Welcome
This is the read me file for the HTML version of Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks.
Welcome, and I hope you enjoy Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks !
This is the read me file for the HTML version of this book. It describes how you can get it up and running on your computer.
Shareware
Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks is intended to be distributed as freely as possible. At the same time, in order to demonstrate the use of this technology, this distribution contains a few pieces of shareware. If you use this software for your own use, then you are expected to pay the shareware fees. The instructions concerning these fees is described in their individual online documentation.
Requirements
To read this book, all you really need is an HTML browser. If you are in a hurry, then, assuming you haven't moved any files around inside the distribution, you can begin reading right away. The file you want to initially open with your browser is named 0030-toc.html and it resides in the manuscript folder of the teaching folder.
If you want to read the book and use the scripts it includes, then you need to have AppleScript installed, an HTTP server running that handles CGI scripts, and finally install a few more files from the distribution. Installation instructions follow.
Contents
The distribution consists of the following files and folders:
- Tricks Folder
- Teaching folder - contains the manuscript, appendicies, lists of Internet resources, graphics, and scripts used to make most of the book happen
- OSAX Folder - items to be installed in the Scripting Additions Folder of your Extensions Folder of your system folder
- robust-search.cgi - a TR-WWW search engine
- robust-search.config - a TR-WWW configuration file
- simple-search.cgi - a TR-WWW search engine
- simple-search.config - a TR-WWW configuration file
- readme.html - this file
- readme.txt - an plain text version of this file
Installation instructions
In order to demonstrate this book's full potencial and use the scripts it contains (including the pop-up menu in the table of contents), then you need to have an HTTP server (like MacHTTP or WebSTAR) installed and running on your computer. Otherwise there is no need to read this section as the present time. If this is you, then read the text, get a server, and come back to these instructions later.
If you have gotten this far, then it is assumed you have an HTTP server on your computer. Here is what you have to do to get this book up and running:
- Copy all the files and folders from the Tricks Folder into the root folder of your HTTP server. In other words, but all items from this distribution into the same folder as MacHTTP (or WebSTAR). If the folder named "teaching" is not in the same folder as your server application, then you may get unpredictable results.
- Run your server application. If you are not connected to the Internet and/or any other network, then read Appendix B: Running servers without the Internet.
- Install the OSAX. Put all the files in the OSAX Folder into the Scripting Additions Folder of your Extensions Folder of your system folder. Those files (Parse CGI and TCP Scripting addition) allow you to run the pop up menu from the book's table of contents as well use the comment form at the bottom of every page.
- Configure the pop up menu. The script at the other end of the pop up menu has to know where to redirect its output. This is done by editing the FORM in the file named 0030-toc.html. More specifically, you must change the VALUE of the
ipaddress variable. If your server is on the Internet, then change the VALUE to "0". Otherwise, change the VALUE to the IP address you assigned yourself in the MacTCP control panel document. By default, the distribution comes configured as if you are not on the Internet and your IP address is 192.0.1.2.
- Use AppleSearch to index the folder named manuscript inside the teaching folder. I know, I know. You probably don't own AppleSearch because it costs too much money. Even if you did, then you are probably serving other files with AppleSearch. Unfortunately, the "Search this book" feature is configured in such a way that only one index can be served from the AppleSearch server. In short, even if you wanted to, you most likely can not use the "Search this book" feature. "Bummer, there goes 'searchability.'"
Now that you have installed and configured the distribution, then you too can begin reading Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks.
Feel free to mirror this distibution, support the shareware, and don't hesitate to tell me what you think.
Eric Lease Morgan
eric_morgan@ncsu.edu
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/staff/morgan/
Eric last edited this page on September 30, 1995. Please feel free to send comments.