Tips & Tricks
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On this page you'll find tips and tricks to help you use WinRK

If you have any short cuts or tips you'd like to share please send them to us.

Email Tips


  • Vista problems

    It's come to our notice that on some Vista installations:

    • Con2v3 cannot write the converted v2 database

    • The v3 database cannot be modified.

    This is caused by Vista marking the \WinRK v3\Databases folder as 'Read Only'. The cure is to change the folder access to Full Control by:

    Find the \WinRK v3\Databases folder in the Windows Explorer, right click it and select Properties from the pop-up menu.

    Click the Security tab and then click the Allow check-box against Full Control.

    If you have a network and wish to be able to change the database from a different computer click the Advanced button, select the Name to which you wish to endow the privileges (Everyone is OK if you're on a private network) then make sure both the 'Inherit from parent...' and 'Replace permission entries...' are checked and click the OK button. Confirm you really do want to be able to change you own files (!!) and wait...

  • Installing on Vista

    Microsoft say Vista is their most secure operating system ever - we don't know about that, but we do know it has the most frustrating set of features and pop-ups we've ever encountered and that we've had to create a completely new installation routine to cope with it! Unfortunately it doesn't end there; once WinRK has been installed you have to tell Vista that you really do want to run it by performing the following steps:

    Right click the WinRKv3 icon and select Properties from the pop-up menu. In the Properties dialog click the Compatibility tab and check 'Run the program in compatibility mode for:' and select 'Windows XP (Service Pack 2)' then click the OK button.

    Right click the WinRKv3 icon (again!) and select 'Run program as administrator'.

  • Entering your activation code

    It's always a good idea to copy and paste each segment of the activation code as with some fonts (used by your email program) it's quite easy to mix up 0 (number) with O (letter), 1 (number) with I (letter), etc.

  • Database creation problems

    Some users of 0.3.17 Beta onward have reported problems when trying to create a new performance after creating a new database. This is our fault - we included the wrong Template in the installation program. Download and unzip WinRKv3_Template.zip and copy Template into the 'C:\Program  Files\WinRK v3' folder and all will be well.

  • Replacing the Windows XP 'candy-floss' interface with the 'Classic' style

    Many users of WinRK have complained about the 'candy-floss' interface that's loaded as standard on Windows XP. It's very easy to change it back to the 'Classic' interface used on all previous versions of Windows and as a public service (J) we offer these instructions.

  • Using the Mouse Scroll Wheel

    All spreadsheets, windows and dialogs support mouse scroll wheels however, due to a peculiarity with the spreadsheet control we've had to use (to give you the required flexibility) you may have to click on a spreadsheet before the scroll wheel will work.

  • Understanding Rings

    Some users are having a problem understanding Rings. Download and read Rings Explained and, hopefully, all will become clear!

  • Installing Beta Updates

    Sometimes Beta updates will not install (use Help|About WinRK... to see what version you're running). This is because some computers won't overwrite files with a perceived lower version number. The workaround is simple; navigate to the 'C:\Program Files\WinRK v3' folder, rename the file WinRKv3.exe to WinRKv3.backup and reinstall the update.

  • Installing Updates

    When installing updates you should not uninstall the current version. Doing so will remove all the 'glue' necessary for WinRK to operate.

    Once the update file (Install_WinRKv3.nnn_Update.exe) has been downloaded and copied to a known folder, simply run it and all the updated files will be installed in their required locations.

  • Screen Resolution

    The smallest recommended screen resolution in which to run WinRK v3 is 1024 x 768. We tried to squeeze it down, we really did, but unless you don't mind scrolling up and down in the wizards...

    Broadband Email Problems

    It has come to our notice that some people on broadband (particularly BT customers) are experiencing problem with the WinRK email system. The problem is this; to send an email, WinRK uses the standard method of contacting the SMTP server provided by the users ISP (Internet Service Provider). It turns out that some ISPs (the basic BT broadband service is one) doesn't include and SMTP server!

    We're trying to find ways around this but at the moment it looks very much as though the only way round this is to make sure your ISP does provide an SMTP server or to make use of an SMTP relay. For more information see: http://esupport.gradwell.net/?_a=knowledgebase&_j=questiondetails&_i=155.

