Main -> Support Zone -> InSite Archives -> May 1997 Issue

InSite: Technical News for SiteSearch Users

Issue # 2

May 7, 1997

Contents

InSite is intended to create discussion about the use and implementation of Open SiteSearch software and explore the technology used by its components. The newsletter will be distributed to the SiteSearch list on a regular basis and is designed as an informational resource for SiteSearch system administrators. It is brought to you by the SiteSearch support team. Any suggestions or comments are appreciated.


Top Story

Setting up a development environment for release 3.1

Since the distribution of release 3.1, we have received several questions regarding the setup and use of a development environment. Creating a development area is beneficial for testing new features, customizing the software tools, and troubleshooting problems. It is important to remember that this installation will be completely independent of your production environment, in a different directory, and making use of different ports.

General steps to follow:

  1. Setup up a new directory and copy your installation files here.
  2. Run the install script and answer questions as prompted.
  3. Make new entries in /etc/services and /etc/inetd.conf for httpgate. Use a new unique name for the link between the two entries (for example, httpgate1) and use a new port value:
    • Sample entries:
    • Entry from /etc/services:
      httpgate1 9001/tcp # httpgate process in /ss/testarea/
    • Entry from /etc/inetd.conf:
      httpgate1 stream tcp nowait nobody /ss/testarea/httpgate httpgate \
      -i/ss/testarea/httpgate.ini
  4. Refresh inetd.
  5. Edit httpman.ini for new URL port and remotes.ini for httpgate port.
    For WebZ only users: Edit httpman.ini for new URL port and new httpgate port.

To keep current with the most recent release, we recommend that you use the new executables in your production SiteSearch environment even if you are not yet planning to implement the new features. Upgrade your executables when your production system is not running by following these steps:

  1. Terminate any production SiteSearch processes.
  2. While in your production directory, move the current executables to a backup directory.
    for example, mv bin bkup
  3. Create a new bin directory.
    for example, mkdir bin
  4. Copy the contents of your /bin directory in your development environment to your production environment.
    for example, cp /ss/testarea/bin/* bin
  5. Restart your production SiteSearch.

If you have not received your Release 3.1 Software Package, please contact SiteSearch Support ().

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FAQs

Using the profile server

In each issue of InSite, we will highlight some questions frequently asked of the support team. As a reminder, be sure to send all SiteSearch problem reports to for tracking and assignment.

Q: I am using IP authorization together with autho/password access control via the profile server. Can I grant direct access to SiteSearch with a valid IP address thus avoiding the autho/password page?

A: When the IP authorization is valid, you can grant automatic access with seamless autho/password entry by adding an entry to your profile database that identifies the ip address and adds a valid autho/password that can be sent through at time of login. Note: the autho and password should have their own entries in the database.

For example:

ip:aut=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx,autho=automatic1,password=autopassword
<other profile entries>
aut=automatic1
pwd=autopassword
Note: "automatic1" and "autopassword" are sample values.

- in pro_labels.ini in the [httpgate] section, add:

var<n>=autho
var<n>=password
Note: "n" is the next available variable number.

Q: What is the purpose and how do I use the optional variable, utyp=, in the pro_labels.ini file?

A: Variable names mentioned in the [Common] section of pro_labels.ini (including "utyp") become available to an httpgate process as an entity with the same name. For example, you could add these lines to an HTML page to display what type of authorization the user had:

<STRONG>User Classification: &utpy;</STRONG>

This allows information about the user to be available to the httpgate process, by simply adding variable names to the [Common] section, and then assigning values to these variables in their profile entry. This can be especially useful when using CGI scripts to access external authorization servers.

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Tips & Techniques

Setting up a virtual catalog of 2 local databases

The setup of a virtual catalog containing 2 or more local SiteSearch databases requires additional configuration. This is required because only one irpserv process is started when the virtual catalog is searched, and to maintain individual server results, two irpservs must be started. The following changes will start up two irpservs when you perform a search of this virtual catalog. To do this, you will have to 'hardcode' a server_port for irpserv. Next, add server sections for 'irpserv' and 'irpserv2' and point your database ini files toward these server names.

