Configuring Your Web Browser to Run Dataplot From the Handbook

Configuring Your Web Browswer to Run Dataplot From the Handbook
	Before Dataplot can be run from the Handbook, both the web server and the web browser must be configured to run Dataplot. We provide the configuration information for several of the most common platforms. For other platforms, it should be possible to do something similar. Configuring the web server Configuring the Netscape version 4.x browser under Unix Configuring the Netscape version 3.x browser under Unix Configuring the Netscape version 4.x browser under Windows 95/98/NT Configuring the Internet Explorer version 5.0 browser under Windows 95/98/NT The linkage to the Dataplot program is currently working for Unix platforms and for Windows NT (version 4.0) and Windows 95/98. We are currently not supporting this for MacIntosh platforms. We recommend that you test the Dataplot GUI running independently of the handbook before testing it with the handbook.

Configuring the Web Server	If you are accessing the handbook from the NIST server, you do not need to do anything to the web server as NIST has already done this (you still need to configure your browser). If you have downloaded the handbook and installed it on your local machine, then you need to configure your web server to recognize the Dataplot application type. Specifically, you need to define a mime type for "dp" extensions. The Dataplot macros in the handbook are activated by accessing files that have a "dp" extension. The specifics of how to do this vary depending on what web server software your site runs. However, the general idea is the same. For example, a local machine running the Apache web server, go to the directory (the directory name may vary on your system): /local/http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin/exit_nist.cgi?url=httpd/conf and edit the file mime.types by adding the line application/x-dataplot dp For other web servers, a similar file will need to have this line added. This step will typically need to be performed by your local system administrator who should be knowledgeable in setting up new application types for the server.

Configuring the Netscape version 4.x Browser under Unix	For version 4 of the Netscape browser under Unix platforms, do the following: Click on the "Edit" menu Click on the "Preferences" menu Click on the arrow head to the left of the "Navigator" menu Click on the "Applications" menu Click on New Add the following: Description: Dataplot GUI MIME Type: x-dataplot Suffixes: dp Application: /usr/local/bin/xdp -right %s > /dev/null 2>&1 Then click OK to activate the type. The line above assumes you have installed the Dataplot GUI in the default directory. If you have used a different directory, then modify "/usr/local/bin" to reflect the correct location. The "-right" option brings up the Dataplot windows so they are right justified on your screen. You can change "-right" to either "-left" or "-center" to left justify or center justify respectively. This is simply a matter of taste.

Configuring the Netscape version 3.x Browser under Unix	For version 3 of the Netscape browser under Unix platforms, do the following: Click on the "Options" menu Click on the "General Options" menu Click on the "Helpers" menu Click on New Add the following: Description: Dataplot GUI MIME Type: x-dataplot Suffixes: dp Application: /usr/local/bin/xdp -right %s > /dev/null 2>&1 Then click OK to activate the type. The line above assumes you have installed the Dataplot GUI in the default directory. If you have used a different directory, then modify "/usr/local/bin" to reflect the correct location. The "-right" option brings up the Dataplot windows so they are right justified on your screen. You can change "-right" to either "-left" or "-center" to left justify or center justify respectively. This is simply a matter of taste.

Configuring the Netscape version 4.x Browser under Windows 95/98/NT	For version 4 of the Netscape browser under Windows 95/98/NT platforms, do the following: Click on the "Edit" menu Click on the "Preferences" menu Click on the arrow head to the left of the "Navigator" menu Click on the "Applications" menu Click on New Add the following: Description: Dataplot GUI MIME Type: x-dataplot Suffixes: dp Application: C:\DATAPLOT\DP.BAT "%1" Then click OK to activate the type. The line above assumes you have installed the Dataplot GUI in the default directories. If you have used a different directory, then modify "C:\DATAPLOT\DP.BAT" to reflect the correct location. The file DP.BAT is a batch file that comes with Dataplot installation.

Configuring the Internet Explorer version 5.0 Browser under Windows 95/98/NT	If you run both Netscape and Internet Explorer and have configured the Netscape browser to run Dataplot from the Handbook, then you need not do anything else to configure the Internet Explorer browser. If you only run the Internet Explorer browser, then for version 5 of the Internet Explorer browser under Windows 95/98/NT platforms, do the following: Open the Windows Explorer program. Under the "View" menu, select "Options". Note that you can also open the "Control Panel" icon and select "View" and then "Options". Under "Options", select "File Types". Click on "New Type". Add the following from this menu: Description of type: Dataplot GUI Associated extension: DP Content Type (MIME): x-dataplot Default extension for Content Type: .DP For Action, select "New" Add the following from the Action Menu: Actions: open Application used to perform action: C:\DATAPLOT\DP.BAT "%1" Deselect (i.e., click until no check mark in box) the "Confirm Open After Download" Select "OK" for the Action menu Select "OK" for the new type menu The line above assumes you have installed the Dataplot GUI in the default directories. If you have used a different directory, then modify "C:\DATAPLOT\DP.BAT" to reflect the correct location. The file DP.BAT is a batch file that comes with Dataplot installation.

Configuring Your Web Browswer to Run Dataplot From the Handbook