How to use sentinel for different profiles and multiple scanners?

[scanomaha]

Ok... I am just trying to figure out the best way to program multiple scanners (bcd436).

I made.... lets say 50 favorites list.... and I plan to program multiple scanners (all bcd436)...

Before I go any further…I must say that I am only working with the SD cards that are taken out of the scanner and sent to me
I simply plug the sd cards directly into my computer, as if it were the radio itself.

With that said>>> Lets say I have 8 scanners (sd cards), and I create 8 different profiles using sentinel…

I go into Tools >> Options, and select my “F” drive in this case to read each card.

And each profile (sd card) each has its own favorites list and each sd card has it’s profile named , and I set each profile Display Options >> Opening Message to be their name and phone number and the date programmed.
I am a little confused as to where the favorites list (.hpd files) are stored …on the computer AND the sd card…or just the sd card? Also, the cfg files for each profile?

Where are the different profile names and information stored? And I assume it’s possible to open a profile and select “write to scanner”. For each different sd card and only have it write only that particular profile information?
I only want it to write that unique profile (user information) to each sd card….and is it safe to say that all the profiles and information is unique to that sd card? I assume what ever profile I have open will be the only data written to the sd card?

As a side note… I found a nice way to handle the different Favorite List…I name EACH favorites list with the prefix of the FL Quick key and as it scans it not only shows the name, but also the QK number … I made the quick key and the tag number the same as the prefix of each FL…. This really helps in turning on/off the different FL.

 

[phask]

Fav lists on PC and each scanner.
CFG only on PC

 

[scanomaha]

thanks, is it safe to say that when I write a profile to the sd card , that the profile CFG is the only one written to the sd card?...and all the other profiles and their CFG's stay on the pc?

 

[TailGator911]

Quite a few of us use this numerical FL technique for our scanners. Saves time and confusion when switching between lists to monitor something big going on. Turn on and off your lists like banks on an older scanner. No need for all the dits and dots and numbers to get to the department of the system you want. Make it it's own FL and you are set.

JD
kf4anc

 

[ofd8001]

A Profile is a collection of information. Some of that information may be unique to the Profile such as scanner settings. Other information may be common to all Profiles, such as Favorites Lists.

You open a Profile by choosing it from a list of Profiles (if you have more than one). That becomes the active Profile. When you do a Write to Scanner, only the active Profile is written to the scanner. There are more files than just the Profile.CFG that may be written - Favorites Lists, the FavoritesList.CFG, the full database and so on. It depends on whether Sentinel thinks there are changes or updates needed.

That's a long way of saying you are fundamentally correct - just the active Profile is written and no others.

When you set the Sentinel Folder via that pop-up window, you are telling Sentinel the general folder to use for the "stuff" you create (Favorites Lists, Profiles, Discovery). From there, Sentinel may create some sub-folders. (Each Profile has its own sub-folder.) Generally speaking you will open this window to set your Sentinel Folder once (unless you are doing some major computer housekeeping).

The best thing to do is accept that Sentinel knows what it is doing and not try to over-think things. That's where people run into the most trouble.

Almost invariably when I find the need to create an additional Profile, I'll do a File=>Save As and give the newly created Profile a name. I'll confirm that new Profile is the active one by looking at the upper left corner. Then I'll edit that new Profile and make the desired changes. Then I'll save this Profile. I have about 9 Profiles for the 4 scanners I have. Different scanning situations are the basis for the Profiles.

I agree with the merits of including the FLQK in the FL name (same for Systems and Departments). This is pretty popular, in fact the ARC software has a tool that will add the QKs to the Favorites List/System/Department names.

 

[scanomaha]

OK, thank so much for your wisdom and input.... I program lots of scanners, and it's safe to say that I have over 25 different profiles , each one with different favorite list lol.... and was overthinking a few things... but I now have a better understanding, and feel more confident of what is being writter to the sd card and what stays on the computer...it works pretty slick.