Copyright: Copyright © 1998 BackWeb Technologies


Common Tasks in the BackWeb Infocenter 5.0
BackWeb
Common Tasks in the BackWeb Infocenter 5.0

Click one of the following tasks.

Viewing titles in the BackWeb Infocenter

Viewing automatic information flashes

Viewing channel content as background wallpaper

For a complete list of help topics on these and other procedures, click the Help Topics button at the top of this help panel.


BackWeb 5.0 Overview (Infocenter Help)
BackWeb
Overview

BackWeb is a software package that revolutionizes the way you interact with information providers on the World Wide Web. With BackWeb, you automatically receive up-to-the-minute, customized news and information from the Web while you continue to work in other applications.

It is a utility which provides you with the widest range of content available. With BackWeb, you select the channels you want to view, and it delivers and displays the content for those channels in a number of different viewer applications. Depending on the BackWeb component(s) installed on your computer, these may include one or more of the following:

the BackWeb Infocenter client

the BackWeb InfoExpress client

the BackWeb Outlook client

a number of viewer applications, including BackWeb Ticker , ScreenSaver and NewsTitle.

You can also view content in the form of a flash or background wallpaper.

BackWeb delivers content fast and efficiently—reducing wait time and network overload. While you continue to work in other applications, BackWeb downloads content to your computer automatically and in the background.

BackWeb is completely customizable, allowing you to define display settings for the content you want to view, and alerts for changes in content that is critical to you. You control which types of content to download, their display frequency and other parameters.

BackWeb displays content that has been stored on your local computer's disk, automatically deleting a channel's existing content when new content is retrieved. Alternatively, you can keep or delete particular items of information manually.

Notes:
Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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BackWeb 5.0 Components (Infocenter Help)
BackWeb
Components

The BackWeb client consists of a number of different client applications and components. Depending on your BackWeb installation, you may have one of many different combinations installed on your computer.

The Client Applications
Regardless of the type of BackWeb client you install on your machine, the BackWeb agent is always installed as the engine behind the client. However, BackWeb provides a number of different client applications, and you may install any one of these, or a custom client interface tailored to your needs by your system administrator. The BackWeb agent, and each of the BackWeb client applications—the Infocenter, InfoExpress, and the BackWeb Outlook client—are described in the following:

The BackWeb agent
The BackWeb engine. When running, it controls the automatic content updates for your subscribed channels. It is represented by the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, and when it is actively performing an update, the icon appears to rotate. If you right click the icon, then click Display Channel Status, you can view the update schedules and status for your subscribed channels.

The Infocenter Client
The central application within the BackWeb client. Using the BackWeb Infocenter, you can control the way in which content is downloaded and displayed on your computer. You subscribe to the channels whose content you want to view, and define settings that determine how you receive and view it.

All retrieved content is available in the Infocenter for you to view. You can also perform manual updates of channel content from the Infocenter.

The InfoExpress Client
A scaled down version of the BackWeb Infocenter and Ticker bar that allows you to subscribe to channels, work with content, alerts and filters, and modify some of the properties that govern the operation of BackWeb. BackWeb InfoExpress provides many of the functions available in the Infocenter and Ticker bar, but with a smaller user interface.

The BackWeb Outlook Client
A component of the BackWeb client that runs with Microsoft Outlook. The Outlook client allows you to perform all the functions available from the BackWeb Infocenter.

Viewer Applications
BackWeb also includes a number of applications and functions that, along with your installed client application, allow you to display your retrieved content in various ways. Depending on your installation, you may have one or more of the following on your computer:

The Ticker bar

NewsTitle

Screen Saver

Information Flashes

Background Wallpapers

Notes:
Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Subscribing to Channels in the Infocenter
Subscribe to channels
Subscribing to channels

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click Subscribe to Channels to display the Channel directory.

3.	Below the right pane of the Channel Directory view window, indicate the list of channels from which you want to select by clicking one of the following tabs:

All – for a list of all available channels, subscribed, unsubscribed, and new.

New – for a list of the channels most recently added to the BackWeb server.

4.	In the left pane of Channel Directory view, double click a news and information category.

5.	In the right pane of Channel Directory view, enable the checkbox to the left of the channel from which you want to receive and view information. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox for subscribed channels.) Depending on the type of channel you select, one of the following appears:

A confirmation message – indicating that you have successfully subscribed to the channel. This occurs when you select a channel contained in your local channel directory, and to which you can subscribe locally—normally a non-BackWeb channel server.

A message – indicating that BackWeb is about to start your Web browser and connect. This occurs when you select a channel that requires online subscription—normally a BackWeb channel server. Click OK to continue. BackWeb starts your browser and goes to the registration page for the selected channel. Follow the instructions provided to subscribe to the selected channel, making sure to click the specified link or button to perform the subscription.

A customization form – in which you must select or fill in additional information—details required to customize a weather or stock quote channel, for example. These types of channels are identified in the Channel Directory View window with a form icon displayed to the left of the channel name. Depending on whether the subscription is local or online, one of the previous two messages then appears.

6.	Repeat steps 4 and 5 to subscribe to channels in other news and information categories.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the Windows taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

If you want to subscribe to a BackWeb channel server not currently listed in your Channel directory, you can add it yourself using the Add BackWeb Server commands on the Infocenter Channel menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Adding a BackWeb Channel Server Using the Web Directory in the Infocenter
Subscribe to channels
Adding a BackWeb channel server using the Web directory

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Channel menu, click Add BackWeb Server, then Add Using Web Directory. BackWeb starts your default Web browser, and displays a Web page listing all the BackWeb channel servers available for subscription.

3.	Click the channel to which you want to subscribe. Your browser displays the registration page for the selected channel.

4.	Follow the instructions provided to subscribe to the selected channel, making sure to click the specified link or button to perform the subscription.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the Windows taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

If you are using a dialup Internet connection, you must connect before you can add a BackWeb channel server using the Web directory.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Adding a BackWeb Channel Server Manually in the Infocenter
Subscribe to channels
Adding a BackWeb channel server manually

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Channel menu, click Add BackWeb Server, then Add Using Address. BackWeb displays the first panel in the Add BackWeb Server wizard.

3.	Click Next to move to the second panel in the Add a BackWeb Channel Server wizard.

4.	On the Address and Name panel, complete the following fields:

Address – the host name (backweb.com, for example) or network address of the channel to which you want to subscribe. For a network address, use the following notation:

IP address:UDP port:HTTP port

For example:

300.203.47.105:375:85  (use UDP port 375 and HTTP port 85)

300.203.47.105:375  (use UDP port 375 and default HTTP port)

300.203.47.105::85  (use default UDP port and HTTP port 85)

300.203.47.105  (use default UDP port and default HTTP port)

Name – the name you want to assign to your newly subscribed channel. The name you type here appears throughout BackWeb—in the Infocenter, Ticker, NewsTitle, and so on—to identify your BackWeb channel server.

5.	Click Next to move to the next panel in the Add a BackWeb Channel Server wizard.

6.	On the Download Priority panel, indicate the priority of your channel in relation to other subscribed BackWeb channel servers. The priority is used by BackWeb when downloading content—with content from high priority BackWeb channel servers being downloaded before those of medium or low prioriy. Enable one of the following:

High – to assign your channel a higher priority than those with a medium or low priority.

Medium – to assign your channel the default priority.

Low – to assign your channel a lower priority than those with a medium or high priority.

7.	Click Next to move to the next panel in the Add a BackWeb Channel Server wizard.

8.	On the Disk Space panel, indicate the maximum amount of disk space you want to allocate for storing content received from your channel. Type a number in MB.

9.	Click Finish to complete the Add a BackWeb Channel Server  wizard, and add your BackWeb channel server to the list of subscribed channels in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the Windows taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Unsubscribing from Channels in the Infocenter
Subscribe to channels
Unsubscribing from channels

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click Subscribe to Channels to display the Channel directory.

3.	Below the right pane of the Channel Directory view window, click the Subscribed tab to display your list of subscribed channels.

4.	In the right pane of the Channel Directory view window, disable the checkbox to the left of the channel from which you want to unsubscribe. (The checkmark is removed from the checkbox.) A confirmation message appears. Click OK to confirm the removal of the selected subscription.

Note:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the Windows taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

You can also unsubscribe from a channel by right clicking the channel, then by clicking Unsubscribe on the pop-up menu that appears.

When you unsubscribe from a channel, BackWeb deletes the channel's content from your system as well as the subscription.

When you unsubscribe from certain BackWeb channel servers, BackWeb displays a message asking whether you want to remove the channel itself from the Channel directory. This occurs with some channels that were added manually using the channel address (instead of the Web directory). All other channels remain in the Channel directory after you unsubscribe from them.

To narrow down the list of subscribed channels displayed in Channel Directory view, double click a category in the left pane to display only the channels from that category.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Receiving Content Updates Automatically in the Infocenter
Receive channel content updates
Receiving content updates automatically

1.	Ensure that you have subscribed to at least one channel.

2.	Ensure that the BackWeb agent is running by checking for the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

3.	Continue working in any Windows application, and wait for BackWeb to perform content updates automatically as follows:

Non-BackWeb Channel Servers – Content updates are received according to the default schedule associated with each subscribed channel. Unless you change the schedule on the Update page of the the Channel Properties dialog, or suspend downloading, each subscribed channel connects and receives updated content automatically according to its scheduled time or interval.

BackWeb Channel Servers – Content updates are received according to the availability of new content from each subscribed channel. Unless you suspend downloading, each channel connects and receives updated content whenever it is available

Notes:
Each time BackWeb performs an automatic content update, the BackWeb icon on the Windows taskbar appears to rotate.

To suspend automatic downloading, right click the BackWeb program icon on the Windows taskbar, then click Suspend Downloading.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

If you are using a dialup connection, and you are not currently connected, you will be prompted for your user ID and password when an update is about to take place. You will then hear your modem dial up your Internet connection.

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Updating all Subscribed Channels Manually in the Infocenter
Receive channel content updates
Updating all subscribed channels manually

1.	Right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Display Channel Status. The BackWeb Channel Status window appears.

2.	Click Update All. BackWeb checks for updated content for all subscribed channels.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the Windows taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Unless you suspend downloading, each channel receives content updates automatically—according to a customizable update schedule in the case of non-BackWeb channel servers, and according to the availability of new content in the case of BackWeb channel servers. To suspend automatic downloading, right click the BackWeb program icon on the Windows taskbar, then click Suspend Downloading.

Each time BackWeb performs an automatic content update, the BackWeb icon on the Windows taskbar appears to rotate.

If you are using a dialup connection, and you are not currently connected, you will be prompted for your user ID and password when an update is about to take place. You will then hear your modem dial up your Internet connection

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Updating individual channels manually in the Infocenter
Receive channel content updates
Updating individual channels manually

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display Channel Content view.

2.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, right click the subscribed channel whose content you want to update.

3.	Click Update Now.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the Windows taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

You can also update channels manually from BackWeb Ticker and NewsTitle.

Unless you suspend downloading, each channel receives content updates automatically—according to a customizable update schedule in the case of non-BackWeb channel servers, and according to the availability of new content in the case of BackWeb channel servers. To suspend automatic downloading, right click the BackWeb program icon on the Windows taskbar, then click Suspend Downloading.

Each time BackWeb performs an automatic content update, the BackWeb icon on the Windows taskbar appears to rotate.

If you are using a dialup connection, and you are not currently connected, you will be prompted for your user ID and password, and you will hear your modem dial up your Internet connection when an update is about to take place.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Viewing titles in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Viewing titles

Do one of the following:

Use Channel Content view – In the left pane of Channel Content view, click the name of the channel for which you want to view titles. Updated titles for the selected channel appear in the right pane of the window.

Use Channel Directory view – In the right pane of Channel Directory view, double click the name of the subscribed channel for which you want to view titles. The Channel Content View window appears, with the selected channel's most recently updated titles displayed in the right pane.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To view titles for a subchannel, you may need to display the subchannel first. Click the channel containing the subchannel (marked with a “+” symbol). The subchannels appear below the selected channel in Channel Content view.

To view titles for all channels in a category, click the category name in the left pane of Channel Content view. Updated titles for the selected category appear in the right pane of the window.

To view a summary of the story associated with the selected title, click the title in the right pane of the window.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Getting more detail on a title in the Infocenter
View/play content updates
Getting more detail on a title

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display Channel Content view.

2.	In the left pane of the Channel Content view window, click the name of the channel from which you want to view content. The selected channel's most recently updated titles appear in the right pane of the window.

3.	To get more information on a title, do one of the following:

Click the title – to view a summary of the story associated with the selected title.

Double click the title – to view the full story associated with the selected title. BackWeb starts your default browser, and goes to the URL for the selected channel. If the selected title consists of an information flash, BackWeb plays the flash for the title.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Instead of using your default browser to view the full story for a title, you can use the BackWeb embedded browser by enabling Use Embedded Browser on the Infocenter View menu.

To view titles for a subchannel, you may need to display the subchannel first. Click the channel containing the subchannel (marked with a “+” symbol). The subchannels appear below the selected channel in Channel Content view.

If you are using a dialup connection, and you are not currently connected, you will be prompted for your user ID and password when you double click a title to go to your browser. You will then hear your modem dial up your Internet connection.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Viewing attachments in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Viewing attachments

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display Channel Content view.

2.	In the left pane of the Channel Content view window, click the name of the channel from which you have received an attachment file. The selected channel's most recently updated titles appear in the right pane of the window.

