Implementing new ASDD nodes: MetaStar on Windows NT and Unix

Overview

The MetaStar suite of products is developed by Blue Angel Technologies and includes; MetaStar Repository, MetaStar Server, MetaStar Gateway, and MetaStar Data Entry.

The minimum products required to enable a site to both, (a) make documents available for searching by external z39.50s servers and, (b) query/publish search results via the web, are;

• MetaStar Server
• (powered by Fulcrum or Altavista Search Server), which provides the means of indexing and searching SGML/XML documents.

• MetaStar Gateway
• which provides the means of web publishing searches, as well as the means of searching other distributed databases using the z39.50s protocol.

The Northern Territory node is currently utilizing these products in a Windows NT (Intel) environment. The minimum required software is;

• Windows NT Server 4.0 - Service Pack 3

• Microsoft IIS 4.0 (Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack)

Note: This document describes MetaStar on Windows NT. MetaStar products are also available for Unix platforms.

Documentation references

• Blue Angel Technologies
  • http://www.blueangeltech.com/

ASDD nodes using this software

The following ASDD nodes are currently using MetaStar on Windows NT ...

• Northern Territory

Download the software

MetaStar products are available for purchase from Blue Angel Technologies. A run-time version of the FULCRUM Search Server can be bundled together with the MetaStar Server, or alternatively, it can be purchased separately from PCDOCS-FULCRUM (USA) or Altarama Systems (Sydney).

ASDD customisation

None required.

Create some directories

Default directories are created during the installation process. The Administrator is given the option of choosing directories other than the default during this process.

Compiling

Not applicable.

Installation

Installation is an automated Windows based process, with executables for each of the MetaStar products. Depending on products purchased, the order of installation could be;

1. Repository
2. Server Powered by Fulcrum/Altavista SearchServer
3. Fulcrum/Altavista SearchServer
4. Gateway
5. Data Entry

Configuration

The MetaStar Server requires only one file to be edited. This is the server.cfg file located under \Program Files\BAT Tools\Server\Config\Fulcrum\. An entry for each database on the local node should be included in this file in the format; "Database Name" "configuration file" "Index".

A number of files require modifying in the MetaStar Gateway including the web HTML template files located under \Program Files\BAT Tools\Gateway\config\.

Multiple Gateways can be configured by making the appropriate modifications to the servlet.properties file located under \Program Files\Bat Tools\Common\JRun ISAPI\properties\. This file is also used to set various parameters and PATH names.

• RecordSyntax = 1.2.840.10003.5.1000.34.1
  • means that result sets and full dataset descriptions will be presented as HTML
• AttributeSetID = 42.840.10003.3.1
  • means to use the BIB-1 attribute set

Refer to Blue Angel Technologies documentation for full description.

Prepare the metadata collection

The Repository is able to connect to ACCESS or ORACLE databases only at present, via ODBC.

It is used to store, manage and export metadata records in a variety of file formats; ie, HTML for Web publishing, or alternatively, SGML/XML for indexing by a full-text search engine.

The process includes the following steps;

• Export ANZLIC MET (ACCESS database) metadata records to SGML format.

• Connect Repository to ACCESS database source and import SGML records into Repository.

• Export Repository metadata records into HTML or SGML/XML for indexing. Indexing of SGML/XML export format can be carried out from the Repository or at a later stage directly from the MetaStar Server.

• The Repository also allows you to create the configuration file used by the MetaStar Server.

At present this process requires some manual interaction. The import process for instance is unable to handle tags such as <p.../p>, and some repeating elements in the ANZLIC MET are not reflected in the Repository Metadata Template (ANZLIC_FGDC), which is used for mapping tags to elements. The ANZLIC_FGDC template is still currently based on the old ANZLIC DTD v1.0, however Blue Angel Technologies are currently developing a new template to reflect the ANZMETA DTD.

Another issue however, is that on import, the Repository is currently unable to handle data element qualifiers such as; "<keyword qualifier="monitoring"> SOIL </keyword>", or <keyword thesaurus="auslig_topo250k_names">. Blue Angel Technologies are currently looking into what will be required to modify the underlying import programs.

Index the metadata

The indexing of SGML/XML metadata documents can either be done from the MetaStar Repository or the MetaStar Server.

To index using the Server;

• from Windows>Start>Programs>Bat Tools>, execute the "Server-FT Indexer",

• select the "Insert Docs" option,

• a series of prompts follow which include;
  • name of index to be created
  • directory location and name of configuration file (ie; gils.cfg, fgdc.cfg, or user created/modified cfg file.)
  • directory location of documents to be indexed
  • document expression, ie. *.sgm or *.xml

Start the Z39.50 server

In the Windows NT environment the Server is started automatically at boot up. Additionally the Server can be stopped/started using the Server tools, "Server-FT Remove" and "Server-FT Install". The Server can also be stopped/started through the service in, Windows>Start>Settings>Control Panel>Services>.

Testing your node

The MetaStar products come with sample datasets and documented testing procedures.

Hosted collections

Not yet documented.

Register your node

Follow the instructions to register your new node with the ASDD gateway WWW interface.