=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Release Notes for WebSPIRS v3.1 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This document contains instructions for downloading WebSPIRS 3.1, a list of differences between v3.0 and 3.1, and a list of known bugs for WebSPIRS v. 3.1. =-=-=-=-= Contents =-=-=-=-= The following information is available in this file: 1. Installing WebSPIRS * Before You Install * Downloading the Software 2. New Features/Changes 3. Known Bugs * Marked records may be unmarked * List of fields for multiple databases * Removing searches from the Search History * Hits not shown in a set of marked records 4. Documentation 5. Contacting SilverPlatter * SilverPlatter FTP Site =-=-=-=-=-=-= Installation =-=-=-=-=-=-= Before you install --------------------- Before you install, you will need the following: * WebSPIRS client file package Download the appropriate WebSPIRS package file for your platform from the SilverPlatter ftp site. (See the section below: "Downloading the Software") * WebSPIRS Implementor's Guide This guide contains instructions for installing and configuring WebSPIRS. To locate the Guide, from SilverPlatter World (http://www.silverplatter.com) follow the WebSPIRS link to the WebSPIRS page and click on the WebSPIRS Implementor's Guide link. * Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server If you do not already have a HTTP server, install, configure, and start a server on your machine. You can download a free server from the Internet. (See the WebSPIRS Implementor's Guide for links to servers for a variety of platforms. * Compatible Web browser for testing SilverPlatter has extensively tested the WebSPIRS v3.1 gateway with the Netscape browser. However, WebSPIRS is compatible with any forms-capable browser, including Lynx. You can download a shareware copy of the Netscape browser from http://cgi.netscape.com or a free copy of the Lynx browser from http://www.lynx.com. * Hardware requirements You will need 10 MB of hard disc space and 1.5 MB of RAM per user for all the UNIX platforms. For the NT platform, you will need 2 MB of RAM per user. Downloading the Software --------------------------- The WebSPIRS installation package is available from the SilverPlatter FTP site (see the section below, "Contacting SilverPlatter"). 1. Once you are at the site, change to the directory containing the package appropriate for your platform: ftp.silverplatter.com -> webspirs/sco webspirs/solaris webspirs/nt webspirs/aix webspirs/linux 2. Type "bin" 3. Download the WebSPIRS software. You can then proceed with the installation procedure described in the Implementor's Guide. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 2. New Features =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Below are some of the features new to WebSPIRS and differences between WebSPIRS 3.0 and 3.1. For detailed information about configuring WebSPIRS, see the WebSPIRS Implementor's Guide. For a basic introduction to searching with WebSPIRS, see Welcome to WebSPIRS. Searching ------------ * Users can click to choose to specify an author, title, and/or subject search. * Users now have a single search entry line that allows both simple and complex searches to be typed. * Checkbox and text entry controls let the user limit searches to common languages and to publication year. * The Checktags and Update Code limits are no longer available from the Search page; however, these terms can be typed on the search line. * The Suggest feature has been disabled, but can be re-enabled by the WebSPIRS administrator. To re-enable the Suggest feature you can remove the comment tags that surround the Suggest code: 1. In the webspirs/template directory, open the tbar.htm template using an editor. 2. Locate this line in tbar.htm: 4. Find this line (just below the line in step 2) and add angle brackets to make this line of text into a comment: !--- only offer suggest if mapto field has been defined --- Put open and closing brackets like this: 5. Save and close the file. Showing results ------------------ * Search results are displayed 10 at a time on the Results page. * By default, records are displayed using the default fields for each database, rather than titles only. Users can continue to set the fields to display. * Users can change the fields to display in records by set or specifically by field. * The Citation/Full Record/Titles Only button has been removed. These settings are now available from the Change Display page. * Users can retype searches listed in the search history so that it can be edited and re-used. * Users can to specify the subject text for email. * The number of records that can be viewed at one time is now controlled by the WebSPIRS administrator. In addition to the above are improvements to navigation, reliability and performance, including changes suggested by customers. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 3. Outstanding Bugs =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The following is a list of the known bugs in this version of the software. Marked records may be unmarked --------------------------------- If you mark displayed records and then follow a linked (for example, a journal title) to another screen, the records you marked may be unmarked. We recommend these precautions: * Ensure that records are displayed as you intend before marking. * Perform operations on the marked set first. For example, once you've marked records, click the Show Marked Records button to display those records and download or print. List of fields for multiple databases ---------------------------------------- When two or more databases are selected, the list of fields may be incomplete or jumbled. On the Change Display page, if two fields share the same field label, only the field from the first database is listed. In addition, the fields for each database may be mixed up. Removing searches from the Search History -------------------------------------------- If a search in the Search History list is used in a later search (for example, you search for #1 and #2) and then one of the component searches is deleted (#1 is deleted), the later search is lost or corrupted. We recommend not removing a search from the Search History unless it is not referred to by another search. Hits not shown in a set of marked records -------------------------------------------- When you display marked records, the hits are not highlighted. Database-specific help not displayed --------------------------------------- From the Help page there are links to Database-specific help topics for each database. Users can click Table of Contents or List of Fields. In some cases, clicking these links will not display database help. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 4. Documentation =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The following documentation is available for WebSPIRS 3.1: * WebSPIRS Implementor's Guide: Contains instructions for installing and configuring WebSPIRS. To locate the Guide, from SilverPlatter World (http://www.silverplatter.com) follow the WebSPIRS link to the WebSPIRS page and click on the WebSPIRS Implementor's Guide link. Once you have installed WebSPIRS, you will also have a local copy of this Guide. Because the Implementor's Guide will undergo periodic revision, we recommend that you periodically check our website for the most current version. * Welcome to WebSPIRS: A 24-page introduction to the WebSPIRS interface. Printed copies of this manual are available from SilverPlatter. When you have installed WebSPIRS, a PDF formatted version of this manual is available in the /doc directory. You can print or distribute as many copies of this document as you wish. PDF-format documents require the free Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) Reader: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 5. Contacting SilverPlatter =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= If you need further assistance contact SilverPlatter's Technical Support Department. SilverPlatter Information, Inc. SilverPlatter Information, Ltd. 100 River Ridge Drive 10 Barley Mow Passage Norwood, MA 02062 Chiswick, London W4 4PH Phone: 800-343-0064 (US/Canada) Phone: 0800-262-096 (UK) 617-769-2599 +44-181-995-8242 Fax: 617-769-8763 Fax: +44-181-995-5159 Internet: info@silverplatter.com or support@silverplatter.com Web site: http://www.silverplatter.com SilverPlatter FTP Site ------------------------- The SilverPlatter anonymous FTP server provides access to the newest versions of SilverPlatter products for users with access to FTP. To access the SilverPlatter FTP site: 1. Log on to your Internet account. 2. At the Internet prompt, type open ftp.silverplatter.com 3. or use the following IP address: open 192.80.71.12 4. When prompted for a user name, type anonymous 5. When asked for a password, type your full electronic mail address (for example, jdoe@test.com). 6. Type "cd webspirs\beta" to go to the sub-directory that contains the software you would like to download. WEB-002 08/21/1997