Troubleshooting the Radioactivity iLab

While we designed the Radioactivity iLab to be an easy and smooth experience to complete a lab, there are some technical issues that your students may run into. Below are descriptions and solutions to common technical problems that may arise.

Technical Requirements

To prevent most technical issues from occurring, make sure that the computer being used fulfills the Radioactivity iLab technical requirements

Common Problems

Launching the Lab

Issue	Solution
After clicking the yellow "Launch Lab" button, nothing happens.	Your web browser may have a pop-up blocker installed. Check the top or bottom sections of your web browser screen to see a notification from your browser that it blocked a window from popping up. Click on the notification to enable the lab window to pop up. For instructions to disable the pop up blocker on common browsers, go to this link: https://host.softworks.ca/Agate3/blocker/disable-blockers.htm Once you've fixed the pop up blocker, try launching the lab again.
After clicking the yellow "Launch Lab" button, a window pops up, but there is nothing in the window.	You need to install the latest Adobe Flash Player to view the lab. Click on the link below to install the latest Flash: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Once you've installed Flash, try launching the lab again.

Viewing the Camera

Issue	Solution
After you click on the camera image, a small window pops up asking for a username and password.	Enter "guest" as the username and leave the password blank. Click Log in.
After you click on the camera image, a window pops up, but nothing appears.	If you're using Internet Explorer, you need to install an ActiveX control in your browser to view the live webcam called PlayerPT.cab from Cisco-Linksys LLC. After clicking on the link below, you may be asked for a username and password. Enter "guest" as the username and leave the password blank. http://openilabc.ilab.uq.edu.au/main.cgi?next_file=main.htm
The live web cam was visible earlier, but now you cannot see it anymore.	The webcam feed may have expired and needs to be refreshed. Refresh your browser window.

Opening the exported CSV file

Issue	Solution
After exporting your results as a CSV file and you try to open the file, a window pops up asking you to choose what application to open.	If your spreadsheet application such as Excel or OpenOffice does not appear in the list of suggested applications within the window, click on "Browse..." and locate and select your spreadsheet application. Your spreadsheet application should then appear in the list of applications that can open this document. Select the application and click "OK."
After trying to open the CSV file, the spreadsheet application such as Excel or OpenOffice launches a dialog box with some settings.	Select "Comma" as the character separator then click "OK." The application should display your results separated into columns correctly.

Missing PDF lab report file

Issue

Solution

You completed the lab, but a PDF file of your lab report did not download, or you tried downloading the lab from "My Experiments" and you're sent to a page that says "Not Found."

You need to disable your browser's popup blocker. For instructions on disabling the most common blockers, visit this website: https://host.softworks.ca/ Agate3/blocker/disable-blockers.htm Once you've disabled the popup blocker, you will need to re-do your lab. If you are using a school computer and do not have permission to disable the popup blocker, ask your computer administrator to add this site: http://radioactivity.sesp.northwestern.edu as an exception in the popup blocker.

Retrieving an old lab report

Issue	Solution
You completed the lab, but you forgot to download your PDF lab report or you've lost the PDF file.	Go to http://ilabs.sesp.northwestern.edu/ iLabServiceBroker Log in using your username and password. Click on the "My Experiments" tab. In the list of experiments that appear on the left side, select the experiment you'd like to view. Once you've selected an experiment, click on the "Click here to download your lab report" link on the right.

Navigating through iLabCentral Service Broker

Issue	Solution
You click on one of the orange tabs labeled Home, My Labs, or My Experiments on the website, but nothing happens.	Your iLabcentral Service Broker session has expired. Click on "Log out" on the right side of the menu. Log in again with your username and password to resume your session.