Contents
Webspector by Illumix Software

 Introduction to Webspector -

Welcomes you to Webspector.

 Webspector Commands -

Learn more about using Webspector.

 Webspector Features -

Learn more about the tasks Webspector can perform.

 Webspector Setup -

How to configure Webspector to work in your environment.

 About Illumix Software -

Learn about Illumix Software's other exciting products.

 Ordering Information -

Find out about registering Webspector to eliminate advertisements and to receive technical support over the phone.

 Technical Support -

Retrieve answers to your technical questions about Webspector.


Introduction to Webspector

Welcome to Webspector™ by Illumix Software.

Webspector is a revolutionary new Internet research and navigation tool that automatically tracks an unlimited number of web pages for content changes.  Everyone from business executives needing up-to-the-minute monitoring of their competitors' web sites to avid Internet users that want to be alerted when their favorite pages are updated will find Webspector to be an indispensable application.  Webspector's integrated PageLighter™ technology highlights the exact areas of the pages that have changed, allowing the user to get the information they need in as little time as possible. For the advanced researcher, Webspector can also mark specific keywords in each page. Webspector also provides direct access to Netscape and Internet Explorer, the ability to import web browser bookmarks, and a built-in database of popular web sites.

Visit Illumix Software's web site for updated information at http://www.illumix.com.

See also:

Copyright Information

License Agreement

Installation/Removal


License Agreement

ATTENTION:  PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE.  THE INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE (THE "END USER") AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE.  IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE, DO NOT USE THE SOFTWARE AND PROMPTLY REMOVE THE SOFTWARE FROM ITS STORAGE MEDIUM.

The enclosed computer program(s) and the accompanying documentation are provided to the End User by A.G. Internet Development, Inc. DBA Illumix Software, a Washington, D.C. Corporation ("Licensor") for use only under the following terms.  Licensor reserves any right not expressly granted to the End User.  The End User owns the disk on which the Software is recorded, but Licensor retains ownership of all copies of the Software itself.  The End User assumes sole responsibility for the installation, use and results obtained from use of the Software.

1.  License

End User is granted a limited, non-exclusive license to do only the following:

A-1.  Free advertiser-sponsored version of the Software may be installed and maintained on an unlimited number of machines and may be redistributed to third parties. This section does not apply to purchased or registered Software.

A-2.  Purchased/Registered Software may be installed and maintained on one computer at any time for use only in the End User's own business.

B.  Make one copy in machine-readable form solely for backup or archival purposes for the computer which the Software is installed.  The Software is protected by copyright law.  As an express condition of this License, the End User must reproduce on the copy Licensor's copyright notice and any other proprietary legends on the original copy supplied by Licensor.

C.  Transfer the Software and all rights under this License to another party together with a copy of this License and all written materials accompanying the Software, provided (i) the End User gives Licensor written notice of the transfer (including in such notice the identity of the transferee), and (ii) the other party reads and agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this License.

2.  Restrictions.

The End User may NOT sublicense, assign, or distribute copies of the Software to others.  The Software contains trade secrets.  The End User may NOT decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or otherwise reduce the Software to a human readable form.  THE END USER MAY NOT MODIFY, ADAPT, TRANSLATE, RENT, LEASE, LOAN, RESELL FOR PROFIT, DISTRIBUTE, OR OTHERWISE ASSIGN OR TRANSFER THE SOFTWARE, OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS BASED UPON THE SOFTWARE OR ANY PART THEREOF, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN SECTION 1.C. ABOVE.

3.  Termination.

This License is effective until terminated.  This License will terminate immediately without notice from Licensor if the End User fails to comply with any of its provisions.  Upon termination the End User must destroy the Software and all copies thereof, and the End User may terminate this License at any time by doing so.

4.  Export Law Assurances.

This Software is subject to United States export controls. This Software may not be downloaded or otherwise exported or re-exported (1) into (or to a national or resident of) Cuba, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Haiti, Yugoslavia, or any other country to which the United States has embargoed goods; or (2) to anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Commerce Department's Table of Denial Orders.

By installing this software, you are agreeing to the foregoing and you are warranting that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.

5.  Limited Warranty for Registered Users.

This warranty shall only apply to End Users that purchased the Software from Licensor or one of Licensor's distributors. This clause of the License Agreement does not apply to End Users that have obtained a free version of the Software.

Licensor warrants that, for ninety (90) days from the date of initial use by the original Registered End User, the Software shall operate substantially in accordance with the published functional specifications current at the time of shipment.   If, during the warranty period, a defect appears, End User shall return the Software to Licensor and Licensor's only obligation shall be, at Licensor's election, to replace the defective Software or refund the purchase price.  The End User agrees that the foregoing constitutes the End User sole and exclusive remedy for breach by Licensor under any warranties made under this Agreement.  This warranty does not cover any Software that has been altered or changed in any way by anyone other than Licensor.  Licensor is not responsible for problems associated with or caused by incompatible operating systems or equipment, or for problems in the interaction of the Software with software not furnished by Licensor.

No oral or written information or advice given by Licensor or its dealers, distributors, employees or agents shall in any way extend, modify or add to the foregoing warranty.

