1. Company Related FAQ:

• Who is Knowledge Base?

  Knowledge Base is a professional software development company that specialises in the development of world-class quality software for the engineering and design industries. Our valued customers have always trusted Knowledge Base to deliver the very best in products, services, and support since our inception in 1989. The software is based on years of industry experience in the design office and on site, and is continually being refined to suit the needs and requirements of our users worldwide.
  
  Today we are the leading supplier and developer of completely integrated software solutions in Southern Africa and have thousands of trusted users all over the world.

• How long has Knowledge Base been established?

  Knowledge Base was established in 1989.

• In which countries are your products used?

  South Africa, United Kingdom, USA, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, Tanzania, Libya, Germany, Greece, India, Mauritius, Denmark, Angola, Australia, New Zealand, France.

• Who are Knowledge Base’s largest clients?

  The Department of Agriculture, Jeffares & Green, Africon, Kwezi V3 and various Municipalities locally and internationally.

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2. Sales & Delivery Related FAQ:

2a. GENERAL FAQ

• Can I only get hold of Civil Designer through Knowledge Base?

  Yes, we are the sole supplier of Civil Designer although we may introduce accredited dealers at a later stage in selected countries depending on the demand.

• Why should I insure my software?

  It is important to insure your software, as we are unable to replace the security device if it is stolen. Should you lose or have this stolen, you will need to purchase the program again at its full purchase price subject to the standard multiple copy discount.
  
  If you have just lost the product CD, then we will be happy to replace this at the cost of postage. We will only replace a damaged security device once we have received the original item. You will therefore only be charged for the cost of the dongle.

• Is there a network version of Civil Designer available?

  Civil Designer can be supplied with a network-based hardware device (dongle). The dongle is a special order item which is charged separately and may be supplied for 10, 50 or 250+ users. When you purchase a certain number of each module (up to the limit as set by the type of network dongle supplied) these licence counts are stored on the network dongle and assigned to users on a “first come, first served” basis. Please note that there should be one Design Centre licence for each concurrent user on the network.

2b. PURCHASE AND PAYMENT FAQ

• How do I go about purchasing Civil Designer?

  To purchase Civil Designer please call (+27 21 701 1850) or fax (+27 21 701 1822) or email us at ( ) with your order.

• What is included in the product purchase price?

  a.  The latest Civil Designer version on CD;
  b.  Design Centre manual;
  c.  Additional Manuals relevant to each purchased module;
  d.  Hardware security device (dongle);
  e.  Upgrade and Support contract for the first year. This includes:

  i.   All updates to the current version downloadable from our web site
  ii.  Upgrades to any new versions issued during that time on CD
  iii. Telephonic, fax and email support

• When purchasing software from Knowledge Base, what is it that I actually own?

  You own a license to use the software. The software and security device however remain the property of Knowledge Base and you will need to obtain permission in order to transfer the software to a new owner.

• What are the payment options?

  a.  Cash payment
  b.  Three monthly electronic transfers as cash with disk-based security.
  c.  12-month debit order facility charged at prime less 2% with a time based dongle
       that requires re-authorisation every three months.

• What are the terms and conditions of purchasing via debit order?

  Clients will be subject to a credit worthy check, which once cleared, will be issued with a 12 month debit order facility charged at prime less 2% with a time based dongle that will need re-authorisation every three months.

2c. MODULES FAQ

• Does one have to buy the full range of Civil Designer modules?

  The purchase of the Design Centre module is a prerequisite. The other modules may be purchased individually and in any combination.

• Why do I have to buy the Design Centre module?

  Design Centre is the heart of the program and facilitates all data import/export and also serves as the graphical interface.

• What modules should I buy?

  This depends on your individual requirements. You will therefore need to take a look at the different modules and what they offer in order to determine which ones will satisfy your requirements. Alternatively, please call (+27 21 701 1850) or email us at () so that we can assist you in purchasing the best configuration for your application.

2d. DELIVERY

• How is the product delivered?

  By courier directly to your home or office.

• How long does delivery take?

  a.  Approximately 1-2 working days in South Africa.
  b.  3 to 4 working days in the UK.
  c.  10+ days elsewhere.

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3. Product Related FAQ:

3a. GENERAL PRODUCT FAQ

• Who uses Civil Designer?

  A wide range of Engineers, Surveyors, Contractors, Architects.

• How do I know if Civil Designer is right for me?

  The reasons for choosing Civil Designer are numerous, but we invite you to experience the product yourself. If you are not entirely satisfied, then you are welcome to return the software to us within 30 days for a full refund.
  
  Call us, (+27 21 701 1850) or email us (), at anytime should you require more detailed information about Civil Designer.  We will be happy to meet with you in order to assess your needs and will provide you with a full demonstration of the product.

