The software for the easy assessment of pipe inspection data on mobile workstations
User Manual
Version 2.0
Date 03.08.2022
Introduction
The new generation of ProTouch is an optimized application for simplified data entry during mobile inspections of pipelines (sewer, gas pipes etc.) all over the world in all languages. The software allows MPEG video recording and taking pictures directly via live video signal. Section/inspection data entry as well as the description of pipe defects is done via predefined templates and catalogues that follow the standards used in the corresponding countries (e.g. PACP, WRC, WSA, NZPIM etc.)
The whole user interface has been adapted to the operation on mobile equipments with integrated touch screens.
The present documentation describes the stepwise procedure from software installation, project creation, data entry, video recording, taking pictures to printing and project upload via the cloud service WinCan-WEB.
Minimum system requirements
Hardware
Processor: INTEL Core i5
RAM: 8 Gbyte RAM
Free disk space (C:\): 250 Gbyte
Number of USB ports: 2
Number of COM ports (RS232): 1
Type of screen: Touch-Screen: 12 to 13 inch
Operating System
Windows 8.1 PRO, 64bit: all updates provided by Microsoft must be downloaded and installed.
Windows 10 PRO, 64bit: all updates provided by Microsoft must be downloaded and installed.
Software Installation and Configuration
Download the software installation package under www.wincan.com\Downloads and double-click on the installation file ProTouch_SETUP.exe to run the installation. Confirm all the steps given by the installation wizard hitting the button Next accordingly.
Click on the corresponding desktop icon to run the application: the control monitor opens and shows the live video signal and 3 main control buttons located below:
Above the videoscreen on the right hand side you will find the control icons of the battery status, the internet connection as well as a direct access to the most important commands (foto/video gallery, report preview etc.) listed in a standard menu.
Hitting the button Go To Dashboard opens the Home Screen that provides all basic commands/functionalities you will need to work with ProTouch:
Direct access to existing ProTouch projects which are ready to be uploaded to the WinCan cloud.
Re-open the most recent project.
Create a new project: you must at least enter a name and set the damage recording standard used in your country (PACP, WRC, WSA, NZPIM).
Manage the addresses of all project participants (i.e. customers, project managers and contractors)
Hit this button directly after the software installation to make sure all basic configurations have been done before you start your inspection job.
Quit the software
General Program Settings
Hitting the button Settings provides a list of categories that contain configuration options you will have to check or uncheck accordingly. All the settings are organized in categories and sub-categories to make the navigation easier. The most important settings options are described below.
General > Options:
Make sure all options provided in this sub-category are checked. The option Virtual Keyboard Enabled is especially important, if ProTouch has been installed on a tablet computer.
General > Language:
Use this sub-category to set the language of your ProTouch installation on the current computer (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish etc.).
Auto naming:
Select a predefined combination for the section names which the software will enter automatically: The entry NONE allows the user to type the section name manually:
Video > Video Source:
Once the camera is connected to a compatible video encoding device (i.e. Sensoray 2253, Dazzle DVD-Videorecorder or DFG/USB2pro etc.) and switched on the LiveVideo signal appears in the preview panel and the camera thus is ready for recording:
Video > OSD devices
This sub-category provides a list of OSD-devices that are currently supported by ProTouch. Select the desired device and the corresponding COM-port which the device is connected to:
Device Control:
A precise description of this sub-category will follow…
WinCan Web:
Enter your credentials for the usage of the cloud service WinCan WEB. Mind that you have to register your company and your web-account before under web.wincan.com.
Updates:
Connect to the internet, select this category and hit the Update button in order to check whether a new version of ProTouch is available.
Licence:
Check the status of your ProTouch license.
Help:
In case of technical problems write an e-mail to support@wincan.com and type the corresponding ticket number (e.g. WGS-8459) that you will find in the automatic reply. As soon as someone from the technical service is available, he will contact you.
Creating projects
There are two types of projects that can be created. The first one is “Simple project” and the second contains catalogs, structure and observation creation process.
Simple project
This type of project allows user to record video, create photo and maintain it from the “Multimedia Gallery”. To create that project the user needs to select the “Simple Project (Photos and Videos only)” checkbox during the project creation.
