4 December 2000 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Release Notes for the General Release of WebSPIRS v4.3 for Sun Solaris, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Red Hat Linux =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= WebSPIRS 4.3 contains a number of new features that will significantly improve the user experience. Most of these features have been implemented as configuration options, to allow administrators to customize WebSPIRS in the manner that meets their users' needs most closely. Internet Service subscribers can contact SilverPlatter Technical Support to make any desired changes to the default settings of these new configuration options. New features in WebSPIRS 4.3 include: * Alternative ways to launch WebSPIRS. WebSPIRS 4.3 may be configured to run in a single new browser window, or in the original browser window with the browser toolbar enabled. * Customizable Order and Check For Holdings links. Existing buttons may be changed to text links, with configurable wording, with display of both at the bottom of the record. * Search Hints display on main Search screen to address most common user questions, including a configurable link to a SilverPlatter tutorial or library instruction site. * Improved navigation, including use of the keyboard Enter key to initiate login and searching as well as automatic cursor positioning in data entry boxes. * Option to display a smaller text entry box on the main search screen. * Ability to filter the display of SDI accounts based on email address. * Configurable logout to library-specified web page. Details of these and other changes are described at Section 5 below. If you have used the beta release of WebSPIRS 4.3 you should note that there are some additional configuration changes in the general release, and some of the default settings have changed in the light of beta feedback. If you are upgrading to WebSPIRS 4.3 from a release earlier than WebSPIRS 4.2, you may wish to read the information about the changes introduced in WebSPIRS 4.2. These changes are described at Section 7 below. ========================= About these Release Notes ========================= These Release Notes should be read together with the WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide. This is available in PDF and HTML format from the ftp site (see Section 1 below). You will need a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader (available from http://www.adobe.com)to view the PDF version. You can view the HTML version in a browser, starting with file wsig_toc.htm. A copy in HTML format is installed as part of the WebSPIRS installation package, and placed in the webspirs/url/doc/directory. Please check the SilverPlatter web site for revised versions of this document. The WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide contains full details of how to install and configure WebSPIRS v4.3. You should download that document before you start to install WebSPIRS. These Release Notes contain the following additional information (along with other items listed in the Contents): * Any downloading and installation information that is specific to this release. * Any late-breaking information about WebSPIRS that has not yet been included in the WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide. * Details of features that are new or are changed in this release. * Details of known issues in this release. Additional WebSPIRS Documentation --------------------------------- In addition to these release notes, and the Administrator's Guide, the following other items are available: * There is a short readme file, at /webspirs/bin/readme.txt, which is installed with the software. This file gives a brief summary of the user documentation available with WebSPIRS. * WebSPIRS online help system: provides detailed,user-oriented information on searching with WebSPIRS v4.3. * WebSPIRS 4 QuickStart: shows users how to get started with basic WebSPIRS searching. You can find this guide (available in HTML and PDF) by following the documentation links on SilverPlatter's web site (http://www.silverplatter.com). * WebSPIRS 4 Quick Reference Card: You can find this guide (available in PDF format) by following the documentation links on SilverPlatter's web site (http://www.silverplatter.com). =-=-=-=- Contents =-=-=-=- 1. Downloading the software and the WebSPIRS Administrator's Guide 2. Requirements 3. Installing and Configuring WebSPIRS v4.3 4. Late-Breaking Information 5. New Features and Changes in this release 6. Known issues in this release 7. Summary of New and Changed Features in WebSPIRS 4.2 8. Linking to BIBSYS and Pica 9. Contacting SilverPlatter Technical Support =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 1. Downloading the software and the WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= If you have not yet got a copy of the WebSPIRS v4.3 software and WebSPIRS Administrator's Guide, this is how you download them: Downloading the General Release software with a web browser: ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Access the software download page on the SilverPlatter web site; http://www.silverplatter.com/support/registration.html 2. Choose the WebSPIRS 4.3 check box and select your platform from the drop-down menu. 3. Fill in the registration details, and click Submit Request. 