3.	In the right pane of the Channel Content view window, double click the title of the information item that includes the attachment. BackWeb starts the application required to display the attachment file—Microsoft Word in the case of a Word file, for example—and displays the attachment

Note:
To view the summary associated with an attachment, click the title of the information item that includes the attachment.

To view attachments for a subchannel, you may need to display the subchannel first. Click the channel containing the subchannel (marked with a “+” symbol). The subchannels appear below the selected channel in Channel Content view.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Checking for new/unread content in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Checking for new/unread content

1.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, look for channel names displayed in bold. These are the channels containing unread content. The number of unread titles is indicated with a number displayed to the right of the channel name.

2.	Click a channel name displayed in bold. Updated titles for the selected channel appear in the right pane of the window, with unread titles displayed in bold.

Note:
The content displayed in Channel Content view can also be controlled by settings defined by your system administrator. If your administrator has applied restrictions to the content displayed in the Infocenter, it is possible that Channel Content view will display only unread content by default.

To view unread content for a subchannel, you may need to display the subchannel first. Click the channel containing the subchannel (marked with a “+” symbol). The subchannels appear below the selected channel in Channel Content view.

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Viewing unread content only in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Viewing unread content only

To view unread content only, do one of the following in Channel Content view:

•	On the View menu, click View Unread Items Only.

•	Click [image] on the toolbar.

Notes:
The content displayed in Channel Content view can also be controlled by settings defined by your system administrator. If your administrator has applied restrictions to the content displayed in the Infocenter, it is possible that Channel Content view will display only unread content by default.

The BackWeb Infocenter displays unread content in bold text, and read content in regular text.

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Marking content read / unread in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Marking content read / unread

To mark content read:

In Channel Content view, click the title you want to read. The story summary for the title appears, if one exists. BackWeb automatically changes the text style of the title you just read from bold to regular.

To mark content unread:

In Channel Content view, click the title you want to mark unread. On the pop-up menu that appears, click Mark as Unread.

Notes:
If your system administrator has applied restrictions to the content displayed in the Infocenter, it is possible that Channel Content view will display only unread content by default.

To mark all content read, click Mark All as Read on the Content menu.

The BackWeb Infocenter displays unread content in bold text, and read content in regular text.

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Using the Embedded Browser in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Using the BackWeb embedded browser

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display the Channel Content view window.

2.	On the View menu, enable Use Embedded Browser. (A checkmark appears to the left of the command.) The embedded browser appears in the lower right pane of the Channel Content View window.

3.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, click the channel for which you want to view content in the embedded browser. The most recently updated titles for your selected channel appear in the right pane.

4.	In the right pane of Channel Content view, double click the title whose story you want to view in the embedded browser.

Notes:
To expand the embedded browser to fill the entire Channel Content view window, click Expand Embedded Browser on the View menu.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Playing information flashes automatically in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Playing information flashes automatically

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

2.	Click the Flashes tab.

3.	On the Flashes page, enable Play flashes automatically. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox.)  Information flashes will now appear periodically on your screen at idle time.

Notes:
You can also specify the frequency of your information flashes, and indicate whether you want to play sound with them, using the other options on the Flashes page.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Information flashes appear automatically in BackWeb by default. As long as you do not change the default, and the BackWeb agent is running, your information flashes will appear automatically.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Playing information flashes manually in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Playing information flashes manually

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content.

2.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, click the channel for which you want to play an information flash manually.

3.	In the right pane of Channel Content view, locate the information flash you want to play, and double click it.

Notes:
You can also play information flashes manually by clicking Play on the Content menu.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Information flashes appear automatically in BackWeb by default. As long as you do not change the default, and the BackWeb agent is running, your information flashes will appear automatically.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Viewing content as background wallpaper in the Infocenter
View / Play content updates
Viewing content as background wallpaper

1.	Wait until you receive updated content from a BackWeb channel server that provides content as wallpaper.

2.	Display Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter.

3.	Select the channel that has provided content in the form of wallpaper.

4.	In the right pane of the Channel Content view window, locate the wallpaper you want to view, then double click it.

5.	Minimize all the application windows in which you are working, until you can see your Windows desktop. The selected wallpaper appears as your background.

Notes:
You can easily recognize content that is viewable as wallpaper. In the Content list in Channel Content view, wallpaper is represented with the following icon:

Not all channels provide content that is viewable as background wallpaper. Only certain BackWeb channel servers allow you to view content as wallpaper—the Weather channel, for example. In most cases, you can specify whether you want to receive content as wallpaper when you subscribe to the channel.

To remove a BackWeb wallpaper that is currently displayed on your Desktop, right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, click Wallpaper <InfoPak name>, then Remove Wallpaper. BackWeb removes the currently displayed BackWeb wallpaper, and displays the default wallpaper defined in your Display settings in the Windows Control Panel.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Sharing Content with other Clients in the Infocenter
Share content
Sharing content with other clients

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

2.	Click the Proxy tab.

3.	Under Neighbourcast, enable Active.

Note:
Enabling Active in this dialog, configures your BackWeb client to be a content source for other clients. In effect, it turns your client into a proxy inside your local area network.


Disabling a Subscribed Channel in the Infocenter
Enable / Disable channels
Disabling a subscribed channel

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display your subscribed channels in Channel Content view.

2.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, right click the channel you want to disable.

3.	On the pop-up menu that appears, click Disable Channel. BackWeb displays a red "x" to the right of the selected channel's icon. BackWeb suspends downloading for the selected channel until you re-enable it.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Enabling a Disabled Channel in the Infocenter
Enable / Disable channels
Enabling a disabled channel

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display your subscribed channels in Channel Content view.

2.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, right click the disabled channel you want to enable.

3.	On the pop-up menu that appears, click Enable Channel. BackWeb resumes downloading for the selected channel.

Notes:
BackWeb identifies disabled channels with a red "x" displayed to the right of the channel icon in Channel Content view.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Searching for Content in the Infocenter
Search for channel content
Searching for content

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click Search.

3.	In Search view, type the string for which you want to search in the Search for field.

4.	In the Search in dropdown list, click the channel in which you want to search for the content. If you are unsure of the channel, click All Channels.

5.	Enable one of the following:

Title only – if you want to search only the titles from the selected channel.

Title and summary – if you want to search both the titles and the story summaries from the selected channel.

6.	Click Find Now. If BackWeb locates the specified text string in the content it retrieves, it displays the title (and summary, if one exists), along with details of its retrieval and originating channel, in the lower portion of the window under Content.

7.	To view more information about the retrieved title, select it, then do one of the following:

Click the title – to view a summary of the story associated with the selected title.

Double click the title – to view the full story associated with the selected title. BackWeb starts your default browser, and goes to the URL for the selected channel. If the selected title consists of an information flash, BackWeb plays the flash for the title.

Note:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Exporting Content in the Infocenter
Export channel content
Exporting content

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click View Channel Content.

3.	In Channel Content view, click the channel whose content you want to export.

4.	On the Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

5.	Click the Export tab.

6.	Under Channel fields, select from the following to indicate the content you want to export for each story:

Text – to export the story summary for each story, if one exists.

Title – to export the title for each story.

URL – to export the URL for each story, if one exists.

Click each channel field that you want individually, then click the right arrow button to add it to the list of Fields to export.

6.	In the Export to dropdown list, select Text file to export your stories to a .TXT file.

7.	Click Configure to display the BackWeb Channel Export dialog.

8.	In the Filename field, type the name of the text file to which you want to export your selected content. Click Browse to locate and select an existing .TXT file.

9.	In the Options section of the dialog, enable one of the following:

Delimited by – to export to a delimited text file. Indicate whether the delimiting character is a tab, comma, semicolon, or other character by enabling the appropriate option.

Fixed Width – to export to a fixed width text file. Type the width of the column in the Column width field.

10.	Click OK to return to the Export page of the Channel Properties dialog.

11.	Click Export Now.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Defining Update Schedules for Channels in the Infocenter
Define channel update schedules
Defining update schedules for channels

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. The BackWeb Infocenter starts.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click View Channel Content.

3.	In Channel Content view, click the subscribed non-BackWeb channel server for which you want to define an update schedule.

4.	On the Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

5.	In the Options section, indicate what type of settings you want to define by doing one of the following:

Enable Use recommended to update information from the selected channel at the intervals and/or times suggested by BackWeb in the grayed out Schedule section.

Enable Use my own to define your own update schedule for the selected channel.

Enable Do not schedule if you do not want to assign an update schedule to the select channel.

6.	If you enabled Use my own in the Options section of the dialog, define your schedule by doing one of the following:

Enable Daily, and use the up and down arrows to select a specific time for the update to occur. The time is specified according to a 24 hour clock.

Enable the first Every option, and type in a regular interval in minutes, after which the updates are to occur.

Enable the second Every option, type in a regular interval in minutes, and select a time frame during which the updates are to occur. The updates will occur at the interval specified, between the hours specified.

7.	If you enabled Use my own in the Options section of the dialog, enable a particular day of the week in the Update on field. This is the day on which your defined update settings are to apply, and the update is to occur.

8.	Click OK to accept your schedule settings.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Update schedules cannot be defined for BackWeb channel servers or for channels that are server-cached. BackWeb updates content from BackWeb channel servers whenever new content is available from the channel server. For more information on server-cached channels, see your system administrator.

BackWeb assigns a default recommended schedule to each channel in the Channel directory. (You can view a channel's recommended schedule in the Schedule section of the Channel Otpions dialog.) Unless you change the schedule for a channel, suspend downloading, or perform a manual update, each channel automatically connects and updates content according to its recommended schedule.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Using Quick Setup to Define an Alert in the Infocenter
Set up alerts
Using Quick Setup to define an alert

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Alerts.

2.	In the Alerts dialog, click Quick Setup. The Quick Setup dialog appears.

3.	Type the text string you want to use to trigger the alert in the Search for field, then click the Add to List button. (To trigger alerts based on multiple text strings, add each text string in the same way, then ensure Search for all of the words and phrases is enabled. )

4.	To identify your alert for later reference, complete the following fields:

Name – Type a name for the alert if you want. The text in this field identifies the alert in the Alerts dialog and in Alerts view in the Infocenter.

Category – Specify an alert category for your alert if you want. Click an existing alert category in the dropdown list, or type a new category name in this field. (To remove an existing category, click it in the dropdown list, then click Remove.) Alerts are categorized according to the text in this field in Alerts view in the Infocenter.

5.	Click OK to return to the Alerts dialog, and to add your alert to the list under Alert Rules.

6.	With your new alert selected in the Alert Rules section of the dialog, click one of the following in the lower section of the dialog:

Add Channel – to assign your alert to an individual channel.

Add Category – to assign your alert to a category.

7.	Under Channels/Categories, click the channel or category to which you want to apply the alert.

8.	Under Actions, click one of the following alert actions for your alert:

Add to Alert List – to add the alert message to the list of messages displayed in Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Add to List, Beep – to add the alert message to the list of messages displayed in Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter, and sound a beep.

9.	Click OK to add your selected channel/category and alert action to the Apply to section of the dialog for the alert rule displayed in the Alert Rules section of the dialog.

Notes:
Some BackWeb channel servers cannot trigger alerts based on data in their story summaries. This occurs with data that BackWeb has difficulty reading–with graphics, for example. To determine whether a channel's retrieved content includes story summaries available for alerts, click each of the channel's titles under Content in Channel Content view.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To assign an alert to multiple channels or categories, repeat steps 5 through 8 for each channel/category that you want to add.

To remove an alert rule, select it and click the Remove button.

To remove an alert from a channel/category, click the channel/category in the lower section of the dialog, then click Clear.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Defining an Alert Manually in the Infocenter
Set up alerts
Defining an alert manually

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Alerts.

2.	In the Alerts dialog, click Advanced. The Advanced Alert Settings dialog appears.

3.	In the Advanced Alert Settings dialog, use the dropdown lists, in combination with the Add to List and Remove buttons, to create an expression that will trigger the alert. For example, to define an alert for a Web channel that provides stock quotes, you might define the following:

AND:(High > 50)
OR:(Low < 30)

The alert will be triggered anytime the updated stock quotes are greater than 50 or less than 30.

4.	Enable one of the following:

Alert when the expression is TRUE – to trigger the alert when the updated content meets the conditions of the expression.

Alert when the expression switches between TRUE and FALSE – to trigger the alert whenever updated content changes such that the conditions of the expression are either met for the first time or no longer met.

9.	Click Next.

10.	In the Alert Options dialog, complete the following fields:

Name – Verify and make changes to the name of the alert if you want. (To insert an alert field in your message, click Insert field.) By default, the list of conditions assembled to trigger the alert appears in this field. The text in this field identifies the alert in the Alerts dialog and in Alerts view in the Infocenter.

Category – Specify an alert category for your alert if you want. Click an existing alert category in the dropdown list, or type a new category name in this field. (To remove an existing category, click it in the dropdown list, then click Remove.) Alerts are categorized according to the text in this field in Alerts view in the Infocenter.

Click Finish to return to the Alerts dialog, and to add your alert to the list under Alert Rules.

11.	With your new alert selected in the Alert Rules section of the dialog, click one of the following in the lower section of the dialog:

Add Channel – to assign your alert to an individual channel.

Add Category – to assign your alert to a category.

12.	Under Channels/Categories, click the channel or category to which you want to apply the alert.

13.	Under Actions, click one of the following alert actions for your alert:

Add to Alert List – to add the alert message to the list of messages displayed in Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Add to List, Beep – to add the alert message to the list of messages displayed in Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter, and sound a beep.

14.	Click OK to add your selected channel/category and alert action to the Apply to section of the dialog for the alert rule displayed in the Alert Rules section of the dialog.

