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Using the Off-line Circulation Module

Internet connections can, at times, become slow, or a router might fail and disconnect the library from the system's server. The Off Line Circulation Module has been developed to allow an OPALS library to loan items even when the Internet is not available for a short time. When Internet communication is re-established the transactions can be uploaded to the OPALS server.

Setup

OPALS Off-line Circulation Module is a small Java file named 'OpalsCirc.jar'. It is easily installed by simply copying it to the desktop of the machine from which you wish to circulate, or if it comes to you as an attachment in an email, just use your mouse and drag it to the desktop.

Before transactions from the Off-line Circulation module can be transfered to your OPALS library system the program must be configured. The only thing needed is to record your OPALS library URL into the Settings tab
  1. Copy the OpalsCirc.jar file onto your desktop
  2. Open the OpalsCirc.jar file
  3. Select the Settings tab
  4. Type your OPALS library URL into the "Server Address" field.
    For example; mylibrary.scoolaid.net
    Off-line Setup Field
  5. Click the Save button
After you have set the server address and loaned items ofline, two files will be created on your desktop.
  1. The server address is recorded in a small file called opals.ini. If the file is deleted for any reason, you will need to use the Settings tab again to register your OPALS URL, thereby recreating the settings file.
  2. All transactions will be saved in the file transactions.csv. Only the transactions that have not been uploaded will be maintained in this file. As soon as the most recent transactions are sent to OPALS, the file will be emptied.

Circulation

OPALS Off-line Circulation allows to you loan items from your library even if the Internet connection is unavailable. The following information describes how the remote system handles loan transactions:

Loans

  • All loan periods will be processed according to User and Item types set in your OPALS system.
  • There is no option to override an item type loan period in the remote circulation module
  • OPALS returns items automatically as they are re-loaned.
  • Items that have reservations or hold priorities will be ignored and a loan processed.
  • Borrower loan limits cannot be applied. The user can borrow as many items as you scan.
  • Users' overdue transactions are ignored and the loans processed
Returns
  • OPALS returns items automatically as they are re-loaned.
  • Items that have reservations or hold priorities will be ignored by Off-line Circulation.
  • Returned items that have not been re-loaned must be returned within OPALS in the usual fashion.
Renewals
  • To Renew an item re-loan it to the same user.
Reservations / Holds
  • There is no way to reserve or hold an item if working off-line
  • Items that have reservations or hold priorities in OPALS will be ignored when working offline.

Circulation: Instructions

  1. Select the Loan tab
  2. Scan the user barcode into the "User Barcode" field. After you scan the barcode, the cursor will appear in the "Item Barcode" field.(If the cursor does not move to the "Item Barcode" field, click 'OK' or press the enter key)
  3. Scan (or type) the item barcode into the "Item Barcode" field. A table will appear with a generic loan number, the user barcode and the item barcode, verifying the scan.
  4. To loan to a new user, click on the "Switch User" button and scan their barcode, then repeat steps 2 and 3.

To Upload Transactions

When your Internet connection has been re-established, use the Upload Transactions tab to send your loan transactions to your OPALS library System. The transactions table will display all the items that have yet to be uploaded. (It will be empty if no transactions have been made in the Off-line system.)
  1. Select the Upload Transactions Tab
  2. Click on the Upload button
  3. You will be asked for a Login and Password to authenticate the use of OPALS circulation. Make sure you use a login name for someone who is authorized to use the Circulation functions.
When OPALS has received and processed all of the loans, the progress bar, seen below the Transactions Table, will register 100%. To view a Report of the transactions processed select the Report tab.

To See Report

A report is created by OPALS after loan transactions have been uploaded. It will display the status of the uploaded items.
    1. Select the Report tab
    2. Type the date that the transactions were uploaded into the Transactions Date field.
      1. Use the format - Month [2 characters] / Day [2 characters] / Year [4 characters] (mm/dd/yyyy)
    3. Click on the View button or press the enter key

A report will display with the following information:

Total Transactions:
The total number of loan transactions made on the selected day (If you upload transactions more than one time in one day, the number will display the cumulative total for that day).
Success:
The total number of successful transactions made during the selected day.
Fail:
The total number of items that failed to complete.
Error detail:
A table displays the users barcode, the items barcode, and the OPALS Error message that was a result of the failed transaction (e.g. "Invalid barcode or Item does not exist.")

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