Smith College Technology And Resource Adviser

FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT INTERNET NATIVE BANNER & BANNER8

Which browsers can I use to access Banner INB?

You can use Mozilla Firefox 3.6.x or lower or Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8.

Note that IE 7 & 8 users must install the new Java Plug-in (JPI), as explained in question 4 below.

Firefox 4.x and Internet Explorer 9 are not currently compatible with Banner INB.

Click on the links below for answers to other frequently-asked questions (FAQs) about Internet Native Banner ( INB) and Banner8. For more information, call the User Support Center at x4487.

What is INB?

Why INB?

How do I log on to INB?

How do I download and install the Java Plug-in (JPI)

How do I create a desktop shortcut to launch INB? RECOMMENDED

What are the operational differences between INB and the Banner client/server implementation?

How can I avoid losing my INB session when I click on another web link inside of email?

What about Macintosh computers?

What are the optimal desktop display settings for Internet Native Banner?

Are there any known technical issues?

How can I ensure optimal INB performance?

Banner 8

Can I change my screen setup so I don’t have to scroll in Banner8 forms?
Can I change the color scheme in Banner to something I like better?
Can I run Banner8 on a Macintosh?
What should I do if Banner Forms are freezing, hanging, or I'm getting a white screen?
Can I run GLRLETR from Banner 8 INB and save the output directly to my P: or C: drive, without using SSH file transfer?

Question 1. What is INB?

Internet Native Banner allows users to run Banner online from within a supported web browser. After the user specifies the appropriate URL within the browser, a java applet loads and then launches Banner forms.

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Question 2. Why INB?

The traditional non-browser implementation of Banner will be phased out because Oracle and SCT are de-supporting the older "client/server" technology. Web-based INB offers an easy to deploy alternative.

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Question 3. How do I log on to INB?

First-Time Users: Before you can log on to Banner INB for the first time, you must first install the Internet Explorer 8 Blocker program and the Java Plug-in (JPI).

If you already installed the IE 8 Blocker and Java Plug-in (JPI), skip ahead to step 10. Otherwise, follow all the steps below:

Go to the Smith software download site and log in using your Novell username and password.

If you haven't installed the Internet Explorer 8 Blocker on your computer, install it now. IE 8 is incompatible with Banner INB, and installing the blocker ensures that IE 8 will not be automatically installed on your computer during a routine Windows update.

The IE8 Blocker is located in the Web Browsers section of the page.
Next, go to the Banner INB section of the page, click on the JPI link.

Internet Explorer users: Click Run, then Run again.

Firefox users: Click Save File and save the file to your desktop. Locate the saved file and double-click on it to launch the installer.
If you see a message saying the software is already installed - would you like to reinstall, click No. You're all set - skip to step 10, below.
At the Java Setup Welcome screen, click Accept and wait for the installation to complete.
You will a screen that says "You have successfully installed Java." Click Finish.
Important: After installing JPI, go to Start/ Settings/ Control Panel and double-click on the Java icon.

Click on the Update tab and uncheck Check for Updates Automatically.
In the next window, click Never Check, then OK.
Congratulations! You're now ready to use Banner 8. Go to the INB shortcut to launch Banner. If you see this screen, put a check beside "Always trust content from this publisher" and click Run. You should see the Banner login screen in a few seconds.
Proceed with step 10, below.
Open a Mozilla Firefox 3.6.x or Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8 window and go to the following URL: https://banner.smith.edu:9999/

Note: Google Chrome, Firefox 3.7 or higher, and Internet Explorer 9 or higher are all currently incompatible with Banner INB. You can download appropriate versions of Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer from the Smith software download site.
The Smith College Internet Native Banner window will open. Choose your computing platform from the Select Machine Platform drop-down menu, then click Submit.

Important: You must leave this window open for the duration of your Banner session. You can minimize it to your desktop, but you cannot close it or use it to go to another website, including a second Banner session, without losing your connection.

An Oracle Developer Forms Runtime window will open, with the Banner login box on top. Log in as usual. From this point, there are only a few minor differences between regular Banner and Banner INB (see question 6).

