General usage

Q: What are the pre-set account usernames and their passwords?
A: There are four default accounts with username and password combination as follows:

1. User name: manager Password: manager
2. User name: leader Password: leader
3. User name: analyst Password: analyst
4. User name: sodis Password: sodis.

Note: These default passwords must be changed to avoid unauthorised access using these default account details.

Q: Why am I in 'Read Only' mode?
A: There are a number of reasons why a project will open in 'Read Only' mode.
First check if your license has expired. Go to Main Menu -> License -> View License.
If your license has expired, you need to purchase a new license.
If your license has not expired, that is, it is still valid, check if the project has been opened by another user.
If the project has not been opened by another user, opening in 'Read Only' mode indicates that the last time the project was opened the database was not shut down cleanly. A user with 'manager' privileges is able to reset the project in the database via selecting Preferences -> Reset.

Q: Why can't I import tasks from Microsoft Project?
A: SoDIS Project Auditor(SPA) has been tested with Microsoft Project 2000, Microsoft Project 2003, Microsoft Project 2007. Please contact us if you are using another version of Microsoft Project

Q: Why can't I import tasks from a text file?
A: There are two main reasons why tasks can not be imported from a text file:

1. There is at least one task that has been entered manually.
2. The format of the text file is not valid. The format of the text file must be as in the following example,

         1 Name of task 1
            1.1 Name of task 1.1
               1.1.1 Name of task 1.1.1
            1.2 Name of task 1.2
         2 Name of task 2
            2.1 Name of task 2.1
         3 Name of task 3
         4 Name of task 4
   

• Notes:
  1. Each line of the text file specifies one and only one task.
  2. Each line of the text file contains only two parts: Task ID and Task Name.
  3. Task ID and Task Name must be separated by one(preferred) or more spaces.
  4. Task ID is unique.
  5. Task ID only contains positive integers and dots. Dots only come between integers, never after the last integer in the ID.
  6. Task ID of all tasks must be entered sequentially in the increasing order. For example, task with ID 1.2 must come after the task with ID 1.1.
  7. If a task has sub-tasks, the sub-task must come after the parent task. For example, task with ID 1.1 must come after task with ID 1.

Q: Why can't I see all GUI Components on screen?
A: There are two possible causes:

1. Have you selected maximum or full screen display? If not, please select to maximize display of SPA.
2. Is the display using large or extra large font size? If it is, please select a smaller font size via Preferences->GUI Format.

Installation

Q: What shall I do if I have pre-installed PostgreSQL
A: There are three key PostgreSQL-related settings required for SoDIS Project Auditor(SPA) to work.

1. Modify your 'pg_hba.conf'. Generally speaking, you need to change your PostgreSQL configuration in relation to client-authentication to set 'postgres' as a 'trust' user of sodis. You may do this by adding
   1. host sodis postgres 127.0.0.1/32 trust
   2. host sodis postgres ::1/128 trust to your 'pg_hba.conf' file.
      Be sure that you have added these two lines to the top of the authentication section of 'pg_hba.conf', otherwise it may not work.
      For more details about how to set up PostgreSQL, please refer to http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/interactive/client-authentication.html.
2. Create a database in your PostgreSQL with name 'sodis'.
3. Load initial data into your database.
   In the download of SPA (SoDIS Project Auditor) you should have the file 'sodis_install_db.sql' which contains all initial data that are required to run SPA.
   Load the initialization data using the command "psql -U postgres -h localhost -f sodis_install_db.sql sodis" .
   For more detail about how to use 'psql' command, please refer to http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/interactive/app-psql.html

Q: How can I update my license?
A: You can purchase a license from SoDIS Shop, or request an evaluation license from Evaluate SPA. Then, login to SoDIS Project Auditor(SPA), select License->Update License to update your license.

Q: How can I view my license?
A: After you login to SoDIS Project Auditor(SPA), select Licenses->View License to see your license. Or, on opening SPA select CANCEL on the User Login, then select Licenses->View License.

Q: Why did I receive a message saying my license is invalid or missing?
A: If the license is expired or is manually modified, then SPA will display this error.

Q: Why can't I install SPA on my Mac?
A: If you are running OS X 10.6 or earlier, please read and follow the instructions in the file: MacInstallationInstructions.pdf included in the SPA Mac Installer (.dmg file).

If you are running OS X 10.7, please read follow the instructions in the files: OS X Lion Installation Notes.pdf and MacInstallationInstructions.pdf included in the SPA Mac Installer (.dmg file).

If you still have problems after followig the above instructions, please Contact Us.

Troubleshooting

Q: What do I need to do if I receive the error message "Database version number doesn't match".
A: Please Contact Us indicating what you were doing when the message was displayed.

Q: Why do I see the error message "SoDIS can't connect to the database you have specified...."
A: This usually means your PostgreSQL service has not been started.

1. For Windows users, select Start->Programs->PostgreSQL 8.3->Start service. Then login in to SoDIS again.
2. For Linux and Mac users, please refer to the installation instruction 'instruction.txt' located in your 'sodis' installation directory to find out how to start your PostgreSQL service.

Q: I am using Windows 7 and I have a valid SoDIS license, but the system keeps telling me "update failed" when I am trying to update my license.
A: If you run SPA by double clicking the exe file, you run the application as a normal user. The permission control mechanism introduced in Windows 7 stops SPA copying the new license file into your system. To update your license you need to run SPA as administrator. After the license is updated, you can just run SPA as a normal user.

1. Find your SoDIS.exe. You can either find it under your Start menu or under the path c:\Program Files(x86)\SoDIS.
2. Select the SoDIS.exe file, but do not run it, and then click the right button of your mouse.
3. Find and click the Run as administrator menu item in the pop-up menu.

Miscellaneous

Q: What credit cards are accepted?
A: Visa and Master credit cards are accepted

Q: How can I evaluate SPA?
A: To evaluate SPA, please follow these instructions:

1. Select Evaluate SPA on the left hand menu or Evaluate in the bottom menu
2. Fill in the evaluation form
3. To submit the evaluation form, select Submit
4. You will receive an email with a SPA evaluation license and the link to download the SPA installer for your selected platform

Q: How can I pay for SoDIS items?
A: You can pay for SoDIS items either via Paypal or credit card

Q: How can I pay by using my Paypal account?
A: To purchase SoDIS items using a Paypal account, please follow these instructions:

1. Select SoDIS Shop on the left hand menu or the bottom menu
2. Select Add to Cart to add shopping items into shopping cart
3. Select Continue shopping to continue shopping
4. Select View Cart to view shopping items in shopping cart
5. Select Proceed to checkout to pay for shopping items in shopping cart
6. Login to your Paypal account
7. Select or change payment method
8. Select or change delivery address
9. Select or change contact information
10. Confirm payment

Q: How can I pay by credit card without using Paypal?
A: To purchase SoDIS items using your credit card, please follow these instructions:

1. Select SoDIS Shop on the left hand menu or the bottom menu
2. Select Add to Cart to add shopping items into shopping cart
3. Select Continue shopping to continue shopping
4. Select View Cart to view shopping items in shopping cart
5. Select Proceed to checkout to pay for shopping items in shopping cart
6. You will find Use your credit card or bank account (where available). on the left side of the web page, select Continue
7. Enter billing information
8. Confirm payment

Q: How can I report an issue with SPA?
A: To report an issue with SPA, please follow these instructions:

1. Select Report an Issue on the left hand menu
2. Fill in the SPA Issue Report form
3. Submit Issue Report form
4. A Software Improvements staff member will then contact you