4. The download package contains the following files: The compressed software (ws43), depending on the platform. These release notes (relnotes.txt) The Administrator's Guide, in PDF format (w43adgdr.pdf) Downloading the General Release software using ftp: --------------------------------------------------- 1. Use anonymous ftp to connect to SilverPlatter's site: ftp.silverplatter.com 2. Login with user-id anonymous and enter your email address as a password. 3. Change to the /software/webspirs4.3 directory. (To do this, enter cd/software/webspirs4.3) 4. Change to the directory for your platform (Solaris, Linux, Windows NT, or Windows 2000). 5. Make sure you will download the files as binary files. (To do this, enter bin) 6. Download all the files from the directory. (To do this, enter mget *. You are prompted to enter y to download each file.) The files will download into whatever is your local directory. The files are: The software (ws43), depending on the platform. These release notes (relnotes.txt) The Administrator's Guide, in PDF format (w43adgdr.pdf) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 2. Requirements =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Full details of the hardware requirements for installing and running WebSPIRS are given in the WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide. Please also check the SilverPlatter web site: http://www.silverplatter.com/erl/erlgatewayreq.htm for any changes. This release has been tested on the following supported platforms: NT 4 with service pack 6 Windows 2000 Solaris 2.6, 7, and 8 Red Hat Linux 6.1 and 6.2 The following is a summary of the requirements: * ERL 4.06 or higher * 10 MB of hard disk space * 3 MB RAM + 4 MB RAM per simultaneous user * A WebSPIRS-compatible browser: WebSPIRS v4.3 has been tested using browsers running on the following platforms: * Netscape Navigator 4.x (32-bit) for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT (4.0 or higher), or Windows 2000, or Netscape 4.x for the Macintosh. NOTE: We recommend Netscape 4.08 or later for a 68K Macintosh. NOTE: Netscape 6 is not currently supported. * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 (32-bit) or higher (including IE 5.5) for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT (4.0 or higher), or Windows 2000. (IMPORTANT: Internet Explorer for the Macintosh is not a supported web browser.) To ensure optimal performance of the WebSPIRS v4.3 gateway, we recommend that it is used with browsers running on these platforms. You may experience problems using browsers on other platforms such as Windows 3.1 or X Windows. NOTE: The browser's JavaScript capabilities must be enabled at all times. Java must be enabled only if you subscribe to SilverPlatter full text databases that use the Table of Contents feature. NOTE: Because WebSPIRS v4.3 is not CGI-based, it does not require a separate web server to run. However, using WebSPIRS v4.3 will not prevent you from using your preferred web server for all your other web-based applications. * You will be asked to provide the following ERL server information during the WebSPIRS installation: * Hostname or IP address of the ERL server you want WebSPIRS to access. * (UNIX only) The user account name and group name that you want to own WebSPIRS. (You can use existing user account and group names or you can create new ones.) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 3. Installing and Configuring WebSPIRS v4.3 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NOTE: It is possible to run WebSPIRS v4.3 in parallel with older versions of WebSPIRS on the same machine, provided you run the different versions on different port numbers. This is true for all three platforms that supported previous versions of WebSPIRS (NT, Solaris and Linux). For detailed information please check the Technical Tips section of the SilverPlatter Technical Support website, which you can access at: http://www.silverplatter.com/support/faq_html/ws1007.html This section covers the following important items: * Installing WebSPIRS * Upgrading from previous versions of WebSPIRS Installing WebSPIRS =================== Details of how to install the WebSPIRS software are given in Chapter 4 of the WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide (w43adgdr.pdf). This includes information about installing and configuring the alternative language versions. If you are installing one of the alternative language versions, and already have an alternative language version of WebSPIRS v4.11 installed, we recommend you create a fresh installation. If you install