IEEE-OES Digital Archive

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Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions

Questions are grouped by platform (Windows, Unix/Linux, and Mac). Additional information may be found in the readme.htm file. Updated information may be found on the Parity Computing support website.

Windows Users

Unix/Linux Users

Macintosh Users

Windows 95/98/NT 4.0

What are the software requirements to use the Digital Archive? (Windows)

Windows 95, 98, 2000, and NT 4.0 are supported.

HTML browser: Netscape 4.5 or higher (Netscape 6.0 not fully tested since it is still in beta release), and Internet Explorer 4.7 or higher are supported.
The index and minipaper files are in HTML format.

PDF/DjVu Plug-ins: You would need either Acrobat Reader software or DjVu plug-in software to be able to access the full article files. For your convenience, we have included the Acrobat PDF and DjVu software for some platforms under the directories ACROBAT and DJVU respectively on your DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (numbered 0). Please follow the instructions for Acrobat PDF and DjVu.

ASTAware Search Engine: A licensed full-text search engine is available from the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (numbered 0). The search should be installed on your local hard drive before your can use it. Titles, authors, abstract, and the full-text of all the articles are indexed for search.

How do I access the contents of the Digital Archive? (Windows)

The technical content and indexes can be accessed in two ways:

Using Indexes

In this case, you can access all the indexes and the technical content starting with the file start.htm on your DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (other than 0). This will bypass the ence, we have included a free distribution of Acrobat Reader+Search 4.0 in the directory ACROBAT. Acrobat Reader will enable you to view the PDF files whereas the "Search" function will provide for a global full-text search across all the PDF files in the CD-ROM. If you already have Acrobat Reader 4.0, please make sure that it has the search function by looking for an icon which shows binoculars with a document in the background. If such an icon is not present on your Acrobat Reader, it is essential that you install the Acrobat Reader software included in the CD-ROM so that you can gain access to the global search functionality. ASTAware search engine. Since all the indexes (authors, subjects, tables of contents, minipapers) are replicated on every DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (number >0), you can navigate through all the index files from any DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (numbered >0).

When you try to access an article PDF/DjVu file that is not part of the current DVD-ROM/CD-ROM, you will be prompted to change the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM. Please follow the instructions for changing the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM.

Using Indexes and ASTAware Search Engine

In this case, you have to follow the instructions for a one-time installation of the ASTAware search engine on your hard drive. Then, follow the instructions for activating the ASTAware search engine. You then have to load the file "index.htm" from the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (other than 0) and you must use the link, "Enter", to start the Digital Archive with ASTAware search engine enabled.

When you try to access an article PDF/DjVu file that is not part of the current DVD-ROM/CD-ROM, you will be prompted to change the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM. Please follow the instructions for changing the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM.

User-Interface

The interface is fairly intuitive: the left hand frame of the browser window contains Subject, Author and Publications indexes. These indexes are global and give you access to the entire content.

Clicking on an author name will bring you a list of papers published by the author. Clicking on the date (such as "May 1976") will bring you the Table of Contents for the issue. Clicking on the title will bring you a minipaper together with bookmarks. This minipaper contains a link to the full paper in PDF/DjVu format. The minipaper as well as the bookmarks file contains pointers to various in-links and out-links corresponding to the title. The bookmarks will stay in the left frame until you bring up another title. Although the PDF/DjVu files are partitioned among the DVD-ROM/CD-ROMs, minipapers of all articles appear on all DVD-ROM/CD-ROMs. Thus, one will need to switch the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM only in the event that one wishes to access the full paper.

Acrobat PDF files are in searchable (image+hidden text) format. You can search within each individual file using the Acrobat Find function.

How do I change CD-ROMs? (Windows)

In the course of accessing certain links in the Digital Archive CD-ROM set, a window will appear in your web browser application asking "Please enter CD-ROM # and then click OK" (where # is the number of the CD-ROM that contains the requested files). Instructions for changing the CD-ROMs are provided below.

Open the CD-ROM drive by physically pressing the Eject button on the CD-ROM drive of your windows PC. Then insert the CD-ROM with the appropriate number. Wait until the CD-ROM "stabilizes" (this may take up to 30 seconds). A sure sign is that you will find a name or an icon next to your CD-ROM drive letter in Windows Explorer. Then press OK in the Javascript Window that prompted you to change the CD-ROM.

If by chance you inserted the wrong CD-ROM and pressed OK, you will get error message(s) indicating that the requested PDF file is not found. In order to get the prompt for changing the CD-ROM back, reload (better yet, force reload, control-C+Reload) the current document and then click on the title once again.

