From Userful Support

DiscoverStation Administrator Guide

Copyright © 2006-2008, Userful Corporation. All rights reserved.
(Updated 2008.06.13)

If you cannot find what you are looking for in this document, please see DiscoverStation 4 Documentation.

Installation and Setup

Thank you for choosing DiscoverStation, the world’s best and most complete public computing solution. In this Administrator Guide, you will find instructions to set up and configure DiscoverStation to suit your needs.

1.0 Before You Begin

In the box you will find:

• This Administrator Guide
• Product Guide
• Training Manual(s)
• Installation/Restore CD

Electronic versions of these documents can be downloaded from http://userful.com/support/ If you purchased DiscoverStation as a complete solution, the following hardware is also included:

• 1 Central computer box
• 1 Quick setup diagram
• 1 USB keyboard and mouse for each station
• 1 Six-foot AC power cord
• 1 Ethernet cable

DVI to VGA adaptors (if required)

Optional peripherals such as monitors, monitor extension cables and floppy drives are supplied separately if they have been ordered.

1.1 Hardware Safeguards

Before setting up your DiscoverStation, please read and understand the safety and operating instructions in this Administrator's manual. Retain these instructions for future reference.

Ventilation: Vents and fan openings on the computer box provide the necessary airflow for reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. Similarly, this product should not be placed within an enclosed or confined area (such as a cabinet) unless proper ventilation is provided.

AC power cord: The power cord is used to connect the central computer box to a surge protected power bar or uninterrupted power supply. Ensure that the socket outlet is located or installed near the computer box and is easily accessible.

Lithium battery: The lithium battery provides power for the clock and the non-volatile CMOS memory. The battery has an estimated useful life expectancy of five to ten years. If your system no longer keeps accurate time and date settings, you may need to replace the battery. There is an explosion hazard if the battery is incorrectly replaced or replaced with the wrong type of battery. Replace only with the same or equivalent type of battery.

Power bar/Surge protector: Ensure the computer box is always plugged into a surge protected power source.

RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK: Only a trained computer technician using appropriate safeguards should attempt to service the computer. Opening or removing covers may expose personnel and equipment to hazards. Incorrect reassembly can cause electric shock when this product is subsequently used.

1.2 Setting Up Stations

Step 1: Plan out your public computing area. The central computer box should be located for easy access to the CD or floppy drives. Place monitors far enough apart for comfortable working space and privacy for each station, but close enough for the cables to reach the computer. Where possible, all monitors and keyboards should reside on the same table as the computer box to which they are connected; otherwise place them as close to the DiscoverStation as practicable.

Step 2: Prepare the following items before proceeding:

• A VGA monitor for each station (supporting a minimum resolution of 1024x768 pixels at 60 Hz)
• An Ethernet connection via Category 5 cable and an Internet service provider (ISP)
• (Optional) A supported printer
• (Optional) Recordable CDs or floppy disks for saving data

Step 3: Place a keyboard and mouse at each monitor (or “station”).

Figure 1.1. Half-hitch knotted USB plug and extension cable.

Step 4: Connect all cables (Ethernet, monitors, USB keyboards and power) to the back of the DiscoverStation computer. VGA monitors connect via VGA-to-DVI converters as shown in Figure 1.3. There should be one VGA port and at least one USB port for each station. The Ethernet cable is required to connect to a network and/or the Internet.

Caution: If cables must be run between tables, be sure they are out of the way, secured or covered and do not present a tripping hazard.

Step 5: Connect all power cords from the central computer box and monitors into surge-protected power bars or uninterruptable power supplies.

Tip: Use VGA and USB extension cables to deploy stations away from the DiscoverStation computer. When installing a USB extension, tie a half-hitch knot at the connection to prevent accidental disconnection. Use the shortest and highest quality cable possible. The maximum allowable cable length between a keyboard and a powered hub or computer is 15 feet.

Step 6: Power on all monitors and then power on the central computer box. The boot-up process will begin. During boot up, start-up messages will appear on the primary station’s monitor, typically connected to the top-most video port on the back of the computer box (see Figure 1.3). This will also be the screen which displays any BIOS messages. Since all other screens will be blank during the initial phases, it is important to be sure that this monitor is plugged in and working.

Step 7: When the DiscoverStation computer starts for the first time, you may be prompted to select a display resolution for connected monitors. Use the default settings and automatic configuration unless the monitors in use cannot support a resolution of 1024x768 or greater.

Third-Party Hardware and Touch-Screens

If you are configuring DiscoverStation for third-party hardware purchased separately, refer to Desktop Multiplier Configuration: http://userful.com/screenshots/dm-config

If you are configuring DiscoverStation for use with supported touch screens, refer to Multi-Station Touch-Screen Support: http://userful.com/support/touchscreen

Figure 1.2. The keyboard assignment screen appears on each station.

Step 8: Each monitor will display a prompt to press a function key (F1-F10) to link the keyboard/mouse pair to the monitor they are in front of, forming a station. After pressing the appropriate F-key verify that the mouse works by moving it, then proceed to the next station.

If a mouse is connected to a separate USB port rather than its keyboard, you will be prompted to press a button on the mouse to link it with the correct monitor and keyboard.

Do this for each monitor in any order. The assignment of keyboards and screens will be preserved when you shutdown your computer. If you accidentally press the wrong key, you can repeat the assignment process for all stations by running the “Reassign Input Devices” application from Administrator Mode (or by pressing “Ctrl+Alt+Break” or by disconnecting and reconnecting the offending keyboard). Admin Mode can be accessed by pressing “Ctrl+Alt+A” followed by the Administrator password on a logged-in station.

Figure 1.3. System Setup Diagram

Note: To arrange stations in numerical order, loosely connect the video cables to the video ports without tightening the thumbscrews. With the computer started, the station numbering will appear on individual monitors, allowing video ports to be identified with station numbers. Disconnect and reconnect monitor cables to video ports to achieve the desired configuration.

Remember to securely tighten the thumbscrews after achieving the desired configuration.

1.3 Verify Network Connection

Figure 1.4 The LED(s) for the network connection illuminate when a network cable is connected and functional.

By default DiscoverStation attempts to automatically configure its network settings using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). In most installations, DiscoverStation’s Internet connection will self-configure without intervention. Ensure you can access and load a web page (for example, Userful’s web site http://userful.com). If this fails, configure network settings according to Section 3.4.1, Manual Network Configuration.

1.4 Installing DiscoverStation Software

If you purchased DiscoverStation as a software-only solution, you will need to install DiscoverStation on your PCs. If you purchased DiscoverStation as a complete hardware and software solution, your computers ship with DiscoverStation pre-installed. Please proceed to Section 1.5, Configuring DiscoverStation.

