Welcome to the OMEX I CD-ROM The OMEX I CD-ROM contains a vast quantity of data collected during the OMEX I project, together with extensive metadata. The question that you will inevitably be asking yourself on encountering this file is 'How do I get started?'. The answer is by installing the necessary software on your computer. All users of all platforms will need to install the Adobe Acrobat Reader unless version 3.0 or later is already installed. Windows95 users have the option of two additional installations: Microsoft Run-time Access and the BODC Underway Explorer and Database Explorer software. This package contains two CD-ROMs. Most of the interesting stuff, i.e. the data and documentation, is on Disk 1. The main purpose of Disk 2 is to hold the software installation files. There are some data on Disk 2, the STABLE II burst recorded data files and a copy of the OMEX I database in JET 3.5 (Access 97) format, that wouldn't fit on Disk 1. In the main, the procedure is to start off by installing the software from Disk 2. Once this is done, Disk 2 may be retired to the box and almost all work with the CD-ROM package done with Disk 1 in the drive. Adobe Acrobat Reader Installation The information on how to make use of the CD-ROM and the data documentation has been included in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF). To access this, a copy of the freeware Adobe Acrobat Reader software version 3.0 or later must be installed on your computer. Installation files are included on Disk 2 of this package for Windows 3.n, Windows95, Macintosh and the major UNIX platforms. Look in the directory SWARE\ACROREAD and you will find the directories MAC, UNIX and WIN which contain the Macintosh, UNIX and Windows installations. Note that there are two sub-directories under WIN, 16BIT (Windows 3.n) and 32BIT (Windows95 and NT). Each installation directory contains two sub-directories, READER and READERSE (Mac) or RDR_SRCH (UNIX and Windows). These contain two versions of the Acrobat reader software. The difference is that the version in READERSE/RDR_SRCH includes additional index searching tools.An index (XMANUAL.PDX in the root directory of Disk 1) of the Acrobat documents on the CD-ROM has been prepared and therefore users are recommended to install the additional search tools. Adobe have provided README files containing further installation instructions in each of the installation directories. It is strongly recommended that these are consulted before attempting installation. Once the Acrobat Reader has been installed, the CD-ROM Users' Guide may be consulted by opening the file MANUAL.PDF in the root directory of Disk 1. Microsoft Run-time Access Installation Windows 95 users who do not have a full copy of Microsoft Access 7 installed on their PC and do not wish to buy a copy might like to take advantage of the copy of Run-time Access included on the CD-ROM. This is a stripped down version of the program that allows the OMEX databases to be interrogated and data in databases to be modified or extended (providing a copy has been made on hard disk). However, it does not allow any changes to be made to the database design. Note that if you wish to use the BODC Database Explorer program and you do not have Access 7 installed on your machine, you MUST install Run-time Access. BODC is entitled to distribute this software through our Microsoft Access Developers' Kit licence. However, recipients of the software are not licensed to distribute it further. Please respect this. To install the software, run the SETUP.EXE program in the SWARE\MSACCESS directory on Disk 2. BODC Underway Explorer and Database Explorer Installation The BODC Underway Explorer and Database Explorer programs may be installed on to a PC running Windows 95 by running the SETUP.EXE file in the directory SWARE\BODC\INSTALL on CD-ROM Disk 2. The installation program allows user specification of destination directories and where the program shortcuts are set up on the Taskbar. If the default settings are accepted, the shortcuts will be found in a new Taskbar group called BODC. Creating Additional Shortcuts Many Windows 95 users will find it convenient to include additional shortcuts either on their Desktop or in the BODC group on the Taskbar. In particular, shortcuts to open the Users' Guide and the Access databases should prove helpful. Adding a Users' Guide Shortcut to the Desktop Right click anywhere on your Desktop and choose New then Shortcut. In the Command line box enter: c:\Acrobat3\Reader\AcroRd32.exe d:\manual.pdf and click the Next button. Note that this assumes that the CD-ROM drive you are using is the D disk. Enter whatever you like in the box for the shortcut name and click the Finish button. Adding a Users' Guide Shortcut to the Taskbar Press the Start button and select Settings and then Taskbar. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab and choose the Add button. In the Command line box enter: c:\Acrobat3\Reader\AcroRd32.exe d:\manual.pdf and click the Next button. Note that this assumes that the CD-ROM drive you are using is the D disk. The folders on your Taskbar will then be displayed. Find the BODC folder, select it by clicking on it then click on Next. Enter whatever you like in the box for the shortcut name and click the Finish button, followed by OK. Adding Database Shortcuts The procedure for adding database shortcuts is exactly the same as the above, except for the text that you enter in the Command line box. This will depend to some extent on the version of Microsoft Access you are using and whether it was installed 'stand alone' or as part of the Office suite. The examples below are for Access installed as part of the Office 95 package. c:\MSoffice\Access\MSAccess.exe /runtime d:\dbjet\omex1v7.mdb /Excl /Ro This assumes that your CD-ROM is the D drive. The '/runtime' opens the database in runtime mode (no design modifications possible), the '/Excl' opens the database in exclusive mode (makes it run faster), and the '/Ro' opens it in read only mode. These parameters are optional. All that is really needed is the program name and the filename. The equivalent commands for the NIOO databases are: c:\MSoffice\Access\MSAccess.exe /runtime d:\nioo\bioch7.mdb /Excl /Ro c:\MSoffice\Access\MSAccess.exe /runtime d:\nioo\biol7.mdb /Excl /Ro If you have installed Runtime Access, then the command for the OMEX I database is: c:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Microsoft Access Runtime\MSAccess.exe d:\dbjet\omex1v7.mdb Note that this should all be typed on one line with a space between 'Access' and 'Runtime'. It also assumes that you have installed Runtime Access to your C drive and that your CD-ROM is the D drive. Change the database filename as above if you wish to create a shortcut to one of the NIOO databases. User Support BODC personnel will do their utmost to assist you if you have any problems installing the software or using the CD- ROM in a prompt and efficient manner. Please direct any queries by e-mail to bodcmail@pol.ac.uk. This is a group mailbox that is checked every working day. Alternatively fax queries to +44-151-652-3950. Acrobat(R) Reader copyright (C) 1987-1996 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, Access and Access 97 and Office are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other company and product names herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.