Q-DAS LAUNCHER VERSION 13
CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
CONTENTS
1 Q-DAS Launcher ... 3
1.1 General ... 3
1.2 How to operate the Q-DAS Launcher ... 4
1.2.1 Layout of the launcher ... 4
1.2.2 „All Q-DAS applications“ ... 6
1.2.3 „Installed applications“ ... 6
1.2.4 „Custom application list“ ... 7
1.2.5 „Remove from list“ ... 7
1.2.6 „Restore to list“ ... 7
1.2.7 „Change directory“ ... 8
1.2.8 „Close after Execute“ ... 9
1.2.9 „Register for Q-DAS-Files“ ... 10
1.2.10 „Support-E-Mail“ ... 11
1.3 Environment of the launcher ... 13
1.4 Configuration of PRESTART_V13.INI ... 14
1.4.1 Add entries manually... 14
1.4.2 Product numbers ... 17
1.4.3 Possible adjustments in the INI ... 18
1.5 Possible mistakes ... 20
1.5.1 Red fields ... 20
1.5.2 Launcher with no content ... 20
1.5.3 Master.INI not found... 22
1.6 Create start links on the desktop from the launcher... 23
2 V13 Q-DAS Tools Launcher ... 24
2.1 Environment of the Tools Launcher ... 24
1 Q-DAS LAUNCHER
1.1 General
Users often ask the hotline team how they can open *.DFQ files either with qs-STAT, solara.MP or any other software product depending on which program they currently need. You can just link a single application with a specific file type in the operating system in order to open this application by double click on this file type. This is the reason why we developed the Q-DAS launcher.
You may link the Q-DAS launcher with *.DFQ and *.DFD files during or after the installation. Afterwards, you can always select a specific Q-DAS product in order to analyse the data.
In addition, the Q-DAS Launcher is the central starting platform for starting the various products, selecting a different release for each product, or starting all administrative products in the Tools Launcher since version 13
1.2 How to operate the Q-DAS Launcher
After the installation is completed, the “Q-DAS Launcher“ shortcut is available in the start menu.
Click on the shortcut to start the Q-DAS Launcher.
You may start the launcher directly (e.g. through auto boot or the menu options) or – if the launcher is linked to Q-DAS files, by double clicking a .DFD or *.DFQ file.
You right-click on the open launcher in order to adjust the behaviour and the layout of the launcher. In addition, you may define specific file extensions subsequently.
These settings are not user-dependent and can always be adjusted since the launcher does not use any authentication
In order that the launcher even works on international systems without causing any problems, it is only available in English.
1.2.1 Layout of the launcher
You right-click on the open Q-DAS Launcher to select the applications the launcher displays.
A context menu provides the following options.
All Q-DAS applications All products that can be installed show_all_exe_free=0
Installed applications All licensed products show_all_exe_free=1
Custom application list All active products in the PRESTART_V13.INI
show_all_exe_free=2
Remove from list Removes a product from the view
Restore to list Restores a removed product
Change directory Update to the desired version
Close after Execute Closes the window after an application has been selected and started
Register for Q-DAS-Files Direct reading of the file when opening the desired product
Support-E-Mail Sends an email to the hotline with the information available
1.2.2 „All Q-DAS applications“
The launcher shows all Q-DAS products that can be installed.
Exception: It does not display free, lern, (PRM,) upload. PRESTART_V13.INI contains the following entry -
”show_all_exe_free=0“.
Buttons that are greyed out indicate that there is not any license for the product available in the applied configuration database or that the product was not installed.
1.2.3 „Installed applications“
The launcher displays a button for all products with a license available (in the configuration database), i.e. for all applications installed. PRESTART_V13.INI contains the following entry - ”show_all_exe_free=1“.
Buttons that are greyed out indicate that the software is installed but there is not any corresponding license available or that the entry contained in PRESTART_V13.INI was deactivated (!!).
1.2.4 „Custom application list“
The launcher only shows products contained in PRESTART_V13.INI. The program files have to exist and the respective licenses need to be available. This application does not check whether there are any free licenses available in case of a concurrent installation! PRESTART_V13.INI contains the following entry -
”show_all_exe_free=2“.
1.2.5 „Remove from list“
With a right click on the launcher the unwanted products can be removed from the view.
1.2.6 „Restore to list“
With a right-click on the launcher, the removed products can be included again in the view and the original view is restored.
1.2.7 „Change directory“
If a new version is available for testing, for example if a new minor release or a patch has been redistributed, the client can be adjusted manually using the "Change directory" function.
To do this, the new version is downloaded from the homepage.
Now the desired version can be selected by pressing the right mouse button on the respective product.
A window opens and shows the current path to the minor release:
In this one go up one folder (in the directory V_13), and mark the new version there.
And confirm this with "Select Folder".
This means that the new version is available and it is used accordingly when executing the product.
1.2.8 „Close after Execute“
If this option is activated (box checked), the launcher will close after you select a product. In case this option is deactivated, the launcher remains open until you close it manually.
1.2.9 „Register for Q-DAS-Files“
In case of local installations, the file extensions DFQ or DFD/DFX are allocated to a program (e.g. qs-STAT or launcher). This allocation might get lost when you change the system. The “Register for Q-DAS Files“ option writes the registry entries required to start the launcher as standard application. This is the reason why you have to be granted administrator rights to use this function, e.g. right-click on the shortcut of the Q-DAS launcher and select “Run as administrator”.
Caution: Without running with administrator rights, the following error messages appear:
The launcher now serves as a Windows start-up program for .DFQ and .DFD.
A double click on a *.DFQ file opens QDAS_PRE_START.EXE and the file name is passed on to the product.
When you start the selected product, the software reads the respective file (here Test_02.DFQ) and the user may select the application to open it.
