OpenEMR Appliance Help and Tips

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  1. HowTo: Auto-start the VMPlayer in Windows.
    • Make a shortcut for the Virtual-Appliance.vmx file on the desktop.
    • RightClick on the Desktop-Shortcut, choose: Open with...
    • Choose as default program VMPlayer.
    • This connection with VMPlayer has only once to be made. Windows will remember this choice.
    • Choose VMPlayer from already installed programs => SAVE
    • Now Double Click Shortcut. VMPlayer will start. If finished you can use the Browser of your choice with the suggested defaults.
    • Be sure to make a static IP address (See Appliance manual), to login with a Browser-homepage startup. (https://....)
    • If confronted with a blank-screen in VMPlayer: Click with mouse in VMPlayer and hit CTR-key.
    • To leave the VMPlayer and go back to Windows OS, hit CTR+ALT
    • If Shortcut is entered in Start menu in Windows, the part of DoubleClick the Shortcut can be omitted and VMPlayer is ready to use after complete startup.
    • Put the shortcut in C:/Documents and Settings/USER/Start Menu/Programs/Startup this will automatically starts the VMPlayer when the account loads.

  2. Back up the easy way.
    • Make a full copy of the Directory of Virtual machine to portable harddisk or USB-stick with sufficient memory. (8G should be enough for starters with a local (PC) machine)
    • Be sure to turn off the Appliance in VMPlayer, otherwise you do not copy all files. Some might be in use and/or .locked for copy.
    • If Appliance is stopped, just Copy Virtual Appliance folder to the external HD, USB or whatever back-up media you want to use.
    • In need for restore: Copy the Folder of the Vitual Appliance machine back to the HD on local (PC) machine.

  3. For effective work in VMPlayer Appliance (Your own Ubuntu work environment, within Windows or other OS)
    • Be sure to do an update for Ubuntu database first: sudo apt-get update , do this within the VMPlayer with Login and Password.
    • This makes the database for Ubuntu programs ready for installing different Ubuntu programs.

  4. Improve read/change Ubuntu text-files. Use the latest vim-program in OpenEMR Appliance.
    • Install the full vim with sudo apt-get install vim. (the older vim included does not do syntax coloring)
    • To end vim viewing files, use .... :!q .... to go back for more cursor input and NOT saving corrections/mistakes made.
    • Use .... vim --help .... to see more options for use of vim file text editor.

  5. How to Patch the Appliance OpenEMR machine (there are two methods described below)
    • Command line method:
    • Login the VMPayer Machine with Login and Password
    • Go to the OpenEMR directory: cd /var/www/openemr
    • First ensure you have 'unzip' installed: sudo apt-get install unzip
    • Type ls -a to see if the Patch of choice is available as file, if not, continue with following steps.
    • Download the Patch with command: sudo wget http://www.open-emr.org/patch/X-X-X-PatchX.zip
    • Next unzip the downloaded file: sudo unzip X-X-X-Patch-X.zip
    • All un-zipped files should be the same directory as where you can find the file sql_patch.php
    • Open the your Browser and surf to: https://192.168.1.XXX/openemr/sql_patch.php
    • Have patience, Browser, Appliance machine, VMPlayer and your computer will do the work as can be seen with the blinking of the harddisk, while executing the command.
    • Make your Browser go to Login page: https://192.168.1.xxx/openemr, and your Patch should be available.
    • Webmin method:
    • This method assumes that you have downloaded patch to your computer desktop.
    • Login to your appliance thru webmin https://(your IP address):1000 (Then openemr openemrcool)
    • click others/upload and download
    • choose upload to server (on top bar)
    • in files to upload; click on choose file and browse for patch
    • in File or directory to upload to; either input /var/www/openemr or use the browse button to find above file
    • Note : owned by user should default to root
    • Extract archive or compressed files click (Yes, then delete) button (first button)
    • click on upload button
    • Will then give you confirmation, ie"successfully uploaded the following files." Will list the patch and extracted files.
    • If you login to OpenEMR it will now show version and patch version on login screen.
    • Now leave webmin and proceed as usual to instal patch thru https://(your IP address)/openemr/sql_patch.php

  6. What if you can't use Port:80 due to installation of other new/old software?
  7. A User Manual can be found at: Main Instructions | Upgrade Instructions

  8. Don't try this at home. (Unless you understand basic Linux commands)
    • Following the User Manual version 2012, it does what it says. Nothing more! So if you want to go to a former state, this can not be found in the same manual. Removing is challenging.
    • Installing the Kubunutu desktop as proposed, leaves you with Kubuntu. Nothing wrong with that, but you need a substantial amount of Linux commands to stop Kubuntu Login-screen, even with the help of many Ubuntu Forums you might be stuck with the Kubuntu Login screen.
    • Get used to make a back-up COPY! (Copy the whole directory of the virtual machine as mentioned before), once challenged to enter Linux command-line options.
    • Installing any Ubuntu driven new programs, makes the Virtual Appliance Machine (Used as an elastic 80 Gb entity) quickly grow beyond the 5Gb boundaries.
    • To find your original OpenEMR start-up terminal screen, use CTR+ALT+F(Function key F1 or F2, etc....)
    • To work in VMPlayer full screen does not what it says. It is the same small screen in a wide full screen monitor field.

  9. Archive of OpenEMR Appliance Documentation
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