Below are the three most common technical functions required with RAT...


Networking RAT

When you install RAT on your first PC, it stores all the data in the folder:
C:\Program files\Rat Version 3\
You can access this folder by clicking the 'My Computer' icon on your desktop.

There will be a number of files in this folder.
This most crucial is: INR.MDB
This is the database file storing all patient details.
(I recommend you make a copy of this file regularly. If you are on a network you can copy it directly to another PC via the 'network neigbourhood' icon.)

To view RAT via a number of PCs, copy this INR.MDB file to a PC that is switched on all the time during the working day. You can use your current PC if you wish an keep the INR.MDB were it is.

TO VIEW RAT ON SECOND PC
1. Go to a new PC.
2. Install RAT form the webdsite: [www.formulae.co.uk]
3. This new installation will have a blank database file ( INR.MDB ) locally on that PC .
4. Start RAT on this new PC.
5.Go to the menu item Database->Change network database
6. A popup menu will appear.
7. From the pull-down combo box, choose 'network neighbourhood'
8. Find the PC with the existing INR.MDB file
9. Select it
10. That's it

Repeat the above for every additional PC.
Please note, any future upgrades of RAT require ALL PCs to be upgraded.
Some practices store the main INR.MDB file on a shared folder on the main server.



Transferring RAT from one PC to another

STEP ONE:
The first most important thing is to make a copy of your database: INR.MDB
If you are running Version 2.01 it will be in the folder:
'C:\Program files\Rat'
If you are running Version 3.x it will be in the folder:
'C:\Program files\Rat Version 3'
There will be 8-10 files in that folder. The most important is:
INR.MDB
This file might be bigger than 1.4MB and hence will not fit onto one floppy. You can overcome this by either copying it directly to another PC on your network temporarily, or alternatively you can use Winzip to zip it across 2 floppies.

STEP TWO:
You next need to install Rat Version 3 onto the new PC. You can download it directly to the new PC if it has an internet connection at:
[www.formulae.co.uk] ( 5MB )

STEP THREE:
Once installed you will then replace the new blank database in the 'C:\Program files\Rat Version 3' folder with the existing one.

Backing up RAT with INR.MDB Database > 1.4 Megabytes

On your PC, If you go to the 'C:' drive.
Double click, then 'Program files', then 'Rat Version 3'.
Within this folder will be several files.
The most important is the 'INR.MDB' file
Copy this file to another PC on the network or try again to copy it to a floppy (only if it is less then 1.4MB )




Regards
Colm Rafferty



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2006 12:11PM by Colm Rafferty.

we only have the rat programme running on 1 terminal - I would like to add it to more but one of the gp's thought that it would not retain accuracy of information - is this right and is it better to keep it to the single terminal

thanks

Dear Vianne,
You can have RAT on more than one PC (following the instructions above)
All the data will be viewable from each RAT PC.

The only concern is if you have 'too many cooks' there may be interference of dosing regimens.

In a paradoxically way, the more GPs, the less PCs should have RAT as there is more risk of changing dose regimens without notifying the main RAT administrator.

In our large practice of 9 doctors we only have RAT on our nurses PC. We have enough nurses so that if one is off, another can run the INR clinic from that room.
So all our warfarin communication is filtered through our 'warfarin' sister.


Small practices install RAT in 2-3 PCs, so if the nurse/doctor is part-time or off, another user can run the INR clinic.

Regards
Colm Rafferty

the i n r is between 2.5 3.0 i would like to monitor this patient weekly

Dear Karen,
The latest version of RAT has a weekly monitoring option.
Check the box to the right of the 'Enter INR' dropdown box.


Regards
Colm Rafferty

Our free trail period is just about to run out - can you confirm the price that is required for us to fully register i.e. ?269 or ?299 - also what happens once this has been paid?

Dear Ian,
I'm glad to see you find RAT useful.
Cost ?299.00
I send you registration details by return post.
This includes 2 years email support.
After that optional ?35 per annum for email support

Thanks for your interest
Colm Rafferty

The cheque is in the post today!

We have RAT installed on our server (N drive) and also have it installed on 3 other PC's. We are on version 3.8. We are having problems accessing the software from the individual PC's. Sometimes you can gain access without any problems but other times it takes 3 or 4 attempts before you can get in. The first error message says it cannot find the database and asks you to select the correct database. After selecting the correct database INR.mdb another message comes up "problem with database, maybe be corrupted. Attempt repair or load backup file" If you say "OK" to that you get a pop up box "database utilities" with repair database selected. After clicking on OK, a message pops up saying "o patients with fatal errors repaired" then you get database error, critical problem with database, RAT will attempt to repair. Sometimes after you have clicked ok, the programme opens up fine but other times you get a runtime error.When this is happening, no one is trying to use RAT from one of the other PC's. Any ideas how we can solve this problem? Thanks.

