VISUAL ALERT News April 2011

The new format is three numbers separated by dots. The first number is the version of Visual Alert. That is followed by the update number or release number. The final number is the build. Example: Visual Alert 2.1.0 is version 2, release 1, and build 0.

Look for UPDATE every six weeks

This e-publication will be used to alert you to updates to Visual Alert. Exceptions will be made in the case of critical updates, which will continue to be delivered immediately, and updates requested by a client to address an emergency situation.

Remaining publication dates for 2011 are:
May 24, July 5,
August 16,
September 20,
October 31 and December 6.

Lower prices on Visual Alert training

Metro's two new training options are helping clients save money. Prices for live webinar training provided over the Internet and classroom training in our new Visual Alert Training Center are significantly lower than equivalent training at client sites.

At the Visual Alert Training Center in Wayne, Pa., groups of six to eight users can escape the distractions of their normal workday and focus on gaining the skills they need.

Metro's experts lead participants through hands-on training sessions using networked computers and high-end AV equipment.

To schedule training or learn more, email support@metroalert.com

Missed the User Conference?
View the PowerPoint online

Police personnel attending Metro Technology's 2011 Users Conferences last month learned about all that's new and coming soon to help police streamline operations, share information with neighboring departments and better deploy resources where they are needed most.

Conference highlights included:

How to find, apply for, win and handle grants
A look at Visual Alert Mobile, iPhone, iPad and CAD-RMS apps
An overview of Visual Alert 2 updates, additions and coming attractions
Details about the upcoming Alert Server for sharing Visual Alert information among departments, towns or task force members.

If you missed it, you can catch up now by viewing a pdf of the User Conference PowerPoint online. Go to our website, www.metroalert.com. Log into the Customer Area, click on "Metro News and Events" and click on the 2011 User Conference link.

Visit Metro in Atlantic City at
the 2011 Police Security Expo

Metro Technology Services will be at booths 1731 and 1739 at the 25th annual Police Security Expo, to be held on June 21 and 22, in Atlantic City, N.J. To learn more about the expo, visit www.police-security.com.

Terry Grogan joins the Metro team
as an Application Specialist

Metro Technology Services has hired a new Application Specialist, Terry Grogan. His responsibilities include installing software and showing clients how to get the most from their Visual Alert solutions.

Originally from Darby, Pa., Grogan has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Shippensburg University and a master's in criminal justice from Widener University. He is an avid fan of movies and Philadelphia sports teams.

Are you testing your data backups?

Imagine this: Your server goes down due to some freak power surge. Your hard drive is destroyed. Buying a new hard drive will cost you some money, but you're sitting confidently behind your desk knowing that your backup finished 15 minutes before the crash and the loss of data will be minimal - or so you think.

When was the last time someone tested your backups? Are they backing up all of your data? Can you restore from the backup? Do you have a disaster recovery plan?

Have your IT professional check the validity of the backups at least once a quarter. Doing a check will go a long way in making a smooth recovery from any unexpected events.

And, if you are still using tapes for data storage, make sure you replace them ever two years. Tapes wear out when they are recorded over and over again.

ALERT TOOL TIP:
Reset Password Utility

What to do when the system says
too many people are logged in

Need to log users out of Visual Alert when the system views them as logged in even though they actually are not? You can reset their passwords. (Note: This function is useful when a user gets the following errors upon logging on: 1. "User already logged into system..." and 2. "Number of Licenses is exceeded...")

Login with the user name "reset" and the password "password."
In the drop down menu, select the User ID that the system is not allowing to log in, or select "all" (This will reset everyone currently logged into the software). Then click "reset."
When the system tells you the Password Reset process was successful, click OK.
Select the Close This Window button.
Login with your current user name and password. It will still work, even if you chose to reset all.

Visual Alert version 1 customers: Update 1.16.727 available now

Version 1.16.727 is available for download. (Note: This update was first announced in the January issue of UPDATE, so if you downloaded it then, there is no need to do so again.) To download the update and the instructions for performing the update, click here. Below are highlights of the modifications made in the release:

Incidents

Corrected display of Incident screen when using 800 X 600 resolution.
Corrected the source of the occasional message "Option is currently under development" or "A serious internal error has occurred which has caused your Visual Alert session to become unstable."
Confidential Information button now appears on the Persons screen when a business is entered.

Parking Tickets

Corrected the printing of Offense Time and Issued Time when printing Citations.

UCR Reporting

Reporting of Homicide information has been corrected.
Modified the month and year range to be unlimited.

Vehicles

Corrected the occasional open file dialog box when opening the Vehicle screen.

Visual Alert version 2 customers: Update 2.5.1 available now

Version 2.5.1 is available for download. To download the update and the instructions for performing the update, click here. Below are highlights of the modifications made in the release:

Alarms

Alarm Letters - corrected selection of letters

Citations

Quick Forms - Make sure Location fields are blank when entering a subsequent citation.
Quick Forms - When adding an existing vehicle you are now able to modify vehicle characteristics.
Reduced lag time when accessing SuperVehicle Search.
Miles Follow and Seconds Timed allow for thousands of a mile or seconds.
Citation Payment - Corrected display and entry of payment information.

Evidence

PSP Lab Request for Forensics - Scanning the barcode on the sheet will now open the correct Lab Request.
Corrected tabbing order.
Evidence Report now contains the date and time Received.

Incidents

When an Incident is coded as Arson the Property folder will now be red.
New feature on the Summary page - Search and Replace.
Date and time Incident was submitted for approval is now captured.

Parking

Parking Letters - corrected spacing for dates.
Parking Citations - Can now utilize form MDJS 406 on plain paper. To enable this feature go to Main, System Setup, Parking Setup and locate the parameter PRINT CITATIONS TO in the upper right-hand side of the screen; click on Laser Printer.

PENNDOT Crash Reports

Ensured when Breath is selected as Test Type the results are sent to PENNDOT.

System

Corrected issue with Delete button in Bulletins.
Auto Shutdown - Made certain that user ID was removed from table to eliminate the need to do a RESET after being logged out automatically by the system.

800-658-5716 news@metroalert.com www.MetroAlert.com
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