Local Machine Version Quick Install and Start:

Download the STACS Local Machine installation folder (STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder.zip) from the STACS website STACStesting.com to a detachable drive by navigating through Downloads and clicking on STACS Local Machine Version. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on the link. This will open dropbox.com. Click on Download in the top right hand corner. Click the Save arrow at the bottom of the screen and save the STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder.zip to your chosen distribution medium. Exit your Browser and navigate to your distribution medium.

Unzip your downloaded STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder.zip file to a folder STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder on your distribution medium. You should have a folder called STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder containing a sub-folder called STACSHowToVideosFolder, a sub-folder called AllSTACSExtrasFolder, a sub-folder called STACSSampleTestsFolder individual files STACSLocalMachineInstaller, STACSLocalMachineMain, STACSOfflineTestCreator and STACSLocalMachineSitTest.

Copy the STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder folder to the C:\ drive of your PC or laptop.

Run the STACSLocalMachineInstaller.exe file from the installation folder in the C:\ drive. This installs STACS on the local machine.

Run the STACSLocalMachineMain.exe file in the install folder or create a desktop shortcut and run it from there. Do not copy the install folder to the desktop as STACS cannot be run from there.

You can move the mouse over “Mouse Over for Information” label on the introductory screen to view some important information.

Enter the initial password aaa (you can change this later) and click Continue.

You can click “Enter STACS with Introduction” or click “Skip Introduction & Wait for Connection Information” to enter STACS.

You will be advised that no teacher has been added. On this occasion, it is because it is the first run of the application. You will also be advised of the situation for future runs of the application.

Add a teacher using the Add Teacher item of the Add menu. You will be given some important information, but if you are evaluating STACS, just continue.

Add a class for this teacher using the Add Class item of the Add menu.

Add some students using the Add Student item of the Add menu.

Using the ‘Upload Test Files from External Medium to Teacher/Class Test Bank’ item of the Upload menu, navigate through Computer, local disk, STACSLocalMachineInstallFolder to the STACSSampleTests sub-folder and click OK. All of the test files in this folder will be uploaded to the teacher/class test bank. When you are using your own tests, you will navigate to wherever you have stored your test bank.

Upload one of the test files to the student folders using the ‘Upload Test File from Test Bank to Student Folders for Student Group to Sit Test’ item of the upload menu.

Exit the STACS Local Machine Main application, choosing not to back up the teacher folder on exit.

Run the STACS Local Machine Sit Test application from the install folder. In the Local Machine version, you will be invited to select teacher, class and student. Only one student name will appear and you will pose as this student to sit the test.

When the test is completed, the score is shown and stored in the student folder. You can verify this by running STACSLocalMachineMain.exe file from the install folder and choosing an item such as ‘View Student Results’ from the View main menu item. 

Note: When using the Server version, a whole class can sit a test at the same time and the results will automatically be stored on the server. Furthermore, on any workstation, when a logged on student is sitting a test, STACS will only allow access to the student folder of the logged on student. This prevents a student from sitting a test on behalf of another student.