THE WARRANTY AND REMEDY PROVIDED ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  THE END USER ASSUMES ALL RISK AS TO THE SUITABILITY, QUALITY, AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE.  IN NO EVENT WILL LICENSOR, OR ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AFFILIATES, BE LIABLE TO THE END USER FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF DATA OR BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE OR ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS, EVEN IF LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

LICENSOR'S LIABILITY TO THE END USER (IF ANY) FOR ACTUAL DIRECT DAMAGES FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER, AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION, WILL BE LIMITED TO, AND IN NO EVENT SHALL EXCEED, THE AMOUNT ORIGINALLY PAID TO LICENSOR FOR THE LICENSE OF THE SOFTWARE.

6.  Enhancements.

From time to time Licensor may, in its sole discretion, advise the End User of updates, upgrades, enhancements or improvements to the Software and/or new releases of the Software (collectively, "Enhancements"), and may license the End User to use such Enhancements upon payment of prices as may be established by Licensor from time to time.  All such Enhancements to the Software provided to the End User shall also be governed by the terms of this License.

7. Support

End Users who are using Advertiser sponsored or purchased versions of the Software are not entitled to any kind of support, documentation, or assistance from the Licensor. All support options are at the sole discretion of the Licensor and may be modified without notice.

8. Advertisement Integration.

The unregistered version of the Software will occasionally make use of your Internet connection to display advertisements. This advertisement technology is embedded within the Software.

9. General.

This License will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, and shall inure to the benefit of Licensor and occasionally and their successors, assigns and legal representatives.  If any provision of this License is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable to any extent under applicable law, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible, and the remaining provisions of this License will remain in full force and effect.  Any notices or other communications to be sent to Licensor must be mailed first class, postage prepaid, to the following address: A.G. Internet Development, Inc. DBA Illumix Software, 1080 Wisconsin Avenue NW #3011.

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and all prior proposals, agreements, representations, statements and undertakings are hereby expressly cancelled and superseded.  This Agreement may not be changed or amended except by a written instrument executed by a duly authorized officer of Licensor.

10.  Acknowledgment.

BY INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE, THE END USER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS READ THIS LICENSE, UNDERSTANDS IT, AND AGREES TO BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS.  Should you have any questions concerning this License, contact Licensor at the address set forth above.


Installation/Removal

System requirements:

Windows 95/98, Windows NT 4.0 or higher

at least 10 MB free disk space

an Internet connection (LAN/PPP, Dial-Up Networking)

Installation:

To install Webspector, run the Webspector self-extracting executable.

Removal:

To remove Webspector, select 'Add/Remove Programs' in the Control Panel and double-click Webspector in the list box.


Ordering Information

You may place a secure online order by going to Illumix Software's web site, located at http://www.illumix.com.  To order Webspector offline, print and fill out the order form found on the site and mail it along with check or money order to:

   Illumix Software

   1080 Wisconsin Avenue NW #3011

   Washington, D.C. 20007

Please make checks and money orders out to A.G. Internet Development, Inc.

Upon registering Webspector, you will be e-mailed a registration key which will remove advertisements from the software.

Questions concerning registration can be directed to support@illumix.com.

We offer substantial discounts to educational institutions.  Please e-mail info@illumix.com for more information.

You are always welcome to submit bug reports, suggestions and any comments to the company.  Please direct your feedback to info@illumix.com.


Technical Support

Technical support is available on Illumix Software's web site at http://www.illumix.com/support.htm.  For support, please direct all questions to support@illumix.com.


About Illumix Software

Illumix Software is a division of A.G. Internet Development, Inc.  Based in Washington, D.C., Illumix Software develops powerful software packages, including Internet research tools and web site development suites.

Other applications developed by Illumix Software include Selfseek! and GuideBuilder.

Selfseek!™ is your very own search engine. Selfseek! allows you to search web pages or even multiple web sites without requiring the use of a conventional search engine. Perfect for the times when you know a certain web site has the information you need but the commercial search engines have only captured the first page of the site. Selfseek! will automatically crawl through the site you specify, simultaneously running queries against downloaded pages while also building a graphical site map and a database that can be used for additional queries -- even offline. Selfseek! even highlights the exact words within pages that match user queries in a built-in graphic-free web browser. Other features include mail address mining, integration with popular web browsers, and flexible wizards to expedite the searching process.

Tired of chaining HTML pages together to create a site that delivers information to your users? GuideBuilder provides a more effective interface via a Java applet. GuideBuilder allows you to design a complete point-and-click information database offline in a robust and flexible development package. When your database is complete, press a button and the control file is generated, ready to be placed online. The development suite includes a WYSIWYG preview feature that allows you to see exactly how your applet will function online -- so you get it right the first time. Use the development package to create as many information guides as you need! The GuideBuilder Java applet also includes support for inline images and hyperlinks, and is completely mouse-driven.


Help menu
Help menu commands

The Help menu provides quick mouse access to the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

   Contents	Offers you an index to help topics.

   Tutorial	Offers a step-by-step demonstration of how to use Webspector.

   Show Hints	Toggles the display of help hints.

   Getting Started	Displays an introductory screen to acquaint you with Webspector.

   WebBox Quick Start	Allows Webspector to create URL Lists based on the URL Library.

   Register	Allows you to enter your registration code into Webspector.

   Illumix Software Home Page	Opens Illumix Software's Home Page.

   About	Displays the version number of this application.


About
About command (Help menu)

Use this command to open the About dialog box which displays the copyright notice and version number of your copy of Webspector.


Help contents
Contents command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Webspector Help.


