Configuration
On a single PC installation, the database can be stored on the same PC that the tool is installed or on another machine (e.g a server) that is accessible via a network.
Two possible configurations for a single-machine installation.
On multiple PC installations, the database and the related files must be located on a shared network folder. Subsequent databases received will need to be copied to the same location. The figure below is a graphical representation of the setup.
Network configuration.
In the above configuration, it is also possible that data files are stored in Client A and Client B will access the database on a shared folder in Client A.
| WARNING! |
| Do not make copies of the database that was sent you. If two (2) or more copies of the same database are needed, contact IFMC. IFMC tags each database with a unique ID and duplication of this ID will cause problems when the databases are analyzed. |
Multiple Practices
For large clinics with several practices who applied separately and are using one EHR system, each practice will have its own database that must be located on a folder separate from the other practices.
Configuration for large clinics with multiple practices using one EHR.
Permissions
In a setting where users have restricted rights the system administrator needs to give these users read and write access to folders where the Tool and Data Files group are located. These are just some of the files that MCMP-PAT creates and accesses at run-time:
| Group | Filename | Description | Create | Read | Update |
| Tool | MCMPPAT.ini | Initialization file | Yes (during loading) | Yes (after loading) | |
| Tool | Error.log | Error log | Yes | Yes (append only) | |
| Tool | "Temp" folder | Temporary folder. | Yes | Yes (files are created and deleted in this folder) | |
| Data Files | MXX000_YY.mcmp | Main database | Yes | Yes | |
| Data Files | MXX00_YY.mlog | Log file for the main database | Yes (only during the first time the main database is accessed) | Yes | Yes |
| Data Files | PATKey.msec | Key file | Yes | ||
| Data Files | PATUsers.msec | User accounts | Yes | Yes |
Initialization File
By default, MCMP-PAT uses the file MCMPPAT.ini to store the username and database path that are loaded at start up. It can be forced to use a different initialization file by passing the path of the file as a command parameter. This can be useful in a setting where only one installation of MCMP-PAT is shared by multiple users or one user is doing abstraction for multiple clinics.
For example, the text file Clinic1.ini is located in the same folder where MCMP-PAT is installed (C:\Program Files\MCMPPAT) and contains these lines:
user1
C:\MCMP_Data\Clinic1\MXX001_BY.mcmp
To force MCMP-PAT to load the information from Clinic1.ini during startup create a shortcut and use this as the location of the item: C:\Program Files\MCMPPAT\MCMPPAT.exe Clinic1.ini. If there is a second clinic, a different shortcut and initialization file could be created for it. This saves the user doing multiple clinics from selecting a database every time MCMP-PAT is loaded.
Updater
The Updater utility needs to overwrite files during an update. It must be given permission to overwrite any files in the folder where MCMP-PAT is intalled. It will also create another temporary folder under the Temp folder during the update process. The updater must have full access to the Temp folder.