User Manual

- Updated: 28/03/2019 -

MOVING FOR THE APPLICATION

This is a typical Windows application, with an environment that has been designed to be pleasant for the user while intuitively this can handle the application without computer knowledge.

The application can be managed with both the mouse and the keyboard. At first the user may be tempted to use the mouse since it may seem a simpler way to handle the application, however, once it becomes practical, the use of the keyboard can greatly expedite the use of the application.

In the section “Function Keys” you can find all the function keys that facilitate and speed up the work. Within any data maintenance window, the [ENTER] key or [TAB] is used to move through the edit fields.

From any window that refers to data that has its own maintenance, it can be accessed quickly by clicking on the pencil on the right or pressing the [F2] key while in the field of the specific data.

When we find a window with flaps, we can go from one to another by clicking with the mouse, or by holding the [ALT] key at the same time you press the letter that appears underlined on the flap.

FUNCTION KEYS

The application has a series of general function keys to all of it, which are detailed below:

QUERIES

Query windows allow us to view and locate records in the different maintenance windows, documents, etc ... You can search for records by the following parameters (depending on each query):

- Name or description: Allows you to locate records that begin, end or contain the indicated string.

- Dates: Filter documents or other data by the dates indicated.

- Codes: Filters files by its main code.

- Other references: According to the query it is allowed to search for other references.

Once the desired parameters have been selected, the registers in the lower part are filtered with the [Enter] key or with the [Down arrow] on the keyboard. With the arrow up, down, page up and page down, or with the mouse, all records can be displayed. If you want to select a specific one, just click with the mouse on it or select it with the [Enter] key.

To adjust the filtering of alphanumeric fields, there is the possibility of using "wildcards", in the following way:

-> Character <%>: This character indicates that there may be one or several characters in the position where it is positioned, for example, if we search for "Shoes%John", we would find records like: Shoes John, SL, Shoes and accessories John...

-> Character <_>: This character indicates that there is a character (whatever it is) in the position in which it is indicated. For example, if we search for the string 'J_AN', it will look for strings that contain: JUAN, JOAN...

Another possibility offered by searches is to be able to sort by any of the columns. The way to do this is to click with the mouse on the name of any of the columns.

Finally, with the [ESC] key we will return to the filtering fields and if it is pressed again, we leave the query.

REPORTS

When we access to a report window, we have the possibility to filter the data we want to show. For this we can select either by typing the data directly, or by making the queries that are shown, the data that we want to be listed. When no data is indicated in any of these filters, this will not be taken into account for filtering. Depending on each report, different filtering, order or other options will be offered.

All reports will offer the option to display the data by:

-Screen: When this option is selected, the report will be shown on the screen, in the same way that it would be output by printer, with the possibility of advancing and retracting pages, zoom options and exit to the previous window.

-Printer: This option launches a window in which you select the printer, tray, copies for listing and Duplex Mode or Printing on both sides (only printers that support this option). Once this screen is accepted, the report goes out through the selected printer.

-Export: Some lists can be generated in Excel or Access format. The file will be generated in the directory and with the name indicated. In addition, at the end of the export the user will be offered the possibility of directly opening the file.

UTILITIES

All our applications have a series of utilities that are detailed below:

Calculator

You can access this tool from the top menu or from the quick button bar. It offers the usual options of any calculator, with the advantage of having it without having to open other programs and without having to have one on the table.

Calendar

This tool displays the current month or year calendar. To exchange this possibility, you have to double click on the exercise.

PARTS OF THE APPLICATION:

MODELS

MODEL MANAGEMENT

CAPTURE FIGURES FROM THE SCANNER:

IMPORTANT: The bottom of the scanner should be black with clear figures or white with dark figures.

The procedure to capture figures from the scanner is as follows:

1- Press the Scan (Capture) button that appears in the lower right corner of the models maintenance window.

2- The scanner window appears and we press the scan button.

3- The scanner obtains the image and it is displayed on the right side, in the “area of the scanner”.

If a message appears on the screen indicating that the scanner parameters have to be checked, you must perform the following steps:

A: Return to the scanner window, by pressing the 'Configure' button or otherwise 'Capture', and enter the correct scanner parameters, these are:

-Type of Image: 'Black and White'.

-Resolution: 150 dpi (recommended).

-Select the entire area of the scanner.

Scan the image with these parameters.

B: If when scanning with these parameters continues to fail, you must open the Preferences window and in the 'Vectoring' tab you should indicate the resolution to be scanned (recommended 150 dpi). The next step will be to press the configuration button (tool icon), and enter the scanner parameters indicated in step A and press the scan button. Save the Preferences values and try again to capture a figure.