• What is the advantage of Civil Designer over other products in the market?

  a)  It is the only truly integrated design platform with seamless data compatibility between design programs.

  b)  It is a comprehensive design program and not just a draughting tool; It is developed according to our clients’ requirements and there is continuous product innovation.

  c)  Civil Designer allows you to generate plans, long-sections and cross-sections.    Working drawings are now the easy part of the process. Our customisable sheet     files take all the hassle out of the generation of drawings.

  d)  When giving a presentation to non-technical people, bitmaps, 3D views and 3D    drive through give you the edge on your competition.

  e)  It handles Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere coordinates.

  f)  It supports multiple large bitmaps such as aerial survey photographs or orthophotos as a backdrop to the design. This gives you the ability to view the    spatial relationship of the design in comparison to other services or natural features.

  g)  It is AutoCAD 2004 compatible, so you can exchange data with AutoCAD without having to leave the integrated design environment.

  h)  There is no need to tie up an expensive CAD workstation. Civil Designer is a   complete design environment and creates your final drawings for you.

  i)  It has complete integration with GIS systems, which means output to local   authorities in the format that they require.

  j)  It is backed by our Customer Support Centre and regional offices in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. We are available to help you every working day of the   year between 08h00 to 17h00 on 0860 101 999 (South Africa only) or  +27 (021) 701-1850 for international clients.

• Are all the modules standalone products?

  Civil Designer is an integrated design platform. Your minimum requirement however is the Design Centre module. Once you have acquired this module, you can add any other module in any combination in order to produce the design platform that you require. Please contact one of our Customer Support Consultants should you require further information on any of the modules in Civil Designer

• How long will it take to learn the product?

  The length of training required is largely dependant on the candidate’s level of post school tuition and his experience acquired in the industry (i.e. Diploma in Civil Engineering etc).

3.c. COMPATIBILITY, STORAGE AND FORMATS FAQ

• Is my Civil Designer project stored entirely in the cdp file?

  No. The cdp file only contains user settings. All data is stored in various other files that may have the same name (names are specified when creating the project) but with different extensions to the cdp file.

• Is Civil Designer compatible with other Industry products?

  Yes.

• What raw data and 3rd party data can Civil Designer open and save?

  The Design Centre module fully supports the reading and writing of AutoCAD DWG/DXF, Caddie CEX, ArcView SHP and ASCII files.
  
  Survey 3rd Party Data
  We can read ASCII data containing coordinates, Various Tache field books: Booker (Brown), Logger, Wild, Booker (Young) and Geodos. We can also read DTM data from: Stardust BLK, GENIO, ArcInfo, SurvPro and ModelMaker TOT.
  
  Roads 3rd Party Data
  Cards Cross Sections
  Ceaser Design
  
  Water 3rd Party Data
  Aquanet DOS
  Pipen 1 and 2
  Wadiso
  Water Mate
  
  Map 3rd Party Data
  AllyMAP DOS (read only)
  ReGIS FEA
  ArcInfo SHP
  MapInfo TAB/MIF

• Why are there so many different files associated with a Civil Designer project?

  This is to separate the data belonging to the various modules.

3d. PROJECT VERSUS DRAWING FAQ

• Is Civil Designer a CAD program?

  No. Civil Designer is a graphical design program that runs on top of a CAD engine. What you see on the screen representing a project is not CAD entities and therefore cannot be manipulated as such.

• Can I draw a CAD drawing with Civil Designer?

  Yes. You can generate a plot of a project and send the output to a CAD drawing suitable for subsequent CAD manipulation, printing, etc. Alternatively, the Design Centre module offers basic CAD functionality which you can use to produce CAD drawings and, with the addition of the CAD Professional module, you can have access to the full CAD functionality in AllyCAD.

• Are Civil Designer design features, e.g. contours, roads, pipes, etc. CAD entities?

  No. You first need to generate a plot of the project in order to get it into a CAD drawing format.

• How does a Civil Designer project differ from a CAD drawing?

  A Civil Designer Project may contain an AllyCAD, AutoCAD or DXF drawing, but may also contain other data files such as Roads data, Sewer, Storm or Water databases. The data from these files will be drawn on your Design Centre Window together with your AllyCAD drawing, but you will not be able to edit them using normal CAD functionality. By generating a Plot, you will create a new drawing containing all these data items as drawing entities.

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4. Service Related FAQ:

4a. GENERAL SERVICE FAQ

• Do you offer Support?

  Yes we offer dedicated support for new users or users with a support and upgrade contract. Our Support Centre is well renowned and is manned by highly experienced professionals who have extensive knowledge of the software. It is very important to us that every customer makes the most of our software. Customer support is an integral part of our business, as we would like to help you finish the job on time, every time.
  
  Our Support Staff are available to help registered users every working day of the year between 08h00 and 17h00 (GMT+02:00). In the unlikely event that they are unable to help you, they can call on our programmers that are just across the corridor. We are dedicated to ensuring that all your enquiries are answered.
  