Searching the Content/Full-text Search Engine (Windows)

In addition to navigating the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM through the indexes, you can search for keywords in the text of the articles using the ASTAware search engine.

The ASTAware search engine may only work with Netscape 4.5 or higher and Internet Explorer 4.7 or higher (Netscape 6.0 is not fully tested since it is still in beta release). For these browsers, please carefully follow the instructions below. If you have trouble, please check the support website of Parity Computing Inc. If you do not find appropriate help, please send Email to oe@cparity.com with a full description of the your problem and your computer's configuration.

The following topics contain help regarding basic use of the search engine:

How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? (Windows)

Please following the instructions for installation and activation of ASTAware search engine.

The ASTAware search engine software must be activated when you start using the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM set, or else the full-text search functionality won't be available. If you will only be doing Index searches (Publications, Authors, Subject), then you do not need to start the search engine (see Using Indexes).

Note: You will need to disable the use of proxy servers in your browser before activating the search engine. For instructions, see Can I use the Digital Archive while using a proxy server?.

Search Engine Troubleshooting

Several possible problems can arise when using the search engine. Note that, if you get stuck and can't get the search engine working, you can still use the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM set by starting with the file "start.htm". You do not need to to start the search engine first.

Starting with the browser: If your browser does not automatically start when you start the search engine, you can start it yourself and load "index.htm" from the top level directory of the CD-ROM.

Windows users need TCP/IP: ASTAware requires TCP/IP to be installed. If you use the Internet or a local Ethernet network on your computer, then you should already be adequately set up. But even if you don't normally connect to a network, you need to enable TCP/IP. To do this under Windows, go to the Network Control Panel, click the "Add" button in "Protocol", select "TCP/IP" (under "Microsoft").

Don't use proxy servers (otherwise the browser may fail to load anything after start.htm): You will need to disable the use of proxy servers in your browser before activating the search engine. If you don't do this, you may notice your browser failing to load pages from the CD-ROM. In Netscape, under "Edit" select "Preferences", go to "Advanced", then "Proxies", and select "Direct connection to the Internet". In Internet Explorer, under "Tools" select "Internet Options", go to "Connections", click "LAN Settings" and uncheck "Use a proxy server." If you don't want to disrupt your usual preferences, we recommend creating a new user profile in your browser for use with the CD-ROM set.

Error messages: If you see an error message after "Waiting for the client's request !!!" in the ASTAware text window, this indicates that the search engine has crashed (this can happen, for example, if you press "OK" in the CD-ROM changing prompt before the new CD-ROM has been recognized by the system). In this case, shut down ASTAware search engine (close its windows), and restart it.

How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has started up properly? (Windows)

When the ASTAware search engine has started up correctly, there will be a small ASTAware logo/exit window and also a text window. The last line in the text window will be "Waiting for the client's request !!!". If this line is not in the text window then the search engine has not yet completed startup. If there is text after this line, then the search engine has crashed. See the Question Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for possible causes and solutions.

How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has crashed? (Windows)

If the ASTAware text window has any text after the line "Waiting for the client's request !!!", then it has crashed and must be restarted in order to use search. See the Question Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for possible causes and solutions.

Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? (Windows)

When changing CD-ROMs (under Windows NT), it is important to wait until the new CD-ROM is completely mounted before clicking the "OK" button. Otherwise the ASTAware search engine may try to read data from the CD-ROM before it is ready. Restarting the search engine will allow you to continue searching.

If the ASTAware text window does not have the line "Waiting for the client's request !!!", then it never started up correctly. Please see the Question How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? for help on starting the search engine.

The search engine may crash if an outdated or nonstandard HTML browser is used. It has been tested on Netscape 4.5 and higher (but is buggy in the Netscape 6.0 beta release), and Internet Explorer 4.7 and higher. Installing the latest version of either browser may fix the problem.

I got stuck on a page where none of the links work. (Windows)

The ASTAware search engine may have crashed. See How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has crashed? and Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for help.

Unix/Linux

What are the software requirements to use the Digital Archive? (Unix/Linux)

Sun Solaris and Linux (Red Hat) have been tested and are supported. Other Unix platforms will likely work as well.

HTML browser: Netscape 4.5 or higher is supported.
The index files and minipapers are in HTML format.

PDF/DjVu Plug-ins: You would need either Acrobat Reader software or DjVu plug-in software to be able to access the full article files. For your convenience, we have included the Acrobat PDF and DjVu software for some platforms under the directories ACROBAT and DJVU respectively on your DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (numbered 0). Please follow the instructions for Acrobat PDF and DjVu.