Notes:
Some BackWeb channel servers cannot trigger alerts based on data in their story summaries. This occurs with data that BackWeb has difficulty reading–with graphics, for example. To determine whether a channel's retrieved content includes story summaries available for alerts, click each of the channel's titles under Content in Channel Content view.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To assign an alert to multiple channels or categories, repeat steps 11 through 14 for each channel/category that you want to add.

To remove an alert rule, select it and click the Remove button.

To remove an alert from a channel/category, click the channel/category in the lower section of the dialog, then click Clear.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Controlling the Display of Visual Alerts in the Infocenter
Set up alerts
Controlling the display of visual alerts

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Alerts.

2.	In the Alerts dialog, click the Display tab.

3.	Enable Flash the border of BackWeb Ticker if you want the border of the Ticker bar window to flash red when an alert has been triggered.

4.	Enable Show an alert icon in BackWeb NewsTitle if you want an alert message to appear in the NewsTitle scroller when an alert has been triggered.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

BackWeb displays visual alerts for channels to which you have designed at least one alert.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Modifying the Action Associated With an Alert in the Infocenter
Set up alerts
Modifying the action associated with an alert

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Alerts.

2.	In the Alerts dialog, click the Actions tab.

3.	Under Alert Actions, click the alert action you want to change—Add to Alert List, for example.

4.	Click Modify to display the Alert Action dialog.

5.	In the Action Name field, type a new name for the selected alert action—Download Story, for example.

6.	Enable one or more of the following:

Play a sound file - if you want BackWeb to play a sound (.WAV) file when an alert is triggered. Type the name of the .WAV file in the accompanying field. If you need to locate the file, click Browse.

Activate plug-in - if you want to use one of your plug-ins when an alert is triggered. Type the name of the plug-in in the accompanying field. Click Configure to configure the plug-in.

Download the Web page to my computer - if you want to download the story, that triggered the alert, from its URL and save it on your local hard drive. Indicate whether you want to keep the images associated with the story by enabling/disabling Include images.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

BackWeb triggers alerts for channels to which you have assigned at least one alert in the Alerts dialog.

You select the alert action you want to use each time you assign an alert to a channel.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Creating a New Alert Action in the Infocenter
Set up alerts
Creating a new alert action

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Alerts.

2.	In the Alerts dialog, click the Actions tab.

3.	Click New to display the Alert Action dialog.

4.	In the Action Name field, type a name for the new alert action—Download Story, for example.

5.	Enable one or more of the following:

Play a sound file - if you want BackWeb to play a sound (.WAV) file when an alert is triggered. Type the name of the .WAV file in the accompanying field. If you need to locate the file, click Browse.

Activate plug-in - if you want to use one of your plug-ins when an alert is triggered. Type the name of the plug-in in the accompanying field. Click Configure to configure the plug-in.

Download the Web page to my computer - if you want to download the story, that triggered the alert, from its URL and save it on your local hard drive. Indicate whether you want to keep the images associated with the story by enabling/disabling Include images.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

BackWeb triggers alerts for channels to which you have assigned at least one alert in the Alerts dialog.

You select the alert action you want to use each time you assign an alert to a channel.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Viewing Alert Messages in the Infocenter
Set up alerts
Viewing alerts

Do one of the following:

Use the alert messages icon – if it (a page icon with a red flag) appears in the tray on the Windows taskbar. Double click the alert messages icon to display Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Use the Infocenter Alerts view – if the alert messages icon does not appear in the tray on the Windows taskbar. Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray. On the Navigation bar, click View Alerts to display Alerts view. In the left pane of Channel Content view, double click the alert category you want to view. The defined alerts in your selected category appear below the category name. Click an alert name to view the alerts that have been triggered for that alert in the right pane of Channel Content view.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Your alerts are listed by date and time. To remove one or more alert messages from the list, click them, then press DEL.

An alert messages icon appears in the tray when you have alert messages in Alerts view that you have not yet viewed. Once you view your alert messages, BackWeb removes the alert messages icon from the tray.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Using Quick Setup to Define a Custom Filter in the Infocenter
Filter content
Using Quick Setup to define a filter

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Filters.

2.	In the Filters dialog, click Quick Setup. The Quick Setup dialog appears.

Type the text string you want to filter for in the Search for field, then click the Add to List button. To filter content based on multiple text strings, add each text string in the same way, then ensure Search for all of the words and phrases is enabled. Click OK. The Filter rule appears under Filter Rules in the Filters dialog.

3.	With your new filter selected in the Filter Rules section of the dialog, click one of the following in the lower section of the dialog:

Add Channel – to assign your filter to an individual channel.

Add Category – to assign your filter to a category.

4.	Under Channels/Categories, click the channel or category to which you want to apply the filter.

5.	Click OK to add your selected channel or category to the Apply to section of the dialog for the filter rule displayed in the Filter Rules section of the dialog.

Note:
Some BackWeb channel servers cannot filter data from their story summaries. This occurs with data that BackWeb has difficulty reading–with graphics, for example. To determine whether a channel's retrieved content includes story summaries available for filters, click each of the channel's titles under Content in Channel Content view.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Defining a Filter Manually in the Infocenter
Filter content
Defining a filter manually

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Filters.

2.	In the Filters dialog, click Advanced. The Advanced Filter Settings dialog appears.

3.	Use the dropdown lists, in combination with the Add to List and Remove buttons, to create an expression, based on which channel information will be filtered. For example, to define a filter for a Web channel that provides content about business competitors, you might define the following …

AND:(URL Contains "www.company.com")

… where www.company.com is the URL of the company whose information you want to filter for.

4.	Click OK to return to the Filters dialog.

5.	With your new filter selected in the Filter Rules section of the dialog, click one of the following in the lower section of the dialog:

Add Channel – to assign your alert to an individual channel.

Add Category – to assign your alert to a category.

6.	Under Channels/Categories, click the channel or category to which you want to apply the filter.

7.	Click OK to add your selected channel or category to the Apply to section of the dialog for the filter rule displayed in the Filter Rules section of the dialog.

Notes:
Some BackWeb channel servers cannot filter data from their story summaries. This occurs with data that BackWeb has difficulty reading–with graphics, for example. To determine whether a channel's retrieved content includes story summaries available for filters, click each of the channel's titles under Content in Channel Content view.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Downloading Web Pages and Images in the Infocenter
Keep content
Downloading Web pages and images

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the channel from which you want to download content.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Download tab.

4.	Enable Download Web pages. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox.) This instructs BackWeb to download the Web pages associated with the titles that you download from the selected channel.

5.	Enable Include images. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox.) This instructs BackWeb to download any graphics associated with the Web pages that you download from the selected channel. Enabling this option increases connection time, and takes up more disk space, but preserves the contents of downloaded Web pages.

6.	Click OK to accept your download settings.

7.	In Channel Content view, ensure that the channel, from which you want to download content, is still selected. In the right pane, click the story you want to download.

8.	On the Content menu, click Download. BackWeb downloads the selected story, its associated Web pages and images and stores them locally for offline viewing on your own computer.

Note:
This procedure applies to non-BackWeb channel servers only. The Download page does not appear in the Channel Properties dialog for BackWeb channel servers. To retain content for BackWeb channel servers, use the Keep command on the Content menu.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Downloading a story in the Infocenter
Keep content
Downloading a story

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the channel from which you want to download content.

2.	In the right pane of Channel Content view, click the story you want to download.

3.	On the Content menu, click Download Story. BackWeb downloads the selected story and stores it locally for offline viewing on your own computer.

Note:
This procedure applies to non-BackWeb channel servers only. The Download page does not appear in the Channel Properties dialog for BackWeb channel servers. To retain content for BackWeb channel servers, use the Keep command on the Content menu.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Keeping Content from BackWeb Channel Servers in the Infocenter
Keep content
Keeping content from BackWeb channel servers

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the BackWeb channel server for which you want to retain content.

2.	In the right pane of Channel Content view, click the story you want to download.

3.	On the Content menu, click Keep. Instead of replacing the selected story with the next information update, BackWeb saves it until you either delete it manually or unsubscribe from the channel server.

Notes:
This procedure applies to BackWeb channel servers only. The Keep command is not available for non-BackWeb channel servers.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To delete a story that you have kept, select the story in the right pane of Channel Content view, then click Delete on the Content menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Bypassing a Proxy Server in the Infocenter
Change Channel Properties
Bypassing a proxy server

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the channel for which you want to bypass the proxy server.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Advanced tab.

4.	Enable Do not use HTTP proxy to access this channel.

Notes:
You might want to bypass your proxy server for channels that are inside your company’s firewall.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Changing Storage Space Options in the Infocenter
Change Channel Properties
Changing storage space options

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the BackWeb channel server for which you want to change storage space options.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Advanced tab.

4.	Under Disk space, enable one of the following:

Use the default disk space quota for this channel – to use the default amount of disk space defined for all channels. The default disk space quota is defined in the Options dialog of the BackWeb client you are using—the Infocenter, InfoExpress or BackWeb Outlook client.

Allow a maximum disk space of – to change the amount of disk space available for the selected channel. Type the number MB you want to allow for the storage of content in the accompanying field.

Notes:
This procedure applies to BackWeb channel servers only.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Changing Your Connection Setup in the Infocenter
Change Channel Properties
Changing your connection setup

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the BackWeb channel server for which you want to change the connection setup.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Modify the information under Channel information as follows:

Address – If the address of the selected channel has changed, enter the correct host name (backweb.com, for example) or network address in this field. For a network address, use the following notation:

IP address:UDP port:HTTP port

For example:

300.203.47.105:375:85  (use UDP port 375 and HTTP port 85)

300.203.47.105:375  (use UDP port 375 and default HTTP port)

300.203.47.105::85  (use default UDP port and HTTP port 85)

300.203.47.105  (use default UDP port and default HTTP port)

Notes:
This procedure applies to BackWeb channel servers only.

You cannot change the channel name or http address displayed in the Web page field. To go to a different http address, click the Open button to start your default browser.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Defining the Type of Content You Want to Receive in the Infocenter
Change Channel Properties
Defining the type of content you want to receive

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the channel for which you want to define the content you want to receive

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Content tab.

4.	Under Download, enable the checkbox(es) to the right of Flashes and/or Wallpapers if you want to receive content in the form of information flashes and wallpapers respectively.

5.	Under Auto-Play, enable the checkbox(es) to the right of Flashes and/or Wallpapers if you want BackWeb to play information flashes and wallpapers automatically.

Note:
BackWeb allows you to control only the auto-play feature for flashes for non-BackWeb channel servers. Flashes are created automatically, and wallpapers are not available from non-BackWeb channel servers.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Modifying Security Settings for Received Content in the Infocenter
Change Channel Properties
Modifying security settings for received content

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the name of the channel for which you want to modify security settings

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Security tab.

4.	Enable the appropriate radio button as follows:

High – To apply a high level of security to your received channel content. If you enable this setting, BackWeb does not run any executables, Java applets or Netscape plugins retrieved during channel updates.

Medium (Default) – To apply the default level of security to your received channel content. If you enable this setting, BackWeb does not run executables retrieved during channel updates. However, it does play Java applets and Netscape plugins.

Low – To apply a low level of security to your received channel content. If you enable this setting, BackWeb runs all executables, Java applets, and Netscape plugins retrieved during channel updates.

Custom – To apply a customized level of security to your received channel content. Click the Custom Settings button to display the Custom Security Settings dialog, in which you can define your own custom combination of security settings.

Notes:
Use the Security settings described on this help panel to protect your system from potential security risks in received content—specifically, in executable files (*.EXE), Java applets and Netscape plugins.

To view security features controlled by the channel server, click the Advanced Information button.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Configuring the Infocenter to Play Urgent Content Immediately
Change Channel Properties
Configuring BackWeb to play urgent content immediately

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the name of the BackWeb channel server for which you want to play urgent content immediately.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Advanced tab.

4.	Under Urgent messages, enable the Play urgent content immediately when it arrives checkbox.

Note:
This procedure applies to BackWeb channel servers only.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Configuring the Infocenter to Place Content on your Machine Automatically
Change Channel Properties
Configuring BackWeb to place content on your machine automatically

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the name of the the BackWeb channel server whose content you want to place on your machine automatically.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Auto Placement tab.

4.	Under Activation, enable the appropriate checkbox(es) as follows:

Activate auto file placement –– Enable this checkbox to allow the automatic placement of InfoPaks—the automatic placement of InfoPak files according to their destination instructions. Disable this option to prevent automatic file placement on your system.

Only if digitally signed – Enable this checkbox if you want BackWeb to place files on your machine automatically only if they are digitally signed. With this option enabled, you ensure that non-secured data is not placed on your machine.

5.	Under Behaviour, enable the appropriate checkbox(es) as follows:

Force generation of a summary story after placement occurs – Enable this checkbox to generate a summary report after file placement occurs. This setting applies to InfoPaks for which such a story was not defined by the InfoPak author. This report appears in the form of a story in BackWeb, and allows you to view what has been updated by the auto placement process.

Notes:
This procedure applies to BackWeb channel servers only.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Defining Content Export Settings in the Infocenter
Change Channel Properties
Defining content export settings

1.	Use Channel Content view in the BackWeb Infocenter to click and select the name of the channel for which you want to define content export settings.

2.	On the Infocenter Channel menu, click Properties to display the Channel Properties dialog.

3.	Click the Export tab.

4.	Under Channel fields, select from the following to indicate the content you want to export for each story:

Text – to export the story summary for each story, if one exists.

Title – to export the title for each story.

URL – to export the URL for each story, if one exists.

Click each channel field that you want individually, then click the right arrow button to add it to the list of Fields to export.

5.	In the Export to dropdown list, select Text file to export your stories to a .TXT file.

6.	Click Configure to display the BackWeb Channel Export dialog.

7.	In the Filename field, type the name of the text file to which you want to export your selected content. Click Browse to locate and select an existing .TXT file.

8.	In the Options section of the dialog, enable one of the following:

Delimited by – to export to a delimited text file. Indicate whether the delimiting character is a tab, comma, semicolon, or other character by enabling the appropriate option.

Fixed Width – to export to a fixed width text file. Type the width of the column in the Column width field.

9.	Click OK to return to the Export page of the Channel Properties dialog.

Note:
Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying Channel Directory View in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying Channel Directory view

On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click Subscribe to Channels. The Channel Directory view window appears, in which you can subscribe to and unsubscribe from channels.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying Alerts View in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying Alerts view

On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Alerts. The Alerts view window appears, listing your alerts by date and time..

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying Search View in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying Search view

On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click Search Content. The Search view window appears, allowing you to type the string you want to search for.

Note:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying Subscribed Channels and Content in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying subscribed channels and content

On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content. The Channel Content view window appears, with your subscribed channels listed on the left, and their content displayed on the right.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To view the current stories for a particular subscribed channel, click the channel in the left pane of Channel Content view, and view the titles in the right pane.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Creating a Custom List of Favourite Channels in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Creating a custom list of favourite channels

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display your list of subscribed channels. Locate the channel you want to add to your list of favorites.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click Favorites.

3.	Using your left mouse button, drag the favorite channel you want to add onto the Navigation bar.

4.	Release the mouse button. Your selected channel now appears on a customized shortlist of channels available using the Favorites button.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To change channels using your custom Favorites list, click Favorites on the Navigation bar, then click the channel you want to view. Channel Content view appears, displaying the content for your selected channel.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying all Available Channels in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying all available channels

Click the All tab in the right pane of the Channel Directory view window.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To display Channel Directory view, click Subscribe to Channels on the Navigation bar.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying Subscribed Channels Only in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying subscribed channels only

Click the Subscribed tab in the right pane of the Channel Directory view window.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To display Channel Directory view, click Subscribe to Channels on the Navigation bar.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Displaying New Channels Only in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Displaying new channels only

Click the New tab in the right pane of the Channel Directory view window.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To display Channel Directory view, click Subscribe to Channels on the Navigation bar.

New channels are those which have most recently been added to the BackWeb server.

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Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Checking for new/unread content

1.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, look for channel names displayed in bold. These are the channels containing unread content. The number of unread titles is indicated with a number displayed to the right of the channel name.

2.	Click a channel name displayed in bold. Updated titles for the selected channel appear in the right pane of the window, with unread titles displayed in bold.

Notes:
The content displayed in Channel Content view can also be controlled by settings defined by your system administrator. If your administrator has applied restrictions to the content displayed in the Infocenter, it is possible that Channel Content view will display only unread content by default.

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Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Viewing unread content only in the Infocenter

To view unread content only, do one of the following in Channel Content view:

•	On the View menu, click View Unread Items Only.

•	Click [image] on the toolbar.

Notes:
The content displayed in Channel Content view can also be controlled by settings defined by your system administrator. If your administrator has applied restrictions to the content displayed in the Infocenter, it is possible that Channel Content view will display only unread content by default.

The BackWeb Infocenter displays unread content in bold text, and read content in regular text.

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Viewing subchannels in the Infocenter
Navigate the BackWeb Infocenter
Viewing subchannels in the Infocenter

1.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, look for channel names with a “+” symbol displayed to their left. These are the channels containing subchannels.

2.	Click a channel name marked with a “+” symbol. Its subchannels appear below it in the left pane of Channel Content view.

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Creating a custom list of favourite channels in the Infocenter
Customize the BackWeb Infocenter
Creating a custom list of favourite channels

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display your list of subscribed channels. Locate the channel you want to add to your list of favorites.

2.	On the Navigation bar, click Favorites.

3.	Using your left mouse button, drag the favorite channel you want to add onto the Navigation bar.

4.	Release the mouse button. Your selected channel now appears on a customized shortlist of channels available using the Favorites button.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

To change channels using your custom Favorites list, click Favorites on the Navigation bar, then click the channel you want to view. Channel Content view appears, displaying the content for your selected channel.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Showing / Hiding the BackWeb Embedded Browser in the Infocenter
Customize the BackWeb Infocenter
Showing / Hiding the BackWeb embedded browser

1.	On the Infocenter Navigation bar, click View Channel Content to display the Channel Content view window.

2.	On the View menu, enable Use Embedded Browser to display the embedded browser in the lower right pane of the Channel Content View window. (Disable Use Embedded Browser to remove the embedded browser from your screen.)

3.	In the left pane of Channel Content view, click the channel for which you want to view content in the embedded browser. The most recently updated titles for your selected channel appear in the right pane.

4.	In the right pane of Channel Content view, double click the title whose story you want to view in the embedded browser.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Showing / Hiding the Infocenter Navigation Bar
Customize the BackWeb Infocenter
Showing / Hiding the Navigation bar

On the Infocenter View menu, do one of the following:

Enable Navigation Bar – to display the Navigation bar.

Disable Navigation Bar – to remove the Navigation bar from your screen.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Showing / Hiding the Infocenter ToolBar
Customize the BackWeb Infocenter
Showing / Hiding the Toolbar

On the Infocenter View menu, do one of the following:

Enable Toolbar – to display the toolbar.

Disable Toolbar – to remove the toolbar from your screen.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Showing / Hiding the Infocenter Status Bar
Customize the BackWeb Infocenter
Showing / Hiding the Status bar

On the Infocenter View menu, do one of the following:

Enable Status Bar – to display the Status bar.

Disable Status Bar – to remove the Status bar from your screen.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Showing / Hiding the Infocenter Channel / Category List
Customize the BackWeb Infocenter
Showing / Hiding the channel / category list

On the Infocenter View menu, do one of the following:

Enable Channel Folder List – to display the list of categories and channels in the left pane of the Channel Content or Channel Directory View window in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Disable Channel Folder List – to remove the list of categories and channels from the left pane of either the Channel Content or Channel Directory View window in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Notes:
The channel / category list is available only from Channel Content view and Alerts view.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Using Quick Setup to Configure BackWeb in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Using Quick Setup to configure BackWeb

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Quick Setup. The first panel of the Quick Setup wizard appears.

2.	Click Next to display the Content Options panel.

3.	On the Content Options panel, indicate the types of content you want to receive from your subscribed channels.

BackWeb Flashes – Enable this option if you want to receive information flashes. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox.) Disable this option if you do not want to receive flashes.

Wallpapers – Enable this option if you want to receive wallpapers from your subscribed BackWeb channel servers. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox.) Disable this option if you do not want to receive wallpapers.

These settings apply only to channels that you subscribe to in the future. To apply the settings to currently subscribed channels, click Apply these settings to all currently subscribed channels.

4.	Click Next to display the Disk Space panel.

5.	On the Disk Space panel, indicate the maximum amount of content you want to store for each new BackWeb channel server that you add to the Channel directory. Type the amount in MB.

6.	Click Next to display the BackWeb Ticker panel.

7.	On the BackWeb Ticker panel, indicate whether you want to start Ticker each time you start your computer. To start Ticker on startup, enable Start Ticker whenever I turn on my computer. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox to the left of the field.)

8.	Click Next to display the BackWeb NewsTitle panel.

9.	On the BackWeb NewsTitle panel, indicate whether you want to start NewsTitle each time you start your computer. To start NewsTitle on startup, enable Start NewsTitle whenever I turn on my computer.

10.	Click Next to display the BackWeb Screen Saver panel.

11.	On the BackWeb Screen Saver panel, specify settings for the BackWeb screen saver as follows:

Use BackWeb Screen Saver as your default screen saver – Enable this option if you want to display the BackWeb screen saver after the period of inactivity specified in the Activate after field.

Activate after – Type the number of minutes during which your computer must remain inactive before the BackWeb screen saver appears.

12.	Click Next to display the Successful Completion panel.

13.	Click Finish to complete the Quick Setup wizard, and apply the setup options you have defined.

Notes:
The settings on the Content Options and Disk Space panels apply only to new subscriptions and BackWeb channel servers respectively. They do not apply to existing subscriptions and channels in your Channel directory.

The settings on the Ticker, NewsTitle and ScreenSaver panels apply only if you have the corresponding viewer application installed on your computer.

To view a sample information flash, click Sample Flash on the Content Options panel.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Changing Your Communication Method in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Changing your communication method

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog, Connection page appears.

2.	Under Communication method, enable one of the following:

Polite Agent – the default recommended method, unless you are working behind a corporate firewall, or are using America Online to connect. Click the Polite Agent Setup button to display the Polite Agent Setup dialog. In the Polite Agent Setup dialog, define the following:

Network Priority – This option allows you to change the priority of BackWeb in relation to other networking applications. BackWeb can be set to give higher priority to other networking applications, utilizing the network when it is free, so as not to interfere with the processing of other network applications. When using the network normally, BackWeb assigns itself the same priority as other network applications.

Client Port – This option allows you to select a UDP port if you have a firewall which blocks all but specific ports.  (The Polite Agent protocol is built on top of UDP.) You can instruct BackWeb to select the UDP port automatically, or you can define the UDP port that the client will use when communicating with the BackWeb channels. This option is provided for the user whose network contains a Firewall. In this case, choose a port and ask your system administrator to configure the firewall to allow UDP communication to the chosen port number. Alternatively, select HTTP as the communication method, as described in the following section.

HTTP – the recommended method only if you are working behind a corporate firewall, or are using America Online to connect. Specify whether you want BackWeb to select the port number automatically, or whether you want BackWeb to use a specific port number.

Notes:
For help defining your communication method, see your system administrator.

If you switch from Polite Agent setup to HTTP or vice versa, you will be prompted to shut down and restart BackWeb.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Defining General Dialup and Download Schedules in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Defining general dialup and download schedules

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog, Connection page appears.

2.	Under Schedules, enable one of the following:

Limit BackWeb downloads of information – Limit the time when automatic downloading of content occurs. Press the Download Schedule button to define the download schedule, and use the Add, Remove and Edit buttons to specify the connection days and hours for automatic downloads. The default setting specifies no time limits, so that whenever there is an Internet connection, BackWeb downloads new content according to the update schedules of non-server cached non-BackWeb channel servers, or according to the availability of new content for BackWeb channel servers.

Dial to the Internet at – If you use a dialup connection, you may select either to use your existing dialup times to download content, or to specify a dialup schedule specifically for BackWeb. Press the Dialup Schedule button to schedule automatic dialups to the Internet especially for BackWeb. The BackWeb Dial-Up Schedule dialog appears.

Define a dialup schedule by checking the connection days and specifying hours when BackWeb should automatically initiate an Internet connection. BackWeb allows you to enter a Name for your connection which you may decide to name after your Internet Service Provider—UUNET, for example. The following options are available:

•	Setting up a new connection.

•	Using an existing connection (chosen from the list of connections in the Connection Name field).

•	Modifying an existing connection using the Properties and User buttons.

•	Setting redial parameters using the Redial button.

Notes:
You can also suspend downloading at any time for all channels manually. Right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Suspend Downloading.

You can also suspend downloading at any time for an individual channel manually. In the left pane of Channel Content View in the Infocenter, right click the channel name, then click Disable Channel on the pop-up menu that appears.

For more information on defining and modifying dialup connections, refer to your Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT documentation.

You can also define update schedules for non-BackWeb channel servers by clicking Properties on the Channel menu.

You can also control automatic downloads temporarily by right clicking the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, and clicking Suspend Downloading.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Setting Up to Connect Through a Proxy Server in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Setting up to connect through a proxy server

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

2.	Click the Proxy tab.

3.	Enable one of the following:

Use the company's BackWeb proxy at address – if your company has a BackWeb proxy server installed. A BackWeb proxy server is used to cache BackWeb content in the company, to reduce consumption of Internet bandwidth.

If your company has a BackWeb proxy server installed, type its address in the accompanying field. The address of the proxy server contains the host name, the port used for Polite Agent communication, and the port used for HTTP communication. The host name and port numbers must be separated by colons. For example: bwproxy.mycompany.com:370:80. The ports may be omitted if they have the default value (370 for Polite Agent communications, and 80 for HTTP communications). Thus, bwproxy.mycompany.com:370:80 is the same as bwproxy.mycompany.com.

Connect to the Web through a proxy server – if your company has an HTTP proxy server installed. Then click HTTP Proxy Setup. In the HTTP Proxy Setup dialog, type the address for your HTTP server in the Proxy address field and the port used for HTTP communication in the Port field. The ports may be omitted if they have the default value (370 for Polite Agent communications, and 80 for HTTP communications). Thus, bwproxy.mycompany.com:370:80 is the same as bwproxy.mycompany.com.

If your HTTP proxy server requires a user name and password for you to logon, type your user name and password in the User Authentication section of the dialog.

Notes:
If you need assistance defining your proxy server settings, see your system administrator.

To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Changing the Default Browser in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Changing the default browser

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

2.	Click the Browser tab.

3.	Disable Use default browser.

4.	In the Browser dropdown list, click the name of the browser you want to use.

5.	In the Path field, type the path and file name of your browser. Click Browse to locate the file name using the Select Browser dialog.

