Frequently Asked Questions

This section lists some common questions about the AnswerBook2 product along with answers to those questions.

What is AnswerBook2?

The AnswerBook2 product uses a standards-based documentation server to deliver Sun's online documentation through your favorite web browser. The AnswerBook2 interface lets you browse, search, and print a variety of Solaris information, including AnswerBook1 collections and man pages.

How is AnswerBook2 different from AnswerBook?

The previous AnswerBook product (now called AnswerBook1) used Display PostScript^TM to display electronic versions of documents primarily developed for paper delivery. The AnswerBook2 product uses a web browser to display documentation developed for online delivery using SGML and to display existing AnswerBook1 documents.

The following list identifies some key differences between the products:

• Web-browser interface -- You can use any HTML 3.2-compliant browser on any platform to view online documentation with the AnswerBook2 product.

• Source flexibility -- The documentation server can deliver AnswerBook1 (Display PostScript) documents or AnswerBook2 (SGML) documents.

• Client-server support -- The AnswerBook2 product allows you to install the server and document collections in a central location and view the documents from other systems. In addition, it includes a "fail-over" mechanism in which the document administrator can define multiple documentation servers so that links between documents always work.

• Cross-platform -- For this release, the AnswerBook2 documentation server must run in the Solaris 7 operating environment (SPARC or Intel). However, AnswerBook2 clients can run on any platform, and future releases might provide server functionality on additional platforms.

• Default search behavior -- The AnswerBook2 product uses AND for its default search behavior rather than OR (the default search behavior in the AnswerBook1 product).

Can I still view my old AnswerBook collections with AnswerBook2?

Yes, unless your old AnswerBook documents were created before the release of the Solaris 2.2 operating environment. To add AnswerBook1 collections to the documentation server's database, the document administrator uses the AnswerBook2 "add collection" function and points to the directory containing the AnswerBook1 ab_cardcatalog file.

Does AnswerBook2 provide the same functionality for AnswerBook1 and AnswerBook2 documents?

No. For consistency, the AnswerBook2 interface for AnswerBook1 documents is similar to the AnswerBook1 product interface. The following briefly lists the differences in functionality for AnswerBook1 and AnswerBook2 collections:

• You cannot show or hide all levels of an entire AnswerBook1 table of contents listing; you can only show or hide details for a specific section within the table of contents.

• AnswerBook1 content pages do not include Other Topics sections. To navigate from one page to another, you can use the Next Topic link or return to the Table of Contents and select another section in the book.

• AnswerBook1 content pages display the entire chapter at one time, not smaller sections.

• Search results icons poorly represent the probability of a match for AnswerBook1 information; the icons tend to be either completely filled or completely empty.

• Search terms are not highlighted in AnswerBook1 text.

• Some AnswerBook1 graphics cannot be displayed inline; they are identified by an icon that, when clicked on, brings up a PostScript display of the graphic.

• A Man Pages by Keyword search includes only the AnswerBook2 (SGML-based) man pages on the server, not the AnswerBook1 man pages.

• The AnswerBook1 man pages use the same interface as other AnswerBook1 documents; they do not have a special man page interface.