ASTAware Search Engine: A licensed full-text search engine is available from the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (numbered 0). The search should be installed on your local hard drive before your can use it. Titles, authors, abstract, and the full-text of all the articles are indexed for search. Java: Java JDK (version 1.1.8 or higher) is required in order to do full-text search. It can be downloaded from http://www.javasoft.com.

It is important to configure your Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer to handle Acrobat PDF files and Javascript.

How do I access the contents of the Digital Archive? (Unix/Linux)

The technical content and indexes can be accessed in two ways:

Using Indexes

In this case, you can access all the indexes and the technical content starting with the start.htm file on ANY CD-ROM (numbered >0). This will bypass the ASTAware search engine. Since all the indexes (authors, subjects, tables of contents, minipapers) are replicated on every CD-ROM, you can navigate through all the index files from any CD-ROM.

When you try to access an article PDF file that is not part of the current CD-ROM, you will be prompted to change the CD-ROM. Please follow the instructions for changing the CD-ROM.

Note for Solaris users: When you insert a CD-ROM, a specific directory by the name of the Digital archive will be created under the directory /cdrom. Under this directory, you will find the files from the CD-ROM in the drive. You will also find a default directory called "cdrom0" under the directory /cdrom. The directory "cdrom0" is a softlink to the directory and thus gives access to the contents of the current CD-ROM in the drive. It is essential that you use the pathname /cdrom/cdrom0/start.htm to access the start.htm in the top-level directory of the CD-ROM. This path will remain the same even when you change the CD-ROM thus providing a smooth transition to another CD-ROM.

Using Indexes and ASTAware Search Engine

In this case, you have to follow the instructions for a one-time installation of the ASTAware search engine on your hard drive. Then, follow the instructions for activating the ASTAware search engine. You then have to load the file "index.htm" from the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (other than 0) and you must use the link, "Enter", to start the Digital Archive with ASTAware search engine enabled.

When you try to access an article PDF/DjVu file that is not part of the current DVD-ROM/CD-ROM, you will be prompted to change the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM. Please follow the instructions for changing the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM.

User-Interface

The interface is fairly intuitive: the left hand frame of the browser window contains Subject, Author and Publications indexes. These indexes are global and give you access to the entire content.

Clicking on an author name will bring you a list of papers published by the author. Clicking on the date (such as "May 1976") will bring you the Table of Contents for the issue. Clicking on the title will bring you a minipaper together with bookmarks. This minipaper contains a link to the full paper in PDF/DjVu format. The minipaper as well as the bookmarks file contains pointers to various in-links and out-links corresponding to the title. The bookmarks will stay in the left frame until you bring up another title. Although the PDF/DjVu files are partitioned among the DVD-ROM/CD-ROMs, minipapers of all articles appear on all DVD-ROM/CD-ROMs. Thus, one will need to switch the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM only in the event that one wishes to access the full paper.

Acrobat PDF files are in searchable (image+hidden text) format. You can search within each individual file using the Acrobat Find function.

How do I change CD-ROMs (Unix/Linux)

In the course of accessing certain links in the Digital Archive CD-ROM set, a window will appear in your web browser application asking "Please enter CD-ROM # and then click OK" (where # is the number of the CD-ROM that contains the requested files). Instructions for changing the CD-ROMs are provided below.

For Solaris users, make sure that you used the pathname /cdrom/cdrom0 to access the Digital Archive contents for the first time. This generic pathname will remain valid when you change the CD-ROMs.

On UNIX platforms, one has to issue an explicit `eject' or `unmount' command to eject the CD-ROM from the drive. Then insert the CD-ROM with the appropriate number. Wait until the CD-ROM "stabilizes" (this may take up to 30 seconds). A sure sign is that you will find directory corresponding to Digital archive as well as the cdrom0 directory under the directory /cdrom. Then press OK in the Javascript Window that prompted you to change the CD-ROM.

If by chance you inserted the wrong CD-ROM and pressed OK, you will get error message(s) indicating that the requested PDF file is not found. In order to get the prompt for changing the CD-ROM back, reload (better yet, force reload, control-C+Reload) the current document and then click on the title once again.

The OS won't let me change CD-ROMs (Unix/Linux)

This should not happen. If the Operating System does not let you change CD-ROMs, shut down your ASTAware search engine and try to eject the CD-ROM.

Searching the Content/Full-text Search Engine (Unix/Linux)

In addition to navigating the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM through the indexes, you can search for keywords in the text of the articles using the ASTAware search engine.