To install DiscoverStation, your hardware must meet these minimum requirements:

• Memory (RAM): 192MB
• CPU: Pentium III-class
• Hard drive: 12 GB
• Video card: 1 MB
• CD or DVD drive
• PS/2 or USB keyboard and mouse
• VGA monitor

NOTE: DiscoverStation software installed by this CD permits both single- and multi-station use.

WARNING: Installing DiscoverStation will format your hard drive and you will lose all the data on that hard drive.

1.4.1 DiscoverStation Installation Process

To install DiscoverStation:

1. If your computer is configured to boot from the CD drive, simply switch the computer on and insert the DiscoverStation Installation CD into the drive. If the PC does not boot from the CD, enable the CD boot device option in the BIOS following the instructions in Section 1.4.2.

2. After booting from the DiscoverStation Installation CD, type ‘install’ and press ‘Enter’ when prompted to do so. Installation proceeds automatically if the computer hardware meets the minimum specifications outlined above.

3. Once DiscoverStation is installed on the hard drive, eject and remove the CD and reboot the computer. Ensure that the computer is connected to the Internet prior to restarting the computer.

4. Before permitting public use, configure the BIOS to prevent booting from a CD and password protect the BIOS. This ensures that a malicious user cannot boot his own CD and overwrite your hard drive. Enter your computer’s BIOS configuration as described below, then go to the “Security” or “Passwords” page in the BIOS and select the “Set Supervisor Password” or similar option. Press ‘Enter’ and type in the password you want and press ‘Enter’, do this again and record the password for future reference. Save the new BIOS settings and exit the BIOS configuration screen.

1.4.2 Changing Boot Device Priority

Changing boot device priority enables your computer to boot from the DiscoverStation Installation CD, and separately prevents unauthorized users from booting their own software. To change boot device priority:

1. Press the ‘Delete’ or ‘F1’ key when you first switch on the computer to enter the BIOS configuration screen. (Determine the correct key to press for your PC by examining the first screens to appear after switching it on.)

2. In the BIOS configuration screens, navigate using the arrow keys. Press ‘Enter’ to select options and ‘Esc’ to exit. The particular page and name of the boot sequence configuration depends on the computer. On older PCs it could be called “CMOS Setup” under the “Advanced” menu; modern PCs might list it as “Boot Device Priority” on the “Boot” menu. Select the “Boot Device Priority” option and press ‘Enter’.

3. Select the “1st Boot Device” option and press ‘Enter’; this will let you choose from a list of possible devices such as hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, and USB and network devices.

4. Use the arrow keys (or the +/- keys on some computers) to highlight the appropriate boot device. To boot from the DiscoverStation CD, choose the CD or DVD drive, then press ‘Enter’. To prevent others from booting from their own CDs (after installing DiscoverStation), choose the hard drive, then press ‘Enter’. The desired configuration may look like this:

5. Press ‘Esc’ repeatedly until you reach the main menu.

6. Choose the option allowing you to exit the configuration BIOS configuration screen and save the new settings. Press ‘Enter’ to confirm the action. The computer will restart.

1.5 Configuring DiscoverStation

Figure 1.5. Click “Agree” on the License Agreement screen to continue.

After configuring the display settings, accepting the DiscoverStation license agreement, and assigning at least one station, the setup wizard will help complete the initial DiscoverStation configuration. The following steps should be completed prior to enabling the system. A check mark appears next to each configured item.

Figure 1.6. Configure each setup item in sequence, then click “Enable System”.

Step 1, Network: Network settings must be configured to access the local area network or the Internet. Internet access is required to complete the next registration step. The default network settings are correct for most installations. Instructions for recon-figuring network are given in Section 3.4.1.

Step 2, Customize Settings: You must register DiscoverStation to take full advantage of DiscoverStation’s customizable settings and web-based management features. If you do not currently have a Userful Manager account, the Register step will offer to create one for you. This is one of the most powerful features of DiscoverStation and gives administrators remote control and monitoring of many DiscoverStation features. If you incorrectly register your DiscoverStation in this step, double-click the “Register System” icon on the Admin Mode desktop and follow the instructions in Chapter 6.

Step 3, CD/Floppy/Audio: This step allows you to configure access to shared floppy and CD drives on the central computer box, as well as any USB floppy or CD drives or audio devices connected to stations. You can also configure devices by following the steps in Section 3.5.1.

Step 4, Date and Time: Ensure that your system’s date and time, and time zone are correct before enabling your DiscoverStation. You can also set the date and time later through Admin Mode.

Step 5, Printers (optional): If you wish to configure printers connected to DiscoverStation, do so in this step. You can also configure printers later by following the steps in Chapter 4.

Step 6, Enable System: After configuring the above options, click “Enable System” to turn on the stations. This will display the Welcome Screen on all configured systems.

1.6 Inspect Stations

Verify that the Welcome Screen or web browser appears on each station. To verify that the keyboard and mouse are working correctly after powering up or rebooting, move the mouse or type on the keyboard at each station. If mouse movements or keyboard actions appear to be affecting the wrong monitor you can either disconnect and reconnect the affected keyboards, or press “Ctrl+Alt+Break” on any misassigned keyboards.

You may also click the “Reassign input devices” icon on the Admin Mode desktop to reassign keyboards.

Refer to Chapter 8, "Troubleshooting", if the problem persists, or if the mouse or keyboard appear to not be affecting any station at all.

1.7 Setting up a Local Printer

Connect the printer to a USB port either on the back of the DiscoverStation or a USB port on a USB hub. Connecting a printer to a USB port on USB keyboard is not supported due to the risk of accidental disconnection by the keyboard’s user. The computer arrives pre-configured to support any printers purchased with your system or specified when ordering the system. See Chapter 4 for detailed information on printers, managing the print queue through the LAN and troubleshooting tips for printers.

1.8 Connecting Other USB Devices

A limited number of USB devices, in addition to USB mice, may be connected directly to USB ports in USB keyboards. Note that connecting devices not listed in Tables 1.1 and 1.2 or connecting devices in a manner not recommended in this table may result in unreliable operation. Figure 1.7 describes a typical station layout with recommended USB connection points for multiple USB devices.

Figure 1.7 Recommended connection layout for multiple USB devices.

If only one keyboard is connected to a powered USB hub, devices connected to that powered USB hub will only be available to the station to which the hub is assigned.

If more than one keyboard is connected to a powered USB hub, access to devices also connected to that hub will need to be assigned manually through the CD/Floppy/Audio Device assignment panel in Administrator Mode.

1.9 USB Hubs

Powered USB hubs may be used to provide additional connectivity for peripherals such as USB keys, digital cameras and audio devices. Devices plugged into a USB hub associated with a station will also become associated with that station. Userful strongly recommends using a dedicated powered USB hub for each station where users may attach multiple USB peripherals (e.g., if users may plug in USB keys, digital cameras, audio headsets, etc.). In this manner, devices are automatically assigned to each station. Keyboards should never be connected to spare ports on other keyboards. Floppy drives should never be plugged into keyboards.

