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AIX Version 4.3 Installation Guide

Chapter 7. Installing and Configuring the Documentation Search Service and Installing AIX Documentation

This chapter provides information about installing and configuring the documentation search service, as well as installing the documentation server and client. Also included are the steps you need to perform to install the online AIX documentation, which is contained on the AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation CD and the AIX Version 4.3 Extended Documentation CD.

This chapter includes:

Introduction

With the documentation search service, users can search registered HTML documents using a search form that appears in the web browser. When users type words into the search form, the service searches for those words, and then presents a search results page containing links that lead to the documents containing the target words.

If the documentation search service is not already installed and configured on your computer, it is highly recommended that it be installed and configured now, since it is the search engine for the AIX documentation and the Web-based System Manager application. It is also used by some applications as the search function for their online documentation.

The AIX global search form allows users to search all documents that are registered on a computer. Users can access the global search form by typing docsearch on the command line or by clicking the search service icon in the CDE Desktop Help subpanel. Search forms that search only a subset of the registered documents may also be launched from "Search" links inside the document pages of applications such as Web-based System Manager.

The documentation search service is an optionally installable component of AIX. If you ordered a preinstalled system from the factory, the search service may have already been installed and configured at the factory.

Testing the Search Service

If you are not sure if the search service is installed and configured, you should try the following test, which requires that you be running in the X-Windows System or the CDE Desktop:

At the command line, type: docsearch . You will see one of three results:

Installation of Server and Client

A computer can be set up as either a documentation server or as a documentation client system. When users on a client computer request a search form or an HTML document, the request is sent to the web server on a documentation server which then sends back the requested object. When searches are performed, they are done on the server computer and the results are then sent back to the user on the client computer.

A documentation server computer has the following software installed:

A client computer needs only the documentation search service client software and a web browser installed.

If you have a standalone computer, both the server and client software are installed on the same standalone computer. Instead of going to a remote computer, requests from users on the standalone computer go to the web server software on their own computer. A documentation server on a network can also be made standalone in the sense that you can configure its web server software to accept only requests from users logged on to the documentation server computer.

The following sections describe the procedures for Installing the Server and Installing the Client.

Installing the Server

Use this procedure if you want to set up a computer to be a documentation server, where you will install your online documentation. A server can be a networked computer that serves remote clients, or it can be a standalone computer that serves only its own users.

To create a documentation search server, the following steps are completed in this sequence. Be sure to follow the instructions under each step:

  1. Install the web server software
  2. Configure and start your web server software
  3. Install the documentation search service
  4. Configure the documentation search service
  5. Install or register your documentation
  6. Complete the server installation

Install the Web Server Software

If the following software is not already installed on your system, install it now. If you are not sure what is already installed, type: smit list_installed .

Configure and Start your Web Server Software

Consult the documentation that came with your web server software to configure and start your web server software. Make note of and keep handy the full path names of the web server directories where the server starts looking for HTML documents and CGI programs, unless you are using the Lotus Domino Go webserver and you installed it in its default location. In addition, some web servers may not automatically create these directories. If not, you must create them before you continue.

You must also configure your web server software to allow access from the users and remote computers that will be using this computer as their documentation search server.

Install the Documentation Search Service

If the documentation search service is not already installed on your system, install it now. If you are not sure what is already installed, type: smit list_installed .

The AIX documentation search service (bos.docsearch) is contained on Volume 2 of the AIX Version 4.3 CD-ROM. This package must be installed after you have installed and configured your web server.

Notes:
  1. Install all parts of the package, except that if you do not use the CDE Desktop, you do not have to install the Docsearch Client - CDE Desktop Icons and Actions fileset.
  2. If you are installing the documentation search service on a system that has a previous version of the search service installed, the installation process may fail saying that it cannot install the IMN search package. If this happens, unselect the documentation search service for installation and then manually select just the IMN search package and install it. After that install completes, try again to install the Documentation Search Service package.

Configure the Documentation Search Service

You can configure the documentation search service by using either of the AIX system management tools, Web-based System Manager or SMIT.

Using Web-based System Manager:

  1. Change to root user. On a command line, type the fast path: wsm system to display the Web-based System Manager System container.
  2. Double-click the Internet Environment icon to open it. The Default Browser page of the properties notebook displays.
  3. In the Browser command field, type the command that launches the browser that you want to set as the default browser for all users on this computer. Include any flags that are required when a URL is included in the command. For example, if you would type the following on a command line: wonderbrowser -u http://www.ibm.com to open your wonderbrowser with the www.ibm.com page open inside, you would type the following into the field:
    wonderbrowser -u
    Many browsers (for example, Netscape) do not require a flag.
  4. Click OK to return to the System container.
  5. Double-click the Internet Environment icon to reopen it. The Default Browser page of the properties notebook displays.
  6. Select the Documentation Server tab. The Documentation Server page displays.
  7. Select the Local server radio button.
  8. Under the heading Location of documents and CGI programs on local server, select the web server software you installed on this computer. If the name of your web server software is not listed, select Other.
    Note: If you have installed Lotus Domino Go Webserver or Internet Connection Server in a nondefault location on your system or you set up the servers to use nonstandard locations for their CGI-bin or HTML directories, you must select Other.
  9. If you selected Other, type in the full path names of the CGI directory and the Documents directory. If you selected one of the default web server packages, skip to the next step.
  10. In the Server port field, type in the port number that the web server software is using. The most commonly used port number is 80. Click OK.
  11. Your documentation server is configured, and the configuration for the new web server software is now complete. Any users who were logged in when configuration was done must log out, and then log back in to activate the search service.

