i.d. mate OMNI Power Users

The following is a list of items for users who want to get the most out of their i.d. mate OMNI:

• Explanation of Flash Card Files and Folders
• Formatting the CompactFlash Card
• Updating the Product Database
• Transfer Custom Voice Memos Between Flash Cards
• Customizing Memo Mode
• Customizing the Voice
• Changing the Scanner Timeout Period
• Playback of Bar Code Information
• Recording Insertion Method
• Bar Code ID Mode
• Inventory Mode
• Determine Firmware and Dictionary Versions
• Determine Battery Power Level
• Join the i.d. mate OMNI Yahoo! Users Group
• Subscribe to the i.d. mate Notification Email List

Explanation of Flash Card Files and Folders

When we load a new flash card with the data necessary to function in an i.d. mate, the root directory will contain the following 5 items, generally:

• SCANS Folder - In ID Mode, when a bar code is scanned and a voice memo is recorded for it, the i.d. mate creates a folder (or finds it if it's already present) inside the SCANS folder and names it according to the digits of the bar code that was scanned. The i.d. mate then places any voice memos for that bar code in this folder. Voice memos are saved as .WAV files and are named sequentially as follows: 00001.WAV, 00002.WAV, etc.
• MEMOS Folder - In Memo Mode, voice memos are saved in and retrieved from the MEMOS folder using the same naming convention as ID Mode memos. See Customizing Memo Mode for a great way to organize your memos.
• BARCODES.DAT - This file is the actual product database. Text-to-Speech technology makes it possible to get millions of items on the CompactFlash card. We are constantly adding products to this database, and we come out with a new version twice a year, typically in the spring and fall.
• SETTINGS.INI - This is a simple text file that holds the parameters and values that change certain functions of the i.d. mate. These functions are Bar Code ID Mode, Changing the Scanner Timeout Period, Customizing the Voice, Playback of Bar Code Information, and Recording Insertion Method.
• VOLNAME.WAV - This is the file that is played after the introduction when the unit is turned on.

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Reformatting the CompactFlash Card

Before reformatting your Flash card, backup (copy and paste) all of the files and folders on it to your hard drive. These will be restored to the card after reformatting. Once the backup is complete, in Windows:

1. Go to Start > Run...
2. Type "FORMAT F: /A:32K /FS:FAT" (without quotes, and replace "F:" with the drive letter of your Flash card reader).
3. When the MS-DOS command box titled "C:\WINDOWS\System32\FORMAT.com" opens, press [Enter] and wait for the format to complete.
4. When formatting is complete, you will be asked for a volume label. Do not type anything; just hit [Enter].

Your Flash card is now reformatted and empty of any data. Copy and paste the folders and files you previously backed up to your hard drive onto the newly reformatted Flash card. You may now remove your Flash card from the reader and insert it for use in your i.d. mate.

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Updating the Product Database

1. As a precautionary measure, make a backup copy of all the data on your flash card to your computer.
2. Place the database upgrade CD in your computer's CD or DVD Rom drive if it is not already there. On the CD, the barcodes.dat file is the new database. Copy the barcodes.dat file from the CD and paste it to your flash card in the removable disk drive. This will replace the old barcodes.dat with the new one. Your computer should ask you to confirm file replace, "Would you like to replace the existing file" and it will describe the files in question. Confirm with the Yes option. Once copying is complete, remove the flash card from the reader and insert it into your i.d. mate.
3. i.d. mate OMNI users may skip this step since the OMNI automatically detects the database version when the flash card is inserted and you navigate to Memory Mode, which will first say the amount of record time left on the flash card, then the database version. For i.d. mate 2 users, the opening greeting will remain the same unless you change the volume label. IF you would like to change the recording that plays after the introduction when the unit is turned on, while the recording is playing, press the erase button (lower right button) once. You will be asked to push the erase button a second time to verify that you do, in fact, want to erase the message. Push the erase button the second time and the unit will confirm the erase. Turn off your unit, then turn the unit back on. It should say "Voice label does not exist, to record, press and hold the record button." Press and hold the record button while you speak the new message stating the card size and database version, or whatever else you would like. This procedure may be done as many times as needed until you are happy with your opening greeting.
4. As an alternative to Step 5 for I D Mate 2 users, you can copy the file VOLNAME.WAV from your update CD to your flash card. However, this wave file will only say the database version and not the size of the flash card.
5. Once copying is complete, wait a few moments to be sure that Windows is completely finished with the process. When you believe it is safe to do so, remove the flash card from the reader and insert it into your i.d. mate.
6. Your i.d. mate should now be ready to go. Enjoy!

