Version
1.3
QR-TOOLBOX
LIS. Environmental Protection Agency
User's Guide
Q QRToolbox ~ X
c
}R TOOLBOX
QR Toolbox v1.3
USEPA Homeland Security Research Program
System ID:
Storage location set to online (SharePoint).
QR Reader I QR Creator-Batch I QR Creator-Single I Setup I About/Credits I Exit
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USER'S GUIDE
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
QR-TOOLBOX
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Homeland Security Research Program
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
By:
Muhammad KarimP, Timothy Boe**, Paul Lemieux++, Jonathan Pettit***, Catherine Yc >utu'.''''
+ EPA National Student Services Contract (NSSQ
** EPA Office of Research and Development
xxx epa Office of Land and Emergency Management
xxxx EPA. Region 1
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USER'S GUIDE
Disclaimer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through its Office of Research and Development,
funded and managed the research described here. It has been subjected to the Agency's review and
has been approved for publication. Note that approval does not signify that the contents necessarily
reflect the views of the Agency. Mention of trade names, products, or services does not convey
official EPA approval, endorsement, or recommendation.
Questions concerning this document, or its application, should be addressed to:
Timothy Boe
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response
109 T.W. Alexander Dr. (MD-E-343-06)
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Phone 919.541.2617
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USER'S GUIDE
Foreword
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged by Congress with protecting the
Nation's land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency
strives to formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities
and the ability of natural systems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA's research
program is providing data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and
building a science knowledge base necessary to manage our ecological resources wisely, understand
how pollutants affect our health, and prevent or reduce environmental risks in the future.
The Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER) within the Office of
Research and Development (ORD) conducts applied, stakeholder-driven research and provides
responsive technical support to help solve the Nation's environmental challenges. The Center's
research focuses on innovative approaches to address environmental challenges associated with the
built environment. We develop technologies and decision-support tools to help safeguard public
water systems and groundwater, guide sustainable materials management, remediate sites from
traditional contamination sources and emerging environmental stressors, and address potential
threats from terrorism and natural disasters. CESER collaborates with both public and private sector
partners to foster technologies that improve the effectiveness and reduce the cost of compliance,
while anticipating emerging problems. We provide technical support to EPA regions and programs,
states, tribal nations, and federal partners, and serve as the interagency liaison for EPA in homeland
security research and technology. The Center is a leader in providing scientific solutions to protect
human health and the environment.
This user guide describes a system for using commercial off-the-shelf webcams and open source
software for generating or scanning quick response (QR) codes as a means for recognizing,
recording, and sharing the location, duration, and status of resources. The system can easily be
deployed and networked with satellite locations, maintaining a centralized database of records. The
QR-Toolbox serves as a firee-to-use, customizable, and easily deployable solution capable of tracking
assets in the field during emergency responses.
Gregory Sayles, Director
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response
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USER'S GUIDE
Acronym/Abbreviation List
Acronym Definition
CESER Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response
CSV comma-separated values
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
HSRP Homeland Security Research Program
URL Uniform Resource Locator
QR Code Quick Response Code
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USER'S GUIDE
Table of Contents
Disclaimer iii
Foreword iv
Acronym/Abbreviation List v
Table of Contents vi
List of Figures vii
List of Tables viii
Introduction 1
How to Use This Guide 2
Point of Contact 2
Design 3
Design Components 3
Setup 4
Setting up SharePoint Online 4
Modify Settings 6
Run the Tool 8
Access the Tool 8
Startup 8
Functions 9
QR Reader 9
QR Creator - Batch 13
QR Creator - Single 14
Upload/Consolidate 15
Setup 17
About/Credits 18
Exit 19
Change Camera Source 20
Change Storage Location 21
Special Character Conversion 22
Troubleshooting 25
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List of Figures
Figure 1. QR-toolbox design components 3
Figure 2. SharePoint client identification (ID) and client secret generation 5
Figure 3. SharePoint Application Key activation 6
Figure 4. Settings.py file 7
Figure 5. QR-Toolbox icon 8
Figure 6. QR-Toolbox startup 9
Figure 7. QR-Toolbox Reader 10
Figure 8. QR-Toolbox upload fail 11
Figure 9. QR-Toolbox new session or restart session 12
Figure 10. QR-Toolbox restart session example 12
Figure 11. QR Creator Batch example 13
Figure 12. QR Creator Batch example 2 14
Figure 13. QR Creator Single example 15
Figure 14. QR Creator Single example 2 15
Figure 15. Upload/consolidate function 16
Figure 16. Upload triggered, no data example 16
Figure 17. Consolidate records function example 17
Figure 18. Setup options 18
Figure 19. About/credits button 19
Figure 20. Exit button 20
Figure 21. Change camera source options 21
Figure 22. Change storage location 22
Figure 23. Special character conversion options 23
Figure 24. Special character conversion choosing yes example 23
Figure 25. Special character conversion choosing no example 24
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List of Tables
Table 1. Troubleshooting Guide
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USER'S GUIDE
Introduction
Learn about the Quick Response (QR) Toolbox. A desktop-based tool for creating QR
Codes one-by-one or en masse, along ivith the ability to read and log those codes to .
