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Help on using COAPEC workspace
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The COAPEC workspace is implemented using a software system called
BSCW
(Basic Support for Cooperative Work). This is a sophisticated collaboration
system which can be accessed using a standard web browser. The BSCW system has
online
help
, which can be accessed using the Help button which
appears at the top of each page in the BSCW system. This page is intended as
a very simple introduction to some of the most useful features of the BSCW
system as used for the COAPEC workspace.
Getting an account
Anonymous users can view the contents of the workspace, but cannot add or
modify items. To be able to add your own material to the workspace you will
need to register.
If you do not already have an account with the BADC then one will be created
for you. Your username and password for the COAPEC workspace will then be
set to the same as your BADC username and password.
However, note that the two account sytems are
not currently linked, so if you change your BSCW password your BADC password
will not be changed. We hope to be able to use a single accounting system
in the future.
Accessing the workspace
You can access the COAPEC by using the
Public access
and
Registered user access
links on the COAPEC workspace web page.
You can also enter the BSCW system using the URL
http://www.badc.rl.ac.uk/bscw/bscw.cgi
This will take you to your own personal folder within the BSCW system. The
shared COAPEC workspace will appear as a sub-folder within your
personal folder. You can use your own personal folder for trying out the system
without affecting the shared COAPEC workspace.
Overview of the system
The COAPEC workspace is organised as a directory (folder) tree. Each
folder can contain documents, URLs, discussions etc. You
can navigate around the tree using links present on each page. When you become
a registered user you automatically also have your own personal space that you
can use how you wish (you may like to use it to try out features of the BSCW
system). The shared COAPEC workspace will appear as a folder within your
own personal space. To go to your own personal home folder, click on your
username next to the 'home' icon near the top of the page.
Document handling
The BSCW system allows you to upload documents in any format (text, Word, PDF,
postscript etc). Other users can view and download the documents.
To upload a new
file use the 'Add doc' button at the top of the page. To update an existing
file, download the original file (unless you already have a copy), edit it on
your local computer and then use the 'Replace' link below the file to replace it with
the new version. Text files are the exception to this: they can be edited
directly using your browser (use the 'Edit' link below the file). The BSCW
system also has a version control system that can be used for documents. For
details see the
BSCW
help.
URLs
You can add links using the 'Add URL' button, which will present you with a form
to fill in. You should normally press the
'Create URL link' button on this form to create a normal link. The
'Create document fetched from URL' will upload the HTML and put it into a
document in the workspace. You would normally only want to do this if the
URL may not be permanent and you want to have a copy saved in the workspace.
Event reporting
The BSCW system can notify you by e-mail of events in the COAPEC
workspace. You can use this to be informed when any updates are made. The most
useful option is probably the daily activity report. This will send you an
e-mail once per day notifying you of any changes in the workspace.
If there are no changes then no
e-mail is sent. To set up this option do the following:
- Enter the workspace as a registered user
- Follow the 'Edit Prefs' link at the bottom of the page.
- Click on the 'Events' button at the top of the page.
- In the table column labelled 'Daily report' check 'activated', 'Create
Events' and 'Change Events'. This will notify you of any new or changed items.
- Press the 'Save new configuration' button.
The daily event reporting may have already been set up for you when your account
was created.
To deactivate the daily report, go to the same page and uncheck the 'activated' option for the
daily report.
This page is maintained by Andrew Harwood
as part of the CAST project.
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