The ASTAware search engine may only work with Netscape 4.5 or higher. For these browsers, please carefully follow the instructions below. If you have trouble, please check the support website of Parity Computing Inc. If you do not find appropriate help, please send Email to oe@cparity.com with a full description of the your problem and your computer's configuration. Installation of an appropriate Java JDK is the responsibility of the user.

How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? (Unix/Linux)

Please following the instructions for installation and activation of ASTAware search engine.

The ASTAware search engine software must be activated when you start using the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM set, or else the full-text search functionality won't be available. If you will only be doing Index searches (Publications, Authors, Subject), then you do not need to start the search engine (see Using Indexes).

Note: You will need to disable the use of proxy servers in your browser before activating the search engine. For instructions, see Can I use the Digital Archive while using a proxy server?.

You will need to install the Java JDK (version 1.1.8 or higher) before using the search engine. If you don't have it already, you can download it from http://www.javasoft.com.

Search Engine Troubleshooting

Several possible problems can arise when using the search engine. We recommend first re-reading the instructions above if you are having problems using the search engine. Note that, if you get stuck and can't get the search engine working, you can still use the CD set by selecting the link to enter "Using Indexes" after starting on "start.htm" from CD-ROM 1 in your browser; you do not need to start the search engine first.

Starting with the browser: If your browser does not automatically start when you start the search engine, you can start it yourself and load "start.htm" from the top level directory of the CD-ROM.

Java JDK: Unix/Linux users may need to upgrade to the most recent version of the Java JDK, as described in the instructions.

Don't use proxy servers (otherwise the browser may fail to load anything after start.htm): You will need to disable the use of proxy servers in your browser before activating the search engine. If you don't do this, you may notice your browser failing to load pages from the CD-ROM. In Netscape, under "Edit" select "Preferences", go to "Advanced", then "Proxies", and select "Direct connection to the Internet". In Internet Explorer, under "Tools" select "Internet Options", go to "Connections", click "LAN Settings" and uncheck "Use a proxy server." If you don't want to disrupt your usual preferences, we recommend creating a new user profile in your browser for use with the CD-ROM set.

Error messages: If you see an error message after "Waiting for the client's request !!!" in the ASTAware text window, this indicates that the search engine has crashed (this can happen, for example, if you press "OK" in the CD-ROM changing prompt before the new CD-ROM has been recognized by the system). In this case, shut down ASTAware (close its windows), and restart from the beginning on CD-ROM 1.

How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has started up properly? (Unix/Linux)

When the ASTAware search engine has started up correctly, there will be a small ASTAware logo/exit window and also a text window. The last line in the text window will be "Waiting for the client's request !!!". If this line is not in the text window then the search engine has not yet completed startup. If there is text after this line, then the search engine has crashed. See the Question Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for possible causes and solutions.

Why won't the ASTAware search engine start? (Unix/Linux)

Make sure you have the latest version of JDK (version 1.1.8 or higher) installed. Also make sure the JDK Java interpreter is in your path.

See Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for other possible causes and solutions.

How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has crashed? (Unix/Linux)

If the ASTAware text window has any text after the line "Waiting for the client's request !!!", then it has crashed and must be restarted in order to use search. See the Question Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for possible causes and solutions.

Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? (Unix/Linux)

If the ASTAware text window does not have the line "Waiting for the client's request !!!", then it never started up correctly. Please see the Question How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? for help on starting the search engine.

The search engine may crash if an outdated or nonstandard HTML browser is used. It has been tested on Netscape 4.5 and higher. Installing the latest version of Netscape may fix the problem.

The ASTAware search engine requires the Java JDK version 1.1.8 or higher. Earlier versions may cause the search engine to malfunction.

The Java interpreter (JDK) must be in your path for the ASTAware search engine to run properly.

Additional information may be obtained from the support website of Parity Computing, Inc.

I got stuck on a page where none of the links work. (Unix/Linux)

The ASTAware search engine may have crashed. See How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has crashed? and Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for help.

Macintosh

What are the software requirements to use the Digital Archive? (Macintosh)

Macintosh OS 8.1 or higher is required.

HTML browser: Netscape 4.5 or higher and Internet Explorer 5.x are supported.
The index files and bookmarks are in HTML format.

Acrobat Reader (or Exchange) or PDF plug-in (versions 3.0 or higher): The files containing technical content are in PDF format. For the user's convenience, the Acrobat Reader+Search 4.0 software is included on CD-ROM 3. Please see the Help file for instructions on how to install it.

