The Call Collector gathers data from the telephone system processes it and stores it in a database (pabxcalls.mdb)
It must be running 24x7 otherwise call data may not be collected (only a few phone systems buffer data internally to be released on re-connection of the Call Collector). Data should be displayed within two or three seconds of a call terminating.
To save repeating the words Call Collector it is abbreviated below to CC
Common problems
CC stopped working
The CC is a Windows Executable file. This means that is will be instantly shut down if you log off.
We highly recommend that our Windows Service version, included as standard in Version 8, is used instead if there is any chance of people logging in and out of the computer. In fact we recommend that unless there is a very good reason, the Windows Service version is always used. The CC has only two advantages over the Service CC, an import data facility, and a icon in the PC system tray showing it is running. (Not possible with Service CC due to Windows Vista rules about interaction of services with the desktop)
CC not automatically starting up after PC re-boot.
A shortcut to the CC is required to be placed in the PC Startup menu. We do not do this automatically (in Version 8) because we want and expect people to use the Windows Service Version of CC.
Blank screen on start-up
When you first launch CC the screen is blank. As calls appear they populate the screen. If you close and re-start CC the screen will be blank again, but the previous data has been saved to the database. Calls will only appear AFTER the call is terminated, not while it is in progress.
Blank screen even when calls are made
Calls have to be genuine outgoing (or incoming) calls that connect for typically at least 15 seconds.
On one or two phones systems it take a second call to be pushed through before the first call appears.
Another cause is if the wrong telephone system model has been selected, the wrong serial port, or IP address, all of which can be changed with the CC shut down in Reports>Setup>Site.
Check the raw data file !!
If ANY data is being collected from the telephone system, even if it is not displaying in CC due to perhaps the wrong phone system model, it will have been written to a daily text file. (C:\Program Files\PABXSoft\Call Collector\Data\Daily).
You open these files using NOTEPAD.
If you can see readable data for the date and time you made some test calls,then the CC is connected correctly and the most likely cause of the problem is the wrong telephone model selected or the output of the telephone system is different to what we are expecting to receive. Contact support.
Calls appearing in CC but not in Reports
This either very serious (database exceeded maximum capacity of 1 gigabyte) or a fixable date issue.
Check the date and time of the PC running CC, and the date and time of the telephone system (remember to check the year too!) are in synch. To check the telephone system date time you normally can look at the screen of a phone, but another more reliable way is to open the raw data file we create each day and make sure the date of the file is the same as the date shown in the date inside the file. (See above ...Check the raw data file).
If the database has exceeded 1 gigabyte (approx 2 million call records) and the warning messages to archive have been ignored, then you can only start again with a fresh database. (Downloads page of this web site). Once the database limit is exceeded it can not be archived, compacted...it's gone.
Two Call Collectors running
Check Task Manager (Control + ALT + Delete held down together) for Applications running call either Call Collector or pabxacd. Check Processes for psiccservice or Call Collector. You can only have one running. If you have more than one close them ALL down and then start up one.
Contacting technical support
We are going to ask you to tell us EXACTLY what it says on the title bar of the Call Collector screen. The precise description nearly always points us towards the fix.
So please don't assume that some things are irrelevant, all the information there is for a reason. We may also ask you to email us a raw data file (See above - Check the raw data !!)