Converting Martial Arts Organizer 4

Revised July 7, 2008

Converting your Martial Arts Organizer 3 data to the Version 4 format is just like Updating!
You'll need to know how to download, install, and copy files.

If you're not 100% comfortable performing any of these steps,
please ask your computer guru for assistance.

You do not have to purchase the upgrade in order to convert your data!
You can try Version 4 for FREE 30 days WITH your converted data before you purchase.

In order to convert your data to the all new Version 4 format, you must first update to Version 3v21.

Before you begin, please be sure your have your Validaiton Code and password for Version 3 AND your Registration Code and password for Version 4. (Both have been emailed to you, but if you cannot locate them, please email Tech Support.)

Please note: Version 3 and Version 4 have entirely different Registration Codes and passwords. You cannot open Version 4 with the Version 3 password, and vice versa.

Once you've done that, you'll then install Version 4 and convert your data. All the instructions for doing this are here, but if you're not 100% comfortable performing any of these steps, please ask your computer guru for assistance.

Upgrading is Optional
You can have BOTH Version 3 and Version 4 installed on the SAME computer.

So feel free to follow these instructions and see how your data will appears in Version 4 before PURCHASING the upgrade, or DISCONTINING use of Version 3.

You don't have to make the move to Version 4 until you're 100% satisfied!

IMPORTANT!
Bar Code Scanners must be re-programmed!

Version 4 contains all new bar code scanning programming! The next code is now completely TAMPER resistant, and students cannot move or minimize the attendance check in windows!

As a result of all this reprogramming, Bar Code scanners must no long append a TAB after each scanner, but a RETURN. So if you purchased the ZB-8110 recommended on the web site, your new programming instructions are here.

If you purchased a Z-3080 Bar Code scanner, your new programming instructions are here.

If you purchased any other bar code scanner, contact the manufacturer and get instructions for RESETTING the scanner to the factory defaults. (It should be very simple!)

Please Report Any Problems Immediately!
Since this is ALL NEW CODE, if you experience any problems with the conversion process or your data after it's been converted please EMAIL a DETAILED description of the problem you're experiencing using the "Support" button.

Or if you would like Telephone Support, the fee is $2 per minute with a $20 minimum.
(Unlike Email Tech Support, Telephone Support is NOT free for conversion issues, or any other reason.
Payment for Telephone Support is required in advance.)

Remember, if something doesn't look right to you, you can simply continue to use Version 3!

Converting to Version 4 Instructions

In order to make the conversion process as simple at possible,
Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 has been programmed to prepare your data.

Update to Version 3v21

No matter what version of Martial Arts Organizer 3 you are currently using, you can update directly to 3v21.

You can download Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 by clicking these links:

Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 for Windows XP

Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 for Macintosh OS X

Unzip the file. (Note: This version does not use an installer application, the files are simply zipped. If you do not know how to unzip/extract files, please as an advanced computer user for assistance.)

Once the files have been unzipped, open the Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 folder, then open the 'data' folder. Double click the Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 application to launch the software.

Next, accept the software license and enter the admin password and Validation Code provided when you purchased Martial Arts Organizer 3. Do not use your Version 4 password or Registration Code. (If you cannot find your Version 3 Validation Code email, or you did not print the email, check your original Version 3 CD. Or email Tech Support and your Version 3 Validation Code will be resent to you. Please be sure to state your name, and your school name and address when requesting your Version 3 Validation Code.)

Enter your school name and address.

No matter what version of Martial Arts Organizer 3 you are currently using, you can update directly to 3v21 by following these instructions:

Updating Martial Arts Organizer 3

(Click the above link, and print and follow the updating instructions.)

Once you have updated to Version 3v21, please go to the Wizards menu, click the red 'Convert to Version 4' button.

Quit Martial Arts Organizer 3v21.

You've just prepared your data for conversion.

Install Martial Arts Organizer 4v34 

Download Martial Arts Organizer 4v34  (Windows or Macintosh OS X) and install it.
If you've received the CD which was mailed to you when you purchased the upgrade, the CD contains version 4v34 .

If you've already ordered the Upgrade, your Registration Code will be emailed to you.
Open Version 4v34  with the Master password then enter your Registration Code.