ASTAware Search Engine: A licensed full-text search engine is available from CD-ROM 1. You have the license to run the ASTAware from CD-ROM 1. The search engine is not available from any other CD-ROM. Titles, authors, abstract, and the full-text of all the articles are indexed for search. You may need to configure your TCP/IP settings if you want to use the search engine (see Macintosh-specific problems and solutions).

Java: MRJ 2.1 or higher is required in order to do full-text search.

It is important to configure your Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer to handle Acrobat PDF files and Javascript. It is essential that you install Acrobat Reader (or Exchange) along with your Internet browser. Adobe Acrobat Reader is available at http://www.adobe.com.

Browser and Acrobat PDF: Your browser can be configured to handle Acrobat PDF files either internally using the PDF plugin or externally by launching the Acrobat Reader in another window.

How do I access the contents of the Digital Archive? (Macintosh)

The technical content and indexes can be accessed in two ways:

Using Indexes

In this case, you can access all the indexes and the technical content starting with the start.htm file on ANY CD-ROM, and clicking on the link "Using Indexes." This will bypass the ASTAware search engine. Since all the indexes (authors, subjects, tables of contents, summaries) are replicated on every CD-ROM, you can navigate through all the index files from any CD-ROM. Refer to Hints for Effective Search for tips on managing this transition between CD-ROMs.

When you try to access an article PDF file that is not part of the current CD-ROM, you will be prompted to change the CD-ROM. Please follow the instructions for changing the CD-ROM.

Using Indexes and ASTAware Search Engine

In this case, you have to start with CD-ROM 1 and you must follow the instructions for How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine. You must be using CD-ROM 1 to access the search functionality. Since all the indexes (authors, subjects, tables of contents, summaries) are replicated on CD-ROM 1, you can browse search results and navigate through all the index files without leaving CD-ROM 1. You can also access the most recent full-text PDF files from there.

There are certain limitations to using the ASTAware search engine in conjunction with CD-ROM changing. CD-ROMs cannot be changed while the ASTAware search engine is running. As a consequence, you have to close the search engine, eject the CD-ROM and start with the desired CD-ROM using the indexes. Please refer to the Question on Searching the Content/Full-text Search Engine for complete instructions, and tips for managing the transition to a new CD-ROM.

User-Interface

The interface is fairly intuitive: the left hand frame of the browser window contains Subject, Author and Publications indexes. These indexes are global and give you access to the entire content.

Clicking on an author name will bring you a list of papers published by the author. Clicking on the date (such as "May 1976") will bring you the Table of Contents for the issue. Clicking on the title will bring you a summary of the paper together with bookmarks. This summary contains a link to the full paper in PDF format. The bookmark file contains pointers to various "in-links" and "out-links" corresponding to the title. The bookmarks will stay in the left frame until you bring up another title. Although the PDF files are partitioned among the CD-ROMs, summaries of all articles appear on all CD-ROMs. Thus, one will need to switch the CD-ROM only in the event that one wishes to access the full paper in PDF format.

Acrobat PDF files are in searchable (image+hidden text) format. You can search within each individual file using the Acrobat Find function.

Why does my computer rebuild the desktop when I insert a CD-ROM?

When you first insert one of the Digital Archive CD-ROMs, the Macintosh may rebuild the desktop. This may take several minutes, and is normal. It may happen for each of the CD-ROMs when you first insert it, but it should not happen a second time for any single CD-ROM.

How do I change CD-ROMs (Macintosh)

In the course of accessing certain links in the Digital archive CD-ROM set, a window will appear in your web browser application asking "Please enter CD-ROM # and then click OK" (where # is the number of the CD-ROM that contains the requested files). Instructions for changing the CD-ROMs are provided below.

In order to switch CD-ROMs on a Macintosh, do the following:

  1. Pull down the "Application" menu in the upper-right hand corner of the menubar and select the Finder entry from the list of currently running applications in order to switch the Finder to the foreground.
  2. If there are application windows blocking the view of your Finder desktop, pull down the Application menu again and select the "Hide Others" option to temporarily hide the other windows.
  3. Select the CD-ROM icon on the Finder desktop and drag it to the Trash Can to eject it.
  4. Insert the specified CD-ROM and wait for it to appear on your Finder desktop.
  5. To return to browsing the Digital Archive, pull down the Application menu and select the entry for your web browser application (e.g. "Netscape Communicator", "Internet Explorer", etc.) in order to bring it back to the foreground and continue from where you left off.

