Question:
It looks likes ISBT is doing product code additions and updates at least once a month. How often are the new and updated products being put into the Hematrax Database?

Answer:
Up to this point Digi-Trax has updated the HemaTrax product label database each time we've updated the software products. These updates have occurred at random intervals between two and six months as in the case of the HemaTrax Print Server and between twelve and eighteen months with the HemaTrax Standalone application.

Question:
Do you know what other Hospitals using your product are doing to get the new and updated products into the Hematrax database in a timely manner?

Answer:
We currently have about five hundred institutions listed in our customer base and this number has been increasing geometrically as of late. We are hopeful that our Lifecycle Software Support (LSS) program which is made available through our web site will prove to be the best solution for our customers, allowing them to obtain software and database updates in a timely manner.

Question:
Is there any kind of Hematrax function we can call to gather and formulate the data into the ISBT 'label ready' format, need by Hematrax?

Answer:
Our company has developed a utility program that we refer to as the product label database generator. The utility translates the product modifiers, names, and attributes as encoded in each product record's molecular formula. The generator derives label text based on a matrix of rules that are applied to this molecular formula. This utility program undergoes maintenance frequently as the ICCBBA attribute, class and product description tables grow. Owing to the program's complexity and need for regular maintenance, the generator utility would not be a useful application for use by the end-user.

Question:
How often are you planning on Hematrax software updates?

Answer:
Recently, with many more critical eyes focused on our product, we've been resolving more reported issues than in the past and making patches sometimes separated by a month or two. As the standards and product database become more stable I see this relatively frequent release schedule settling to a much less frequent interval. I think that a release interval on the order of once every twelve to eighteen months, possibly longer, will be likely.

Question:
In the Verification routine, we got the Warning message “Not a Valid ISBT-128 Product Code.” My understanding is that these are valid product codes. Our supplier is planning on using these donation types. Could you help us with this disparity?

Answer:
As the U.S. Industry Consensus Standards and the ISBT-128 Technical Specifications have evolved, this Verification function has not kept pace. As a result the current release, Version 6.1, doesn't recognize donation type/intended use codes of '3', '4' and '5'. Since these are hard coded in the program code of the application in Version 6.1, it isn't possible to add these codes.

I will have this working in the Version 6.2 release of the HemaTrax Standalone application. I plan to make these codes accessible in an external table so that if new codes are added, they can be appended to the table.

Question:
At the bottom of the HemaTrax Client window, I see the message "WARNING: This application is not intended for use in manufacturing production blood product labels."

Answer:
This message is there to remind people that the HemaTrax Client program is not intended for use as a production labeling application. The HemaTrax Print Server relies exclusively on the attached laboratory information system for properly formatted label request messages.

The HemaTrax Client program will serve as a utility to make printer port definitions, to look at and edit the product code database entries and to test printer connections. We originally wrote the HemaTrax Client program for use internally to do some of our manual validation test procedures. We soon found it very useful for other utility purposes that many LIS software suppliers did not provide in their interfaces. So we elected to include the client with the print server distribution.

The client application will allow you to specify or enter data that will induce error code responses from the server. It is also possible to produce nonsense labels with the client as it doesn't include certain data checks that would be incorporated into a production application.

This is why we put that message at the bottom of the window.

Question:
When I try to install the HemaTrax Print Server I'm getting a message that says the print server is already installed. What do I need to do?

Answer:
Part of the installation processing done by the installation wizard is to determine whether or not a print server has already been installed or is running on the target system. When the installation wizard detects that the registry entries for the print server exist or that the print server is already running it displays the message you are seeing and then aborts the installation process.

Do not attempt to manually remove HemaTrax by going to its current directory and deleting the files there. That procedure will not perform a clean uninstall and will leave residual entries in the registry, start menu and won't be successful. The result would be that the installation wizard would still report that it is finding an existing copy of the print server.

