User's Manual

5-2
• Use the Test Program. The test program can at least allow you to
see how the system functions and whether you can anticipate any
system-wide problems. The test program should also be used as a
response-time benchmark.
• Study the Demo Programs. Demo programs are included for
examples of how to use the ActiveX tool provided.
Failure Planning
Hardware Failures
Let’s assume that each part of the system has failed. How are you going to
know what has happened and how are you going to recover?
• The most frequent failures are at the Terminal level. If a Terminal has
a hardware failure, it will not be able to SIGN OUT. It is possible for
the Terminal operator to press the ON/OFF key or the F1 key by
accident, forcing the Terminal to SIGN OUT - sometimes in the
middle of a transaction. This happens at battery-changing time also.
You need to plan for partial transactions - do you trash the data you do
have and start over, or pick up where you left off?
• Keep in mind that if a Terminal has SIGNED OUT in mid-
transaction, the Server clears any pending message for that
Terminal before it will allow it to SIGN ON again. Make
allowances to re-send messages or prompts that were cleared upon
SIGN ON if necessary.
Operator Errors
•
Plan on your operator walking out of range and going to lunch in
the middle of a transaction. What do you do with the data you do
have, and where are you going to start up again?
• Let’s say your operator is SIGNED ON and decides it’s time to
take a break. Instead of pressing the F1 key to SIGN OUT, he
presses the OFF key. Pressing the OFF key is OK (it will SIGN
him OUT) but there is a delay until the SIGN OUT is
acknowledged. Because of the delay, the operator might think he
didn’t press the key hard enough and press it again - this time
actually powering down the Terminal before the SIGN OUT was
complete. If this happens, you need to plan to re-send the last
prompt to the Terminal when he SIGNs ON again.