  • Registration

    Several people have expressed surprise that a purchased copy of WinRK v3 has to be registered. The reason is very simple - piracy! Once again honest citizens are being inconvenienced by those with fewer scruples; the number of ringers using WinRK v2 to record their performances far outweighs the number of copies sold.

    By the way, the WinRK v3 activation code will only work on one installation if you want to install your purchased copy on another computer you'll need another activation code.

  • Installation Problems

    It appears we have a minor problem with the installation. A couple of people have reported that WinRK won't start up although the installation was apparently successful. We've narrowed down the cause to the order in which some of the support files are loaded and registered - we're not yet certain as to which!

    The workaround is to install Con2v3 (the WinRK v2 to v3 database converter) which is available on the Downloads page or in the Con2v3 folder of the WinRK CD.

    We've also been informed that (very occasionally) the files scr56en.exe or scripten.exe have been required. These are installers for parts of the operating system that for some reason have not been loaded. You can download them directly from Microsoft or from the Downloads page. When downloaded they must be run to install their components.

  • Creating Performances

WinRKv3 uses wizards extensively. If you've never used a wizard we strongly advise you to look at the Wizards in WinRK section of the help file.

To create a performance you must first open the Performances wizard (by pressing F5, or selecting Show wizards | Performance wizard from the Select Edit menu.

It will open with the Add new option button selected. Click the Next button to move to the Performance page.

You will note that most of the text entry boxes are coloured pink. This denotes that entries may only be selected from the associated drop-down list, anything entered that isn't present in the database will be rejected.

Today's Date will be entered for you (as will the Society, Tower and Ring if you've selected them as the defaults using the Select user defaults dialog which may be accessed from the Tools menu) and, as it's one of the white text entry boxes, you can change it simply by entering the required date (see Using the Drop-Down Calendar in the help file).

Assuming this is your first entry, the text entry boxes drop-down lists will be empty. So how do you enter a society?

It's easy, just open the Societies wizard by clicking the button with the green square to the right of the society text entry box!

This may seem a long winded way to enter data but you only have to enter a record once and the use of wizards will help you to avoid duplications and near duplications caused by spelling mistakes, etc. (see Preventing Duplicate Entries in the help file).

Once you've entered the Society (using the Societies wizard) you will be able to select it from the societies drop-down on the Performance page of the Performances wizard.

Enter the Tower (using the Towers wizard) and select it into the Tower text entry box.

Next you must enter the Name of Ring (that's right, using the Rings wizard!). This is a concept new to WinRKv3 and was introduced to allow specific rings of bells to be defined (see The Ring entry in the Entering Performance Data section in the help file for more information).

By now the way of entering the Method should be obvious! It should be noted that methods in WinRK are made up from three sections, the name, the type and the bells or stage. Each section has it's own wizard and the complete method can only be defined by selecting the required sections from the appropriate drop-down lists.

The Changes and Time taken may be selected from the appropriate drop-down lists or, as the text entry boxes are white, entered directly. Changes must be a whole number (e.g. 1234) and the time taken must be entered in the format hh:mm (e.g. 02:53).

Choose the type of performance (i.e. Full Peal, Quarter Peal, etc.) and the way the performance was conducted (i.e. Conducted, Jointly Conducted, etc.) by clicking the appropriate option buttons.

Complete the rest of the page and then click the Next button to open the Band page.

The number of ringers shown on the band page is dependent on the number of bells selected in the ring and the layout on the type of performance chosen. Next to each ringer text input box there will be a conductor selection option button (unless Silent and Non-conducted was selected on the Performance page). If these are circular then only one may be selected (a Conducted performance) but if they're square then any number may be checked (a Jointly Conducted performance).

When you've entered the ringers (using the Ringers wizard, what else?) press the Next button again to open the Publication page. Even if you don't want to enter a publication you must go to this page because, like all wizards, the 'do-it' button is on the last page.

Enter the publication details (or not!). Whatever, you'll notice that the next button now reads Create and clicking it will write you new performance to the database.