4- Once we have acquired the image, all the scanned figures appear in it, and we can click on them with the mouse, so that they can be vectorized, and thus be able to search them over existing ones (Search) or save them in the database (see section  Models).

DATA TO SAVE THE MODELS:

Once we have obtained a figure from the scanner, if you want to save, you must enter the data referring to this model:

1- Model code: code that is assigned to each model or figure and that can never be repeated.

2- Sample size: The size of the sample will be used to scale the figure to another number, both in the scaling module and in the calculation of consumption.

3- Description: A description of model, which will serve us informative.

4- Location: Indicates where the die is, and serves to locate a die quickly and to make lists of dies organized by locations.

5- Type of model: Select from those available in the drop-down. You have to indicate what type is each model to have them organized and for the scaling to be done correctly.

6- Finally, the contour of the die can be rotated if necessary, especially for scaling, since the position of the figure will determine whether the scaling is correct or not. It can also be rotated to vary the position of the pieces in the consumption calculation. The position of the figure that is given by default is the one that is considered best for everything. To return a figure to its default position, there is a button below the image..

Once the data has been entered, you must save or cancel the changes.

These data can be changed again at any time as they remain in the database.

An unlimited number of models can be entered in the database. At the top there is a field that indicates the number of stored models.

The second button located near the upper left corner, allows you to copy or rename the model you are editing, to another code. Click on it, and a window will appear in which it asks you the destination code and the possible options (copy layouts, delete source).

The third button next to the model code serves to make a scale of the model. This option duplicates the model for each indicated size and scales it according to the scaling parameters.

The button of the folder that is next to the previous one, serves to import figures from DXF format.

In the lower part of the contour there are other options such as:

-Save Image: save the outline in JPG format.

- Return the contour to the original position, if it has been rotated by the user.

-Unit two figures: This option is explained below.

-Edit the figure: This option opens an editor where we can manipulate the outline. You can delete or move several points, selecting them all with the cursor (making a frame). You can add more points, rotate the entire contour or the selected points, Rotate the indicated degrees, rotate 90º, mirror function (horizontal and vertical), Increase or decrease a percentage or the millimeters indicated by the entire contour. You can delete points. And finally, it can be saved or read with its own Query format. Finally you can accept or cancel the changes.

PARAMETERS FOR THE SEARCH:

You have to configure the search parameters to improve the results. Below are each of them, as well as the effect that is achieved on the search:

-Variation of height: indicates the maximum difference in height, both by excess and by defect, which will have the figures found on the desired one. Height is the difference between the highest point and the lowest point, with the position of the figure as shown on the screen.

-Variation of width: it indicates the maximum difference of width, so much for excess as for defect, that will have the figures found on the looked for one. The width is the difference between the point to the right and the most to the left, with the position of the figure as shown on the screen.

-Coincidence of contour: It is the limit from which we will consider the contour as similar. The coincidence of contour determines the per cent of the perimeter that two figures overlap. That two points of two contours overlap depends on the coincidence index.

-Tolerance + Fitting: It is the scale by which it is considered that a point of the outline of a figure belongs to the outline of the figure. It is measured in millimeters. Its effect on the results is that the higher this one will look for more figures, although these will be less similar. If you put a very low value you may not find figures that are quite similar.

-Type of model: You will search only among the figures of the type that we indicate, or among all if we indicate the option 'All'.

-Scale to the size: This option indicates if the figures that are stored in the database will be scaled to the size of the model we are looking for, before comparing them.

-Try with the reverse: This option will be marked so that the desired figure is compared with the figures of the database and the same figures flipped.

-Rotate 180º: This option will be marked so that the desired figure is compared with the figures of the database and the same figures rotated through 180º.

-Find the location: this option is used to find only the figures of the indicated location.

For all these parameters a default value is saved from the preferences window. There is a button on the top that puts these values as the default values for future searches.

Search process:

To start the search, click on the 'Search' button.

During the search process, the number of models that are found is indicated. At any time you can stop the search by pressing the 'Stop' button and thus be able to see the figures that have been found so far.

The figures found are always shown from most to least coincidence of contour, showing first the most similar.

Pressing double click on each founded model, it superimposes it with the figure to be able to see the coincidence. You can expand this overlay by clicking on a button below.

The arrow button takes us to the card of that model.

Printing and listing the found figures:

Once the search is finished we can list the models found, indicating the values of similarity of each one, that is to say difference of height and width, coincidence of contour, the size of the model found, and if the one that has been found is the reverse to the searched.

You can also print the actual size of the model that you want from the ones you have found, in order to physically compare it with the sample you are looking for.

Union of figures:

The objective of this module is to allow us to store in the database dies that do not fit full in the scanner, joining two or more dies (two at a time each time) to form a definitive one.

