SIL Solver Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are there any special software requirements for SIL Solver?

No.  SIL Solver® was developed using Microsoft Foxpro and does not require any additional software beyond Microsoft Windows (see 2). SIL Solver® installs in a user-designated directory and operates independently of other software. It does require administrative rights to the installation computer.  SIL Solver® uses Crystal Reports as the print interface, so the computer registry must be accessed to register the license for Crystal Reports.  If SIL Solver® is installed without administrative rights, the software will install and will operate normally from a user standpoint, but the reports will not print and error messages will be displayed to the user when the print function is used.

2. What versions of Windows does SIL Solver support?

SIL Solver® 5.0 and higher has been tested and successfully installed on Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP. 

3. Are there any special hardware requirements for SIL Solver?

A CD-ROM drive is required for installation.  Any of the above Microsoft operating systems can be used.  64MB of available memory is recommended. 

4. Can the user designate where SIL Solver is installed?

Yes.  During installation, the user can select either the default installation location or another location. 

 Please note that the selected location must have a folder named “SilSolver.”  For example, I:/my data/my programs/SilSolver can be entered.  In this example, “I:” may be a server location, external drive, internal drive, etc.  The “my data/my programs” can be any level of folder on the directory.  A folder named “SilSolver” must be present in the “my data/my programs” folder.

 Projects created in SIL Solver® are stored as folders with associated files in the SilSolver directory.  These project folders can be archived by the user to other storage locations using Windows Explorer. 

5. Does SIL Solver support a multi-user installation?

No.  Version 5.0 only allows a single user to access the project folders at any one time. 

6. How much data is in the device database?

There are over 150 devices in the SIL Solver® database.  The database has grown through the years as users with active licenses have requested new device data.

7. Where does the data come from?

The data is based on a variety of sources.  The data accounts for typical process application impact, covering the full boundary of the device.  Each data sheet contains a listing of the data sources that were reviewed during the data selection process.  The database is a compilation of failure rate data from various industry published databases, end-user data, and manufacturer data.