To log off Banner INB, click on the Exit link in the upper left corner of the window, then close the initial browser window.

Questions 4. How do I download and install the Java Plug-in (JPI)?
(These instructions are duplicated in question 3, above.)

First-time users only: Before you can log on to Banner INB, you must first install the Java Plug-in (JPI). Here's how:

Go to the Smith software download site and log in using your Novell username and password.
Scroll down to the Banner INB category and click on the JPI link.
Save, then double click the file. The InstallShield Self-extracting.exe window will appear next. Click Yes to start the install process.
The Setup window will appear, then the Welcome window. Click Next.
In the Choose Destination Location window, click Next.
After a series of setup windows, the Installation Complete box will appear when installation is complete.
The Developer Server and Oracle JInitiator windows will appear and start loading the Java applet which will log you into Banner. Return to question 3 for further information.

Question 5. How do I create a desktop shortcut to launch INB? RECOMMENDED

Right-click anywhere on your computer desktop, and select New, then Shortcut from the pop-up menu.
If IE is your default browser (if you don't know, you can assume you do), type the following one-line statement into the command line box, including all quote marks.
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE" "https://banner.smith.edu:9999/"

NOTE: Both parts of the statement must be on the same line, with one blank space between the quote marks after IEXPLORE.EXE and the quote mark before https:
If you do not have IE installed in the default location, you will need to browse for the IEXPLORE.EXE file or change your default browser to IE. For instructions, click here.
Select a name for your shortcut (e.g., INB Banner) and press the FINISH button.

Question 6. What are the operational differences between INB and Banner Client/Server implementation?

The Options Menu, which used to be in a frame on the left side of the window, is gone. The Options Menu is still available when you click on Options at the top of the window.
The vertical toolbar on the left of the window no longer displays.
Print screens do not show time and date.
Form backgrounds are grey rather than white.

Question 7. Is there a way to avoid losing my INB session when I click on another web link inside email?

You will need to set an option in your IE browser configuration so that any new web link will be created in a new IE browser window. To do this:

Go to the horizontal menu at the top of your IE browser and select Tools, then Internet Options.
Click on the Advanced tab and go to the Browsing section.
Make sure the "Reuse windows for launching shortcuts" statement is unchecked, and click Apply.

Question 8. What about Macintosh computers?

You can use Internet Native Banner on a Macintosh if you are running OS 10.3 or higher, and using Internet Explorer version 5.2 or higher, or Safari 1.2.4 or higher.

To access Internet Native Banner from a Macintosh:

Go to: https://banner.smith.edu:9999/
Select Banner 8 Macintosh from the drop-down menu.
Click the Submit button.

Question 9. What are the optimal desktop display settings for Internet Native Banner?

The optimal setting for each computer depends on monitor size and user preferences. The following example explains how to set your Resolution to 800 x 600 and your Font setting to Small font.

Right-click anywhere on your desktop and select Properties from the pop-up menu.
In the Display Properties window, click on the Settings tab.
To change the resolution, drag the slider in the "Screen area" box until it shows 800 x 600 pixels. Click Apply.
To change your font setting, click on the Advanced button. The Display Font size control box will appear.
Click on the down arrow and choose Small Fonts (Normal 96 DPI).
Click Apply, then OK.
When the Display Properties box appears again, click OK.

Question 10. Are there any known technical issues?

See Question 6 for a list of differences in INB.

Print screen problem - blank pages: Try this temporary workaround.

Click in the INB window to make it the active window.
Press the Alt and Print Screen keys simultaneously to put a copy of the window contents into your system clipboard.
Open a new MS-Word or Paint window and select Edit / Paste.
Print the document from within that application.

Print screen problem - fuzzy printouts:

Adjust your printer setting by clicking Start, then Settings, then Printers.
Right-click on your printer's icon and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
Click on the Graphics tab and be sure that Dithering is set to none.

Computer freeze/crash: Avoid opening too many windows.

INB is slow: Close other applications, especially BAR/Access applications.

Question 11. How can I ensure optimal INB performance?