The way to operate is to select the two parts that have previously been saved as models. Then mark with a mouse click, the initial zone of the section of one of the figures that you want to join, and then go concatenating sections with successive mouse clicks together with the CTRL key pressed. Then we will do the same with the second part of the figure and press the join button, so the program will join the two parts in the most appropriate way.

WORK LIST

This option allows us the possibility of calculating many consumptions at the same time. This option is interesting if the equipment is a bit old and the calculation takes a long time. In current equipment, the calculation of the consumptions can take about 10 or 15 seconds, which makes this option not so interesting.

Introduction of a list:

To introduce a new model in the list, the following process will be performed:

Press the down arrow until the cursor is positioned on a line with the code empty.

Enter the model code or press F1 if you want to make a query of the models in the database.

Indicate the dimensions of the sheet, the separation between pieces, indicate if cannot be rotated more than the degrees indicated in preferences (S / N) and the model size for which you want to calculate the consumption. 

After calculating a list of usages, if you want to enter another one, you have to press the 'Empty List' button to clean the previous lines.

Calculation progress:

To start the calculation, press the 'Calculate' button.

During the calculation process, the results obtained in the column of pairs are shown.

At any time you can cancel the process that is being made or the entire complete list, by pressing the cancel button.

Once the process is finished, the result of the calculation will be displayed in the lower part, although if you want to see more details or print them, you can consult the reports made from the Report Management option.

NESTING MANAGEMENT:

Creation of layout

The nesting layout can be done manually and automatically.

In any case, the following actions are common to both methods:

1-Select the model on which you want to calculate the consumption. (You can do it by typing the code directly or through the query by pressing the button or F1).

2-Enter the appropriate values for the sheet (length, width, separation between pieces and size).

3-Select the corresponding options (Maximum angle of rotation, calculate left / top part)

All these data have a default value that is saved in the Preferences window.

AUTOMATIC CALCULATION:

Follow the steps from 1 to 3 and then click on the button CALCULATE, automatically the computer will begin to make the relevant calculations. This process depending on the computer on which it is operating may take more or less time. In any case, you can always cancel the calculation by clicking on the STOP button.

At the bottom of the screen you can see the information about the number of pairs we have on the sheet appears, and the corresponding consumption.

MANUAL CALCULATION:

Follow steps 1 to 3 and then click on the pencil button, and the sheet will automatically be created on which you can work using the toolbar.

TOOLBAR:

We will go describe the operation of each of the buttons that we have in the toolbar. We will comment from left to right. 

1- Insert the previously selected figure in the lower right corner. 

2- We will eliminate the selected figure of the sheet.

3- We rotate the selected piece 90 degrees to the left

4- We rotate the selected piece 90 degrees to the right

5- We rotate the selected piece 1 degree to the left

6-  We rotate the selected piece 1 degree to the right

7- It indicates the degrees that the piece is rotated, with respect to the original position

8- Move the selected piece 1 mm to the top.

9- Move the selected piece 1 mm to the bottom.

10- It indicates the current vertical position of the selected piece.

11- Move the selected piece 1 mm to the left.

12- Move the selected piece 1 mm to the right.

13- It indicates the current horizontal position of the selected piece.

14- Copy the selected figure, including angle and vertical position, to the left.

15- Copy the selected figure, including angle and vertical position, to the right.

Consultation of layouts:

From this module you also can consult any layout made previously, for this you must enter the code of the model or consult the existing models. Immediately the first nesting layout created is displayed, if there is one. If there are several layouts, you have to consult the layout from the layout' field.

To move through the models or layouts can also be done with the arrows up and down in the fields of Model' and Layout'. 

Printing the layouts:

All the nesting layouts stored in the database can be printed. For this there is a button at the bottom of the screen. The print shows the way in which the pieces are placed, the model code, the size of the sheet, the separation between pieces, the size and finally the consumption and the number of pairs.

SCALE FIGURES 

Configuration of the printer:

The first thing to do to scale figures, is to configure the printer, as long as it is not configured by default. To do this, press the configure button. In the configuration screen of the printer you have to select a printer and indicate the size of the sheet and its orientation.

Automatically, the printing area will appear on the screen, adjusted to the maximum size that fits on the screen.

Placement of the figures in the printing area

To place the pieces in the printing area, first select the model in the list of models on the left, and then click twice on it or press the 'Place' button. To look for a model in a faster way, you can consult pressing key F1.

Once the desired figure appears in the printing area it can be moved, rotated or scaled to the desired size, for this the figure must be marked in red, which indicates that it is selected. If not, you have to click with the mouse on this:

-Move: To move a figure can be done with the mouse, pressing on the piece and moving it to the desired place and releasing the button, or with the arrows up, down, right and left and with the 'ctrl' key pressed if he wants to move with more speed.

