USER GUIDE TO LLOYD'S REGISTER'S
THICKNESS MEASUREMENT DATABASE
REVISION THREE
(Issued with release of version V3.0 of software)
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 The program
1.2 Program installation
1.3 Form layout
1.4 Diminution levels
1.5 Submitting results
2.0 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
2.1 Minimum Requirements
2.2 Recommended Requirements
2.3 Microsoft Access
3.0 INSTALLATION
3.1 Running the Installation disc
3.2 Program installation
3.3 Running the installed program
4.0 USING THE PROGRAM
4.1 Program availability
4.2 Operator knowledge of TM surveys.
4.3 Starting a new database
4.4 The General Particulars form
4.5 Making new TM forms
4.6 General use of TM forms
4.7 The Toolbar
4.8 Report Organiser
4.9 Printing the report
4.10 Error checking
4.11 Notes
5.0 SUBMITTING THICKNESS MEASUREMENT RESULTS
5.1 Printing results.
5.2 Electronic Submission
5.3 Validation by LR Outport
5.4 General Particulars covering sheet
6.0 CONVERTING TM REPORTS FOR EARLIER VERSIONS TO RUN ON V3.00
6.1 TM Main Screen
6.2 General Particulars
6.3 Converting V2.0 TM Data to Access 97
6.4 Component type field changes
6.5 Converting V2.0 TM Data to V3.00
7.0 PROGRAM MAINTENANCE
7.1 Compact & Repair Thickmes Application
7.2 Repairing corrupt TM Data
8.0 UNINSTALLING LR THICKNESS MEASUREMENT
8.1 Removing LR Thickness Measurement
8.2 Dynamic Runtime Libraries
8.3 Access 97 Runtime Directory
9.0 FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
9.1 The Microsoft Access Platform
9.2 LR's Facilities
APPENDIX
Technical Problems
Printers
Saving to floppy disc
Example
HELP number
User Guide To Lloyds Register's Thickness Measurement Database.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Lloyds Register Thickness Measurement database has been written in Microsoft Access to produce an easy to use package for inputting thickness measurement data and calculating diminution levels. This data is then printed in a format acceptable to IACS.
1.2 The program installs itself from the enclosed disks and then the operator inputs the necessary data into the TM forms as they appear on screen. As many forms as required may be added and the program will control them. Familiarity with Microsoft Access or any other database or spreadsheet is not necessary.
1.3 This version of the LR TM database has been written on Microsoft Access97. When installed it will not overwrite any of the previous version of the LR TM database already being used. TM reports created using version V3.00 will not be compatible with any previous version of LR's TM database. However TM reports created using the version V2.00 can be accessed and updated on this version (i.e. V3.00). TM reports created using the earlier version (i.e.V1.02) of the LR TM database can be converted for use with version V3.00. TM Database version 3.00 should be installed after deleting V2.00. The user may delete any of installed versions previous to V2.00, but it is recommended that these are retained for accessing TM reports created using version V1.02, where required. Details regards the conversion of TM reports can be found in section 6.0.
1.4 The forms are laid out individually in the IACS Thickness Measurement format. These enable the operator to simply and easily input the correct data. The program checks for correct data input type and location and flashes simple warnings if it detects a possible error. The calculation areas are locked out and have been formulated from LR criteria to assess "Excessive Diminution" and "Substantial Corrosion", and give a warning when these levels are reached.
1.5 Areas of Excessive Diminution (R) or Substantial Corrosion (S) are highlighted on each sheet for the surveyor's attention. A list of unacceptable areas may be produced to aid the owner, surveyor or repairers.
1.6 The TM company may submit the resulting data electronically or on disk to the local office instead of the usual paper copies. (See section 5.0)
2.0 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
2.1 The minimum requirement is an ordinary IBM compatible Personal Computer running Microsoft Windows version 95 or higher, or Windows NT. A printer is necessary to produce hard copies. A version of Microsoft Office 97 suites or better should also be present.
2.2 Recommended is a Pentium II 75MHz processor or equivalent or better with a minimum 16 Megabytes of RAM (preferably 32Mb). Hard disk requirement for data is minimal; a 300 page report for ten thousand TM readings should take up no more than 2 Megabytes of hard disk or two floppy discs. The program occupies about 9Mb of hard disk.
2.3 Microsoft Access itself is not required. The program is entirely self contained.
3.0 INSTALLATION
3.1 Please refer to ReleaseNotes on the CD.
4.0 USING THE PROGRAM
4.1 This Program will only be available to LR Approved Thickness Measurement Service suppliers, who are familiar with producing the thickness measurement reports for ships. It may also be made available to owners of LR classed vessels for information, if requested. It is not the aim of this manual to explain the usage of the thickness measurement forms.
4.2 The procedure for undertaking thickness measurement surveys and completing thickness measurement forms is explained in the LR publication 'Thickness Measurement and Close-up Survey of Ships in accordance with the Rules and Regulations For The Classification of Ships'.
4.3 The initial screen prompts which actions you require. For a new ship it will ask for the IMO number, which is the same as the LR Number, on which the database is centred. Press "Reports" to go to the General Particulars Form.
4.4 The General Particulars form is the start of the database proper. The IMO number will be entered when you start and cannot be changed. The remaining fields are to be completed accordingly. This screen may be returned to from any TM form by pressing the General Particulars button. Pressing "Close" will return you to the initial screen. Press "Data entry" to continue.
4.5 You will now be in the TM sheet screen where all the main data is recorded. First use the top left button to decide which type of form you require then press OK. The relevant form will then appear and data may be entered. For the next form press the button and continue as before.
