Help on Configuration

This section provides some helpful information on using the Configuration page. Most configuration settings are determined on installation of AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97.

Overview

AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 allows you to search indexes that exist at many locations:

To add or remove an index from the Search menu, click the associated checkbox in the AltaVista Search Indexes table.

Search Indexes

AltaVista sites offer different types of search indexes. For example, the main AltaVista site offers "The Web" and "Usenet" as services. To change the Search indexes, use the Configure Search Menu table.

Network Connections and proxies

AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 requires internet proxy and port information to perform search queries. A proxy is only required inside a firewall. The proxy information is automatically detected from a Netscape or Internet Explorer browser, and should only be changed if the detection failed, or an alternative browser is used. To change settings, use the Advanced Settings table.

Changing the Configuration Page settings

Multiple changes can be made to the Configuration page before clicking the Submit button. It is not necessary to click the Submit button each time an option is changed in the tables.

Technical Note - what is 127.0.0.1:port?

The AltaVista Search Indexes table lists the Index URL location as 127.0.0.1:port for My Computer All, My Computer Mail, My Computer Documents. This location is displayed when you submit a query, or use any of the AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 features.

This location is not a server address.

In AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 the browser and indexer are on the same host and communicate with each other using TCP/IP. The software uses the address 127.0.0.1:port to ensure requests are received by and sent to your personal computer's TCP/IP address. It is commonly known as an IP loopback address, and is equivalent to a "localhost" address.

Configure Search Menu settings

The Configure Search Menu table allows you to change the following settings:

To delete a search index from the AltaVista Search Indexes table

  1. Go to the Configure Search Menu table
  2. In the section labeled "Delete from above list", select an index to remove from the list of services
  3. Click the Submit button.

Note: Only delete a search index when the index is no longer valid.

To remove an index from the Search menu, it is easier to deselect the associated checkbox in the AltaVista Search Indexes table. After you remove an index from the table, you cannot use that index unless you add it to the table again.

To add an AltaVista Search index

  1. Go to the Configure Search Menu table
  2. In the section labeled "Add AltaVista Search Index", enter the URL of the search index. (To add the search index of the AltaVista site, for example, enter altavista.digital.com)
  3. Click the Submit button
  4. After you add an index to the table, you can search the index using AltaVista Search.

Note: When adding an index, you enter a host name. AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 contacts the host, and the host lists all available indexes. Any indexes missing from the Configuration page are added automatically.

To select a default search menu option

  1. Go to the Configure Search Menu table
  2. In the section labeled "Default Search Menu Option", select an option as the default displayed from the list of services
  3. Click the Submit button.
  4. The service selected is displayed as the default search menu option.

Advanced Settings

The advanced settings configuration determines:

  1. The proxies used
  2. The number of search results to return in the display
  3. The server port where AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 listens to browser requests.

The settings displayed in the table are setup on installation of AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97. Use the advanced settings table to:

To use internet proxy information defined in the web browser

  1. Go to the Advanced Settings table
  2. Select Yes to accept internet proxy information defined in the web browser
  3. Select No to manually enter proxy information.
  4. Click the Submit button.

To change proxy information

A proxy is used to access a site outside a firewall. If the proxy is incorrect, users inside the firewall are unable to connect to external sites. The proxy is setup during installation of AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97, and settings are displayed and loaded automatically. To change the settings:

  1. Go to the Advanced Settings table
  2. In the section labeled "Use internet proxy information defined in web browser?" select No, to manually enter internet proxy information.
  3. Click the Submit button, then open the Configuration Page again to display the proxy options.
  4. In the section labeled "Enter Proxy here", enter the new proxy URL and the proxy port number (for example, www-proxy.mycompany.com:8080)
    You can specify no proxy by leaving the proxy field empty.
  5. In the section labeled "Enter a list of domains that do not use a proxy", enter any domains that the browser accesses directly, rather than via the proxy.
  6. Click the Submit button

To change the number of results returned

  1. Go to the Advanced Settings table
  2. Enter the number of results to return in the field provided. To display all results, enter ALL
  3. Click the Submit button

To change server port

AltaVista Search Personal eXtension 97 listens to browser requests at the server port location. The default port used is 8866. The location may need to be changed if there are conflicts between the software that uses the port. To change the server port:

  1. Go to the Advanced Settings table
  2. In the section labeled "Server Port", enter the new server port location
  3. Click the Submit button.