# My Problem Solved! ©

## Introduction: and Why I Offer So Many Help Desk Programs

I developed my first help desk program in 1999. I wrote the program for my own use as a network administrator when more expensive help desk programs were “not in the budget”. I offered Been There, Done That! © for sale on my first web site (http://www.dbandsons.com/) and I continue to pleased with the reception that simple help desk program received – the current version is 7.0. I began getting email from people who liked the simplicity and ease of use of the program, but they had a problem – they wanted users to be able to request support via browser. In response, I developed Problem Solved! © an easy to use help desk program that includes an integrated http server. The current version of that program is 4.0. Both of these two programs use an efficient and scalable file format (.tps files) but the data format is somewhat proprietary so I began receiving email from users who like the HTTP Server in Problem Solved! © but wanted to use a Microsoft Access format database on the back end. So, I developed the AccessAble Help Desk© Suite and Special Editions. These programs also proved popular and sales began to surpass Problem Solved! © but then I started getting requests for a help desk program that would allow for the use of Microsoft’s IIS Web Server. The next program I developed for them became - and still is - my best seller: AccessAble Help Desk© Professional Edition. Proving that you can’t please everybody, the next requests I got were for a version of AccessAble Help Desk© that would use Microsoft’s SQL Server as the backend. What’s left? Well, I then started getting email from users who suggested I develop a help desk program that would utilize the MySQL database on the back end – not only because it provides a more affordable client server option, but also because it is provided by so many web hosts, along with .PHP as opposed to the Active Server Pages I provided with AccessAble Help Desk© Professional Edition. This began to make a lot of sense to me, since there are Windows based installations of both MySQL and PHP. So, here it is – My Problem Solved! © - maybe this affordable help desk program can solve some of your programs, too.

## Requirements: Things you may need (if you don’t already have them) and where to get them.

It is entirely possible that you – or your web host – already provides MySQL and PHP support and have provided you with an IP address for the MYSQL host PC and a username and password. If that is the case, all you need to begin using the web interface is FTP software to upload the files to the web site. You will need to create a database named PSMYSQL and run the script I provide to create the tables. You will also need to edit the common.php file provided with the other .php and .html pages. The common.php file I provide assumes you have uploaded the files and subdirectories to a directory named \mypsweb – if you installed the web pages to a different directory, be sure to change the above in your common.php. While editing the common.php file(I recommend using notepad or other plain text editor) you may also need to change the lines for the user name and password – unless you will be using a username of Root with a password of Root.

In order to use the windows based application, you will need to have the MyODBC drivers installed on the PC where you will install my program. style="mso-spacerun: yes"> You will need to know the IP address, your username and password. The MySQL MyODBC can be downloaded from http://www.mysql.com/ – if you are setting up a windows PC you will also need to download the MySQL database in windows binary format as well, also from http://www.mysql.com/

If you will be serving the .PHP pages from your own Microsoft Windows based PC or server you will need to have Microsoft IIS installed (this is free but not always installed by default). If IIS is not installed you will need to use Add/Remove Programs applet in the Control Panel and choose Add Windows Components. Then, you may also need to download and install PHP from http://www.php.net/

## Provided by Me

The .zip file which contains this file includes two executable files. Websetup.exe installs the .php and .html files as well as one Theme. Registered users will receive a CD with the same files as well as a collection of other themes to allow you to choose a look and feel for the web pages. The .html files are templates or patterns that are used when the .php pages are browsed. So, for example, if you make some changes to the psmenu.html file when you or your technicians browse to the corresponding psmenu.php file you will see the cosmetic or other changes in your browser. Be careful not to change anything in brackets {} in the .html pages. It is also important to note that the pages are Case Sensitive. A file on a Unix or Linux based web server can be in all UPPER case, all lower case or MixEd case. The file common.php, Common.php and COMMON.PHP can be three different files so if you are using FTP to transfer files to a hosted web site, be sure your preferences are set to Preserve Case. This important, because, especially in the case of the Common.php file pages are referred to as in Sorter.php and if the file on your server is named sorter.php you will get unexpected results.

The file in the zip named setup.exe is to install the Windows based portion of the application. You will want to be sure that you have already installed the MyODBC drivers from Mysql.com and that you have run one of the two provided .sql scripts to create the tables. The file createtables.sql will just create the table structure in the database named PSMYSQL while the file named createwithdata.sql will include a lot of sample data, especially in the users and vendors files. This may be helpful to let you get an idea of the program will perform with a lot of data, or at least several hundred records.

In all honesty you will have to do more “upfront” work to begin using this program than any of my other help desk programs, but I believe you will find the effort worthwhile. And please don’t hesitate to email me if you have problems or questions. I respond to all email messages as soon as I receive them. Please do mention My Problem Solved! in the subject of your email. Like you, I get a a good bit of spam email and most of them either have no subject at all of just “Hi” so please include a subject that will let me know you are writing me about this program. NOTE: You do not have to have already registered to email me with a question or two. I would really rather you not purchase a license until you are satisfied the program meets your needs. That’s the reason I offer a fully functional 30 day demo of all of my programs. I do want your money – but not until you are satisfied my program offers value and does what you need it to do.

Technical support is Free, just limited to email, and again you don’t have to registered (purchased your site license) to email me your questions. Version upgrades are also free to registered users, whether the upgrades are to the Windows application, additional or changed web pages, or both. Also, as stated above the CD I send to registered users will contain a variety of additional themes.

Although pricing is subject to change, I will be offering version 2.0 at just $299 during an introduction period (probably at least the first two months). Please visit my websites for ordering information or send email to me at dennis@dbandsons.com

Being a network administrator, I believe in having backups. So you will find links to my software on all of the web sites listed below, but http://www.lnsoftware.com/ is a good place to start.

Dennis Baggott

(the Dad in Dennis Baggott and Sons)

http://www.dbandsons.com/

http://www.affordablehelpdesksoftware.com/

http://www.lnsoftware.com/