Fitnessgram: Fitnessgram Small Network FAQ

Small Area Network Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the database capacity for Fitnessgram 8.x?

A: The Small Area Network (SAN) version of Fitnessgram 8.x has a 2GB disk data limit; this will be the determining factor in considering how much data you can store. There is no defined database size limitation when using the District version of Fitnessgram 8.x and Microsoft Server, but with an extremely large database or extremely large numbers of records you may see performance affected.

Note: The default install will create the database with 50MB of storage. We cannot determine the exact size your database will be, but do recommend that you monitor its performance and adjust the size as needed.

Q: How many concurrent users will each network version support?

A: The following concurrent user limitations for the MSDE database and the database are as reported by Microsoft.

Small Area Network (MSDE): Microsoft reports the MSDE database supports up to 5 concurrent users performing save functions at one nanosecond at a time. If more than 5 users are performing that same function at that exact nanosecond,
the other users function will queue and be processed in the next moment. This process typically occurs in fractions of a second and is usually unnoticed in regards to overall performance.

District ( Database): Microsoft reports a 700MHz processor can handle 700 connections on well and that each user needs 40-128KB of RAM memory. With the minimum requirements for the user set at 512 MB of RAM and the processor at 1GHz the user typically will not experience any performance issues when using Fitnessgram 8.x on the District version.

Installation

Tips

Disable the Antivirus software during the installation (it can be immediately relaunched after install).
Installation should occur on the server console, not remote access.
Make sure current Service Packs for the Operating System and Windows Server have been installed.
Verify the static IP address before installing the clients.
Check the network connections and make sure it is not set to auto negotiate the connection and disable the power save features on the server NIC.
If the installation fails, was there a prior installation attempt? Was the MS$FG8 folder removed before attempting to install again?

Q: Why do my services keep stopping?

A: You need to make sure you have the FG8Server service set to restart automatically. You can also check your Event Viewer logs to see if they indicate what is causing the services to stop and if there are other errors on the server. Another reason the services will stop is if the Fitnessgram8.lic file is edited in any way.

Q: My license file has been edited and now the services won't start. How do I correct this?

A: You will need to locate the original license file and replace the one in the C:\Program Files\FG8Server (default location) folder on the server. Stop and restart FG8Server services.

Q: I need to reinstall Fitnessgram 8.x. What steps should I take?

A: First you should always make a back up of your database. Then follow these steps:

Run the Fitnessgram 8.x Installer
Select to Uninstall Fitnessgram 8.x
Go into Program Files\Microsoft Server and remove the MS$FG8 folder.
Reboot the machine and go through the install process again.

Q: I have client machines throughout the school building and I do not want to physically to go to each one to install the client. Is there an easier way?

A: Here is the information you need for an unattended client install:
Unattended Installation of Fitnessgram 8.x
-auto /client host
(Ex: X:\Fitnessgram 8.x Client Installer.exe -auto /client 192.168.20.102)
[no prompts, immediately install the Client (and Java 1.6.0_01) pointed to the specified IP address or host name]
Unattended Upgrade to Fitnessgram 8.x
-auto /update
(Ex: X:\Fitnessgram 8.x Windows Updater.exe -auto /update)
[no prompts, immediately update to 8.x]
Unattended Uninstallation of Fitnessgram 8.x
-auto /uninstall
(Ex: X:\Fitnessgram 8.x Client Installer.exe -auto /uninstall)
[no prompts, immediately uninstall Fitnessgram]

Q: I am getting a connection error when I try to access the Teacher or Student version of Fitnessgram 8.x.

A: If an error message appears while trying to access the Teacher or Student version of Fitnessgram 8.x on the client machine, go to Start/Programs/FitnessGram 8/FitnessGram 8 Client (Teacher) or Fitnessgram 8 Client (Student) and right click.

Choose Properties and the Shortcut tab. Look in the Target: field and confirm the TCP/IP address and that the port being used is 31047. If all of these things are correct then most likely the issue is related to the NIC. Try the follow:

Disable the work flow control on the NIC.
Update the drivers on the NIC.
Set the checksum offloading to 'None' and restart the FG8server services.

Q: Client gets error that the server cannot be found.

