TestWater Upgrade
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Thursday, 31 May 2012 23:34
- Written by Christian Dunn
TestWater is back on the work bench. I have decided I am going to open up licencing to be a free self service model where users can register the application themselves, generate a key and begin creating and sharing TestWater licences. This process is currently under way and I hope to have a new release available online shortly at www.testwater.com.au.
WyMI released from the labs
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Tuesday, 17 January 2012 01:36
- Written by Christian Dunn
WyMI is a Systems Administrators best friend. A computer auditing tool that uses WMI to provide an easy ability to search and retrieve important information about your system
WyMI requires no installation and no special configuration. Data is captured and refreshed at specified intervals. This can be stopped and a snapshot exported to CSV that wil be automatically opened in the default program (usually Excel).
WyMI can report on:
- BIOS
- Computer
- Desktop
- Environment Variables
- Find Computers
- Logical Drives
- Motherboard
- Network Adapters
- Operating System
- Physical Drives
- Physical Memory
- Print Jobs
- Printers
- Processes
- Processor
- Routing Table
- Services
- Shares
- Timezone
- User Accounts
- Video
Did I mention it's FREE?
Print Queue Manager 5.1.5 Released
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Friday, 13 January 2012 23:40
- Written by Christian Dunn
Print Queue Manager update 5.1.5 has been released.
This fixes and issue where changing between favourites using either the Favourites panel or the favourites menu does not refresh the queue correctly and can show no jobs.
Now when switching between favourites a full refresh is performed to ensure all jobs currently in queue are displayed.
TestWater - Development Begins
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 22:06
- Written by Christian Dunn
It's time for a new look at Water Test.
WaterTest was built to analyse and record results for water testing at The Pool Clinic. As all of my programs are it was built for a purpose.
As we found it so usable and flexible for reporting on results from multiple pools and it's basic analysis provided a simple summary to assist the technician, I decided to share it online.
This led to multiple versions to improve the interface and resolve bugs users found to become the program available today.
Built in Visual Basic, WaterTest currently uses Microsoft Access Databases.
If you want to give it a try see the Software section.
In 2012 I am taking a fresh approach to water testing with TestWater.
The problem with all water test applications is they fail in a range of cases due to technical imprecision or qualification problems.
The biggest fault with testing is user error. Fingerprints on test tubes, incorrect doses of liquids, we can't help with that.
The next is qualification and this is where TestWater begins. We have our results, but what questions do you ask the customer to ensure you offer the best advice?
Is it hot this week? do they have a salt chlorinator? is the pool green? Each of these questions actually has an impact on the recommendations for treating a swimming pool.
Did all of these questions get asked at the time?
The aim of TestWater is to take your water test results and apply the appropriate criteria and qualifications to give you the same quality of recommendation you would get in a pool shop.
Designed by someone who started working in the industry in 1996 and has performed thousands of tests.
Don't like the qualification rules? change them. Customise the program for your region, or your recommendations.
This has passed concept phase and is only just moving to early development so I can't promise all this in version 1 or 2012 but here is the vision.
The next generation application is .NET based and requires no installation so it can even run off a usb key for field staff using Windows 7 or 8.
It calculates the Langelier Saturation Index using complex mathematical analysis rather than league tables to improve accuracy and displays the results visually.
It will have the capability to perform Qualitative NOT JUST Quantitative analysis of information based on rules that apply to selected options.
It will have the capability to create, import or export these rules. Rules can be loaded from the internet and shared with others.
A future capability will allow both the options and the rules based on those options to be configured by users.
Data will be saved, shared and stored using XML.
WaterTest will be designed for individuals, organisations and pool shops with various capability for each purpose.
Basic testing will be available free.
Some new features, rules or options may be licenced or available for purchase and download online.
To show how things are progressing here is a sneak peak of part of the new test screen.
The final version may appear very different to this.
Yes, that does show LSI to 2 decimal places but the new mathematical algorithm calculates each variable with full accuracy producing an accurate LSI at 12 decimal places.
This really is not practical however as we are only looking at 0.3 to -0.3 so any value outside of that is a problem, but I can see the improvement when rounding is taken into account between the old and new versions.
So how do you find out more?
Watch this site for more information. To get first go at new applications sign up to become a member and get access to The Lab for all my pre-release or experimental software.
All dates are currently to be advised, but the software will be available to members first once it passes first stage development.
TestWater has left the house!!
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 22:06
- Written by Christian Dunn
It's time for a new look at water testing.
