data File by going into Utilities, then clicking on the Data Utilities button, then selecting the Data File tab, then clicking on the button to browse to another Data File and use the file browser that appears to locate it on your hard drive or network.

Secondly, you could specify the path to the networked Data File within the NET.INI file, which will cause each copy of SOL Tracker to skip the local Data File and attach directly to the networked one.  See section 5.2.6 in the SOL Tracker User's Guide for more information on editing the NET.INI file.  This is the preferred method if you are installing multiple copies of the software and they will all point to a common Data File located on the network.  



We set up user security accounts for SOL Tracker, but our administrator has left and we do not know the password for the admin account.  How can we get back in?

Technical Support has methods of bypassing the built-in security and regaining control of the admin account.  However, due to privacy and security issues, you must first contact Successline and explain that you need to regain access to an admin account.  This is done to ensure that you are authorized to gain this type of access.  Successline will then contact Technical Support to grant authorization, and then you can contact Technical Support by phone in order to walk through the steps to gain access.  Please note that this is a billable service.

 


 I installed Version 3.0 and uninstalled Version 2.0, and I want to use my old data.  How do I do this?

If your Data File for Version 2.0 was the default Data File on your local hard drive, then you may have deleted it by uninstalling Version 2.0.  Check the C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 2\ folder on your computer to see if it is still there.  If your Data File was named anything else, or in a different location, it will still be wherever you left it.

If you are not sure where your old Data File was, you can always use the Windows Find... feature and search your hard drive for DATA*.*.  You might be able to tell by the file date and size which one is your Data File. 

Once you locate your old Data File, you can use the Data File Converter to convert it to a Version 3.0-compatible format.  Actually, a copy will be made and then converted.  The Converter does not modify the original file, but will rename it with a BKP extension.


While using the Data File Converter, I received an error message regarding the TblMobility Tracking.  Did my data convert properly or will this cause a problem?

You can disregard this message when it occurs and continue with the conversion, with no negative side effects.  This table was removed for Version 3.0.

 

I tried to run the features within the Data File Converter to scan my disks for Exclusions and 3rd Grade English, but it wouldn't read the disks.  What is wrong?

There is a problem (prior to Version 3.0a) that prevents SOL Tracker from recognizing Multiple-Choice HBEM pupil disks for 1998 or 1999.  It is recommended that you contact Successline to to obtain the latest version of SOL Tracker.  


 
After installing Version 3.0, I tried to open the program but get an "Unrecognized database format..." error message.   I tried running the Data File Converter and immediately got the same error message. What do I do?

It is likely that your system is attempting to start the programs with Access 97. You can verify this.  After the error message, Access should still be open (if you have full Access and not the Runtime).  Click on Help from the menu bar, then About after you get the message. This should display the version of Access that was opened.  You must use Access 2000 or the Access 2000 Runtime to run either of the programs.  

The installation program for SOL Tracker Version 3.0 is different from previous versions (as you can tell by the much improved speed of installation).  However, the drawback is that it leaves it up to the computer system to use whatever the default application for an MDB file is to run the software. You need to specifically specify the path to Access 2000 or the Runtime for the shortcut icons that start the programs.  Read the Access Note.rtf file on the SOL Tracker installation CD for instructions on setting up to use Access 2000 or the Runtime. 

I followed the directions in the ACCESS NOTE.RTF file to change which version of Access is used by SOL Tracker, but when I right-click on the shortcuts, the Target box is greyed out and I can't change it.  What should I do?

For some reason, the Windows Installer that is used by SOL Tracker to install the software to your system may have done this.  It is unclear why this occurs on some systems, and we have not found the reason why in the Microsoft documentation.

There are two ways in which you can fix the problem: either change the association of an MDB file within the system to point to the Access 2000 Runtime, or create all new shortcuts for the SOL Tracker programs (SOL Tracker, Compactor and Data File Converter) with the explicit path to the Access 2000 Runtime specified.

If you use Access 97 for other programs that you start by double-clicking on an MDB file, then you probably should not use the first option.  Changing the association of an MDB file within the system to point to the Access 2000 Runtime will cause these other MDB files to open in Access 2000 instead (which will want to convert them).  However, if you don't open databases directly in this manner, you can choose this option, which will be the quickest to perform.  Also, changing this does not mean that you can't open Access 97 --- only that MDB files that are double-clicked on will start with the Access 2000 Runtime instead of Access 97.

