Troubleshooting Guidance

Guidance on running the Browser Configuration Check utility and handling any reported errors is contained within the following document: Choose and Book Browser Configuration Check Running and Troubleshooting Guide (PDF 372KB)

The Choose and Book Install Reference document has been revised and now includes information on ActiveX control details and other Release 4.3 changes.

Guidance for deploying the Choose and Book ActiveX control using software deployment tools

Where a Trust does not allow users to install ActiveX controls on their PCs, the Choose and Book ActiveX control can be deployed to a user's PC using the Trust’s software management tools (e.g. ZenWorks, Radia, SMS or equivalent).

The simplest way to install the ActiveX control is to copy the ActiveX control to the user's PC and then run the regsvr32 command to install the control. The same command, combined with the /u option can be used to uninstall the control.

Example scripts to install and remove the control are provided in the Sample Choose and Book ActiveX Control Install and Remove Scripts.zip.

The cab file containing the Choose and Book ActiveX control can be downloaded using the link below:

 https://nww.ebs.ncrs.nhs.uk/configcheck/res/IdentityAgent.cab

Frequently asked questions

These are answers to frequently asked questions about Browser Confirguration Check Utility. If you would like to submit a question please e-mail mailto:chooseandbook@nhs.net?subject=ActiveX%20FAQ

Why are Choose and Book introducing an ActiveX control?

The Choose and Book team continually look for ways to improve the performance of the Choose and Book Application for users. As part of this work it was identified that the existing logon mechanism (which uses a Java applet) was not providing optimal performance for many Choose and Book users, and was also the cause of frequent problems in configuring a PC to work with Choose and Book. By moving to using an ActiveX control as part of the logon process, the performance of Choose and Book will be improved for all users, especially those with lower-specification PCs. The setup of the PC is also simplified which will result in fewer calls to IT support and helpdesk teams.

What performance improvement can I expect?

The level of performance improvement will vary, and is dependent on individual PC specifications, operating system configuration and version of Java installed. The average improvement is expected to be approximately 7 - 10 seconds, however individual improvements of up to 30 seconds will be seen on older PCs, whilst more modern PCs can expect an improvement of 2 – 3 seconds in logon.

Why does the Choose and Book Browser Configuration Check page test the Java logon if you are introducing an ActiveX control?

Whilst the primary mechanism for logon will use the ActiveX control at Release 4.3, it is recognised that not all PCs will have the ActiveX control pre-installed by Trust IT departments, and some users may not have the right permissions on their PC to install the control themselves. In order to make sure that all users can still access Choose and Book when Release 4.3 goes live, Choose and Book will use the Java logon mechanism if the primary logon mechanism using the ActiveX control fails.  However, in this event, users will be presented with a warning screen each time they log on to Choose and Book requesting that they take action to complete the installation. When running the Choose and Book Browser Configuration Check web page, if the tests for “ActiveX Login Mechanism” and “ActiveX Smartcard Removal Mechanism” tests both pass, then it is not necessary for the “Java Login Mechanism”, “Java Smartcard Removal Mechanism” or “Java Failback Mechanism” tests to pass for a PC to work with Choose and Book Release 4.3. (Note – it is necessary for the Java tests to pass for a PC to work with Choose and Book Release 4.2.)