[DDI-users] Nesstar Software
Simon Musgrave
ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu
Tue, 18 Mar 2003 11:26:26 +0000
Thanks Freddy for you input. Don;t forget that as a CESSDA member you do=20
get direct support anyway and should email nesstar-support@nesstar. In=20
terms of the specifics
1. Yes you de need a good server, but it runs sweetly on my laptop, albeit=
=20
a powerful one. 512 Mb Ram, 1.7Mhz processor.
We we will look at this configuration issue, glad it gets there in the end.
2. Object browser is for the programmers like yourself, we expect most=20
users to go via the publisher. However we will process this bug that you=20
have hit immediately. German should be okay, as we handle many languages.=20
We will get back to you on this.
3. Not sure about this one, we will check.
4. Again we will check into this.
Thanks for the feedback, it is really appreciated and helps to tune the=20
product.
Best
Simon
At 12:11 18/03/2003 +0100, Fredy Kuhn wrote:
>
>(You might receive this message twice. Not sure who is in which list).
>
>Dear Nesstar developers, dear all,
>
>Thank you, Simon, for your information, and thanks to all developers for=20
>this new version v.212 of Nesstar server. Curious, as I am, I purged all=20
>old Nesstar stuff, and installed the new version on an old server with a=20
>new W2K.
>
>
>0. Preliminary remark
>---------------------
>I'd really add good news to this list, because Nesstar has many nice=20
>features now, and a well designed light client. On the other side, why=20
>tell how wonderful it is, if I have troubles? And maybe, the following are=
=20
>peanuts for you. Let's see:
>
>
>1. Installation:
>----------------
>- I need a new server! Be warned - this version needs 500-1000MB RAM. See=
=20
>instructions. My old 2-processor-200-mhz-256mb-ram-machine with fast=20
>disks, running ~ fine with previous Nesstar, is hopelessly overcharged and=
=20
>too weak.
>
>- not really clear at what point installation finishes. The config window=
=20
>does not work as expected: it does not close at the end, shows an error=20
>registering/starting the service, a later 'apply' denies access to nesstar=
=20
>service [is already running]. But at the end, everything's going fine.
>
>
>2. Add my first dataset (without data)
>-----------------------
>I use the object browser, reachable by 'Browse objects' in main page.=20
>After some problems with the DTD's base address, my XML imported=
successfully.
>
>Then I accessed the dataset by the light client. It displays fine until=20
>the first high bit german character should appear. Garbage from this=20
>position. See attachment. My XML contains: encoding=3D"ISO-8859-1", no=20
>conversion of umlaute etc.
>
>After browsing the dataset, it disappeared definitely from the list, the=20
>SIDOS Nesstar server seem to be empty. So I added it again. The program=20
>refused it. I called the 'DeleteAllDatasets' method. Try to add again.=20
>Nesstar server refuses, with the following msg:
>
>-----
>The server encountered an internal error (<error>[DBConnection][add] Error=
=20
>inserting '305_F1993' into 'DatafileEJB': java.sql.SQLException: Invalid=20
>argument value: Duplicate entry '305_F1993' for key 1</error>) that=20
>prevented it from fulfilling this request.
>----
>
>It appears DeleteAllDatasets does not work.
>
>
>3. Browse objects from another machine
>--------------------------------------
>I tried to access the server objects from another machine. It doesn't=20
>work. Clicking any button in the contents frame shows me the famous M$=20
>dialog: "Some files can harm your computer..." open/save/cancel, instead=20
>of EXECUTING the command.
>
>
>4. Publisher 2.0 RC1
>--------------------
>Publishing tab, add servers: Refuses to use this version of Nesstar=20
>server. See attachment.
>
>
>Addresses / Info
>----------------
>System / IE: W2K sp3 / IE6 sp1
>Nesstar server: <http://nesstar.sidos.ch>http://nesstar.sidos.ch
>Dataset to add:=20
><http://www.static.sidos.ch/idc/000305.XML>http://www.static.sidos.ch/idc/0=
00305.XML
>Dataset to add:=20
><http://www.static.sidos.ch/idc/000247.XML>http://www.static.sidos.ch/idc/0=
00247.XML
>DTD:=20
><http://www.static.sidos.ch/DTD/Version1-01.dtd>http://www.static.sidos.ch/=
DTD/Version1-01.dtd
>attached: nesstar-212-pic-01.gif, publisher-200rc1.gif
>
>I can add an FTP access to Nesstar installation folder, if necessary.
