There are two ways to get access to files in the data base:
One route is through "hot spots." These are highlighted words (red), items, or place names within maps or illustrations, and they occur in most text files as well as in some maps and illustrations.
By clicking on them, you can access other files - - watch an animation sequence, listen to a sound bite, examine a map, photo or illustration, read a related article, or look up a definition. Sometimes, you will find more hot spots within these files.
The other route is through the "buttons" that surround the window. These offer many paths to search the information data base, and they also offer means of marking your trail through the files.
1.The Bottom Buttons
The buttons at the bottom of the window are "utility buttons." Like the pull-down menus at the top of many software programs, these buttons give access to some tools to use as you explore Japan.
HELP
You've already pressed this button, so you know what it does. As you move through the CD-ROM, the "help" messages change to relate generally to where you are.
SEARCH
Every word, not just key words, in the CD-ROM is indexed. Although this means that you will see lists of numbers and small language elements like "the," it also means that you may search widely and randomly through all the files.
Once you've clicked on the SEARCH button, you have a choice of searching by Title or Text. By double-clicking on one of these bars, you can call up the first page of a list of the items in that category. You can then scroll forward page by page through the data base by clicking on "Next" or backward by clicking on "Prev." When you find the word that interests you, double-click on it and click "OK." Then click on "Search" or "Results" and a list of relevant files will come into the window. If there are none, the "results" will show a zero.
Alternatively, you may click on the "Quick" button, type any key word, then click on "Search" to find out how many files there are. If you want to limit or define your search more closely, use the AND, OR, or NOT buttons to key in a set of search words. Then click on OK to see a list of what's available on that topic. Then double click on any article in the list and retrieve it.
BOOKMARK
This button records your path through the program, much like the History function, but it provides more. You can mark items of particular interest or items you want to return to by highlighting them and clicking on the "mark" button. Alternatively, you can double click to mark (underline) them, then click on "clear unmarked" to leave only the items of interest. You may save the items to your own disk by clicking on the "save" button. "Load" allows the user to retrieve bookmarks previously saved. This is a particularly useful function for establishing a route for presentations or assignments.
GO BACK ONE SCREEN
By clicking on this button, you return to the previous screen you had opened. If you want to move back more than one screen, it's best to use the Bookmark function or the History menu in the top menu bar.
RETURN TO JAPAN MAP
Clicking on this button will take you back to the Main screen, from which you can re-enter the program -- either by conducting a search or by clicking one of the utility buttons. You may also track back through your bookmarks to find a specific article you marked -- this applies, of course, only to each uninterrupted session of use.
EXIT
By clicking this button, you may exit the program at any point.
The Database Information Buttons
These buttons are designed to list the type of information available with a particular file -- whether it's text (like an article) or visual (a photo). They highlight to let you know whether other kinds of information related to this item are available in the database.