1.9.1 About USB Devices

USB devices can either be self powered (e.g., USB CD drives, powered USB hubs) or bus powered (e.g., audio headsets, mice, keyboards). Self powered devices include an AC power adapter. Because each USB port on the central computer only provides a power supply up to 500 mA for its devices, connecting multiple bus powered devices to an unpowered hub can easily exceed this maximum power consumption.

Typically USB ports only provide sufficient power to support a single keyboard and mouse and one other low powered device such as a USB audio headset. To attach additional high power devices such as a USB floppy drive, you will need to connect them directly to the computer box, or to a powered USB hub.

If the hub is self powered, then any USB device may be attached to it. However if the hub is bus powered, then only low power (100 mA max) devices can be attached to it. A bus powered hub should not be connected directly to another bus powered hub.

1.9.2 USB Device Setup Without Dedicated Hubs

If your DiscoverStation deployment does not include individual powered USB hubs for each station, the following USB device connection points are recommended.

1.9.3 USB Device Setup Using Dedicated Powered Local Hubs

If your DiscoverStation deployment includes individual powered USB hubs for each station, the following USB device connection points are recommended.

2. Basic Administration

DiscoverStation is administered through three main tools: Userful Manager, DiscoverAssist and DiscoverStation’s Administrator Mode.

One or more staff within your organization should be designated as administrators, who:

1. Set up the system and configure the DiscoverStation using Userful Manager

2. Receive system alerts and warnings by email

3. Keep account information up to date

4. Will be the first point of contact both for Userful support and your own staff when issues arise.

2.1 Userful Manager

Figure 2.1. Userful Manager web-based configuration portal.

Administrators control DiscoverStation’s appearance and functionality through the Userful Manager web portal. They do so by logging in to the web-based control panel using a web browser (see Chapter 6 of this guide) and make and apply changes. Userful Manager saves these settings, which can also be applied to any new machines added to the Userful Manager account.

Access to Userful Manager is included as part of your support subscription agreement.

To add an administrator to Userful Manager, log in to Userful Manager at http://manage.userful.com and click “Manage User Accounts”.

Userful Manager is described in Chapter 6.

2.2 DiscoverAssist

Administrators also have access to a variety of remote support and assistance tools through the DiscoverAssist web portal. This enables administrators to execute real-time commands on systems, such as re-booting the computer, logging out a specific user, viewing logs, etc.

Access DiscoverAssist by visiting http://localhost/gui.php from a web browser on DiscoverStation, or from the desktop icon available in Administrator Mode. An administrator password is required to access to DiscoverAssist.

DiscoverAssist is described in Chapter 7.

2.3 Administrator Mode

Figure 2.2. Administrator Mode. Some tools reside in the Advanced Tools folder.

Administrator Mode provides access to key administrative tools and is typically used when setting up, moving or troubleshooting a computer.

Enter Administrator Mode by logging into any DiscoverStation and pressing “Ctrl+Alt+A”.When prompted to do so, enter the Administrator password. In Administrator Mode, administrators can:

• Schedule a reboot
• Assign floppy and CD drives to stations
• Configure network settings
• Set the date, time, and time zone
• Configure printers
• View system settings
• Open a command prompt window
• Enter Userful Manager
• Immediately update changes made in Userful Manager

Administrator Mode is described in Chapter 3.

2.4 Administrator Passwords

Administrators use two types of passwords:

Administrator Mode passwords: Each DiscoverStation has an Administrator password that enables administrators to enter Administrator Mode. To simplify management, Userful Manager will assign the same password for all DiscoverStations. This password should be known by all administrators and should be changed periodically.

This password can be changed through the Userful Manager web interface. When one administrator changes the password, all administrators added to your UM account will receive an email alerting them to this change. Keep your administrator password secret, and if you need to write it down, store it in a safe place. Be sure to log out once your work in administration mode is complete. To log out, select “Log Out” from the Start Here menu or click the logout icon on the timer. An administrator who wishes to work for a prolonged period and avoid the time limit manager could logon as Administrator.

Userful Manager Account passwords: Each individual with administrative privileges within your organization will have their own account and password with the http://manage.userful.com portal. They can log in from any web browser using their email address and password and undertake set-up and configuration tasks. To change your account password, log in to http://manage.userful.com and click “My Account”.

2.5 Administrative actions by non-Administrators

Certain administrative actions can be performed without a regular administrator (for example, by on-duty staff):

Ctrl+Alt+Del resets an individual station (available to any user).

Figure 2.3. Add time with the Ctrl+Alt+R key combination.

Ctrl+Alt+T with the time password: can extend the time of a station’s session. This brings up a dialog prompting for how long the administrator wishes to extend the user’s time.

Ctrl+Alt+R with the reboot password: schedules a reboot of the system the next time all stations are empty. This optionally allows staff to prevent new users logging on until the reboot has taken place.

Ctrl+Alt+F with filter password: can remove the filtering of a station’s session.

Passwords can be changed using the “System Passwords” panel in Userful Manager. For reasons of security, passwords have been removed from the downloadable version of this document.

2.6 Using Foreign Input

DiscoverStation supports a variety of keyboard layouts and fonts for foreign languages. To learn how to set up DiscoverStation's other multi-lingual features, please see Section 6.8, Multi-language configuration.

2.6.1 Using the Foreign Input Switcher

Figure 2.4. Close up of the Input Switcher in default non-active mode (En, no blue border).

Figure 2.5. Close up of list of languages available for foreign input by input switcher.

Figure 2.6. Japanese foreign input method selected.

Figure 2.7. Japnaese input method activated.

Figure 2.8. Input in Japanese using the word processor.

The applet responsible for switching the input method is at the bottom-left of the screen adjacent to the Keyboard Layout switcher (Figure 2.4). The letters appearing on the applet indicate the input mode that the switcher is set to toggle to.

Note that the input method list must load first before it displays a list of available methods. To ensure that the list loads correctly, do the following first before attempting to access the list:

1. Start an application that requires text input (ex. a web browser or the Word Processor)

2. Click on a text field on the application to bring it into focus. This will force the Input Switcher to populate its list of available input methods.

Clicking the applet will then bring up a list of available input methods (see Figure 2.5).

Note: If no languages appear in the list, from DiscoverStation's Admin Mode run ‘Advanced Tools->Restart Services’ to ensure that the Input Method service is running correctly.

After the list of available input methods displays, select an input method by clicking it. This will result in the letters on the applet changing to an abbreviation that represents the input method that was just selected (see Figure 2.6).

Note that the method of inputting foreign characters varies depending on the input language that was selected.

Also note that the input method selected is not activated by default, and typing while in this mode will still input regular Latin characters. To switch between the foreign input and regular methods, press “CTRL+SPACE”. The foreign input method will become active, indicated by a blue border surrounding the Input Switcher applet (Figure 2.7).

