How to Install HardTrack Desktop on a new PC for use with HardTrack Cloud Devices

How to Install HardTrack Desktop on a new PC for use with HardTrack Cloud Devices


To install or upgrade HardTrack, you will need to have Administrator authority on your PC.

You will receive a link in an email message that will take you to Dropbox so you can download the HardTrack Desktop Installation files.  
- Don't worry about signing in, just click on the Download button and save the zip file to your PC's Downloads folder. 
- This folder will contain the HardTrack Desktop software that you should install on your Windows Computers to gain access to setting up projects, creating Excel reports, etc.

On your PC, please open the Downloads folder, then Unzip the HardTrack Installation file, open the HardTrack Install folder, and double-click on setup.exe to install HardTrack.

Note: the 1st time you run HardTrack Desktop, the Windows Firewall needs to be updated. 

1) Start HardTrack Desktop

2) After HardTrack starts, click on Options, General Options, and check the Update Firewall option.

3) Click Ok and close HardTrack Desktop:


4) Click on the Windows icon, then locate HardTrack in the list and run it as Administrator, by right-clicking on the HardTrack Icon, click More and click Run as Administrator.  This will update the Firewall on your PC so that HardTrack Desktop can communicate with the HardTrack online database.




5) If your Company network uses a network firewall please follow the instructions on the link.  Please be sure to review the information on the network firewall to insure that HardTrack Desktop can reach the HardTrack Cloud Database, and gain access to the HardTrack website using FTP to install any software updates that are necessary.

Note: if your Company network has a policy in place that does not allow updating the Windows Firewall, you may have to un-check the Update Firewall in order to stop HardTrack Desktop from Attempting to update it each time you start HardTrack.


6) After you complete the installation, double-click on the HardTrack ion to start HardTrack, then click on Options, General Options, Check Now to make sure all of the latest updates for HardTrack are installed.



The Cloud Sensors (HTC and HTC II) should be checked. 

HTC Gateway (Wireless Sensors) & Reader Attached to PC (Wireless Sensors) should not be checked.




7) If you want to check if HardTrack Desktop is communicating with the HardTrack Database, do the following:

Start HardTrack Desktop by double-clicking on the HardTrack Icon, then click on Options, General Options, click on the Database tab at the top of the form:



Now click on Test Connection.  If HardTrack Desktop is communicating with the HardTrack Database, you will see a message appear: Connection Successful!



Please review these instructions for Network Requirements

8) Create a local copy on your PC of the hardtrack_connect Contact.  This is necessary so that HardTrack will always have a copy of the information that it needs to connect to your devices via the Cloud and cellular network.

Click on Contacts and select the contract named: hardtrack_connect.  
Then click OK to save this record on your local PC. 


If you see this error message, Click OK and a local copy of hardrack_connect will be created


9) Verify that exporting data to Excel works.   

Click on Project, Open, and double-click on Sample Pour Project.
Note: If you have been using HardTrack Desktop on other PC's and other Projects appear in the list, it is okay to click on one of them that contains temperature data for at least one sensor.
 

This will open a Project that contains all of the Wireless Sensors/Tags that have been registered.



Now click on Project, Export Data, Open Project - Temperature Reports


Click on Excel Export


Click Yes





Click OK to Open the Export Project in Excel


If the interface between HardTrack and Excel is working, the Workbook generated by Excel will open and contain this data and the various tabs/worksheets found at the bottom:


Click on one of the Sensor tabs at the bottom to open the worksheet to see if all the data is present:


If you have any issues performing this test, please see these instructions on how to fix error generating Excel Report from HardTrack.



You are now ready to begin working with HardTrack.