track of personnel or items/ equipment.
CHAPTER
The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Center for
Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER) within the Office of Research and
Development (ORD) conducts applied, stakeholder-driven research and provides responsive technical
support to help solve the Nation's environmental challenges. Hie Center's research focuses on innovative
approaches to address environmental challenges associated with the built environment. CESER develops
technologies and decision-support tools to help safeguard public water systems and groundwater, guide
sustainable materials management, remediate sites from traditional contamination sources and emerging
environmental stressors, and address potential threats from terrorism and natural disasters. A key element
of oversight during an emergency response is the process of tracking equipment and resources. For large-
scale incidents, this can often require tracking thousands of records across a large geographical area. This
has historically been accomplished using paper or electronic methods; however, this process could entail a
significant amount of manual effort to maintain, be error prone, or require the use of expensive
proprietary software or hardware to facilitate.
As part of the Homeland Security Research Program's (HSRP's) ongoing collaborative efforts with the
EPA Regions and Office of Emergency Management, HSRP developed a system using commercial off-
the-shelf webcams and open source software for generating or scanning quick response (QR) codes as a
means for recognizing recording, and sharing the location, duration, and status of resources. The system
can easily be deployed and networked with satellite locations, maintaining a centralized database of
records. The QR-Toolbox serves as a free-to-use, customizable, and easily deployable solution capable of
tracking assets in the field during emergency responses.
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USER'S GUIDE
How to Use This Guide
The purpose of this guide is to provide the necessary information to operate the tool. Described in this
guide are the design and development details and choices for the program, as well as the information
describing how to access and operate the tool. Appendix A provides a brief Quick Start Guide.
The "icon key" to the right contains symbols used throughout this guide to
highlight important information and additional guidance.
Point of Contact
Timothy Boe
US EPA Office of Research and Development
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response
919-541-2617 office
boe.timothy@epa.gov
CON KEY
9 Valuable Tip
Important Note
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USER'S GUIDE
Design
Understand the tool's underlying design, methodology, and workflow
The QR-Toolbox is a Windows 10 Python-based application that uses a
built-in or external webcam to scan QR codes.
Design Components
The QR-Toolbox was built using Python (3.7.4), Kivy, Office365 REST Python API, and SharePoint
Online. The Toolbox is capable of storing scanned QR codes locally (i.e., offline mode) or online using
Microsoft SharePoint. The Toolbox uses the Office365 REST Python API to connect to the SharePoint
Online Service to upload or download the files necessary to operate the application. Figure 1
demonstrates the QR-Toolbox design components.
Figure 1. QR-toolbox design components.
CHAPTER
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USER'S GUIDE
Setup
The tool can be accessed and downloaded from the application's GitHub page:
https://rithub.com/USEPA/OR Tool. To download the tool, click the "Releases" button, locate
the "QR Tool" link, and click the "QR-Toolbox-Installer.. .zip" link. Clicking the link will initiate
the download.
To install the QR-Toolbox, execute the "QR-Toolbox-Installer...exe" file, located in the Setup folder
(or the location of where the installation file was downloaded). The installer allows for single-user
installation. Elevated privileges are not needed to install the application (when installed on the user's
profile). Following installation, the user can use the application in offline mode. To run the
application in online mode, additional setup is required. The following section describes the online
setup process.