To toggle the Input Method off and to return to standard Latin characters, press “CTRL+SPACE” again. Once deactivated, the blue border will disappear from the Input Switcher applet.

Note: Foreign fonts and language packs are not installed when installing DiscoverStation from CD. Starting foreign language sessions immediately after installation may result in applications not rendering correctly.

However, an automatic download of these items is started within an hour after installation, and once downloaded (time to download is dependent on the speed of your Internet connection),the additional fonts and language packs will be automatically installed. Therefore, it is important that the DiscoverStation is powered on and connected to an Internet connection until all downloads are complete.

For more information about adding software to DiscoverStation, see Appendix B.

3. Administrator Mode

3.1 Entering Administrator Mode

You can switch into administrator mode from any station by pressing “Ctrl+Alt+A” on the keyboard after choosing a Session Profile (this will not work if pressed on the Welcome Screen or Usage Agreement). When prompted, enter the administrator password.

Administrator Mode removes the time limit and adds a selection of administrative icons to the desktop. To undertake an administrative task, simply double-click the appropriate icon. Note that icons for some less common commands reside in a folder on the desktop called “Advanced Tools”.

3.2 Simple Actions

3.2.1 View System Information

Double clicking the ‘System Information’ icon will display a window containing pertinent information about your DiscoverStation including:

• The product name and version
• The MAC address for the primary network interface
• Hard disk drive size
• Installed memory size
• Number of keyboards, mice and floppy drives connected
• Network status

3.2.2 Set Date and Time

Figure 3.1. Adjusting the date and time.

Double-click on the “Set Date and Time” icon on your Administrative Mode desktop, then follow the on-line help to specify the appropriate date and time information.

3.2.3 Open a Command Prompt

This tool should only be used with guidance from a Userful support technician.

3.2.4 Restarting Services

The restarting services icon should when any of the below services are not functioning properly. The same functionality can also be accomplished by rebooting the system. The services restarted by this icon are:

• networking (the hostname is also reset to that which is configured by Userful Manager)
• printing (cups) (all pending print jobs are cleared and all "stopped" queues are "started")
• the stations being served out by VNC (including the VNC server process)
• the stations being served out by XDM (including the XDM server process)
• the Linux logging service (syslog)
• the Japanese input service (Canna)
• the cron job daemon (crond)
• the international input method service (iiim)
• the portmap service (used by xmlrpc functions)
• the welcome screen backgound server
• DiscoverAssist
• the squid proxy
• the cache is cleared and configuration is reset (as of DiscoverStation 4.2.22 - Late December 2006)
• Dansguardian
• configuration is re-gathered from configuration downloaded from UM (as of version 4.2.22 - Late December 2006)
• the RHN service (which checks for configuration on Userful Manager)
• the X font server (xfs)
• the network time daemon (ntpd)

3.3 Enabling Userful Manager Changes

Figure 3.2. You must log out of the DiscoverStation session before Userful Manager configuration changes take effect.

Configuration changes made in Userful Manager are only applied the next time the computer box automatically checks in to the Userful Manager server, which occurs every four hours. Clicking the “Update Configuration” tool in Administrator Mode causes an immediate update to the configuration on the DiscoverStation. This allows you to check that your changes have had the desired effect. Changes only become visible on sessions started after the Update Configuration tool has run.

3.3.1 Userful Manager from Administrator Mode

The Userful Manager web portal may be accessed via an Internet shortcut to http://manage.userful.com from the Administrator Mode desktop. This is useful since direct access from DiscoverStation allows you to immediately examine changes made through Userful Manager.

3.4 Network Configuration

Figure 3.3. The Network Configuration tool.

To access the Network Configuration Tool, in Administrator Mode, double-click the “Network” icon. The Network Configuration tool will appear.

This tool must be used if DiscoverStation failed to automatically obtain a network connection through DHCP. You can attempt again to obtain the correct network settings automatically by using DHCP.

Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or network administrator may require DiscoverStation to be configured with the following settings (under Automatic Settings) even if using DHCP:

DHCP or BOOTP: If your ISP requires a hostname fill it in here.

PPPoE: Fill in user name and password provided by your ISP.

If DHCP fails you will need to obtain the correct settings from your ISP or your network administrator and make a manual installation with statically set IP address.

Should your ISP require the use of BOOTP or PPPoE connection, Userful recommends using a hardware router recommended by your ISP.

3.4.1 Manual Network Configuration

Using manual configuration you will be prompted to enter network settings. You will need the following information for manual network configuration:

Default Gateway Address, the IP address of your local network gateway. First and second DNS servers, the IP address(es) of your local Domain Name Server(s) and the IP Network Mask (usually this is 255.255.255.0).

To connect through a gateway on local area network, contact your network administrator for information about the gateway. If you are connecting directly to the Internet through a cable modem or digital subscriber line (DSL) you will need to obtain the following settings from your ISP:

IP Address: Enter the IP address of the primary interface.

Subnet Mask: Enter the network mask of the primary interface. Usually this takes the form 255.255.255.0.

DNS Servers: Enter the IP address or addresses of your local domain name server or servers.

Server Gateway: Enter the IP address of your local network gateway. A network gateway allows you to connect to networks outside of your LAN. If this field is empty the machine cannot communicate with other networks outside your LAN.

Click the ‘Help’ button for more network settings information.

3.4.2 Configuring an Individual IP Address for Each Station

Userful Desktop can be configured to assign each station its own IP address. To configure multiple IP addresses for each Userful Desktop computer:

1. Start the Network configuration tool.
   • This can be done either from the initial setup "Network" session or by clicking the "Network" icon on the admin mode desktop.
2. Configure a static IP address, along with a subnet mask and a gateway address.
3. Check the "Enable Multiple IP Address Configuration".
4. Click the "Configure Multiple IP address..." button.
   • A "Multiple IP Address Configuration Tool" dialog will appear.
5. Enter an IP address for each station.
   • Multiple stations with the same IP addresses is allowed.
6. Click OK on the "Multiple IP Address Configuration Tool" dialog.
7. Click OK on the "Userful Network Configuration" dialog.
   • Settings will be applied right away. There is no need to logout.

3.5 Assign Devices to Stations

Figure 3.4. USB device assignment tool.

USB floppy drives, CD drives and audio devices may be connected to a USB hub assigned to each station, or to the central computer box. Devices connected to hubs assigned to a station will automatically be assigned to that station.

USB devices connected to the central computer box or to an unassigned powered hub are by default assigned to be shared by all users on the computer box. To assign particular USB devices to individual stations they must be configured using Administration Mode as described in the following section. USB memory keys or audio devices connected to USB keyboards are automatically assigned to the station with which the keyboard is associated. USB memory keys should not be connected directly to the computer box. USB floppies must not be connected directly to keyboards.