over v4.11 you must check that the settings for the language check boxes are correct. (This is explained in the WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide at page 4-8.) Please contact Technical Support if you have any difficulties. Upgrading from previous versions of WebSPIRS ============================================ 1. The webspirs_user.cfg file ------------------------------ If you install WebSPIRS over an earlier version, WebSPIRS puts a copy of your existing configuration files (webspirs_user.cfg, theme.cfg, webspirs.net, erlclnt.cfg, webspirsd.cfg bl.cfg, cisti.cfg and ill.cfg) into a directory webspirs/oldconfig, and puts new, default versions of the files into the webspirs/bin directory. Any existing .cfg files are also backed up when you install a new version of WebSPIRS. There were a number of additional configuration items in WebSPIRS 4.2, and more in WebSPIRS 4.3. In view of this, we recommend that you use the new webspirs_user.cfg file, and edit it to change any of the settings to match the settings you had in your old file. If you subsequently install WebSPIRS again, any files in webspirs/oldconfig are overwritten by copies of the configuration files that WebSPIRS finds in webspirs/bin. 2. Upgrading from 4.11 (or earlier) to WebSPIRS v4.3 and retaining the same URL --------------------------------------------------------- One reason for the performance improvements in WebSPIRS v4.2 and later is the change in the way WebSPIRS handles images. However, if you upgrade from an earlier version of WebSPIRS and retain the same URL and port number, your users will not get these full performance benefits if they are using a browser with images cached from the previous version. There are three solutions to this situation: Solution 1: If you only have a small number of browsers through which users are accessing WebSPIRS you may choose to empty the cache in each of those browsers. Solution 2: Run WebSPIRS 4.3 on a different port from the previous version. Solution 3: Change the name of the images directory, and the associated alias that is defined in websprirs_user.cfg. To do this, follow these instructions: 1. Create a new directory (called "i" )for images: /url/i 2. Copy the images from the current directory: /url/images to the new directory: /url/i 3. In webspirs_user.cfg change the following setting: webspirs.imagedir.p=/images/ to webspirs.imagedir.p=/i/ 3. Upgrading from previous versions of WebSPIRS on Windows 2000 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please note that WebSPIRS v4.11 was not supported on Windows 2000. It is not possible to upgrade from WebSPIRS v4.11 or v4.2 to v4.3 on Windows 2000: you must make a fresh installation. We recommend you save your existing configuration files, uninstall the previous version, make a new installation, and then copy across your settings from your old configuration files. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 4. Late-Breaking Information =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- WebSPIRS Administrator's Guide ------------------------------ The WebSPIRS v4.3 Administrator's Guide, available in PDF and HTML format when downloading the software, or from the SilverPlatter website, has been updated since the beta releases, to include the configuration setting for the specifying web pages from which users can access WebSPIRS, and the changes to the default settings. You can view the HTML version of the Guide, in a browser, starting with file wsig_toc.htm. This revised version supersedes the version of the Administrator's Guide that is included in the WebSPIRS 4.3 software package. Referral Authentication ----------------------- WebSPIRS 4.3 allows system administrators to configure WebSPIRS so users can only start WebSPIRS from a link on a specific web page. This is useful if you run WebSPIRS in a portal environment using third party authentication systems. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 5. New Features and Changes in WebSPIRS v4.3 General Release =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Configuration options ---------------------- (Details at Chapter 7 of the WebSPIRS 4.3 Administrator's Guide.) WebSPIRS 4.3 allows system administrators to set the following configuration options (Internet Service subscribers should contact SilverPlatter Technical Support to request changes to default settings): 1. WebSPIRS runs in an independent browser window or in the original browser window WebSPIRS is now set by default so that users log in, and run, WebSPIRS in a single independent browser window, which opens to full screen size for the workstation. If you choose to keep this display method, you can change the size of the new window. You can change this setting so that WebSPIRS opens in the original browser window (not a separate window), so users have access to the browser tool bar. However, you should note that users may get some unexpected results if they try to navigate through