4.6 Data is simply entered into the relevant box. You can go to different boxes using the tab keys, the arrow keys or the mouse. Several boxes are locked, such as the percentage diminution boxes, and you cannot enter data here. As you go to a new line the program calculates the diminutions and fills them in. Each form has a box on the lower right hand side that allows you to designate a survey area. This is explained under 'Report Organiser'.
Here is a description of each TM form:
4.6.1 TM 1: Click on the upper middle button, labelled plating, to decide between Deck, Bottom shell plating, Side shell plating, Inner Bottom plating, Hopper Sloping plating or Topside Sloping plating. Use the mouse or tab key to enter the strake position. Then press the OK button and the form will generate.
4.6.2 TM 2a/TM 2b: Enter the frame number(s) for the transverse section(s). On form TM 2b you also have the option to mark where the Bilge strake is. The form will generate when OK is pressed.
4.6.3 TM 3: Fill in the frame number(s) and press OK. You will then notice a column called "component type" with buttons on it. This determines the diminution levels used and so you should in each case use this button to specify if the structure is plating or a stiffener. The component type does not alter the description of the structure.
4.6.4 TM 4: Enter the Tank Description and location of structure. Press OK.
4.6.5 TM 5: There are a number of options with this form. The structure reported can be complicated in terms of assessing diminution. At first enter the "tank/hold description", Location of Structure and frame number, press OK to see the form. Similarly to TM3 you may see different component type boxes depending on ship category. The right hand side of the component type list also shows the maximum allowable diminution which will be calculated. The buttons give a basic guide to the type of structure to be selected, and TM users should be familiar with requirements, but guidance of an LR surveyor may be needed.
4.6.6 TM 6: Enter the "Structural Member" and "Location of Structure", then press OK to see the form. Again a component type column appears to allow different diminution levels for the relevant structure. These values are also given for further guidance.
4.6.7 TM 7: Enter the cargo hold number and press OK.
4.6.8 TM 8: Enter the transverse section and frame number. The screen presented only shows a quarter of the form i.e. one calculation 'area'. On the bottom right you will see a pictorial grid, press the buttons to navigate to the other 'quarters' as they appear on the form. The Topside plating and Bottom plating calculations can be performed automatically, provided forms TM2a and TM2b have been completed correctly. Select either the 'quarter' marked Topside plating or Bottom side plating, then press the *"Autofill" button. The corresponding values from forms TM2a and TM2b will then be shown and results calculated. The longitudinal area values must be entered manually, using the "calculate" button to show the results. You can press the Print Preview button on the toolbar to see the complete form.
*Note: When creating a new TM8 form, make sure the Topside/Bottom Plating grid is displayed (i.e. click inside box) before pressing "Autofill".
4.7 The Toolbar across the top of the screen gives several utilities:
4.7.1 Add Blank sheets : This icon shows two sheets with a star above them. It allows you to add multiple sheets.
4.7.2 Copy this sheet : Press this button to generate an exact copy of the sheet you are on (excluding gaugings). It allows you to produce many similar sheets for quick production of large reports with similar original data.
4.7.3 OK: Use this button to save the form.
4.7.4 Find: This is a powerful tool that searches for input data. It searches within the form type presently displayed and also in the various description boxes that can be used. It will only find what has been inputted by the user in a typed description box, so the user must be consistent in his descriptions, and not make spelling mistakes for example.
4.7.4 Plus and Minus : These add new sheets or delete the sheet you are working on.
4.7.5 Fill Down : The next two buttons both fill down the original thickness columns with the highlighted number. e.g. Put in the first thickness at the top and press the arrow and the column will fill with that thickness. The first button is 'fill down empty cells only' and will not overwrite any data below that is already entered. The second will overwrite all data below it on that form. Note: to fill down half a form, put in the top number and press either fill down arrow. The column will fill. Go to the last line required and delete the first number beneath it. Then press the second 'fill down with overwrite button' and the figures below will go blank.
4.7.6 Browsing : These buttons allow you to quickly jump through the report to the first page of each form type. Note you can go directly to any page by typing the number over the sheet number displayed in the bottom left hand corner.
4.7.8 Report Organiser : This button looks like a scroll. Pressing it enters you into the Report Organiser, which has many features explained in the next paragraph. You can run this window alongside the data entry window to help see amendments.
4.8 Report Organiser. This is a separate screen that allows you to view and manipulate the entire report. It gives a simple index based upon the descriptions used by the operator, along with an optional pull down menu that allows you to designate the data by the survey areas that are required by LR rules. The report repaginates in the order of Survey Area and then chronologically.
4.8.1 Survey area: This gives a list of already defined areas on the ship, such as deck plating that you can assign to each sheet, either on the bottom right of the individual sheets or on the right hand side of the report organiser line. The descriptions cover all the principle required survey areas as referred to in the LR Rules and LR guidance. The user may type others into the list as required, and they will be shown at the end in alphabetical order.
4.8.2 Form, Sheet, Description: This gives the form type and page number. It also gives the description of the structure on the form that the user has given it in the description boxes. To change it you have to go back to the sheet itself.
4.8.3 Move. Click on the line you wish to move and then the down or up button to move it as required.
4.9 At any stage you may press the print button, this takes you to the print screen. This gives you a display of all the form types and enables you to view individual forms or whole form types or the whole document by clicking the relevant button by the form type. You can print a selection by using the form number option, this will also tell you which pages are which sheet. Additionally, you can print or view the "Notes Report". This will list all from / page numbers and show the text entered in the Noted Box. It will only list those pages where text entries have been made. When you have decided press print.