❓ TeacherAssistant · User FAQ

When you launch the app, a database connection window will appear. You need to provide:

• Host – usually localhost if PostgreSQL is installed on your computer.
• Port – default is 5432.
• Database name – the name of your existing PostgreSQL database (e.g., teacher_assistant).
• Username – often postgres.
• Password – your PostgreSQL password.

After a successful connection, the app will remember these settings for future launches. You will then see the Home page with your list of students.

The Home page (also called “Students” in the left menu) is where you manage your student roster. From there you can:

• View all students in a sortable list.
• Add a new student – click the “+” button and fill in their details (name, ID, class, etc.).
• Edit existing student information.
• Delete a student (with confirmation).
• Search for a student by name or ID using the search bar.

Each student can also be linked to educational resources (notes, files, links) through the “Resource collection” page.

Educational resources are any teaching materials you want to share with your students – for example, PDF files, web links, video URLs, or text notes.

There are two dedicated pages in the left menu:

• Resource collection – a read‑only viewer where you can browse all available resources and filter them by student or subject.
• Resource Editor – allows you to create, edit, or delete resources. You can upload files, paste links, or write notes, and then assign them to specific students or groups.

All resources are stored in your PostgreSQL database, so they are safe and can be backed up.

TeacherAssistant includes a Database maintenance page (left menu). To back up or restore your data:

• Backup – choose a destination folder and click “Backup”. The app will create a compressed archive of your entire database (students, resources, etc.).
• Restore – select a previously saved backup file and click “Restore”. This will replace your current database with the backed‑up version.

Important: The backup/restore feature requires PostgreSQL command‑line tools (pg_dump and pg_restore). If they are not installed, the app will prompt you to provide the path to the PostgreSQL bin folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\16\bin).

Yes! Open the Settings page from the left menu. There you will find options to:

• Theme – switch between different colour schemes (e.g., light, dark, or custom themes).
• Font – choose any font installed on your computer, and set the size (Tiny, Small, Medium, Large).
• Direction – toggle between Left‑to‑Right (LTR) and Right‑to‑Left (RTL) layout – useful for languages like Persian or Arabic.

Changes take effect immediately and are saved for your next session.

In the settings panel, you will see a “LANGUAGE” dropdown with English and فارسی (Persian). However, please note that full translation is not yet implemented – this is a planned feature for a future update. The direction (RTL/LTR) does work correctly when you select Persian, so the layout will flip, but most menus and buttons will still show English text for now.

Apart from backup and restore, the Database maintenance page also lets you:

• View connection details – see which database you are currently connected to.
• Run basic maintenance tasks (if supported by your PostgreSQL version) like VACUUM or ANALYZE to keep the database performing well.
• Change backup/restore paths – set default folders for your backups.

Most users will only need the backup and restore functions, but advanced users can benefit from the additional tools.

First, make sure your PostgreSQL server is running. On Windows, you can check in Services (search for “Services” in the Start menu) – look for “postgresql-x64-...” and ensure it is “Running”.

Then verify your connection details:

• Host: usually localhost or 127.0.0.1.
• Port: default is 5432 (unless you changed it during PostgreSQL installation).
• Username and password – double‑check they are correct.
• Database name – the database must already exist (the app does not create it automatically).

If you still cannot connect, try using a tool like pgAdmin to log in with the same credentials. If that works, the problem might be a firewall blocking the connection. You may need to allow port 5432 in your Windows Firewall.

Yes. All your settings (database connection, chosen theme, font, language, and backup paths) are saved automatically in a file called settings.json. On Windows, this file is located at:

C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Abdh\TeacherAssistant\settings.json

You do not need to edit this file manually – the app handles it. If you ever need to reset the app completely, you can delete this file (or the entire TeacherAssistant folder) and the app will start fresh.

TeacherAssistant has a simple navigation system:

• Left panel – contains the main menu buttons: Students (Home), Resource collection, Resource Editor, Database maintenance, and Settings. Click any button to switch the main view.
• Right panel – holds quick settings for language, font, theme, and direction. You can adjust them without leaving your current page.
• Center area – this is where the active page appears (e.g., student list, resource editor, etc.).

The currently active page is highlighted in the left panel. You can always return to the Home (Students) page by clicking the “Students” button.

The “Notebook” button is a placeholder for a future feature that is not yet implemented. It will eventually allow you to take personal notes or create lesson plans. For now, it is disabled and cannot be clicked.

If you installed TeacherAssistant using the Windows installer (InnoSetup), simply download the latest installer from the official website or GitHub and run it. It will automatically replace the old files while keeping your settings and database connection intact.

If you are running from source code, you can git pull the latest changes and re‑install dependencies if needed. Always back up your database before performing a major update.