TestWater is a brand new application built to analyse test results based on rules to provide detailed recommendations and a customised report.
My previous testing application, WaterTest, has been very successful but it's limitation was that it was developed with rules set by me. While suitable these were not flexible for other regions or climates and while it did calculate LSI it did not calculate it more accurately than 1 decimal place. There are also more factors your pool technician takes into account when testing your water than just the water results. These attributes such as the look of the water can have a large impact on the recommendations provided.
The problem with all water test applications is they fail in a range of cases due to technical imprecision or qualification problems.
The biggest fault with testing is qualification and this is where TestWater begins. We have our results, but what questions do you ask the customer to ensure you offer the best advice?
Is it hot this week? do they have a salt chlorinator? is the pool green? Each of these questions actually has an impact on the recommendations for treating a swimming pool. What are the recommendations for the water in your area? Does the tap water affect pH or TDS?
The aim of TestWater is to take your water test results and apply the appropriate criteria and qualifications to give you the same quality of recommendation you would get in a pool shop.
Due to the flexibility of rules we believe this program should be able to be applied to testing any water source as long as suitable rules are created. If you have suggestions or recommendations for changes to testwater to provide more testing flexibility let us know.
**Rules
All users can build up to 20 rules, download free rules or purchase rules for testing.
Pool Technicians, Pool Shops, Chemists, Water Specialists can create rules for sharing or selling.
**Specifications
The next generation application is .NET based and provides one click installation and automatic updates.
It calculates the Langelier Saturation Index using complex mathematical analysis rather than league tables to improve accuracy and displays the results visually.
It will perform Qualitative and Quantitative analysis of information based on rules that apply to selected options.
It has the capability to create, import or export these rules. Licencing controls the ability to modify rules. Rules files are in XML but content is encrypted for security.
Data is saved, shared and stored using XML.
TestWater has now been released.
Development continues. New features coming including test database.
Try it out at www.testwater.com.au
December Software Update!!
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Monday, 05 December 2011 00:16
- Written by Christian Dunn
A lot has been happening behind the scenes in my latest round of software updates at the new www.chrisdunn.name.
Becoming a member is free and only members get access to the software in the labs.
Recently Released to the labs
WyMI - A WMI computer auditing tool to allow you to retrieve information such as motherboard type, bios type, printers and print jobs. This includes the functionality in Network Monitor and Drive Monitor and supercedes them.
Recently Released from the labs
Network Monitor - A WMI monitor for network adaptors providing detailed information including IPs, adapters, gateways and MTU.
Drive Monitor - A WMI monitor for logical drives providing status and free space information.
Recently Updated
Print Queue Manager - Updated to resolve a logging issue for users of the free version.
New In the Shop
10-100 seat volume licences for Lookup and Print Queue Manager PRO at new lower prices.
ISSUE [Resolved]: PQM v5 Logging (FREE Edition)
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Wednesday, 23 November 2011 11:14
- Written by Christian Dunn
I have identified a bug in Print Queue Manager 5.1.3 affecting logging for FREE users only.
In some cases print jobs may not be logged to the database. The database will remain blank and all reports will show no data.
This is only affecting unlicenced users. PRO users will not have this issue.
As the upgraded logging is a key feature of the new PQM and is the central feature to reporting within the application I am considering restricting this feature to licenced users only.
The other option is to reduce the detail of the logged data for FREE users.
Your thoughts? Do you rely on logging in my free editions?
2011-11-28 00:33:36 Issue resolved in v5.1.4
Online.www In The Lab
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Sunday, 13 November 2011 13:51
- Written by Christian Dunn
Members now have access to our new experimental software 'In The Lab' in the Software section.
This is where I will showcase, test and trial new applications or features before they are available to the public.
The first piece of Lab software, Online.www, the successor to Online! is now available for download.
This new version now uses web services to monitor a host using HTTP, HTTPS and FTP.
Become a member today and try it out.
Drive Monitor In The Lab
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Sunday, 13 November 2011 13:51
- Written by Christian Dunn
A new piece of Lab software, Drive Monitor, is now available for download.
This program monitors free space on all drives on the specified computer.
Become a member today and try it out.
Network Monitor In The Lab
- Details
- Category: Software News
- Published on Sunday, 13 November 2011 13:51
- Written by Christian Dunn
A new piece of Lab software, Network Monitor, is now available for download.
This program monitors all network adapters on the specified computer.
Become a member today and try it out.