Setting up SharePoint Online
Hoip to set ttp the QR-Toolbox online mode
When operating in online mode, the QR-Toolbox uses SharePoint to store and
retrieve scanned QR data across an organization's network. To use the online
mode, a SharePoint Application Key is required. An Application Key can be
generated by SharePoint through administrator access or by contacting the system
administrator. This process is necessary only if the QR-Toolbox is being used external to EPA.
EPA personnel should use the provided Application Key and continue to Chapter 4.
The instructions for setting up the Application Key are located here:
https:/ / docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/dev/solution-guidance/security-apponlv-azureacs
The SharePoint directory and setup will vary by organization and license. Example A shows the
EPA Emergency Response SharePoint site Uniform Resource Locator (URL), and Example B
shows the Application Key creation link. Figure 2 shows the Application Key creation dialog.
o Example 1:
https: / / usepa.sharepoint.com/sites /Emergency%20Response /EOCIncident/
o Example 2:
https: / /usepa.sharepoint.com/sites /Emergency%20Response/EOCIncident/ layouts /1
5 / AppRegNew.aspx
CHAPTER
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USER'S GUIDE
Client Id:
Client Secret:
Title:
App Domain:
Example: "www.contoso.com"
Redirect URI:
Example: "https://www.contoso.com/clefsuIt.aspx"
Create Cancel
Figure 2. SharePoint client identification (ID) and client secret generation.
From the SharePoint Client ID and Client Secret Generation dialog, Click the "Generate" button
to generate a Client ID and a Client Secret. Write down the Client ID and Client Secret for use in
the next step. Enter a "Title" and click the "Create" button.
Note: The following are examples and might be different depending on the organisation's SharePoint version.
Title: insert title
App Domain: www.localhost.com
Redirect URI: https://www.localhost.com
To grant the necessary permissions, take the URL from the last step and remove the
"/layouts/ 15/AppRegNew.aspx" and instead add "/_layouts/ 15/AppInv.aspx" at the end, as
shown in the example link below. Navigate to the URL, and a screen like Figure 3 should appear.
The Application Key Activation dialog is used to enable the necessary permissions to read and
write data to SharePoint remotely. At this screen, enter the Client ID (which was acquired from
the last step) into the "App ID" field and click "Lookup." Then, fill out the remaining fields with
the same information provided in the previous steps. Finally, copy the XML into the Permission
Request XML field as shown in Figure 3. This XML code describes the permissions needed by
the application. Click the "Create" button to finish.
https: / /usepa.sharepoint.com/sites /Emergency%20Response/EOCIncident/ layouts /15/AppI
nv.aspx
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USER'S GUIDE
App Id:
Lookup
Title:
App Domain:
Example: "www.coritoso.com"
Redirect URL:
Example: "https://www.contoso.com/default.aspx"
App's Permission Request XML
Permission Request XML:
The permission required by the app.
App Id and Title
The app's identity and its title.
Create
Cancel
Figure 3. SharePoint Application Key activation.
Modify Settings
The installation includes a settings.py file that is used to reference the SharePoint Client ID and Client
Secret that were generated above, as well as the URL to the organization's SharePoint site. The application
uses the settings.py file to pass credentials to SharePoint to transfer and store data.
Locate and modify the settings.py file, which if not changed the default installation location
during installation would be in "C:/Users//AppData/Local/Programs/QR-
Toolbox/Setup," where is the user name of the computer the Toolbox is installed on.
The settings.py file should look similar to Figure 4,. Replace the '' with the
organization's SharePoint site URL (keep the quotes). Replace the '' with the
generated Client ID, and the '' with the generated Client Secret.
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settings = {
'url': '',
'clientjd': '',
'client_secret': ''
}
Figure 4. Settings.py file.
Note: The Client ID, Client Secret, or SharePoint URL must be updatedprior to running the tool
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USER'S GUIDE
Run the Tool chapter
Understand the steps necessary to operate the tool and its features
Access the Tool
To start the application, either double-click the shortcut named "QR-
Toolbox" (as shown in Figure 5) located on the desktop (if specified during installation) or go to the
Start Menu and search for the QR-Toolbox application.
Figure 5. QR-Toolbox icon.
