Running the SiteSurfer Applet

SiteSurfer Builder will by default generate several sample HTML pages along with any index you create. These sample HTML pages are stored in the same directory as the index, and may be used to access the applet. Java applets require special tags in HTML to run, so these HTML pages are essential to use the SiteSurfer applet, unless you have authored derivative HTML. In that case, you can turn off sample page generation.

The first step in running the SiteSurfer applet is to make sure you have a Java 1.1-enabled web browser. This includes Netscape Navigator 4.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0. For more information on getting a compliant web browser for your computer, please consult Where to Get Java.

If you have such a web browser, start it running and open the readme.htm file in the same directory as where you stored the index. This location was presented to you on the final panel of the Builder, where it printed something like:

The directory holding the index and sample pages also has a file named readme.htm that has instructions for running the SiteSurfer applet, as well has helpful links for customizing the HTML for your own use or integration in a web site. To use the applet, please open the following file in your web browser:

The readme.htm file has links to 4 sample HTML pages that use the applet. Each of these pages is "ready-to-run," meaning that they need no customization to be used effectively on your computer, for instance if you have indexed a directory on your harddrive or indexed some other site just so you could search it.

By clicking on any of these links, your web browser should load the SiteSurfer applet in its own frame. If the applet fails to load, please consult the applet troubleshooting section. Depending on what options you selected in the Builder, the SiteSurfer applet will have up to 3 tabs, representing the main functions of the program:

• Site Map. The Site Map view shows a hierachial tree view of the site, starting from the root. Normally, each arc represents an HTML link from a parent HTML page to a child page. Clicking on any item will load the referenced page in the web browser.

• Site Index. The Site Index view shows a sortable list of every page that was indexed by the Builder. By clicking on the buttons at the head of each column, you can sort the entire site according to that column, for instance by size or title. Like the Site Map, clicking on any item will load it in the web browser.

• Search. The Search view lets you search the the site by many different criteria. SiteSurfer will present the best matches for any query in a results list, with the highest ranking--most relevant--documents at the top. Like the Site Index, each column is sortable, and clicking on any item loads it in the web browser.

While the HTML pages could certainly be included in a web site unaltered, they are probably best used as a starting point or reference for embedding the SiteSurfer applet in your web site. You may wish to view each HTML page in an editor to see how various HTML tags and applet parameters are used.

The readme.htm file mentioned above includes several other links to resources on the Internet that may be helpful when authoring HTML pages and using Java applets and JavaScript. For convenience, that list is reproduced here.