WebSPIRS using the browser Back button. In many cases, using the Back button rather than WebSPIRS' own buttons requires more clicks. For example, returning from records display to Search, or returning from Available Databases to Login. In some circumstances using the Back button can cause users to be logged out. This can happen if a user saves a search history and then tries to use the Back button to return to the Save Search History page from the Search page. Screen resolution, default font size, and the settings for browser preferences can all affect the appearance of WebSPIRS. Please note the action we recommend you take in either of the following circumstances: * You wish to keep the WebSPIRS 4.2 method of opening WebSPIRS;that is, you have these entries in the webspirs_user.cfg file: open.location.p=0 open.fullscreen.p= or * You wish to open WebSPIRS in a separate window, but not at full screen; that is, you have these entries in the webspirs_user.cfg file: open.location.p=2 open.fullscreen.p=0 In either situation we recommend you increase the dimensions of the window, to ensure that all buttons display correctly. This is set in theme.cfg. (The equivalent setting in webspirs_user.cfg is only used if there is no setting in theme.cfg.) We recommend the following settings: [SP.WINDOW] width.p=750 height.p=550 If you are using a screen resolution of 640x480, we recommend you open WebSPIRS at full screen size. Please note that all users using the same URL to launch WebSPIRS have the same launch settings. The launch setting (sp.open.location.p=) cannot be set in a user-specific configuration file (username.cfg). You will want to make your users aware that if they click on the "X" button in the top right hand corner of their browser window, they will close the window, and lose their WebSPIRS session. There is no longer a way to "bring back" the previous session. Default setting: WebSPIRS runs in an independent window, automatically opening to full size 2. Customize Check for Holdings and Order links When you set up links to a document delivery system, or web links to OPAC holdings, or both, you can either: * Retain the "Order" button and its position at the top of a record, and the "Check for Holdings" button, and its position at the end of a record, or: * Change these buttons to text links (default text for these links is "Order This Item" and "Check Library Holdings" respectively). If you choose the option to display these as text links, both links appear at the end of the record. If you choose to use text links you can use your own text for the links. If you continue to display them as buttons, the "Order" button appears at the top of the record, and the "Check for Holdings" button appears at the bottom of the record. You cannot configure where these buttons appear. Default setting: Links appear as buttons. 3. Holdings window now configurable The size of the library holdings window is now configurable. 4. Decrease the size of the main Search text entry box You can retain the existing size of the search text entry field on the main search page, or reduce it to a single line, with horizontal scrolling. Default setting: The larger Search text entry box. 5. Search Hints and link to tutorial on main Search page You can display a small number of search hints on the main search page when a user first sees the page. If set, the user can subsequently toggle between seeing the search tips and the Search history area. You can also set up a link to the SilverPlatter WebSPIRS tutorial, or any other training material, which displays in a separate (configurable) window. Please note that a revised tutorial will soon be available from the SilverPlatter website: http://www.silverplatter.com/tutor/mainintro.html. This revised tutorial will require the Macromedia Flash 5 player, available from http://www.macromedia.com/software/downloads/. Default setting: Search Hints display, with link to SilverPlatter tutorial. 6. Filter SDIs by user's email address You can set an option to filter the display of SDI accounts so that WebSPIRS only displays SDIs associated with a particular email address, rather than all the SDIs set up by a username. Default setting: email filter set. (NOTE: SDIs are not enabled by default.) This option, together with some other changes we have made to SDIs, means performance is greatly improved, even with usernames with large numbers of SDIs. 7. Logout to library-designated web page Administrators can designate a URL so that a library-specified web page is displayed following logout or timeout. Where WebSPIRS is run in an independent browser window, the library-specific page is displayed in the original browser window. Default Setting: No URL is specified; the workstation remains at WebSPIRS logout page. 8. You can now set a configuration option so that users can only access WebSPIRS from a specific web page. This is useful if you run WebSPIRS in a portal environment. Additional, non-configurable changes in WebSPIRS 4.3 ---------------------------------------------------- 1. Users can now use their keyboard Enter keys as an alternative to clicking many of the action buttons like Login, Search, and so on. They can also scroll through their records using the keyboard Page Up and Page Down keys, and use their Enter key to see the next page of records. 