Actions menu
Actions menu commands

The Actions menu provides quick mouse access to the following commands:

   New URL List	Allows to you create a new URL List.

   Edit URL List	Allows you to edit an existing URL List.

   Check All	Checks all URL Lists for content updates.

   Abort	Aborts the current data transfer.

   Setup	Allows you to specify Webspector default settings.

   Reports	Displays information concerning individual URL List retrievals.

   Error Log	Displays information concerning URL retrieval errors.

   Web	Launches the default web browser.

   Toggle View	Alternately shows and hides the Webspector Tree.

   Exit	Closes Webspector.


WebBoxes menu
WebBoxes menu commands

The WebBoxes menu allows you to choose an existing WebBox to open.  A hierarchical listing of all WebBoxes can also be found in the Webspector Tree.  If there are no existing WebBoxes, the WebBoxes menu will not open.


Active WebBox menu

The Active WebBox menu provides quick mouse access to the following commands:

   Open Graphic-Free	Opens a text-only version of a selected URL.

   Open URL	Opens a selected URL in your default browser.

   Sort By	Sorts the pages listed in the WebBox in the specified manner.

   Delete URL	Removes a selected URL from your WebBox

   More Information	Displays additional information about a selected URL.


Web Page menu
Web Page menu commands

The Web Page menu provides quick mouse access to the following commands:

   Open in Browser	Opens the active web page in your web browser.

   Print	Allows you to print the active web page.


Window menu
Window menu commands

The Window menu provides quick mouse access to the following commands:

   Tile	Arranges windows as non-overlapping tiles horizontally.

   Cascade	Arranges windows in an overlapped fashion.

   Minimize All	Minimizes and arranges windows as non-overlapping tiles horizontally.

   Window...	Selects and moves to top the specified window.


Tile
Tile command (Window menu)

Use this command to horizontally arrange multiple opened windows in a non-overlapped fashion in the main Webspector window.


Cascade
Cascade command (Window menu)

Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows in an overlapped fashion in the main Webspector window.


Minimize All
Minimize All command (Window menu)

Use this command to minimize and arrange all non-WebBox windows as non-overlapping tiles horizontally along the bottom of the main Webspector window.  If there is an open document window at the bottom of the main window, then some or all of the icons may not be visible because they will be underneath this document window.


Windows
Window... command (Window menu)

Select a window from the list of open windows to highlight and move to top the specified window.


Sort By
Sort By command (Active WebBox menu)

oi

Use this command to sort the pages listed in the active WebBox in the specified manner. Webspector allows you to sort pages one of four ways:  by description, by URL, by date and time, or by whether or not the page has been read.


Exit
Exit command (Actions menu)

Use this command to exit Webspector.  The Webspector Server will remain open and continue to monitor web pages.


Register
Register command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the registration dialog, allowing you to enter your registration code in order to remove advertisements from Webspector.

Upon choosing this command, Webspector will open a window providing several options.  To continue use of the program without registering, click 'OK.'  To register Webspector, click 'Register.'  Webspector will open the 'Register Webspector' window, allowing you type in your registration information.  To obtain purchase information, click 'Purchase.'  Webspector will open your web browser to illumix.com.

Please see Ordering Information for more about registering Webspector.


Edit URL List
Edit URL List command (Actions menu)

Use this command to open up the Edit URL List window, allowing you to modify a URL List.

To add a URL to the list, click 'Add URL' from the URL menu.  The Add/Edit URL window will appear, prompting you to enter the address of the desired page.  The result of the addition will appear in the list.

To edit a URL, click 'Edit URL' from the URL menu.  The Add/Edit URL window will appear, prompting you to make changes to desired page.  The result of the change will appear in the list.  If you have not highlighted an entry to edit, Webspector will notify you of this fact.

To delete a URL, click 'Delete URL' from the URL menu.  Webspector will ask you to confirm that you would like this URL to be deleted from the list.  If you have not highlighted an entry to delete, Webspector will notify you of this fact.

To clear the last modified date and size of a URL, click 'Reset URL' from the URL menu.  Stars will appear in place of the date and size of the selected entries, indicating that these statistics currently have no value.  Additionally, highlighting of keywords and changed text will not take place on the next retrieval of the selected pages.  If you have not highlighted an entry of which to reset statistics, Webspector will notify you of this fact.

To save the URL List, click 'Save All' from the URL menu.

To close the Add URL List window, click 'Close' from the URL menu  If changes have been made to the list since you last saved, Webspector will ask if you would like to save before closing.  If this is the first time the list has been saved, Webspector will also prompt you to name your list.

To import bookmarks stored in your existing browsers into the URL List, click 'Bookmarks' from the Extras menu.  The Import Bookmarks Wizard will appear, asking you choose from a list of available bookmarks.  The result of the addition(s) will appear in the list.

To have Webspector automatically compile a list of links from which to choose, click 'Link Wizard' from the Extras menu.  The Link Wizard window will appear, prompting you to enter the address of a page from which you would like to extract URLs.  The result of any additions will appear in the list.

To choose from a predefined set of URLs, click 'URL Library' from the Extras menu.  The URL Library window will appear, allowing you to choose from a list of 200 pages in 20 different categories.  The result of any additions will appear in the list.

To sort the URL List, choose 'Sort By' from the Extras menu and then choose a criteria by which the list should be sorted.  Webspector will rearrange the list accordingly.