3.5.1 Steps for USB CD/Floppy Drive/Audio Device Assignment

1. Enter Administration Mode (Ctrl+Alt+A) on the station which offers you the best view of the LED lights on all the USB floppy drives, or all the trays of the CD drives. Orient all the drives so you can see their LEDs or trays. (You will need to see these lights and trays to identify drives.)

2. Double click the “CD/Floppy/Audio Devices Assignment” icon on the Administrator desktop.

3. Click the “Floppy”, “CD Drives” or “Audio” tab at the top of the device assignment window. The interface will show a list of all devices of the selected type, each with an icon on the left side (e.g. in Figure 3.4). To identify the device corresponding to an icon, click the icon, causing a response on the device (illuminate the floppy's light for a few seconds, eject the CD's tray or play a sound through the headset).

Note: The LED on some floppy drives does not illuminate unless a disk is inserted. Userful recommends inserting floppy disks into floppy drives prior to identification.

4. Click each device’s icon in turn and note the number of the station on which it is located then choose that number from the device's drop-down list. Repeat this step until all devices have been correctly assigned. It is also possible to disable individual drives or share them amongst all stations (in which case the drive will be accessible through the floppy sharing application). For example, to disable the internal floppy in the end-user interface, select “Disabled”.

5. After assigning all the USB devices click the “OK” button. If more than one USB drive has been assigned to a single station the following error message appears:

a. Click “OK” to return the USB Devices Assignment System, allowing you to reassign the offending drive. If the assignments produce no conflicts the following message appears: “Updating device assignment configurations, please wait...”

b. The following message confirms the assignments: “Please note, configuration will not take full effect until all stations have logged out.”

c. Click “OK”.

6. After assigning all devices to stations, take a moment to verify they are correctly assigned. Login at each station and double click the USB drive icon on the desktop or play a sound. Verify that the device in front of that station activates. If any device is mis-assigned re-launch the CD-floppy assignment application through Administrator Mode and re-assign any mis-assigned device.

Note: For a list of valid USB device connections, please refer to Tables 1.1 and 1.2.

4. Printing

4.1 Adding Printers

DiscoverStation supports most common printers using PostScript and PCL. To add a printer to DiscoverStation, enter Administrator Mode with Ctrl+Alt+A and click the “Configure Printing” icon on the desktop.

Figure 4.1. The Printer Configuration tool.

Click the “New Printer” button, and follow the on-screen wizard. Visit Userful’s support web site if the wizard does not automatically detect your printer.

DiscoverStation supports printing to printers directly connected to a DiscoverStation, Windows or other print servers, and networked printers. Consult the following website, http://www.linuxprinting.org, and contact your Userful representative before purchasing a new printer for use with DiscoverStation.

Note: Set up and change printer configurations in Administrator Mode using the ‘Configure Printers’ icon. You should add and configure printers using Admin mode and NOT with the web-based print management tool. Only use the web-based management tool to manage print queues once the printer has been set up.

4.2 Managing the Print Queue

Figure 4.2. Manage the print queue from a web browser.

DiscoverStation includes a web-based print queue management system that allows users to view all items in the print queue by opening the print queue page in a browser.

To manage the print queue, open the following address in a web browser on the DiscoverStation with the printer you wish to manage: http://localhost:631. Be sure to include the “http://” portion when typing the URL. A shortcut to the print queue page can be added to the desktop via Userful Manager.

The Printer Administration panel has a default login name of “Administrator” and a password which is the same as the Administration password for DiscoverStation.

Note: Web-based access to print queue management may be blocked by the LAN firewall rules setup by your network administrator.

4.3 Print Control and Charges

4.3.1 Patron Instructions

Figure 4.3. DiscoverStation informs patrons how to pay for print jobs.

DiscoverStation’s print control feature reduces unnecessary printing and can help recover printing costs.

When print control is enabled through Userful Manager, DiscoverStation prompts users to confirm or reject each print job before queuing it for printing. It displays the number of pages, the cost and a customizable message with payment instructions such as “Pay at the front desk”, “You will need a smart card with sufficient funds to release your print job” or “This charge will be added to your library account”. An invoice/receipt can optionally be included as the last page of the print job. Configure print control in Userful Manager.

4.4 Basic Printer Troubleshooting Strategy

Check the following:

• Is there paper in printer?
• Are the cables securely connected?
• Is paper jammed in the printer?
• Is the printer is on?
• If the printer has its own status display, check this to see if there are any messages that are displayed.
• Turn off the printer. Wait about 10-15 seconds, turn the printer back on and print a test page.

4.5 Printing FAQs

Q: How can I “Print Preview” from the web browser?

A: Click ‘Print’, and then choose ‘Preview’ from the dialog.

Q: Why won't my DiscoverStation station print?

A: Double check that the printer is connected, powered on, and has paper. Check the status indicators on your printer for indications of problems such as paper jams or other errors. Consult your printer manual if necessary; if these are all OK check through the following questions:

a. If the printer is a networked printer:

Determine if other computers such as a staff can print to it. If no other computers can print to it, the networked printer is likely disconnected from the network.

b. If print jobs sent to the printer don’t appear in the print queue:

Try printing a test page from the printer administration panel. Confirm that you are following the correct procedures for printing in the application you are using. If printing still fails, visit http://userful.com/support/issue to report the problem.

c. If print jobs are appearing in the print queue:

Check that the printer itself is working by using the “test print” button(s) on the printer (consult your printer manual on how to do this). If this “test print” does not work, there is a problem with your printer. Consult your printer manual for troubleshooting help, and contact the printer manufacturer for technical support.

d. If print jobs are appearing in the print queue and the printer is working, try the following three tests:

1. Confirm that the cables are securely connected.
2. Power off the printer, disconnect cables power it on again and reconnect the cables.
3. Ensure that the printer cable is not faulty by trying with a different printer cable.

If these troubleshooting steps fail to resolve the printing issue, visit http://userful.com/support/issue to report the problem.

Q: Why did I receive the message “Unable to open USB device “usb:/dev/usb/lp0”: No such device”?

A: The printer is not communicating properly with the computer. Printers occasionally need to be rebooted. Power off the printer, power it on again, and reconnect the USB cables. If this does not resolve the problem, reboot the DiscoverStation then try printing again. If the problem persists, report the problem at http://userful.com/support/issue.

4.6 Web-Based Printer Management

DiscoverStation includes a web-based printer management tool known as CUPS, which is accessible via any web browser on any computer sharing the same local network as DiscoverStation.

The web-based CUPS Printing Interface allows you to quickly troubleshoot printing issues. To access the interface:

1. At a DiscoverStation station, start a session and open a web browser.

Note: Administering printers in Administrator Mode prevents your session from being logged out.

2. Type “http://localhost:631” in the address field. This will open the CUPS Printer Interface.

3. Click the ‘Administration’ link at the top of the interface. The following dialogue appears. Enter the user name ‘administrator’ and the password for administrator mode. Click OK.