>
>
>Seen in Nesstar folder:
>-----------------------
>java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Packet is larger than=20
>max_allowed_packet from server configuration of 1048576 bytes
>
>
>P.S. I would appreciate if some direct support could be provided, even to=
=20
>'zero-license-institutions', at least for bugs...
>
>P.S. Please post your experience.
>
>best regards
>freddy kuhn
>SIDOS, Neuch=E2tel, Suisse
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:simon@nesstar.com>Simon Musgrave
>To: <mailto:ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu>ddi-users@icpsr.umich.edu
>Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 3:03 PM
>Subject: [DDI-users] Nesstar Software
>
>Dear colleagues (please pardon multiple posting)
>
>I hope that colleagues will be interested in the news of our latest=20
>release of the Nesstar software built around the DDI. In many ways the DDI=
=20
>and Nesstar have had a very close relationship for many years and we would=
=20
>be very pleased if anyone wanted to try out this latest Nesstar software.
>
>By way of reminder, the Nesstar software suite version 2.0=20
>(server/light/publisher) has many new features and is designed to be a=20
>highly customisable and scalable technological platform for the=20
>preparation, publication and remote access to aggregated tables and=20
>micro-data. Nesstar provides extensions to standard Web technologies that=
=20
>allow an organisation to build dynamic and interactive Web sites powered=20
>by advanced data services. It is particularly suited to anyone wishing to=
=20
>disseminate survey data or results and is based upon the DDI=20
>(www.icpsr.umich.edu/DDI) . More details can be found at www.nesstar.com .
>
>Nesstar tools include:
>=B7 Nesstar Server - a specialised data server providing standard web=
=20
>services (hence supporting a distributed environment) as well as advanced=
=20
>data services. The Nesstar server includes an SQL-based metadata=20
>management system, a data storage system, a powerful statistical engine as=
=20
>well as flexible access control.
>=B7 Nesstar Light (Web Engine) - an additional layer that allows an=
=20
>end user to access Nesstar services through a standard Web browser. This=20
>is totally customisable and configurable and is the interface that=20
>presents the search, browse, display, analysis and retrieval options to=20
>the user.
>=B7 Nesstar Publisher - a sophisticated data conversion and=20
>preparation tool that can rapidly publish data from a variety of sources=20
>(including SPSS, SAS, Excel etc.). The tool includes a specialised=20
>metadata editor, data and metadata validation routines and metadata=20
>templates that provide standardisation and control. For anyone managing=20
>and publishing survey data, this tool must be seen!
>
>In preparation (and due Q2 2003) are:
>=B7 Nesstar Explorer - version 2 of the specialist web browser that=
=20
>contains all the cubes functionality as well as advanced searching and=20
>display options. It is the tool for the professional data user.
>=B7 Nesstar Cubes - a new data manipulation display that enables the=
=20
>user to drill up and down and =91slice and dice=92 multi-dimensional cubes=
=20
>using drag and drop. It also enables multi-views of data (time series,=20
>graph and map) and is directly linked into the DDI standards environment=20
>for which Nesstar software is well known.
>
>Training: If you are interesting in training on the new version of=20
>Nesstar, then we have already scheduled 2 day training sessions at=20
>Colchester on the 8th and 9th of May and 3rd and 4th July. This will take=
=20
>participants through the whole process from setting up a Nesstar server to=
=20
>preparing a dataset for publishing.
>
>If you would like to try out the new version, please email=20
>nesstar-support@nesstar.com, for a 90 day trial. This will come with up to=
=20
>one days free technical support. If you do decide to use Nesstar software=
=20
>for your organisation, we have a number of different support packages that=
=20
>we can discuss to meet your needs. Nesstar is owned by the University of=20
>Essex and the Norwegian Social Science Data Service (NSD) and is pleased=20
>to provide this at zero license for academic institutions. However neither=
=20
>the Data Archive at Essex or NSD are able to provide support directly.
>
>With best wishes
>
>Simon
>
>
>Simon Musgrave
>
>Nesstar
>John Tabor House
>Wivenhoe Park
>Colchester CO4 3Q
>
>Tel: +44 1206 872321
>Fax: +44 1206 873516
>Mobile: +44 7940 783875
>Web: www.nesstar.com _______________________________________________=20
>DDI-users mailing list DDI-users@icpsr.umich.edu=20
>http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/mailman/listinfo/ddi-users
>
Simon Musgrave
Nesstar
John Tabor House
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3Q
Tel: +44 1206 872321
Fax: +44 1206 873516
Mobile: +44 7940 783875
Web: www.nesstar.com