The RISC Extras page contains details about RISC add-on tools that you may find useful:

• The RISC Batch Photo Import Tool
• The RISC Student Database Editor
• Checking RISC for Data Corruptions
• Upgrade RISC Data Structure from v4/5/6
• Update Existing RISC Databases to work with ERN (NSW Public Schools only)
• Setting RISC to Read Only Access

The RISC Batch Photo Import Tool

Almost as soon as RISC v7 was released, schools, in particular high schools, started asking whether it was possible to import existing student photo files into RISC instead of using the RISC PhotoCapture! utility. Of course, at the time, the answer was no. So, we went to work on developing such a tool and realised it was not such a simple thing to do because between them, schools will use various different sizes for their source photos and they will also be named in all sorts of strange ways. So this tool needed to be quite clever. Here's what we came up with:

This tool will not only transfer your existing photos into RISC, but it will resize them, rotate them (if required) and rename them automatically, without disturbing the original copies. And it will do it all for your whole school in a few minutes! Full instructions for accessing and using this tool are in this User Manual (PDF)

The RISC Student Database Editor

The Student Database Editor for RISC has been supplied to allow schools to make minor changes to their student database (as opposed to the contacts database). The student database is normally imported from your School's main Administration system, but with some systems, it is difficult or impossible to export the student enrolment data. For these schools, this utility is helpful. It will allow you to either create a RISC Student Database from scratch, or edit an existing RISC Student Database when minor changes are needed.

To use the RISC Student Database Editor, run the RISC Admin program and choose Utilities...RISC Student Database Editor.  The following screen will be displayed:

The process for using this editor is fairly self-explanatory.  If you have an existing Student Database in RISC that you want to edit, click the "Import Data from Existing Studbase.dat File" button which will bring in all the existing records for editing as shown above. If you are starting from scratch, just fill in each field at the top and click the "Save As New Record to List Below" button.

Once there are records in the list, click on one to display it in the fields at top. Edit the details in these fields as necessary then click the "Replace Highlighted Record with Above Data" button. This effectively edits existing records. You can also Save the fields as a New record, but be sure to avoid duplicates in the list.

Deleting records when a student has left is as simple as highlighting the desired record and clicking the "Delete Highlighted Record" button.

When you have finished editing, you can then transfer the new student database back to RISC by clicking the "Replace Studbase.Dat File with this Data" button.  If you do not Replace the student database, none of your changes will be saved when you exit the Student Database Editor.

NOTE: Every user of RISC MUST CLOSE RISC before you can use the button to Replace the Studbase.dat file in RISC.

Checking for RISC Data Corruptions

There is an option in the Utilities menu of the RISC Admin program to Check for Data Corruptions in the main RISC database (the RISC.DAT file).  It is very useful in the event that a data corruption is reported by RISC or suspected by the user. If it appears that a specific contact record has become corrupted (i.e. you cannot display it on the screen), use this module to check for errors in the RISC database.

If the module finds corruptions that it can repair itself, it will do so. Any repairs made by the checking module will be reported one by one on the screen. Take note of all corrected contacts and when the process is complete, load RISC and call up each of the corrected contacts. Usually the corruption is found in the Student Name at the top of the form. If you find a "Fixed" message for the Student Name, you will have to reselect the appropriate Student Name and Save the Updated Form. Remember, the best way to avoid problems associated with data corruptions is to backup the RISC database regularly.

It is possible that a corruption of the database (usually caused by poor-quality power, hard disk crashes or poor network connectivity) is so severe that this utility cannot fix it.  In these cases, if you do not have a backup of the database, please stop using RISC and contact RISC Support, preferably by e-mail.


Update RISC Data Structure from v4/5/6 - (not required to upgrade v7 to v8)

This option is ONLY to be used if upgrading RISC from v4, v5 or v6 to v8.  There is no option to update v3 and earlier data structure directly to v8.  Please contact RISC Support via email to arrange this if required. There was a major data structure change for the main RISC database that occurred with the release of RISC v7.0. For existing RISC users with RISC v4.0 or later, this option in the Utilities menu of the RISC Admin program has been produced to allow for the conversion of all RISC databases (current and archived) to the new v7 format.

This process must be run before using RISC if you have data from a previous version. You must also re-export your student information from your school admin system and import it into RISC before you can take advantage of the new system. You will be notified of the need to do this during the installation of your RISC upgrade to v7. It is expected that this function will only ever need to be run once.  If you choose this option when your data is already in v7 format, it will do nothing.

Update Existing RISC Databases to work with ERN (NSW Public Schools only)

From late 2007, The NSW Education Department commenced a rollout of a new Student ID/Enrolment number, referred to as ERN. A new, unique 9-digit enrolment number is being allocated centrally to every student in the state and that number replaces the old OASIS Student ID.

This will affect any school that used RISC v7 or v8 BEFORE the school changed over to the new ERN ID numbers. To correct the data discrepancy that will occur when the school changes over to ERN, a new tool has been produced to update all old Student IDs stored with previous contact records to the new ERN. The tool needs only be run once to update all RISC data created prior to ERN.

You can access the ERN conversion tool from the RISC Admin program, in the Utilities menu. Step-by-step instructions are provided in this User Manual (PDF)

Setting RISC to Read-Only Access

A number of schools requested the ability to allow certain staff to view existing contacts, but not be able to modify or add new contacts. This would only be required on networked RISC systems.

This can be done in one of two different ways :

1. Using your Network Operating System's User Rights or Privileges OR
2. Using the /RO command line parameter in RISC

It is always recommended that you utilize the access rights restrictions of your network operating system to set Read Only mode in RISC wherever possible. Using this facility, provide those users that require Read Only access with only Read, or Read and Filescan rights to the RISC Program and Data Paths.  RISC will detect this restricted access automatically when these users login and will restrict RISC access accordingly. Please refer to your Network Administrator to find out how to set access right for individual users.

If you are unsure of how to set these access rights using the network operating system, you can enter a command-line parameter in the Properties for the RISC shortcut.  In Windows, use the RIGHT mouse button and click on the RISC Shortcut. Choose Properties. Choose the Shortcut tab and at the end of the line that says 'Target', add a space and then /RO at the end if the risc.exe line.

In other words, for all Windows versions, place the cursor at the end of the command line (after RISC.EXE), then type a space followed by /RO. Then click the OK button.

The next time you start RISC, it will be in Read-Only mode and will not allow you to Save nor Save Updated. Update the Properties for the RISC icon for all users who will require Read-Only access. Of course, other users without the command-line parameter will be able to save.

NOTE: With Read Only access, RISC cannot Save new contacts, Save changes, Rebuild Indexes, use the Form Letters Module or use the Contact Reports Module.
 

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The Register of Individual Student Contact (RISC) is developed & distributed
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