Frequently Asked Questions

System Requirements

Q: Do I have to have a server?

A: No but it is recommended - It will run single user on a PC but only one OptEmail, Reading Matters or Imagizz  user can use it at a time.

Q: What type of server can I use?

A: Windows 97,2000 server or higher, a Novell Server or a workstation on a peer to peer network (not recommended but is should work)

Q: Which versions of Microsoft Windows will OptEmail , Reading Matters and Imagizz run on?

A: Windows 98(Second Edition), 2000, XP and Vista. Opted MultiMedia's products have not been tested on Windows ME and will not run on Windows 95.

Q: What is the minimum specification for the PC?

A: Pentium 122Mhz with 64mb RAM. It will be very slow on a PC of this specification. We recommend a minimum of 500Mhz processor.

Installation

Q: Is there a limit to the number of workstations I can install OptEmail, Reading Matters or Imagizz on?

A: No - but there is a limit to the number of PCs that can be using it concurrently. It uses a Microsoft Access (R)  database and Microsoft do not recommend Access databases for a large number of users but exactly how many depends upon the specific application. We do not recommend more than 40 concurrently. 

Q: If I buy a fixed number of users e.g. a 5 user copy can I install it on more than 5 PCs?

A: Yes - when you run the program it will only let you use 5 PCs, after that the other PCs will be locked out until you log out.  The same principle applies to 10/15 and 20 user versions.

Q: Do I need an internet connection to install OptEmail, Reading Matters or Imagizz??

A: Yes - these products have to be registered through an internet connection before they can be used.

Q: What happens if there a Firewall installed?

A: If you have a firewall you must configure it to allow OPTEMAIL.EXE access to the internet or the web page option in the academic features will not work.

Setting up Opted MultiMedia Products (all versions)

Q: How do I import a list of children as users?

A: Your file must be in CSV (comma separated variable) format. It must have the name followed by the user group (which must be set up first) followed optionally by a password. e.g.

Joe Brown, Intake 2000, red

Pete Smith, Intake 2001,

Files can be created with a text editor, Microsoft Word (R) or Excel (R). In Excel you must tell it to save it as type CSV.

The file must be placed in the \Import folder

Q: Can I change where the files such as pictures and videos are stored?

A: Yes but we do not recommend it! The paths to the files are held in the OPTEMAIL.INI file which is stored in the windows folder on the C: drive. This is normally C:\WINDOWS on Windows 98 and C:\WINNT on Windows 2000 and XP. You modify this file at your own risk!

Using OptEmail  

Q: Can I use any of the other spelling dictionaries with the standard version?

A: No. You have to have the academic version for that.

Q: Can I add more than one picture attachment to my Email?

A: No only one attachment can be included. (in both versions)

Q: Do I have to have internet access to use the Academic Version?

A: No, but you will not be able to use the web page feature unless you do.

Q: Can I play any video through OptEmail?

A: No but certainly most videos. Videos are played by Windows using Codecs. These are used to code the videos into the file and decode them when they are to be played. The videos supplied with OptEmail use a common and well established codec that will probably already be installed on your PCs. Usually if a codec is not installed it can be downloaded from the manufacturer's web site. If you experience difficulty with a particular video please email a copy to us and we will check it out.

Q: Does it matter where a video is stored on the network?

A: Yes! It must be stored where all the OptEmail users can gain access to it. Do not add a video from your local hard drive (C:) We recommend that you put videos in the \Videos folder on the server where the database is stored.

Q: What happens when I put pictures in an academic Email?

A: Each academic Email is stored in rich text format. Adding pictures to rich text significantly increases the size of the record. We have included small pictures and recommend you use these. You can use any picture file but if it is large it makes the rich text very large!

Q: Do the academic Emails have a large overhead in database usage?

A: No. When academic Emails are broadcast to the children only the name of the template  is stored in their inboxes. When they open their inbox they then read one master copy. Note: Their replies do take up significant space because they are all different.

Q: How do I import and export academic Email templates ?

A: Use the options on the messages menus. When you export an Email template, it is written to the \Export folder. To import an Email template, it must be placed in the \Import folder.

Using Reading Matters - Review

Q: What happens if a child files a review under the wrong category e.g. A Non-Fiction review is file under Fiction?

A: Nothing, but as a manager you can delete incorrectly entered reviews and then ask the child to do it correctly.

Q: Can I get information across the categories?

A: No 

Q: Why does it put the group e.g. (Year 5) in brackets after the name in the database view?

A: This is the group or year the child was in when he or she entered the review. It may not be the child's current year.

Using Imagizz

Q: How many pictures can I put in one album?

A: 100.

Q: Do changes made to pictures in an album affect other users copies of the album?

A: No. One copy of the pictures is stored on the server and these are never changed. Details of the changes each user applies to the picture are stored in the database and each time a copy of the album is opened the pictures are loaded and the changes are re-applied.