Figure 4.4. Main printer administration page.

The page in Figure 4.4 will be displayed.

Figure 4.5. Printer administration screen.

4. Click on the ‘Printers’ link at the top of this page or the ‘Manage Printers’ button near the bottom. This will show the status of all printers on the network (see Figure 4.5).

5. Check the status of the printer. If a green ‘Start Printer’ button appears the system may think something is wrong with the printer and has chosen to stop the driver to prevent jobs from being lost. Clicking the ‘Start Printer’ button will usually fix this issue. This can happen if the printer has been powered off and on (a common, but ill-advised and, ideally, last resort method of resolving printer issues) or something mechanical has happened to the printer, such as a paper jam.

6. The print queue may also be clogged up by a single failed print job. To see what’s in the print queue click on the ‘Jobs’ link at the top of the page (see upper red box in the diagram above). This will display all the print jobs waiting to be serviced. From this page you can cancel individual jobs until you find the one clogging the queue by simply clicking the ‘Cancel Job’ button to the right of the appropriate job (see red box below). It is best to start from the oldest job and work to the most recent job.

7. Contact Userful Support if you require further assistance.

5. Other Administrative Tasks

5.1 Enabling Remote Support Access

You will only be eligible for remote support if you have purchased a support package from Userful

DiscoverStations typically connect to the Internet through the LAN (via a router or firewall) but it is possible to connect DiscoverStation directly to the Internet through cable or DSL via a public-facing IP address. In such a case remote support access should be automatic and you need not make any changes. If you are part of a larger organization or a router or firewall sits between your Internet connection and your DiscoverStation, you are likely connecting through your router/firewall. This situation is covered in the next paragraph.

Enabling access through a Router/Firewall: If your DiscoverStation(s) are behind your firewall, Userful may request that you establish a port forwarding rule on your router or firewall to one designated machine in each location, thus enabling our support technicians to remotely access and troubleshoot your DiscoverStation software. This port forwarding rule will direct network traffic on a specific numeric port (typically port 22) to a specific DiscoverStation computer box within your LAN.

In a DHCP network, the lease on at least one DiscoverStation computer’s internal IP address must be set to “forever” or “permanent” to prevent that DiscoverStation’s IP address from changing, which would disrupt remote access. This specific DiscoverStation computer box will be used as a management point to access other DiscoverStations within the LAN.

An alternative is to obtain an available IP address from your ISP and set up the DiscoverStation outside your LAN with a public facing IP address. All stations on a single DiscoverStation computer box (whether there are 1 or 10 stations) will use the same IP address so only one IP address per box is needed.

5.2 Restart DiscoverStation

5.2.1 Restarting Individual Stations

There is no way to retrieve “work in progress” from a station that has frozen. The “Ctrl+Alt+Del” key combination can be used to reset any individual Station whenever there is a problem. This reset process exits any programs currently running, clears any unsaved work, and returns the Station to the welcome screen. This process takes only a few seconds. If “Ctrl+Alt+Del” fails to restart the frozen station, it will be necessary to schedule a reboot of the computer, see Section 5.2.2.

To educate users about this option, place a prominent label on each station (either on the monitor or keyboard) stating: “Station Frozen? Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart”.

5.2.2 Scheduling a Computer Reboot

There are two methods to reboot the computer: a scheduled system reboot, and an immediate reboot.

The scheduled reboot is the preferred method. It is designed to solve the problem of “I would have rebooted immediately but there were people using the system”. If a scheduled reboot is used, it will prevent any new logins and as soon as all stations are empty, the computer will reboot automatically. The scheduled reboot should be used when “Ctrl+Alt+Del” fails to restart a frozen station.

To schedule a system reboot, use one of the non-frozen stations and press “Ctrl+Alt+R” and enter the reboot password, or press “Ctrl+Alt+A” and enter the Admin mode password, then select the “Scheedule Reboot” icon. Either method will bring up a window confirming that a reboot has been scheduled for the next time all stations are unoccupied. You may wish to set the option preventing new logins to ensure a more rapid re-boot. If there is a screen for reporting the nature of the problem causing the re-boot please fill it in to help Userful track problems.

Note: If a menu (created by a right-click or pull down) is active it steals the key-press, the Ctrl+Alt+ key sequences may nor work. Left-click on the desktop or application window then try again. If all the stations are frozen (a very rare anomaly) or if the computer hangs on boot-up, an immediate manual reboot is necessary.

5.2.3 Shutting Down the Computer

We recommend that DiscoverStation be left running at all times to improve the life of your hardware and ensure that all software updates are received. But it can be turned off to conserve power. Shut down the computer by pressing and holding the power button for more than four seconds, or by switching off at the power supply (at the back of the computer), or by unplugging the power cord as a last resort. You can also remotely shut down the computer using DiscoverAssist (see Chapter 7).

5.2.4 Immediately Rebooting the Computer

Powering off (or shutting down) the DiscoverStation (described above) and restarting it reboots the computer. When the power is switched off on a computer box, all stations attached to that computer go down. Any unsaved work on any station attached to the computer will be lost. Be sure to notify any users on the system to save their work to a USB memory stick, CD, floppy disk, or web drive, prior to undertaking an immediate reboot. A scheduled reboot (Ctrl+Alt+R) is the preferred method when stations are in use. Immediate reboot should only be used when there is no one using the system.

5.3 Recording CDs

5.3.1 Recording to CD-R (recordable) Discs With DiscoverStation

The following steps enable administrators and users to record CDs with DiscoverStation.

1. Insert a blank recordable CD-R into the CD writer in the DiscoverStation computer.

2. Start GnomeBaker from the Start Menu: Left-click “Start Here” > “Sound and Video” > “GnomeBaker”.

3. In the “Filesystem” pane of GnomeBaker, left-click the Desktop or Folder File containing the files you wish to record.

4. In the “File” pane of GnomeBaker, left-click on the file or image to highlight the file and drag the file to the lower pane under either “Data Disk” for Images or “Audio Disk” for CD tracks. Audio and data files should not be mixed in the same CD.

5. Left-click on the “Create Data CD” button on the bottom right of window. Note: GnomeBaker default uses the “multi-session” option by default. “Multi-session” means you can record more files to this CD later if you wish.

6. Left-click “Start” in the “Create Data CD” or “Create Audio CD” window to start recording.

7. Left-click on “Close” when done recording.

8. When done recording, close GnomeBaker and left click twice on “Computer” icon on the Desktop. Right click on “CD-RW Drive” and select “Eject” to eject CD.

9. Close the door on the CD drive when done.

Note: If you wish to record more files or images to your CD at a future time (multi-session only), follow the procedure above using the previously recorded CD. Between steps 2 and 3, left-click on “Import” button in the middle of the screen in “GnomeBaker” to confirm what has been burned to the CD to determine how much space remains on the CD.