Catalog project
Another type of project is a full project with catalog structure. In this case creation is done with selection of:
Country,
Language,
Standard.
Those three elements provide a possibility to select corresponding values for: section, lateral and inspection creation as well as observation codes and descriptions. All the information are taken from a standard and are valid from the legal point of view. Fields marked with a “*” sign a mandatory – which means that they should be provided to accomplish the standard requirements. In the application there is a possibility to omit entering those values, but it will be noticed and the warning will occur. To be sure that all the mandatory fields has been entered the user is able to filter fields by using “Show only mandatory fields” checkbox:
During project creation there is also a possibility to select catalog & template details. In this section the user is able to select a specific template for every element of the project.
The last thing that needs to be done is a confirmation. After a click on the “CREATE” button the project will be created and the application will switch into the Active project mode:
After successful project creation the user is able to open it and take a look at the “Active project” screen . From there is a way to go into the “Project overview” screen, generate a report and take a look at the multimedia files.
In this window the user is able to provide all the necessary fields and the optional ones. The entire set of fields is taken from the template selected during project creation. This pop-up could also filter mandatory fields when the corresponding checkbox is selected.
Next the data entry screen provides buttons to create sections, laterals and drawings. On the left hand side there is a special switch, so the user may choose whether he wants to create a section or a lateral. Hitting the green PLUS button finally adds a section to the project. After a successful section creation the application is automatically starting a first inspection creation. In the catalog project it is necessary to create a section and inspection from this screen.
After all that the user is able to continue. Next available steps is drawing creation and inspection performing. All of those parts will be described in the further part of the manual.
After a successful inspection performing the user gets back into the project overview screen from which there is a possibility to create another section, inspection or just a summary of the work done in this particular project:
Running Inspections
The most important part of this software is the “Inspection screen”. In this screen the user performs inspection. On the left hand side there is an observation selection structure. The user can either search by code or observation text or select the desired observation from the list. When the code is selected the observation details are presented and ready for being entered.
There is a possibility to automate this process a little. In the settings screen (General/observation) there is a setting called: „Auto advance entry mode”. It automates the process of details providing by an automatic advance which means that the application will ask for the next field as soon as the previous one has been entered correctly. When the input is completed correctly the user should confirm it with the Create observation or Create photo observation button. The observation text appears on the screen and is saved to the project database:
When the recording is finished the user is able to get back to the project overview screen.
OSD Panel
The user gets a set of predefined values – OSD objects, panels and all the settings are prepared to be used out of the box. The only thing that has to be done is a device selection.
WinCan ProTouch has got a full support for the OSD. It gives a possibility to add text onto the video stream in both ways – using dedicated hardware or software itself. All the settings connected with this module are available in the settings tab.
On the inspection screen there is a possibility to control both hardware and software OSD using the OSD panel. Every single object can be switched on and off by a click on its name on the panel. The panel itself can be minimized so that it doesn’t cover the video screen.
If you want to customize your OSD panel you must have the expert mode activated: additional panels can then be selected via the list box Select panel:
Value assignment
This pop-up gives user a possibility to specify multidevice support details. This one Is similar to the “function assignment” one but it is connected with the OSD values that are delivered into the application. Those could be: meter counter, inclination, or camera angles.
Open Foto/Video Gallery
This functionality has been mentioned couple of times so far. The gallery (Figure 27) provides a possibility to preview all the photos, videos and drawings created in the project. To be able to get into the gallery the user has to have a project opened.
Every single element in the gallery can be deleted and renamed. The corresponding buttons has been presented on the above screen.
Contact management
During the project creation there is a possibility to prepare and provide the Client, Contractor and Manager information. When the user selects those fields there is a possibility to select or create a contact (Figure 15). The “Add new contact” button leads directly into the “Contact management” screen which is also available from the dashboard (Home screen). In this page (Figure 16) there is a possibility to take a look at the list of contacts, filter them, search for existing ones, delete, create, import and export.