Startup
At startup, the user will be asked to choose a storage location (Figure 6). Simply choose the
preferred storage location (local or online). If online mode is chosen, confirm that the computer has
an active internet connection and that the SharePoint Application Key process has been completed.
If local mode is chosen, select a directory for storing files (see SETTINGS | Choose Storage Location).
As depicted in Figure 6 below, the application consists of a single window, with a series of buttons
at the bottom. Each button has its own function, except for the "Setup" button, which opens an
additional menu. All important information is displayed via the status screen located in the center of
the application (above the buttons). The status screen is scrollable, either by using a mouse scroll
wheel or by clicking the screen and dragging up or down (Note: laptop touchpad scrolling is
somewhat difficult and finicky, it is better to use one of the other two methods).
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ajS
Select a storage location
Do you want data stored on Sharepoint (online) or locally?
Note: Files are also saved in the QR-Toolbox Archive folder regardless.
Local (Specify a location on the computer)
Online (Sharepoint)
Figure 6. QR-Toolbox startup.
Functions
The QR-Toolbox is composed of three primary functions: 1) QR Reader, 2) QR Creator
(single/batch), and 3) Setup. The following sections describe these functions in detail.
QR Reader
The QR Reader function uses the camera connected to the computer to read QR Codes, as seen in
Figure 7. The QR Codes, when read, are highlighted on the camera window with a red box around
them. Upon scanning, the data stored in the code will be displayed on the screen, along with other
information, such as the Desktop ID of the computer currently in use, the current time, and
whether the data corresponding to that QR Code is 'checking in' or 'checking out.'
Note: QR Codes not generated by the QR Creator (described belonj might be rejected by the system due to
incompatibility issues.
The QR Reader uses the 'checking in' and 'checking out' mechanism to keep track of the current
status of personnel as well as items/equipment with QR codes attached. When a code is checked
out, the system will also include the time elapsed duration. These data are stored in a comma-
separated values (CSV) file. The CSV file is stored in three separate locations, depending on the
systems settings:
1. Archive folder this folder is located in the root folder of the program (i.e., C:/Users//AppData/Local/Programs/QR-Toolbox/Archive). The system will store all CSX T and
generated QR Codes here by default;
2. If local (offline) mode stored in the user specified directory; and
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3. If online mode stored on the SharePoint site.
O QKToolbox
D X
[ALERT] Starting video stream...
To exit, click on the webcam window and press Q'
Renee checking IN at 2020-12-10 12:19:45.161455 at location: LZ2626EMKARIMI
Test checking IN at 2020-12-10 12:19:51.175750 at location: LZ2626EMKARIMI
Renee checking OUT at 2020-12-10 12:19:56.050272 at location: LZ2626EMKARIMI for duration of
0:00:10.888817
Test checking OUT at 2020-1 2-1 0 1 9'9fV3a Inratinrv I 79ft9ftFMk'ARIMIfnrHliratinn nf
0:00:47.073635
QRReader I QRCreator-Batch I QRCreator-Single I Setup I About/Credits
J ^Setu|>^^^^^About/Credrt^^^^^^^Exi^^ j
Figure 7. QR-Toolbox Reader.
As demonstrated in Figure 8, when operating in the online mode and the system fails to upload the
scanned QR code or the CSV file, the system will wait for 10 seconds and then try again, and if
unsuccessful, the system will try again in 30 seconds. If the upload process continues to fail, the data
will be backed up in a local file. The system will attempt to upload the data once an internet
connection is successfully established (either in the QR Reader function, or in the QR Creator
functions). The upload process can be triggered manually via the "Setup->Upload/Consolidate"
function that is described later in this chapter.
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Q QKToolbox
[ALERT] Starting video stream...
To exit, click on the webcam window and press 'Q'
Creating list item example...
List item Test' has been created.
Test checking IN at 2020-12-10 12:40:34.639961 at location: LZ2626EMKARIMI
[ALERT] Cleaning up...
Connection lost. Trying again in 10 seconds.
Reconnect failed. Trying again in 30 seconds.
Reconnect failed again. Data will be stored locally and uploaded at the next upload point, or if
triggered from the menu.
QR Reader
QR Creator - Batch I QR Creator - Single
Setup About/Credits Exit
Figure 8. QR-Toolbox upload fail.