5.3.2 Recording to CD-RW (rewritable) Discs With DiscoverStation

These steps apply to CD-RW (rewritable) containing previously recorded information: 1. Insert the rewritable CD into the CD drive in the DiscoverStation computer. 2. If the CD-RW disc contains information, it must be erased before data can be recorded. If you wish to preserve the contents of the CD, first make a copy of its contents to the desktop. To do so, a) Right-click the desktop and click “Create Folder” to create a temporary folder. b) Double-click on the “Computer” icon on the desktop. c) Double-click on the CD-RW icon. d) Drag and drop the disc’s contents into the temporary folder. 3. In GnomeBaker, left-click the “Blank CD/RW” button on the top left of the screen. 4. Select the “Fast Blank” option in the dialog. 5. Click “OK”. 6. Follow the procedure above “How To Record Multi-Session CD with GnomeBaker” to burn your CD-Rewritable disc.

5.4 Using Web Filters

Figure 5.1. If filtering is optional, the user may choose to use the filter after logging in.

Figure 5.2. Example of a blocked web page.

DiscoverStation’s web filtering functionality is administered through Userful Manager, the web-based administration portal for DiscoverStation described in Chapter 6.

For any Session Profile in use, if the “Always ON” option for filtering is selected in Userful Manager’s Filtering control panel, the web filter for that session type will be applied automatically. If “Optional” was chosen, then a pop-up window will appear when the Session is started, which the user can use to enable or disable the web filter.

When a web page has been blocked by the web filter, a screen similar to Figure 5.2 will appear.

6. Userful Manager Portal

Note that this chapter is available separately at the Manuals/Userful Manager User Guide page.

6.1 Introduction to Userful Manager

Userful Manager (UM) is a web-based portal for managing settings related to the administration and operation of Userful Desktop. Use Userful Manager to modify settings on Userful Desktops including passwords and points of contact for system event notification emails. Customize settings such as operating hours and locations, Welcome Screens and CD drive access to fit your unique needs.

Figure 6.1 Userful Welcome main page.

6.2 Accessing Userful Manager

Userful Manager can be accessed from any computer with a Web Browser and Internet access. To access the Userful Manager:

1. Open http://manage.userful.com/ in a web browser.
2. If you have a UM account, enter the email address and password for that account. If you do not have a UM account, you may create one by clicking “Register”. If you have forgotten your password, click “Forgot your password?” to have a new automatically generated password sent to your registered email address.
3. Click the “Log In” button to log in to UM.

Note: If you have previously incorrectly registered your Userful Manager, on the Administrator Mode desktop of the Userful Manager, double-click the “Advanced Tools” folder, then double-click the “Register System” icon to re-register it.

While Userful Manager offers many ways to configure and monitor Userful Desktop computers, five core components must be configured in order for the DiscoverStation to operate correctly.

The core Userful Desktop components are:

1. Location & Operating Hours: Defines the times when the Userful Desktops are available at each location or branch.

2. Usage Agreements: Usage Agreements ensure that users agree to terms of use before being granted access to the Userful Desktop.

3. Desktop Profiles: Desktop Profiles contain information about various desktop environments, such as which program icons appear on the desktop as well as which programs will automatically be started upon log in.

4. Session Properties & Timing (Session Profiles): The Session Profiles defined here utilize the various configuration options offered by Userful Desktop (such as Usage Agreements and Desktop Profiles) and combine them into Userful Desktop sessions that providers can offer to users. Some examples are Internet Kiosk sessions and Office Productivity sessions.

5. Welcome Screens: Welcome Screens provide a convenient way for users to choose their preferred language and Session Profile.

Default values for these five core components are set by Userful, and may have been modified already by the new account setup wizard accessible through Userful Manager.

It is recommended that each of the settings should be set up prior to installing/upgrading a Userful Desktop. Typically, these settings will be shared by all Userful Desktops within a particular organization. The following sections provide an ordered step-by-step overview about configuring essential settings.

6.2.1 Updating Configurations

For any changes in Userful Manager to take effect on Userful Desktop computers, you must update computers in the “My Computers” control panel. From the main Userful Manager screen, click “My Computers” then click the “Apply Configuration” button next to any central computer boxes you wish to update. The configuration changes will be applied the next time the Userful Desktop retrieves information from the Userful Manager server (updated every four hours).

Should you wish to immediately see the effects of your changes, press "Ctrl-Alt-U" on the Userful Desktop machines that are to be updated (you only need to do this on one station per machine). You may also enter Administrator Mode on the Userful Desktop (press “Ctl+Alt+A” and then enter the Administrator Mode password) and double click the “Update Configuration” icon on the desktop.

6.3 Locations and Operating Hours

Locations and operating hours should be defined prior to configuring other options. From the main Userful Manager screen, click “Locations & Operating Hours”.

To create a new location, click “Create a new Location”. To edit the details about an existing location, click the name of the location you wish to alter. In both cases, a screen will ask you to supply or edit details about the location. Click “Save & Next >>” to proceed to the operating hours screen. You may also enter the Operating Hours screen directly by clicking on a location’s operating hours on the Locations & Operating Hours screen.

On the Operating Hours screen, specify the opening hours (in the first column) and closing hours (in the second column) for each day of the week. Specifying “Closed” (at the head of each drop down list) for either the opening or closing hour for a particular day will set the entire day to “Closed”. Click “Save” to return to the Locations & Operating Hours screen.

Once locations and operating hours are defined, you may return to the main Userful Manager screen by clicking the Userful Manager icon in the upper left corner of the screen.

6.4 Usage Agreements

Users must agree to Usage Agreements before accessing applications or the Internet on stations managed by Userful Manager. Usage Agreements are displayed after a user has chosen a session profile on the Welcome Screen. You may define and store any number of usage agreements, although each Session Profile may only display one Usage Agreement. The name of the agreement should be descriptive and meaningful to Userful Desktop administrators. Examples include “Internet Usage Agreement for adults” and “Computer access for juveniles”.

The Usage Agreement field contains the text of the Usage Agreement. You may copy and paste this text from a word processor, email message or other document.

Click “Usage Agreements”. and then either choose “Create a new Usage Agreement” or, to edit or add a translation to an existing usage agreement, click its name. At this stage, add the new agreement, click “Edit Original Agreement” to alter a Usage Agreement, or use the pull-down menu to choose the appropriate language and click “Add Translation” then supply the text of an appropriate translation. To edit or delete the text of a non-English language agreement, click the “Edit Translation” button next to the language.

Remember to click “Save” to save your changes.

6.5 Desktop Profiles

Desktop Profiles allow Userful Desktop administrators to configure the program icons that appear on the desktop and the programs that are automatically started when users log in. To set Desktop Profiles, from the main Userful Manager screen, click “Desktop Profiles”. You may create any number of Desktop Profiles, although each Session Profile many only use one Desktop Profile. Each profile should be given a descriptive name that is meaningful to computer administrators.