2. Changes to the focus on many pages mean that the cursor is automatically positioned in the text box where a user needs to start typing. 3. Users now see the complete text of a record (that is, all its fields) by clicking on a new text link: "View Complete Record" at the bottom of a record. This replaces the previous method of clicking on "Record x" at the top of the record. 4. In the English language version, the button "Set Other Limits" has been changed to "Limit your Search", and the tooltip text for the SDI and Alert buttons has been expanded. 5. Users using any supported version of Internet Explorer will note improved performance when selecting databases from the database list. 6. Users of Internet Explorer 5.5 can set the default for download records to .txt. 7. The option "Clear marked records" after printing, saving, and emailing records is now set to be on. Users can switch this off by clicking on the check box. Problems Corrected in WebSPIRS v4.3: ------------------------------------ SDI/Alerts issues ----------------- * Problems with running saved SDIs and Alerts: (9628) ------------------------------------------- The Load and Run SDI buttons have never worked satisfactorily and have been removed in WebSPIRS 4.3. The SDI Settings button and page have also been removed because they were of little benefit, and users could use the page to prevent all SDIs attached to a username from running. * SDI account page fails to display large numbers of SDIs: (11082) ------------------------------------------------------- This problem has been fixed by a number of improvements to the way SDIs are displayed. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 6. Known issues in the WebSPIRS v4.3 General Release =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Need to relaunch WebSPIRS if a user accesses the SilverPlatter web site ----------------------------------------------------------------------- from the login page: (11223) ------------------- We are aware of a problem that means that if a user accesses the SilverPlatter web site from the link on the login page, they must relaunch WebSPIRS before they can log in. Browser Issues -------------- * An extra window is displayed when launching WebSPIRS in the default ----------------------------------------------------------------------- settings when using IE 4.0 (Service Pack 2) (11412) ------------------------------------------- We are aware that if a user launches WebSPIRS 4.3 in a full screen separate window,i.e. the default settings in webspirs_user.cfg of open.location.p=2 and open.fullscreen.p=1, when using IE 4.0 (Service Pack 2) an additional blank window will be displayed. This does not occur when using IE 4.0 (Service Pack 1). If you wish to display WebSPIRS in a full screen separate window when using IE 4.0 (Service Pack 2) and not display an additional blank window you should change the settings in webspirs_user.cfg to open.location.p=0 and open.fullscreen.p=1. * Netscape may pick up url of previously visited pages if WebSPIRS has ----------------------------------------------------------------------- previously been launched in browser mode (11411) ------------------------------------------------ We are aware that if a user launches WebSPIRS 4.3 with a Netscape browser, Netscape may occasionally pick up the url of a previously visited page, e.g. a help page, and display that page instead of the Login page. A careful relaunch should take the user to the desired page. This problem occurs only when WebSPIRS has previously been launched in browswer mode,i.e. open.location.p=1 in webspirs_user.cfg, and should not occur if WebSPIRS is launched from a link. It should be noted that this problem is an issue with Netscape and not with WebSPIRS 4.3. Issues identified in WebSPIRS 4.2 and still relevant ---------------------------------------------------- Browser issues -------------- * Error message may appear when searching the Thesaurus with IE 4.0: ------------------------------------------------------------------ (10553) We are aware that if a user selects a large number of terms in the Thesaurus, or a complex search history, they may see an error message saying that IE cannot open the relevant Internet site, and that the connection with the server was reset. In fact, the search does take place, and if the user clicks OK on the message box, they can proceed. Search History issues --------------------- * Account names for search histories are case sensitive: (10202) -------------------------------------------------------------- WebSPIRS does not distinguish between lower and upper case letters during login. However, the