  When you contact Knowledge Base for support assistance, please have the following information available:
  
  a.  Company name (Individual name if purchaser of software)
  b.  Version of Software (i.e Civil Designer v3.4)
  c.  Operating System (i.e XP, Win 98, Win 2000)

• Do you offer training?

  Yes, all over Southern Africa. Should training be requested outside of South Africa, then this can be arranged once the trainers travelling and accommodation costs have been paid by the client.

• Do you have a user newsletter?

  Yes we send out a fortnightly newsletter. Our General Newsletters Include:
  
  a.  Company News
  b.  Latest Product News
  c.  Our Sought After Tech Tips
  d.  Customer Showcases
  e.  Upcoming Training Information
  f.   Company Visit Dates
  g.  Recruitment Service News & Info
  h.  Support & Development Details
  i.   And Much Much More…

• How do I subscribe to / unsubscribe from this newsletter?

  Simply go to the Newsletter Subscription page and enter your email address. Here you will easily be able to subscribe / unsubscribe to our Newsletters.

4b. CIVIL DESIGNER SUPPORT FAQ

• Are support and upgrades included in the purchase price?

  Software product prices include delivery and one year’s free support and upgrades. Thereafter, a support and upgrade contract needs to be purchased at 13% of the value of a new copy.

• How does one get support?

  We have a dedicated Support Centre that may be contacted by phone, fax or email.

• What are the support contact details?

  By phone:
  0860 101 999 (South Africa only)
  +27 21 7011850 (International)
  
  By fax:
  +27 21 7011822
  
  By email:
  

• What are the prices of a Support and Upgrade Contract after the first year of ownership?

  It is 13% of the ruling purchase price.

• What is included in this Contract?

  Upgrades and Support for 12 months.

• How do I get hold of Technical Tips?

  On our website (www.civildesigner.com), or you may subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter.

• Why does support sometimes ask me to send my data/drawing/project to them?

  It is often difficult for our support desk to fully understand the problem you might have. Problems are often the result of something not apparent to a less experienced user who is then unable to describe the problem properly. All data is however treated in the strictest confidence.

4c. GENERAL TRAINING FAQ

• Which modules are covered on the Civil Designer course?

  Design Centre, Survey & Terrain, Roads, Sewer/Storm and Water (depending on demand).

• How long is the Civil Designer course?

  Design Centre 2 x days; the rest 1 x day each, but courses may also be tailor-made to suite the client’s individual needs.

• How do I find out when the next training course is scheduled?

  Details of our upcoming training courses are contained in our weekly newsletters. To subscribe, go to www.knowbase.co.za. We are happy to schedule additional training courses depending on demand. Please feel free to give us a call on (021) 701-1850. We would be happy to meet up with you to discuss your training needs.

• Do you have a training course sooner than the date offered?

  Sometimes, but we normally advise delegates of any schedule change well in advance.

• What content will I learn when I attend a Civil Designer course?

  A brief summary of the course content is sent to prospective delegates on enquiry.

• Is the course you offer a basic training course?

  Yes

• What advanced training courses do you offer?

  We offer one advanced training course in the Roads module.

• What must I bring to training? Do I need to supply my own computer?

  We supply all the necessary training materials as well as a computer for training purposes.

• Where can I park?

  Training delegates will be able to park in our free parking area for the duration of training.

• Is the course running for the whole day?

  Yes, our courses start at 08:30 and finishes at 16:30 with three pause breaks in between (two teas and a lunch break)

• Can you send me a training manual to go through before I attend training?

  No, because we have to guard against misinterpretation. It is therefore preferred that training manuals are interpreted by one of our qualified trainers.

• I’ve worked on Civil Designer before, is it compulsory to attend the Design Centre module?

  No.

• Will I receive a certificate after completing the training course?

  Yes we issue a Certificate of Competence to students who pass the course.

4d. TYPES OF TRAINING

• Do you offer on-site training?

  Yes. To book such a course please contact our Training Co-ordinator, Shantell, on
  (021) 701 1850.

• Do you have a training centre?

  Yes, we have three training centres:
  
  a.  Cape Town Head Office
  b.  Johannesburg Regional Office
  c.  Durban Regional Office

4e. CONTACT DETAILS, DIRECTIONS AND BOOKING

• Who do I contact for Training?

  You may contact any one of Training Co-ordinators in order to discuss your training needs:

  CONTACT DETAILS
  Cape Town (Head Office)	Shantell Tel: (021) 701 1850
  Durban Office	Nalini Tel: (031) 566 3323
  Johannesburg Office	Barbara Tel: (011) 675 3959

• How does one go about booking for training?

  To book training, please contact your nearest training centre so that the details of the next training course may be e-mailed to you. You will then be requested to complete your name next to the preferred date and then return the form to us via fax for immediate follow-up.