The proper way to remove the existing copy of the HemaTrax Print Server is to use the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Program utility available from the Control Panel. By using this utility the print server is properly shut down, uninstalled through the Service Control Manager and the originally installed files are removed.

Once you've properly removed the old copy of the HemaTrax Print Server your new install should proceed without any problem.

Question:
Is there any way to determine what version of the print server I am using?

Answer:
If you are using the Version 1.71 HemaTrax Print Server, access the version information by clicking on the Help - About menu selection located at the top of the server window.

If you are using Version 2.0 or greater of the HemaTrax Print Server service then you have two ways of accessing the version information.

(1) The first method involves invoking the execution of the HemaTrax Client program (HTClient.exe). With the client window displayed, click on the "Connect" button. If a connection is successfully made with the print server, the legend in the connect button will change to read "Disconnect". Now, with the connection made, click on the "List" button located on the same tab page. In a moment the version or release date information for the various components of the print server will be displayed in the memo box below the "list" button. The version number of the print server itself is included in the list.

(2) The second method involves initiating a "telnet" session with the server. This is done by typing the following command at the Window's DOS command prompt and press the "Enter" key:

telnet 192.168.0.123 5500

where:
    192.168.0.123 represents the dotted IP address of the system that is hosting the HemaTrax print server (this serves as an example, it will likely be different for your system)
    5500 is the listening port number of the print server program (this is an example and while this is the default used by the print server initially, it may be different for your system)

After issuing the telnet command you should receive a response from the server in your DOS command window as shown below:

HemaTrax Print Server Connected

Now type the following command and press the "Enter" key:

VER

The print server will respond with the same list of components and associated version or release date information.

Finally teminate the "telnet" session by typing the following command and press the "Enter" key:

BYE

Your telnet session will now be terminated and you may "exit" the Window's DOS command window.
 

Question:
How do I determine if I'm using the most current, validated version of the HemaTrax Print Server with my Blood Bank or Transfusion Service software system?

Answer
You should contact your blood bank or transfusion service software manufacturer to determine which version is appropriate for the release of their software that you are currently using.

 

Question:
If an existing product label design needs to be changed or a new ICCBBA product code is issued that I need, how do I make changes or add new products to the HemaTrax product label database?

Answer:
The HTClient.exe program provides a way to search the product label database, retrieve records from the database for maintenance and to add new records. A client user's manual was included in the server directory as a PDF file when you installed the HemaTrax Print Server. The procedure for adding a new product is too extensive to be included in this FAQ. Please read the manual and if you have further questions about doing this, make a support call to Digi-Trax for additional assistance.
 

Question:
Where do I find the HemaTrax Print Server installation instructions?

Answer:
The installation instructions are located in the "HTServer_Vx.pdf" file located in the root directory of the HemaTrax Print Server installation CD-ROM.
 

Question:
I have found a problem in the HemaTrax product label database, how do I report it?

Answer:
Currently, Larry Cullen ( lcullen@digi-trax.com ) is in charge of the software that generates the HemaTrax product label database.  Send an e-mail to Larry that concisely describes the problem that you've found. Make sure that you include contact information so that Larry can get back to you if that becomes necessary.
 

Question:
My network ready printer isn't printing labels, what can I do?

Answer:
Network connectivity issues can be a challenge to isolate.  The simplest way to check the connection to your printer is by "pinging" it. To do this you must know the IP address of the printer that you are trying to communicate with. The IP address is four groups of numbers, each group separated from the next by a period. For example: 192.168.0.23 is an IP address. With the IP address of the printer in hand and from the computer system that is hosting the HemaTrax Print Server, go to the Window's DOS command prompt and enter the following command:

ping 192.168.0.23

where:
    192.168.0.23 represents the IP address for your printer ( this is an example, the IP address of the printer you have will most likely be different ).