account name attached to a search history is case sensitive. That means a user sees only the search histories for the account name that has the same lower and upper case letters that the user entered when they logged in for the session during which they created those search histories. Other issues ------------ * Windows 2000 and NT Only: Enabling document delivery ---------------------------------------------------- Windows 2000 and NT Only: the directory bin/docdev/users (described in the Administrator's Guide at Enabling Document Delivery) is not created automatically. If you wish to set up a user-specific directory for personal document delivery settings, you must create the users directory, and then create personal user subdirectories. * Using the Back button after a "jumpstart" into WebSPIRS (10530) -------------------------------------------------------- If a user connects to WebSPIRS by a jumpstart, then closes WebSPIRS, and clicks on the Back button, they see a WebSPIRS message about "Zero hits in all databases". The correct way to return to the previous WebSPIRS session is as follows: IE - Right-mouse click on the Back button, or click on the downwards pointing arrow next to the button, then select the WebSPIRS session from the drop-down menu. Netscape - Right-mouse click on the Back button, then select the WebSPIRS session from the drop-down menu. * Hits field not printing: 10988 ----------------------- When users mark records from a search with a large number of hits, the hits information is not retained, for performance reasons. Sorting results can also result in the loss of hits information. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 7. Summary of New and Changed Features in WebSPIRS 4.2 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- If you are upgrading from a version of WebSPIRS that is earlier than 4.2, you may wish to read the following information (reproduced from the WebSPIRS 4.2 Release Notes) about the new and changed features that were introduced in WebSPIRS 4.2. WebSPIRS v4.2 was developed to improve performance in several key areas. Among the changes that have contributed to the improvements are: * Better caching of images and JavaScript for optimizing display of frequently used pages. * A reduction in the amount of HTML required to generate key WebSPIRS pages. * A reduction in the required level of interaction with the dbserver as well as with the browser. * Improvements to the server processes to reduce the load on the server, so that the same machine can support more users. This combination of factors will result in all users experiencing some level of performance improvement in common operations such as displaying the Database Selection page; opening databases; and all types of searching. The relative improvement in WebSPIRS performance when comparing WebSPIRS v4.2 to WebSPIRS v4.11 will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the bandwidth of the connection being used to access WebSPIRS; the number of database volumes being searched; and the number of simultaneous users. The most significant improvements will be experienced by users accessing WebSPIRS over narrow bandwidths, such as modems or in networks with poor connect times, as well as in systems with high numbers of simultaneous users. In these environments, internal testing has indicated performance gains in the area of 50% over the course of a typical search session. Even higher performance gains will be experienced in specific areas of the interface, such as the time it takes to display the list of available databases, and time to display results following the execution of a search. New features in WebSPIRS v4.2 include a reduction in the number of windows that open when printing and saving records, and the ability to re-size the window that opens when users click on the Check for Holdings button. It is now possible for users to view records containing full text links or records that are available locally at the top of the results list, by choosing FTXT or LHM as sort fields on the Change Display page. WebSPIRS v4.2 lets customers choose to display Publication Year limits on the main search screen without impacting performance. Additional information about these and other functional improvements in WebSPIRS v4.2 are summarized below. ---------------------------- Changes Since WebSPIRS v4.11 ---------------------------- On the Database Selection page, the checkbox next to the Database Headings has been replaced by an icon. Clicking on the icon selects all the members of a database group or family. Users can then unselect and reselect individual members of the database group or family as they wish. Note that the group selection feature is a webspirs_user.cfg option, and is turned off by default Note that this option is NOT available to Internet Service customers. Clicking on a link in a descriptor field in a record now searches for instances of that term in that field in all open databases