If at any time, you should inadvertently hit the OK button before switching CD-ROMs and receive an error about being unable to access a file, simply click on the Reload button in the web browser to reset the page and try again.

The Macintosh operating system imposes certain limitations to using the ASTAware search engine in conjunction with CD-ROM changing. In particular, Macintosh users will not be able to change the CD-ROM while the ASTAware search engine is running. As a consequence, you have to close the search engine (go to the ASTAware text window and select Quit from the Apple menu at the top of the screen), eject the CD-ROM, and start with the desired CD-ROM using the indexes. You can start from the file "start.htm" from the desired CD-ROM, click on the link "Using Indexes", and navigate to the desired PDF file through the indexes. Refer to Hints for Effective Search for tips on managing this transition between CD-ROMs.

The OS won't let me change CD-ROMs (Macintosh)

If the ASTAware search engine is running, you will not be allowed to change CD-ROMs. In order to view PDF files from other CD-ROMs, you will need to shut down the search engine. See How do I change CD-ROMs for details.

Searching the Content/Full-text Search Engine (Macintosh)

In addition to navigating the CD through the indexes, you can search for keywords in the text of the articles using the ASTAware search engine. The CD-ROM set comes with only one license for the ASTAware SearchDisc search engine software (henceforth, ASTAware search engine) licensed from ASTAware Technologies Inc. As a consequence, ASTAware search engine is only available from the CD-ROM 1. Please refer to ASTAware search engine licensing agreement.

The ASTAware search engine may only work with Netscape 4.5 or higher and Internet Explorer 5.x. For these browsers, please carefully follow the instructions below. If you have trouble, please check the support website of Parity Computing Inc. If you do not find appropriate help, please send Email to oes@cparity.com with a full description of the your problem and your computer's configuration. Installation of an appropriate Java MRJ is the responsibility of the user.

How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? (Macintosh)

The use of multi-CD search engines is still in its infancy, and we know that many older combinations of platform, OS, and browsers will not work satisfactorily with the ASTAware search engine. If you find this to be true for your computer, we suggest using the indexes (transactions, authors, subjects) navigation system. Careful use of the guidelines below may allow you some degree of success with the search engine, but experimentation may be required.

The ASTAware search engine software must be activated when you start using the CD-ROM set, or else the full-text search functionality won't be available. If you will only be doing Index searches (Publications, Authors, Subject), then you do not need to start the search engine (see Using Indexes).

Note: You will need to disable the use of proxy servers in your browser before activating the search engine. For instructions, see Can I use the Digital Archive while using a proxy server?.

To use the search engine, you will need Java installed on your machine (MRJ 2.1 or higher). Note that you may not have MRJ installed even if you have a browser installed that can run Java. You can download MRJ from http://www.apple.com/java, or find it on your MacOS CD-ROM, and install it. (Users of pre-8.1 versions of MacOS may be able to use the search engine in conjunction with older versions of MRJ available from http://devworld.apple.com/java/text/download.html, but no support is available for the use of this older software).

After inserting CD-ROM 1, double-click its icon and then open the "Mac" folder. Double-click on "Start" (not "StartSD"). This will start the search engine, and you will see a text window come up that will show several messages. After you see the message "Waiting for the client's request !!!", the search engine is ready to use. Leave this text window open until you are done using the CD-ROM. If you close this window, you will not only be unable to use the search function but will be prevented from accessing the content.

A few seconds after this window appears, the default browser will automatically start and load the file "start.htm" from the top level directory of the CD-ROM. When this file is loaded, you will be prompted with two options: 1. Access the contents using the indexes, OR 2. Access the contents using indexes and ASTAware search engine. Select option 1 to to browse the Digital Archive through the regular indexes (transactions, authors, subjects). Select option 2 to enable the use of search. This will take you to the home page of the Digital Archive and you are then ready to access the indexes, technical content and the search function.

If your browser does not automatically start, you can start it yourself and load "start.htm" from the top level directory of the CD-ROM.

You can use search and browse search results, navigate through all indexes and summaries, and view the most recent PDF full-text content, all without leaving CD-ROM 1. When you try to access an article PDF file that is not part of the current CD-ROM, you will be prompted to change the CD-ROM. The Macintosh operating system imposes certain limitations to using the ASTAware search engine in conjunction with CD-ROM changing. In particular, Macintosh users will not be able to change the CD-ROM while the ASTAware search engine is running. As a consequence, you have to close the search engine (go to the ASTAware text window and select Quit from the Apple menu at the top of the screen), eject the CD-ROM, and start with the desired CD-ROM using the indexes. You can start from the file "start.htm" from the desired CD-ROM, click on the link "Using Indexes", and navigate to the desired PDF file through the indexes. Refer to Hints for Effective Search for tips on managing this transition between CD-ROMs.

