COROB™ Software

Getting Started

PG00BC000010500 - R0 - 05/2008
Getting Started

© COPYRIGHT 2008, CPS Color Equipment S.p.A. - All rights reserved in all countries.
No part of this material may be translated into any other languages and/or adapted and/or
reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to
photocopying and recording, without prior written permission of CPS Color Equipment S.p.A.
Information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of CPS Color. Any reference to companies, names, dates and addresses
used in the screens and/or examples is purely accidental, unless otherwise stated, and is intended
solely to clarify use of the CPSCOLOR™ or COROB™ products.
CPS Color shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions made herein; nor for
incidental or consequential damages resulting from the performance or use of this material.
The names of the products used might be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.

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 Getting Started

1. Introduction
The purpose of this Getting Started Guide is to provide an overview on the range of
COROB™ Software.
The information contained in this guide covers the procedures for installation, set-up,
start-up and validation of the software product that you have purchased.
The instructions provided are intended both for the end user, that is, the point of sale
staff, and for the CPS Color technician in charge of the machine installation.
The use and the functionalities of the program are described in the user manual,
available in electronic format on the installation CD or as On line Help that can be
accessed from the program itself.

2. Using the On line Help

The On line Help is a useful source of information for COROB™ programs.
The On line Help topic dialog window provides three search methods for finding the
information required. You can choose a topic from the Contents, use the Index page to
search for a specific topic or the Search page to look for words or phrases.
The On line Help can be opened in different ways:
• by clicking on the Help icon on the toolbar
• by choosing the Help Topics item from the Help menu
• from the main program page, by pressing F1 on the keyboard

3. General information
COROB™ Software leverages the sophisticated design and accuracy of CPS Color
technologies, covering the full range of requirements, from strategic sales and stock
analysis to detailed colour formulation, tinting and mixing.
The COROB™ programs not only manage the dispenser, but offer the user with a series
of services and features that make them complete and flexible tools.
• CorobDRIVER provides software developers with an instrument able to manage all
functionalities of COROB™ automatic dispensers, to be integrated to an application
program dedicated to color formulation management.
• CorobSHOP makes dispensing simple and quick, with an intuitive interface and
a formula database, perfect for entry level users. Custom colours can be edited
and saved. The full barcode management support allows you to reach the zero
misstints. As an added marketing benefit, the screen can be customized with both
the customer’s logo and full custom interface.
• CorobCARD Plus is the fast, stand alone solution to formula selection. It allows
to find the closest colour on the database, to the desired one. It will edit and store
multiple custom colours, and samples can be retrieved and dispensed immediately.
CorobCARD Plus provides total colour flexibility via colour cylinder, NCS interface,
customer colour collection and custom colours and tint selection.
• CorobWORLD is the complete colorimetry program for the most demanding Point
of Sale. It can reproduce a color sample determined by an instrument reading or
selected from a reference color card, searching for the closer color among the

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Getting Started

formulas of the system in use, or creating a new formula using bases and colorants
of the tinting system. The “Color matching” function allows you to create a brand
new formula in order to obtain a given color with the bases and colorants of your
own tinting system. The color to be reproduced may be selected from a known
reference color card or read via spectrophotometer.
• CorobSTAT is the program to analyze and create statistics on the consumption
of bases, colorants, cansizes and formulas in the tinting system, while using a
COROB™ dispenser.
• CorobIMAGE is a program that offers a complete and accurate colour elaboration
of images. It allows to add custom-scanned or photo-camera imported pictures to
the standard images supplied with the program. It is possible to easily select and
mask picture areas for illustrative, rendering and project planning purposes.
• CorobHOUSE is a graphics program that allows to colour a previously masked
image, using the colours of the tinting system, to show customers what their homes
could look like. The system can store hundreds of picture of houses, both exteriors
and interiors, and can show the impact of the different colours on any selected
surface.

