Collectus and ImageViewer Help

• Software requirements
• Installation and Troubleshooting
• Object Collection Window
• ImageViewer

The Collectus digital object collector tool allow users to collect references to digital objects into personal collections that are stored as XML files on a hard drive or floppy disk, or to a mapped network location. The ImageViewer is incorporated into Collectus, and may also be available to view images that are part of online digital collections. Collectus currently supports the collecting of text and image objects.

The Object Collection Window in Collectus allows a user to view and organize newly created or previously saved collections, and to generate slide shows for use in the classroom. Collectus can also be used to create an HTML web page on the user's local drive or a network location for delivery of online reserves. The ImageViewer provides zooming, panning, brightness and contrast, and rotating functions for images in collections built with Collectus.

Software Requirements

Recommended Minimum Browser Versions: (Some features may not work on other browsers or versions)

• Windows XP or 2000: Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape 7.2, Mozilla 1.7, or Firefox 1.0.
• Macintosh OS X: Firefox 1.5.

Required Java for use of Collectus and the the ImageViewer:

• Windows:
  • Windows XP or Windows 2000 operating system.
  • Java 2, version J2SE 1.4.2 (aka JRE 1.4.2) OR LATER, including Java Web Start (Download and run the free installer from Sun at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html -- Click on "Download J2SE JRE."). If your system has earlier versions of Java installed, any earlier versions must be uninstalled and the machine rebooted first before a new installation can take place).

Macintosh:

• Mac OSX 10.4.4 has proven the be the most reliable in supporting the Digital Collections tools.
• Java 2, version J2SE 1.4.2 (aka JRE 1.4.2) is required. To run this version of Java, OS X 10.3.4 or later is required. According to Apple, All Macintoshes with OS X 10.3.4 or later come with Java 2, version J2SE 1.4.2 (aka JRE 1.4.2) already installed. For improved compatibility, Apple has released their own updaters/installers with varying names for varying versions of the OS.
• If you have OS X 10.3.4 or later and have NO Java versions on your Macintosh:
  • Download and run the free updater/installer for Java 2, version J2SE 1.4.1 (aka JRE 1.4.1) from Apple at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120274
• If you have OS X version 10.3.4 or later and need to UPDATE your Java version to the REQUIRED Java 2, version J2SE 1.4.2 (aka JRE 1.4.2), including Java Web Start:
  • Download and run the free updater/installer from Apple at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/javaupdate142.html.
• If you have OS X 10.3.9, Apple has reported that there may be issues with Java that require an update.
  • Download and run the free updater/installer from Apple at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/javaupdateformacosx1039.html
• If you have OS X version 10.4 ("Tiger") or higher and want to ensure that you are running the correct version of Java:
  • Java 2, version J2SE 1.4.2 (aka JRE 1.4.2), including Java Web Start (Download and run the free updater/installer from Apple at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/java131and142release2.html).
    • NOTE: For OS X version 10.4 ("Tiger"), Java 2, version J2SE 5.0 release 1 is available at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/java2se50release1.htm.

NOTE: The use of the Image Viewer and Collectus require that your computer be configured to use Java 2. The ImageViewer will not work and you cannot add digital objects into personal collections using Collectus without the proper Java and browser configuration.

Installing Collectus

The first time you choose to collect a digital object, Collectus will be installed onto your computer, and will be automatically updated upon later uses. For Windows, the application will install automatically. For the Macintosh, users will need to double click on the downloaded file (Collector.jnlp) to complete the installation. You may also install the Collector Tool manually.

Run the Collectus installer. For Windows, the application will install automatically. For the Macintosh, users will need to double click on the downloaded file (Collector.jnlp) to complete the installation. You may also install Collectus manually though a link below.

Launch the Collectus installer (add link).

The first time Collectus is installed you will be prompted with a security warning and asked to allow the installer "unrestricted access" to your machine. As long as the window includes identification that it is installing the "Collectus" and is "signed and distributed by Virginia.edu," please click "Start" in this window and allow the installer to proceed.

You will also be prompted with the question "Would you like to have Collectus integrated into your desktop environment?" If you select "Yes," it will add an icon to your desktop and an entry for Collectus to your Start Menu. You can delete the desktop icon later if you choose. If you select "No," no icon will appear on you desktop, and no entry for Collectus will appear in your Start menu. To change the setting after the fact, go to your Start menu and launch Java Web Start. Select "Preferences," go to the "Shortcuts" menu, and then select your choice (always integrate, never integrate, or ask before integrating). If you change the setting to ask or always, the next time you open Collectus it will install a shortcut to the Collectus application.