Notes:
To start the BackWeb Infocenter, double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar. If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

The browser you select in this dialog must be available either on your local machine or on your local area network.

You can toggle between the default browser and the embedded browser in the Screen Saver by clicking the globe icon if you have Internet Explorer 3.0 installed and have run it at least once.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.


Enabling / Disabling Automatic Information Flashes in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Enabling / Disabling automatic information flashes

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar to start the BackWeb Infocenter.

2.	On the Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

3.	Click the Flashes tab.

4.	Under Auto-Play, enable Play flashes automatically for all future channel subscriptions if you want BackWeb to play information flashes automatically when they are received. Disable this option if you do not want BackWeb to play information flashes automatically.

Notes:
You can also disable automatic information flashes temporarily if you right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Stop Auto-Play.

To restart information flashes automatically after stopping them, click the Suspension tab in the Options dialog. In the Auto-Player restart section of the dialog, specify the number of hours that are to elapse before BackWeb restarts automatic information flashes.

To restart automatic information flashes manually after stopping them, right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Start Auto-Player.

You can play information flashes manually by double clicking them in the Channel Content view window of the BackWeb Infocenter.

When you change the Auto-Play setting, a message appears indicating that all subscriptions you make in the future will use the setting. It also asks whether you want to apply the setting retroactively to your currently subscribed channels.

If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Specifying the Frequency of Automatic Information Flashes in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Specifying the frequency of automatic information flashes

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar to start the BackWeb Infocenter.

2.	On the Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

3.	Click the Flashes tab.

4.	Under Schedule, do the following:

Play a flash at most every – Use the up and down arrows to indicate the number of minutes that are to elapse between each automatic information flash. For example, if you specify 2 minutes in this field, and you receive two information flashes within a two-minute period, BackWeb holds the second flash back, and does not play it until the two minute interval has elapsed. The default setting in this field is 1 minute.

Play a flash only after the keyboard and mouse are not used for – Use this field to indicate that you want information flashes to play automatically only after a predetermined period of inactivity on your computer. Use the up and down arrows to indicate the number of seconds of inactivity that are to elapse before BackWeb plays any automatic information flashes. The default setting in this field is 1 second.

Note:
You can play information flashes manually by double clicking them in the Channel Content view window of the BackWeb Infocenter.

If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Enabling / Disabling Sound in Information Flashes in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Enabling / Disabling sound in information flashes

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar to start the BackWeb Infocenter.

2.	On the Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

3.	Click the Flashes tab.

4.	Under Sound, do one of the following in the Enable sound in flashes field:

To play sound in your information flashes – Enable this option. (A checkmark appears in the checkbox to the left of the field.)

To turn off the sound in your information flashes – Disable this option. (The checkmark is removed from the checkbox to the left of the field.)

Notes:
You can play information flashes manually by double clicking them in the Channel Content view window of the BackWeb Infocenter.

If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Configuring Auto-Play and Download to Run with Other Programs in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Configuring Auto-Player and Download to run with other programs

1.	Double click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar to start the BackWeb Infocenter.

2.	On the Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

3.	Click the Suspension tab.

4.	Under Auto-Player Restart, do one of the following:

Enable Restart the Auto-Player – if you want BackWeb to start playing information flashes again automatically whenever you suspend Auto-Player using the Stop Auto-Player command.

Disable Restart the Auto-Player – if you do not want BackWeb to start playing information flashes again automatically whenever you suspend Auto-Player using the Stop Auto-Player command.

5.	Under Auto-Player Suspension, do one of the following:

Enable Suspend Auto-Player while a full screen program is running – if you want BackWeb to suspend automatic playing of information flashes whenever a full screen program is running.

Disable Suspend Auto-Player while a full screen program is running – if you do not want BackWeb to suspend automatic playing of information flashes whenever a full screen program is running.

6.	Under BackWeb Suspension, indicate whether you want to suspend automatic information flashes and downloading while specific programs are running. Do one of the following:

To add a program – Click Add to display the BackWeb Suspension dialog. Type the path and executable file name for the program you want to add. Enable Download to suspend downloading. Enable Auto-Play to suspend automatic information flashes.

To remove a program – Click the program under Executables, then click Remove.

To edit a program's settings – Click the program under Executables, then click Edit to display the BackWeb Suspension dialog. Change the program's settings by enabling/disabling Download to suspend or restart downloading respectively while the program is running. Enable/Disable Auto-Play to suspend or restart automatic information flashes respectively while the program is running.

Notes:
If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Changing Default Wallpaper Settings in the Infocenter
Change your setup
Changing default wallpaper settings

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

2.	Click the Wallpapers tab.

3.	Under Schedule, do the following:

Replace the wallpaper automatically for all future channel subscriptions – Ensure this option is enabled.

Replace the wallpaper every – Use the up and down arrows to indicate the number of minutes that are to elapse between each change of BackWeb wallpaper. For example, if you specify 60 minutes in this field, and you receive two wallpapers within a 60-minute period, BackWeb holds the second wallpaper back, and does not show it on your desktop until the 60 minute interval has elapsed. The default setting in this field is 240 minutes.

Replace the wallpaper only after the keyboard and mouse are not used for – Use this field to indicate that you want BackWeb to change wallpapers only after a predetermined period of inactivity on your computer. Use the up and down arrows to indicate the number of seconds of inactivity you want to elapse before BackWeb changes the BackWeb wallpaper on your desktop. The default setting in this field is 60 seconds.

Notes:
The Replace the wallpaper automatically setting in this dialog applies only to new BackWeb channel servers that you have not yet added to the Channel directory. They do not apply to existing BackWeb channel servers in the Channel directory.

If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Exiting the BackWeb Infocenter
Disable BackWeb
Exiting the BackWeb Infocenter

On the Infocenter File menu, click Exit Infocenter.

Notes:
To close down all BackWeb applications quickly, right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Shut Down BackWeb. All active BackWeb applications—Ticker, NewsTitle, Screen Saver, the Infocenter, the BackWeb agent—close down immediately.

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Suspending Downloading in the Infocenter
Disable BackWeb
Suspending downloading

Do one of the following:

Use the BackWeb Infocenter – On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Suspend Downloading.

Use the BackWeb program icon – Right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Suspend Downloading.

BackWeb does not perform any further automatic downloads. To receive updated content, you must use the Update Now command on the Infocenter Channel menu.

Notes:
To restart automatic downloading of content, click Resume Downloading either on the BackWeb program icon right click menu or on the Infocenter Tools menu.

If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Disabling Automatic Information Flashes in the Infocenter
Disable BackWeb
Disabling automatic information flashes

1.	On the Infocenter Tools menu, click Options. The Options dialog appears.

2.	Click the Flashes tab.

3.	Under Auto-Play, disable Play flashes automatically for all future channel subscriptions. (The checkmark is removed from the checkbox to the left of the field.)

Notes:
When you change the Auto-Play setting, a message appears indicating that all subscriptions you make in the future will use the setting. It also asks whether you want to apply the setting retroactively to your currently subscribed channels.

You can also disable automatic information flashes temporarily if you right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Stop Auto-Play.

To restart information flashes automatically after stopping them, click the Suspension tab in the Options dialog. In the Auto-Player restart section of the dialog, specify the number of hours that are to elapse before BackWeb restarts automatic information flashes.

To restart automatic information flashes manually after stopping them, right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Start Auto-Player.

You can play information flashes manually by double clicking them in the Channel Content view window of the BackWeb Infocenter.

If the BackWeb program icon does not appear on the taskbar, start BackWeb from the Windows Programs menu.

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

  Related Topics


Removing the BackWeb wallpaper in the Infocenter
Disable BackWeb
Removing the BackWeb wallpaper

On the Infocenter Content menu, click Remove Current Wallpaper. BackWeb removes the BackWeb wallpaper currently displayed on your Desktop, and displays the default wallpaper defined in your Display settings in the Windows Control Panel.

Notes:
To redisplay a BackWeb wallpaper, locate the wallpaper you want to view in the right pane of the Channel Content view window, then double click it. Minimize all the application windows in which you are working, until you can see your Windows desktop. The selected wallpaper appears as your background.

You can easily recognize content that is viewable as wallpaper. In the Content list in Channel Content view, wallpaper is represented with the following icon:

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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List of Channel Content Icons in the Infocenter
BackWeb
List of Channel Content Icons

The BackWeb Infocenter identifies different types of retrieved content in Channel Content view with the following icons:

Audio flashes

Information flashes

Wallpaper

Web pages

Story summaries

Stories downloaded and stored locally

Content marked Keep

Content that has been delivered securely to a secured channel

Notes:
Channels are secured in BackWeb by your system administrator. By defining authority certificates for trusted publishers of content, your system administrator can control the content that arrives at your workstation through your subscribed channels. For more information on channels that have been secured, see your system administrator. Secured channels are represented in the Channel / Folder list with the following icon:

Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including some of the features described in this help panel, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.

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Audio Flash
Content that plays on your computer as a sound (.WAV) file.


Infocenter Screen Elements
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements

The main program window of the BackWeb Infocenter is fully customizable. Not only can you turn elements, such as the embedded browser, on and off from the View menu, but you can display the Infocenter window in one of four views.

Click one of the following for a context-sensitive, graphical representation of a particular view in the Infocenter main program window:

Channel Content view

Channel Directory view

Alerts view

Search view

Click the following for a context-sensitive, graphical representation of the Infocenter main window, with the embedded browser displayed.

Embedded browser

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Infocenter Screen Elements - Channel Content View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements – Channel Content View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Channel Content view, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with all screen elements enabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

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Channel name and status
Displays the name of the selected channel, and its current status as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable

Note:
Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including the display of the channel status in this area, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.


BackWeb cannot connect to the specified channel server. The server may be temporarily unavailable. Try updating again later.


The specified BackWeb channel server has surpassed the maximum amount of content that it can store on your hard disk. To increase the amount of disk space available for channel content, click Options on the Infocenter Tools menu, then click the Storage tab. Specify the maximum disk space to be allocated for each channel in MB.


Your computer is in the process of connecting to the specified channel server. Once the connection has been made, BackWeb can begin to retrieve content from the channel.


Downloading is currently suspended for your computer. To restart downloading, right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, then click Resume Downloading.


Your computer is not currently connected to the Internet. If you are using a dialup connection, you must dial up and connect to the Internet before you can perform channel updates. If you are using a permanent connection, you must connect to the Internet via your LAN before you can perform channel updates.


The specified channel server is awaiting the next content update. If it is a BackWeb channel server, it will be updated the next time you are connected and there is new content available from the channel. If it is a non-server-cached, non-BackWeb channel server, it will be updated according to the update schedule defined for it on the Update page of the Channel Properties dialog.


The specified channel server is in the process of being updated with new content.


BackWeb cannot locate the specified channel server. Check the address of the channel server on the Connection page of the Channel Properties dialog in the BackWeb Infocenter.


BackWeb is in the process of subscribing to the specified channel.


BackWeb cannot connect to and update the specified channel server because it is not currently available. Try updating the channel again later.


BackWeb icon
Displays either the BackWeb home page or your company's home page when you click it. The home page displayed depends on the configuration set up by your system administrator.


Navigation bar
The Navigation bar provides buttons for switching views in the BackWeb Infocenter. When the display of the Navigation bar is enabled on the Infocenter View menu, the Navigation bar appears docked to the left edge of the Infocenter program window, and provides the following navigation buttons:

•	View Channel Content – Click this button to display Channel Content view.

•	Subscribe to Channels – Click this button to display Channel Directory view.

•	View Alerts – Click this button to display Alerts view.

•	Search – Click this button to display Search view.

You can control the display of the Navigation bar using the Navigation Bar command on the View menu.


Favorite channels
Displays a list of your favorite channels when you click it. To create a list of favorite channels, click Favorites, then drag the channels from the channel / folder list in the left pane of Channel Content view.


Status bar
Displays the status of the current channel as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable


Channel / Folder list
Lists your currently subscribed channels, and the category folders in which they are contained. To alternately open and close category folders, double click the folder name in the list.

BackWeb identifies unread content by displaying the titles in bold. It marks channels containing unread content by displaying the channel names in bold, along with the number of unread items—(79) to the right of CNN, for example.

Subchannels appear below their parent channels in Channel Content view—the subchannels displayed under Infoseek for example. Although there are no subchannels displayed beneath the Sporting News channel, a “+” displayed to the left of the channel name indicates that subchannels exist for it.

You can control the display of the Channel / Folder list using the Channel Folder List command on the View menu.

Note:
The category folders shown in this pane can represent alert categories of channel categories.


Channel content
Lists the content retrieved for the channel selected in the Channel / Folder list, the date and time at which the content was received, and the subchannel (if one exists) from which the content was retrieved.

The BackWeb Infocenter identifies different types of retrieved content with the following icons:

Audio flashes

Information flashes

Wallpaper

Web pages

Story summaries

Stories downloaded and stored locally

Content marked Keep

Content that has been delivered securely to a secured channel


Toolbar
Provides command shortcuts in the form of buttons on a toolbar. For more information on a specific tool, point to it to display a tool tip.


Infocenter Screen Elements - Channel Directory View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements – Channel Directory View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Channel Directory view, click it in this graphic.

Note:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with all screen elements enabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


View name and instructions
Displays the name of the view, Channel Directory, along with instructions for subscribing to channels and viewing retrieved content.


BackWeb icon
Displays either the BackWeb home page or your company's home page when you click it. The home page displayed depends on the configuration set up by your system administrator.


Navigation bar
The Navigation bar provides buttons for switching views in the BackWeb Infocenter. When the display of the Navigation bar is enabled on the Infocenter View menu, the Navigation bar appears docked to the left edge of the Infocenter program window, and provides the following navigation buttons:

•	View Channel Content – Click this button to display Channel Content view.

•	Subscribe to Channels – Click this button to display Channel Directory view.

•	View Alerts – Click this button to display Alerts view.

•	Search – Click this button to display Search view.

You can control the display of the Navigation bar using the Navigation Bar command on the View menu.


Favorite channels
Displays a list of your favorite channels when you click it. To create a list of favorite channels, click Favorites, then drag the channels from the channel / folder list in the left pane of Channel Content view.


Status bar
Displays the status of the current channel as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable


Folder list
Lists the folders containing the channels in your Channel directory. Each folder corresponds to a specific category of information.

To view the channels contained in a folder, double click the folder name in this list. The channels appear in the Channels list in the right pane of Channel Directory view.


Channels list
Lists the channels contained in the selected folder, along with their description, and the category in which they are contained. Folders are listed in the left pane of Channel Directory view.


Toolbar
Provides command shortcuts in the form of buttons on a toolbar. For more information on a specific tool, point to it to display a tool tip.


Infocenter Screen Elements - Alerts View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements – Alerts View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Alerts view, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with the embedded browser disabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


View name and instructions
Displays the name of the view, Alerts, along with instructions for defining alerts.


BackWeb icon
Displays either the BackWeb home page or your company's home page when you click it. The home page displayed depends on the configuration set up by your system administrator.


Navigation bar
The Navigation bar provides buttons for switching views in the BackWeb Infocenter. When the display of the Navigation bar is enabled on the Infocenter View menu, the Navigation bar appears docked to the left edge of the Infocenter program window, and provides the following navigation buttons:

•	View Channel Content – Click this button to display Channel Content view.

•	Subscribe to Channels – Click this button to display Channel Directory view.

•	View Alerts – Click this button to display Alerts view.

•	Search – Click this button to display Search view.

You can control the display of the Navigation bar using the Navigation Bar command on the View menu.


Favorite channels
Displays a list of your favorite channels when you click it. To create a list of favorite channels, click Favorites, then drag the channels from the channel / folder list in the left pane of Channel Content view.


Status bar
Displays the status of the current channel as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable


Alert categories list
Lists the alert categories for which alerts have been triggered. To view the alerts for a specific category, click the category name. BackWeb displays the selected category’s alerts in the right pane of Alerts view.


Alerts list
Lists the alerts that have been triggered in the selected alert category. Alerts are triggered by the content BackWeb retrieves from your channels, and displays in Channel Content view.


Toolbar
Provides command shortcuts in the form of buttons on a toolbar. For more information on a specific tool, point to it to display a tool tip.


Infocenter Screen Elements - Search View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements – Search View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Search view, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with the embedded browser disabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


View name and instructions
Displays the name of the view, Search, along with instructions for defining alerts.


BackWeb icon
Displays either the BackWeb home page or your company's home page when you click it. The home page displayed depends on the configuration set up by your system administrator.


Navigation bar
The Navigation bar provides buttons for switching views in the BackWeb Infocenter. When the display of the Navigation bar is enabled on the Infocenter View menu, the Navigation bar appears docked to the left edge of the Infocenter program window, and provides the following navigation buttons:

•	View Channel Content – Click this button to display Channel Content view.

•	Subscribe to Channels – Click this button to display Channel Directory view.

•	View Alerts – Click this button to display Alerts view.

•	Search – Click this button to display Search view.

You can control the display of the Navigation bar using the Navigation Bar command on the View menu.


Favorite channels
Displays a list of your favorite channels when you click it. To create a list of favorite channels, click Favorites, then drag the channels from the channel / folder list in the left pane of Channel Content view.


Status bar
Displays the status of the current channel as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable


Search criteria
Allows you to specify search criteria on which BackWeb is to base its search for content. Type the string for which you want to search in the Search for field. In the Search in dropdown list, click the channel in which you want to search for the content. If you are unsure of the channel, click All Channels.

Enable one of the following:

•	Title only – if you want to search only the titles from the selected channel.

•	Title and summary – if you want to search both the titles and the story summaries from the selected channel.

Click Find Now.


Search results
Displays the results of the search performed based on the criteria in the top section of the window. For each information item retrieved, the title (and summary, if one exists) appears, along with details of its retrieval and originating channel.

To view more information about the retrieved title, select it, then do one of the following:

•	Click the title – to view a summary of the story associated with the selected title.

•	Double click the title – to view the full story associated with the selected title. BackWeb starts your default browser, and goes to the URL for the selected channel. If the selected title consists of an information flash, BackWeb plays the flash for the title.


Toolbar
Provides command shortcuts in the form of buttons on a toolbar. For more information on a specific tool, point to it to display a tool tip.


Infocenter Screen Eements - Embedded Browser
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements – Embedded Browser

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window with the embedded browser displayed, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window in Channel Content view, with the embedded browser enabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


Toolbar
Provides command shortcuts in the form of buttons on a toolbar. For more information on a specific tool, point to it to display a tool tip.


BackWeb icon
Displays either the BackWeb home page or your company's home page when you click it. The home page displayed depends on the configuration set up by your system administrator.


Navigation bar
The Navigation bar provides buttons for switching views in the BackWeb Infocenter. When the display of the Navigation bar is enabled on the Infocenter View menu, the Navigation bar appears docked to the left edge of the Infocenter program window, and provides the following navigation buttons:

•	View Channel Content – Click this button to display Channel Content view.

•	Subscribe to Channels – Click this button to display Channel Directory view.

•	View Alerts – Click this button to display Alerts view.

•	Search – Click this button to display Search view.

You can control the display of the Navigation bar using the Navigation Bar command on the View menu.


Favorite channels
Displays a list of your favorite channels when you click it. To create a list of favorite channels, click Favorites, then drag the channels from the channel / folder list in the left pane of Channel Content view.


Status bar
Displays the status of the current channel as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable


Channel name and status
Displays the name of the selected channel, and its current status as follows:

•	Cannot connect to server

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted

•	Connecting

•	Download suspended

•	No network connection

•	Ready

•	Receiving content

•	Server not found

•	Subscribing to channel

•	The channel is currently unavailable

Note:
Many aspects of the BackWeb client application, including the display of the channel status in this area, can be customized by your system administrator. If you need access to a particular feature or channel described in this help file, see your system administrator.


Channel / Folder list
Lists your currently subscribed channels, and the category folders in which they are contained. To alternately open and close category folders, double click the folder name in the list.

BackWeb identifies unread content by displaying the titles in bold. It marks channels containing unread content by displaying the channel names in bold, along with the number of unread items—(79) to the right of CNN, for example.

Subchannels appear below their parent channels in Channel Content view—the subchannels displayed under Infoseek for example. Although there are no subchannels displayed beneath the Sporting News channel, a “+” displayed to the left of the channel name indicates that subchannels exist for it.

You can control the display of the Channel / Folder list using the Channel Folder List command on the View menu.

Note:
The category folders shown in this pane can represent alert categories of channel categories.


Channel content
Lists the content retrieved for the channel selected in the Channel / Folder list.

The BackWeb Infocenter identifies different types of retrieved content with the following icons:

Audio flashes

Information flashes

Wallpaper

Web pages

Story summaries

Stories downloaded and stored locally

Content marked Keep

Content that has been delivered securely to a secured channel


Back/Forward buttons
Moves forward and back in the list of Web pages displayed in the browser during the current session. Click the left arrow to display the previously displayed Web page. Click the right arrow to return to the current Web page.


Location
Displays the URL of the currently displayed Web page. To display a different Web page, type the appropriate URL in this field.


Browser window
Displays the content of the Web page whose URL is displayed immediately above the window.


Stop button
Stops the download currently being performed by the BackWeb embedded browser. The most recently displayed content remains displayed in the browser window.


Refresh button
Updates the Web page currently displayed in the browser window with the most recent content available from the Web site.


Print button
Prints the Web page currently displayed in the browser window.


Duplicates of Screen Element Panels - for context sensitive panels - must be main help panels (different panel size)


Infocenter Screen Elements - Channel Content View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements
Channel Content View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Channel Content view, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with all screen elements enabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


Infocenter Screen Elements - Channel Directory View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements
Channel Directory View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Channel Directory view, click it in this graphic.

Note:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with all screen elements enabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


Infocenter Screen Elements - Alerts View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements
Alerts View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Alerts view, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with the embedded browser disabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


Infocenter Screen Elements - Search View
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements
Search View

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window in Search view, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window with the embedded browser disabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


Infocenter Screen Eements - Embedded Browser
BackWeb
Infocenter Screen Elements
Embedded Browser

For more information on an element of the Infocenter main program window with the embedded browser displayed, click it in this graphic.

Notes:
This graphic shows the Infocenter main window in Channel Content view, with the embedded browser enabled. You can customize the elements displayed in the Infocenter window using the View menu.

  Related Topics


How do I customize what gets played and how often? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I customize what gets played and how often?

You have complete control of what channel content you see and how often you see it. Start the BackWeb Infocenter, then click Options on the Tools menu to set your preferences.


How do I add or select more channels? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I add or select more channels?

Click Subscribe to Channels on the BackWeb Infocenter Navigation bar. In the left pane of the Channel Directory View window, click a folder to select the category containing the channel you want to add. In the right pane of the Channel Directory View window, enable one or more channels from which you want to receive content (news, information or files).


How do I play a flash manually? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I play a flash manually?

BackWeb plays flashes automatically, but you can also play them manually. Click View Channel Content on the BackWeb Infocenter Navigation bar. In the right pane of the Channel Content View window, right click an item of information, then click Play.


How do I stop a flash while it is playing? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I stop a flash while it is playing?

You can stop any flash while it is playing. Right click the flash, then click Stop Flash. You can also pause the flash with a right mouse click.


How do I stop flashes from playing automatically? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I stop flashes from playing automatically?

To prevent flashes from playing automatically, click Options on the Infocenter Tools menu. In the Options dialog, click the Flashes tab, and disable Play flashes automatically.


How do I replay a flash that I just missed? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I replay a flash that I just missed?

If you miss a flash as it plays across your desktop, right click the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows Taskbar, and click Replay. You can also click Replay on the Infocenter Content menu.


How do I increase the disk space for my channels? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I increase the disk space for my channels?

You can allocate hard drive space for the content received from each of your BackWeb channel servers. In the Infocenter, right click the channel, then click Properties on the Channel menu. Click the Advanced tab, then change the disk space option as required.


How do I view all my channel content at a glance? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I view all my channel content at a glance?

To quickly scan all your channel content, click View Channel Content on the Infocenter Navigation bar.


What are "cookies" and why do I need to receive them occasionally? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
What are "cookies" and why do I need to receive them occasionally?

Cookies are "state" information for a Web site.  When you browse to a Web site for the first time, the site returns a cookie. The cookie includes information that the site uses the next time you browse to it (such as how the Web page is displayed). In this way, the page is configured the way you want it to be. By default, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 displays a message each time you get a cookie, and BackWeb displays the same message.  To disable this message, go to your Internet settings in the Windows Control Panel. Click the Advanced tab, then disable the cookie messages.


Can I read a story offline? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
Can I read a story offline?

To view stories offline for a channel, configure BackWeb to download full stories each time you connect to update the channel. In the BackWeb Infocenter, click the channel for which you want to download full stories, then click Properties on the Channel menu. In the Channel Properties dialog, click the Download tab. From here, you can choose to download only the text of the stories, or the full page with graphics included.


How do I change my connection method? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I change my connection method?

To change your connection settings, click Options on the Tools menu to display the Options dialog. Click the Connection tab to obtain the settings required to modify your connection setup.


How do I change the browser that BackWeb works with? (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
How do I change the browser that BackWeb works with?

To change the default browser used by BackWeb, click Options on the Infocenter Tools menu. In the Options dialog, click the Browser tab. To use your default browser, enable Use default browser. If you want to use a different browser, disable Use default browser, and select your browser from the dropdown list. You must also specify the path and the file name of your Web browser.


Program Messages (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
Program Messages

For information on a particular message, click it in the following list:

•	Channel <channel name> has content marked as Keep. Are you sure you want to unsubscribe?

•	Channel customization form was not found.

•	Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted.

•	Future subscriptions will use this setting. Do you want to apply this setting to all currently subscribed channels?

•	Please enter a value.

•	Please select a field.

•	Please select a test condition.

•	The <channel name>'s channel configuration has been set by your administrator and cannot be modified.

•	The channel <channel name> was added manually. Do you want to delete it from your Channel directory?

•	The downloading of new content has been limited to specific times of the day.  Would you like to disable your download schedule now?

•	There is already another channel defined for this address.

•	This channel provides updates to your BackWeb software …

•	This channel provides customization updates to your BackWeb client …

•	This channel provides updates to your Channel directory …

•	Unsubscribe from <channel name> and delete all of its content?

•	You cannot unsubscribe from the channel <channel name>. This channel is mandatory for your workgroup.

•	You cannot unsubscribe from this channel …

•	You have created a new alert/filter but have not applied the alert to any of your channels. Do you want to go back and apply the alert now?


Channel has content marked as Keep ... (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Channel <channel name> has content marked as Keep. Are you sure you want to unsubscribe?

The selected channel is a BackWeb channel server, for which you have marked some retrieved content as Keep. If you unsubscribe from the channel, BackWeb deletes not only the subscription, but also the channel content, including that marked as Keep.

