Interactive Authoring and Display System (IADS) This software is supplied "as is". The usual disclaimers apply regarding the use of the software. Users should also pay special attention to the licensing information on the IADS opening screen. IADS was developed as a Department of Defense (DoD) Continuous Acquisition and Life-cycle Support (CALS) initiative. The purpose of this initiative, as it relates to this project, is to eliminate the mass duplication of paper inherent in the maintenance of DoD weapon systems. It also provides a means to develop a common repository of weapon system data, better known as an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM). IADS was proposed to provide a means of both authoring these manuals and allowing DoD personnel in the field to view the data electronically, eliminating the need for paper manuals. IADS has been chosen as one of the mechanisms to replace the current DoD Technical Manual process - from the authoring of the IETM's to the use of the IETM's in the field. IADS version 1.0 was released in December 1992 with version 1.1 quickly following in February of 1993 and version 1.2 being released in April of 1993. IADS version 1.3 was released in October of 1993. IADS was not only designed with IETM's in mind, but any SGML-tagged electronic document can be read with IADS. This provides the flexibility needed to meet the needs of customers from many different arenas. Specifically, IADS will allow users to o Author electronic documents from paper manuals by using Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). IADS uses SGML-tagged text for all its documents. o Embed graphics in text and go from text to text, text to graphics, graphics to text and graphics to graphics. o Create hyperlinks on graphics using the Viewimage module. These hyperlinks can be programmed to perform a number of actions. The graphics can also be scaled as needed. o Use the Stylesheet module to give the document the desired look and feel. o Invoke the Sgmls public domain parser to validate an authored document against the applicable Document Type Definition (DTD). o Set bookmarks while reviewing a document. o Write multiple public and private notes for each frame. These notes can then be transferred from PC to PC on floppy disk. o Query for information with the search engine, which allows for primary and secondary searches on current frame, current file, or document domain. o Zoom in and out on large graphics to pinpoint and clarify different regions on the drawing, using the Zoomview module. The IADS process improvement benefits include o Cost effective delivery of electronic documents. o Up-to-date and accurate information on demand. o Enhanced productivity and effectiveness of both document authoring personnel and end users. Some critical points to consider about IADS include o IADS is being constantly modified to meet the needs of both the author and user. o IADS is being used throughout the U.S. government, as well as contractors worldwide. * Remember to use the binary option when ftp-ing these files! Documentation ------------- IADS comes with an on-line help system. For details of how to obtain copies of the original disks and/or customer support, contact: Commander US Army MICOM Attn: AMSMI-MMC-BM-A (Susan Pape) Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5238 Phone: 010 +1 205 876-4024 Fax: 010 +1 205 842-6782 Email: spape@redstone-emh1.army.mil (Internet) Current Contents ---------------- NAME SIZE TYPE CONTENTS disk1.zip 1063224 BINARY Zipped version of disk1 of the original distribution for v1.3 disk2.zip 1307652 BINARY Zipped version of disk2 of the original distribution for v1.3 disk3.zip 552617 BINARY Zipped version of disk3 of the original distribution for v1.3 Installing IADS --------------- Get the files onto a suitably configured PC. You will need 10+Mb of free disk space to install IADS plus its accompanying sample files. * Ensure that you always use the binary mode when ftp-ing/copying the disk*.zip files. * When you unzip the files, make sure that you are re-creating the original directory structure (eg. make sure the -d switch is set if you use PKUNZIP to unzip the files). If you don't do this, you'll still end up with a lot of unzipped files, but installation won't work! * The approach most likely to be successful involves the following steps: 1) Create a directory on your hard disk (eg. C:\disk1) 2) Unzip all three of the disk*.zip distribution files into this directory (ensuring that you set any switches to recreate directory structures, eg. -d with pkunzip) 3) Launch Windows, and use File Manager to run the file SETUP.EXE 4) Let the installation software install IADS in the drive C: (as suggested in the dialogue box). 5) You should get a message telling you that the IADS application has been successfully installed and added to Program Manager. 6) In Program Manager, you should see a new group called IADS. It should contain 8 icons labelled: IADS Author, IADS Reader, ViewImage Author, ViewImage Reader, Stylesheet, Link Verifier, Zoomview and Graphic Conversion. 7) If you can't see the new group, check that it isn't hidden behind another group. You could also try re-launching Windows, and/or using the Windows setup options to add the IADS applications by hand. 8) When you start an IADS application, login as "guest" as this requires no password. * If you want to recreate the original distribution disks: 1) Get three blank floppy disks (double sided, high density) 2) Unzip disk1.zip onto floppy disk #1 (pkunzip -d disk1.zip A:). Do the same for disk2.zip and disk3.zip. 3) Cross your fingers. 4) Put the first floppy into your floppy disk drive (eg. A:) 5) Make your hard drive (C:) the current active drive. 6) Type in "win A:\setup" and press the enter key. 7) With luck, this will start Windows, and a dialogue box will appear and tell you the default drive into which IADS will be installed (C:). If Windows doesn't start up, you could always try launching Windows manually, and using File Manager to run A:\SETUP.EXE 8) Click on "Ok", and the installation should begin. When you are prompted to supply the second disk, insert the floppy disk #2 and do the same for disk #3. If all goes well, you should then be able to proceed as from step 5 shown in the other approach to installing IADS (above). To start playing with your new software, startup something like the IADS Author, read the license information, and login as "guest", "demo", or "dtd". (It is possible to set up login/passwords for users to have different default documents loaded at startup. Consult the on-line help for more information).