To open a URL, choose 'Open URL' from the Extras menu.  Webspector provides you two options when opening a URL: Open URL in New Browser or Open URL in Active Browser.  If you select to open a URL in a new browser, Webspector will launch a new window of your browser and open the highlighted URL in that window.  If you select to open a URL in the active browser, the specified page will replace the URL currently open in your browser.


Check All
Check All command (Actions menu)

Use this command to immediately check all URL Lists for content updates.  The Webspector Server will begin checking each individual URL for modifications.


Setup
Setup command (Actions menu)

Use this command to open the Setup dialog, allowing you to specify Webspector defaults.  The Setup dialog includes the following tabs:  Scheduler, Defaults, Reports, Dial-Up, Web Shortcuts, Internet, and Printing.

The Scheduler Tab allows you to schedule times at which you wish Webspector to initiate page retrievals.  To specify a WebBox to schedule, click the drop-down menu and select from the list of available WebBoxes.  To specify a time for the selected WebBox, select values from the 'Hour' and 'Minute' drop-down menus, and select 'AM' or 'PM' if desired. You may specify an unlimited number of times you wish Webspector to initiate a retrieval of a WebBox.

To add the WebBox to the schedule, click 'Add New Time.'  The result of the addition will be displayed in the table to the right.  To remove one or more WebBoxes from the schedule, highlight the desired entries and click 'Delete Selected Time.'

Please note that the Webspector Server must be open in order for scheduling to function.  Scheduling will also activate your Internet connection if you have not already done so.

Also note that WebBoxes should be scheduled so as not to overload the Webspector Server, as a slowdown of your computer and Internet connection will inevitably take place.

The Defaults Tab allows you to specify general Webspector preferences.

To specify the URL that will be displayed when opening your default browser, type an address into the 'Default URL' field.  To prompt the user upon exiting the Webspector Server, enable the first checkbox.  To start the Webspector Server on the System Tray, enable the second checkbox.  To play a sound effect upon retrieval of new pages, enable the third checkbox.  To specify the sound effect, click 'Browse' and the Open dialog will pop up, allowing you to select a .wav file to be played.

To specify the number of individual processes with which Webspector should download and monitor pages, adjust the 'Retrieval Processes' slider.  Although Webspector performs most efficiently with the maximum number of processes, users with slower computers may want to decrease the number to reduce processing.

The Reports Tab allows you to customize Webspector's reports capabilities.  To enable reports, check the 'Enable Reports' checkbox.  If you would like to be notified if URLs are unchanged, enable the 'Report Unchanged' checkbox.  If you would like to be notified if Webspector is unable to retrieve a specific page, enable the 'Report Errors' checkbox.

Webspector allows you choose which WebBoxes on which you would like to receive reports.  To specify a WebBox, click the drop-down menu, select from the list of available WebBoxes, and click 'Add.'  The result of your addition will appear in the table on the right.  To remove a WebBox, select the desired WebBox from the table and click 'Remove.'

If 'Enable Reports' is checked, you will also have the option of having reports e-mailed to you.  To enable the e-mailing of reports, check the 'E-mail Reports' checkbox.  If you would like to have Webspector notify you of retrievals that result in no changed URLs, enable the 'E-mail Blank Reports' checkbox.  To specify the SMTP (outgoing) server, type the desired server into the first field.  To specify the originating mail address, type the desired address into the second field.  This address will appear as the 'From' and 'Reply to' addresses in report e-mails.  To specify the recipient address, type the desired address into the third field.

The Dial-Up Networking Tab allows you to specify your dial-up Internet connections.  To enable Dial-Up Networking, check the 'Enable Dial-Up Networking' checkbox.  If this checkbox is enabled, you will be allowed to specify information concerning existing networking entries.  To view information for a particular entry, highlight the desired entry in the list to the left of the dialog.  To specify a username for that entry, type the desired name into the 'Dial-Up Networking Username' field.  To specify a password for that entry, type the desired password into the 'Dial-Up Networking Password' field.  To specify the number of times you wish Webspector to retry upon encountering a busy signal or non-response, type the desired number into the 'Retry Busy/No Answer' field.  To have Webspector automatically disconnect the dial-up connection upon finishing a retrieval, enable the 'Disconnect Established DUN' checkbox.

If you are not already connected to the Internet, Webspector will automatically initiate a connection upon URL List retrieval.

The Web Shortcuts Tab allows you to specify a list of URLs to which you would like to have convenient access.  All URLs specified as Shortcuts will appear as tabs at the bottom of the main Webspector window.

To enable Web Shortcuts, check the 'Enable Shortcuts' dialog.  To add a Shortcut, specify a URL in the first field, a description of the URL in the second field, and click 'Add.'  The result of your addition will appear in the table.  To remove a Shortcut, select the desired entry from the table and click 'Remove.'  To modify a Shortcut, click the desired entry from the table, edit the URL and Description fields, reselect the entry, and click 'Modify.'  To change the position of any of the Shortcuts, select the desired entry from the table and click 'Up' or 'Down.'

To open any of the Web Shortcuts, simply click the desired tab and Webspector will spawn a new browser window to display the associated page.

The Internet Tab allows you specify general Webspector defaults.

If you are behind a firewall, enter your proxy port, server, username, and password in the appropriate fields, if necessary.  If you would like to select a user agent for identification purposes, select an agent from the drop-down menu.