The other option is to create all new shortcuts.  You only need to do this for the three programs that are databases: SOL Tracker, Compactor and Data File Converter.  The steps to take for doing this are the same as this FAQ question.  The only difference is that you only need to do new shortcuts for these three database programs, and that you should delete the original shortcuts (or rename them) before creating the new ones.  Also, if you want to create a new SOL Tracker shortcut on the desktop, right-click on the desktop instead of in the Start menu location that the instructions specify.

Back to the first option... to change your MDB association, follow these steps:

  1. Double-click on My Computer.
  2. Click on View, then Folder Options... from the menu bar.
  3. Click on the File Types tab.
  4. In the list of Registered File Types, locate and select either Microsoft Access Application or Microsoft Access Database.  It should be the one with MDB for the Extension.  
  5. Click on the Edit button.
  6. In the Actions box, select Open and click the Edit button.
  7. In the Application used to perform action box, change the path to the current MSACCESS.EXE (which is Access 97) to the path to the Access 2000 Runtime.  By default, this is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ART\Office\MSACCESS.EXE.  Make sure that this path is enclosed in quotes ("), and that you leave the original parameters at the end of the line (typically, /NOSTARTUP "%1"), after the final quote.  Note that the Browse button on this page has a glitch and will not include the quotes, which are necessary for long file names such as this.
  8. Click on OK.
  9. If the icon displayed at the top has changed to a purple key in a purple outlined box, then click on the Close button to finish.  Otherwise, click on the Change Icon... button and browse to the Access 2000 Runtime's MSACCESS.EXE file, select the first icon in the list, then click OK and then Close.

After you have completed these steps, SOL Tracker should start normally.


When I ran the Data File Converter, and got to the part where it scans my disks for 3rd Grade English Subscores, it wouldn't recognize my 1998 (or 1999) disks.  What can I do to get this information into SOL Tracker?

There is an underlying problem that prevents SOL Tracker (Version 3.0 or 3.0a) from recognizing a Multiple-Choice pupil disk for 1998 or 1999.  It is recommended that you contact Successline to to obtain the latest version of SOL Tracker.  

I received an SOL Tracker CD, but I'm not sure how to install it, if I should uninstall my previous version, or if I can keep my existing data. How do I find out this information?

Regardless of which version you are installing, the SOL Tracker installation CD contains a folder named "SOL Tracker User's Guide".  Within this folder is a file named Instructions.doc, which is the full SOL Tracker User's Guide for your version, in Microsoft Word format.  It is recommended that you open this file and print it.

Within the SOL Tracker User's Guide is information answering the questions about installing the new version, what to do with the older version, converting an older SOL Tracker Data File versus re-importing the original data, and many other common questions that you may have.  This information is given in the first few sections of the manual, and it is highly recommended that you read these sections prior to attempting to install SOL Tracker.  Doing so may save you unnecessary time and effort.

NOTE: Starting with Version 3.0, SOL Tracker now includes the ability to set up your Data File on a WAN, in order to allow all users throughout the district to share the same data.  Refer to the network installation procedures in the SOL Tracker User's Guide for detailed information.

 

Where can I get this testing period's State Pass Rates to load into SOL Tracker?

As the State DOE publishes statewide pass rates for each testing period, the information will be made available in an SOL Tracker-compatible format on this web site.  Please note that there is usually a significant amount of time between when the HBEM disks come back and when the State DOE publishes the pass rates.

To load the State Pass Rates into SOL Tracker, follow these steps:

  1. Download the appropriate set depending on your version of the software.  Users with Version 3.1 already installed should use that set.  All other users should use the "Version 3.0 or lower" set.  Both contain the same data, except that with v3.1 the World History tests were renamed, so if you load the incorrect set you will not have pass rates available for World History I or II.  If you do load the wrong set, you can correct it merely by loading the appropriate set.  
  2. Unzip the contents of the ZIP file to your hard drive.  There will be several files, each one named for the appropriate year and ending with a "Z.TXT" (i.e.; 2002Z.TXT).
  3. Start SOL Tracker and go to Utilities, then click on Data Utilities.
  4. Click on the Load State Pass Rates tab.
  5. Click on the Load State Pass Rates button.
  6. Click on OK to proceed, the browse to where you unzipped the files.
  7. Select the file for the year that you wish to load.  You do not need to re-load any years that are already in the system.  However, doing so will not do any harm but will merely load the same data again.
  8. When prompted, choose to use the NORMAL load by clicking on the YES button.  You should only choose the alternate method if you have had problems using the normal method.
  9. Repeat steps #5 - 8 for each year that needs to be loaded.

