Biblos

1.Contents

1. Contents
2. Introduction
3. Freeware
4. Installation
5. Inifile
6. Feedback

2. Introduction

Biblos is a Windows95/Windows NT database manager for BibTeX databases using the CGI (Common Gateway Interface) protocol. With Biblos, it is possible to reach BibTeX databases from any computer, anywhere, with an internet connection and a web browser installed. With Biblos, you can always reach your BibTeX database and you can also give others access to your database (password protected) or it can be used in a local or global multi user environment. Biblos can be used with any web browser that can display frames. However, Biblos run best when using Java Scripts and Netscape 2.02+ or Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0+ are recomended. Biblos is currently in a prerelease state, current version is 0.75, and administrtion and security are not devolped. Version 0.75 will expire January 1 1997.

3. Freeware

Biblos 0.75 is freeware and can be freely distributed, as long as this file (readme.html) always is included in the package. The Software is provided on an "AS IS" basis, without warranty of any kind. I decline any responsability in the eventuality of damages caused by the use of this software. The software (biblos.exe, bbodispa.dll, bbohtml.dll and bboutil.dll) or the documentation files (readme.html) may not be altered in any way.

4. Installation

If you do not have an HTTP-server on your PC, you must first install one to be able to run Biblos. You can for example use the shareware server W4-Server from Antelope Software or a Netscape server.

The installation procedure may vary a little depending on what HTTP server you use and if you're not familliar with CGI programs you'd better refer to the HTTP server's instructions for CGI programs. In the instruction, 'HTTPServerPath' refers to the root directory of the HTTP-server. If you use W4server this would be something like 'c:/windows/w4server/'. Biblos requires that the CGI directory (typically cgi-bin) is placed directly under the servers document directory (typically docs), i.e. as docs/cgi-bin.

Typical installation:

1. Create a subdirectory called 'biblos' under the CGI directory in the HTTP-servers document directory. Typically this would be HTTPServerPath/docs/cgi-bin/biblos/. You can also choose another name than 'biblos' for the directory but you then have to edit biblos.ini and change the entry CgiSubDir=cgi-bin/biblos/ to the name you have choosen.
2. Move all files in the package to the new directory.
3. Create a directory called biblos under the HTTP-servers document directory. Typically this would be HTTPServerPath/docs/biblos. You can also choose another name than 'biblos' for the directory but you then have to edit biblos.ini and change the entry DocsSubDir=biblos/ to the name you have choosen. This directory will contain temporary files created by Biblos.
4. Edit Biblos.ini
• In the [databases] section add all database files, including the full path, that you want to be accessible by Biblos. Follow the syntax of the example in biblos.ini.
• In the [users] section add all users with the syntax user1=password1 etc.
• In the [general] section, edit the entry docsdir. This must point to the document directory of the  HTTP-server. Typically this would be HTTPServerPath/docs/.

You can now run Biblos using the URL: http://my-ip:port/cgi-bin/biblos/biblos (if you haven't altered CgiSubDir). 'my-ip' is the IP-numer or IP adress of your computer (where Biblos is installed). Important: Be sure to supply the port number (typically 80) in the adress, to avoid Java Script security problems. Otherwise, if the server automatically adds the portnumber to the adress, it will not be recognised and Java Scripts will not be allowed to adress it. Please contact me via mail if you have any problems with the installation.

5. Program Description

Biblos is a BibTeX database manager.

5.1 BibTeX

The database entry types and the data fields for each type are defined in the [type] section in biblos.ini. Initially, the standard BibTeX types are defined. If you use any other fields than the standard ones you must define this field, otherwise this field will be deleted if you edit the entry with Biblos. Everything that precedes the first '@' in the database file is left untouched by Biblos. Biblos requires that the entries are embraced by braces, not parentheses. Biblos does not support @STRING commands, they will be showed as entries in the database (don't try to use Biblos to edit them since Biblos will be confused when it sees several entries with the same level).

