IWS EPI Suite - Frequently
Asked
Questions
FAQ
SECTIONS
General Support Questions
EPI Suite 6.x
EPI Suite 5.x
EPI Suite 4.x
General Support Questions
Which EPI Suite products are currently supported by ImageWare Systems?
EPI Suite 6.x is currently supported. Support for previous
versions has been discontinued. There is information in our Knowledge Base
and on this web page concerning previous versions of EPI Suite.
Who is entitled to customer support?
EPI Suite customers receive customer support from their vendors. These
partners can then access ImageWare Customer Support on behalf of the
customer.
If a customer wants to purchase direct
support, please contact our Sales Department at (858)673-8600 or
sales@iwsinc.com.
What hardware is compatible with EPI Suite?
To see a full list of compatible printers, cameras, signature pads, and other
devices, please go to our
Compatible Hardware page.
Is EPI Suite 6.3.030 compatible with Windows 7 and Vista?
We have released a compatible version of EPI Suite for Windows 7 and Vista to our Channel Partners.
This version is compatible on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Please contact your vendor for further information.
EPI Suite 6.x
Where can I find the EPI Suite manuals?
The EPI Suite manuals such as the User's Guide, the Administrator's Guide
and other manuals can be found in the EPI Suite Installation folder located
here by default: C:\Program Files\ImageWare Systems\EPI Suite\6\EN.
There is also additional documentation available in the Technical Support
section of ImageWare's Website.
Note: On 64-bit operating systems, EPI Suite installs in the Program
Files (x86) folder.
I lost my EPI Suite login, username or password. How can I
get back in?
Usernames and passwords to EPI Suite cannot be recovered but they may be reset
with the solution below:
Backup your database and layouts. Perform a clean uninstall of EPI Suite by
going to into the Control Panel under Add/Remove Programs. Once EPI Suite is
uninstalled, rename the ImageWare Systems folder found in C:\Program Files so
that you have a backup. Reinstall EPI Suite; you will be prompted for a new
username and password.
How do I get rid of all those "Invalid Index" error messages I get after
upgrading EPI Suite or updating my database?
Cause: The version 6.x of EPI Suite supports up to 12
additional image types per person. It does so through the use of 12 additional
records in the GA_IMAGEINFO table in the EPI Suite database. Those records
might not be present after an upgrade nor get created during the database update
process by the GuardTool Updater
Solution: Open up the Template.mdb sample database in the EPI
Suite installation folder, open up its GA_IMAGEINFO table and copy any missing
columns from that table to your upgraded database or simply create those columns
manually.
Why am I getting Error 3061 when
using GuardCard?
Cause: This error is typically caused by a mismatch between
either the name of the fields in the card layout and those in the database or
the name of the fields in the database and those specified under View > Data
Field Setup.
Solution 1:
1. Ensure that EPIDesigner is pointing to the correct database under View
--> Options --> Data Fields.
2. Open the layouts in EPIDesigner (or GuardDraw for EPI Suite 5.x) and click
on each object. For each object, open their properties and verify that the
field name matches the corresponding field in the EPI Suite database.
3. It may also be necessary to verify that the field names match under File
> Layout Properties > Encoding.
Solution 2:
1. Ensure that GuardCard is pointing to the correct database under View -->
Options --> Database.
2. Go into View > Data Field Setup and for each entry in the list of
Person Fields, verify that their names match those of the ones they are pointing
to in your database.
When I switch to the Arabic version
of EPI Suite all text appears with question marks placeholders (????). How can I
display text in Arabic EPI Suite?
Applies to EPI Suite 6.3.030 only. The Multilanguage Version of Windows XP needs
to be installed because the English version of XP does not have the Arabic
language option in the Control Panel.
To have text show in Arabic:
1. Open the Control Panel in Windows and select the Regional and Language
Options applet.
2. Go under the Regional Options tab and where it says Standards In Formats,
choose the Arabic (Saudi-Arabia) language.
3. Under the Advanced tab, select Arabic (Saudi Arabia) where it says Language
for non-Unicode programs.
4. Ensure that you switch EPI Suite to the Arabic version by clicking on its
shortcut in the EPI Suite 6 Programs Group.
Where are the layouts, images, and
database located?
Layout location can be found in GuardCard under File --> Card Format
Setup. Click on your layout in the list and select Change. This will
display the file path.