You may also specify default values for HTTP Timeout, Slow Timeout, and Byte Threshold.  The default HTTP Timeout value is 180 seconds; for Slow Timeout, 120 seconds; and for the Byte Threshold, 500 bytes.  These values will apply to newly added URLs.  For more information about these values, see the Add/Edit URL topic of this help file.

You may also enter a default value for Size Protection.  If the size of a page has changed to a greater extent than the percentage specified in Size Protection, that page will not be recognized as 'Modified' by Webspector, as it indicates that a corrupt transfer may have taken place.

The Printing Tab allows you to specify defaults related to printing web pages and reports.  To setup your printer, click 'Print Setup.'  To specify the title, subtitle, and body fonts of your document, click the 'Set' button corresponding to the desired font.  A dialog box will appear allowing you to choose the font, and the results of the choice will appear to the right of the appropriate buttons.  To print the current date and the name of the WebBox, click the appropriate checkboxes.

To approve any changes you may have made in the setup dialog, click 'Save.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'


Reports
Reports command (Actions menu)

Use this command to view a list of individual reports of URL List retrievals.  Reports consist of a list of all individual URLs whose content has changed along with Webspector's justification for why the URL has changed.  Upon choosing this command, a window will pop up with the date and time of all individual retrievals.

To view details of a report, highlight the desired entry and click 'Open Report.'  The Display/Print window will open, allowing you to view all URLs with content changes and providing you with the ability to print the report.  To delete one or more reports, highlight the desired entries and click 'Delete Report.'  To close Reports, click 'Close.'

To enable reports, including notification via e-mail, see the Reports tab in Webspector Setup.


Web
Web command (Actions menu)

Use this command to launch your web browser.  Upon launching the browser, Webspector will attempt to open the default URL specified in the Defaults tab in Setup.


Toggle View
Toggle View command (Actions menu)

Use this command to alternately show and hide the Webspector Tree, located to the left of the main Webspector window.  Upon hiding the Tree, Webspector will shift all open WebBoxes to the left of the main window, and any maximized windows will remain in that state.  Upon showing the Tree, Webspector will shift all open WebBoxes to the right of the main window in order to accommodate the Tree.


Error Log
Error Log (Actions menu)

Use this command to display information concerning URL retrieval errors.  The Webspector Error Log provides information about various server errors, including failed password authentication and non-responsive servers.

To delete Error Log entries older than a certain date, click 'Delete Entries.'  A window will pop up allowing you to specify the range of log entries you would like to delete.  To approve your selection, click 'Delete.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'

To delete selected log entries, highlight the entries you wish to have deleted and click 'Delete Selected.'  To close the Error Log, click 'Close.'


Display/Print

The Display/Print window allows you to preview and print the current document.

Upon opening the window, you will see a preview of your printed document.  To change the previewed page number, click '+' to move forward through the pages or '-' to move backward through the pages.  To view the preview at a different size, click the 'Zoom' drop-down menu to select a percentage or type the desired percentage directly into the menu.

To cancel the print job, click 'Close.'  To print the document, click 'Send to Printer'.


Tree
Webspector Tree

The Webspector Tree allows you to view and manipulate the hierarchical order of your WebBoxes.

Webspector allows you to set up multiple WebBoxes and organize your WebBoxes by placing WebBoxes into folders.  To create a new folder for your WebBoxes, right-click the word 'Webspector' at the top of the Tree and choose 'New Folder' from the pop-up menu.  Webspector will then prompt you to enter a name for this folder.  Type the desired name into the field and click 'Add.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'

You have the option of creating new WebBoxes to be placed inside of your new folder.  To create a WebBox for the folder, right click the folder and choose 'New URL List' from the pop-up menu.  The WebBox will automatically be placed inside this folder.  In addition, as Webspector has drag-and-drop capabilities, you have the option of placing existing WebBoxes inside of your folders by simply pressing the mouse down on the desired WebBox, dragging it over the folder so that the name of the folder is highlighted, and releasing the mouse.  Webspector's drag-and-drop capabilities are also useful for rearranging the order of your WebBoxes as listed in the Tree.

The Tree also has the ability to disappear on command.  To toggle the Tree, right click the Tree at any location and choose 'Toggle View.'  Alternatively, you may select 'Toggle View' from the Actions menu or click the 'Toggle View' button in the main Webspector toolbar.

If you would like the Tree to be visible but do not wish to have it reside in the left-hand side of the Webspector window, you may choose to "float" the Tree by right clicking the Tree at any location and choosing 'Docked.'  The Tree will then appear as a separate window and will move to the middle of the screen.  To put the Tree back in its original position, right-click the Tree again and rechoose 'Docked.'  Alternatively, you may double-click the title bar of the Tree in order to replace it.  If you wish to hide the floating Tree, simply click the down arrow icon located at the far right of the Tree title bar.  Only the title bar of the Tree will then be displayed.


Add/Edit URL

The Add/Edit URL window allows you to specify a URL to add to the current URL List.  Add/Edit URL consists of two tabs: Enter URL and Customize Retrieval.

The Enter URL Tab allows you to provide basic information concerning the URL you wish to add.