Sessions
Upon starting the QR-Toolbox, the user will be notified as to whether they want to restart an old
session or create a new one, as seen in Figure 9 and 10. The QR Reader automatically saves the data
from its last run or session (even in the event of a system crash), so that the user can restart the
application and resume operation. A new session can be started by selecting the "New Session"
button. Note that this action will delete any previous unsaved records.
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Figure 9. QR-Toolbox new session or restart session.
O QRToolbox
Previous session will be restarted, if one exists.
[ALERT] Starting video stream...
To exit, click on the webcam window and press 'Q'
No previous records found. CSV file will not include past records.
Previous session restarted.
QR Reader I QR Creator - Batch I QR Creator - Single I Setup
I QR Creator-Single j Setup j About/Credits j Exit j
Figure 10. QR-Toolbox restart session example.
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USER'S GUIDE
Exiting the Session
The QR Reader can be closed by clicking the video stream window and tapping "Q" on the
keyboard. Note that clicking the "X" close button will not work.
QR Creator- Batch
This function allows the user to quickly generate a large number of QR Codes. The QR Creator
Batch function is run by selecting the QR Creator Batch button. The system loads and reads data
stored in the user supplied CSV file and generates a QR Code for each record. This process could
take several minutes, depending on the size of the CSV file (i.e., the number of records). Once
complete, text will be displayed on the screen informing the user of a successful run, as displayed in
Figures 11 and 12.
Setup
The following steps are required in order to successfully run batch mode:
Local (offline) mode:
o Locate the installation folder for the QR-Toolbox. If default, it will be
"C:/Users//AppData/Local/Programs/QR-Toolbox"
o Create and place a CSV file called 'names.csv' in the root folder, i.e. QR-Toolbox. In
this file, the first two columns (or both) should contain the data/name/information
that will be converted to a QR Code. Each line represents a new code. There are no
limitations on the number of codes that can be generated other than standard
memory or file size limitations.
Online mode:
o This concept is similar to the above, except the "names.csv" file is stored on the
SharePoint site where the QR Codes are saved.
©QRToolbox - ~ X
The batch QR code function is used to quickly create multiple QR codes by referencing a .csv file.
-If QR Toolbox is in local mode, the CSV file must be stored in the root folder of the program (where
it was installed), and named 'names.csv'.
The Tool will then automatically create QR codes for each line in the csv, and save each QR Code
image to the Tools root folder
(this folder is usually called 'QR-Toolbox', and should be found in
C:/Users//AppData/Local/Programs). Where refers
to your user name on your computer. However, if you changed the install location, it may not be
at that file path.
-If QR Toolbox is in online mode, the csv file must be stored on the SharePoint site where QR codes
are
located, and must also be named names.csv'. The Tool will then do the same as above, but will
also store each
QR code image to the SharePoint site.
-'names.csv' may consist of two columns 'first' & second'. The 'first' and 'second' columns could be
populated with participant's first and last names, or other information, and will be joined together
with a space in between.
Creating QR code: first last
Creating QR code: Bob Smart
Creating QR code: Smart Bob
Creating QR code: Bob Smart
I QR Creator-Batch
QR Creator - Single
Setup
About/Credits
Figure 11. QR Creator - Batch example.
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O QRToolbox ~ X
image to the Tools root folder
(this folder is usually called 'QR-Toolbox', and should be found in
C:/Users//AppData/Local/Programs). Where refers
to your user name on your computer. However, if you changed the install location, it may not be
at that file path.
-If QR Toolbox is in online mode, the csv file must be stored on the SharePoint site where QR codes
are
located, and must also be named 'names.csv'. The Tool will then do the same as above, but will
also store each
QR code image to the SharePoint site.
-'names.csv' may consist of two columns 'first' & 'second'. The 'first' and 'second' columns could be
populated with participant's first and last names, or other information, and will be joined together
with a space in between.
Creating QR code: first last
Creating QR code: Bob Smart
Creating QR code: Smart Bob
Creating QR code: Bob Smart
Creating QR code: Smart Bob
Creating QR code: Bob Smart
Creating QR code: Smart Bob
Success!
| QR Reader
| QR Creator - Batch |
| QR Creator-Single |
Setup |
| About/Credits J
I - I
Figure 12. QR Creator - Batch example 2.