Note:
When you keep content from a channel, BackWeb retains it on your computer until you delete it manually. Without the Keep command, content is replaced automatically with each channel update.

  Related Topics


Channel customization form was not found. (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Channel customization form was not found.

The form required to customize the selected channel does not exist on your computer. Customization forms allow you to provide additional information for channels that require it—corporate stock symbols for channels providing stock quotes or corporate news, cities for channels providing weather forecasts, server and account information for channels providing electronic mail or newsgroup titles, and so on.

For help locating the required form, see your system administrator.


Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted. (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted.

The amount of content retrieved from the specified BackWeb channel server has exceeded the maximum amount of disk space allocated to it. The default amount of disk space allocated to BackWeb channel servers for the storage of content is 6 MB.

To change the amount of disk space allocated to each new BackWeb channel server that you add to the Channel directory, click Options on the Tools menu, then click the Storage tab. Alternatively, you can modify the storage options for an individual BackWeb channel server when you add it using the Add a BackWeb Channel Server wizard.

  Related Topics


Future subscriptions will use this setting. Do you want to apply this setting ...? (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Future subscriptions will use this setting. Do you want to apply this setting to all currently subscribed channels?

The setting you have just modified currently applies to future channel subscriptions only. If you want to apply the setting to channels to which you are currently subscribed, click Yes.


Please select a field. (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Please select a field.

You have not specified the channel field that contains the data on which you want to base the current alert or filter.

Click OK, then select a field from the Fields dropdown list.

  Related Topics


Please enter a value. (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Please enter a value.

You have not specified the data value on which the current alert or filter is to be triggered.

Click OK, then type a value in the Value field.

  Related Topics


Please select a test condition. (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Please select a test condition.

You have not specified the test criteria—greater than, less than, equal to, for example—on which the current alert or filter is to be based.

Click OK, then select the test criteria from the Test dropdown list.

  Related Topics


The <channel name>'s channel configuration has been set by your administrator ... (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
The <channel name>'s channel configuration has been set by your administrator and cannot be modified.

You cannot make changes to your channel's configuration because it has been set by your system administrator using the BackWeb server software. If you need to make changes, see your system administrator.


The channel <channel name> was added manually. Do you want to delete it ...? (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
The channel <channel name> was added manually. Do you want to delete it from your Channel directory?

The selected BackWeb channel server was added to the Channel directory manually. If you delete it, it will be permanently removed from the Channel directory, along with all of its content. If you need the channel in future, you must add it again using one of the Add BackWeb Server commands on the Channel menu.

  Related Topics


The downloading of new content has been limited to specific times of the day ... (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
The downloading of new content has been limited to specific times of the day. Would you like to disable your download schedule now?

You are attempting to update a channel during a time period outside your defined download schedule.

You can either wait to update the selected channel(s) later, or modify your download schedule. To modify your download schedule, click Options on the Tools menu. On the Connection page of the Options dialog, click Download Schedule

Note:
The Download Schedule button is enabled only when Limit BackWeb downloads of information is enabled.


There is already another channel defined for this address. (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
There is already another channel defined for this address.

The IP address you have specified for this BackWeb channel server has already been defined for another BackWeb channel server in your Channel directory.

Check that the current channel has not been added already to the Channel directory. If not, ensure that the IP address you are typing is correct.


This channel provides updates to your BackWeb software … (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
This channel provides updates to your BackWeb software …

You are attempting to unsubscribe from a channel that is required by BackWeb for software updates, as well as new channel announcements. It is recommended that you do not unsubscribe from this channel or you will not receive the latest versions of BackWeb software, and future content may not work on your system.


This channel provides customization updates to your BackWeb client … (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
This channel provides customization updates to your BackWeb client …

You are attempting to unsubscribe from a channel that is required by the BackWeb client for customization updates. These updates range from changes in the BackWeb client user interface to changes in communication settings. It is recommended that you do not unsubscribe from this channel or you will not receive the latest modified settings.


This channel provides updates to your Channel directory … (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
This channel provides updates to your Channel directory …

You are attempting to unsubscribe from a channel that is required by the BackWeb client for updates to the Channel directory. These updates affect new and existing BackWeb channel servers. It is recommended that you do not unsubscribe from this channel or you may not be able to customize existing channels or subscribe to new ones.


Unsubscribe from <channel name> and delete all of its content? (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
Unsubscribe from <channel name> and delete all of its content?

You are about to unsubscribe from a channel. When you unsubscribe from a channel, BackWeb removes not only the subscription, but also all of the channel's content.

If you want to proceed to unsubscribe from the channel, and delete its content, click Yes.


You cannot unsubscribe from the channel <channel name>... (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
You cannot unsubscribe from the channel <channel name>. This channel is mandatory for your workgroup.

You cannot unsubscribe from the selected channel because the subscription has been set by your system administrator using the BackWeb server software. If you need to unsubscribe, see your system administrator.


You cannot unsubscribe from this channel … (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
You cannot unsubscribe from this channel. This channel provides updates to your Channel directory.

You are attempting to unsubscribe from a channel that is required by the BackWeb client for updates to the Channel directory. These updates affect new and existing BackWeb channel servers, and are required for you to be able to customize existing channels, and subscribe to new ones.


You have created a new alert/filter but have not applied the alert to any of your channels... (Infocenter message)
BackWeb
You have created a new alert/filter but have not applied the alert to any of your channels. Do you want to go back and apply the alert now?

The alert ruleAlertRule / filter ruleFilterRule you just created has not been applied to any channels or categories in the lower section of the dialog.

To apply the alert / filter to channel(s) and / or category(s), click either Add Channel or Add Category in the Apply to section of the dialog.


General Problem Situations (in the Infocenter)
BackWeb
General Problem Situations

For information on a particular situation, click it in the following list:

A message, indicating that the application must shut down, appears while you are working in the BackWeb Infocenter.

After receiving content from one of your subscribed channels, BackWeb displayes the status message, Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted.

You have defined an update shedule for a CDF channel in the Channel directory, but the channel's updates deviate from your defined schedule.

You want to change the name of an existing channel in the Channel directory, but BackWeb does not appear to allow you to do this.

Your proxy server settings are correct, but you are still not receiving any content.


A message, indicating that the BackWeb Infocenter must shut down, appears. (Infocenter)
BackWeb
A message, indicating that the application must shut down, appears while you are working in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Situation:
You are working in the BackWeb Infocenter at 3 a.m. A message appears indicating that the application must shut down.

Solution:
At 3 a.m. daily, the Infocenter must shut down for maintenance purposes.

If necessary, you can cancel the current maintenance process (and prevent the Infocenter from shutting down) by clicking Cancel from this message. BackWeb then prompts you with the same message again in 30 minutes.

Note:
Maintenance takes place only if the BackWeb Infocenter has been running for at least an hour prior to 3 a.m.—that is, since 2 a.m.


BackWeb displays the status message, Channel has eached maximum disk space allotted. (Infocenter)
BackWeb
After receiving content from one of your subscribed channels, BackWeb displays the status message, Channel has reached maximum disk space allotted.

Situation:
The amount of content retrieved from the specified BackWeb channel server has exceeded the maximum amount of disk space allocated to it. The default amount of disk space allocated to BackWeb channel servers for the storage of content is 6 MB.

Solution:
To change the amount of disk space allocated to each new BackWeb channel server that you add to the Channel directory, click Options on the Tools menu, then click the Storage tab. Alternatively, you can modify the storage options for an individual BackWeb channel server when you add it using the Add a BackWeb Channel Server wizard.

  Related Topics


Channel updates deviate from your defined schedule. (Infocenter)
BackWeb
You have defined an update shedule for a channel in the Channel directory, but the channel's updates deviate from your defined schedule.

Situation:
The channel may be a CDF channel, a channel that uses the Channel Definition Format provided by Microsoft. You may find that CDF channels are updated the first time according to your defined schedule, but subsequent updates deviate from it.

Solution:
The author of a CDF channel has the ability to define an update schedule for the channel. This schedule overrides the schedule you define in BackWeb since the author is in a better position to know when updates should take place.


You want to change the name of an existing channel in the Channel directory … (Infocenter)
BackWeb
You want to change the name of an existing channel in the Channel directory, but BackWeb does not appear to allow you to do this.

Situation:
You want to modify the name of the selected BackWeb channel server, but BackWeb prevents you from typing in the Name field on the Connection page of the Channel Properties dialog.

Solution:
The current version of BackWeb does not permit you to change the name of an existing BackWeb channel server.


Your proxy server settings are correct, but you are still not receiving any content. (Infocenter)
BackWeb
Your proxy server settings are correct, but you are still not receiving any content.

Situation:
For security reasons, some proxy servers restrict the URLs from which they receive data.

Solution:
Check with your Internet service provider (if you have a dialup connection) or your LAN administrator (if you have a permanent connection) to see if your proxy server has any restrictions. You must be able to receive data from the site, chanreg.backweb.com, and from any site to which you subscribe.


Contacting BackWeb (Infocenter)
BackWeb
Contacting BackWeb

If you need to contact BackWeb, you can do so via conventional mail or email, or you can visit the BackWeb Web site.

For technical support
Contact BackWeb via email or conventional mail:

•	Email: user_support@backweb.com

•	Mailing address :
Support
BackWeb Technologies
2077 Gateway Place, Suite 500
San Jose, CA 95110

For sales information
Visit our web page at www.backweb.com.


Visiting the BackWeb Web Site (Infocenter)
BackWeb
Visiting the BackWeb Web Site

For up-to-the-minute information on BackWeb, the BackWeb product, and new channels, visit the BackWeb Web site at:

www.backweb.com


Glossary
BackWeb
Glossary

Click the word you want defined.

A

Agent
Alert
Alert Action
Alert Rule
Alerts View

B

BackWeb Agent
BackWeb Channel Server
BackWeb Engine
Browser

C

Category
Channel
Channel Agent
Channel Content View
Channel Directory
Channel Directory View
Content

D – E

Domain Name
Engine

F – G

Filter
Filter Rule
Flash
FTP
FTP Site
Full Story

H

Home Page
HTML
HyperText Markup Language

I – M

Infocenter Client
InfoExpress Client
Information Flash
Internet Service Provider
IP Address
ISP

N

Navigation Bar
Newsgroup
NewsTitle
Non-BackWeb Channel Server

O – Q

Outlook Client
Polite Agent
Proxy Server

R

Refresh

S

Screen Saver
Search Engine
Search View
Service Provider
SMTP
Story
Story Summary
Subchannel
Subscribe

T

TCP/IP
Ticker Bar
Title

U – V

Unsubscribe
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
Usenet
Update

W – Z

Wallpaper
Web Browser
Web Page
World Wide Web


The BackWeb Agent
The BackWeb agent is the engine that controls the news and information updates for your subscribed channels. It is represented by the BackWeb program icon in the tray on the Windows taskbar, and when it is actively performing an update, the icon appears to rotate. If you right click the icon, then click Display Channel Status to display the BackWeb Channel Status window, you can view the update schedules and status for your subscribed channels.


Alert
Alerts notify you automatically of additional channels added to your list of subscribed channels, and also of the receipt of pre-specified channel content. For example, you might want to define an alert for your subscribed stock quote channels such that you are notified when a certain stock rises or falls above or below a certain amount.

Each alert that you receive consists of the name of the alert—New Channel, for example—along with the content or description of the alert—The <channel name> channel has been added, for example—and the date and time the alert was triggered.

You can define your alerts to be visual and/or to alert you with a sound.


Alert Action
When a channel update or change in channel content triggers an alert, BackWeb performs the alert action specified for that alert. For example, if you define an alert rule and enable Add to List, Beep, Show List, the alert message is added to Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter, a beep sounds, and Alerts view appears on your screen automatically when the alert is triggered.


Alert Rule
An alert rule defines the conditions that trigger an alert. You can define alert rules to provide visual or audio notification of information that is of interest to you, such as a sudden rise or fall in stock price.


Alerts View
Alerts view is one of four available views in the BackWeb Infocenter—Channel Content view, Channel Directory view, Search view, and Alerts view. Click the buttons on the Infocenter Navigation bar to change views.

Alerts view displays your existing alerts by alert category in the BackWeb Infocenter. Along with the name of the alert—New Channel, for example—Alerts view also displays the content or description of the alert—The <channel name> channel has been added, for example—and the date and time the alert was triggered.


BackWeb Channel Server
BackWeb channel servers are channels that use server software supplied by BackWeb to deliver content to your desktop. BackWeb maintains a Web page with a directory of all BackWeb channel servers at www.backweb.com/chan/channels.html. You can add new BackWeb channel servers to the Channel directory using the Add BackWeb Server command in the Infocenter.


Browser
Browsers, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer, are Internet applications for accessing and viewing Web channels.


Category
A category is a group of channels or alerts that provide similar information. Business, news, and sports are all examples of channel categories. An alert category might contain all currently defined stock alerts.

Channel category – Each channel category appears as a folder in the left pane of Channel Directory view in the BackWeb Infocenter.

Alert category – You can define your own alert categories when defining alerts manually. (Click Advanced from the Alerts dialog.) Your defined alert categories appear in the left pane of Alerts view in the BackWeb Infocenter. The alerts triggered within each category appear in the right pane of Alerts view.


Channel
A channel is an information provider on the World Wide Web—a specific location on the Web defined by a URL. A Web channel is similar to a cable TV channel that transmits programs chosen by the channel operator.

In BackWeb, your channels are stored in a Channel directory, which you can view from the BackWeb Infocenter. You can choose to receive information from any channel in the Channel directory automatically and at regular intervals by subscribing to it in the Infocenter.