To add a new URL or change the current URL, type the desired address into the 'URL:' field.  You may want to note that a convenient method for adding URLs is simply to copy a URL from the Address/Location bar in your web browser and paste it directly into the field.  To add a description to the URL, type the desired text into the 'Description:' field.  If you are going to need a username and password in order to be able to access the URL, type this information into the appropriate fields.  If you would like the password to be masked as you type it into the field, make sure that 'Mask Password' is checked.  All typed characters will then appear as stars.

To determine if the specified URL contains frames, click 'Frames.'  If the URL does in fact contain frames, Webspector will ask you to select from the list of child windows.  Please note that Webspector does not retrieve pages that contain frames.  This feature allows you to focus in on individual pages that a frames page references.  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'

To determine if the specified URL is a valid address, click 'Validate.'  If the URL is valid, Webspector will notify you that you may save the URL.  If the URL is invalid, Webspector will ask you to re-enter the URL.  To abort validation of a URL, click 'Abort.'

The Customize Retrieval Tab allows you to specify advanced information concerning the URL you wish to add.

To keep only the most recent version of this page, enable the 'Keep Only Latest Page' checkbox.  Please note that if a WebBox is open when the page is retrieved, the old version will not be removed until the WebBox is closed.  To have Webspector determine whether the page has been modified based on its size rather than its last modified date, enable the 'Size Priority' checkbox.

During the retrieval of web pages, Webspector must sometimes compare the sizes of stored pages with newly retrieved pages to determine if a change has been made, necessitating the specification of a byte threshold level.  For instance, with a size tolerance of 200 bytes, a newly retrieved web page would only be shown as new if it was 200 bytes smaller or larger than the stored page.  A size tolerance of greater than 500 bytes is recommended to insure comprehensive retrieval of specified web pages.  Due to the prevalence of rotating advertisements, redundant pages may sometimes be retrieved.

To specify a size threshold level, type the desired number into the appropriate field.  The default byte threshold level is 500 bytes.

Due to Internet connectivity problems, Webspector uses a timeout feature to prevent extensive delays while downloading web pages.  If the transferring of a page has stalled for a certain number of seconds, Webspector will skip to its next target.  To specify this value, enter the desired number of seconds into the 'Delay Value' field.  The default delay value is 30 seconds.

Additionally, if a page has not finished retrieving within a certain period of time, Webspector will skip to its next target.  To specify this timeout value, enter the desired number of seconds into the 'Timeout Value' field.  The default timeout value is 60 seconds.

To allow Webspector to highlight changes within pages viewed in the Graphic-Free Browser, enable the 'Highlight Changes' checkbox.  Each time Webspector determines that a page has changed, it will place a table around the sections of the page that contain modified text.  To specify the color of the tables, click 'Set' and Webspector will pop up the Color dialog, allowing you to choose a color.

To allow Webspector to highlight keywords within pages viewed Graphic-Free, enable the 'Enable Keyword Highlighting' checkbox.  Webspector will change the color of all instances of the found keywords.  To specify the keywords to highlight, type the desired words into the 'Keywords' field. Note that phrase searching can be accomplished by placing the desired phrase in quotation marks.  You may also choose to specify whether you want to search for whole words only by checking the 'Match Whole Word Only' checkbox, and to specify case sensitivity by checking the 'Match Case' checkbox.  If you would like Webspector to ignore page modifications unless at least one or more keywords appear in the page, enable the 'Keywords Must Appear' checkbox.  To specify the color of the font, click 'Set' and Webspector will pop up the Color dialog, allowing you to choose a color.

To save the URL, click 'OK.'  The window will close.  To close without saving, click 'Cancel.'


Import Bookmarks

The Import Bookmark Wizard allows you to retrieve bookmarks from one or more of your web browsers.

Upon opening the window, Webspector will ask you to select the browsers from which you would like to retrieve bookmarks.  Webspector supports the retrieval of bookmarks from Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.  After you have checked the appropriate checkboxes, click 'Next' to continue through the Wizard.  Click 'Cancel' to cancel the operation.

Webspector will then provide you with a list of available bookmarks.  To select the bookmarks which you would like to import, check the box next to the description of each desired URL.  To import all available bookmarks, click 'Select All.'  To return to the previous dialog, click 'Back.'  To continue through the Wizard, click 'Next.'  If you have not checked any boxes, Webspector will notify you of this fact.

Finally, Webspector will display a list of the bookmarks you have chosen to import.  To add these URLs to your URL List, click 'Save.'  To return to the previous dialog, click 'Back.'


Link Wizard

The Link Wizard window allows you to enter any URL from which you wish to have Webspector extract all links.

To specify the URL you would like to have searched, enter the desired address into the 'URL' field.  If you need a username and password to access the URL, type this information into the appropriate fields.  If you would like the password to be masked as you type it into the field, make sure that 'Mask Password' is checked.  All typed characters will then appear as stars.  When you are finished entering the appropriate information, click 'Get.'

Once the URL has been successfully searched, Webspector will display a list of all extracted URLs.  To retrieve links from any of the resulting URLs, select the desired page and click 'Drill Down.'  To select the pages which you would like to add to your URL List, check the box next to each desired URL.  To approve the addition of these URLs to you URL List, click 'Save.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'

If you have chosen 'Drill Down' at any point, you may retrieve the links extracted from the original URL by clicking 'First.'

Please note that for each extracted link, you will have to manually type a description for each URL by opening the Add/Edit URL window for each page.


URL Library

The URL Library window allows you to choose from a predefined list of popular sites.