If you have NOT purchased the upgrade, open the software with:

username: guest
password: guest

Go to the School Setup screen and select your Country and enter your Sales Tax Rate(s).
Don't skip this step! Your sales tax rates MUST be entered to properly convert Tuition Entries!!! Go to the Main Menu and click the Tutorial button.

Print the School Setup Tutorial and Entering Students Tutorial. (Actually, printing them all would be even better.)

You WILL NOT understand how to use Version 4 without reading these Tutorials. For example, Tuition Ledgers are GONE! Read the Entering Students Tutorial and you'll learn just how powerful the new Duplicate Invoice feature is. Leave Martial Arts Organizer 4v34 running, but minimize it so you can...

Copy the Conversion Files

Open your hard drive and locate and open the Martial Arts Organizer 3v21 folder.

Open the 'data' folder.
Open the 'Conversion Files' folder. It will contain the files that have all of your Version 3 data.
Select all the files and then select COPY from the Edit menu.
Open the Martial Arts Organizer 4v34 folder installed on your hard drive. PC users open the 'data' folder.
Create a new folder and name it 'Old Solution Files'.
PASTE the the files into the 'Old Solution Files' folder.
You should now have all the Version 3 conversion files in the 'Old Solution Files' folder.

If you have a 'Student Photos' folder inside the Version 3 folder, copy that entire folder and paste it into the Martial Arts Organizer 4 folder.

Now you'll have Version 3 completely intact and functional, so you can open it at any time if you wish, and Version 4 is ready for conversion.

Convert Your Data
Open Martial Arts Organizer 4v34 .
On the menu bar at the top of the screen, select the Wizards menu. (Unlike Version 3, there is no button that takes you to a Wizards screen. Wizards are now all in a menu on the menu bar, and they all now have keyboard shortcuts!)

Select 'Convert to Martial Arts Organizer 4.'

Since all of the Tuition Entries in your old Tuition Ledger will be converted into Invoices, select the appropriate "Tuition Tax" option.

Users in the U.S., U.K. & Ireland: Select Yes or No
Users in Canada: Select GST, PST or Both
Users in Australia & New Zealand: Select GST

Select the Date Format you use, MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY.

Click the 'Begin Conversion' button.

If the Students.usr file is not in the 'Old Solution Files' folder, you'll receive an error message and the conversion process will stop. Please follow the "Copy the Conversion Files" instructions above.

If you never entered any Inventory records, or created any Invoices, you'll receive an error message saying Inventory.usr or Invoices "cannot be found." Just click OK, then click Cancel in the Open dialog box that appears.

The conversion will begin...

Don't use the computer until you see a "Previous Data Converted" dialog box, then click the Continue button.
Take another break...

Don't use the computer until the final "Conversion Completed" dialog box appears.

Finally, QUIT then re-open Martial Arts Organizer 4.

Print and Read the Tutorials

Once you're data has been converted, please read the School Setup and Entering Students Tutorials. There is no "Previous User" tutorial because so much has changed! You'll find there are many, many similarities, and many brand new features!

Naturally, won't have to enter all your data from scratch like a new user would since most of your school information has been converted, but you'll want to review the imported styles, ranks, class schedule, teams, inventory, etc.

Tweaking Your Data

Did you Change Student #'s ?

It has been determined that users who have edited Student #'s in Version 3 and have used LETTERS will not be able to convert reliably. Only number characters are allowed in the Student # field.

Or if you've edited any of your student numbers in Version 3 AFTER you've recorded attendance, or creating invoices, letters, etc. this may invoices and attendance recorded with the original Student # not to transfer.

Also, in Version 4 any LETTERS in Student #'s are ignored. So if you've changed Student #'s to include any ALPHABET characters, those student #'s will have to changed to all numbers.

Once your data has been converted and you begin using Version 4, changing the Student #'s will not cause any problems, just be sure to use only numbers.

Classes
Before you can record any attendance, you'll have to review the information for each class, select a Style of Instruction, Lowest Rank and Highest Rank. (Don't skip this, or you won't be able to record attendance!)

Tuition Ledgers & Programs
They're gone! All of your Tuition Entries have been converted to Invoices, and each student has a NOTE containing the converted Tuition Ledger information. (See the Finances and Notes screens.)

