When the ASM begins, the window running the ASM will minimize as the first search
results window comes up. To return to the ASM just click on it in the Windows 98
Menu Bar.
- (The ASM has been tested with Netscape 4.77 communicator for Linux.)
- Enter your search keyword in the box provided in the bottom frame.
- Go to the Search Options Section: If you want all the searches in one browser window,
uncheck the box. The Default, checked, will open a new window for each site searched.
- In the bottom frame: You may search one site using the drop-down box to select the
search engine to search. When you click "Search This Site Now" button, the site will be
searched immediately. Known to work: Google, Alta Vista.
- This drop-down-box also determines the site where the ASM will begin.
- You can set the ASM to begin at that site without it actually beginning the search. When
you are ready, just turn the ASM ON as follows:
- Using the "Automated Search Machine ON-OFF" drop-down box, you can start the ASM searching
the sites, beginning with the one selected in the above drop-down-box.
- The "Automated Search Machine ON-OFF" drop-down-box has selections to Switch ON and Switch OFF
the Auto Search All feature. When you want to, you can stop it.
- Although the ASM has stopped, your browser will finish loading the page last obtained
by the ASM.
- To search just one site: You can click any radio button to immediately search that site.
Reclicking one already clicked will cause the ASM to search it. You don't have to turn the ASM
ON to search just one site.
- When the ASM is running, you can see where the ASM is searching by looking
at the radio buttons. The one being searched is clicked.
- The drop-down-box with the names of the search engines will also show the one being currently
searched by the ASM.
- When the ASM is running, the ASM will go through the list to the end, and then
stop. If you have stopped the ASM and resumed, it may not stop at the end. You'll have to stop
the ASM when you have enough search results.
- Your results: In the Search Options Section, the default is "Open a New Window Per Search"
The current ASM can open a maximum of 19 windows, any and all can be used as your
active Netscape Window, allowing full surfing into that area.
- If you have unchecked the box, all your results will appear in one window, and you can
use your browser's forward and back buttons to access each page, or use the "GO" drop-down-box.
- If the ASM won't stop searching, Reset the "Automated Search Machine ON-OFF" drop-down-box
to show "Automated Search Machine ON-OFF",
and then click to "-- OFF --" to get the ASM to Stop.
- The Search Options Section will have a time in seconds between each search. You may change
it to a longer time between searches. Default is 20 seconds.
- Known issues: This machine was designed in 1999. Since then, several search sites have
gone out of business, others have changed their input code. Therefore, some of the sites
will not search the search term you enter in the ASM, but will access a search page. Others
may forward you to the new owners of the original search database, and apply your search term
there. The To Do list at rapidweather.com is to bring the ASM up to date. (12-16-01)
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