Images can be stored either inside the database or in a folder on the
computer. In GuardCard, click on Image Setup --> Other Properties -->
Storage. If the option selected says Store images as a File Reference,
then you will find their storage location under Storage Directory.
Database location is found by going in GuardCard and clicking on View
--> Options --> Database.
How do I Install EPI Suite on a new
PC?
Please Note: These are typical installation
instructions.
1. Install EPI Suite on the new system.
2. Backup your original database, layouts, and print formats before
transferring.
3. Copy your Microsoft Access Database over to the new system and load it into
GuardCard through View --> Options --> Database.
4. If you are using an ODBC database such as SQL Server or Oracle, you need
only to create a DSN to it on the new PC.
5. Copy your formats over to the new system and load them into GuardCard via
File ---> Card Format Setup.
6. If your images are stored outside your database, copy your images to the new
system and load them into GuardCard via Image --> Image Setup --> Other
Properties --> Storage.
Does EPI Suite work with Oracle 10g?
EPI Suite has not been officially tested on Oracle 10g, but has been reported to
work provided that the Oracle Native Driver version number is 10.01.00.02. A
similar driver version, 10.02.00.01 has been found to cause errors.
I'm getting an "Invalid or Missing
Hardware Key" error when starting GuardCard. How can I fix this?
This error can be caused by more than one issue. Please attempt the following:
- Download the Hardware Key Setup file from
our
EPI Suite Support page.
- Ensure that the hardware key is correctly connected to the computer.
- Ensure that the key is of the right type. Key colors are Blue for EPI Suite
Classic, Red for Lite, and White for Pro.
- If EPI Suite is installed on Windows XP ensure that you are logged on with
Local Administrator or Power User privileges as required by EPI Suite.
- If the key is Parallel, verify that the Parallel port setting on the computer
is set to Bi-directional (aka ECP/EPP) in the BIOS.
- Run the CBRead.exe utility found in the EPI Suite installation folder. If the
utility does not see the key, it may be because it is defective.
- Try installing EPI Suite on another PC as a test and to see if the key works
there.
- Try reinstalling EPI Suite (backup all databases, layouts and images first.).
If after trying all the above the error message still comes up then it's time to
contact your vendor to have the key replaced.
Why am I getting an "EPIBuilder
Internal Error." when launching EPIDesigner?
This error may come up on systems where Software based printers are installed,
such as PDF Factory or Microsoft Office printers. Software based printers are
printers that are not physical. Open Printers and Faxes and ensure that the
default printer is set to a hardware printer. Should this not resolve the
issue, uninstall any software
based printers. If layouts were designed that were pointing to these software
based printers they may need to be redesigned pointing to a hardware based
printer.
Printed
barcodes do not appear dark enough or are not being read by my barcode reader.
Is there any way to fix that?
Printers can print the black color by combining 3 parts (or panels), of the
ribbon: yellow, magenta, and cyan. Most ribbon types come with another panel
that is genuinely black that is called the K-Plane. To print truly black
barcodes go in EPIDesigner, select the barcode, click on Object -->
Properties and put a checkmark in the Print on K-Plane checkbox.
I am suddenly getting the error: "The
card code limit has been reached." How can I fix this?
This error is due to a Card Code limit that has been set for a particular card
format. To fix this:
1. Open File --> Card Format Setup in GuardCard.
2. Choose your card format in the list and select Change.
3. Adjust the set card code limit and click OK.
Can I reactivate EPI Suite Demo,
Trial or Eval on my PC?
There is no way to continue using the Demo version of EPI Suite on the same
machine once it has expired. The Demo version of EPI Suite, which currently
sits at 6.0, can only be used for 30 days.
How can you correct the error "Field
EPI FORMAT.Format_Range_High can't be zero length string. Error 3315" that comes
up when using GuardCard?
This occurs when changes made to the database would leave the field blank, thus
causing the error. To correct this:
1. Open the database file in Microsoft Access.
2. Open the GA_FORMAT OR EPI_FORMAT table in design view.
3. Select the field called Format_Range_Low and change its attribute called
Allow Zero Length String to YES.
4. Do the same for the following fields: Format_Range_High and
Format_Range_Next.
I am getting an "invalid width or
height" after upgrading from EPI Suite 5.x to 6.x. Can this be fixed?
To fix this, simply use the GuardTool Updater to convert your 5.x database to
the new 6.x format.
Why am I getting the error "Unable to
write to license file"?
