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The APK© PDA Suite
How it works
The PDA version of APK© is not a stand-alone program, it is one component of the APK© suite:
- APK© for Windows Desktop
- APK© for Windows Mobile (or PalmOS)
- APKsync© (or APKconduit©)
The APK© suite of programs work together in this way:
- APK© for Windows Desktop is the data repository, containing the sum of all patient data.
- APK© for PDA is designed to carry a small subset of patient data, i.e., only those patients on a particular service.
- Data is transferred to and from the PDA via the synchronizing program, either APKsync© or APKconduit©.
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Site installation
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The synchronizing program, either APKsync© or APKconduit©, must be installed on each PC which connects to a PDA.
The synchronizer for PalmOS is APKconduit©. HotSync manager is required for synchronizing PalmOS PDA's, and must be installed on the Desktop PC.
For a Windows Mobile PDA, APKsync© is utilized and Microsoft's ActiveSync must be installed on the Desktop PC.
Data synchronization
As previously mentioned, APK© for PDA is not a stand-alone program, it must synchronize with the Windows Desktop database. The following APK© data is passed to and from the PDA during synchronization:
- Drug models - one-way from desktop to PDA
- Users - one-way from desktop to PDA
- Consults - one-way from PDA to desktop
- Access log - one-way from PDA to desktop
- Patient data - one or two-way (see below)
Patient data synchronization options
The default option is a one-way patient sync, from the PDA to the desktop.
As stated above, think of the Windows program as the data repository, containing the sum of all data. The PDA carries a small subset of patient data, it is a mobile data gatherer if you will. In this scenario, there are multiple decentralized users of PDA's, but only one central repository of data, the desktop. The decentralized RPh's are out and about, seeing patients, inputting data, calculating doses, writing consults. At the end of the day, they synchronize their PDA's to update the central database.
You may select a two-way synchronization on the preference screen of the PDA. This allows you to have PDA's with different functions, some as data gatherers, others which carry a full database of active patients.
If you use the Full Sync option, you must be diligent about keeping only active patients in the desktop database. The patient database in the desktop version is divided into two tables: one active, one inactive. The inactive table provides patient history, if you have a re-admit you do not lose that previous data.
Keeping only your current patients active increases the manageability. It is difficult to manage hundreds of patients on the PDA, there is no "seek" function, you only have the list to retrieve, and it will get bogged down while listing hundreds of patients.
A good habit to get into is to print out a patient list once a week, and discharge those who are no longer on service.
Version conflicts
Because multiple versions of the various suite components have been released, it is important that you are using compatible versions of all three programs:
| APK© Desktop | APK© Palm | APK© PocketPC | APKconduit© | APKsync© |
| 3.4 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| 3.3 | 1.11 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
Synchronization Setup
You must know where your APK© for Windows Desktop program is located, both the drive letter and folder name.
The default installation folder for the APK© for Windows Desktop program is 'C:\Program Files\APK'. If you change the program location, you must take note of the new location and supply the new location to the synchronizer.
If you have installed the APK© Desktop for Windows program to a network drive, you must change the synchronizer setup to point to the network drive and folder.
During setup, the synchronizer will ask for the location of the APK© folder. This is the drive and folder where the APK© for Windows program and data reside. If the synchronizer cannot find the database files, the following error message will display:
You are then asked to enter the drive and folder where the APK© for Windows desktop program and data reside.
In this example, the APK folder is found on the S: drive under the RX\DATA folder:
It is also possible to edit the synchronizer configuration files manually. The sync settings are stored in an ini file on desktop PC. For the PalmOS synchronizer, search for the file 'apkconduit.ini' on your Desktop PC. If you are syncing to a Windows Mobile PDA, search for the file 'apksync.ini' on your Desktop PC.
Double click to open the configuration file in Notepad. Change the line after the word "Path=" to the drive and folder where the APK© program and data reside. Save the configuration file and re-sync.
Troubleshooting Windows Mobile Synchronization
A common error message seen on the Device is "Sync your device with the desktop to create registry entries.". This simply means that the APKsync program has not transferred shared data to the device.
First, fix any setup errors, as described above. APKsync must be pointed to the APK for Windows desktop database.
Next, do you see the APKsync dialog when you sync?
If you do not see the APKsync dialog during synchronization, and APKsync is present on the PC, you may run APKsync manually.
Connect your device to the PC.
Is there a shortcut to APKsync in the start menu? If so, click on the icon to initiate APKsync.
If the shortcut is not found, find the file using Windows explorer. APKsync is found in the APK install folder (usually C:\Program files\APK). Double click to run.
If APKsync is missing from the PC that your device sync's with, you need to install it.
- On the APK CD there is a sync only installer, aptly named "APKsyncinstall.exe"
- Find this installer on the APK CD and run it.
- If you have misplaced the APK CD, you may download the program here:
If APKsync is present, and you wish to have it Auto-start on sync, you can re-install, using "APKsyncinstall.exe", as described as above. Or, if you know how, you can manually edit the Windows Registry with RegEdit.
During APKsync installation a registry key is created in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry hive:
| Key: | Software\Microsoft\Windows CE services\AutoStartOnConnect |
| Name: | APKsync |
| Type: | REG_SZ |
| Data: | {app}\APKsync.exe |
Where {app} is the local folder containing the APKsync program. As the name implies, this Registry key tells ActiveSync to automatically start the APKsync program whenever a device is connected. If this key is missing, or is pointing to the wrong folder, APKsync will not automatically start.
Troubleshooting PalmOS Synchronization
A common error message seen on the PalmOS Device is "Please HotSync again to create your registration data". This simply means that the APKconduit program has not transferred shared data to the device.
First, fix any setup errors, as described above. APKconduit must be pointed to the APK for Windows desktop database.
Next, right click on the HotSync icon in the system tray (bottom right of the screen). Then click Custom on the popup menu.
Is the APK suite listed under the available conduits in the HotSync manager?
If the APK suite is listed, is the Action "Synchronize the files"? If not, click Change, then select "Synchronize the files".
If APK suite is not listed under the available conduits, you need to install it.
- On the APK CD there is a conduit only installer, aptly named "apkconduit.exe"
- Find this installer on the APK CD and run it.
- If you have misplaced the APK CD, you may download the program here:
