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EHTS
<![CDATA[Date: Tue, 02 Jul 91 14:45:50 SET
From: STING@crnvma.cern.ch
Subject: Hypertext
To: TBL@cernvax.cern.ch, CAILLIAU@crnvma.cern.ch, Pellow@crnvma.cern.ch
I found this lying around somewhere - probably you've already seen it.
Cheers, Mike.
Subject: HyperBase and EHTS software release
Lately I have received a lot of requests for information on HyperBase
and EHTS (Emacs HyperText System) documentation and software.
Therefore, we have decided to release the software.
HyperBase and EHTS software, binaries, and documentation is available
via anonymous ftp from Internet host iesd.auc.dk (130.225.48.4).
Please feel free to pass this on to other interested researchers.
To obtain our electronic offerings:
ftp to iesd.auc.dk
login as anonymous (give name as password)
cd hypertext/
dir
get README
start reading ....
Below is the current README file in hypertext/ ...
Uffe Kock Wiil
Department of Computer Science,
The University of Aalborg, Email: kock@iesd.auc.dk
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7E, Phone: + 45 98 15 42 11 (Ext 5051)
DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark. Fax: + 45 98 15 81 29
======================== "hypertext/README" ==========================
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN HYPERBASE AND EHTS.
HyperBase and EHTS description:
==============================
HyperBase is an active multiuser backend for hypertext systems written
in C++. HyperBase is built on the client-server model enabling
distributed, concurrent, and shared access from workstations in a
local area network.
HyperBase has been designed especially to support collaboration among
its users, by providing an event (notification) mechanism and a fine
grained lock mechanism. HyperBase is experimental: The present version
only provides a simple node and link based data model and very limited
query facilities.
The client library of HyperBase is written in C and C++, but HyperBase
has also been interfaced from elisp and Smalltalk applications.
HyperBase enables us to experiment with multiuser multimachine and
collaboration issues in connection with hypertext.
EHTS (Emacs HyperText System) is such an experimental multiuser
hypertext system consisting of a text editor (based on Epoch and GNU
Emacs and written in elisp) and a graphical browser (based on XView
and written in C) running under X and Open Windows. Both hypertext
tools use our HyperBase as database.
EHTS enables simultaneous sharing of the hypertext network of nodes
and links by providing real-time monitoring and real-time
communication and helping users to deal with access contentions. These
are the main issues we tried to solve with EHTS, but it also provides
"normal" hypertext services (linking portions of documents to each
other, following chains, and the like).
Our experimental systems is developed to run on Sun Sparcstations.
HyperBase and EHTS documentation:
================================
[1] Uffe K. Wiil and Kasper Osterbye, Experiences with HyperBase - a
multi-user back-end for hypertext applications with emphasis on
collaboration support, Technical Report R 90-38, The University of
Aalborg, October 1990.
File: TR-90-38.ps.Z
This is an abbreviated, newer, and more readable version of an
*internal* report:
[0] Uffe K. Wiil et al., Design and Implementation of a HyperBase,
Internal Report IR 90-03, The University of Aalborg, September
1990.
File: IR-90-03.ps.Z
[2] Uffe K. Wiil, Using Events as Support for Data Sharing in
Collaborative Work, In K. Gorling and C. Sattler, editors,
Proceedings of the International Workshop on CSCW, pages 162-177,
Berlin, April 9-11 1991.
Also available as Technical Report R 91-14, The University of
Aalborg, April 1991.
File: TR-91-14.ps.Z
[3] Uffe K. Wiil, Issues in the Design of EHTS: A Multiuser Hypertext
System for Collaboration, Technical Report R 91-24, The University
of Aalborg, June 1991.
File: TR-91-24.ps.Z
The internal HyperBase report [0] describes the design and
implementation of HyperBase in detail, but it is an *internal* report
written by 7 different people. Therefore, the quality of the written
language differs very much. A complex hand drawn figure is missing
(Figure 2.3), which could not be included in the first postscript
version due to lack of time.
The HyperBase paper [1] describes the design, implementation, and
experiences with HyperBase. The experiences are gained from its use in
EHTS and other systems in our department.
The Event paper [2] talks about how the multiuser mechanisms in
HyperBase can be used to support data sharing among multiple
simultaneous working users. Examples from EHTS are given.
The EHTS paper [3] describes four categories of issues from the design
and experiences from the use of EHTS in our department: architecture,
collaboration, user interface, and data model. An appendix on the
functionality of the system (a description of functions) is included.
HyperBase has been changed drastically since the internal report [0]
was written (January 1990). Therefore, there might be some differences
in the description of HyperBase in the technical reports [1], [2], and
[3] and in [0].
I would suggest interested persons to start reading [3] which gives a
general view of the whole system making it possible to skip sections
in [1] and [2]. If you only intend to try EHTS (and HyperBase), you
should read [3] and maybe [2] and [1] only. If you intend to use the
HyperBase software for other purposes, you should read [0] also.
HyperBase and EHTS software:
===========================
EHTS software:
EHTS/Browser: EHTS graphical browser.
(C source code, makefile, browser)
(browser layout file)
EHTS/Editor: EHTS editor.