Go to "Where Do I Go Next?" for information on continuing your AIX installation tasks.

Using SMIT:

  1. Change to root user. On a command line, type the fast path: smit web_configure to open the web configuration screen.
  2. Select Change/Show Default Browser. Type into the field the command that launches the browser that you want to be the default browser for all users on this computer. Include any flags that are required when a URL is included in the command. For example, if you would type the following on a command line: wonderbrowser -u http://www.ibm.com to open your wonderbrowser with the www.ibm.com page open inside, you would type the following into the field:
    wonderbrowser -u
    Many browsers (for example, Netscape) do not require a flag.
  3. Return to the web configuration main menu. Select Change Documentation and Search Server.
  4. On the "Documentation and Search Server LOCATION" screen, click List and select "local - this computer" for server location. Press OK.
  5. On the "Web Server SOFTWARE" screen, click List. Select the web server software you are using.
    Note: If you have installed Lotus Domino Go Webserver or Internet Connection Server in a nondefault location on your system or you set up the servers to use nonstandard locations for their CGI-bin or HTML directories, you must select Other. Press OK.
  6. When the next screen appears, type in the full path names of the two directories. If you selected one of the two default servers, the path names should already be displayed. If you set up your web server to use some port other than the standard port 80, type in the port number. Press OK. SMIT then configures your system. When it is completed, you should see a "Documentation server configuration completed!" message at the bottom of the results panel.
  7. You can now close SMIT. The documentation search service installation and configuration is now complete. Any users who were logged in when configuration was done must log out and then log back in to activate the search service.

Install or Register your Documentation

Before any document can be searched using the documentation search service, it must have an index created, and the index must be registered with the search service.

Some applications ship prebuilt document indexes inside their install package. When the application is installed, the indexes are automatically registered. The AIX Version 4.3 documentation and the Web-based System Manager application both ship prebuilt indexes for their documents.

You can also create indexes for your own HTML documents and register them with the search engine so that they can be searched online. For further information on how to create indexes, see "AIX Documentation Search Service" in AIX Version 4.3 General Programming Concepts: Writing and Debugging Programs.

Complete the Server Installation

The installation of the documentation search service is complete. Go to "Where Do I Go Next?" for information on continuing your AIX installation tasks.

Installing the Client

Use this procedure if you want to set up a computer to be a client of a remote documentation search server computer. When users on this computer want to search online documentation, the request is sent to a remote documentation search server, where the search is conducted and the results then sent back to a web browser on this client computer.

To create a search client, complete the following steps.

Install the Client Software

If the following software is not already installed on your client system, install it now. If you are not sure what is already installed, type: smit list_installed .

Configure the Documentation Search Service

You can configure the documentation search service by using either of the AIX system management tools, Web-based System Manager or SMIT.

Using Web-based System Manager:

  1. On the client computer, change to root user. On a command line, type the fast path: wsm system to display the Web-based System Manager System container.
  2. Double-click on Internet Environment icon to open it. The Default Browser page of the properties notebook displays.
  3. In the Browser command field, type the command that launches the browser that you want to set as the default browser for all users on this computer. Include any flags that are required when a URL is included in the command. For example, if you would type the following on a command line: wonderbrowser -u http://www.ibm.com to open your wonderbrowser with the www.ibm.com page open inside, you would type the following into the field:
    wonderbrowser -u
    Many browsers (for example, Netscape) do not require a flag.
  4. Click OK to return to the System container.
  5. Double-click the Internet Environment icon to reopen it. The Default Browser page of the properties notebook displays.
  6. Select the Documentation Server tab. The Documentation Server page displays.
  7. Select the Remote server radio button.
  8. Under the Remote server button, type into the Computer name field the name of the documentation server computer. This is the server computer that contains the documents that you want this client computer to be able to search.
  9. In the Server port field, type in the port number the web server software is using. The most commonly used port is 80.
  10. Click OK to complete the configuration. Close the Web-based System Manager application.
  11. Your client computer is configured, the documentation search service is installed, and the configuration for the new web server software is now complete. Any users who were logged in when configuration was done must log out, and then log back in to activate the search service.

Installation of the documentation search service is complete. Go to "Where Do I Go Next?" for information on continuing your AIX installation tasks.

