openCDMS software is able to run on any computer such as a desktop or a laptop. It has been tested on Windows XP, Mac OS X and Fedora Linux operating systems. Since it is a pure Java application it should work correctly on all operating systems.

Your computer must have a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox installed. You will almost certainly have a web browser already installed on your computer, but if not contact your local IT support.

You computer must have the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 5.0 or greater installed. To see if you have Java installed open a command prompt (on Windows go to the Start menu, then the Accessories sub-menu and select Command Prompt) and type

java -version

If you have Java installed you will see something like this:

java version "1.5.0_13"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_13-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_13-b05, mixed mode, sharing)

So long as the first line has the version as 1.5.x or 1.6.x then your JRE version is fine and no further action is required. If it is 1.4.x then you need to upgrade your JRE; please contact your local IT support.

If instead you see something like this then Java is not installed on your computer, and you need to contact your local IT support to resolve this before you may start using openCDMS software.

'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Optional but recommended.

The openCDMS CA root certificate enables you computer to establish a secure trust relationship with the central openCDMS computers. You must download the appropriate certificate for the system you are using (see below) and save it to disk.

Double click on this file when it has downloaded. You will see the following window open:

Figure 2.1. Certificate dialog

Click on the "Install Certificate Button", and you will see the following window:

Figure 2.2. Certificate Import Wizard dialog (1)

Click on "Next" and the following window will appear:

Figure 2.3. Certificate Import Wizard dialog (2)

Again, click on "Next", and you will see this window:

Figure 2.4. Certificate Import Wizard dialog (3)

Now click on "Finish". You will see the following. Verify that the Thumbprint is as shown here. If in doubt contact openCDMS Support. When you are ready to proceed click on "Yes".

Figure 2.5. Security Warning dialog

Then you will see the following confirmation:

Figure 2.6. Certificate Import Wizard success dialog

Open Internet Explorer (or any other web browser). Enter the URL for the openCDMS software that you wish to install (see below) in the address bar and press enter. A page will load which will be completely blank except for a link in the top left corner which will be something like "Launch Application". Click on the link.

If you are unable to open the URL then this means that you are unable to connect to the openCDMS servers. This is only likely to happen if you are trying to access the NHS system but don't have an NHS network connection. In this case you must find a computer connected to the NHS network, so contact your local IT support. If you are trying to access one of the systems hosted on the public internet then there may be a problem with your computer's network configuration; again you need to contact your local IT support.

If you have not installed the openCDMS CA root certificate, a dialog box will pop-up warning you that the remote site’s identity cannot be trusted. Click on "Yes". The software will then download onto your computer and you will see a "Java Loading" splash screen (the exact appearance of which depends on your JRE version).

Figure 2.7. Security Alert dialog

Figure 2.8. Java Loading

If you get an error at this point you may need to configure the proxy settings for Java WebStart - see the section called “Configuring Java WebStart's proxy settings”

You should see a progress bar which updates as the software is downloaded to your computer. When it has finished you will be asked if you would like to create Desktop Shortcuts - a clickable icon on your desktop that will allow you to launch the software without using a web browser. We recommend you click "Yes" to create the desktop shortcut; if you click "No" you will have to always start the software by entering the URL in your web browser.

Figure 2.9. Create shortcuts dialog

The application will then launch and present you with the login screen.

Use your openCDMS username and password (see the section called “Obtaining a openCDMS user name and password”) to log in. If you are unable to login (and you are certain you are entering the correct username and password!) then it is likely that some additional configuration is required, see the section called “Configuring proxy settings for openCDMS applications”.

Figure 2.10. Login dialog

The next two sections are all to do with configuring your proxy-server settings, but before we can do that we need to find out what they are!

What is a proxy server? Basically it is a computer that acts as an intermediary between your computer and the wider network; and if it is not configured properly you will not be able to access other networked computers (such as the openCDMS servers).

