Radio Archives from Laptop to Main Shop Computer

walkercomm · Post by **walkercomm** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:15 am

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have 3 different laptops and one shop computer that are used to
program radios. Is there anyway to keep all these archives the same.

For Ex: We originally programmed customers radio on the shop computer.

The customer calls and wants a freq changed. We go out with the laptop and make the change. But our shop still shows the orig config and the other shops laptops our not updated.

?? Is there an easy way to update all the archives ??

Post by **akardam** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:14 pm

Well, I think some questions are in order.

What radios are you programming?

Are you using RSS, CPS, or a combination thereof?

If you're using any RSS, is it the type that has a database file and then all the codeplugs by serial (like the Saber and Spectra RSS) or discrete filenames (like the Systems Saber and MTSX RSS)?

What operating system are the computers running?

If they're windows based are they on a network (when the laptops are in the shop)?

Once you get all this info to us it'll be a lot easier to tell you what you should do.

Post by **wavetar** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:56 pm

Reality of a radio shop that does lots of programming. The only way to keep them all the same is to overwrite the other computers codeplug files with the most recent codeplug from whatever laptop programmed the radio last. For programs like MTSX, Astro & any CPS, you can just overwrite the codeplug...for programs like Spectra, GTX, LCS, etc that use a .dbf file, it's best to keep each customer's codeplugs in their own individual folders & overwrite the entire folders with the latest.

You can also keep a "master copy" updated on a network drive if all of the computers can normally access it...the problem is keeping it properly updated...takes a little effort from everyone involved.

Todd

RKG · Post by **RKG** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:33 am

The easiest thing to do is to have the tech fill out a form, listing each radio he has programmed that day, with file name, and have him submit floppy copy of that file. These then get copied to the "master" machine. Finally, when going out to "update" a radio, always read the radio first, then update the read file, then archive and blow-in.

Note that this problem of divergent archive files is not limited to radio programming; it is a product of the micro-computer metaphor, where each machine is independent and maintains it own archives locally.

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:41 am

When transferring codeplugs to different machines that require them, I usually use a USB memory stick. Quick, and probably cost effective in the long run.

Al · Post by Al » Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:01 pm

For at least the windows-based CPS and RSS, you may want to consider Filesync. The latest version is 2.18, and it does a good job of keeping all my PCs current. http://www.fileware.com

Bruce1807 · Post by **Bruce1807** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:21 pm

It's called networking
I use http://www.allwaysync.com/ but fileware is also ok
Everytime the techs do any work in the office they plug into the network and everything updates everything to the latest version