Tuition Programs don't exist at all any more, and you'll create Inventory records for each Tuition amount you receive, and then use the new Auto Duplicate feature of Version 4. See the Entering Students tutorials for all the details.

Attendance
Converted attendance records may, or may not, display the correct rank and style. This depends on many factors. Did you change the order of ranks or the name of a Style of Instruction in the old Ranks? Did you select a Lowest Rank eligible in the version 3 Class Schedule? What was your method of recording attendance? And which version of Martial Arts Organizer 3 you were using when you began recording attendance?

Regardless, the Attendance screen will display ALL Attendance data, so rest assured NONE of your attendance data has been lost.

If the Style of Instruction has converted properly, you can fix this by going to the Attendance screen, and clicking on an attendance date under 'All Attendance Hours.' This will display an Edit Attendance dialog box. Select the correct Style, then use the Replace Command described below to update all of this students attendance records. The good news is a Found Set is automatically created when you edit an Attendance date, the bad news is you must do this for each and every student.

Next to view the Style of Instruction Attendance details for a student, go the Attendance screen and click on a "Style of Instruction & Rank" If the white box is blank, or the Style Name is missing, clicking on the white box will display the Style of Instruction Attendance details screen.

Here, you'll find the Expiration & Eligibility fields, Class Counter, and you can even edit the Rank if so desired (it's a drop down menu). Also note the Rank Displayed field at the bottom of the screen let's you view the attendance details for previous ranks, provided that data converted properly.

Form Letters & Certificates
These are now called 'Templates' and you'll find them on the Letters screen. Since the Merge Fields have changed, you'll want to review your letters and edit them. Delete anything you don't need.

You'll also want to re-create any Certificates you've created. Since you can now change the font style, size, alignment, etc. you'll find certificates are much more customizable in Version 4.

Here's a couple of tips that'll make using Version 4 a bit easier...

the New User Tutorial
If you've never learned how to perform a FIND, or if you'd like to learn just how POWERFUL this feature can be, print and read the New User Tutorial. It's very brief and it will really help you MAXIMIZE your productivity with Martial Arts Organizer 4!

Replace Field Contents
The Replace Field Contents command (under the Records menu) allows you to change the data in ONE field, for ALL the records in your Found Set.

For example, if a Zip Code has changed from 80980 to 80978. Let's say 80980 was a very popular zip code, you don't want to have to edit each and every record. The Replace Field Contents command makes quick work of this chore. Here's how you'll use it: First, go to the Student Info screen and perform a FIND for the 80980 zip code. This will create a FOUND SET of students who have this zip code. Now go to the Zip Code field and erase the old zip code, and type in the new one: 80978With the cursor still flashing in the field you just edited, select Replace Field Contents from the Records menu

.

In the dialog box that appears select the top radio button.
If you read the text at the top of this dialog box, it tells you a few important things:First, the change will be permanent. It cannot be undone.
Second, there are 3 records in my Found Set that will be changed.
Third, the name of the field.

Click the Replace button.

Viola! You've just changed the zip code for your found set!

The Replace Field Contents command will save you lots of time! For example, if you want to set the "Birthday Song at Check In" field on the Attendance screen to "Display Birthday Screen & Play Song" for all your student records, you can do that very quickly! Just click Show All records, change the Birthday Song drop down menu, then select Replace Field Contents. You can also use it in the "Cannot Check in if Past Due" field on the Attendance screen, and the "Cannot Check in if Expired" checkbox on the Style Details screen. • Important! You cannot undo a Replace Contents! This is a permanent change.• The Replace Field Contents command only modifies the CURRENTLY SELECTED FIELD. If you haven't select a field, the command will be grayed out.

• The Replace Field Contents command only modifies the Found Set. If you were to perform a Find and create a Found Set of 3, the Replace Contents command would only be performed on those 3 records, so be sure to perform a find for all the records you wish to change.

• You can Replace Field Contents in any field you can normally edit (password restrictions apply.)

Find and Replace
Another VERY useful command is the Find and Replace command found under the Edit menu.

It's important to note "All records" only refers to the Found Set, and "Current Field" is the field your mouse is clicked into.