FAQ dots SoftSort Version 1.0

Q: Why should I use dots SoftSort?

A: dots SoftSort allows you to efficiently print documents created in different applications or files. Using dots SoftSort it is easy to collate all documents that make up conference materials, presentations, meeting drafts or countless other types of documents and print them in a set as many times as required. dots SoftSort users appreciate this, because they will never again collate their printed output manually.

Q: What are the features of dots SoftSort?

A: The simple and attractive user interface of dots SoftSort is based on a step-by-step logic that speeds up daily printing work in everybody's environment. dots SoftSort lets you print all documents you created in your applications as sets – ready collated for immediate distribution. You can save dots SoftSort jobs and load them later on for reprint without opening the document or starting the original application.

• Documents can be collated from all your applications.
• Documents keep all output and finishing options, like stapling, punching, orientation.
• Save and reload document compilations for reprint without starting the applications.
• Change document sequence inside compilation.
• Print from all your applications
• Print to all your printers

Q: How can I try out the features of dots SoftSort?

A: Follow the link "Download dots SoftSort Lite" and click on "Download Trial". Differences between dots SoftSort and dots SoftSort Lite are outlined in the question "What's the difference between dots SoftSort and dots SoftSort Lite".

Q: How do I purchase dots SoftSort?

A: By clicking the link "Buy dots SoftSort" you can purchase dots SoftSort online.

Q: What's the difference between dots SoftSort and dots SoftSort Lite?

A: There are three differences between Lite and full version of dots SoftSort:

• The lite version expires after 30 days of evaluation
• With dots SoftSort Lite you can compile sets of up to three documents. dots SoftSort does not have this limitation.
• With dots SoftSort you can save dots SoftSort jobs. These jobs can be printed later on without starting the original application. dots SoftSort Lite does not have this feature.
• In each session of dots SoftSort Lite you can print up to 10 sets - 10 copies of your document compilation. With dots SoftSort you can print an unlimited number of sets.

Q: Where can I get support?

A: dots does not provide person-to-person technical support for dots SoftSort. Therefore please check the current release notes, readmes and FAQ's. Nevertheless, you are invited to send comments, questions or remarks to support@dont-want-spam.dots.de. Our support representatives will appreciate your contribution to improve dots SoftSort.

Q: What are the system requirements of dots SoftSort?

A: Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4, 5 or 6, Windows 2000 or Windows XP, a PC with Pentium compatible processor, 64 MB RAM or more, 10 MB free hard disk space, spooling of print documents must be enabled.

If you are using Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 or Windows XP please note: dots SoftSort needs Administrator privileges for printing. (See next answer and answer to: "Q: May I use SoftSort Lite as simple user–" as well.)

In Windows 2000 or Windows XP you can run dots SoftSort as administrator although you installed it and are logged on as simple user, using "Run as..." command: In Windows Explorer click on "Program files > SoftSort > softsort.exe". Press SHIFT and right-click softsort.exe. Click "Run the program as the following user". Type in or select "administrator", your administrator password and the domain. Click OK. For details please refer to the windows help system.

If you are using Windows XP "Advanced Printing features" must be disable in your printer driver.

Q: Why do I need administrator rights to print with dots SoftSort?

A: dots SoftSort pauses the printer to be able to collect several print documents. Also it is necessary to write temporary files into the windows spooling directory. See also question "What is required to run dots SoftSort–".

Q: What does dots SoftSort do with my printers?

A: Nothing we hope! Only that during one session dots SoftSort pauses the printer. That means, you can print documents from your application, but the print files are held back in the spooler of your computer. When you quit dots SoftSort the printer will be set back to idle state. You may sometimes do the same manually by right clicking on the printer icon and selecting "Pause printing".

Q: Is it possible to use SoftSort with a network printer?

A: The short answer is, no. While using dots SoftSort the print queue of the selected printer will be halted to gather print jobs before they are printed as a set. If two or more users use dots SoftSort at a time their print jobs will intermingle and will lead to a mixed up print job list.

Workaround: Install the printer driver locally at the computer running dots SoftSort and connect its port with the shared printer (e.g., \\servername\printername).

Q: May I edit the job list?

A: You may change the order of the print jobs but you can't add or delete jobs from the job list.

Q: How many print jobs may be handled by SoftSort at a time?

A: The maximum number of jobs that can be processed with dots SoftSort Lite is three and for the full version of dots SoftSort it is 100.

Q: May I use SoftSort Lite as simple user?

A: Yes, you may use dots SoftSort Lite as user with restricted privileges (no power user or administrator) as long as the user is able to control the printer queue of the designated output device. If the user can't pause the printer queue, he or she will get the error message "The handle is invalid". Add the particular user or its user group to the list of users/groups who may administer the printer. Add the permission "Manage Printers" or "Full Control". To do so open "Start > Settings > Printer". Select your printer. Open "File > Properties" and the "Security" tab. See next answer as well.

Q: I've installed and registered dots SoftSort full version as administrator. However, when I log on as user with restricted user rights, SoftSort starts as SoftSort Lite. When I try to register again, I get the error message "Failed to set data for 'Registration'". Am I doing something wrong?