that include that field. (Formerly, clicking on hyperlinked descriptor terms brought the user to the corresponding term in the database thesaurus.) This change allows descriptor terms to appear as hyperlinks even when multiple databases have been selected for searching. WebSPIRS turns all items marked up as http://, https://, gopher://, or ftp:// into URL-style hyperlinks. (This treatment of https://, used in SPORTDiscus database, is new in WebSPIRS v4.2) WebSPIRS v4.2 does not present the Print Preview screen during the Print process, reducing the number of windows and number of steps required to print results. Saved record files are now named download.dat, not download.txt, by default. Users can change the file name in the Save dialog box. Allowing users to select the Publication Year (PY) limit controls on the Search page no longer has a significant impact on performance. You can set WebSPIRS to display publication year check boxes by changing the following setting in the [SP] section of webspirs_user.cfg: search.show.py.limits.p=1 SilverPlatter Internet Service customers should contact Technical Support to request this change. Administrators may also wish to be aware of the following changes. They form part of the performance improvements, but do not affect the way users use WebSPIRS. A new directory in the webspirs/url directory contains the JavaScript files, ensuring their more efficient use. Changes have been made to theme.cfg to remove the setting of background images. webspirs_user.cfg no longer contains a list of 600 set ids, and performs more efficiently because of this. ---------------------------------------------------- Problems Corrected in WebSPIRS v4.2 General Release: ---------------------------------------------------- WebSPIRS v4.2 General Release contained a number of significant functional improvements, some of which were associated with reported bugs. Problems with saving records in IE: 9912 ---------------------------------- Intermittent problems when saving records in IE have been fixed. Saving records in IE now behaves the same as in Netscape: that is, users see the browser's Save dialog as soon as they click the "Save Records" button in the Options window. Users are no longer presented with an additional dialog and preview window. To implement this improvement the default filename has changed from download.txt to download.dat. However, users can change this filename in the Save dialog if they wish. The format of the saved file has not changed. FTXT and LHM fields not included in the sortable fields: 11027 ------------------------------------------------------- The FTXT (SilverLinker) and LHM (Local Holdings) fields are now included in the list of sortable fields for all SilverPlatter databases that support these features. This allows users to display records with Full Text links or records that are held by the library at the top of their results list. Note that the Sort feature is accessible only from the Change Display page. Also, there is a maximum limit on the number of records that can be sorted. Find Relevant Databases: 10496, 11016 ----------------------- When searching to identify databases that contain the specified search term, WebSPIRS skips over databases that cannot be opened because the number of logins to the database has exceeded the number allowed in the license. These databases are noted in the resulting list. (Previously, WebSPIRS reported "Zero hits in all databases" if a single database in the list failed to open.) Also, a problem that prevented some databases from ever being searched has been fixed. SilverPlatter recommends that customers who wish to make this feature available to their users be running ERL dbserver v4.11. Word wrapping of long search terms: 7583, 11022, 10926, 10965 ---------------------------------- Word wrapping now works correctly when users select long search terms: in the Index or the Thesaurus for example, or when making lateral searches. Display Results by Database in Search History: (9636. 10165) --------------------------------------------- WebSPIRS navigation buttons now operate correctly within specific databases when users have elected to "Display Results by Database" in the Search History. Search History improvements: 10248, 10672, 11024 --------------------------- It is now possible to re-run searches with 0 results, from the Search History, when a new database has been selected. Large search histories (> 4096 characters) can be loaded correctly after saving. Combine Checked works correctly on long search terms including explosions. ILL orders mailed to incorrect address: 10873 -------------------------------------- The problem with email addresses and ILL order email addresses has been fixed. IE not displaying warning when creating an SDI with an existing name: 10922 -------------------------------------------------------------------- IE now displays a warning if a user tries to create an SDI with a name that already exists. Losing