Using SMIT:

  1. On the client computer, change to root user. On a command line, type the fast path: smit web_configure to open the web configuration screen.
  2. Select Change/Show Default Browser. Type into the field the command that launches the browser that you want to be the default browser for all users on this computer. Include any flags that are required when a URL is included in the command. For example, if you would type the following on a command line: wonderbrowser -u http://www.ibm.com to open your wonderbrowser with the www.ibm.com page open inside, you would type the following into the field:
    wonderbrowser -u
    Many browsers (for example, Netscape) do not require a flag.
  3. Return to the web configuration main menu. Select Change Documentation and Search Server.
  4. On the "Documentation Search Server LOCATION" screen, click List and select "Remote computer" for server location. Press OK.
  5. When the next screen appears, type into the NAME of remote documentation server field the name of the remote documentation search server computer that you want this client computer to send its search requests to. You can type in a name or an IP address. If the web server on the remote server is set to use some port other than the standard port 80, type in the port number. Press OK to configure your client system. When it is done, you should see a "Documentation server configuration completed!" message at the bottom of the results panel.
  6. The documentation search functions on this client computer should now be ready to use. Any users logged on this client computer before configuration finished must log off and then log back in to use the search functions.

Go to "Where Do I Go Next?" for information on continuing your AIX installation tasks.

Installing the AIX Documentation

The AIX Version 4.3 documentation is contained on two compact discs:

Note: The AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation CD and the AIX Version 4.3 Extended Documentation CD can be either installed or mounted. If you mount the CD, the entire CD is mounted. You cannot install part of the CD and mount the remainder.

These compact discs contain AIX and related products documentation designed for use with an HTML 3.2 web browser, such as the Netscape browser that is shipped with the AIX Version 4.3 Bonus Pack. The discs require a CD-ROM drive.

Determine whether you will install the documentation from the documentation CDs or access the documentation through mounted documentation CDs. For more detailed instructions on using the CD-ROM drive, see either the operator guide that came with your system or the operator guide that came with your CD-ROM drive.

Installing Documentation from the AIX Documentation CDs

You can install all of the AIX documentation from the AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation CD and the AIX Version 4.3 Extended Documentation CD or you can selectively install pieces of the documentation. Some documentation may have previously been installed with the operating system or other licensed products. Run the lslpp command to find out which packages and filesets are already installed on your system.

The installation application you use, either Web-based System Manager or SMIT, will create a temporary mount point for the CD.

For information on how to install the documentation, see "Installing Optional Software and Service Updates".

Mounting a Documentation CD

The first time you access the documentation from your CD, you must:

Note: You must have root user authority or be a member of the system group to perform these tasks.

Create a CD File System

These steps describe how to create a file system where you can mount your CD:

  1. Insert the CD in the drive, following the instructions in your operator guide, and run the following SMIT command: smit crcdrfs .
  2. On the Add a CD-ROM File System screen, list all available devices.
  3. Highlight the CD-ROM device you plan to use and press Enter.
  4. Highlight the MOUNT POINT entry field.
  5. If you are creating a file system for the AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation CD, type the following, but do not press Enter until you get to Step 7:
      /infocd

    If you are creating a file system for the AIX Version 4.3 Extended Documentation CD, type the following, but do not press Enter until you get to Step 7:

      /exinfocd
  6. Highlight the Mount AUTOMATICALLY at system restart? field. You have two choices:
    1. Yes - Mount the documentation CD every time you start the system.
    2. No - Mount manually when you need the documentation CD.
  7. When you have finished making all changes to all the entry fields, press Enter and exit SMIT.

Mount the CD File System

These steps describe how to mount your CD to the file system you just created:

  1. At the system prompt, enter the following smit command: smit mountfs . The Mount a File System screen appears, highlighting the FILESYSTEM name field.

    Note: Select yes to mount the CD as READ-ONLY.

  2. List file system names and select a line similar to the following:
      /dev/cdx /infocd cdrfs
    where x is the number of your CD-ROM drive.
  3. Press Enter, and when the Command: status field changes to OK, exit SMIT.
Note: If the CD is ejected from the system while it is still mounted, the connection is broken and you cannot access the information. To remove the CD from the system, run the unlink script and then unmount the file system using the unmount command before ejecting the CD. To access the CD again, you must remount the CD file system, using the mount or smit command.

Run the Link Script

If you are mounting AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation CD, enter the following command to run the link script:

  linkbasecd

If you are mounting AIX Version 4.3 Extended Documentation CD, enter the following command to run the link script:

  linkextcd

You are now ready to access the AIX documentation from the CD. For information on how to view the AIX documentation, go to "Accessing Online Information" in AIX Version 4.3 Quick Beginnings.

Unmounting a Documentation CD

If the CD is mounted, and you want to unmount it, you must first run the unlink script and then unmount the CD:

Where Do I Go Next?

At this point, you may want to do one or more additional tasks before using your system:


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