To launch Collectus from your desktop, click on your desktop icon or select the entry from your Start menu. If no icon or Start option is available, go to your Start menu and launch Java Web Start. You can start Collectus through that program.

The Image Viewer and Collectus require that your computer be configured to use Java 2. The ImageViewer will not work and you cannot add digital objects into personal collections using Collectus without the proper Java and browser configuration.

For Macintosh users, Collectus must be started from the Desktop BEFORE you can begin building or adding to a collection. To launch Collectus from your desktop, click on your desktop icon or select the entry from your Start menu. If no icon or Start option is available, go to your Start menu and launch Java Web Start. You can start Collectus through that program.

Collectus may not work properly if you have a Pop-up Blocker installed. If you encounter any difficulty, try disabling your Blocker.

Object Collection Window

The Object Collection Window allows a user to select digital objects and build a personal collection which can be saved to a hard drive, floppy disk, or mapped network location as an XML file and be reopened in the Object Collection Window. The collection can also be saved as an HTML page and reused as desired. Selecting and clicking on any image in the Object Collection Window will open that image in the ImageViewer.

Menus

File

• New Collection: opens a new tabbed pane in the Object Collection Window.
• Open Collection: opens a previously saved collection from disk.
• Save Collection: saves the current tabbed pane to disk as an XML file.
  • NOTE: When you enter a file name for your collection, always enter the full file name, e.g., "washington.xml" with the ".xml" file extension at the end.
• Save Collection As: saves the current tabbed pane to disk as an XML file with a new file name.
• Close Collection: closes the current tabbed pane. If the collection has not been saved, the user is prompted to Save, Then Close, Close Without Saving, or Cancel the operation.
• Print Collection: Prints a list of the titles of the objects in your collection, in the order that they appear in your collection.
• Cache Thumbnails When Saving: This feature allows you to save ("cache") thumbnail images locally with a collection. This option makes thumbnail images available even when you are working offline. Selecting this option will make this the default for all your collections; the option can be turned off or back on at any time. Collectus will by default use the files online in the Digital Library if there is an Internet connection; if not, the locally saved files will be automatically used.
  • NOTE: This does not save screen-sized or full-sized images used in slide shows. You will still need an Internet connection to run a slide show.

Edit

Commands on the edit menu are only functional within the Object Collection Window. The commands are not duplicated with a right-click popup menu in the window.
• Cut: removes the selected image from the current collection's tabbed pane and saves it to the clipboard.
• Copy: copies the selected image on the current collection's tabbed pane and saves it to the clipboard.
• Paste: pastes the cut or copied image from the clipboard onto the current collection's tabbed pane.
• Delete: removes the selected image from the current collection's tabbed pane.
• Insert Blank: insert a blank into the current collection's tabbed pane for use as a placeholder in split screen or two screen slide shows.
Select an image in the current collection's tabbed pane and use Copy and Paste to add additional copies of the image into your collection when you want an image to appear multiple times in either a slide show or an image web site.

View

• Tiny: changes the thumbnail size of the images in all panes of the Object Collection Window to 25% of the default size.
• Small: changes the thumbnail size of the images in all panes of the Object Collection Window to 50% the default size.
• Normal: changes the thumbnail size of the images in all panes of the Object Collection Window to the default size of 60 x 60 pixels.
• Titles only: view only the title of the image(s).
• View as Separate Carousels: If you are working with a collection where you will be organizing the collection into a split screen or dual projector view, this option will separate the window into two (left and right) screens, allowing you to drag and drop images into left and right carousels, where you can organize them and add blanks.  This process will automatically assign internally used carousel numbers: The carousel on the left is "1" and the carousel on the right is "2."   The option to view the carousel numbers is still available under "Slide Show" in the "Tools" menu.