Note that if you are using a networked Data File, only one user needs to load State Pass Rates for them to be accessible by everyone attached to that Data File.

  NOTE FOR v3.1 USERS: If you have previously loaded State Pass Rates information for any years with an earlier version of SOL Tracker, you do not need to reload them using v3.1.  However, once you have installed v3.1, you need to use the State Pass Rates files designed for v3.1 to load any years.



I didn't receive a printed copy of the SOL Tracker User's Guide with my upgrade.  How can I get one?

Copies of the printed SOL Tracker User's Guide are available for purchase from Successline.  There is an electronic version of the SOL Tracker User's Guide  that is included with the CD and can be printed by you.  The electronic version is compatible with current versions of Microsoft Word (Word97 and on), and is located in the SOL Tracker User's Guide  folder on the installation CD.  


I installed SOL Tracker at a school site, but each time the Setup Wizard starts and I click on Next, nothing happens, and the program locks up.

This was an error within the program on the first release of Version 2.0 (Revision 1) and was fixed with Revision 2.  Revisions are always free for licensed users.  Please contact Successline to obtain a new disk.

In the meantime, there are two ways that you can temporarily fix this problem, until you upgrade your Revision:

  1. Merely Cancel the Setup Wizard each time you start SOL Tracker.
  2. Edit the NET.INI file that is with your program files (by default C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 2\).  Within the NET.INI file, set the [SetupWizard] parameter equal to TRUE.  For more details on modifying the NET.INI file, see section 5.5 of the SOL Tracker User's Guide.



During installation, I receive a message that says that kids.ttf can't be installed due to a sharing violation.  I clicked Retry, but the message still comes up again.  What should I do?

On some computers, the Kids font that is installed with SOL Tracker may be locked by the system.  This is a minor installation issue, and you can continue with the installation without installing the Kids font.  Generally, if there is already a Kids font on your system (the one that is locked), then it doesn't need to be installed.

To continue with the installation, click on Ignore.  You will receive a few more messages related to this issue.  READ EACH PROMPT CAREFULLY TO DETERMINE THE PROPER RESPONSE.  You can continue with the installation by choosing the proper response to each prompt, which may or may not be the default response that the computer offers.  Whenever prompted, choose to continue with the installation despite the fact the Kids font was not installed.

If, after installation, the Kids font does not seem to be working properly, refer to this FAQ question for instructions on manually installing this font.

I installed SOL Tracker onto one computer, and installed it onto a second computer in the office. Is there any way that I can get the two to share data?

Assuming that both copies of SOL Tracker are the same Level (School-Level or District-Level), there is only one way to get the two to share the same data, and that is by networking the two and linking to the same Data File. For more information on networking, see the Installing to a Network section of the SOL Tracker User's Guide.

If one computer is set up as a School-Level copy (tracking data for one school), and the other is set up as a District-Level copy (tracking data for the entire district), then there are two ways in which data can be shared between them.

The first method is via the data transfer utilities, such as Disseminate Data to Schools and Send Data from School to District. This is assuming that the School is within the District, not another District.

If you have Version 3.0, the other method is to set up your district-wide Data File on a WAN.  This allows all users (including Schools) to attach to the same Data File, thus sharing the same pool of information.  You can set up user rights to restrict the data that can be viewed by personnel at schools, so that they cannot see other schools' data.  Refer to section 5.1.3 in the SOL Tracker User's Guide (for Version 3.0) for detailed information on setting this up.

For two computers that are running the same Level, but not physically connected by a network, it is possible to copy a Data File for installation onto the second computer. However, any changes made to the data on the second computer cannot be transferred to the originating computer. It can only be a "snapshot" of the Data File at the time that it was copied. Also, any changes to the original Data File in the meantime will not appear on the copy, unless another copy is made. However, if the second computer is merely retrieving data (like printing reports), and not editing any data, then this can feasibly work, although it is more maintenance than simply networking the two.

You can locate the path to your Data File by looking at the bottom of the About screen from within SOL Tracker. All you have to do is copy this file to the second computer, then attach SOL Tracker to it.

Keep in mind any licensing restrictions that may be imposed on your copy of SOL Tracker. Review the License file that was installed along with SOL Tracker, or contact Successline for more information.  Copies of SOL Tracker used at schools must also be licensed, as well as the district copy. 


I installed SOL Tracker, but some of the text on the buttons doesn't look correct. Some of the text bleeds over the edges of the buttons. Do I need to reinstall SOL Tracker?