QR Creator- Single
This function enables the creation of a single QR Code. To do tins, click the "QR Creator Single"
button on the application window, and then enter the text that the QR Code will represent (Note:
Only English and Latin characters are accepted.) Once the test has been entered, press the "OK"
button. The system will create a new QR Code and notify the user as shown in Figure 13 and 14.
When operating in online mode, confirm that the SharePoint and die settings.py are set up properly,
as demonstrated in Chapter 3. The generated QR Code will then be stored in the root folder as well
as die QR Codes folder on SharePoint. In local (offline) mode, die Code will be stored in the root
folder as well as in the storage location specified by the user.
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© QKToolbox - ~ X
Enter text to generate a single QR Code and
click OK. The resulting image will be saved in
the tool's origin folder, and selected storage
location.
QR Reader
QR Creator - Batch
QR Creator - Single
Setup
About/Credits
Exit
Figure 13. QR Creator - Single example.
O QRToolbox ~ X
Creating QR code: Test
Success!
| QR Reader |
| QR Creator - Batch |
| QR Creator - Single |
Setup |
About/Credits |
I - I
Figure 14. QR Creator - Single example 2.
Upload/Consolidate
The "Upload/Consolidate" function is located in the "Setup" menu (as shown in Figure 15). This
function either uploads backed-up data or consolidates all the CSV files into a single CSV file. The
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USER'S GUIDE
function of tins button changes depending on the connection status (i.e., online or local (offline)
mode).
© QKToolbo*
~ X
Choose an option
Upload/Consolidate
Change Camera Source
Change Storage (Local/Online)
Special Character Conversion
Figure 15. Upload/consolidate function.
Online mode: the system will upload any data that failed to upload in a previous session as shown
in Figure 16.
Oc
Creating QR code: Test
Success!
No backed-up data to upload.
QR Reader QR Creator - Batch
QR Creator - Single
Setup
About/Credits
Figure 16. Upload triggered, no data example.
Local (offline) mode: the system collects all the CSV files located in the local folder (defined by the
user) and consolidates them into a single CSY file as shown in Figure 17.
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© QRToolbox
Creating QR code: Test
Success!
No backed-up data to upload.
Storage directory established: C:/Users/mkarimi/OneDrive - Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)/Profile/Desktop
C:/Users/mkarimi/OneDrive - Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)/Profile/Desktop\QRT-LZ2626EMKARIMI_2020_12_10_12_19_06.csv has been imported.
C:/Users/mkarimi/OneDrive - Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)/Profile/Desktop\QRToolbox.java has been imported.
Consolidated file created in the specified shared drive under the filename
C:/Users/mkarimi/OneDrive - Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)/Profile/Desktop\Consolidated_Record_2020_12_10_12_53_16.csv
QR Reader
QR Creator - Batch
QR Creator-Single Setup About/Credits
Figure 17. Consolidate records function example.
Setup
As shown in Figure 20, clicking the Setup provides access to the following options:
Upload/Consolidate, Change Camera Source, Change Storage, and Special Character Conversion.
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© QRToolbox
- ~ X
Choose an option
Upload/Consolidate
. * Change Camera Source
Change Storage (Local/Online)
Special Character Conversion
Figure 18. Setup options.
About/Credits
This function (as seen in Figure 18) shows information about the QR Toolbox and contributions.
Note: this process will clear the screen.
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© QRToolbox
Figure 19. About/credits button.
Exit
As shown in Figure 19, this function brings up the Kxir dialog, which prompts the user to exit the
software. The "X" close button in the top right corner will also initiate this dialog. The dialog
confirms that the user wants to close the program, as closing the program while running other
functions might cause a loss of data (Note: If the QK Readerfunction is running and the software is closed,
data will he lost) .
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© QRToolbox ~ X
Figure 20. Exit button.
Change Camera Source
The Change Camera Source setting determines which camera the QR Reader uses when reading QR
Codes. The source could be one of the following three options (also demonstrated in Figure 21):
1. The built-in camera (if equipped)
2. An externally connected camera
3. A Raspberry Pi Camera/PiCamera (this tunctionality is experimental)
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O QRTooibox
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X
Which camera do you want to use?
Integrated Webcam
Separate Webcam
PiCamera
Figure 21. Change camera source options.
