Frequently Asked Questions

HELP!Desk for Windows · Setting up your Support Center

HELP!Desk for Windows

Setting up your Support Center

HELP!Desk for Windows FAQs

Is HELP!Desk really free?
Yes, it is. You can download it, use it forever, and it won't cost you a dime. If you want technical support or training, there are fees associated with those services. See the pricing page for details.

I can't log in? What is the default user name and password?
Enter HD for the user name, then HD again for the password.

Error - Q+E Software ODBC Driver is not Licensed
HELP!Desk includes to files that provide you with a license to use the ODBC drivers we provide. If these files are not found where the driver expects them to be, you will receive an error message. This error most frequently occurs on systems that have Windows NT installed or have been upgraded to a new version of Windows since HELP!Desk was installed. The solution is to locate the two license files (qepwrsft.lic and qepb.lic) and copy them to the \Windows\System directory. These files will usually be found in the HELP!Desk data directory or in your local \Windows\System32 directory. You can also find these files on the HELP!Desk CD-ROM.

How can I speed up HELP!Desk?
To improve database performance, start ODBC Administrator (in the HELP!Desk program group), double-click the "HELP!Desk for Windows" line, then set the Cache Size to 1024. You will need to do this at each workstation. Note: On some systems, the 1024 value will cause HELP!Desk to crash. If this happens to you, try 512. Continue to decrease the value until HELP!Desk runs without crashing. Some systems will not support any value in the cache size. Also, we have yet to see a system that will work with a value greater than 1024, but you're welcome to try.

You may have data problems that prevent all of the indexes from being maintained. Use Notepad to open the file QEDBF.INI located in your HELP!Desk data directory on the network. Compare it to the one shown here. Pay particular attention to the settings of NUMUNIQUE found under [HD_CALLS.DBF] and [HD_CLIEN.DBF]. If either setting shows NUMUNIQUE=0 you will be experiencing a definite reduction of performance. At this time it is advisable to contact our support team. However, if you wish to perform additional diagnostic tests on your own, download DUPID.ZIP and check the Client and Call files for duplicate and zero IDs.

To find out how much performance is being impacted by your network, copy the HELP!Desk data directory from the network to a local temporary directory. Run ODBC Administrator and change the Database Directory to the local directory. Compare performance to your previous configuration.

I get the following error message when I try to log into HELP!Desk: "Data Window Error. Database transaction information not available. Call SetTrans or SetTransObject function"
This error means the ODBC drivers for HELP!Desk did not install properly and you may need to install or reinstall them. If you have installed a demo copy of Bendata's HEAT, the HEAT installation copies files that prevent HELP!Desk and some other applications from functioning properly. Uninstalling HEAT will not correct the error. You will need to manually do the following:

  • Replace the file CTL3DV2.DLL in your \Windows\System directory with the one from \HDWIN\CLIENT\DLL (on the network drive or from the CD).
  • Rename C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\INETWH32.DLL to INETWH32.OLD.

You should then be able to run HELP!Desk. In some cases you will need to reinstall the ODBC drivers and reboot the computer to complete the procedure.

When I try to log into HELP!Desk I get an error, SQL STATE S0002 Unable to open C:\HDWIN\HD_ENTRY.DBF.
The problem is the ODBC setting that tells HELP!Desk where the databases are is incorrect. To correct the setting, run ODBC Administrator from the HELP!Desk for Windows program group. Double-click on the HELP!Desk for Windows entry in ODBC to open the Setup window. Change the database path (third line) to the directory containing the HELP!Desk databases. This is normally a directory on your file server.

Reports do not show data within your selected date range.
Using version 3.42 or later, you must have the setting forcefourdigityear=ON in the [General] section of HDWIN.INI. Remember to make this setting on each workstation.

Can I use other databases such as Oracle with HELP!Desk?
No, the HELP!Desk license agreement restricts the use of the program to the database drivers that are included with the product. Options for other databases may be available in the future,

How often should I index the HELP!Desk data files?
Indexing is a process that must be completed when no other users are accessing the system. The indexing process will not harm the files and the files cannot be over indexed. For high volume operations, the indexing process should be completed daily. If a computer is turned off or rebooted while HELP!Desk is running you may experience index corruption and need to rebuild the index files.

How can I create my own entries in the drop down fields?
All of the customizable drop down fields in the HELP!Desk software are controlled via the field table maintenance section of the software. This section of the program can be accessed by selecting UTILITIES from the main menu, then Table Maintenance, and Field Tables. From this window the drop downs are selectable from the drop down on this window. For each section you can add, edit, or delete records associated with each drop down. You can also use the field validation setting in each user's security record to automatically or optionally add new entries to the tables.

Can I add, modify or delete fields in the HELP!Desk databases?
No, the fields and the field lengths in the HELP!Desk for Windows software are not customizable. The software will not be able to use changes to the fields or field lengths, thereby rendering those changes useless.

I am unable to configure HELP!Desk Alert for my user ID.
All of the customizable drop down fields, including the technician drop down in HELP!Desk Alert, are controlled via the field table maintenance section of the software. This section of the program can be accessed by selecting UTILITIES from the main menu, then Table Maintenance, and Field Tables. From this window select the Technician table and add the names of each technician. You will then be able to configure the Alert program.

Can I use a third party report writer to design custom reports?
Absolutely. The HELP!Desk for Windows program uses dBASE III+ compatible databases. These databases can be accessed by most report writers, such as R&R Report Writer and Crystal Reports. You are always welcome to use these third party report writers, but we suggest that you use them with copies of your databases.

Can I use a third party database management program to manipulate the databases?
The HELP!Desk for Windows program uses dBASE III+ compatible databases. These databases can be accessed by most database management software programs, but you should use copies of the databases. Many programs, such as dBASE IV and Microsoft Access, alter the structure of the files and would prevent HELP!Desk from running. Please note the database file names, relations and structures can be found in the HELP!Desk Administrator's Guide.

When logging onto the HELP!Desk for Windows software I am receiving an undefined column HD_ENTRY.MAIL_ADDR. What is this error message and how can I fix the problem?
This usually means that you are trying to connect the HELP!Desk for Windows program to the HELP!Desk for DOS databases. The two programs use different database structures and therefore cannot be used for the two different software programs. HELP!Desk for Windows ships with a conversion program that will copy your HELP!Desk 2.x data to the HDWIN format.

When logging into HELP!Desk for Windows I am receiving an error message "cannot open HD_CALLS.DBT". What is this error message and how can I fix the problem?
This error usually signifies a database corruption in the DBT portion of the database file. This can be corrected outside of the HELP!Desk for Windows using a dBASE-compatible program. If you can't find a copy in your software closet, you may need to contact our support staff to resolve this issue. Please be aware that there is a fee for all HELP!Desk tech support, and you must purchase a support contract or pay-as-you-go support before we can help you. See the pricing page for more information.

I am getting the words "<Not Linked>" at the top of the Client Profile for some clients. Why?
This error usually signifies database corruption in the DBF portion of the database file. This corruption is usually associated with duplicate IDs in the HD_CLIEN.DBF file. Download DUPID.ZIP to verify this duplication. The problem can be corrected outside of the HELP!Desk using dBASE or FoxPro.

How is duration computed?
The duration field counts the amount of time spent in ADD/EDIT mode for a particular call. If additional time is spent outside of the program then that duration should be keyed into this field and it will be totaled with the time spent in ADD/EDIT mode to provide a total time spent on the call.