Welcome to ASTRONOMY TODAY 3rd Edition. The CD contains the following components:
Astronomy Today's textbook and extensions and animations. These files remain on the CD and can be viewed with an appropriate web browser. They consist of the entire textbook along with Extensions and Animations.
Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser. This web browser is provided for users that do not already have a browser. Any frames compatible browser may be used to view the files, but we highly recommend Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.
Apple QuickTime. This is necessary to view the animations and video. Version 3.0 for Mac and for Windows are provided, however, earlier versions will work if your system already has QuickTime. Please note: If you have QuickTime on your computer, it must be properly associated with the browser, or the animations will not run. Please see "III.C. Associating QuickTime" for information on associating helper applications with the browser.
Multimedia Study Guide for Astronomy Today. A separate program on the CD, this interactive study guide provides testing practice on the material in the book. Some features include immediate feedback, results and previous results to track improvement, and suggested reading.
II. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
- PowerPC processor
- System 7.5.1 or later
- QuickTime (3.0x recommended)
- 16MB RAM
- 4x CD-ROM drive
- 640x480 resolution set to 256 colors
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or Netscape 3.04 or later.
III. GETTING STARTED -- INSTALLATION AND ASSOCIATING QUICKTIME
A. INSTALLING A BROWSER
Do you have a browser already?
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are examples of browsers, which are programs capable of displaying documents on the World Wide Web and other documents which have been put in the proper format. If you already have a browser that can display frames, skip this installation section, and continue to the section on QuickTime.
If you do not have a browser, you can install Microsoft's Internet Explorer from the CD. Installation may take up to 5-10 minutes.
Note: Version 4.01 (or later) of Internet Explorer is incompatible with any version of QuickTime prior to 3.0. So, if you install(ed) this version of IE, make sure
you install QuickTime 3.0 as well.
Install Internet Explorer by launching the 'Double-Click to Install' icon found in the 'Internet Explorer 4.01' folder. Please be aware, that this is the PowerPC version of IE4, it is not compatible with any 68000 based Mac processor.
Note: Version 4.01 of IE is incompatible with any version of QuickTime prior to 3.0. So, if you install this version of IE, make sure you install QuickTime 3.0 as well.
B. INSTALLING QUICKTIME
Do you have QuickTime installed on your computer?
Check your Extensions folder to see if the extension "QuickTime" is there. If you already have QuickTime, you can skip this installation.
Installing QuickTime
If you do not have QuickTime on your hard drive, you will find a copy on this CD in the 'QuickTime 3.01' Folder. Read the 'QuickTime™ READ ME' document for installation instructions.
C. ASSOCIATING QUICKTIME
Please note, you only need to perform these steps if QuickTime is installed on your computer and the movies are not playing within your browser.
The following instructions take you step-by-step through the process of associating QuickTime movies with the appropriate application in your browser. This will enable you to access video clips from within your browser window, either Netscape or Internet Explorer, whether accessing files on the CD or on the World Wide Web.
Internet Explorer 4.0x
1. Launch your copy of Internet Explorer.
2. Select Edit from the menu bar along the top edge of your browser.
3. From the Edit menu, select Preferences. A new window should appear.
4. In the Receiving Files section, select the File Helpers listing. The window should display a list of the different kinds of file types possible. Scroll down until you see the icon and words "QuickTime Movie." Select this by clicking on the words, then click the button below labeled Change...
5. Another new window should appear, which should automatically have the following
information entered
Description of type: QuickTime Movie
Extension: .mov
MIME Type: video/quicktime
6. At the bottom of the window, next to the words "How to Handle", select "View With Application". Click the button labeled Browse... to locate the MoviePlayer application on your hard drive, which is probably located in your System or Utilities folder. After making the selection, click OK to exit the File Helper window and OK again to save the changes to your preferences.
Netscape 3.0x
1. In the menu bar at the top of your browser window, select Options.
2. From the Options menu, click General Preferences, the selection at the top of the list. A new window appears, labeled Preferences.
3. Click on the tab labeled Helpers. This will cause the window's appearance to change, displaying a list of the different file types. Scroll down this list until you see the file type "video/quicktime", and highlight this option by clicking it with your mouse.
4. Toward the bottom of the window, next to the word "Action:", click the button labeled "Launch the Application". Click "Browse..." to locate the application on your hard drive. Look in your System or Utilities folder for the MoviePlayer application. Click the button at the bottom of the window labeled OK.
Netscape 4.0x
1. In the menu bar at the top of your browser window, select Edit.. Preferences.
2. Click on the tab labeled Applications. Click Edit. This will cause the window's appearance to change, displaying a list of the different file types. Scroll down this list until you see the file type "video/quicktime", and highlight this option by double-clicking it with your mouse.
3. Another new window should appear, which should automatically have the following
information entered
Description of type: QuickTime Movie
MIME Types: video/quicktime
Suffixes: .mov
4. At the bottom of the window, select "Applications". Click the button labeled Choose... to locate the MoviePlayer application on your hard drive, which is probably located in your System or Utilities folder.