-Rotate: To rotate a figure can be done with the mouse: by holding down the 'alt' key by clicking on the center of the piece and drawing a circle on the piece as far away from it as possible, and releasing the mouse when it is in the desired position. With the keyboard: keeping the 'alt' key and the 'ctrl' key if you want to turn more speed and pressing the right or left keys to turn to one side or another, and releasing the alt key when the piece is in the position desired.

-Scale: To scale a figure, you must select it by clicking on it, and change the size that appears on the left. To put half sizes, click with the mouse in the box next to the number.

-Suppress: to delete a figure from the printing area, simply press the 'delete' key or the 'Remove' button. To remove them all you can press the button 'None'.

Printing the figures:

Once the figures are placed in the printing area you can press the 'Print' button, which will send the information to the printer.

REPORTS

REPORT OF MODELS

From this window you can list the models that we have stored in the database, filtering by model code and location codes.

You can also select a specific model type or all.

There is option to sort by code or location.

It can be printed or displayed on the screen.

REPORT OF CONSUMPTIONS

From this window you can list the consumption layouts that we have stored in the database, filtering by model code and locate codes.

You can also select a specific model type or all.

There is option to sort by code or location.

You can print, view on screen or export to Excel.

DATABASE

BACKUP

This is the option to make backups of the application data. This option copies only the data, that is, it does not make a copy of the other files of the application: executables, libraries...

To make the backup, you must indicate the following data:

Directory: Directory where you want to make the copy, it can be inside an internal disk or an external unit (recommended).

Name: Name that will be assigned to the file. You can always leave the same name, which will overwrite the copies one over another, or put each copy a different name, putting the date or another significant name, so that you can have several copies.

By pressing [Start], the backup will take place, which may take more or less time, depending on the amount of data stored and the recording speed of the selected device.

RESTORE

This option allows you to restore backups made previously from the previous option. You must know that when you restore a copy, it is overwritten on the current database (unless another destination is selected), so you must be sure to perform the operation, or in any case, you can backup then actual database, in case you want to recover it later.

To restore a backup, you must follow these steps: First select the directory from which you want to recover the copy. Then you must select the file name, since there may be several copies in the same directory. You can also select the destination of the recovered files. By default they will be copied to the original location, overwriting the existing data. Finally click on [Start] to finish the operation. 

OPTIONS

USER MANAGEMENT

From this maintenance, you can manage the users who have access to the application. You can create as many users as you want, assigning each of them a code and an password, as well as the name of the user.

Each user is also assigned configuration values, and other custom parameters that are modified from the preferences window.

By default, there is already a created user, who is the Administrator of the system. This user is ‘Administra’, and by default is assigned the password 1234, although this can be changed.

MANAGEMENT OF SCALES

In this maintenance, the equivalence between the different scales that you want to configure is configured, for example, the case of the American and European or UK scales. The utility of this equivalences is to allow the program to print scale of figures as well as calculations of consumption in difetent sizes, as in any other scale.

In the image you can see how the necessary parameters are specified for the program to make the necessary transformations.

The columns that must be filled in tell the program the base size which is the size where the scale begins, the length of a figure of that size and the length increase that it suffers among the following sizes. The next two columns refer to the height of a figure of the base size, and the height increase suffered by the following sizes.

GESTIÓN DE TIPOS DE MODELO

En esta ventana tendremos los distintos tipos de modelo o troquel que se pueden dar en nuestra empresa: Planta, Tope, Contrafuerte, etc...

Cada tipo llevará asignado un Código, Descripción y el tipo de escalado. El escalado horizontal se incrementa más de ancho que de alto. El escalado Vertical funciona al revés, se escala más de alto que de ancho.

CONFIGURATION:

Within the preferences option there are many parameters that must be adjusted under the supervision of a technician of the support department, since a bad configuration can cause problems in the operation of the application.

LINKABLE WITH:

This application can be linked with:

Auxiliar v.5: Management for Auxiliary Companies in the footwear production sector. In this way you can use data such as the images and the consumptions of the figures.

UPDATES:

The Programming team has developed the appropriate means that make it possible to update this application from the Internet or through an Update CD. If you are interested in receiving periodic updates, contact Query Informática.

All our applications are constantly evolving, since on the one hand the needs of companies are constantly changing, and on the other the new technologies allow to improve and expand the computer processes. In addition, the changes of regulations are constant, which forces us to be constantly adapting the application to the new standards.

TECNICAL INFORMATICON:

This application is developed by: 

Query Informática, S.L.

Developing and Support Team

www.query.es 

soporte@query.es

Phone: 966 640 687

COPYRIGHT:

Copyright: Query Informática, S.L. 1997-2021