• Where are your training centres?

  Cape Town Head Office
  Block I, The Terraces,
  Steenberg Office Park
  Tokai, 7945
  Tel: +27 21 7011850
  Fax: +27 21 7011822
  
  Johannesburg Regional Office
  Suite E7, Somerset Office Estate,
  Kudu Street,
  Allensnek, 1735
  Tel: +27 11 675 3959
  Fax: +27 11 675 3958
  
  Durban Regional Office
  1st Floor, 8 Frosterly Crescent,
  La Lucia Ridge Office Estate,
  Umhlanga Ridge, 4320
  Tel: +27 31 566 3323
  Fax: +27 31 566 3326

• Have you got a map or directions to the training centre?

  A map will be sent with confirmation of your enrolment.

4f. COST AND PAYMENT FAQ

• Is training included in the price of the software?

  No, but delegates may request a training quote from one of our training co-ordinators.

• Why does training cost what it does?

  The cost of training covers the fee for a qualified trainer and the compilation of industry relevant tuition that is tailor-made to suit your specific company needs.

• What is the cost of Civil Designer training?

  R1 980.00 (excl VAT) per person per day.

• When must payment be made?

  Payment must be made no less than 7 days prior to training.

4g. PREREQUISITES FAQ

• What are the prerequisites for training?

  We recommend that you work through the tutorials in the User Guide / Help Files before attending the training course.

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5. Security, Installation and Authorisation FAQ:

5a. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE BASED SECURITY

• What is a dongle?

  A dongle is a security device that plugs into either the printer port or USB port. The program will not operate correctly without a dongle being installed.

• What do I check for if my dongle is not being read?

  With the Printer port dongle, make sure that the dongle is attached securely to the printer port. The USB dongle will light up when found by the computer (device is plug and play). The drivers for the dongle are automatically installed when Civil Designer is installed.

• What is the difference between a network dongle and a normal dongle?

  A network dongle ensures that more than 1 user can use the software at the same time.

• Which types of dongles are available?

  Printer port and USB (stand-alone and network versions).

• What is a time based dongle?

  If a client pays over 12 months, the time based dongle will expire after a couple of months, the user must then re-apply for authorization. Once final payment has been received, a normal dongle will be issued.

• Why am I asked for my serial number when I call in for support?

  This is to ensure that your software is licensed to the right person and also to validate your support and upgrade agreement.

• What is Crypkey security?

  It is a temporary security authorization for when the dongle is faulty or if there is no dongle.

• How do I install a network dongle?

  Documentation is included when a network dongle is purchased and all the necessary software applicable to Civil Designer are installed.

• How does a network dongle work?

  The dongle is installed on a “server” computer. Software is then installed on this computer because it is able to monitor the licenses on the dongle. All computers on the network receive authorisation from this dongle.

5b. INSTALLATION AND AUTHORISATION

• How do I authorise my product?

  Civil Designer
  Click on the File Menu > Security > Authorize when in Civil Designer. With the authorization dialog open, the client has 3 ways to authorize.
  
  - via the Internet (click the online button),
  - via email (click the save and email document created)
  - or phone the Support Center (contact number is shown on the authorization screen)

• Can I move my authorisation from one computer to another?

  Yes

• How is this done?

  You can do this by switching the dongle from one computer to another.

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6. Development & Support FAQ:

• How do I get hold of the latest updates?

  If your upgrade and support contract is up to date, version upgrades are automatically sent. Updates for a specific version (builds) can also be downloaded off our website.

• Is Civil Designer going the 3D route?

  Yes, we are currently putting a lot of effort into rewriting the current CAD to become a full 3D CAD system. As soon as we have the 3D CAD ready, we will start re-writing Civil Designer to work on the 3D CAD platform.

• What is the difference between a version and a build?

  A version is a new upgrade while a build is a patch on the existing upgrade.

• Does my Civil Designer installation update automatically?

  No. You need to do two things: Firstly download the latest build from the website. Secondly, actually install the downloaded file by double clicking on it and following the displayed instructions.

• How can I tell if my Civil Designer installation is up-to-date?

  Look at the version number displayed on the Help About dialog and compare this to the latest build on our website. Alternatively, you can enable the version checking option in the software (Help menu, Version Checking), which will, through the Internet, check your current version against the latest available version and inform you of any available upgrade or path.

• Can I keep track about what has changed between builds?

  Yes. There is a file named readme.txt in the installation directory that lists all the changes made between builds.

• Why are no new features introduced in new builds, but only in new versions?

  New features require a lot of testing which is done during a dedicated beta phase. This is not possible during normal builds.

• Will Knowledge Base implement my feature requests? And bug reports?

  True bug reports, e.g. crashes, incorrect results, etc. will always be fixed. We will consider any feature requests in conjunction with other requests received.