This section tells you how to open existing collections using the Open Collection prompt.
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Simple Instructions:
To open an existing collection, choose [O]pen from the [F]ile menu to get the Open Collection prompt (just like in any Windows program).
At the top of the window is a text field with a little triangular button at its right end (this is called a 'ComboBox'). Click on the triangle to reveal a list of items that you can select. The items are directories in your file system; this is a quick way to select one.
Another of the buttons to the right of the dropdown box shows a folder with an upward-pointing arrow, and this is used to move to a parent directory. If you are in the directory 'c:\program files\gsdl\collect\modelcol\', pressing this button would move to 'c:\program files\gsdl\collect\'.
Most of the screen is a large white area that lists the files and subdirectories within the directory you are currently in. If you interact with a file it will appear in the text field at the bottom of the screen, and may be opened as well (depending on the interaction). If you interact with a directory you will move into it. Down the right-hand side of this white space is a scroll bar with arrows at top and bottom to move the list up and down, and a large grey button which represents the part you are viewing. Drag the scroll bar up and down to move to a desired part of the page.
Next on the page is a text area where the description of the collection is displayed (if a collection is currently selected).
To the left of the [O]pen and [C]ancel buttons is the text field where the name of any selected file is shown. If you know what file you are seeking, type its name here and click [O]pen.
The list of files displayed initially is determined from the collect directory of your Greenstone installation. Open the folder corresponding to your collection by double-clicking it and in it locate the file whose name is the collection name followed by ".col". Click once and then respond [O]K, or alternatively double-click on the file (anywhere in its row will do), or use the arrow keys to change your selection. After a short loading delay, the collection will open and you will be returned to the main screen. Clicking [C]ancel will return you to the main screen without opening anything.
Problems And Solutions:
"I can't see my collection file?"
The file is named '
"Whenever I try to load my collection I receive an error message about some other Librarian Interface session using the collection. Why? How do I fix it?" or "What does the little red icon next to my collection mean?"
To allow for several copies of the Librarian Interface to be running at once, without encountering problems when two users attempt to edit the same collection, 'lock files' are used. When you open or create a collection, a small temporary file, 'lock.tmp', is created in that collection's directory. Before the Librarian Interface opens a collection, it checks whether a lock file exists, and if so refuses to open the collection. You can quickly tell if the collection is locked by the colour of its icon: greenstone green for a normal collection, red for a locked collection. However, sometimes lock files are left behind when the Librarian Interface is exited prematurely. In this case you can choose to 'steal' control over the collection. Be warned though that stealing the lock from a collection that is currently opened by someone else will cause one of the users data to be lost adter saving (it depends on who saves last).