Upon opening the URL Library, Webspector displays a list of 20 categories and asks you to choose one or more categories from which to select URLs.  To continue, highlight the desired categories and click 'Next.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'

Upon clicking 'Next,' Webspector displays a list of all of the pages associated with the categories you have selected.  To view the URLs associated with each page, highlight the desired page and the URL will appear in the 'Corresponding URL' drop-down menu.  To select one or more pages to add to your URL List, highlight the desired pages or click 'Select All' to highlight the entire list.  To deselect all of the highlighted pages, click 'Deselect.'  To approve your selections, click 'Next.'  To return to the previous dialog, click 'Back.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'

Finally, Webspector displays a list of the selected URLs.  To accept these URLs as additions to your URL List, click 'Save.'  To return to the previous dialog, click 'Back.'  To cancel the operation, click 'Cancel.'


Open URL
Open URL command (Active WebBox menu)

Use this command to open a URL highlighted in the active WebBox.  Webspector provides you two options when opening a URL: Open URL in New Browser or Open URL in Active Browser.  If you select to open a URL in a new browser, Webspector will launch a new window of your browser and open the highlighted URL in that window.  If you select to open a URL in the active browser, the specified page will replace the URL currently open in your browser.


Open in Browser
Open in Browser command (Web Page menu)

Use this command to open the active web page in a browser window.  Webspector provides you with two options when opening a URL: Open Page in New Browser or Open Page in Active Browser.  If you select to open a URL in a new browser, Webspector will launch a new window of your browser and open the highlighted URL in that window.  If you select to open a URL in the active browser, the specified page will replace the URL currently open in your browser.


Print
Print command (Web Page menu)

Use this command to print the open web page.  Upon choosing this command, Webspector will confirm that you would like to send the print job to the printer.


Webspector Commands

Learn more about navigating Webspector by choosing from the following topics:

Actions menu

WebBoxes menu

Active WebBox menu

Web Page menu

Window menu

Help menu


Webspector Features

Learn more about Webspector's features by choosing from the following topics:

Graphic-Free Browsing and Highlighting

Import Bookmark Wizard

Link Wizard

Error Log

Reports

URL Library

Webspector Server

Webspector Tree


WebBox

A WebBox is a table of all URLs whose content has changed since the last time the page was accessed by Webspector.  All URLs in a WebBox are associated with the same individual URL List.


URL List

A URL List is a listing of individual URLs that Webspector monitors for contact changes.  If a page from a URL List has been modified, a reference to the page will be placed into the associated WebBox.


Logging Format

Warning:

Many of these logging features are for advanced users, and should

only be used when troubleshooting failed web page downloads. For assistance,

please e-mail support@illumix.com.

**Dial-Up Networking Error/Message: [Message]

Description: Problem with Dial-Up Networking connection.

**Time Out (Too Long) on retrieval of [URL]

Description: Transfer has exceeded specified time limit.

**Time Out (Slow Transfer) on retrieval of [URL]

Description: Transfer has not progressed during specified time limit.

**Error [HTTP Error] on [URL]

Description: Error during Internet transfer.

**Transfer Error/Interrupted on [URL]

Description: Error during Internet transfer, due to abort or data corruption.

**ERROR Webspector cannot run due to low disk space

Description: Webspector requires at least ten megabytes of disk space to

operate.

**ERROR (Not Found) retrieval executed on [URL-List]

Description: URL List may have been inadvertently deleted from your hard disk.

**Error while establishing Webspector Client/Server connection

Description: Webspector Server is unable to communicate with the Webspector Client.

**URL List Read Error

Description: URL List may have been inadvertently corrupted on your hard disk.

**Dial-Up Networking Error: Failed to access DUN entry.

Description: Dial-Up Networking Connection number/access data could not be retrieved from your system.

**Dial-Up Networking Error/Message: [Message]

Description: An error occurred while trying to establish a Dial-Up Networking connection.

**Mail Transfer Error: [Message]

Description: A mailing error occurred while attempting to e-mail reports.


Open Graphic-Free
Open Graphic-Free command (Active WebBox menu)

Use this command to open a text-only version of a selected URL.

Upon choosing this command, Webspector will open a new window within the main Webspector window.  The window will display the selected page exactly how it would look in a web browser; the only difference is that all images will be displayed as icons.  The absence of images allows the page to be loaded almost instantly, saving a significant amount of time which would otherwise be spent waiting for the images to appear.

Additionally, Webspector can highlight sections of a particular page that have been modified in a user-specified font color.  Also provided is the option to highlight particular keywords.  You may choose to enable highlighting of changes and keywords in the Customize Retrieval tab of the Add/Edit URL window for each page.


Tutorial
Tutorial command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the Webspector Tutorial.

Upon choosing this command, Webspector will open a new window displaying the first page of the Tutorial.  To navigate through the Tutorial, click any of the buttons located on the Tutorial toolbar or follow links contained within the pages of the Tutorial.


Show Hints
Show Hints command (Help menu)

Use this command to toggle the display of help hints.

If the Show Hints menu item is checked, moving the mouse over sections of the Webspector application will cause hints concerning the function of various features to be displayed.


Illumix Software Home Page
Illumix Software Home Page command (Help menu)

Use this command to open Illumix Software's Home Page.

Upon choosing this command, Webspector will open your system's main web browser to www.illumix.com.


