Version 6.65.05

This version of Theatre Manager contains a significant change - a new data bridge for those using the server version and a number of changes to address sites that were seeing record locking issues.

There are some additional reports and minor enhancements.

Version 6.65.02 is identical to version 6.64.14 except that it requires the new data bridge. If you are arealdy at version 6.64.14, you have all the functionality contained in this version except the lock solution and releasing of workstation licences.

Version 6.64 • Updates

Released June 12, 2005

Key changes:

implementation of a new data bridge to address padlock issues and releases workstation user licences when a user 'force quits'. This should eliminate the need to restart the data bridge on the odd occassion.
new donation reports
new volunteer reports for scheduling and statistics reporting
key changes around record locking to reduce the incidence of the padlock occuring
some optional fixes to web pages to address seats left on hold and erroneous 'use of back button' messages

Note: Read prior release notes for any mandatory web pages changes. There are some suggested web page changes for this version.

Theatre Manager will

The user will need to

Before upgrade	Read the release notes for any version prior and follow the directions Complete your end of day. Deposit all funds, create all sales entries and post to the GL. Verify the database using data utilities and ensure that everything is ok. Make a backup copy of the database If using the data bridge server version, follow the instructions about upgrading to the data bridge
After upgrade	None
Optional Steps	make the recommended web page changes if your customers are reporting 'back button' messages that are not true go to the play & dates window and release all internet holds that might have been placed in error.
Time Required	Updating the database from 6.64 will take less than a minute If you are updating the data bridge, the process is simple - it may take 15 minutes elapsed time to accomplish . Upgrading the workstations will require installation of a full version of TM and reapplication of the serial numbers

Before upgrade

Read the release notes for any version prior and follow the directions
Complete your end of day. Deposit all funds, create all sales entries and post to the GL.
Verify the database using data utilities and ensure that everything is ok.
Make a backup copy of the database
If using the data bridge server version, follow the instructions about upgrading to the data bridge

After upgrade

None

Optional Steps

make the recommended web page changes if your customers are reporting 'back button' messages that are not true
go to the play & dates window and release all internet holds that might have been placed in error.

Time Required

Updating the database from 6.64 will take less than a minute
If you are updating the data bridge, the process is simple - it may take 15 minutes elapsed time to accomplish . Upgrading the workstations will require installation of a full version of TM and reapplication of the serial numbers

Web Sales

Fixed an obscure bug where seats were being held by the web listener and not released. This would occur if the patron tried to purchase a ticket to an area of the venue where there were no valid promotions and/or price codes. Normally, Theatre Manager would catch the error if no internet enabled promotions were available. There is now an additional check if it finds seats and the promotion that it can use - does not allow the price codes for that area; then the patron will get an error that the event has not been set up properly.

Found an issue where some sites were telling us that their patrons were getting a message that they used the back button, when in fact they had not. This would occur if the images were being loaded from theatre manager (and not your main ISP web site) and the user hit the 'find best seats' button before the image has started loading. If the image was not loaded, the cookie did not set the time right. The fix it to alter the time when the cookie in the page is loaded.

Volunteer Window

Season Subscriptions

Ticket Sales

Donations

Passes/Memberships/Gift Certificates

Reports

Renamed the volunteer report that produced statistics for selected data to be 'Voulnteer Statistics-by Volunteer Activity'.

Added two more similar reports called:

Volunteer Statistics-By Patron - which shows similar information as above except that the statistics are calculated for each patron/volunteer data selected
Volunteer Statistics-By Event - which shows statistics on the activities performed directly related to an event. If data is entered for each production, you can now easily get a comparison of manpower used on each production

Renamed the report that shows volunteers scheduled to work a specific performance to be 'Volunteer Schedule-By Performance'

Added 3 more similar reports called:

Volunteer Schedule-By Patron - which prints the items that a patron is working. This can be used to give to a volunteer so that they know their commitments at your venue
Volunteer Schedule - By Event - which shows the volunteers working for an event, including those assigned to a specific performance and those assigned to the run of the event
Volunteer Schedule-By Day - which prints out which volunteers are working (or are onsite) on a specific day. This report is a little different than the others. You can select an volunteer history information you wish. That will contain a date range that the volunteer is working. For example, you may pick a 'running crew' that is working the entire event. On the 'Parameters' tab, you will need to specify which date range (from and to) to print the daily calendar for. Theatre Manager determines, from the data range, when the person is working in your venue and places them on each daily schedule. (very handy - this report).

Donation Reports - renamed about 6 of them to indicate that they produce results by 'fiscal year'. Duplicated those same reports and changed their sort order so that they produce results by the 'program year' field. This means you now havea choice of producing donation reports by fiscal year (to match accounting) or by program year (to match the campaigns).