Change Storage Location
This setting allows the user to specify where QR Codes will be saved (either online [SharePoint] or
local (offline) mode) as shown in Figure 22.
Note: Files are saved in the Jitxhivefolder regardless (which is in the installation folder of the QfL-Toolbox),.
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O QRToolbox - n X
Select a storage location
Do you want data stored on Sharepoint (online) or locally?
Note: Files are also saved in the QR Toolbox Archive folder regardless.
Local (Specify a location on the computer)
Online (Sharepoint)
Figure 22. Change storage location.
Special Character Conversion
This setting allows the user to specify how the application manages special characters (i.e., convert
to regular characters or skip them entirely) as seen in Figures 23, 24, and 25. Special characters are
those that contain ASCII punctuation and symbols. Generally, the application cannot read QR
Codes that contain these special characters. To address this issue, when the system generates QR
Codes, it converts any special characters into regular or English equivalent characters (e.g., e
becomes e). In local (offline) mode, these Codes are converted back when die system writes or
displays the Code in the status box. However, when operating in online mode, special characters do
not write properly and must be (permanently) converted to regular characters and saved to
SharePoint. By selecting the "No (those QR Codes will be skipped)" option, the application will skip
all objects/names that contain special characters. By default, the program will convert special
characters. The user also has the option to toggle the setting back on, allowing the program to
convert codes with special characters to regular characters.
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USER'S GUIDE
© QKToolbox - ~ X
Do you want to allow conversion of QR Codes with
special characters? (Only affects QR Creator
functions when using Sharepoint storage.)
Yes
No (those QR Codes will be skipped)
Figure 23. Special character conversion options.
O QRToolbox
QR Codes with special characters will be converted to regular characters. (Online Mode only)
QR Reader I QR Creator-Batch I QR Creator - Single
QR Creator - Single Setup About/Credits
Figure 24. Special character conversion - choosing yes example.
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USER'S GUIDE
O QRToolbox
QR Codes with special characters will be skipped. (Online Mode only)
QR Code was skipped due to special character.
QR Reader I QR Creator -Batch I QR Creator -Single
Setup
About/Credits
Figure 25. Special character conversion - choosing no example.
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USER'S GUIDE
Troubleshooting
Read about issues and resolutions to common problems
This chapter provides solutions to commonly found problems that users might
encounter when using QR-Toolbox.
Table 1. Troubleshooting Guide
Problem
Cause
Remedy
Program does not run
If the program does not run after
installation, it is likely due to a
missing Microsoft Visual Code
Redistributable.
In the installation folder of the QR-Toolbox
locate the 'Setup' folder. The folder contains
two files, 'vcredist_x64.exe' and
'vcredist_x86.exe.' To figure out which one of
those to use, go to the Start Menu and search
for 'System Information.' In the 'System
Information,' locate the 'System Info' line. If
the value for 'System Info' contains 'x64,' then
run and install the 'vcredist_x64.exe,' and if the
value has 'x32' or 'x86,' then run and install the
'vcredist_x86.exe.'
Online does not work
This problem can occur if
SharePoint has not been set up, or
due to an issue with internet
connection. If neither of these
things are the issue, then there
could be an issue with the setup.py
file.
Confirm that the SharePoint (Chapter 3)
instructions were correctly followed and that
the system has an active internet connection.
QR Reader fails or causes a
crash
Likely due to trying to read a QR
Code that was not generated by the
QR-Toolbox or had characters that
are not supported. Those kinds of
QR Codes might not be
compatible with the QR-Toolbox.
Generate the QR Code using the QR-Toolbox
and rescan.
QR Creation fails
Not Latin or English characters.
Ensure only English and Latin characters are
being used.
Built-in camera does not
start
A common error on Windows
computers.
Restart the computer and check system drivers
if the problem persists
External camera does not
work when user does not
have a built-in camera
If the system lacks a built-in
camera or the user selects an
external camera that does not exist.
If the user does not have a built-in webcam,
they should select the 'Integrated Webcam'
option, as that is the default source for their
computer.
This concludes the User's Guide. Technical or troubleshooting questions can be emailed to the point of
contact listed in Chapter 1.
CHAPTER
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USER'S GUIDE
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Homeland Security Research Program
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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