The channels contained in your Channel directory include both BackWeb channel servers and non-BackWeb channel servers:

•	BackWeb channel servers use server software supplied by BackWeb to deliver content to your desktop. BackWeb maintains a Web page with a directory of all BackWeb channel servers at www.backweb.com/chan/channels.html. You can add new BackWeb channel servers to the Channel directory using the Add BackWeb Server command in the Infocenter.

•	Non-BackWeb channel servers use channel agents, rather than the BackWeb server software, to extract and deliver key content to your desktop. Non-BackWeb channel servers are added to your Channel directory by your system administrator.


Channel Agent
A channel agent is a set of procedures that Backweb uses to download content from a non-Backweb channel server to the Backweb client. Each non-Backweb channel server in the Channel directory has its own associated channel agent. The channel agent understands the structure of the channel such that it can extract key content from it, and deliver that content to Backweb.


Channel Content View
Channel Content view is one of four available views in the BackWeb Infocenter—Channel Directory view, Search view, Alerts view and Channel Content view. Click the buttons on the Infocenter Navigation bar to change views.

Channel Content view displays the items of information received for each of your subscribed channels in the BackWeb Inforcenter. For each subscribed channel that you select in the left pane of Channel Content view, a list of information items appears in the right pane.

Each item consists of a title, and a story summary where one exists. Depending on an item's information type, you can view the information it contains differently. For example, in the case of BackWeb channel servers, information can be played as an information flash or as a wallpaper by double clicking the item in the list.

BackWeb uses different icons in the right pane of Channel Content view to differentiate between the different types of information received:

Audio flashes

Information flashes

Wallpaper

Web pages

Story summaries

Stories downloaded and stored locally

Content marked Keep

Content that has been delivered securely to a secured channel


Channel Directory
The Channel Directory is a list of all the channels currently available for subscription on the BackWeb server. You store your own version of the Channel Directory locally on your own machine, where you and/or your system administrator can make additions to it.

BackWeb updates the Channel Directory on the server with new channels regularly, and sends the new channels to your local Channel directory on an ongoing basis. In addition, you can add BackWeb channel servers to the list yourself using the Add BackWeb Server commands on the Infocenter Channel menu. To add non-BackWeb channel servers to the Channel directory, see your system administrator.


Channel Directory View
Channel Directory view is one of four available views in the BackWeb Infocenter—Channel Content  view, Search view, Alerts view and Channel Directory view. Click the buttons on the Infocenter Navigation bar to change views.

Channel Directory view displays a list of all the channels currently available for subscription in the Channel directory. For each category you select in the left pane of Channel Directory view, a list of available channels appears in the right pane.

To subscribe to a channel in Channel Directory view, click to display a checkmark in the checkbox to the left of the channel name. Depending on the type of channel selected, either a confirmation message appears (in the case of a non-BackWeb channel server) or BackWeb starts your browser and connnects to the channel's registration page (in the case of a BackWeb channel server).


Content
The content you receive from a channel in BackWeb consists of data and information—titles, summaries, and full stories—that is provided in a number of different formats. Retrieved content can include anything from news headlines and stories to attachments containing files such as Word documents, Netscape plug-ins or QuickTime movies.

While all subscribed channels receive content that is viewable in the BackWeb Infocenter, Ticker, Screen Saver, NewsTitle, and as information flashes, BackWeb channel servers also provide information that can be viewed in the form of background wallpaper.


Domain Name
Internet applications connect to other computers on the Internet using a domain name or an IP address. Domain names typically consist of an identifying name separated from a top-level code indicating the country of registration or type of organization. In backweb.com, for example, .com indicates a commercial organization.


Filter
You can apply a filter to a channel to ensure that you view only the content you are interested in. Only titles and stories containing the text you specify is delivered to BackWeb.


Filter Rule
A filter rule defines the conditions used to filter information from a subscribed channel.


FTP
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used to transfer files between computer systems.


FTP Site
An FTP site is a specific location on the Web containing files that have been made available for download using FTP.


Home Page
A Home page, or Web page, is an HTML document on the Web which can be accessed through its URL. A home page is usually associated with a person, company, organization or subject and contains links to related pages.


HTML
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the language used to design Web pages. Each Web channel consists of one or more HTML files, with extensions of .HTML or .HTM.

Hypertext links allow users to jump between pages or to different areas of a page with a single click.


Infocenter Client
The Infocenter is one of the client user interfaces provided by BackWeb. The Infocenter is a full screen user interface that allows you to subscribe to channels, add new BackWeb channel servers, work with content, alerts and filters, and define properties that govern the operation of BackWeb.

Other client user interfaces available include the BackWeb Outlook client, BackWeb InfoExpress, and various notification UI elements—BackWeb Ticker, ScreenSaver, Newstitle, as well as information flashes and wallpaper.


InfoExpress Client
InfoExpress is one of the client user interfaces provided by BackWeb. It is a scaled down version of the BackWeb Infocenter that allows you to subscribe to channels, work with content, alerts and filters, and modify some of the properties that govern the operation of BackWeb.

Other client user interfaces available include the BackWeb Infocenter, the BackWeb Outlook client, and various notification UI elements—BackWeb Ticker, ScreenSaver, Newstitle, as well as information flashes and wallpaper.


Information Flash
An information flash is a small window that appears on your screen containing animated content from one of your subscribed channels.


IP Address
An IP Address is the specific address of a computer on the Internet in numerical form. Each IP address consists of four sets of numbers separated by periods and is unique to that computer. Internet applications use IP addresses and domain names to connect to other computers on the Internet.


ISP
An Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides access to the Internet for a fee, usually through a dialup connection.


Navigation Bar
The Navigation bar provides buttons for switching views in the BackWeb Infocenter. When the display of the Navigation bar is enabled on the Infocenter View menu, the Navigation bar appears docked to the left edge of the Infocenter program window, and provides the following navigation buttons:

View Channel Content – Click this button to display Channel Content view.

Subscribe to Channels – Click this button to display Channel Directory view.

View Alerts – Click this button to display Alerts view.

Search – Click this button to display Search view.


Newsgroup
An Internet newsgroup contains postings from subscribed users on a particular topic. When you subscribe to a newsgroup, you can read others’ discussions or post your own ideas and opinions.


NewsTitle
NewsTitle is one of the BackWeb viewer applications. It displays content in the title bar of your active application, or docked to the top or the bottom of your screen. In NewsTitle, titles scroll across a black scroller area called the NewsTitle ticker. BackWeb allows you to customize the appearance of the NewsTitle ticker, including the fonts, colors, and scrolling method used.

You can obtain more information on a title in NewsTitle either by pointing to it to obtain a story summary or by double clicking it to obtain the full story.


Non-BackWeb Channel Server
Non-BackWeb channel servers are channels that use channel agents, rather than the BackWeb server software, to extract and deliver key content to your desktop. Non-BackWeb channel servers are added to your Channel directory by your system administrator.


Outlook Client
The BackWeb Outlook client is one of the client user interfaces provided by BackWeb. It is an extension of Microsoft Outlook that allows users to view their BackWeb content within the Outlook user interface. BackWeb channels appear as folders under the BackWeb Infocenter service subtree, and enable users to view and configure all aspects of their BackWeb configuration. Using BackWeb Infocenter for Microsoft Outlook, users can use their familiar interface for viewing BackWeb content, and need not install an additional client on their machine.

Other client user interfaces available include the BackWeb Infocenter, BackWeb InfoExpress, and various viewer elements—BackWeb Ticker, ScreenSaver, Newstitle, as well as information flashes and wallpaper.


Polite Agent
The BackWeb Polite agent allows you to configure BackWeb to run smoothly with other applications. With the Polite agent, you can define the priority of BackWeb downloads in relation to other networking applications.


Proxy Server
A proxy server is a computer that is directly connected to the Internet, allowing multiple users on a network to access the Internet. It may also be part of a firewall, protecting the network from unauthorized access. If your Browser is configured to access the Internet through a proxy server, BackWeb should also be able to connect.


Search Engine
Search engines, such as those provided by Lycos and Yahoo, are Internet utilities that search Web channels for instances of specified keywords.


SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is the standard Internet email system. This email system is supported by the current release of BackWeb.


Subscribe
When you subscribe to a channel in BackWeb, you are registering with that channel to receive updated information from it automatically and on a regular basis. Normally, you will subscribe only to those channels that interest you.

To subscribe to a channel in BackWeb, click Subscribe to Channels on the Infocenter Navigation bar. In the right pane of Channel Directory view, click to display a checkmark in the checkbox to the left of the channel from which you want to receive and view content. Depending on the type of channel you select, one of the following occurs:

•	A confirmation message – indicating that you have successfully subscribed to the channel. This occurs when you select a channel contained in your local channel directory, and to which you can subscribe locally—normally a non-BackWeb channel server.

•	A message – indicating that BackWeb is about to start your Web browser and connect. This occurs when you select a channel that requires online subscription—normally a BackWeb channel server. Click OK to continue. BackWeb starts your browser and goes to the registration page for the selected channel. Follow the instructions provided to subscribe to the selected channel, making sure to click the specified link or button to perform the subscription.

•	A customization form – in which you must select or fill in additional information—details required to customize a weather or stock quote channel, for example. Depending on whether the subscription is local or online, one of the previous two messages then appears.


TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is a combination of protocols used to transfer data over the Internet.


Ticker Bar
The Ticker bar is one of the BackWeb viewer applications. It is a movable, resizable, bar-shaped window that appears on your screen when you run BackWeb Ticker. In it, news and information titles scroll across a black scroller area. BackWeb allows you to customize the appearance of the Ticker bar, including the fonts, colors, and scrolling method used.

You can obtain more information on a title in the Ticker bar either by pointing to it to obtain a story summary or by double clicking it to obtain the full story.

A right click menu is available when you right click the scroller area, and if you click the category tabs above the Ticker bar, you can change information categories, quickly and easily.


Title
Titles are the headings associated with the information items that you receive in BackWeb.


Unsubscribe
When you remove your subscription to a channel, you are unsubscribing from that channel. You will no longer receive updated information from it automatically and on a regular basis.

When you unsubscribe from a channel, BackWeb deletes the channel's content from your system as well as the subscription.

When you unsubscribe from certain BackWeb channel servers, BackWeb displays a message asking whether you want to remove the channel itself from the Channel directory. This occurs with some channels that were added manually using the channel address (instead of the Web directory). All other channels remain in the Channel directory after you unsubscribe from them.


URL
A uniform resource locator (URL) defines the address of a particular Web or home page. A simple URL may consist of the access method, followed by the domain name of the company or organization. For example, http://www.backweb.com is the Web URL for the BackWeb home page. A home page located on a service provider’s Web server would consist of the URL for the service provider, followed by the pointer for the home page itself.


Refresh / Update
BackWeb automatically accesses subscribed channels at scheduled intervals and delivers the latest news and information to the BackWeb applications. The information displayed is then automatically refreshed. You can also refresh channels manually at any time. Bringing information up to date can include adding, modifying or deleting information.


Search View
Search view is one of four available views in the BackWeb Infocenter—Channel Content  view, Channel Directory view, Alerts view and Search view. Click the buttons on the Infocenter Navigation bar to change views.

From Search view, you can search for a particular string of data in the information you have received by typing the search string in the Containing field, then by clicking Find Now.


Story
A story is a single item of information that you view in BackWeb. For example, when you update the information from a channel providing local news, a single story might consist of an article about the most recent town council meeting. Another story might cover the latest game played by the local baseball team.

Each story consists of a title, and possibly a story summary and full story. You can view the titles for your stories in the BackWeb Infocenter. To view more detailed content, you can click a title to view its associated story summary, or double click the title to view its associated full story. You can also view your retrieved titles and story summaries as information flashes, or in the case of BackWeb channel servers as background wallpapers.


Usenet
Usenet consists of thousands of newsgroups grouped into various categories.


Wallpaper
A desktop wallpaper is a picture that appears on your computer screen. All desktop icons and application windows appear on top of this picture. In Windows 95 and Windows NT, you have the option of displaying the wallpaper pattern in the center of the screen or tiling the pattern across the entire screen.

With BackWeb wallpapers, the picture consists of content from one of your subscribed BackWeb channel servers. The channel determines whether the wallpaper pattern is tiled or centered.


Web Browser
Currently, Web browsers are the most common method of connecting to the Internet, using a graphical interface to allow access to the text, images, audio and video files available on Web channels. BackWeb uses your browser application to retrieve and filter information from the Web channels you have selected in the BackWeb Infocenter.


World Wide Web
“The Web” is a vast, global network of WWW servers. Each server has a home page with hypertext links to information stored on different levels for that Web channel or even to channels on other servers around the world.


Full Story
Full stories are the complete text associated with the stories that you view in BackWeb. Full stories are distinct from story summaries, which are brief synopses, and often accompany story titles to elaborate on them.


ScreenSaver
The BackWeb ScreenSaver is one of the BackWeb viewer appllications. It displays content in the form of a screen saver. In Screen Saver, titles scroll across a black scroller area at the bottom of your screen, while story summaries appear in the main part of your screen (if they exist).


Story Summary
Story summaries are brief synopses of the stories that you view in BackWeb. They often accompany titles to elaborate on them. Story summaries are distinct from full stories, which are the complete text associated with the stories.


Subchannel
A subchannel is a channel provided by another, larger channel. The BackWeb Infocenter displays channels and subchannels in a tree structure in Channel Content view.


About Dialog (Infocenter)
BackWeb
About Dialog

Use the About dialog to view the version and copyright information for your BackWeb software.