Always close all inactive/unused windows.
Do not execute BAR/Access queries and simultaneous INB sessions.
Be aware of your computer's capacity and scale down open applications accordingly.
To determine the amount of RAM on your computer, click Start, then Settings, then Control Panel, then System. Click on the General tab to view the amount of RAM available on your machine.

Question 12. Can I change my screen setup so I don’t have to scroll in Banner8 forms? I want them to fit on one screen.

Right-click anywhere on your desktop and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
In the Display Properties window, click on the Settings tab and make a note of the screen resolution (e.g., 1280 by 1024 pixels).
Click on the Advanced button and make a note of the DPI (dots per inch) setting (e.g., 96 DPI).
Try different combinations of screen resolution and DPI until you find one that make Banner forms legible while minimizing or eliminating the need for scrolling:
1. One choice is to set the DPI to 96, and the screen
  resolution to 1024 by 768 or higher.
2. Another choice is to set the DPI to 120, and the screen
  resolution to 1280 by 1024 or higher.
3. Other combinations, with custom DPI settings between 96 and 120 and corresponding changes to screen resolution, may also produce acceptable results. To specify a custom setting, click on the Advanced button, then choose Custom settings... from the drop-down menu.

NOTE: Changing your screen resolution and/or DPI to accommodate Banner forms will affect the size of everything on your display. As a general rule, the lower the numbers for screen resolution and DPI, the larger the images and characters on your screen will appear. This makes everything on the display easier to read, but also increases the likelihood that you will need to scroll within Banner forms.

Question 13. Can I change the color scheme in Banner to something I like better?

Go to the GUAUPRF form in Banner. The User Interface Color Settings section allows you to change colors for all sorts of things, such as the canvas (background), code/description prompts, scroll bar, etc.
Select the item with a color you wish to change, click on the User Value drop-down menu, and select a color from the color palette.
When you’ve looked at the color in the preview pane and are satisfied with your choice, click OK. This will change the User Value line to the color you selected.
To apply this color change to all of Banner, click on the Save button for the form. This will immediately apply your color choice to the current screen, and your color setting will be retained when you exit and log back into Banner.

Question 14. Can I run Banner 8 on a Macintosh?

Yes, if you are running OS 10.3 or higher, and using either Internet Explorer version 5.2 or Safari 1.2.4. To access Internet Native Banner from a Macintosh:

Go to: https://banner.smith.edu:9999/
Select Banner 8 Macintosh from the drop-down menu.
Click the Submit button.

Question 15. What should I do if Banner Forms are freezing, hanging, or I'm getting a white screen?

If you experience these problems, try clearing out the the Java cache as follows:

Go to Start, Settings, Control Panel.
Double click on Java icon. The Java Control Panel will open.
On the General tab, click the About button. Make sure you are using Java version 6 update 11. If you have a different version please refer to “Banner 8 first time user set up instructions”. Go to Add/Remove program to uninstall your current version before installing version 6 update 11, call the USC if you need help..
Close the About box..
While still on the General tab of the Java Control Panel, click the Settings button under Temporary Internet Files.
Click the Delete Files button. Then click OK on the confirmation box.

Question 16. Can I run GLRLETR from Banner 8 INB and save the output directly to my P: or C: drive, without using SSH file transfer?

When you run GLRLETR, in the final step to get the data file, write database in the Printer field in the Printer Control box.
After submitting and saving your parameters, go to the top menu bar, click on Options, and select Review Output.
If the job has not finished, you'll see the message: *ERROR* There is no saved output... You can click the rollback button (it's under the word Edit in the top menu bar).
When the job is done, the window will display the names of the output files: the glrletr_nnnnn.doc file, the lis file, and the log file.
Double-click on the doc file. It will open in the same window.
Go to the top menu bar and select Save, then press the OK button to open in a new window.
Click on File in the top menu bar, select Save As, and save it in the folder where you would usually save the data files.

You can also give it a more meaningful name so it will be easy to find, something like '2009-02-19 Ret INC Data'.
You can do the same thing with the 'lis' file, which is the file with the names of everyone who got data extracted for the letter.
Finally, try to merge your letter with the file.