A simple method for integrating the main access control application with external Time & Attendance (T&A) systems is achieved by exporting the T&A data gathered by the main application into simple text files, one text line/record per event.
These files are aimed to be used by 3rd party T&A applications and therefore the text records should be ideally written in the format required by these external systems.
For that purpose we have introduced the utility program 'TA.exe'.
This utility exports the relevant T&A events to text files in practically ANY required format. The format settings are done by the user using a simple, easy to use definitions screen.
2. Requirements
a. Extract the files in TA.zip to the main application folder. There are four files:
TA.exe: Main execution file of the TA utility
TA.ini: Location where the TA utility saves the settings as they are done by the user.
These settings are saved automatically, there is no 'Save' button. Do not modify the file directly.
TA_en.txt: Empty translation file. Used as a basic file translation to other languages.
Changes for the English text: add a new text string after the '=' sign within this file.
Translators: enter your text after the '=' sign and then rename the file according to the table at the 'Translation' chapter of this document.
TA_fr.txt: Translation to French.
b. When using the main access control application in its MDB version the TA can process the data only when the main application itself is up and running.
With the SQL version however, the TA may run regardless of the main application.
3- The TA screen
The TA contains only one screen with two tabs:
- FILTERS
- FORMAT
3.1 The FILTERS tab
3.1.1 Last X days
Set the total number of days that the program is required to export T&A data.
Calculated from the runtime day and back.
3.1.2 From/To
Specify an exact date frame
3.1.3 Export all records
Export ALL the T&A records, regardless whether a record is the first/last card pass of the cardholder during the day or one from in between.
3.1.4 Only first and Last pass
For each date, export for each cardholder only 2 records: The first and the last pass of each day.
3.1.5 Working beginning time
In case the previous option was selected (i.e. only first/last pass) set the time when a work day begins. This would set the working day from the selected time (say 06:00) till the same time minus 1 minute on the next day.
Let's take for example a cardholder who had passed a total 7 times within 21/06 and 22/06 where the 'Working beginning time' is set to 06:00.
21/06/08 22:00 (First pass of 21/06)
21/06/08 23:00
22/06/08 02:00
22/06/08 05:30 (Last pass of 21/06)
22/06/08 08:00 (First pass of 22/06)
22/06/08 10:00
22/06/08 17:00 (Last pass of 22/06)
3.1.6 Reader Selection
There are 3 options:
-All readers
-Entrance / Exit readers only. Based on the T&A definition for each reader. This is set on the main application, at Controllers>Readers>General, at the 'Time&Attendance' field.
-Only selected readers: According to the user selection here.
Note: the TA.exe utility saves the text value of the reader name and therefore in case the user later changes the reader name on the main program it would be needed to re-set this selection.
3.2 The FORMAT tab
3.2.1 Date Format (@d)
The format of the date as it should appear on the exported file. Any 'Short Date Format' that is recognised by Windows is acceptable.
Default value: dd-MM-yyyy
3.2.2 Hour Format (@h)
The format of the hour/minute as it should appear on the exported file.
Any hour/minute that is recognised by Windows is acceptable.
Default value: hh:mm
3.2.3 Cardholders Format (@c)
The field in the main application database or journal (event log) from which to take the cardholder data in order to show it on the exported file. There are four options:
ID (in database): The value of the ID field in CRDHLD table on the main db.
Number: The value of the Number field in 'cardholder' screen.
(Equal to NUM field in CRDHLD table on the main db).
Card Code: The code of the card linked to the cardholder.
Name (in journal): The full name (last+first) of the cardholder as it was registered in the journal when the event was originally read by the main application from the controller.
Default value: CardCode
3.2.10 General Format
Here is where the final format is set. Namely, the order of the different arguments, and any other characters including spaces.
Examples:
3.2.11 Destination
Full path destination for the output file, including file name.
To avoid overwriting one file with the next it is possible to use two dynamic texts for the file name:
<D> or <d> -date
<DT> or <dt> -date, time (including seconds)
3.2.12 Open file after processing
Check this box in case you want to open the output file by notepad once the processing is done.
3.2.13 Append / Replace
In case an output file with the same target name already exist, here we set whether the T&A processing should append the new data or replace the file.
3.2.14 Calculate
By clicking the CALCULATE button, the TA utility starts the data processing and creates the text file. In case the option 'Open file after processing' was selected, it would open the file by notepad.
Example:
4- Command line
It is possible to run the file via command line, as follows:
TA.exe /run
Running it this way would silently create the output file at the target location.
Note: in command line mode, the file would not be opened by notepad regardless of the previously mentioned check box 'Open file after processing'.
5- Operational log
The TA utility logs its operation in a file named TA.log.
Example:
24/07/2008 15:38:58 *** Export 49 lines to file C:\TA_24Jul2008.txt ***
24/07/2008 18:05:58 *** Export 198 lines to file C:\TA_24Jul2008.txt ***
6- Translation
The TA utility takes its text string from the file TA_<Language >.txt, where <Language> is the value of the Language entry in the main application INI file.
Therefore, the name of the TA translation file should be compatible to the language used by the main application. See the full list at the next table.
The translator is required to make a copy of the English file (TA_en.txt) and enter the local text strings after the '=' sign of each line.
Then, in order for the TA to work with the local strings it is needed to rename the text file according to this table:
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