The installation program is supposed to install the Kids font into the Windows system on your computer. This font is used by almost every screen throughout SOL Tracker. When you install SOL Tracker onto a computer, the system usually needs to restart Windows for the new font to be installed properly. To determine if the Kids font is installed properly, look at the two lines below: (you must be viewing this web page with the computer in question that SOL Tracker was installed onto for this test to work)

Kids Font

Do both the red and the black "Kids Font" look alike? There might be a slight size difference, but that's ok. Are the letters shaped the same (the childish scrawl)? If the red text looks dramatically different than the black text, then the Kids font is not properly installed onto this system.

To manually install the Kids font, follow these steps:
1) Locate where SOL Tracker is installed. By default, this is C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker\
2) Within this directory, copy the Kids.ttf file to the C:\Windows\Fonts directory
3) Restart Windows.

Also note that SOL Tracker resizes most screens dynamically, and depending on your computer's screen resolution and the comparative horizontal versus vertical size of the screen, it may be distorting the text.  Try changing the size of SOL Tracker (if it isn't minimized) by dragging the edges of the window, then opening another screen to see how it displays.

 

Can SOL Tracker be run with any version of Microsoft Access?

Version 2.0 and 3.0 of SOL Tracker run on a Microsoft Access 2000 platform.  Version 1.0 ran on an Access 97 platform. Each will not work with ANY OTHER VERSION OF ACCESS. This includes the various utilities that are installed with the program (like the Compactor).  The installation programs for either version of SOL Tracker include the appropriate Microsoft Access Runtime installation for users that do not have the correct version of Access already installed. This Runtime can be installed simultaneously with other versions of Access, whether Runtime or full.

During installation, the setup program checks for the path to the appropriate version of Access, and enters this into the command line for the SOL Tracker shortcut (in the Windows Start menu).  If, for some reason, the setup program points the shortcut to the wrong version of Access, you will get a message stating that you do not have the rights to convert the database, or that you cannot run it on a previous version of Access.

If you believe that your shortcut may be pointing to the wrong version of Access, you can edit the shortcut properties and change the command (Target) line to point to the correct version.  If you are unsure of where the Access executable is, you can use the Windows Find feature and look for files named MSACCESS.EXE on your system.  Then, copy down the path to the appropriate one and type it into the first part of the shortcut's command line.  Be careful not to delete or modify the second part of the command line (after the MSACCESS.EXE), because that contains the path to the SOL Tracker database, as well as important command-line parameters that are necessary to run SOL Tracker.

If you still run into difficulties, and cannot get SOL Tracker to start, contact Technical Support.

All of the screens look "blotchy" and its hard to read some of the wording.

You're probably running your screen resolution at 256 colors or less. SOL Tracker is optimally run with a screen color resolution of 32K or above.

To set your screen color to the appropriate level, right-click on a blank area of your Windows desktop. You can also go into Control Panel and double-click on the Display icon. Next, click on the Settings tab. In the Color Palette box, choose a setting further down in the list than 256. Try going one setting higher at first. Click on the Apply button. Windows will prompt you to test the new color resolution, and will go back to 256 colors if the test fails.

If you were able to go above 256 colors, the SOL Tracker screens will look as they were designed. You can attempt to go to a higher color setting for even better display, but you may be limited by your video card memory.

If the test failed and you cannot go above 256 colors, contact a computer technician about replacing your video card with a more up-to-date card.

I have shortcuts for the SOL Tracker programs under the Windows Start menu, but I want to set up a shortcut for SOL Tracker on the desktop.  How do I do that?

For Version 3.0, this should have been done for you.  If not, or you have Version 2.0, the easiest way to do this is as follows:

  1. Using the left mouse button, drill down through the Windows Start menu to the SOL Tracker shortcut as you would normally do to start the program, except right-click on the SOL Tracker shortcut (not left-click).
  2. Choose Send To... from the pop-up menu, then Desktop (create shortcut).

You will now have a shortcut on your desktop.  You can also rename this by right-clicking on the icon and choosing Rename from the pop-up menu.

If, for some reason, some or all of the program shortcuts were not installed properly onto your system, you can manually set them up.  Your first step is to create a Start menu group for the SOL Tracker 3 shortcuts, if one does not exist already.  To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click on the Start button and choose Open.  
  2. Double-click on Programs.
  3. If you don't see a folder for SOL Tracker 3, create one by choosing File | New | Folder from the menu bar.

