Instructions for Reading Storyspace Webs or Using the Demo (read-only) Version of Storyspace

After connecting to the Storyspace Cluster server where all the Brown webs are stored, drag those you wish to read to a folder you create on your desktop, floppy, or Zip cartridge. To create such a folder, you will have to go to the the hard drive, create it (go to File), and then drag it to the desktop.

1. The demo version has all the features of Storyspace's author environment except that it will not permit you to (1) print or (2) save changes. For this reason when using the demo version -- which you can do if you take a free copy home to use on your machine -- you cannot save any new settings, such as those created when you change preferences in step 3 below, and you will have to repeat this step each time you use the demo version.

2. To open and start up a Storyspace web, (1) double-click the icon representing it, or open Storyspace and then open the wen from within it by going to the file menu.

3. Once the web opens, go to Preferences and choose the "keep windows open" option if it is not already active.

4. The web may start up with an author-created overview to help you orient yourself. For example, the VICTORIAN WEB starts with "Victorian OV" open, but others, such as HYPERTEXT AND LITERARY THEORY, open with 2-3 overviews. If you do not encounter an overview, find a suitable starting place, such as a lexia entitled "Start Here" or "Title Page," and open it by double clicking upon its title bar. (See what happens when you click on the white space inside the document icon.)

5. Webs are read most easily with several windows open at the same time. This arrangement prevents one from getting lost in a cascade of open documents and windows, since one can always return to overviews that act as transient centers for these materials. Once the overview opens, you are ready to begin exploring.

6. Hold down option and apple keys at the same time to locate linked text. One follows links in either of two ways: (1) While pressing option and apple keys, click upon amy section of outlined text. (2) Click ONCE upon linked words or phrases and then click upon the double-headed arrow in the menu at screen left.

7. Hint: if a box appears with the message "Select a current space," click upon the large area or Storyspace view representing the entire web (a corner of which might apear sticking out from beneath the overview). Click again anywhere in the white area within the box. Everything should now work properly now when you try to follow links.

8. Holding down the apple key + "y" produces the Roadmap, which shows (a) all links coming into the lexia, (b) all leaving, (c) your reading history.

9. You can use the Roadmap to open any of the indicated documents by (a) clicking upon its title, (b) clicking "make active," (c) clicking "open this document."

10. Retracing your steps. Although you can use the Roadmap to retrace your steps, Storyspace offers a much faster way to do so if you have left windows open: Go to "Windows" in the menu bar and picking the title of any lexia indicated there will bring it forward and activate it. .

11. You can search a Storyspace web in three ways.

(a) In the Storyspace view, press apple key + "f" which produces a full list of all spaces (lexias) in the web. Clicking on any brings you to it and highlights its title bar. If you wish to open it, you must double-click upon the title bar.

b) When inside any space or lexia, pressing the apple key + "f" allows you to search for words or phrases in the individual lexia, in a set of them created by a path, or in the entire web.

(c) Choose "Path builder" under the "Features" menu, and when it opens, hold your cursor on "Get" until a menu appears and then choose "Keep." Type the word for which you wish to search in the now darkened area and use your mouse to click on "Apply." The procedure described produces a case-sensitive search. If you wish to search for a word regardless of upper and lower case, before choosing "apply" move your cursor to the menu at upper right and hold down your mouse button until the label changes to "Ignore Up/lower case" and then choose "apply." This search takes between 15 seconds and 3 minutes.