Miscellaneous Changes

When searching for events on the play list window, added the ability to search using the 4 custom fields on each event. These are typically called 'sponsor', 'special notes', 'playwright', and 'director'. This allows you to find all events that contain the text you search for and thus find events that are by the same artist, or what have you.

Restored the performance of the database copy process in the data utilities window. Phase 2 of the process (connecting records) lost a lot of performance in version 6.64.00 through 6.64.12 and has been fixed in 6.64.14 (and officialy released in this version).

Allow ticket faces to be seen by each outlet in the design of ticket faces. This will allow another outlet to copy a ticket face that seems interesting and change components of it to suit their own needs. Note; you cannot change the ticket face belonging to another outlet

Fixed an issue where patron first name and patron last name could not be used as criteria on reports and mail list building in the outlet edition.

Fiexed an issue where events at secondary outlet that were marked for sale on the internet could be sold at other outlets - without the 'allow to sell at other outlets' flag also turned on. Now, the 'sell at other outlet' flag ust be turned on to see an event at an outlet other than the owning outlet.

Upgrading the Databridge to Version 1.4

The steps below are a guide to updating Theatre Manager to run Theatre Manager’s Data Bridge 1.4. Please read it first before starting and do not begin unless you have sufficient time to complete the tasks before the box office needs to open. If you would prefer, please contact support line and we’ll guide you through the setup process. The process differs for Macintosh and PC.

Step 1: Removing Theatre Manager Databridge 1.2

Windows 2000/2003 server or XP Pro Server

Macintosh

Stop Databridge Services

Goto Start >> Settings >> Control Panel >> Administrative Tools >> Services
Double click on "TM Data Bridge"
Click Stop
Click OK

Navigate to the OS-X server's "Application" folder
Navigate to the "TM Data Bridge" folder
Double click on "TMDataBridgeShutdown.term"
Close the 'Terminal' window when done.

Remove Databridge Services

Goto Start >> Run...
Enter cmd
Press <ENTER>
Enter cd c:\odb
Press <ENTER>
Enter odbservice -remove
Press <ENTER>

Nothing to de-install

Deleting the ODB Folder

Goto Start >> Programs >> Accessories >> WIndows Explorer
Navigate to C:\ODB
Delete the complete folder C:\ODB and all files within it

Navigate to the OS-X server's "Application" folder
Delete the "TM Data Bridge" folder

Step 2: Installing Theatre Manager Databridge 1.4

Windows 2000/2003 server or XP Pro Server

Macintosh

Installing the Databridge

Download the databridge for Windows and save it to the desktop (if you have not already done so)

Double click on TMDataBridge.exe
Click Next
Click Next (Leave the install location at C:\ODB)
Click Close

Download the databridge for Macintosh and save it to the desktop (if you have not already done so)

Double click on TMDataBridge
Enter your authentication password to allow the install to begin
Click OK
Click Install
Click Start Automatically
The next step below will start automatically

Install Databridge Services

Goto Start >> Run...
Enter cmd
Press <ENTER>
Enter cd c:\odb
Press <ENTER>
Enter odbservice -install
Press <ENTER>

At the 'Install Theatre Manager Data Bridge' dialog, the actual installation will begin

Click Continue
Click Continue
Click Agree
Click Continue
Click Upgrade (if this is a new install, it may say install)
If asked, type in the authentication password to allow an install
Click Close after optimization process is complete

Customize the ODB Configuration File

NOTE: This step ONLY needs to be done if your C:\BoxOffice folder is located on a different drive

Goto Start >> Programs >> Accessories >> WIndows Explorer
Navigate to C:\ODB
Right-Mouse click on the "config.xml" file contained within the C:\ODB folder
Select Open-With >> WordPad
Change C:\BoxOffice\Common.df1 to your customized pathname
Change C:\BoxOffice\Transact.df1 to your customized pathname
Change C:\BoxOffice\Database.df1 to your customized pathname
File >> Save
File >> Exit

On the server, follow the steps for installing Theatre Manager 6.65 first (below). It is very important that you click the step 'Update Config File'.

The steps are:

Follow Keep Theatre Manager's Serialization Files for Macintosh
Follow Install Theatre Manager 6.65
Do not do any of the other steps until you have restarted your server (see next step below).

Note: the default configuration for OS-X is that the database reside in the BoxOffice folder. We know of no sites that have changed the default database location. If you have, please contact us for instructions.

Restart Server

Goto Start >> Shutdown... >> Restart
Click OK

Go to 'Apple' menu >> Restart
If asked, click OK to restart your machine

Start Databridge Services

Goto Start >> Settings >> Control Panel >> Administrative Tools >> Services
Double click on "TM Data Bridge 1.4"
Change Startup Type to "Automatic"
Click Start
Click Apply
Click OK

The databridge will restart automatically if you clicked that option in the instructions during the install.

