[Classweb-users] Tip for Firefox users

[Geoff Mottram]

This tip is for users of the Firefox and Mozilla web browsers. If you 
are using Microsoft Internet Explorer or any other browser, please 
disregard this email.

To make ClassWeb easier to use, most of the clickable links in the 
system make use of your web browser's status line to display a short 
help line. The status line is found at the bottom of your web browser 
and usually displays the URL you will be taken to if you click on a 
given link. In ClassWeb, a help message is often displayed instead.

This feature is particularly helpful in deciphering the alphabet of 
links at the end of each record in the classification browser display 
and all of the search screens. For example, when you move your mouse 
over the letter "H" in the classification browser display, the status 
line should read: "Display the LC classification hierarchy".

If you are a Mozilla or Firefox user and the status line does not 
display help messages when you move your mouse over the alphabet of 
links, the rest of this email describes how you can turn this feature on.

Please be advised that by enabling the status line feature of your web 
browser as described here, any web page you visit will be able to change 
what is displayed on the status line when you move your mouse over a 
link on that page. In theory, you could be fooled into thinking a link 
would be taking you one place, when it was really pointing somewhere 
else. In practice, if you have any doubts about what web site you have 
reached after you take a link, you can check the address bar of your web 
browser, which cannot be manipulated and will always display the correct 
URL (unless the address bar itself has been suppressed, in which case 
you are on your own).

If you have any doubts or questions about the previous statement, please 
contact your computer services department.

To enable web pages to alter the status line of your Firefox or Mozilla 
web browser:

Firefox under Windows:
1) From the menu at the top of the page, select Tools and then Options.
2) Click on the "Content" icon on the Options dialog box.
3) Make sure that "Enable JavaScript" is checked and then click on the
"Advanced" button to the right of "Enable JavaScript".
4) Check the box that says "Change status bar text".
5) Click "OK" on each dialog box to save your changes.

Firefox under Linux:
1) From the menu at the top of the page, select Edit and then Preferences.
2) Click on the "Web Features" icon on the Preferences dialog box.
3) Make sure that "Enable JavaScript" is checked and then click on the
"Advanced" button to the right of "Enable JavaScript".
4) Check the box that says "Change status bar text".
5) Click "OK" on each dialog box to save your changes.

Mozilla:
1) From the menu at the top of the page, select Edit and then Preferences.
2) In the left hand window of the Preferences dialog box, make sure that 
the "Advanced" option is expanded to show its sub-topics.
3) Click on "Scripts & Plug-ins".
4) Make sure that under "Enable JavaScript for" that "Navigator" is checked.
5) Lower down on the page, check the box that says "Change status bar text".
6) Click "OK" on each dialog box to save your changes.

You do not need to reload the current web page for this change to take 
effect.

Geoff Mottram
Minaret Corp.
gmottram at minaretsoftware.com