Knowledge Base

Upgrade to The Observer XT 17

Overview

Use this procedure to start working with a newer version of The Observer XT.

Prerequisites

• You have an older version of The Observer XT and have purchased an upgrade to version 17.
• Your computer meets the system requirements for the new version.

Upgrade Steps

1. Install The Observer XT 17.
2. Upgrade the license (see below).

Upgrading the License

Upgrading the license is required if you purchased a newer version of The Observer XT, or if you purchased extra modules or tools for the current version. The procedure differs for software licenses and hardware keys.

If You Have a Software License Key

1. Start The Observer XT and deactivate your current license. The software will close.
2. Restart The Observer XT and activate your license with your new software license key.

• If this is the first time you are using a software license key, you can skip step 1.

If You Use a Hardware Key

1. Insert the hardware key into a USB port of the computer running The Observer XT.
2. Start The Observer XT 17. The program automatically detects the old license on the hardware key and the Enter Upgrade Key window appears.
3. Enter the numbers supplied to you by Noldus IT, normally sent by e-mail or included in your welcome letter.

If You Already Upgraded to The Observer XT 17 and Purchased an Extra Module

1. In The Observer XT 17, choose Help > Upgrade.
2. Enter the upgrade key supplied to you by Noldus IT.

Notes

• Installing The Observer XT 17 installs it alongside previous versions of The Observer XT.
• You cannot record video directly in The Observer XT 17. If you previously recorded videos in a Live Observation project with The Observer XT 12.5 or an older version, recording devices such as webcams will be removed from the project. It is recommended to use MediaRecorder to record video and control the start and stop of recording with commands from The Observer XT by selecting MediaRecorder as an external device.

The Observer XT Trial Version

Overview

Use the trial version to try out The Observer XT for free for a limited period.

Restrictions

• Valid for 14 days from the day of activation.

Prerequisites

• Your computer meets the system requirements.

Procedure

1. Go to the Noldus website and navigate to The Observer XT product page for animal behavior research or human behavior research.
2. Click Free Trial to receive a free trial license number by e-mail.
3. Install The Observer XT 17 and start it.
4. In the window that opens, choose Activate software license key and click OK.
5. Select either Floating or Fixed and click OK.
6. Enter your activation key in the window that appears and click OK.

Notes

• To see how many days remain in your trial, choose Help > About The Observer XT > License Info.

Preferences

Overview

Use Preferences to configure the following settings:

• Terminology used in the program.
• Warning messages to display.
• File locations.
• The time interval at which The Observer XT saves your project.
• Connection settings with other software, such as MediaRecorder.
• Connection settings with Viso.

Accessing Preferences

Choose File > Preferences and select one of the options described below. Restart The Observer XT after editing these preferences.

Restore Defaults

• To return to the default settings, click the Reset to Default button. This resets preferences in all tabs, not only the current tab.
• Important: If you have entered settings for N-Linx or Viso, you must re-enter them after clicking Reset to Default. Write down your settings before resetting.

Terminology

Choose File > Preferences > Terminology.

• Enter custom singular and plural terms for subjects. For example, if the subjects of your study are children, you can enter "child" and "children".
• Be aware that changing the terminology means the terms in the Help documentation and other materials will no longer match the terms displayed in the program.

Warnings

Choose File > Preferences > Warnings.

• Select the situations for which you want to receive warnings. All warnings are selected by default.
• Select the Never Show Warnings check box to suppress all warnings.

File Locations

Choose File > Preferences > File Locations. Default file locations are set during installation. You can change file locations for the following:

• Projects – The default project location when creating a new project.
• Video Files – The default video file location in the Video Selection window when starting a new observation.
• Audio Files – The location for audio files used for coding.
• Templates – The default location in which templates are stored.

Auto Recovery

Choose File > Preferences > Auto Recovery.

• Auto Recovery saves all data from The Observer XT to a temporary file located in the folder with the same name as your project, prefixed with a tilde (~), under C:\ProgramData\Noldus\The Observer\XT 17\Temp.
• Media files and external data files are not saved to this temporary folder.

Saving and Recovery Settings

• Your data are only saved in the project file when you manually save them (choose File > Save Project).
• By default, auto recovery is enabled and your data are saved to a temporary file every five minutes.
• Optionally change the interval. Noldus recommends leaving auto recovery enabled.