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Transfer Custom Voice Memos Between Flash Cards

1. Create a folder on your PC's desktop called "ID Mate Backup" (or whatever you wish).
2. Insert your old flash card (the one with the voice memos you wish to transfer) into your PC's card reader and open it. When you do so, you will be in the root directory. As it will be necessary to copy some files to your PC to complete this process, it will be best to copy and paste all of the files to the backup folder you just made. These files are:
   • One folder called MEMOS
   • One folder called SCANS
   • Three files called BARCODES.DAT, SETTINGS.INI, & VOLNAME.WAV
3. When the copy and paste is complete, safely remove your old flash card from the reader, insert the new flash card, and open it.
4. In your backup folder, copy the folders named MEMOS and SCANS, and paste them into the root directory of your new flash card.
5. When the copy and paste is complete, safely remove your new flash card from the reader, insert it into your i.d. mate, and you should be ready to go!

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Customizing Memo Mode

An additional feature added to the OMNI is the ability to add additional, customizable memo-style modes. For example, you can add a memo mode called "Groceries" by adding a folder named "Groceries" to the Memos folder on your CompactFlash card. After you add this folder, an additional memo mode called "Groceries" will be accessible as you move through the modes using the mode button. You can record memos under this customized memo mode as you would in normal memo mode.

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Customizing the Voice

i.d. mate OMNI uses DoubleTalk text-to-speech technology, which allows the ability to customize more than just the onboard speed and pitch settings. This customization is done inside the SETTINGS.INI file on your CompactFlash card. Be sure to make a backup of this file on your computer if you decide to make changes. Under the Voice Settings section of this file, you will find the following set of adjustable parameters: Volume, Speed, Freq (short for frequency), Expression, Articulation, Tone, Reverb, Pitch, and Delay. Changing the values associated with these parameters modifies the characteristics of the i.d. mate voice. Below the Voice Settings set, which are the offical settings for the unit, there is a section called "Standard DoubleTalk Voice Definitions". The sets of parameters and values below this heading indicate some of the different voices i.d. mate is capable of.

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Changing the Scanner Timeout Period [ScannerTimeout]

You can adjust the length of time the scanner will stay on before going into sleep mode by adjusting the ScannerTimeout setting in the SETTINGS.INI file on your CompactFlash card. The default is 45 seconds. The maximum setting for timeout is 245 seconds. A setting of 0 will stop the scanner from going to sleep.

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Playback of Bar Code Information [AutoMode]

There are two ways that OMNI can playback bar code information. The first method is to have the device speak the first entry then indicate that more information exists by saying the word "Continued". This default method is called Manual Playback and is activated by setting the AutoMode parameter in the SETTINGS.INI file on your CompactFlash card equal to 0.
The second method is to have the device automatically playback all information from start to finish. You can activate Automatic Playback by setting the AutoMode parameter in the SETTINGS.INI file equal to 1.

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Recording Insertion Method [RecordMode]

With the OMNI, there are two ways new recorded messages can be inserted into memory. The first method is to insert the new recording after the recorded message that was played last. This is the default method and is called Record Insert. It is activated by setting the RecordMode parameter in the SETTINGS.INI file on your CompactFlash card equal to 0. The second method, called Record Append, will place the new message at the end of all other recorded messages stored. Record Append is activated by setting RecordMode equal to 1.

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Bar Code ID Mode [BCID]

When enabled, Bar Code ID Mode will make available the ability of your i.d. mate to read back the actual digits of the bar code itself, instead of the information about the item the bar code is associated with.
To enable Bar Code ID Mode, follow these steps:

• Remove the CompactFlash card from your i.d. mate and insert it into the flash card reader.
• In the reader's root folder, open the SETTINGS.INI file.
• Find the BCID parameter, and change its value to 22. The line should read BCID=22. To disable the feature, the line should read BCID=0.
• Save the changes to the file, safely remove the flash card from the reader, and insert it back into your i.d. mate.

You will now find that a new feature, called Bar Code ID, will be available after ID Mode.

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Inventory Mode [Inventory]

Within the SETTINGS.INI file you can enable Inventory Mode by changing the value for the Inventory parameter from 0 to 1 (i.e., Inventory=1). This will enable two new modes, "Inventory" and "Browse Inventory", that will follow "ID Mode" (or if "Bar Code ID" is enabled [see above], they will follow this mode). There is no Inventory Mode firmware available for i.d. mate I or II.

Inventory Mode Instructions

To change a quantity rapidly, press and hold the Next or Previous button. The OMNI will change the count by 1 for the first ten, then will change by 10 for the next ten, then will change by 100 for the next ten, then by 1,000 for the next 10, then by 10,000 for the next 10.

To Add an Item and Quantity:
• Scan the item's bar code.
• Use the Next and Previous (triangle) buttons to choose the quantity.
• Press the Record (round) button to save the quantity.
• Listen for two chimes to verify the quantity has been saved.

To Edit the Quantity for an Item Already Entered:
• Scan the item's bar code.
• Press the Next and Previous buttons to modify the quantity.
• Press the Record button to save the change.
• Listen for two chimes indicating the change has been saved.

You cannot erase a record from Inventory Mode. Items without descriptions in the En-Vision America database on your CompactFlash Card will be given a description of "Item not Found" in the Inventory.txt file (see below). Descriptions can be added directly to the Inventory.txt file at a later time if desired.

Browse Inventory Instructions

Use the Next and Previous buttons to browse through inventory items. The recorded quantity will be spoken before the item description. To change a quantity rapidly, press and hold the Next or Previous button. The OMNI will change the count by 1 for the first ten, then will change by 10 for the next ten, then will change by 100 for the next ten, then by 1000 for the next 10, then by 10000 for the next 10.

To Edit the Quantity for an Item in Browse Inventory Mode:
• Use the Next and Previous buttons to find the item you wish to edit the quantity for.
• Press the Record button once.
• Use the Next and Previous buttons to modify the quantity.
• Press the Record button once to save the change.
• Listen for two chimes to indicating the change has been saved.

To Delete an Item from Inventory:
• Use the Next and Previous buttons to find the item you wish to delete.
• Press the Erase (square) button twice.

Working with the Inventory.txt File

It may be best to work with the Inventory.txt file's data by importing it with either a database program, such as Microsoft Access or OpenOffice Base, or a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice Calc. When doing so:

• The data is semi-colon delimited with no text qualifiers.
• The first column is the bar code number and should be formatted as "text" not "general". Neglecting this will eliminate any leading zeros and may turn it into scientific notation.

One of the big differences between the Inventory.txt file and a BARCODES.DAT file that has been run through the Bar Encode Lite program is that the BARCODES.DAT file MUST be in numerical sorted order, otherwise, it will not work. Inventory Mode does not require this as the items are saved and worked with in the order they are scanned.

Also in Inventory Mode, there are only three fields: the bar code number, the item description, and a five digit number for the quantity (i.e., if you only have one item, it must be entered as 00001). However, the description can include a price as part of the description if you type it yourself in the Inventory.txt file. It is vitally important not to use commas if you will be importing into a spreadsheet like Excel.
For example:
041196805499; Progresso Soup $1.45; 00002;
094000183566; A-von Moisturizer 24 $4.45; 00002;
036000282009; Kleenex $1.24; 00005;

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Determine Firmware and Dictionary Versions

To determine the firmware and dictionary versions of your i.d. mate, in any mode you may press the Mode and Record (large left rectangle and upper right circle) buttons simultaneously.

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Determine Battery Power Level

To determine the battery power level of your i.d. mate, in any mode you may press the Mode and Erase (large left rectangle and lower right square) buttons simultaneously.

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