limits with Search Builder: 10986 --------------------------------- Settings (language and publication years) are no longer lost if a user moves between the Search page and Search Builder. SDIs created in French and German WebSPIRS disappear if edited: 10994 -------------------------------------------------------------- SDIs edited in the French or German language versions of WebSPIRS no longer disappear. Problem with printing SilverLinker links: 10319 ---------------------------------------- The problem where printing records that contain SilverLinker links to full-text articles in Netscape made problems with printing has been fixed. Intermittent problem with document delivery: 10423 -------------------------------------------- The problem with document delivery and the MEDLINE Advanced database has been fixed. Index term list may display inconsistently if you switch Indexes: 8135 ---------------------------------------------------------------- A problem that happened when a user switched indexes on the Index page without typing a term in the Term: field first has been fixed. Update Code not available if all Medline Advanced databases open: 10960 ----------------------------------------------------------------- The problem with displaying the Update Code for Medline Advanced Databases has been fixed. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 8. Linking to BIBSYS and Pica =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Links to the BIBSYS service ------------------------------ Members of participating libraries can link to BIBSYS to request loans or article copies. This facility is initially available only with SilverPlatter's Medline databases. When BIBSYS links are enabled, a hotlink of the form "ORDER from BIBSYS" displays under each Medline record. Clicking on this link opens a browser window to the BIBSYS system, preset with the bibliographic details from the record. Users are prompted for a BIBSYS Patron ID and password. You enable the links to the BIBSYS service by making the appropriate settings in the webspirs_user.cfg configuration file: 1. Open the file webspirs_user.cfg in a text editor, and locate the [SP.ILL] section. 2. Edit the enableBibsys line: To enable links to BIBSYS edit the line to read: enableBibsys=1 To disable the links edit the line to read: enableBibsys=0 3. Edit the bibsysLang line to set the language of the BIBSYS interface to English or Norwegian: For English, edit the line to read: bibsysLang=?lang=E For Norwegian, edit the line to read: bibsysLang=?lang=N 4. At the bibsysPrompt line, you can change the wording of the hotlink, by changing the default wording "ORDER from BIBSYS". 5. Save and close the file. Links to the Pica service ------------------------- Members of participating libraries can link to Pica to request loans or article copies. This facility is initially available only with SilverPlatter's Medline databases. When Pica links are enabled, a hotlink of the form "Bestel via PiCarta - NCC" displays under each Medline record. Clicking on this link opens a browser window to the Pica system, preset with the bibliographic details from the record. Users are prompted for a Pica Patron ID and password. You enable the links to the Pica service by making the appropriate settings in the webspirs_user.cfg configuration file: 1. Open the file webspirs_user.cfg in a text editor, and locate the [SP.ILL] section. 2. Edit the enablePica line: To enable links to Pica edit the line to read: enablePica=1 To disable the links edit the line to read: enablePica=0 3. Edit part of the line picaURL2Lang=/LNG=EN/CMD?ACT=SRCH&TRM= to set the language of the Pica interface to English or Dutch: For English, edit the LNG part of the line to read: LNG=EN For Dutch, edit the LNG part of the line to read: LNG=NE 4. At the picaPrompt line, you can change the wording of the hotlink, by changing the default wording "Bestel via PiCarta-NCC". 5. Save and close the file. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 9. Contacting SilverPlatter Technical Support =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= If you need further assistance with the WebSPIRS software, please send an e-mail to support@silverplatter.com or contact one of SilverPlatter's regional offices: UNITED STATES: SilverPlatter Information, Inc. 100 River Ridge Drive Norwood, MA 02062 Tel: 800-343-0064 781-769-2599 Fax: 781-769-8763 ---------------------------------- LONDON: SilverPlatter Information Ltd Merlin House, 20 Belmont Terrace Chiswick, London W4 5UG England Tel: +44 (0) 20-8585 6400 Fax: +44 (0) 20-8585 6640 ---------------------------------- AMSTERDAM: SilverPlatter Information BV Nieuwe Herengracht 49 1011 RN Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)20-625 96 50 Fax: +31 (0)20-623 74 08 ---------------------------------- BERLIN: SilverPlatter Information GmbH Guentzelstrasse 63 D-10717 Berlin Germany Tel: +49 (0)30-857799-0 Fax: +49 (0)30-857799-99 ----------------------------------