Getting Started
Getting Started command (Help menu)

Use this command to open the Getting Started window.  Getting Started acquaints you with Webspector by providing suggestions on how to make the most of Webspector's capabilities.

To have Webspector continue showing Getting Started on startup, disable the checkbox at the bottom of the window.


Acknowledgements

Thank you to our beta testers!


Webspector Server

The Webspector Server downloads URLs and stores them in the main Webspector application.  By restoring the server to view, you can see the progress of the current WebBox retrieval.

As the Webspector Server is responsible for all Internet communications, the main Webspector application cannot run without the Server being open.  If, upon opening the main application, the Server is not already open, Webspector will automatically activate the Server.  On the same token, if you attempt to close the Server while the main application is open, Webspector will pop up an error message informing you that the Server is still connected to the application.

At the top of the Server, Webspector displays a series of statistics concerning WebBox retrievals.  These include the following:

Completed - displays the number of pages completed in the current retrieval.

New/Modified - displays the number of pages that are found to be new or changed in the current retrieval.

Unchanged - displays the number of pages that are found to be unmodified in the current retrieval.

Errors - displays the number of pages that were unable to be downloaded.

Queue - displays the number of pages remaining to be downloaded.

Please note that the number of pages completed may be less than the number of pages listed as new/modified, unchanged, and skipped due to errors at any given time.  This is because a page is not considered to be completed until all highlighting has been completed by Webspector.

Also note that if there is less than 10 MB of space on your hard drive, Webspector will not initiate page retrievals.

Below the retrieval statistics are ten slots marked 'Retrieve,' each of which display the URLs that are currently being downloaded and checked for modifications.  If a particular slot is not being used, 'Idle' is displayed.

The toolbar located at the bottom of the Server allows you to execute commands related to the functioning of the Server.  To open the Webspector Client, click 'Client.'  To view a list of URLs remaining in the Queue, click 'Queue.'  To immediately check all URL Lists for content updates, click 'Check All.'  To abort the transfer of all remaining URLs, click 'Abort.'  The Server will spend a few seconds completing the highlighting procedure in order to avoid WebBox corruption before shutting down.  To close the Server, click 'Close.'  To replace the Server on the System Tray, click 'Minimize.'

More information concerning the Queue and the closing of the Server can be found in the associated help topics.

The System Tray icon also pops up a hint notifying you how many pages have changed since the last time the Client has been opened.  Simply move the mouse over the icon and the hint will appear.


Close
Close command (Webspector Server)

Use this command to close the Webspector Server.

Before closing, Webspector warns you that it will not be able to perform URL retrievals if you close the Webspector Server.  Click 'Exit' to ignore the message and close the Server.  Click 'Tray' to have Webspector run in the System Tray, where it will be able to unobtrusively monitor web pages.  Click 'Cancel' to cancel the operation.

Webspector also gives you the option of having this dialog disappear permanently by asking you if you prefer not to be prompted again upon closing the Webspector Server.  To accept this option, click the checkbox at the bottom of the window.  From that point on, whenever you choose the Close command, the Server will either close each time (if you clicked 'Exit' after checking the box) or run in the System Tray each time (if you clicked 'Tray' after checking the box).


Queue
Queue command (Webspector Server)

Use this command to open the Retrieval Queue.

The Queue lists the pages remaining to be downloaded for the current retrieval, including each page's URL, description, and associated URL List.  The list will not update itself when pages are removed from the Queue.  To refresh the list, click 'Refresh' and the modified contents of the Queue will be displayed.  To close the window, click 'Close.'


More Information
More Information command (Active WebBox menu)

Use this command to view additional information about a selected URL.  Webspector displays the following: URL name, URL location, the date and time of the URL's last retrieval, the date the URL was last modified, the size of the page in bytes, and the local filename of the URL.  To close the window, click 'Close.'


Delete URL
Delete URL command (Active WebBox menu)

Use this command to remove a selected URL from the current WebBox.

Before deleting the URL, Webspector will ask you to confirm this action.


Copyright Information

Copyright © 1999 A.G. Internet Development, Inc. and/or its suppliers, 1080 Wisconsin Avenue NW #3011, Washington, D.C. U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Some images appearing in this software are copyright www.arttoday.com.

A.G. Internet Development Inc., the A.G. Internet Development, Inc. logo, Illumix Software, the Illumix Software logo, Selfseek!, GuideBuilder, Webspector, Your Very Own Search Engine, and/or other A.G. Internet Development products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of A.G. Internet Development, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.


Abort
Abort command (Actions menu)

Use this command to abort the transfer of all URLs enqueued by the Webspector Server to be checked for modifications.  The Server will spend a few seconds completing the highlighting procedure in order to avoid WebBox corruption before shutting down.


WebBox Quick Start
WebBox Quick Start command (Help menu)

Use this command to open the WebBox Quick Start, allowing you to choose categories of URLs you would like Webspector to add to new URL Lists.

The Quick Start window lists 20 categories, derived from the URL Library.  Enable the checkboxes next to the desired categories or click 'Select All' to select all categories.  Then, click 'OK' to approve the categories.  Webspector will create new lists for each of the selected categories and place them under a folder marked 'QuickStart' in the Webspector Tree.


New URL List
New URL List command (Actions menu)

Use this command to open the URL List Wizard, which takes you step-by-step through the process of specifying which URLs you would like to monitor.