1.2.10 „Support-E-Mail“
If the software cannot be started, you can use this function to send an e-mail with the information available.
Clicking the right mouse button on the launcher opens the window with the “Sysinfo.ZIP” file.
This can now be saved and emailed directly to the Q-DAS hotline:
After saving, the email with the attached file will appear immediately.
Content of the ZIP file:
The ZIP file contains important information which can give the Q-DAS hotline quick information about the current software situation.
1.3 Environment of the launcher
In order that the launcher works, a specific environment is required. The following chapter deals with single licenses and the standard client installation. This document does not deal with special types of installation;
however, they are based on a similar principle (ACLP etc.).
Characteristics of the launcher start link:
\\Servername\q-das\Share\BIN32\V_13\QDAS_PRE_START.exe -I=\\Servername\Q- DAS\Share\INI\DEFAULT\V13_MASTER.INI
An EXE is started with the Master.INI. The PRESTART.INI is searched for in this Master INI in order to generate the view from it.
Entry in a V13_Master.INI of the server-provision or local installation:
Entry in a % computername%_V13_Master.ini of a client-installation:
1.4 Configuration of PRESTART_V13.INI
The software writes this INI file automatically during the installation. Depending on the desired design and function, you may adapt this file.
1.4.1 Add entries manually
When you copy examples of entries from this document, the software sometimes changes the quotation marks. We recommend you to write these entries manually in Notepad.
PRESTART_V13.INI can also open other software products, paths and files (PDF/Doc/etc.). You enter them into an own section.
Example:
Make sure that the corresponding file / image / EXE is located on the respective path.
After you double click on a DFQ file, the file opens and a parameter is added to the file to be started. In this case, Notepad will open the DFQ file. This only works if the launcher opens when you double-click the DFQ file (see 1.2.9).
EXE= is the file to be executed. It can even be a PDF file, Word document or a directory the Explorer shall open.
PIC= is an optional picture to be included in the launcher. Please consider to choose a picture that is not too large since the size might affect the loading time and the display of the launcher.
When you move the mouse over it, the path of the stored EXE appears.
When you start the launcher, the software checks whether the content “EXE=” exists. If it does not exist, the button will be displayed in red and will not work.
This is what the launcher would look like if the selected image is too large for the launcher.
A PDF file with an image is included here as an example:
A directory is included here as an example:
Not all starting parameters of the software products work in the launcher. Examples that do not work are –f (since this parameter was initially programmed in the launcher when the user double-clicks on a DFQ file) or -ux / -ta /-uf.
1.4.2 Product numbers
The following table provides a list of Q-DAS product numbers (as of 2020-03-31):
Produktnummer Produkt
200 solara.MP
201 Procella
202 qs-STAT
203 Destra
204 O-QIS
205 M-QIS Engine
206 M-QIS Dashboard
207 Q-DBM
208 Q-PRM
209 Q-EMP
210 Q-FD
223 Q-Upload
227 Vidara
244 RTM
245 Plant Viewer
1.4.3 Possible adjustments in the INI
The INI can be used to define the title of the launcher.
The title “Q-DAS Product Launcher” is stored as standard.
If you want. you can change this in the ... Prestart.INI.
After the change, the file must be saved so that it can be applied directly.
Here you can see the new title of the launcher:
It can also be specified whether the information about the executed version should appear in the launcher.
This is done by entering HINT. If there is a "1" here, the relevant information appears when you move the mouse over the product.
This can be switched off by entering "0".
1.5 Possible mistakes
1.5.1 Red fields
If the EXE has disappeared, the folder must be selected again.
This is done by selecting "Change Directory". See also the chapter "Change Directory".
If the folder selection is not possible, the key user should be informed, or the Q-DAS hotline should be contacted with this information - including PRESTART-INI.
1.5.2 Launcher with no content
If the Prestart.INI cannot be found, i.e. if it has been renamed and should therefore no longer be functional - this can be the case, for example, with a virus scan - then the launcher window appears without content:
If the Prestart.INI is corrected, the launcher will be filled with content again.
Another error that a blank window appears when starting the launcher can be that no licenses are installed.
To check this, the Q-DAS License Tool is started via the Tools Launcher.
1.5.3 Master.INI not found
If the Master.INI has been renamed, it cannot be accessed and the following error message appears.
1.6 Create start links on the desktop from the launcher
Especially when only one product is installed at a workstation (e.g. O-QIS or procella), the question of a direct start link on the desktop keeps coming up. This would save you having to start the launcher first and then start the one product that is only located in the launcher.
However, since a start link on the desktop cannot be updated because it has a fixed reference to the application used (the folder of the minor release), the following option was enabled in the launcher.
The following entry is written in PRESTART_V13.INI:
This gives you the option of creating a start link on the desktop from the selected tile:
Since, as already mentioned, the start link has a fixed path, the existing start link can be deleted after an update and a new one can be created.
2 V13 Q-DAS TOOLS LAUNCHER
In the V13 there is now the Tools Launcher. This is intended for all administrative activities, importing licenses, updates and database processing.
The Tools Launcher is only available for server installations or local installations. Computers that only have one client installed do not have the Tools Launcher.
With a right click on the opened Q-DAS Tools Launcher the following window appears:
2.1 Environment of the Tools Launcher
The Tools Launcher does not access a Master.INI, but goes back to a Tools.INI.
Characteristics of the start link of the Tools Launcher:
\\Servername\q-das\Share\BIN32\V_13\QDAS_PRE_START.exe -I=\\Servername\Q- DAS\Share\INI\DEFAULT\V13_Tools.INI
Here the PRESTART_TOOLS_V13.INI is searched for in order to start the Tools Launcher then.
Entry in a V13_Tools.INI of the server provision or local installation:
