Two New Options for Installed Modules Screen

The Installed Modules screen in Maintenance will allow you to download the latest program updates for ZP SQL directly from the internet. Most customers don't have to worry about the accompanying database updates because we can update your ZP SQL databases for you. So for example, to install and use the new Extra Permit database upgrade most customers only need to download the new program files and they are good to go. If a customer needs to update their SQL databases manually, however, we've added a new button to the Installed Modules screen that makes that possible. To use this option you will have to request a special upgrade file from us that will be loaded and executed by new Database Update option. A second new button has been added to the Installed Modules screen that makes it possible to view the connection information used by ZonePro to access the SQL database. This is primarily a troubleshooting option to make sure ZonePro is looking for data in all the right places.

Reset Numbers for One Database at a Time

ZonePro maintains a separate database that keeps track of the last highest ID number and permit number used by every application database. It uses this information to autonumber new permits. In Maintenance Options, the Reset Permit Numbers screen is used to refresh the stored highest numbers if the autonumbering process is not working as expected. A new option has been added to the Reset Permit Numbers screen that allows you to only reset the numbers of the currently selected database. Previously, you had to reset for every database each time. This option makes it easier to focus in on one database without worrying about affecting others.

Extra Permit Database Added to Miscellaneous Module

Today we're making available a major upgrade to the Miscellaneous Fee module for ZonePro SQL. A third database application has been added called the Extra Permit database. This is a near twin of the Other Permits database. Like its sister, both applications are launched from the General application button group of the Property Screen. This is basically a second miscellaneous permits database - a place to store permits that don't fall neatly into the Building or Zoning permit categories. It functions identically to the Other Permits database. The only real difference is that the Extra Permit screen has a few more fields including Status, Dimensions, Final Date and Description. There is no charge for the upgrade and it will not change the fee for the Miscellaneous Fee module or its annual maintenance. You'll notice lots of other modules are also updated when you download this upgrade. That is because the Miscellaneous Fee module is closely integrated with many other pieces of ZonePro.

Forcing Pick Boxes to Display

You can now force a Pick Box list to display whenever a user edits a field that has the Pick Box option. Before you had to take an action such as clicking on the Pick Box button to view the list of Pick Box choices. In order to use this new feature you have to turn it on in the Global Options Screen in Maintenance. Once the feature is activated it will only work for those fields where you have saved a local list of the Pick Box choices. In other words, this feature is an extension of the Pick Box List Manager. This means you don't have worry about Pick Box screens popping up all over the place when you're editing. You control which fields it works for by saving your list of Pick Box choices for the desired field. This new option should make it even easier to encourage users to enter data consistently in the fields where that is important. You can view a new Training Video on this feature at our web site.

Contractor Reset Button

Unlike the permit databases in ZP the Contractor database does not retain one record per transaction. Instead, when a new year rolls around (and a new round of license fee collections), the Contractor Screen uses the Reset button to copy the existing fee information into the Notes field to make way for the new information. I fixed a bug in the Reset button today and while I was at it added the option to substitute a customized script in place of our code when the Reset option executes. In other words, if you aren't satisfied with the fields that are copied into the Notes field by the default Reset option, you can add a script to your system that will copy information exactly the way you want it done. The button now looks for the existence of a script file called "script_contractor_reset.txt" before it runs the default code. You'll need our help to get started with a script option but then you'll be able to refine it in the User Script screen in Maintenance like you can with other ZP scripts.

ArcGIS Interface via OLE DB Connection

I have just been working with a customer who wanted to interface their ArcGIS system with ZP SQL to pull across live violation data. There are a couple of ways to interface with SQL data in ArcGIS. This customer had success creating an OLE DB Connection to the data. These connections are contained in ArcCatalog under the Database Connections option in the Catalog Tree. You can double click on the "Microsoft OLE  DB Provider for SQL Server" to set up the connection. You'll need some information from us to do this including your server name, database name, user name and password. Once the connection is made you can expand the new connection node to view all the available tables. In this case I advised pulling data from the "vViolaterep" table which combines data from the Violations and Property databases. He was then able to use the common parcel number field to join this table with his address shapefile to produce new maps layers.

Expanded Reporting Options for Staff Web Site

I've added more reporting options to the Staff web site interface so that it includes a few more application databases. Have also added at least one report filter to each page. So, for example, in the Building Reports page you can now easily limit the records included to only those that match a selected Permit Type. In a deviation from the Windows interface I chose not to enforce security for the report screens by default. In the Windows interface you have to have an Access Level of at least 7 to access the report screen for a given application. In the web site this is not true. You can access the report screens without even logging in. If you don't like that policy for your web site, I have an easy way I can change it so that the report pages use the same security criteria as the Windows interface. You just have to let me know your preference.