Installing SofTest for Macintosh

     Important Notes:  

     To run SofTest on your Macintosh computer, you must be running OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard, or above.  SofTest will not run on OS X 10.5, Leopard.  If you are running Leopard, you must upgrade to a newer version of OS X.

     SofTest 11 will run on OS X 10.8, Mountain Lion.  There were early reports that version 11 would not run on Mountain Lion, but SofTest 11 has been certified to run on Mountain Lion.

     If you have installed SofTest prior to the Fall 2012 semester, you must uninstall SofTest before installing the current version.  Instructions are given below in the Download and Install the Software section.

Go To The ExamSoft Website

     To start the installation process, go to www.examsoft.com/cwsl.   Clicking on this link will open the site in a new window, so you can keep these instructions open while you are the ExamSoft site.

    Enter your Student ID and SofTest password.  This is not the same network ID and password that you use to log on to the computers or email here at school.  This ID and password were sent to you via email. 

  If you have trouble finding the email that has your Student ID and password, you can have it sent to you again.  Click on the question mark next to the password field to have your ExamSoft username and password sent to you via email.  This email will go to your CWSL email account.

   The Student ID is your CWSL Student ID number, the same one that is on your CWSL ID card, so that is easy to remember, or at least easy to find.  The password, however, is randomly generated, and nearly impossible to remember.  Once you log in, you will have a chance to change it. 

   Once you have logged in, you will see one of two screens.  If you have already paid for SofTest since September 1, 2012, you will get this screen:

If you see this screen, you can skip the next section, and go down to "Changing Your Password". 

If you have not yet paid for SofTest, you will get this screen. 

Go through the form, and enter your credit card information to pay for the software.

Paying For SofTest

     ExamSoft does their licensing a little differently than most software makers. The cost is thirty dollars for one academic year.  Your thirty dollars will cover you from the first of September, to the end of August of the following year, regardless of when you purchase the license.  For example, if you purchase your SofTest license in October of 2011, your license is good until August of 2012.  If you purchase your SofTest license in July of 2012, your license is good until August of 2012, and you will need to purchase a new license for exams in the Fall of 2012.

You can install the Software on more than one computer.  So if you get halfway through the year, and you buy a new computer, your SofTest license will allow you to install SofTest on the new computer without paying an additional charge.

     The SofTest license you purchase here is only good for exams at CWSL.  If you use SofTest for exams at another school, or for the Bar exam, you will have to pay for an additional license for those exams.

Changing Your Password

     Once you are logged in, on the left hand side of the screen, there are several choices.  Click on "Change Account Info".  Here you can set a new password on your account.  When our Faculty Support department creates your ExamSoft account, the system automatically creates a randomly generated and impossible to remember password.  Here you can set a password which you can actually remember.  You will need this password later.  You should have your Student ID and Password available any time you are taking an exam, in case it is needed.  Note: In this same section you also have a chance to change the email address where ExamSoft sends notices.  Don't do it!  All ExamSoft email should go to your CWSL email address, even if you are forwarding all of your CWSL email to another address.

Download And Install The Software

   On the left hand side, click on the button that says Download SofTest.  This will open another window.  Click on the link to download the program.  This will download a file named SofTestMac11.dmg.  A dmg file is a disc image file, it acts much like a CD or DVD disc.  When you open the dmg file, it acts as a mounted drive.  You see this on your desktop:

When you open this drive, you will find two items:  Install SofTest.mpkg, and Uninstaller.

If you have already installed SofTest for a previous semester, you must uninstall it before installing the current version.  (Yes, even if you already have version 11)

Run the uninstaller program to uninstall SofTest.

  Once SofTest is uninstalled, or if this is your first time to install SofTest, you can run Install SofTest.mpkg. This is the install program.  Double-click on it, and follow the directions to install the SofTest program.  Once the program is installed, you can delete/eject the drive icon from your desktop. 

During the installation, you will need your account password for your computer.  This is the password for the computer, not your CWSL network password.

Register SofTest

  Once SofTest is installed, it will ask for your Student ID and Password, to register your copy of SofTest.  When you enter the Student ID and password, SofTest will then be registered to you for CWSL on your computer.  Once the registration is complete, you will be prompted to download your exam files.

Downloading The Exam Files

     The Exam File is essentially the blank form you use for your exam.  Each exam has a specific exam file that must be used for that exam.  You should download the exam files prior to exam day.

     To download the exam files, start SofTest, then click on the "Download Exam Files" button.  You will be prompted for your Student ID and Password again.   After entering your ID, you will get a list of exam files.  Download the exam files, and you are ready to go.

     Here is a quick way to download all the files at once:   Click on the first file on the list.  Hold down the Shift key, and click on the last file on the list.  This will mark all of the files at once.  Click the Download button, and all of the files will download to your computer. 

Next: Taking An Exam

Index