This usually happens while being logged into Windows XP Pro with an account that
does not have Local Administrative or Power User privileges. These privileges
are required to have full access to EPI Suite. As an alternative,
administrators can give all users full access to the Imageware Systems folder,
found in Program Files on the install drive.
How can I encode to a Card's Mag
Stripe or Magnetic Stripe?
1. Ensure that a value is specified to be encoded to the Mag Stripe in the
format created in EPIDesigner.
2. Ensure that the correct ENC file is selected for your printer by going into
GuardCard --> Card Encoder Setup.
3. If an ENC file matching your printer's manufacturer is not found in the
list, find out from your printer manufacturer what the specifications are for
Mag Stripe encoding and enter the values manually by choosing Custom on the
list.
Why am I getting a message saying to
choose a program to open the GuardTool Reports?
The GuardTools Report is a Microsoft Access Application and it requires that The
Microsoft Access Runtime be installed. The Access Runtime is not distributed as
part of EPI Suite Versions 6.x. The Microsoft Access Runtime can be downloaded
from Microsoft's website at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=d9ae78d9-9dc6-4b38-9fa6-2c745a175aed&displaylang=en.
I get a message saying that this
software has not been verified by Microsoft. Shall I continue the installation?
Yes. Simply click on Continue and the installation will proceed normally.
Can I use EPI Suite 5.x and 6.x on
the same computer?
Yes, both versions can run side by side provided that they both use their own
database.
I'm getting a message saying
"Unrecognized Database Format." when launching GuardCard. Is there anyway to get
in?
One of the most common causes for this error message is that the Database
somehow got corrupted or damaged. It may be possible to fix this problem by
doing what is called a "Compact and Repair" of the Database. Normally this is
done through Microsoft Access but EPI Suite comes with a utility that can do
that for you that is called the GuardTool Database Utility. Here are the steps
to rectify this error:
1. Select Start --> Programs --> EPI Suite 6 --> GuardTool Database Utility.
2. Click on the EPI Suite DB Utility button in the top right of the window.
3. Backup the database by clicking on the Backup Database button.
4. Compact and repair the database by clicking on the Optimize button.
If GuardCard still cannot open the optimized database, this database may be
unsalvageable. You will need to revert to a previously backed-up version of the
database.
How can I export or extract Images from my Database to
the hard drive?
This can be done using the Batch Export functionality found in GuardCard.
Please note that this feature is only available in the Classic and Pro versions
of EPI Suite.
To perform a Batch Export of the images from GuardCard:
1. Open Query --> Batch Export.
2. Select the export criteria and location to save the exported files and
click Continue.
3. Select the database fields to export and click OK.
4. If you have selected to export images, select the image types to export and
click OK.
How do I get rid of an 'Invalid Pointer'
error message?
This is a Microsoft XML Core Services issue. Download MS XML 4.0 SP 2
from Microsoft to rectify the issue at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=021E12F5-CB46-43DF-A2B8-185639BA2807&displaylang=en
EPI Suite 5.x
I am getting an "Incorrect version of the sdk"
error message when installing EPI Suite.
Cause: The program is trying to modify a file that is marked as
read only.
Solution: Uninstall EPI Suite through Add/Remove Programs in
the Control Panel. Select all files in the System 32 folder under the Windows
folder and remove their read-only attribute. Reinstall EPI Suite.
Is EPI Suite 5.x compatible with
Windows XP SP2?
EPI Suite 5.x has not been officially tested with Windows XP Service Pack 1, 2,
or 3, but it has been reported to work fine.
I don't have a parallel port on my
computer, are there USB keys available for EPI Suite 5.x?
More and more computers today come without a parallel port. Unfortunately there
are no USB keys manufactured for versions 5.x of EPI Suite.
I get the error "Unable to create EPI Suite SDK
license" when trying to install EPI Suite. How can I continue installing EPI
Suite?
The error message comes up during the client registration screen when a company
name is entered that is too long for its field. Entering a shorter Company Name
will allow the EPI Suite installation to continue.
EPI Suite 4.x
Where do you enter a bypass code in EPI Suite 4.0?
Use the utility called HPAuth.exe found in the program's installation
folder.
Will EPI Suite 4.0 Run on Windows
XP?
EPI Suite 4.0 has not been tested on Windows
XP and problems have been reported trying to install and use this version of
EPI Suite on Windows XP. EPI Suite 4.0 is also no longer supported. We
recommend that EPI Suite be upgraded to the latest version; currently at
6.3.030, which has been fully tested and deemed compatible with Windows XP.