Dear Lynne,
The first thing to say is that RAT will work perfectly well on one PC with the INR.MDB database stored in the default installation folder.
C:\Program files\Rat Version 3

When networking RAT...
I have had similiar problems reported with practices linked to a 'shared drive' often they are called the F G S, or in your case the N drive.
They report that ocasionally the link will be lost to the shared drive.
The software uses standard microsoft code to link so I can only assume there is some network glitch causing this.
RAT seems to work OK on EMIS practices that have a different method of a shared folder rather than a shared drive.

An alternative method to try is to use a PC on your network that is always on to store the INR.MDB database file.
Create a folder in the C: drive e.g. 'Rat database' and put a copy of the main INR.MDB into this folder. You then have to make this folder shareable across the network. Do this by right-clicking on the new folder ('Rat database'). A menu will appear. Choose 'Sharing and security...'. A window will appear. Choose the option 'Share this folder'
Once done you should see the folder icon change slightly. It will have a 'hand' perched under it.

Now try to link one of the RAT PCs to this PC folder. As you have done the past, go to the top menu, choose 'Database', 'Change network database' and then locate the first PC with the shared folder.
Once completed, of you go to the top menu and choose 'Help'-> 'About RAT'. A window will appear and you will see the path to the PC e.g.
\\test_PC\Rat database\INR.MDB
If you can do this OK, try linking all PCs to the shared folder, but you must monitor them to check they continue to use this folder (by going to 'Help'-> 'About RAT'.)

If this shared PC is switched off you will lose the link until it is switched on again.

Some clinical suppliers block the sharing facility, but hopefully it will work

Regards
Colm Rafferty

Hi,
I have replaced a PC for a nurse.
RAT is on a shared drive, I have set up a desktop shortcut to RAT.exe as per the old PC but when I click to open it it asks me to open the INR database, when I select inr.mdb I get a Runtime error 429 - ActiveX component Can't create object.

Can you help?

Thanks

dear Richard,
You are getting this error because all the required installation files are not on this new PC.
Firstly, can you rename the the shortcut link on the desktop to the RAT on the shared drive to something like 'RATshared'

You now need to install RAT onto the PC
[www.formulae.co.uk]
Download and run this installation file.
It will take you through a series of steps.
It will create a shortcut on the new PC desktop called RAT.
It will also start RAT locally on this PC.
Once the install is complete and it has started RAT, close this instance of RAT.

Now retry your shortcut link 'RATshared'
If this does work, you can delete the new RAT shortcut that was created, and rename your 'RATshared' shortcut back to RAT.



If the above does not work follow the instructions below...

You need to start the RAT that was just installed by running the new RAT shortcut that was created.
Once started you will see that RAT is reading a blank database with no patient data available.
You now need to link this RAT to the database file on the shared drive.
Go to the top menu...
Choose 'Database'. A submenu will appear. Choose 'Change network database'
A window will appear. You now need to go to the shared folder by using the network
icon on the left and going to the RAT folder on the shared drive to find the 'INR' database file. Once found, click the 'Open' button.
Now click on the red magnet icon on the top toolbar to list all the current patients.

Hopefully this all makes sense

Regards
Colm Rafferty

We have been using RAT for many years and I recentley networked RAT to another PC
loading the latest verse. I am now getting a message when openning RAT on the new networked PC warning that our trail evaluation period is about to expire and that I need to register. Can you tell me how I clear this meassage etc.

Dear Frances,
When you install RAT on a second PC it will read a blank database.
To set up RAT as a network I would ask you to read
[ccgi.formulae.co.uk]
It outlines how to go about doing so.

The main file to consider is INR.MDB.
This is the main database file that stores all the patient details.
If you have been using RAT on one PC, then it will probably be in the 'C:\Program files\Rat version 3' folder
To confirm this, start RAT on this first PC, go to top menu and choose 'Help'. A submenu will appear. Choose 'About RAT'
A window will appear. You will see a reference to the path where INR.MDB is stored.

If you want to use RAT on more than one PC, you need to copy this INR.MDB file to the shared folder on your server. Your clinical IT support staff can tell you where this is. Create a sub folder in the shared folder and call it 'RAT database' or something similar. Put the INR.MDB there.
You then need to point your first PC to this file on the server.
Go to the top menu on RAT
Go to the menu item Database->Change network database
A popup window will appear.
From the pull-down combo box, choose 'network neighbourhood'
You then need to find the main server and the shared folder.
Once you get to it the INR file will appear.
Click OK once you have selected it.

To confirm you are now reading the INR.MDB file on the shared folder
Go to top menu again and choose 'Help'. A submenu will appear. Choose 'About RAT'
A window will appear. You will see a new reference to the path where INR.MDB is stored.
It will be something like '\\server\shared\RAT database\INR.MDB'

To repeat on your second PC you need to install the full copy of RAT from the website as you have already done, and then repeat the procedure to link to the shared folder.

I hope this makes sense.

Colm Rafferty