A: If an error message appears stating the Fitnessgram 8.x Server cannot be found or is not available, go to the machine with the Fitnessgram 8.x Server. Right click the My Computer icon. Select Manage and when the Computer Management screen comes up, expand Services and Applications. Select Services and look for the FG8Server in the list. Look at Status to see if it is "Started". If it is not started, highlight FG8Server and select Restart the Service (XP) or go to Action on the menu and select Start (2000). Scroll down the list and find MSSERVER. Check that the service status is "Started". If not, highlight it and do the same as for the FG8Server.

Q: How do I restart my FG8Server services?

A: If the FG8 Server Services are not restarting automatically, then perform the following:

Right click on My Computer
Click on Manage
Go into Services
Find FG8server service
Right click and chose Properties
Click on the Recovery tab
You will see options for first failure/second failure or subsequent failures
Check the first failure box option to restart service
At the bottom of the box it gives you a time frame enter 10 minutes

Q: What if I continue to get error messages during my installation of Fitnessgram 8.x?

A: If your installation of the Fitnessgram 8.x Server or Client is failing and you have not been able to resolve it, you can click Details at the end of the setup when it indicates failure and copy all the text listed there and send to Human Kinetics Technical Support to trouble shoot. If we are not able to determine the source of the problem from this information there is another tool we may send to you to run in order to capture the point of failure on the install.

Data Management

Q: How often do I need to backup my data?

A: This should be determined by how often data is added to the FG8 program. Backup should occur anytime a teacher or student has entered demographic data or FG8 test scores. Most server administrators have established protocols for frequency of backups based on what they know about the users in their school districts. If teachers and students are entering data and the Server backup schedule does not protect the data then an export to FG8 will save the data for the teachers and should there be a problem with the Windows server then the most current data could be imported back into the program when the server functionality is restored.

Q: I have several backups. How do I know which one to use?

A: Backups are done in order to protect the end user from losing data. A backup is meant to be used only in the case of a catastrophic event on the Windows Server. At the time of such an event a database manager can do one of two things after the Windows Server has been restored to full functionality:

Request the Server admin to restore the most recent backup for the FG8 database.
Ask the Server admin to do a clean install of FG8 with the current license file and then do an import of the most current FG8 exported .zip file.

Either of these steps will get the most current data back into the FG8 program.

Q: Can I export data from my student attendance program to import into Fitnessgram 8.x?

A: Yes, you can as long as you can get the correct format needed for importing into Fitnessgram 8.x. Custom Import files must be in a Comma Separated (delimited) text, format; these files will have either a 'TXT' or a 'CSV' extension. Files with an 'XLS' extension will not work; however Excel is capable of converting 'XLS' files to the 'CSV' format and then the 'CSV' format can be changed (renamed) to 'TXT'. You will need to make sure the file does not contain a header row.

Step 1. Select the type of import file:
Custom Teacher Info (this file is used only to create Teachers and import their usernames and passwords if needed)
Custom Class Info
Custom Student Info (this file can be used to bring in Teacher names and Class names as well as all the custom student data. This is the most commonly used import file.)

Step 2. Select the Creation option:
Teachers and classes must exist
Insert teachers and classes as needed

Step 3. Select a Match option:
Assume students in file are new (students will be duplicated if they already exist)
Student first, last, birthday (students will not be imported if they already exist)
Student number (students will not be imported if they already exist)

Step 4. Tell Fitnessgram the order of the fields in the custom file. Use the "Add>>" and "<

NOTE: If the order of the fields in the right column does not exactly match the order in the import file, the import may fail or place data in the wrong fields.

Step 5. Select a date format
Fitnessgram 8.x is set up to accept six different date formats.
Note: The dates do have to be formatted with "/" marks separating day, month and year.

Step 6. Locate your import file(s):
Click the Browse button to navigate to the file path where your custom import file is located.

Step 7. Click Import to begin process.

Ethnicity Codes
The following codes are valid input for the Custom Import. Please not if you use the long for the names in. The import file ethnicity codes must EXACTLY match those listed below.

