Accessing the Project Files

For New Hope (the illustration example shown here), and a number of others implementing the EthnoNotes system, project files reside on a web server and, as such, the user must access them via an Internet connection.  Note that this is not a necessary aspect of the EthnoNotes system as project files are equally functional on a microcomputer or web server.  Yet, as perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the system’s capability, when residing on a web server the files can be dynamically shared by large numbers of project personnel.  As such, project files are hosted by a server version of the FM Pro software and require the user to establish their connection through a microcomputer version of FM Pro.  The following description of steps for file access is provided for informational purposes.  In practical usage, all project users are provided with a ‘system access’ file that contains a script automating the steps described below.  With such a file, the user simply double clicks the ‘system access’ file icon and then only need provide their password to open and enter the project file system.

To locate and open server based files, the user must establish an internet connection, start their microcomputer version of FM Pro, and select the ‘Hosts’ option in the Open New or Existing File window (see Figure 1).

Clicking the ‘Hosts’ button directs FM Pro to files that reside outside the user’s microcomputer.  In situations where project files reside on a single microcomputer, the user would navigate to the relevant files on their system.  Once the ‘Hosts’ button is clicked the user is presented with the ‘Hosts’ window and would need to manually enter an appropriate URL or IP address, using the ‘Specify host…’ option, or choose from those that, as in the example below, had been previously entered and saved for later use (see Figure 2a).  Once the URL has been clicked, ‘www.mrrc.npi.ucla.edu’ in this example, FM Pro identifies and displays all FM Pro files available at the specified location (see Figure 2b).

Once the user double-clicks on the ‘a.New Hope (CLICK HERE TO START)’ filename, or highlights the filename and clicks the ‘Open’ button, the project system home window is presented (see Figure 3).  The welcome screen shown above serves as the system’s ‘Home’ and the starting point from which the user can carry out any task within the system.  By using the buttons on this layout, the user is guided through the steps of each task by scripts virtually eliminating the need for most users to learn the FM Pro software and increasing the reliability and efficiency with which tasks are carried out.  In the example presented here, the user can click any of the task buttons to initiate data entry, search, preview search results, or print search results for either of two aspects of the New Hope project: field visit data or ecocultural family interview (EFI) data.  The nature of the data within any project determine the tasks users will wish to conduct and the format of this and many other layouts within the system are customized to meet specific project needs.