Sample changes:

From irpserv.ini:


        [IRPSERV]

        application_name=irpserv

        exec=./irpserv

        ini=irpserv.ini

        #server_port=0

        server_port=2100 (you can use a different port number if

        you wish)

        ....

From httpgate.ini:

        ....

        # z3950 server application name

        DefaultZ39Server=irpserv

        ....

        

        # define any external Z39.50 servers

        #

        [irpserv]

        hostname=localhost

        port=2100



       [irpserv2]

        hostname=localhost

        port=2100

        ....



        [ABCD]

        name=ABCD

        LongName=ABCD Database

        ServerName=irpserv

        inifile=db_ini/ABCD.ini

        ....



        [EFGH]

        name=EFGH

        LongName=EFGH Database

        ServerName=irpserv2

        inifile=db_ini/EFGH.ini

        ....

From your ini files in /db_ini:
- From ABCD.ini:


        [ABCD]

        name=ABCD

        LongName=ABCD Database

        ServerName=irpserv

        ....

- From EFGH.ini:


        [EFGH]

        name=EFGH

        LongName=EFGH Database

        ServerName=irpserv2

        ....

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Web Sites of Interest

SiteSearch information and Z39.50 resources

SiteSearch Support page:

SiteSearch Online Problem Report:

InSite Archive:

Z39.50 Resources:

Z39.50 Documentation:

"Z39.50 Maintenance Agency Official Text for Z39.50-1995" is available via ftp from the directory /pub/z3950/official. The four parts are available in PDF, ASCII, PostScript, and WordPerfect.

"Z39.50 in a Nutshell : An Introduction to Z39.50" by John A. Kunze and R.P.C. Rodgers.

"The Z39.50 Protocol in Plain English" by Clifford A. Lynch.

"An Overview of the Z39.50 Information Retrieval Standard" by Fay Turner.

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Software Fixes for Release 3.1

Bookmarking and stats_for_gate.fcl

  1. Bug with bookmarking. From the results.html display, it was not possible to unmark all bookmarked records when multiple records were marked. For example, if you mark six records and then attempt to unmark each one, only the first three can be unmarked. Using a text editor, results.html can be fixed by editing the following snippet of code:

    else {
    tempistagged.i = cat("<a href=\"/CGI:cgi/unmark.pl:%22", context,
    ":entityUnTag=", i, ":entityUnTagRS=", taggedRS.i, "\"><img
    border=0
    src=\"/html/images/marked.gif\"></a>");
    }

    - Note: The part that reads "taggedRS.i" should be changed to "taggedRS.FoundIt", so that the entire block reads as follows:

    else {
    tempistagged.i = cat("<a href=\"/CGI:cgi/unmark.pl:%22", context,
    ":entityUnTag=", i, ":entityUnTagRS=", taggedRS.FoundIt, "\"><img
    border=0
    src=\"/html/images/marked.gif\"></a>");
    }

  2. The statistical data for httpgate does not match stats_for_gate.fcl. We have created a new text document and a new fcl to match the data produced from httpgate. "Stats_update.txt" and "stats_for_gate.fcl" can be downloaded from ftp.rsch.oclc.org from the directory /pub/SiteSearch/release3.1/fixes .

    To access the OCLC ftp server:

    • ftp ftp.rsch.oclc.org
    • Name= anonymous; Password= <your email address>
    • cd to /pub/SiteSearch/release3.1/fixes
  3. A patch release (ss-3.1.0.1) is also available to deal with a compatibility issue with Microsoft Internet Explorer, preview 4.0. A change was made to httpman to handle a new http syntax used by the browser. Contact SiteSearch Support for this patch release.

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SiteSearch Training Class Schedule

  • SiteSearch WebZ
    June 19-20, 1997 - Dublin, Ohio
  •  
  • SiteSearch WebZ, ZSS, & ISP
    July 14-18, 1997 - Dublin, Ohio

Note: Training class schedules are subject to change. For more information or to register for upcoming classes, please contact .

Questions or comments regarding InSite should be sent to with 'InSite' in the subject line.,

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