Create contact
To create a contact the user has to click on the “Create contact” button on the “Contact management” page or on the “Add new contact” on the “Pick Contact” pop-up during project creation. The pop-up will occur (Figure 17) presenting all the fields that could be provided including:
Type: the contact type chosen from:
Client,
Contractor,
Manager,
Company Name,
Address,
Logo,
Etc.
All those fields will be saved in the contact details and will be available in the report and in Contact management screen.
All the fields that has “*” next to its name are mandatory – which means that they needs to be filled to save the contact information successfully.
Edit contact information
In the need of changing contact data the user is able to click on the “CONTACT DETAILS” fields available on the right side of the application. Those data can be changed for every contact. After the change has been done there is a need to “SAVE” or discard changes. It can be done using the buttons on the bottom of the application (Figure 18 Confirmation buttons).
Delete contact
To delete the contact the user needs to select it from the list and click on the TRASH icon in contact details bar.
Mind that you cannot restore contacts which have previously been deleted!
Data Output and Transfer
Creating PDF reports
Then the project is finished and ready to generate the final report – it also can be done inside WinCan ProTouch. The report generator is available on the active project screen.
The report contains the project summary connected with inspection and section details. Those values describes all the works from the current project.
Upload projects to WinCan WEB
From the home screen there is a way to get into the “Project Management” screen.
From this screen there is a possibility to create, open, import, export, rename and delete the project. The user has the possibility to maintain the Web connectivity: send, download and look through the WinCan Web projects.
To preview the project that are available on WEB account it is required to go to settings (from Home Screen) and go into network tab (Figure 9). Next there is a need to provide account credentials and click apply to save changes. The notification informing about the successful connection will appear.
After a successful connection the user should get back into the “Project Management” screen. The list of project should now be filled with the projects from WinCan Web’s account. To filter those data click on the “Show filters” button. The cloud icon on every row informs that the project is available online and the USB stick next to it gives user the information that it is also available offline on the device.
Download the project
To download the project and use it locally there is a need to click on the settings button and select “Download from Cloud” option (Figure 10).
Share project
After the project is completed the user has a possibility to share the link and send it into the provided e-mail address (Figure 11).
Import project
In case of a need to import a project made on another device or in the WinCan VX there is a button called: “Import project”. When the user clicks on that button the pop-up appears and gives a possibility to select the project location. When the application will recognize the project (by the internal structure) the checkbox will appear next to the folder:
After the confirmation the project appear on the list. If the user creates projects in WinCan VX as well as in WinCan ProTouch all of them will automatically be visible on the list.
Export project
When the project is finished it could be exported to be used on another device or imported onto the WinCan VX application. To do so there is a need to select a project that is available locally (there should be a usb stick icon colored in white:
After that the user is able to click on the “Export project”, specify the destination and the project will be exported there. The entire structure of the exported folder corresponds to both ProTouch and WinCan VX structure so it is possible to import it to those applications without any additional steps.
Editing project drawings
One of our main modules in the ProTouch Application is the “Drawings module”.
It gives the user a possibility to create a drawing or leave some notes about the current project and/or section. This tool allows to import some pictures, add map background, text, icon, text and geometry. Every provided shape can be manipulated and deleted and the drawing can be saved. Every single drawing created by this tool is automatically supported by the WinCan Draw application from WinCan VX.
On the above screen (Figure 26) the basic module’s functionalities has been presented. Every single functionality needs to be enabled to be used. Basic scenario:
Select desired tool by pressing its button on the toolbar,
Draw this element on the screen,
Change its shape and position,
Set the desired color and saturation using two provided sliders.
The object is ready. To remove the element that has already been drawn please click on the delete button having the object selected.
To place a background object like map or image the user needs to get into the “Picture” dropdown, select image or map tool and provide desired location.
At the end the user is supposed to save the drawing or discard changes to leave the module.
Every single project can have one drawing per section and one additional for the project itself. Created drawings are able to be seen on the gallery. From there the user is able to open a drawing and edit it. At the end when the project is finished it can be added into the report (). To do that the user has to get into the report generator. This functionality is available from the active project screen.
