[WEB4LIB] Gale database access

[Andrew I. Mutch]

Karen,

This is the question I hear about most frequently [maybe I need a FAQ?].
My answer is to get simple.  Instead of entering all of the domain names
associated with database, find the common "base" domain used by all. For
example, use:

galegroup.com, gale.com

instead of

infotrac.galegroup.com, galenet.gale.com

Theoretically, this allows access to ALL of the sites at gale but the
would-be Internet surfers aren't going to go wild there. 
:)

I have these setup at work using Navigator 4.08 but it should work fine
with IE 5.  If that doesn't do the trick, let me know.

RE: remote access - we have remote access to the Infotrac sites and it
uses a ridiculously simple ID method.  We hide ours in a script but I've
seen sites that just link with the URL.  The hard part is getting the info
from Infotrac[Gale].  Apparently, they don't seem to mind the easy access.
They do have the RPAS method but it is definitely another whole level of
complication.

Andrew "Mutchomatic" Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library 
Waterford, MI


On Sat, 26 Feb 2000, Karen G. Schneider wrote:

> If you have enabled proxy access to the following databases, I could use
> your assistance in setting up our database-only web machines.  I have
> (easily, quickly, successfully)  enabled access to the other databases we're
> subscribed to, but despite having a list of ip addresses from the Gale tech
> folks, I'm getting error messages when we get past the entry page at
> infotrac.galegroup.com .  Incidentally, in my search for guidance, I found a
> great website for the Galenet URLs: http://galenet.gale.com/contact/faq.html
> .. just couldn't find anything for the non-Galenet databases we had
> licensed, to wit:
> 
> Business and Company ASAP
> General Reference Center Gold
> Academic ASAP
> Acxiom InfoBase Phone Directory
> 
> We aren't running a "real" proxy yet (I've installed, and uninstalled,
> several proxy servers, including Winproxy and MS Proxy, and just am not
> quite there yet on the purchase decision or the implementation...); to test
> the setup, we're running through what I think of the Mutchomatic, a routine
> for exploiting the browser's proxy setup, at
> http://tln.lib.mi.us/~nort/tech/lockin.htm  which worked (easily, quickly,
> perfectly) with the other databases, for which I simply plugged in the URLs
> and in a couple of cases a second hostname that is obviously where they keep
> their content.
> 
> The casual kludge we're using creates another problem, because the Gale
> vendor gave me a LONG list of ip addresses--I had to jettison the other
> addresses for now.  (So hey, about that proxy server... notice how the tail
> starts to wag the dog...) But even with the LONG list of ip addresses
> hogging the exception field in the IE5 proxy setup, I couldn't get into
> *any* of our Gale databases, making me wonder if I was hitting yet another
> server en route that wasn't in the list.  With the Mutchomatic disabled, we
> get in just fine.  I didn't feel I should publish the ip list to Web4Lib,
> but if you are interested I'll email it to you.  (Yes, I know I just gave
> you info on the Galenet URLs, but I found them on the web...)
> 
> I don't *think* any of this should matter, but we're running IE5.01 on NT 4
> workstation, with runapp to call IE as the windows desktop, and a variety of
> lock-downs through the policy editor, including an .adm file specifically
> for the proxy server, which is where I am entering the exceptions.
> Again--works fine for the other databases.
> 
> I have been struggling full-tilt to deploy our database-only machines before
> Monday night's library board meeting (replacing three dumb terminals, I'm
> ashamed to admit are still there), but I'm starting to think I ain't gonna
> make it.  (Parenthetically-but-relevantly: have you had difficulty, as we
> have, enabling remote access to Gale databases?)
> 
> Karen G. Schneider kgs at bluehighways.com
> Assistant Director of Technology & Customer with a Long Memory
> Shenendehowa Public Library, Clifton Park, NY
> http://www.shenpublib.org
>