Search Engine Troubleshooting

Several possible problems can arise when using the search engine. We recommend first re-reading the instructions above if you are having problems using the search engine. Note that, if you get stuck and can't get the search engine working, you can still use the CD set by selecting the link to enter "Using Indexes" after starting on "start.htm" from CD-ROM 1 in your browser; you do not need to start the search engine first.

Starting with the browser: If your browser does not automatically start when you start the search engine, you can start it yourself and load "start.htm" from the top level directory of the CD-ROM.

Don't use proxy servers (otherwise the browser may fail to load anything after start.htm): You will need to disable the use of proxy servers in your browser before activating the search engine. If you don't do this, you may notice your browser failing to load pages from the CD-ROM. In Netscape, under "Edit" select "Preferences", go to "Advanced", then "Proxies", and select "Direct connection to the Internet". In Internet Explorer, under "Tools" select "Internet Options", go to "Connections", click "LAN Settings" and uncheck "Use a proxy server." If you don't want to disrupt your usual preferences, we recommend creating a new user profile in your browser for use with the CD-ROM set.

CD-ROM changing issues: There are certain limitations to using the ASTAware search engine in conjunction with CD-ROM changing. CD-ROMs cannot be changed while the ASTAware search engine is running. As a consequence, you have to close the search engine, eject the CD-ROM and start with the desired CD-ROM using the indexes. Please refer to the above for complete instructions.

Refer to Hints for Effective Search for tips on managing this transition between CD-ROMs.

Error messages: If you see an error message after "Waiting for the client's request !!!" in the ASTAware text window, this indicates that the search engine has crashed (this can happen, for example, if you press "OK" in the CD-ROM changing prompt before the new CD-ROM has been recognized by the system). In this case, shut down ASTAware (Quit in the Apple menu), and restart from the beginning on CD-ROM 1.

Macintosh-specific problems and solutions:

  • Memory: You will need at least 64 megabytes of RAM to use the CD set with the search engine. Turning on Virtual Memory may help if you are running out of memory (but turning it off may help if the system is running too slowly).

  • MRJ version: Make sure you have MRJ (version 2.1 or higher) installed as described in the instructions.

  • Use ASTAware only when necessary: Usage of the CD on the Macintosh can be somewhat slow when you are going through the ASTAware search engine. If it seems too slow, try reloading "start.htm" from the CD and clicking the link to enter "Using Indexes". You won't be able to use search in this case, but you can always restart using the ASTAware search engine when you do need it.

  • Enable TCP/IP: The browser connects to the search engine through the Internet's TCP/IP protocol. If you use the Internet or a local Ethernet network, then you should already be set up. But even if you aren't connected to a network, you'll need to have Open Transport installed, and TCP active. Open Transport comes with MacOS (versions 7.6 and above), but if it is deactivated on your system, you need to use Extensions Manager to activate the TCP/IP control panel and the extensions named "Open Transport..." or "OpenTpt...". Then, after rebooting, go to the TCP/IP control panel. Under the Edit menu, select "Administrator" under "User Mode". Then in the control panel, under "options", make sure that TCP/IP is active. After activating it, quit everything that is running and try the CD again.

    If you still have trouble, try going back to the TCP/IP control panel, and selecting "AppleTalk" for your network. Select "manual" configuration. Pick an IP address (192.168.1.10 should work), and clear out the "router" and "DNS" fields. This should successfully set up TCP/IP running only on your local machine.

  • Doubleclicking "Start" doesn't work: need File Exchange/PC Exchange: If doubleclicking on "Start" as described in the instructions doesn't work: you need to have the "File Exchange" software (which used to be called "PC Exchange") to properly read the Macintosh files on the PC-formatted CD-ROM. This software is included with the MacOS. Make sure the File Exchange Control Panel and Foreign File Access Extension are installed and enabled in Extensions Manager.

  • Not getting search results in Netscape (localhost problem): Some versions of Netscape have trouble in some network environments. If the search engine seems to start normally, but your query never returns results (and gives an error instead in Netscape), try this: Look in your Preferences folder in the System Folder. If there is a "Hosts" file there, open it with SimpleText. Otherwise create a new file (somewhere outside the System Folder) with SimpleText. Add the following two lines to the file:

    localhost CNAME local.local.local
    local.local.local A 127.0.0.1

    If you just created this file (as opposed to editing an existing Hosts file), go the TCP/IP control panel. Under Edit, select User Mode "Administrator". Click "Select Hosts File" and select the file you just created.