Expert mode (unavailable in official version)
To allow user to modify the default OSD settings the ProTouch license has to contain a feature called:
“ProTouch Expert”. It has to be called exactly this way to make it work. After a second check the application will add a new tab in the General part of Settings. This tab is called “MODE” and it allows the user to get into the Expert mode.
So far all the changed that the expert mode gives are visible in the OSD tab of Settings. The user in this mode is able to change all the settings connected with object configuration, common settings, masks settings, function and values assignment add create a favorite free texts. In this mode one more tab is available. It is called “Panels” and gives the possibility to specify additional OSD panels as well as giving them custom naming and elements. What is more – ProTouch in the Expert mode has got a possibility to connect into more than one OSD device. It could be for example hardware OSD IP08 and ProTouch Software OSD to display some additional elements that are not available from the first device. To specify which device is being controlled there is a need to specify the correct function assignment from the corresponding pop-up. It can be found on the “SETTINGS” tab of the OSD part in the Settings (Figure 30).
As you can see on the Figure 30 “OSD functions” and “OSD objects” has been switched into “2” device. It means that the configurations and changes will be applied into the second device on the list visible on first page (Figure 31).
This screen has been already described in the previous part of the document. It allows user to select OSD devices, add additional ones and specify the connection parameters and port. On the right hand side the user can see the video stream and control the changes done on the configuration.
Configuration of OSD objects
Another very useful window is “Object configuration” (Figure 32) it gives user a possibility to manipulate OSD objects visible on the screen.
The position can be specified using a coordinates of the elements or by drag&drop. The second possibility needs to be enabled to be used. To do that the user needs to switch into “Drag on screen” mode and then select the object you want to displace directly via Drag and Drop. After that the blue rectangle will appear on the screen and the user will be able to manipulate elements position. What is needed to be done is to place the desired object on the specified location. The changes are automatically visible on the live video stream.
General settings
Next pop-up (Figure 33) is concerned on the most important settings of the OSD. It contains all the major values like: colors of objects, timing of visibility time, etc. those settings are global – which means that those values will be same for every connected device and the change is automatically sent to all of them at the same time.
Masks settings
On this window the user can specify the OSD masks. This feature allows to display database values on a specified moment on the video. When the user adds an observation it will be displayed on the screen, when there will be a recording started the video will be filled with the section details, etc. There are 6 masks and every one of them can be added into the OSD Panel to be displayed on demand.
The masks pop-up (Figure 34) consists of couple main parts:
Mask selector,
Colors selector,
Values provider,
Video preview
The values provider is divided into two parts. The first allows the user to enter any single text from keyboard, and the second one allows to select a database field. If the user clicks on the “Select from DB” button the pop-up (Figure 35) is being opened.
Function assignment
This pop-up (Figure 36) gives user a possibility to specify multidevice support details. On the left hand side there are OSD functions. All of them can be used by one of the connected devices. If the user specifies that some function should be used by second device – it will be. The number of the device corresponds with the order on the “DEVICE” tab of OSD settings.
Value assignment
This pop-up gives user a possibility to specify multidevice support details. This one Is similar to the “function assignment” one but it is connected with the OSD values that are delivered into the application. Those could be: meter counter, inclination, or camera angles.
Free text favourites
This pop-up (Figure 37) allows user to specify the free texts. This functionality provides a possibility to show on the screen texts that has been provided by user. Settings entered in this screen can be then added into the OSD panel as a button (description provided in OSD Panels section) and shown on the video during inspection. This pop-up contains one box per text on the left hand side and a preview video that can be maximized to preview changes. Every box consists of coordinates, visibility time, colors and text itself. All those settings has to be specified to allow saving.
Panels
Last option that is getting visible on Expert mode is “PANELS” tab (Figure 29). In this section there is a possibility to add, remove, name and manipulate with the OSD Panels visible on the inspection screen.
To edit specified panel the user should click on its name. From this screen the user is able to add objects into the OSD Panel, remove them and change its position on the panel.
To add an object – Double click on its name.
To remove an object – Click on the corresponding “x” button.
To change its position press and hold the object and move it as soon as its color change.