Tools

• Open ImageViewer: opens the ImageViewer application.
• Create Web Pages: opens a dialog box allowing user to select a page title, file name, and presentation options for HTML pages. If no filename is selected, the default file name is "null.html". You can use the "Browse" button to choose a location on your hard drive to save the file.
  • NOTE: When you enter your own filename, always enter a full file name, e.g., "reserves.html" with the ".html" file extension at the end.
• Slide Show
  • Start Slide Show: shows the screen size version of the thumbnails on the current tabbed pane as a slide show. Navigate forward or backward through the images by clicking on the Right or Left Arrow keys. End the slide show with the Escape key or by clicking the Close Window "X" icon in the top right corner of the Slide Show window.
  • Slide Show Options: opens a dialog box with options for the slide show. Users may save their settings as the default settings for their Object Collection Window, or may save the settings only for the current tabbed pane. The options include:
    • Show Captions (check to include)
    • Forward and Back Buttons (check to include)
    • Stop, Loop, or Exit at End of Show (check as appropriate)
    • One Screen (a single slide carousel)
    • Split Screen (two carousels of images side-by-side on the same screen)
    • Two Screens (two carousels of images on separate screens, if supported in the classroom with two projectors)
    • Shift Slides through Screens (present the images in one order, shifting images from right to left on the split screen or between the two screens)
    • Advance Two at a Time (navigate through the two carousels simultaneously without independent navigation)
    • Use Stored Carousel Number (allow independent navigation forward and backward for two carousels)
  • View as Separate Carousels: If you are working with a collection where you will be organizing the collection into a split screen or dual projector view, this option will separate the window into two (left and right) screens, allowing you to drag and drop images into left and right carousels, where you can organize them and add blanks.  This process will automatically assign internally used carousel numbers: The carousel on the left is "1" and the carousel on the right is "2."
  • Show Carousel Num: If the user has created a split view or dual projector view, a carousel number has been automatically assigned to the images as part of the process. Selecting this menu item will display the carousel number on the thumbnail. The carousel on the left is "1" and the carousel on the right is "2." Clicking on the image will change the carousel from "1" to "2." When working with a single projector view, the default carousel number assigned is "1."

ImageViewer

Selecting and clicking on a text object in the Collectus Object Collection Window will open a web browser window and display the text. Selecting and clicking on any image in the Collectus Object Collection Window will open that image in an ImageViewer. If no menus are visible in the Tool, click on the image once to activate the menus and control buttons. Clicking a second time on the image will hide the menus and buttons, allowing more of the image to be visible in the ImageViewer frame.

If the image is larger than the frame, the user may click and drag anywhere on the image to move the image within the frame.

NOTE: The web version of the ImageViewer does not have control buttons. All image manipulation functions are available through the menus. The ImageViewer within the desktop Collectus application has control buttons.

Control Buttons

Click once on any button to activate its function. Click a second time to deactivate the button.From top to bottom, the buttons are

Detail Viewer

The Detail Viewer provides a frame to click and drag over the image, allowing easy viewing of all parts of a large image, or of an image that has been increased in size so that it is larger than the ImageViewer frame.

Size Adjustment

Click once on this button to activate the slider bar. Click and drag the indicator on the bar to adjust the size of the image in the ImageViewer frame. The available range of sizes for any given picture will depend on the scanned sizes of the image being viewed, but in general, images can be reduced to about 10% of their screen size, and increased to about 650% of their screen size. The current size of the image in the frame is always shown in the upper right corner of the viewer frame.

Brightness Adjustment

Click once on this button to activate the slider bar. Click and drag the indicator up to increase the brightness in the image, or down to decrease the brightness. When brightness levels are at their original settings, the slider indicator is positioned at 0%.

Contrast Adjustment

Click once on this button to activate the slider bar. Click and drag the indicator up to increase the contrast in the image, or down to decrease the contrast. When the contrast levels are at their original settings, the slider indicator is positioned at 0%.

Orientation Adjustment

Click once on this button to activate the slider bar. Click and drag the indicator up to rotate the image clockwise in 90-degree increments. When the image is in its original orientation, the slider indicator is positioned at 0 degrees.

Reset

Click this button once to reset the image to its original brightness, contrast, and orientation.

Menus

The menus on the ImageViewer contain the same commands available on the Control Buttons, plus additional commands allowing a user to view information about the image, collect the image to the Object Collector Window and download the image to disk.

File

• Collect Image: opens Collectus and places the current image in the window.
• View Image Info: opens a popup window that shows the metadata associated with the current image.
• Download Image: opens a standard download dialog box to save the image to the user's hard drive, floppy disk, or to a mapped network location.

View

Commands on the View menu change the size and rotation of the image in the ImageViewer frame.
• Double Size: increases the size of the image to 200% of its default screen size.
• Half Size: reduces the size of the image to 50% of its default screen size.
• Fit to Frame: adjusts the height and width of the image to fit the ImageViewer frame.
• Actual Image Size: adjusts the image to its default screen size.
• Increase 10%: increases image size by 10% from its current size.
• Decrease 10%: decreases image size by 10% from its current size.
• Rotate Right: rotates the image clockwise by 90 degrees.
• Rotate Left: rotates the image counterclockwise by 90 degrees.

Adjust

• Commands on the Adjust menu change the brightness and contrast of the image in the ImageViewer frame.
• Brightness +: increases the brightness levels of the image in 6% increments.
• Brightness -: decreases the brightness levels of them image in 6% increments.
• Contrast +: increases the contrast levels of the image in 6% increments.
• Contrast -: decreases the contrast levels of the image in 6% increments.
• Revert: reverts the image back to its default brightness and contrast levels, and to its original orientation.