ETHNICITYID
ID NAME
000 - Unknown
100 - American Indian or Alaskan Native
200 -- Asian
201 - Chinese
202 - Japanese
203 - Korean
204 - Vietnamese
205 - Asian Indian
206 - Laotion
207 - Cambodian
299 - Other Asian
300 - Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
301 - Native Hawaiian
302 - Guamanian
303 - Somoan
304 - Tahitian
399 - Other Pacific Islander
400 - Filipino
500 - Hispanic/Latino
600 - African American or Black
700 - White (not of Hispanic origin)
800 - Other
999 - Declined to state

TX PEIMS
23 - 1 American Indian or Alaskan
24 - 2 Asian or Pacific Islander
25 - 3 Black, not of Hispanic origin
26 - 4 Hispanic
27 - 5 White, not of Hispanic origin

Available fields in Custom Import
Custom Teacher info
School id (must match the ID contained in the FG8 database, it is not recommended that you use this field) this is only recommended for the District version School name (this must exactly match the name of the school from the license file) this is only recommended for the District version
Teacher first name (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher middle name (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher last name (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher username (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher password (maximum of 15 characters)

Custom Class info
School id (must match the ID contained in the FG8 database, it is not recommended that you use this field) this is only recommended for the District version
School name (this must exactly match the name of the school from the license file)
this is only recommended for the District version
Teacher first name (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher middle name (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher last name (maximum of 50 characters)
Class name (maximum of 50 characters)

Custom Student info
School id (must match the ID contained in the FG8 database, it is not recommended that you use this field) this is only recommended for the District version
School name (this must exactly match the name of the school from the license file) this is only recommended for the District version
*Teacher first name (maximum of 50 characters)
Teacher middle name (maximum of 50 characters)
*Teacher last name (maximum of 50 characters)
*Class name (maximum of 50 characters)
*Student first name (maximum of 50 characters)
Student middle name (maximum of 50 characters)
*Student last name (maximum of 50 characters)
Student nickname (maximum of 50 characters)
Student username (maximum of 50 characters)
Student password (maximum of 15 characters)
*Student gender (valid input includes: M and F, or Male and Female)
*Student grade (K is used for kindergarten)
Student ethnicity (must be one of the values from the ethnicity
table above)
*Student birth date (must be in one of the following formats: MM/DD/YYYY, MM/DD/YY, DD/MM/YYYY, DD/MM/YY, YYYY/MM/DD or YY/MM/DD)
Student number (maximum of 50 characters)
* These are required fields if you want Fitnessgram to create your Teachers and Classes and import the students into the classes for you. To do this type of import you will need to select Custom Student Data as your option.

Q: How do I get all my students moved at the end of the semester or year into new classes without having to move them all into Unassigned first and then having all the District Teachers move them into their classes?

A: You can use the Custom Import option to do three steps in one. You can promote your students, move them into the new classes and add new students with one file. This saves you multiple steps and lots of time. This can only be done using the Fitnessgram 8.x version. You can verify the version installed by opening the Teacher edition and clicking on Help/About. The version number will be listed here. If it does not state version 8.x you will need to update the program.

The new Custom Import file should include School Name (if the entire District is in one Custom Import file), Teacher First Name, Teacher Last Name, Class Name, Student First Name, Student Last Name, Birthdate, Student ID, Student Grade, Student Gender and any other fields for Student Data you wish to import. The order is not important here as long as you select the correct order of fields that match your file in Step 4 during the Custom Import.

NOTE: If you are using the School Name field to identifying the school the student needs to be imported into, you will need to make certain to use the exact spelling of the school name as it appears in the Fitnessgram8.lic file or the import will fail. The chool ID field selection within Fitnessgram 8.x refers to the ID associated with that school name within the Fitnessgram 8.x program not the school ID your District has assigned the school. It is better not to use this field in this import.

Once you have your file ready you will need to open the Teacher edition and click on File/Custom Import. On the Import Screen select the following options:

Step 1: Custom Student Data

Step 2: Insert Teachers and Classes as Needed

Step 3: Match Student First, Last, Birthdate ( Do not select Assume Students are New as this will import duplicate students that you will later have to file through to find the right student and manually delete all the others.)

Step 4: Select the order of the fields as they are in your file on the right hand side. Remove any unused fields.

Step 5: Select the format for the Birthdate

Step 6: Browse for your Import file

Step 7: Click Import (If you have separate files for each school and did not include a School name, then you will be prompted for which school to import the data into. If you did include school name this option will not appear.)