A: To use dots SoftSort as user with restricted privileges please read the answer to "Q: May I use SoftSort Lite as simple user?". In addition to this the user of dots SoftSort needs privileges to write to the Windows registry.

WARNING! Modifying the Windows registry is risky. Only proceed with the following steps, if you are familiar with modifying the Windows registry. dots does not accept any liability for using the Windows Registry Editor incorrectly.

• Open "Start > Run ..." and type in "regedt32" (Windows NT / 2000) or "regedit" (Windows XP) respectively.
• Open the Windows-Registry-Key:[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\dots GmbH\SoftSort\1.0]
• Open the menu "Security > Permissions..." and add the user or its user group to the list of users/groups and grant "Full Control".

Q: I am getting the error message "Stream read error" when loading a saved job list (SoftSort file, *.srt).

A: This error message is due to a corrupt SoftSort job list (*.srt). You will have to re-send the print jobs to rebuild the job list. See next answer for possible reasons for an invalid saved job list.

Q: I am printing to SoftSort. The jobs appear in the list of print jobs within dots SoftSort, however they will not print.

A: The new "spool file pooling" feature of Windows XP and Windows 2003 results in a new naming convention for spool files (e.g.: FP00000.spl instead of 00001.spl), which is not recognized by dots SortSort. To use dots SortSort on a Windows XP or Windows 2003 platform you have to disable the "advanced printing feature" and if the problem still persists turn off "spool file pooling" by editing the Windows registry.

WARNING! Modifying the Windows registry is risky. Only proceed with this steps, if you are familiar with modifying the Windows registry. dots does not accept any liability for using the Windows Registry Editor incorrectly.

Disable the "advanced printing feature"

• Open "Start > Settings > Printers".
• Select your output device and open "Properties".
• Open the "Advanced" tab and remove the tick mark at "Enable advanced printing feature".

Turn off "spool file pooling" (*)

Turn off "spool file pooling" per printer (*)

• Open "Start > Run". Type "regedit" in the "Run" box, and then click OK.
• Locate the registry key, where is the name of your printer: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\"
• In the right pane, right-click "SpoolDirectory", and then click "Modify".
• In the Value data box, type the location where you want the spool files to be stored. For example, type in standard location of Windows system folder "c:\windows\system32\spool\printers".
• Quit Registry Editor.
• Restart your computer or the print spooler.

Repeat steps 2 to 4 for each printer you want to use with dots SoftSort.

Turn off "spool file pooling" for all printers (*)

Note This method only works on Windows 2003 servers. It does not work for Windows XP.

• Open "Start > Run". Type "regedit" in the "Run" box, and then click "OK".
• Locate the following registry key: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print".
• On the "Edit" menu, point to "New", and then click "DWORD Value". Name it "DisableServerFilePooling", and then press ENTER.
• Right-click "DisableServerFilePooling", and then click "Modify".
• In the Value data box, type "1" to turn off spool file pooling, and then click "OK".
• Quit Registry Editor.
• Restart your computer or the print spooler.

* Source: Microsoft Knowledge Base, article 815913

Q: What is dots?

A: dots takes up the job of harmonizing all components and formats to make digital printing more efficient and flexible than ever before – we call this freedom in digital printing. dots users do not have to worry about how to integrate printers, platforms, file formats or applications with one another. Our print job management software packages are designed for print shops, service providers and in-house print production centres. The dots job ticket enables secure and efficient collaboration between people who create documents and print production centres. Go to www.dots.de to learn more about our product range dots Pilot 2 and dots Cockpit 3 family.

Known Issues

dots SoftSort Lite (trial) version expires after a 30 days testing period. Once this period has expired, it is no longer possible to enter the full version licence key (that you have received via E-Mail after purchasing dots SoftSort) in the program window.

To activate dots SoftSort:

1. Store the short cut "Register dots SoftSort" on your computer (right mouse click "save as") and double click it once you have saved it.
2. The "Enter Key" window opens. In the field "Name:" type in the given ID and your email-address separated by a space as stated in the email you have received via after purchasing dots SoftSort. In the field "Key:" type the licence key exactly as stated in the email containing your registration information.
3. If you see the "Key valid" window, the registration was successful. Click "OK" and start dots SoftSort.

If you have not received the short cut "register dots SoftSort" or if you are for some reason not able to save it on your computer you may start the licencing dialog manually from within a Windows command window:

1. Start the command windows on the computer SoftSort is running on. "Start > Run", type in "cmd" click "OK".
2. At the command prompt type exactly as given: "%ProgramFiles%\softsort" REGISTER [return-key]
   Note: The actual path to the dots SoftSort program folder depends on the language version of your Windows Operating System (OS) using the environment variable "%ProgramFiles%" will return the current program files path.
3. The "Enter Key" window opens. In the field "Name:" type in the given ID and your email-address separated by a space as stated in the email you have received via after purchasing dots SoftSort. In the field "Key:" type the licence key exactly as stated in the email containing your registration information.
4. If you see the "Key valid" window, the registration was successful. Click "OK" and start dots SoftSort.