4. System requirements
The COROB™ programs are to be used on the Personal Computer that equips a COROB™
automatic dispenser.
If the Personal Computer is supplied by the manufacturer, both the hardware features
and operating system are pre-configured to ensure optimum performance of the
software package.
For Personal Computers purchased directly by the customer or, in any case, not supplied
by the manufacturer, it is important to respect the following minimum requirements:
• IBM® PC and compatibles
• Intel® Pentium III Processor 400 Mhz, 600 Mhz recommended
• Windows® 95/98/ME/XP, Windows® NT® Workstation, Windows® 2000 or
Windows® Vista
• 64 MB RAM or more recommended
• Hard disk 5 Gb
• SVGA compatible display with minimum 4 MB RAM
• Mouse or Trackball
• CD-ROM drive 24X
• Windows® compatible Modem recommended
• 2 serial communication ports (COM1, COM2)
• 2 USB ports
• additional ports if used with Color Matching or label printing, based on the type of
connection with the peripheral used
To know the minimum system requirements for CorobIMAGE and CorobHOUSE
programs, refer to the corresponding user manuals.

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 Getting Started

5. Installation
Install the software applications in the following order:
1. Installation of the dispensing program (CorobSHOP, CorobCARD Plus, etc.).
2. Installation of the data structure, that is to say a database organization of all
information about a tinting system such as colorants, bases, cansizes, formulas,
etc. needed to run the program.
3. Installation of CorobTECH, the configuration and calibration program of COROB™
dispensers.

Figure 1

5.1 Installation of the dispensing program

To install the program:
1. Close any open applications and disable any virus protection programs; these may
be re-activated when installation is complete.
2. Insert the installation CD in the CD-ROM unit.
If the setup does not start automatically, open My Computer and double click on the
CD-ROM icon.
3. From the installation menu (Figure 1), choose the desired category and then click
the button with the name of the program you want to install.

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Getting Started

4. Follow on-screen instructions.

To uninstall the program:
1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start > Control panel.
2. Double click on the icon Add/Remove programs.
3. In the Add/Remove programs dialog box, choose from the list the name of the
program you want to uninstall and click on Remove.
4. Follow on-screen instructions to complete uninstallation.

5.2 Installation of the customizing disk

If required, install the customizing data.
The customizing data consist of all customized elements that differ from the defaults
(customer logo, label layouts, etc.). The customizing disk also makes it possible to set
specific settings for special program functions.
1. Insert the Customizing Disk CD in the CD-ROM unit.
2. On the Windows taskbar, click Start > Run.
3. Type d:\setup (if d:\ is the unit associated to the CD-ROM drive).
4. Follow on-screen instructions to complete installation.

5.3 Installation of the data structure

In order for the program to run, and to configure the COROB™ automatic dispenser,
once you have installed the program you must also install the data structure (or
database) for the tinting system used, generally provided by the manufacturer of the
tinting system and usually available as an executable file.
To install the data structure, double click on the file setup.exe and follow on-screen
instructions.

The data structure must be installed only by following the procedure described above.
Do not transfer databases by copying data from one disk to another.

5.4 Installation of CorobTECH

To get the program ready for use it is necessary to install the CorobTECH configuration
and calibration program onto the dispenser computer where the dispensing program is
installed.
To install CorobTECH, from the installation menu (Figure 1), follow the same procedure
described for program installation.
Using CorobTECH, configure the dispenser, paying particular attention to the assignment
of colorants to canisters (refer to the CorobTECH user’s manual).

Technical note: to simulate the machine, in the operating system, set the environment
variable DSPDEBUG with a value of 256.

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5.5 Operation in Demo mode

Using a DEMO protection key, the dispensing program runs in demo mode, with the
following limitations:
• It will not be possible to dispense, since communication with the machine will always
be simulated even if the DSPDEBUG setting for machine simulation previously
described is missing.
• The Color Matching function will be simulated on a single standard sample
(CorobWORLD).
For operation in Demo mode, it is not necessary to install the CorobTECH program
and set up the program as described: simply install the Demo Database from the
installation CD.
To install the Demo Database, from the installation menu (Figure 1), follow the same
procedure described for program installation.
In addition to installing a demonstrative data structure, a default dispenser will be
automatically configured. The program will be able to run without further configuration
by the user.