To find out your proxy settings you have two options:

Open Internet Explorer and click on the "Tools" menu. Select "Internet Options...". In the "Internet Options" window select the "Connections" tab, then click on the "LAN Settings" button

Figure 2.11. LAN Settings Dialog

If you use a proxy server, then either the "Use automatic configuration script" or "Use a proxy server for your LAN…" boxes will be ticked . If none of the boxes in the LAN Settings dialog is ticked then you don’t use a proxy server.

If "Use a proxy server for your LAN…" is ticked simply note down the Address and Port specified in the dialog

If "Use automatic configuration script" is ticked it is slightly more complicated so might be worth contacting your local IT support for assistance. But the procedure for finding the Address of your proxy server is as follows:

Depending upon your location you may need to configure openCDMS applications to use a proxy server so that they may communicate with the openCDMS servers. When you login for the first time the software shoudl tell you if you need to configure a proxy server, in which case you need to follow the steps int he rest of this section.

First, you need to find out what your proxy server settings are, which is detailed in the section called “Finding your proxy server settings”. Once you know what your proxy settings are, continue as below. Alternatively, if you have a colleague who is already using openCDMS successfuly you may use their proxy settings by exporting the settings from their computer then importing them into yours; see the section called “Importing and Exporting Proxy Settings” for more details.

On the login screen, press the "Settings…" button, the Application Settings dialog will be displayed.

Figure 2.12. Application Settings dialog

Click the Edit button adjacent to "Proxy server settings" - the "Change Proxy Settings" dialog will be shown.

Figure 2.13. Change Proxy Settings dialog

When you open the Proxy Settings dialog for the first time the only setting is "<Direct connection>" (i.e. no proxy server used) and this is shown as being used by the green tick next to it. To add your proxy server follow these steps:

Assuming that the test was successful, you should now see your proxy configuration in the Change Proxy Settings dialog, and it should have the green tick against it, signifying that it is the default setting - if it is not ticked select it in the list, click Edit then tick the Default checkbox in the Proxy Setting dialog before clicking OK.

When you are happy with your settings click OK to save your settings and apply them. Clicking Cancel will abandon all changes made to the proxy settings.

Occasionally you may need to configure the proxy settings of Java WebStart in order to be able to download and install the openCDMS software. You will need to do this if you get an error after clicking on the link for the openCDMS software in your web browser. You will then see the Java splash screen :

Figure 2.18. Java Spash Screen

Then you will get an error message:

Figure 2.19. Webstart Error Message

So, if you see this error, perform the following steps.

First, find out your proxy settings (see the section called “Finding your proxy server settings”).

Once you have your proxy settings click the Windows "Start" menu and select "Run..."

Figure 2.20. Windows Start menu

Type "javaws -viewer" (without the quotes) into the Run dialog and click OK.

Figure 2.21. Run dialog

The "Java Cache Viewer" will be launched. Just click "Close", and the “Java Control Panel” should now be the active window.

Figure 2.22. Java Control Panel

Click the "Network Settings..." button. The "Network Settings" dialog will be opened, which is very similar to the dialog from Internet Explorer that we saw in earlier.

Figure 2.23. Java WebStart Network Settings

Click "OK" to close the "Network Settings" dialog, then click "Apply" in the "Java Control Panel". Now try to download/install the openCDMS software again. Hopefully it will now work.

If you intend to work from more than one computer then the openCDMS software will have to be installed on all computers that you use.

Also, note that the openCDMS software applications store data on your computer's hard-drive between sessions. This is particularly pertinent for openCDMS Collect where data that has been entered but not committed to the central database is stored (encrypted) on your hard-drive. Therefore if you do some work using one computer, log off, then move to a different computer and logon there, any data stored on the hard-drive of the first computer will not be available to you.

Furthermore, the location on your computer's hard-drive where data is stored between sessions is dependent on the username that you use to login to the computer. If you use different computer logins then data from sessions where another login was used will not be available to you. This is particularly important to note when you share your computer with other users, who may have left the machine logged in with another username. If in doubt, log out then log back in again using your own username.

We recommend that, if at all possible, you always use openCDMS software using the same computer, and you always login to that computer with the same username. This will minimize the chances of any data going 'missing'. If this is not possible then please contact openCDMS Support for advice pertinent to your exact situation.