III. LAUNCHING THE MEDIA EDITION
1. Double-click the START.HTM file on the CD. Your default browser should open the first screen of the Media Edition.
OR
2. On the menu bar, click File, then Open File (Netscape users: On the menu bar, click File, then Open Page)
3. Find the CD on your Desktop, double-click on the CD, find the file START.HTM and click Open.
IV. NAVIGATING THE MEDIA EDITION
a. General Guidelines
1. Your first time through, begin with the opening screen (START.HTM). This is the opening screen of the CD. We suggest using the Bookmark or Favorites feature on your browser to bookmark this page for quick access in the future.
2. Navigation icons appear at the end of each section to help you get around the chapters.
3. Click the back arrow on the navigation bar to return to your last position
4. Let the entire document load before you start clicking! Navigation features will not work properly if the document is not fully loaded.
5. The Navigation Bar on the left of the screen will allow you to jump to different chapters, play the animations, or reach the accompanying Companion Website for Astronomy Today.
6. Read the Help included with your browser for more navigation tips
V. THE STUDY GUIDE
The Study Guide software may either be run directly from the CD or copied to
your hard disk. The CD version is useful when you don't have enough space
(about 14 MB) free on your disk for the software.
To Run the Study Guide from the CD
--Open your "Astronomy3" CD-ROM.
--Open the "Study Guide" folder.
--Open the "Study Guide" folder and double-click on the "Astronomy Today" icon to
launch the program. The CD must be in the drive to run the program.
To Copy the Study Guide to Your Hard Disk
--Open your "Astronomy3" CD-ROM.
--Drag the "Study Guide" folder to your hard disk.
--Open the "Study Guide" folder and double-click on the "Astronomy Today" icon to
launch the program.
VI. TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem: Memory Error.
Reason: This product requires at least 16 MB RAM, preferably more.
Action: Exit and restart the browser. Also, check that your computer has at least 10 MB of Virtual Memory (swap file).
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Problem: Initialization Error (especially Windows) when Internet Explorer is launched
Reason: There is no active network connection on the computer.
Action: Click "OK" to bypass the message. You will not be able to link to the WWW links, but you will have no problem with files on the CD.
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Problem: On the Mac, double-clicking on START.HTM or README.HTM brings an error, or the computer freezes.
Reason: Microsoft Internet Explorer is not installed on the computer.
Action: Open the file from the browser you have by selecting File, Open File from the menu bar. If you do not have a browser, install the Internet Explorer that is included on the CD.
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Problem: Can not open the file WWW.PRENHALL.COM or WWW.MSN.COM
Reason: There is no valid World Wide Web connection.
Action: Click OK and continue. You will not be able to access the web sites that link from the CD.
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Problem: Animations do not launch when clicked.
Reason: They are not associated with the QuickTime Movie Player, key QuickTime software is not loaded on your computer, or you have an older version of Quicktime which may not be compatible with your browser.
Action: Install QuickTime 3.0 (included on the CD). See installing QuickTime above.
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Problem: Animation launches but does not play.
Reason: QuickTime Movie Player does not always play the movie automatically.
Action: Click the arrow control button on the Movie Player screen.
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Problem: Animation does not have audio.
Reason: Only about half the animations have audio. The Hubble Telescope video does not have voice-over. If it is a "Wright Center" animation, and should have audio, check your speaker volume and connection.
Action: No action needed.
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Problem: Text and images appear to break in the wrong places. The entire "flow" is off.
Reason: The browser has a width that is wider or more narrow than the files were designed for.
Action: For optimal viewing, keep the Internet Explorer browser slightly wider than the textbook cover on the opening screen.
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Problem: CD is not working properly on UNIX machine
Reason/Action: Although the CD was not designed for UNIX, it will work on most UNIX systems. Some users may experience difficulties due to incompatibilities between the CD's (uppercase) file naming scheme and the (lowercase) conventions used by many UNIX CD-ROM drivers. If you encounter such problems on your UNIX system, a script that should solve them, along with user instructions, is available at ftp://ftp.prenhall.com/pub/esm/physics.s-085/chaissonbg.
VII. SUPPORT
If you are having problems with the software, check the "Troubleshooting" section in this ReadMe.
* For more information on QuickTime, Internet Explorer, or the Multimedia Study Guide, you should read their individual Read Me files.
If you continue to experience difficulties, call (201)236-3477 between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm EST, Monday through Friday. You can also send a message to tech_support@prenhall.com.
Our technical support staff will need to know certain things about your system in order to help us solve you problems more quickly and efficiently. If possible, please be at your computer when you call for support. You should have the following information ready:
- product title and product ISBN (you can find this information on the package)
- computer make and model
- CD-ROM drive make and model
- RAM available
- hard disk space available
- graphics card type
- sound card type
- printer make and model
- network connection
- detailed description of the problem, including the exact wording of any error messages.