(elisp source code, loadfile)
File: ehts.tar.Z contains all EHTS software.
HyperBase software:
HyperBase: HyperBase
(makefile, hbserver, hblib.a)
(HyperBase data, link, and node files)
HyperBase/HB-Client: Simple HyperBase test program.
(C++ source code, makefile, hbclient)
HyperBase/block1: HyperBase block1 source code - C++.
(file system interface)
HyperBase/block2: HyperBase block2 source code - C++.
(operations)
HyperBase/block3: HyperBase block3 source code - C++.
(event + lock)
HyperBase/block4/4a: HyperBase block4a source code - C++.
(networking)
HyperBase/block4/4b: HyperBase block4b source code - C++.
(client library)
HyperBase/config: HyperBase configuration.
(C source code, makefile, hb_config)
(Configuration example: CONFIG-EHTS)
File: hyperbase.tar.Z contains all HyperBase software.
HyperBase and EHTS installation guide:
=====================================
The system (hardware and software) requirements are:
The HyperBase server runs on Sun 4s, but the software can easily
be changed to run on Sun 3s.
EHTS runs under both OpenWindows and X (X11R4) - best with open
look window manager (olwm), but also with other window managers
(twm,gwm).
The EHTS editor runs under GNU Emacs version 18.55.8 and Epoch
version 3.2 in our network of Sun Sparcstations.
The EHTS browser needs XView version 1 to run.
We use SunOS release 4.1.1, but the system also runs on SunOS
release 4.1.
HyperBase should run as a background process. Start with:
./hbserver &
Option -h (./hbserver -h) shows the possible options when starting a
HyperBase server and signals to send to a running HyperBase server.
The server creates three files:
datablocks.hb storing the data fields of the nodes.
datanodes.hb storing the nodes.
linknodes.hb storing the links.
in the directory where it is started. Remember to start same place
next time to use the same files (or move the files). Three sample
files with online documentation (from [3]) are included in
"HyperBase/".
The EHTS editor is started (in our system) with the command:
epoch -l emacsepoch -f ehts &
You are asked for the name of the machine where the HyperBase server
is running. But, you can also set a variable in "EHTS.el" (line 60):
(setq ehts-on-machine "]]>
")
if you decide always to have the HyperBase server running on a
specific machine, like we have.
To get the editor running you should change the definition of the two
alists in "EHTS.el" (line 47 and line 52):
"ehts-user-alist" and "ehts-user-message-alist"
These lists should contain the user names (login names) of the persons
using the system.
You should also change the two load paths in the "emacsepoch" file in
line 60 and line 87. Line 60 should load the file "mouse.el" from the
epoch library at your system and line 87 should load "EHTS.el".
The EHTS browser is started with the command:
./browser -h &
We use an alias (alias browser "..path../browser -h turquoise"), as
our HyperBase server always runs on the same machine (turquoise).
If you normally use a later version of XView (than version 1) at your
site (like we do) then your ".cshrc" file or ".login" file (or ...)
should contain a path to XView version 1 as shown in the following
example from our system:
setenv LD_LIBRARY_PATH $LD_LIBRARY_PATH":/home/local/sys/X11/lib/XView1"
Ask your system manager where XView1 is located in your system.
When you save the layout in the browser the file named ".ehts-browser"
in your home directory is updated. A sample layout file is included in
"EHTS/Browser/" named "ehts-browser" - remember to rename (to
".ehts-browser") and place in your home directory. The layout file
stores a specific layout of the nodes and links in the three sample
HyperBase files with online documentation. Note that you should always
have a file named ".ehts-browser" in your home directory, when EHTS
browser is started. The first line in this file specifies the size of
the canvas in the browser.
These are to my best knowledge the things you should know to install
the system, but there might be other system dependent things that
could cause (minor) problems in getting the system running at your
site.
Please let me know of such problems (and how you solved them) and it
will be included in the next version of the installation guide.
Changing HyperBase and EHTS software:
====================================
If you decide to change the software, it will be 100% at your own
risk...! There are very few comments in the source code...!
The system is fairly stable as it is now, but a group of graduate
students in our lab have extended HyperBase with version control on
nodes and they ran into serious problems before the extended HyperBase
again was reasonable stable. But, it is possible...!
It is much easier to experiment with the EHTS source code, because it
is written in elisp and uses a stable version of HyperBase.
The binaries located in "HyperBase/" are compiled with GNU g++ version
1.36. Minor changes should be made to use the latest GNU g++ version
(1.39 ??).
Note that all makefiles use system dependent load paths ...!
Please share your experiences with the use of the system with me
(Email: kock@iesd.auc.dk), and please tell me in which way you plan to
extend the system...if you do. I will keep descriptions of ongoing
extensions in the directory "extensions", so that two persons do not
make the same changes...what a waste of good work...!
(Do not expect me to answer questions about the source code or any
problems you might have changing the software!)
Good luck,
Uffe Kock Wiil
Department of Computer Science,
The University of Aalborg, Email: kock@iesd.auc.dk
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7E, Phone: + 45 98 15 42 11 (Ext 5051)
DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark. Fax: + 45 98 15 81 29
===================== END of "hypertext/README" ======================
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