Kantara Development is a Southern California startup focused on bringing cutting edge, enterprise-level Internet tools and services to the marketplace. For more information on Kantara Development visit <http://www.kantara.com/>.
Part Merchant
While having eliminated scores of problems for developers, OpenDoc has also created new ones. What happens when a user opens a document without all the part editors used to create it? Where should a user go to find the required part viewer? Where can a user go to find other OpenDoc part editors? Which editors are cross platform? The Part Merchant takes an innovative approach toward solving these problems.
The Part Merchant is focused entirely on the needs of both the users and developers of OpenDoc components. It is a single source to purchase and immediately download OpenDoc based software for the MacOSｨ, OS/2ｨ, Windowsｨ, and AIXｨ operating systems. Users will not have to wade through advertising for non-OpenDoc software to find compatible parts. And they can check to see which platforms a specific product supports.
We have set up an Internet based server to help meet these needs. Once there, you can shop for OpenDoc software and read our OpenDoc eZine, ODZ. Point your web browser to <http://www.partmerchant.com>.
Included in this folder is PM Fetch, an OpenDoc part button that helps to bring you to specific product pages at the Part Merchant, and PM Finder, an OpenDoc plug-in that finds missing part editors and viewers by querying our Internet server. Both of these should have new versions by the time this CD-ROM is distributed. Check out our web page for current information.
The software included here is for PowerPC only. Check our web site for a 68k version.
CyberCash
CyberCash is the system we have selected for processing credit card transactions over the Internet. It encrypts and routes your credit card numbers directly from your machine to their server, where they then pass them on to the bank for processing over the private banking network. We never actually see your credit card numbers, for added security. For more information on CyberCash see <http://www.cybercash.com/>.
PM Fetch 1.0d1
PM Fetch is a simple OpenDoc part. It is a button that brings you to a product page on the Part Merchant's Internet server. We made it for developers to include in their OpenDoc based ReadMe files and example documents. When someone clicks on the button, it uses Internet Config to find your preferred web browser, launches it if necessary, and gives it the URL for the product. Open the 'Kantara Sample' document for an example. It needs the ODFDraw, Picture Viewer, and PM Fetch components to be installed.
For Developers
Contact the Part Merchant at info@partmerchant.com to get information about how we can help you sell your software. Once you are registered, you will receive a Vendor ID number, and Product ID numbers for each product. To enter these into the PM Fetch button, hold down the control key and click the button. You will be given a modeless dialog box to change the settings for that button.
Installing
First, install Internet Config version 1.1 or later (found elsewhere on this disk), if you have not already done so. Set up Internet Config to use your favorite browser. Then, drag the file 'PM Fetch (PPC)' into your editors folder. Put the stationery document 'PM Fetch 1.0d1' in your 'Stationery' folder if you wish.
PM Finder 1.0d1
PM Finder (PMFinderPlugIn) is an OpenDoc Shell Plug-In. It notifies you when a part editor or part viewer is missing, and gives you the opportunity to find it. If you click on the 'Find...' button, it uses Internet Config to find your preferred web browser, launches it if necessary, and gives it a URL that our server uses to search our database. Part Merchant returns a list of viewers and editors to download that can view the mystery data. Note: some editors and viewers require that you purchase them first.
Known Problems, Limitations, Etc.
･As a consequence of a problem Internet Config has with URLs longer than 255 characters, we don't send information about every content type. We only have room to send the preferred editor and the highest fidelity content type. Therefore, we don't yet find all the possible components that can read the unknown data.
･If the root part is missing, you will see the dialog twice.
･If multiple pieces of data are missing their part viewers, you will see a modal dialog for each one. Even if the same viewer is missing for all of them, you will still get multiple dialog boxes. One of the problems with this is that all the URLs will be sent to your Web browser before you have a chance to view each one. So you will likely only see the last URL sent.
We are working on fixes for all of these concerns.
Installing
First install Internet Config version 1.1 or later (found elsewhere on this disk), if you have not already done so. Then, drag the file 'PMFinderPlugIn (PPC)' into the 'OpenDoc Shell Plug-Ins' folder in the 'OpenDoc' folder in the 'Editors' folder in your 'System Folder' of your boot disk. For example, inside 'Macintosh HD:System Folder:Editors:OpenDoc:OpenDoc Shell Plug-Ins'. It will be available for the next document you open.
Internet Config is a trademark of Peter Lewis. OpenDoc is a trademark of Apple Computer. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft. AIX and OS/2 are trademarks of IBM. Other trademarks are properties of their respective companies or Kantara Development.
