Installation

 

MISTRO Farm 5 or MISTRO Lite require an IBM compatible computer with the following minimum specifications:

                        Windows 98 or later

                        Pentium II processor or better

                        128 Mb of RAM

                        500 megabytes of free disc space (if installing all products)

2.1.1     Setting screen resolution.

 MISTRO Farm 5 and MISTRO Lite have been designed to use a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768 pixels with normal fonts. You will obtain best results using this screen resolution or higher. 

 To set your screen resolution, right mouse click anywhere on your desktop then click Properties. When the screen opens, click on the Settings tab.

 Move the slider in the screen resolution area until it is 1024 by 768. If you are unable to do this, you probably don’t have the correct Windows drivers loaded and you need to consult your hardware technician.

 When you click OK, you will be given some instructions and asked if you wish to proceed. You will then have to answer Yes when asked to use the new screen settings.

 Once you have set the screen resolution, you are ready to proceed with the installation.

 

 

2.1.2     Installing MISTRO Farm 5 and MISTRO Lite.

 

To install MISTRO Farm 5 or MISTRO Lite on your computer, follow these steps:

 

·      Insert the MISTRO installation CD in the CD drive. (If the CD does not auto-start, go to My Computer and select your CD drive (usually D drive) & double click on the install icon on the CD).

·      An installation program will automatically start after a few seconds.

·      This program offers you a choice of many of the MISTRO programs that are available. Click on the MISTRO Farm 5 icon.  This will automatically install MISTRO Farm 5 and MISTRO Lite.

·      Once the program is installed, return to the install window and select the ‘Tutorials’ button to install the tutorials onto your hard drive. If you do not have sufficient disc space then you will be able to run the tutorials off the CD.

·      Once installed, close the install screen and open the program from your desk top. A new Mistro Farm5 icon will have been installed on your desk top.

·      Select Australia as country of use.

·      If upgrading from MISTRO Farm 4 you should then be asked whether you wish to load data from an existing herd, select ‘yes’ and the program will begin importing all the data from version 4. The herd should now load.

·      If installing as a demonstration version when prompted to import data from an existing herd select ‘no’ and then select ‘yes’ to the ‘demonstration herd’ option and import.

·      The program has a manual in .pdf format that can be installed and read or printed off. To view the manual click on the manual icon next to the Farm 5 icon on the installation program.

·      The program also contains an ‘assistant’ that will give you access to a comprehensive list of tutorial videos.  These videos guide you step by step through most of the common procedures and functions available in the program.

 

2.1.3     Running MISTRO for the first time.

 

When MISTRO runs for the first time, there will be no data available. The first box to appear asks whether the program will be used in Australia or New Zealand. Click on the button you require.

 The MISTRO Farm 5 database will be blank when you first run the program. If you are a client of a herd testing centre you will either receive a data disc that can be imported, or your data will be placed on the MISTRO server and your program can automatically import it via the internet. If you are planning to operate MISTRO Farm 5 independently of a herd test centre you should contact the MISTRO help line on 1800 451 451 and we will provide you with a MISTRO Farm 5 data startup file.  This file will contain all of your bull and drug data as well as one dummy cow record which can later be deleted once you have entered some cow records of your own.  Your first step in getting started should be to import your startup file. (See the section on importing data from your herd test centre – page 29). The program will ask for the location of your data, by opening a dialog that allows you to select a file. You will usually need to set the “Look in” box to drive D:, and then select the file on the disc that will usually be your herd identifier with a zip on the end. For example, 703243.ZIP or JVVR.ZIP

 Having installed your data, exit the program and start it up again. When you restart your program, you will be asked to enter some system set up variables (see page 27). Enter the details provided by your herd test centre, or type in a database identity number of 101 for demonstration purposes. Also ensure that you set the preferred dry period for your herd, and select your herd’s identity in the field labelled “Default herd ID”.

 NOTE:

 Data entered into demonstration programs with a database identity number of 101 will be lost if you decide to register the program, and will need to be re-entered. Only enter as much data into a demonstration program as needed for you to decide if the package is what you are after.