Before using the BSCW server, please check that your Web browser is configured correctly: the browser should always contact the BSCW server before using pages from its cache:

In Netscape 4.7:

"Edit" > "Preferences" > "Advanced" > "Cache" > "Every time"

In MS Internet Explorer 5.5:

"Tools" > "Internet Options" > "General" > "Temporary Internet files" > "Settings" > "Every visit to the page"

Note:

Depending on your browser version, the procedure to set these option may be different.

When using MS Internet Explorer 5.5 you should disable the feature

"Tools" > "Internet Options" > "Advanced" > "Browsing" > "Show friendly HTTP error messages"

since IE5 may otherwise display meaningless error messages.

Make sure that the clock on your computer is set correctly. Otherwise synchronisation between the BSCW server and pages in your local cache will not work.

To use the JavaScript-enhanced or ActiveX-enhanced user interface (see section 4.2.2), JavaScript and/or ActiveX have to be activated in your Web browser.
To use the JavaScript enhancements, your Web browser has to accept cookies, too.

If you want to install and use

• JBrowser, the optional BSCW Explorer (see section 3.2) or
• JMonitor, the synchronous group awareness tool (see section 5.2)

which are both implemented as Java applets, your Web browser must be configured to interpret JavaScript and run applets installed locally.

How you set these options varies between platforms and between browsers.

Please, consult your Web browser's manual for more information.

As long as the documents that you download from your workspaces can be displayed by your Web browser (with the help of any plug-ins you may have installed), you do not need to change your browser's configuration in order to use BSCW.

If, however, you want to exchange documents in proprietary formats (e. g. WordPerfect, Excel, Photoshop etc.) with other members of your workspaces, you should tailor the configuration of your browser accordingly:

All files that BSCW sends to your browser carry an explicit MIME type. Instruct your browser to link the MIME types relevant to you to an intended action, e. g. starting a program and letting it open and display the file just transferred.

How you do this differs from platform to platform and from browser to browser.

Please, consult your browser's manual for more information.

If you do not configure your Web browser adequately, files it cannot handle will produce a prompt asking you for the intended action. If you use one of the leading browsers, it will allow you to establish "on the fly" a link between the MIME type of the file and the program to be used on the next occurrence of this MIME type.

If you frequently need to download proprietary files, edit them locally and upload the revised files, you may instruct BSCW to send these files with an extended MIME type. You can then configure your Web browser to call a local routine (you have written) that opens the file in the appropriate editor and uploads it to BSCW as a replacement or new version of the document, as soon as you close the file locally (see section 3.4 and section 4.2.7).