6. Starting and validating the program

To start the program follow the procedure below.
1. Click Start, then choose All programs.
2. Choose the Corob Windows Software folder then click on the name of the
program to start.
Otherwise, double click the corresponding icon on the desktop.
When starting the program for the first time, a message asks to carry out validation.
COROB™ dispensing programs are protected by means of:
• a standard protection key, type USB, identified by a progressive ID number
or
• an activation licence
The activation licence can be downloaded from a license key, which must be connected
to the computer on which the installation is to be run, or it can be typed into the
program in the form of an unlock code.
License keys are identified by a progressive ID number greater than 40000.

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6.1 Validation using a standard protection key

This mode of validation requires the protection key to remain always connected to the
USB port of the computer.
When starting the dispensing program for the first time, a message asks to carry out its
validation; after confirmation, the validation window will appear (Figure 2).

Messages for the validation procedure are in English, while the program runs in the
operating system language if the translation is available -- if not, it will also be in
English.

The identification number of the key

currently inserted on the computer is
automatically detected and displayed
on the top right corner (Key ID); the
program version displayed in the top left
corner indicates which password should
be used to validate the program.
Check that the identification number and
the version correspond to those indicated
in the document “Password list” supplied
together with the program.
1. Check that the name of the
program you are about to validate
is displayed in the Choose your
Module/Program box; if this is
not the case, select it in the list that
appears by clicking on the arrow
placed next the box.
Figure 2

2. In the Enter the password boxes, type in the safety password indicated in the
Password list concerning the program you want to validate.
3. Click Validate to validate the program. If validation is successful, a message will
appear on the screen.
4. Repeat the steps to validate possible further modules (CorobSTORE, for example)
or click on Exit to quit the validation program and start the dispensing program.

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 Getting Started

6.2 Validation using a license key

When there is a license key available (ID > 40000), an activation license can be
transferred from the key. The downloaded license is stored on the computer and
the dispensing program will be able to function without a protection key physically
connected to the computer.

Figure 3

To transfer a license from the license key, proceed as follows:

1. Connect the license key to the USB port of the computer.
2. Start the dispensing program and confirm the validation request.
The main window of the Active License (Figure 3) validation program appears on the
screen.
The Program unlock page displays the status of the licenses already present on the
computer (green - Unlocked) and the status of the licenses stored on the connected
license key (blue - Locked).
3. Select the program to be validated from the list of programs highlighted in blue
(Locked).
4. Click on Unlock to transfer the license from the key to the computer.
You may transfer several licenses at a time.
5. Click on Continue to start the dispensing program or on Exit to close the window.
6. Disconnect the license key from the USB port of the computer.
If you need to install the program on another computer, the license can be reloaded
back onto the license key and then downloaded onto the new computer.

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Getting Started

6.3 Validation using an unlock code

Validation by means of an unlock code is used when there is no key available from
which to download a license on the workstation where the dispensing program is to be
installed.
Proceed as follows:
1. Start the dispensing program.
The main window of the Active License (Figure 4) validation program appears on the
screen.

Figure 4

The Unlocked programs page displays a list of the programs for which there are
corresponding licenses already present on the computer.
2. Make a note of the Lock code and send it, together with the name of the program
to be activated, to the owner of the license key (to send it by email, for example,

you can use the Copy and Paste buttons).

3. Once you have received the Unlock code, enter it in the relevant text box (Figure
5).

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 Getting Started

Figure 5

4. Click on the Unlock button.

5. Confirm the unlock request for the selected program; the name of the program
will be added to the list of unlocked programs and the license will be transferred
onto the computer.
6. Click on Exit to start the dispensing program.

COROB™ Software 11
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