Next, to set up any shortcut:

  1. Right-click on the Start button and choose Open.  
  2. Double-click on Programs.
  3. Double-click on the SOL Tracker 3 folder.
  4. If you do not see two folders: Documents and Utilities, then create these folders by right-clicking and selecting New | Folder, then naming them.  Some of the icons are under these subfolder for better organization.
  5. To create a new shortcut, start the Create Shortcut Wizard by right-clicking in the white space of the appropriate window, then choosing New | Shortcut from the menu. 

NOTE: If you need to modify options for the shortcut that aren't displayed with the Create Shortcut Wizard, you can right-click on the newly shortcut after finishing the Wizard, then choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

The following table displays the various parameters for each shortcut that needs to be set up.  These assume that SOL Tracker and Microsoft Access are in the default installation locations.  If these are different on your system, substitute the correct path. If the Microsoft Access 2000 Runtime was installed (you didn't already have Access 2000), the executable for that, by default, is installed to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ART\Office\".  

None of the paths are case-sensitive, except for the section "/user user", which must be in lower-case.  All quotes need to be included for long-file naming conventions.

NOTE: Version 3.0 is installed to the C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\ folder by default.

Shortcut Name Folder under Start Menu Shortcut Path Path to Icon File
SOL Tracker SOL Tracker 3 "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe"
 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\sol.mdb"
/wrkgrp "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\solsys.mdw"
/user user		 C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\sol.ico
Successline Inc. Web Site SOL Tracker 3 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\success.htm" C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker\success.ico
Technical Support Web Site SOL Tracker 3 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\support.htm" C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker\support.ico
Compactor SOL Tracker 3/Utilities "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe"
"C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\compact.mdb"
/wrkgrp "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\SOLSYS.MDW"
/user user		 C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\compact.ico
Data File Converter SOL Tracker 3/Utilities "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe"
"C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\convert.mdb"
/wrkgrp "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\SOLSYS.MDW"
/user user		 C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\convert.ico
DAT File Viewer SOL Tracker 3/Utilities "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\HBDATViewer.exe" Use Default Icon
Read Me SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\README.TXT" Use Default Icon
License Agreement SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\LICENSE.TXT" Use Default Icon
SOL Tracker User's Guide (MS Word) SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\SOL Tracker User's Guide.doc" C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\instructions.ico
Data File Converter Documentation SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\Data File Converter Readme.doc" Use Default Icon
List of SOL Tracker Reports SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\List of SOL Tracker Reports.snp" Use Default Icon
Notes Regarding Installing Access SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\Access Note.rtf" Use Default Icon
What's New in Version 3.1 SOL Tracker 3/
Documents		 "C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\What's New (v3.1).pdf" C:\Program Files\SOL Tracker 3\new.ico

If you need to set these shortcuts up on more than one computer, and the paths to the various files will be the same, you can copy these shortcuts to a floppy disk so that you can load them onto each computer later. To do this, open Windows Explorer, then browse down into the C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\SOL Tracker 3\ folder and use the right-click and Send To Floppy... menu item for each shortcut.  Then, on the destination computer, just drag and drop to the copied shortcuts to the same location.

 

When I attempt to install SOL Tracker, the computer locks up and I have to restart it.  How can I fix this?

If you receive a defective Version 2.0 CD, this can happen.  However, once the setup program locks in the middle, you must take a few steps before you can run it again.  If you do not, you will receive an error message that setup cannot run.

The underlying problem is that if you attempt to install from a defective CD, part of the files needed for installation are temporarily copied to your computer, but the operating system locks when it hits the defective part of the CD.  Then, even if you replace the defective CD with a good one, if you run the setup program again, it will report an error when it tries to copy the temporary files again to your computer.  However, you will not be given a specific enough error message to tell you this.

To fix the problem, you must delete certain files and a folder on your computer, then attempt the installation again from a good CD.  Your first step is to delete the SOL.CAB file, if it exists.  This will be located in your C:\WINDOWS\ folder.  Also, look in this folder for SETUP.EXE.  If it exists, delete it too (NOT SETUP1.EXE). 

Next, there may be a folder named MSFTQWS.PDW under C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\.  If so, delete this folder along with its contents.

After you have deleted these files, reattempt the installation from the CD.  If you still cannot install the software, please contact Technical Support.

Version 3.0 should not have this problem, since it uses a different installation mechanism.  If you experience a lockup during the installation of Version 3.0, then you should reboot and ensure that any running pr