5.2 Login

When you start Biblos, the first you will see is the login screen. In the drop down list all databases that are listed in the [databases] section in the biblos.ini file are listed. Choose one database and type user name and passwword as specified in the [users] section of biblos.ini and press Enter. The password is sent to the server in clear text, a temporary solution in the prerelease of Biblos.

5.3 Main Screen

The main screen have two frames and you can change the relative sizes by editing the entry HorisontalRel in biblos.ini. The left frame lists all entries in the database while the right frame holds a simple menu.The menu commands are

5.3.1 Delete Entry

Delete one entry in the database.

5.3.2 New Entry

Add a new entry to the database. The new entry can be placed first or last in the data base file or as a certain number or sorted after entry label.

5.3.3 Goto Entry

Goto to a certain entry label in the database. This is the only search possibility in Biblos, use the browser built-in search tool for other searches. The entry label must be typed in lower case.

5.3.4 Logout

Leave Biblos to the URL specified by ExitURL in biblos.ini.

5.3.5 About

Displays program and server/client information. The browser in use is also showed, if the browser is Mozilla/2.0 or higher (or compatible) Biblos executes in 'script mode' with all features enabled.

6. Inifile

The changes in biblos.ini described in the installation section are the ones needed to get biblos to run. However, it is possible to further customise the program by entries in the biblos.ini file and below follows a description of all entries. A line in the ini-file can be commented out with an exclamation mark ('!'). A '$' character in the initalisation file causes Biblos to skip the rest of the line, including the EOL character. Thus, the '$' can be used to extend input over several lines, see the ini file for examples. Be sure not to add any extra spaces in the file. Most entries are case sensitive.

6.1 databases

All databases must be declared in this section. The syntax is

Mydata=c:\path\myname.bib

where 'Mydata' is the name Biblos will use for the database.

6.2 general

• BibSubDir,The subdirectory under the HTTP-server's docs directory where Biblos will place HTML documents (if DbaseToFile is set to 'yes'). Must end with a '/'.
• CgiSubDir, The subdirectory under the docs directory where the Biblos executeables are placed. Must end with a '/'.
• DbaseToFile, with this parameter set to yes, the HTML version of the database will be output to a file. This is recomended

• DocsRoot, HTTP server document directory, e.g. DocsRoot=c:\windows\w4server\docs
• EditBoxLen, The length of the text box in the edit screen. This should be adjusted for the screen and resolution you are using.
• ErrorLogin, The message showed when the login screen is returned after an erronous login. This is directly copied in to the HTML document and can thus include HTML tags to e.g. include images or hyperlinks.
• ExitURL, The browser is directed to this URL when logging out from Biblos.
• HorisontalRel, The relation between the size of the windows in the main database window
• LogoutTime, Users are automatically logged out after this number of seconds with out action.
• StartMes, An optional message showed on the login screen.

This is directly copied in to the HTML document and can thus include HTML tags to e.g. include images or hyperlinks.

6.3 html

The HTML section currently just hold the body attributes of the HTML documents created by the program. The background and text colors can be customised but it is not possible to use a background picture.

• alink,
• bgcolor, Background color
• link, Link color
• vlink,
• text, Text color

6.4 type

When registring a new entry, you can choose among the entry types specified in this section For each type, the fields that shall be The syntax is

type1=*title:*author/alt editor:year

This defines type1 with the fields 'title', 'author' and 'year' where 'title' and 'author' are required fields (*). That the fields are marked as required only means that the field names will be printed in bold letters when displaying an entry. When defining a new entry of type 'type1' the text 'alt editor' will be displayed in the 'author' text field. This entry is not case sensitive; it is possible to use both 'type1' and 'TYPE1' as type-descriptor in the database file.

6.5 users

All users that are allowed to access the database are specified here. The syntax is:

User1=Password1

The password is thus written in clear text, a temporary solution in the prerelease of Biblos.

7. Feedback

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me via mail: moller@msi.se

A. Möller
E-mail: moller@msi.se
Stockholm, 1996