To create a new profile, click “Create a new Desktop Profile” on the Desktop Profiles screen. To edit an existing profile, click the name of the profile. The new profile and profile editing screens share the following configurable options:

Programs to launch on startup: Select programs to automatically start when a user logs in with this profile. To select multiple programs, hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard while clicking additional programs with the mouse. Program icons on desktop: Select the list of programs available on the desktop in the selected profile. To select multiple applications, hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard while clicking additional applications with the mouse.

Custom URLs on desktop: Use this option to add links to web sites onto the desktop of users of this profile. URLs must contain all parts of the address (including http://).

Remember to click “Save” to save your changes.

6.6 Session Properties & Timing (Session Profiles)

Figure 6.5. Session Profiles control panel.

Session Profiles are defined in the “Session Properties & Timing” control panel.

A Session Profile is a collection of settings related to a particular use of a station. A Session Profile includes a Name, Welcome Screen icon, browser start page, and other options. The Welcome Screen lists the Session Profiles available at a particular station.

All Session Profiles are based on either the basic Kiosk or Desktop. Kiosk profiles are intended to provide quick access to web sites and web-based applications such as catalogue searches or email. Desktop profiles are intended to be used for activities such as word processing, job searches and other tasks which require access to a set of applications.

Userful Desktop includes several default profiles that are designed and pre-tested for maximum usability. If you are unsure which settings are best for your users, we suggest that you deviate minimally from these profiles.

Click “Session Properties and Timing” from the main Userful Manager screen to view and configure these settings. To create a new profile, click Create a new Session Profile. To edit an existing profile, click the name of the profile. When creating a new Session Profile, the first screen asks you to choose either the basic Kiosk or Desktop type of profile to proceed. You may switch a profile from one kind to another by clicking the Desktop or Kiosk button at the top of the Add or Edit Session Profile screen.

Individual settings are pre-filled and explained on the form. The settings most often customized are:

6.6.1 Desktop Settings

Name: This is the name of the Session Profile as it appears on the user Welcome Screen.

Welcome Screen Icon: This icon appears next to the name of the Session Profile on the Welcome Screen.

Browser Start Page: Use this to set the home page for the Web browser in this profile.

Usage Agreement: You may assign a different usage agreement to each profile. Note: A Usage Agreement must be set up before it is available for use in a Session Profile.

Session Length: Be sure to set an appropriate session length for each profile. For example, a Session length for resume-building should be longer than one for quick searches.

Desktop Profile: Desktop Profiles allow you to configure which applications appear on the desktop and start menu. The Default Desktop Profile provides links to the most commonly used applications.

Note: You must set up a Desktop Profile prior to assigning it to a Session Profile.

Remember to click “Save” to save your changes.

6.6.2 Kiosk Settings

The Kiosk mode shares many characteristics with the desktop mode, with the exception of the Desktop Profile setting. Instead, Kiosk mode offers settings which determine the appearance and functionality of the web browser. Note that Kiosk mode does not allow users to run applications outside the web browser.

The following settings are most commonly altered from their default values in Kiosk mode:

Block Popups/Windowed Mode: If your web applications use popup windows, popups must not be blocked, and Windowed Mode must be enabled. Blocking popups and disabling Windowed Mode are recommended defaults.

Show Print Button: If users need to print such as maps or tickets from the web browser, enable this option to show a print button in the browser. If printing is not required, or no printers are set up, disable this option. Note that printers must be configured separately. See Chapter 4 for details.

Block Context Menu and Keyboard Navigation: This option disables navigation using anything other than the browser’s navigation buttons and web links.

Hiding various toolbars: Toolbars such as the status or menu bars may be shown or hidden depending on the extent of access required by users.

Remember to click “Save” to save your changes.

6.7 Welcome Screens

Figure 6.6. A typical Welcome Screen showing five Session Profiles.

The Welcome Screen is the first screen seen by users at a station. Configurable aspects include the listed Session Profiles, background image branding and available languages. Each Welcome Screen must have a name and refer to at least one Session Profile. Figure 6.3 shows a typical Welcome Screen for Userful Desktop.

Note: You must set up a Session Profile prior to assigning it to a Welcome Screen.

To set up a new Welcome Screen from Userful Manager:

1. Click “Welcome Screens” from the main menu.
2. Click “Create a new Welcome Screen”. To edit an existing Welcome Screen, click the edit icon next to an existing Welcome Screen. To delete an existing Welcome Screen click the delete icon at its right.
3. Each Welcome Screen must have a name and at least one Session Profile which appears on it. Add a Session Profile to the current Welcome Screen by selecting its name from the drop-down list and clicking “Add this profile to the Welcome Screen”.
4. To change the order in which Session Profiles appear on the Welcome Screen, or to delete them from the Welcome Screen, click the up, down and delete icons next to each Session Profile.
5. Scroll down to configure the Early End of Day Logout, Desktop Background, Screen Saver, and the Welcome Screen Animation and Message. You may also add and configure languages to the list presented in the upper right corner of the Welcome Screen.

Click “Save” to save your changes.

6.8 Setting up computers and stations

Click 'My Computers' on the main Userful Manager screen to configure computers. Computers may be added during the Userful Desktop installation by completing the registration step, or at any time after installation by double-clicking the Register Computer icon on the Administrator Mode desktop.

Click the name of a computer to alter its settings on the Edit Computer screen. For each computer, set a name and select its location, then choose a default Welcome Screen for the group of stations connected to this computer.

Note: You must set up a Welcome Screen prior to assigning it to a computer.

Next, configure removable storage. If your central computer is located in a secured area away from users, we suggest disabling access to the internal CD and floppy drives. Also be sure to configure public storage options. Hint: User signage with instructions on how to use removable storage will enhance productivity.

The default settings under Network settings and Boot menu and BIOS password should not be altered without first consulting your IT staff or Userful support.

Click Save to save your changes.

This completes basic computer configuration. The following sections describe configuration options that may not apply to all Userful Desktop installations.

6.9 Multi-language configuration

Userful Desktop has application support for over 30 languages including French, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Spanish, and input support for over 10 languages including Chinese Simplified and Traditional, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. Userful Desktop also supports 17 additional keyboard layouts in addition to the standard North American QWERTY layout.

Userful Manager can be used to modify the level of internationalization and multilingual features offered to users through Userful Desktop.

6.9.1 Multilingual Display Support

Userful Desktop includes a default set of translated menus, icons and applications for many languages selectable from the Welcome Screen. The extent of translation varies among languages and applications, with common languages receiving the most extensive translation. Where translations are incomplete, all available translated material will be displayed with remaining untranslated items rendered in English.

6.9.2 Using Multilingual Display Support

Us