Step 3: Installing Theatre Manager Version 6.65

Windows 2000/2003 server or XP Pro

Macintosh

Keep Theatre Manager's Serialization Files

Goto Start >> Programs >> Accessories >> Windows Explorer
Navigate to C:\Program Files\TM
Delete all files in this directory except for tmdb.txt and serial.txt

Note: If you have followed the instructions above, then at the server, you have already done Keep Theatre Manager's Serialization Files and Install Theatre Manager 6.65. Do not do them again at the server. Proceed to Upgrading Theatre Manager's Database.

Navigate to the OS-X 'Applications' folder
Double click on the 'TM f' folder
Delete all files in this directory except for tmdb.txt and serial.txt

Install Theatre Manager 6.65

Download Theatre Manager for Windows and save it to the desktop (if you have not done so).

Double click on TMSetup.exe
Click Next
Click Next
Click Next
Click Next (Leave the install location as C:\Program Files\TM)
Choose Custom
Click Next
Choose "All Platforms - Server Version"
Click Next
Click Next
Choose "no" to the question of installing an uninstaller
Click Close

Download Theatre Manager for Macintosh and save it to the desktop (if you have not done so).

Double click on TMSetup.hqx which will expand this file. Stuffit will usually expand the file and save it to the same place. The new file will be called TMSetup
Find the file called TMSetup and double click on it
On OS-X, you will be asked to type the authentication password. Please type it in and click OK
Click 'Continue'
Click 'Install' (lower right corner)
Click 'Update Config File'
Click Quit

Upgrading Theatre Manager's Database

Log into Theatre Manager
Follow the prompts to upgrade Theatre Manager's database

Install Theatre Manager on remaining workstations

On each of the workstations that are running Theatre Manager, repeat the steps above to upgrade the Theatre Manager program. Follow the steps to:

Keep Theatre Manager's Serialization Files
Install Theatre Manager 6.65

If you have both Macintosh and Windows computers at your venue, follow the appropriate process for each machine.

If you have any questions about upgrading to version 6.65, please call the support line (403) 536-1211 (Monday through Friday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM MST) or email us at support @ artsman.com

Upgrading the Web Pages

To fix the 'back button' issue by changing the time when cookies are loaded on the patrons web browser, find all lines in all web pages that contain the word 'onload=reloadNav()'. You will should only find them in the <body ...> tags. This change may need to be made in about 160 pages in the web folder, so a mass find and replace using a web editing tool (such as dreamweaver) will make things easier. If you are not comfortable making this change, you may contact us and we will do this for you for a nominal fee.

Other pages that changed in the demo pages that you may wish to look at and change in yours - or ignore completely if things are working at your venue:

	Windows 2000/2003 server or XP Pro Server	Macintosh
Installing the Databridge	Download the databridge for Windows and save it to the desktop (if you have not already done so) Double click on TMDataBridge.exe Click Next Click Next (Leave the install location at C:\ODB) Click Close	Download the databridge for Macintosh and save it to the desktop (if you have not already done so) Double click on TMDataBridge Enter your authentication password to allow the install to begin Click OK Click Install Click Start Automatically The next step below will start automatically
Install Databridge Services	Goto Start >> Run... Enter cmd Press <ENTER> Enter cd c:\odb Press <ENTER> Enter odbservice -install Press <ENTER>	At the 'Install Theatre Manager Data Bridge' dialog, the actual installation will begin Click Continue Click Continue Click Agree Click Continue Click Upgrade (if this is a new install, it may say install) If asked, type in the authentication password to allow an install Click Close after optimization process is complete
Customize the ODB Configuration File	NOTE: This step ONLY needs to be done if your C:\BoxOffice folder is located on a different drive Goto Start >> Programs >> Accessories >> WIndows Explorer Navigate to C:\ODB Right-Mouse click on the "config.xml" file contained within the C:\ODB folder Select Open-With >> WordPad Change C:\BoxOffice\Common.df1 to your customized pathname Change C:\BoxOffice\Transact.df1 to your customized pathname Change C:\BoxOffice\Database.df1 to your customized pathname File >> Save File >> Exit	On the server, follow the steps for installing Theatre Manager 6.65 first (below). It is very important that you click the step 'Update Config File'. The steps are: Follow Keep Theatre Manager's Serialization Files for Macintosh Follow Install Theatre Manager 6.65 Do not do any of the other steps until you have restarted your server (see next step below). Note: the default configuration for OS-X is that the database reside in the BoxOffice folder. We know of no sites that have changed the default database location. If you have, please contact us for instructions.
Restart Server	Goto Start >> Shutdown... >> Restart Click OK	Go to 'Apple' menu >> Restart If asked, click OK to restart your machine
Start Databridge Services	Goto Start >> Settings >> Control Panel >> Administrative Tools >> Services Double click on "TM Data Bridge 1.4" Change Startup Type to "Automatic" Click Start Click Apply Click OK	The databridge will restart automatically if you clicked that option in the instructions during the install.