You may see the following displayed in response to the "ping" command:

Pinging 192.168.0.23 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.23:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss).
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

The response shown above indicates that a connection can't be made with the printer. There could be many reasons for this. Some of these reasons are listed below:

(1) The printer is not turned on. (Yes this has happened.)
(2) The network cable is not connected to the printer. (Yep! This has happened too.)
(3) The incorrect type of network patch cable has been used to connect the network to the printer (it should be a "straight-through" cable, NOT a "cross-over" cable). (Try a patch cable that is known to be working.)
(4) The network patch cable being used is defective. (Try a patch cable that is known to be working.)
(5) The ping requests are not being routed to the printer. (Contact your network administrator.)

On the other hand you may see the following displayed in the command prompt window after issuing the "ping" command:

Pinging 192.168.0.23 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.0.23: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=30
Reply from 192.168.0.23: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=30
Reply from 192.168.0.23: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=30
Reply from 192.168.0.23: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=30

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.23:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss).
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

If ping reports that it has received "replies", as shown immediately above, then you have an excellent network connection to the printer. If ping reports some packets lost or  the round trip times are in excess of 1500ms, then there are likely network load or other connectivity issues that you should report to your network administrator.

If you have established that you have a working network connection to the printer and are not getting labels printed when using the HTClient, then you should probably make a support call to Digi-Trax Corporation for further assistance.

Question:
Why do my Rh Negative ABO labels print incorrectly on my Zebra printer, but the Rh Positive labels print correctly?

Answer:
The HemaTrax Software depends on an outline font being resident in the Zebra printer. The outline font is supplied with all blood bank ready Zebra printers purchased from Digi-Trax Corporation. If you purchased the printer from Digi-Trax Corporation, but the printer is not printing the outline characters typical of Rh Negative ABO labels, then call the Digi-Trax Printer Service department for assistance to re-establish the outline fonts in the Zebra printer.

Note: NEVER perform a factory reset on your Zebra blood bank printer unless a Digi-Trax printer support engineer has directed you to do so. Performing a factory reset on the Zebra printer will permanently delete the outline fonts stored in it.

Question:
Does the HemaTrax Print Server need to be installed on a server, such as Windows 2003, or can it be installed on a workstation?

Answer:
While the management capabilities available on a server, such as Windows 2003, makes that a more attactive platform for the service, it is also possible to run the service on a workstation. Either Windows 2000 Pro or
Windows XP Pro workstations may be used (Windows NT 4.0 is no longer supported). The software installs the same way and operates as intended in either case.

 

Question:
Do I need to install the printer driver software supplied with my Zebra (or SATO) printer before I can use the HemaTrax print server?

Answer:
No. The HemaTrax Print Server (HPS) makes use of its own native printer command capability. Loading the manufacturer supplied drivers can actually cause problems. A printer driver will often produce a COM port
conflict with the HPS. If you are having problems getting HemaTrax to find the printer and you have installed the manufacturer's printer driver, use the Window's printer control panel to remove the printer icon associated with the Zebra (SATO) printer you want to use.
 

Question:
Do I need to install the HemaTrax Print Server software at each workstation where I will have a label printer?

Answer:
No. Each copy of the print server will support up to thirty-two printers. Typically the request for a label from a workstation is received by the laboratory information system (LIS) application. The LIS application draws from its database the appropriate information and then sends a label print message to the HemaTrax Print Server (HPS). One field in the message sent by the LIS is a printer port number which maps the location of the intended printer. This port number is used by the HPS to route the printer command stream to the appropriate printer. A printer may be either attached to the network (Ethernet ready printers) or it may be attached to a serial port on the computer hosting the HPS.  In small facilities, where all of the label printers are very close to the machine hosting the HPS, the printers may be connected to that machine's native serial COM ports.

Question:
I'm editing (adding) a product label. When I print the label the text is just wrapping around even though I've placed a carriage return at a point where I want a new line to start. How do I force a new line to be started?

Answer:
In most places in the label text if you insert a vertical bar character, "|", that will force the print engine to start a new line.  Inserting two consecutive vertical bars, "||", will force a blank line before the new line begins.