how to start csentry from an outside application

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AriSilva
Posts: 591
Joined: July 22nd, 2016, 3:55 pm

how to start csentry from an outside application

Post by AriSilva »

How can I call cspro (or csentry for that matter) from another application written in another language?
Which are the parameters that have to be passed?
Best
Ari
josh
Posts: 2399
Joined: May 5th, 2014, 12:49 pm
Location: Washington DC

Re: how to start csentry from an outside application

Post by josh »

On Windows you just launch the programs using whatever command launches external programs in the language you are using.

CSPro itself (the designer) doesn't take any parameters other than the name of the file to open (a .dcf, .bch, .xtb or .ent file) on the command line.

For CSEntry, CSBatch, CSTab and most of the tools you just pass it the pff file to run on the command line and you put all the parameters in the pff.

On Android it is more complicated since it doesn't have the notion of executable programs. There you have to launch activities. Here is an example of how to do it https://github.com/CSProDevelopment/CSE ... idLauncher
AriSilva
Posts: 591
Joined: July 22nd, 2016, 3:55 pm

Re: how to start csentry from an outside application

Post by AriSilva »

I forgot to mention:
In order to go towards a CATI environment we are thinking of having an externa program on the server that would handle the list of available telephones to be called.
The situation would be like this:
1. An operator (in windows/pc) would start a database action in the server, asking for the next phone number.
2. This application, in the server, would call CsPro in the windows/pc, to execute the interview (using a cel phone to call the interviewer), and key the answers.
3. After finishing the interview the operator of the cspro application would upload the questionnaire to the server.

So, in fact, what I need is a way to call CsPro from an application in the server. I thought that the .bat approach calling the cspro would work, but the .bat has to be in the windows/pc, and I need something in the server itself.

By the way, some time ago I remember that Julio Ortuzar was making some advertising that CsProX was able to handle CATI. Is it true? Did you hear that? Not that I want to go to CsProX, but maybe his ideas/techniques might be used to enhance CsPro.
Best
Ari
josh
Posts: 2399
Joined: May 5th, 2014, 12:49 pm
Location: Washington DC

Re: how to start csentry from an outside application

Post by josh »

What is the operator on the PC using to access the server? If they are using some client software on the PC that program could launch CSEntry on the PC. If they are using a web browser that becomes more difficult since for security reasons most browsers don't let you just launch any program without user intervention. There may be some a way to do it from Javascript running a on a web page if you tweak the security settings. One thing that would work is if clicking on a link on the web page downloaded a pff file with the appropriate parameters and then the user opens the pff file to start CSEntry.

If the operator PCs are all on a local network you could just use a shared csdb file with all the phone numbers instead of another database. Just put the csdb file in a shared folder on the network.

I don't know anything about CATI in CSProX. I know they had some kind of client/server data entry that could work over a local network to store data in database but you can get the same thing now with a csdb file in a shared folder. Back when they developed CSProX CSPro only had text files so it was problematic to share data files.
josh
Posts: 2399
Joined: May 5th, 2014, 12:49 pm
Location: Washington DC

Re: how to start csentry from an outside application

Post by josh »

One possible way to launch CSPro from a website would be to use a custom protocol handler in the registry. The idea is to make a custom URL like csentry::// (instead of http://) that will launch your program when you click on it. This website describes how to do it: https://www.meziantou.net/registering-a ... ng-net.htm
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