SMART 8 (v8.1.2) Official Release

SMART Community Forum
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SMART 8 Is Here

SMART 8 is officially released, and it introduces important improvements to data capture, management workflows, data quality, and analysis. As we look ahead to SERCA Desktop, SMART 8 stands as the platform’s most complete version yet, and a proud milestone as the SMART-EarthRanger Conservation Alliance (SERCA) builds what comes next.

Highlights include:

  • Improved data capture with Track Types and new Time, Tree, Polygon, and Line attribute support
  • Improved management workflows with automatic SMART Mobile file processing on Connect and a new announcement system
  • Stronger analysis and data quality through employee participant querying and a new QA routine

A full description of the features available in SMART 8 can be found in Appendix 3 of the SMART Technical Training Manual.

Upgrade Process:

Note: SMART 8 (version 8.1.2), requires that the SMART Connect server updated to version 8.1.2. If you use both Desktop and Connect please request a server upgrade so avoid any compatibility issues.

Upgrading SMART Desktop

  1. Download SMART Desktop
    Download the SMART Desktop from the website.

  2. Upgrade SMART Desktop

To upgrade from SMART 8.0.2 or prior (including SMART 7) you will need to do a complete backup-restore of the database.

  1. Backup your existing SMART database using the ‘File → Backup System’ menu option. DO NOT exclude the file store from the backup.
  2. Install SMART 8.1.2. If you are going to install it in the same location as your previous version, you must delete the previous version first. Do not merge directories.
  3. Login to the provided sample Conservation Area in SMART 8.1.2 and install any plugins you had installed in your previous SMART install and Restart the application.

Paws, Entity PlugIn, Intelligence PlugIn

These plugins have been removed. If your backup uses this plugin you can still upgrade; the upgrade process will remove all plugin related data. A tool has been provided to import old entity data and intelligence data into the SMART Profiles module.

  1. On Restart, on the login screen, select the ‘Advanced’ option, then the ‘Restore a Backup’ option. Follow the wizard, and when asked to select a backup file to restore, pick the file created in Step 1 above.
  2. A prompt will appear, warning that the backup file is not compatible with the current software version. You will be asked if you want to upgrade (and restore) - select ‘Yes’. At this point the backup will be upgraded and restored.
  3. It is not unusual for upgrades to take a significant amount of time (10-15 minutes), especially for larger databases or instances with many Conservation Areas.
  • During the upgrade process you may be prompted for additional information. These options are described below.
  1. It may be necessary to update query bindings for reports in your Conservation Area. You can do this for a particular report when it fails, or you can login to your Conservation Area, open the reports perspective, select all your reports, then right click and use the 'Update Report Query Binding’ menu. If your reports reference a large number of queries this may take a while.
  • Upgrading the query bindings may not fix all report issues. This document SMART - Fixing Report Query Errors describes how to fix the most common report errors that cannot be fixed by upgrading bindings.

Upgrading Connect to SMART 8.1.2 (For SCaaS servers)

  1. Submit SMART Connect Upgrade Request

Complete and submit the SMART 8 Release Form. This action automatically creates a ticket and starts the review process.

  1. Coordinate with the support team
    You will receive a follow-up email from the support team to coordinate the upgrade.

For any questions, please contact info@smartconservationsoftware.org.

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