Plan Portal Trouble Shooting Manual
Common problems with obtaining construction documents can generally be broken up into five problem areas.
- AOL: Make sure you are not using AOL. The Plan Portal site does not Support AOL. Click here to go to Solution #1.
- CORRUPT FILE: You get to the point where you can see the zip plan folder but it states that the folder is corrupt. Click here to go to Solution #2.
- Cannot find the job on the website.
- When you enter your name and password an empty page appears. Click here to go to Solution #3 & #4.
- You get an error when you click on either "Authorize" on the 1st page, or "Click here to Download Plans" on the 2nd page. Click here to go to Solution #5.
- When you enter your Company name you go directly into a project that you have previously downloaded in a past visit to the Plan Portal. You can tell this because the website never asks for a username or password. Solution #6
Use internet explorer. You know you are using internet explorer by a Microsoft symbol in the upper right hand corner, also when it is thinking a globe spins around. Another easy way to make sure is when you get online you click a blue 
symbol.
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When you arrive at the step when you can see the zipped plan folder you need to "save it to your computer" before you open it. The plan portal site does NOT allow you to directly open the zipped file from the website. You can double click on it, and then it will ask you if you want to open or save the file. Click "Save", then direct it to a place on your computer where you want it saved to. (See screen shot below)
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Contact FTP support by e-mail at ftp@retailconstruction.com or by phone at 651-704-9000 x754. Someone may have moved or deleted the zipped plan file and we need to reload it.
If you get an error when you click on either "Authorize" on the 1st page, or "Click here to Download Plans" on the 2nd page, there may be a couple of settings on your computer that need to be changed.
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A. Check all pop up blockers:
Popup blockers:
Windows XP service pack 2 installs a pop up blocker by default.
To turn this off follow the following steps:
Go to the top of Internet Explorer and click "Tools".
Then click on "Pop-up Blocker", and then click "Disable Pop- up Blocker".
(See screen shot below for an example)
NOTE: If your computer has a selection that says: "Enable Pop-up Blocker", DO NOT click this choice because the pop-up blocker is already turned off.
Please close your web browser completely, and then make sure that the pop-up blockers are still off and try to download plans again.
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NOTE: You must also turn off Earthlink or Yahoo toolbars by disabling the pop-up blocker on their respective toolbars.
As in the screen shot example below:
Left click enable pop up blocker and it will disable it, as it is already enabled.
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Security Settings:
Having security settings too tight that restricts cookies from being sent through the internet, or Active X scripts can't be run.
Go to "Tools" and "Internet Options" (See screen shot below) "Click on image to enlarge")
Click on the Privacy tab at the top and change setting to low or accept all cookies.
Then click the Security tab on the top and click Custom Level "Click on image to enlarge")
Enable all Active X settings until you get to download settings like in the example.
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When you have changed all these to enable (should be about 9 of them)
Then save your changes by clicking OK. "Click on image to enlarge")
Answer yes to change the security settings for this zone.
Then hit OK again.
Close all Internet Explorer browsers and try downloading plans again.
Windows firewall may be enabled and may be blocking FTP downloads. This includes other firewalls such as Norton Symantec and many other firewalls that block FTP transfer.
Proxy will not allow download of FTP files.
This is something that must be handled by your Network Administration as they may have a computer setup which does not have the proxy enabled on it.
If you are being directed to the wrong file with out entering any username or password the problem is your computer is automatically filling in an old username and password. To fix this problem you have to figure out what ISP you are using. If you are using internet explorer version 6.0 you have go to the upper left corner and click the file menu, scroll down and select log in as. This should prompt you to enter your username and password, and that will direct you to the correct plans. If log in as is not an option check page below for instructions.
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If you are using internet explorer 7.0 you have to look to the right where you see an icon called Page. Click Page then scroll down and select open ftp in windows. Once you select that then it will bring you to a page with the same file and information as the page you were on but a different look.
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Now go up to the left hand corner of your screen to file click it and scroll down to log in as. This will prompt you for your username and password which will direct you to the correct set of plans.
If your problem is not listed in this troubleshooting guide, or you are still having problems, email FTP support at ftp@retailconstruction.com or call 651.704.9000 ext. 754.