    Now reboot and try the CD again.

How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has started up properly? (Macintosh)

When the ASTAware search engine has started up correctly, there will be a text window. The last line of text in this window will be "Waiting for the client's request !!!". If this line is not in the text window then the search engine has not yet completed startup. If there is text after this line, then the search engine has crashed. See the Question Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for possible causes and solutions.

Why won't the ASTAware search engine start? (Macintosh)

Make sure that you have MRJ 2.1 or higher installed, and that File Exchange/PC Exchange is installed and enabled, and that TCP/IP (Open Transport) is installed and enabled (see Macintosh search engine activation and troubleshooting instructions in the Help file for details).

See Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for other possible causes and solutions.

How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has crashed? (Macintosh)

If the ASTAware text window has any text after the line "Waiting for the client's request !!!", then it has crashed and must be restarted in order to use search. See the Question Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for possible causes and solutions.

Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? (Macintosh)

If the ASTAware text window does not have the line "Waiting for the client's request !!!", then it never started up correctly. Please see the Question How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? for help on starting the search engine.

The search engine may crash if an outdated or nonstandard HTML browser is used. It has been tested on Netscape 4.5 and higher and Internet Explorer 5.x. Installing the latest version of either browser may fix the problem.

The ASTAware search engine requires the Java interpreter MRJ 2.1 or higher. Earlier versions may cause the search engine to malfunction.

The ASTAware search engine may not run properly if there is too little RAM. We recommend at least 64 MB of memory. Turning on virtual memory may help if this is the problem.

The search engines relies on "File Exchange" to work properly. This is included with the MacOS, but may have been disabled or removed. Make sure it is installed, and that the "File Exchange Control Panel" and "Foreign File Access Extension" are enabled in Extension Manager. Note that earlier versions of "File Exchange" were called "PC Exchange". The search engine should work with either version.

TCP/IP (Open Transport) must be installed and enabled for the search engine to run properly. See the Macintosh search engine activation and troubleshooting instructions in the Help file for details.

Additional information may be obtained from the support website of Parity Computing, Inc.

I can navigate the content through the indexes using ASTAware search engine, but I can't get any search results. (Macintosh)

This may be a problem with the Mac's recognition of "localhost". See How do I set up and activate the ASTAware search engine? for instructions on how to set up the Hosts file.

I got stuck on a page where none of the links work. (Macintosh)

The ASTAware search engine may have crashed. See How can I tell if the ASTAware search engine has crashed? and Why did the ASTAware search engine crash? for help.

All platforms

Does the ASTAware search engine search over all articles, or just those on the first CD-ROM?

For searching purposes, we have indexed the titles, authors, abstracts, and the full text of all the articles, on all CD-ROMs. As a consequence, although you will not be able to access all the PDF files from a particular without changing the CD-ROMs, you will be able to search the full-text of all articles from any CD-ROM.

The ASTAware search engine started up, but the browser didn't start

In this case, start your browser manually and load "index.htm" from the root of the CD-ROM.

The ASTAware search engine appears to start correctly, but the browser fails to load anything after index.htm

There are two possible causes for this:

You cannot use the ASTAware search engine while using a browser set up for a proxy server. You can still browse the content without search. See Can I use the Digital Archive while using a proxy server? for information on disabling the proxy server.

You may have clicked on "Using Indexes and ASTAware Search Engine" before the search engine had finished starting. In this case you can just wait for the search engine to finish starting up, and then click on "Using Indexes and ASTAware Search Engine".

Can I use the Digital Archive while using a proxy server?

The ASTAware full-text search engine cannot be used in conjunction with a proxy server.

If you are browsing without the search engine, there should be no problem using a proxy server.

To use the search engine, you will need to disable the proxy server. In Netscape, under "Edit" select "Preferences", go to "Advanced", then "Proxies", and select "Direct connection to the Internet". In Internet Explorer, under "Tools" select "Internet Options", go to "Connections", click "LAN Settings" and uncheck "Use a proxy server." If you don't want to disrupt your usual preferences, we recommend creating a new user profile in your browser for use with the CD-ROM set.

When I entered my search query, there were no results

If you hit "Enter" on the keyword after entering a query, the search engine will return an empty results lists. Try re-entering the query, and click on the "Search" button instead of hitting "Enter".

Where else can I find help for my problem?

Additional information may be found in the help file. Updated information, including updates to this FAQ, may be found on the Parity Computing support website.