The AnswerBook2 product is Sun's online documentation system. It uses a web-browser interface that lets you view and print a variety of Solaris information, including SGML-based AnswerBookTM collections, Display PostScriptTM AnswerBook collections, and man pages.
The AnswerBook2 product provides a robust search engine that lets you find information throughout the documentation library. You can install AnswerBook2 document collections on a centralized documentation server or locally.
Throughout the AnswerBook2 documentation, the term AnswerBook1 refers to the version of the AnswerBook product provided with pre-2.6 versions of the Solaris operating system.
The AnswerBook2 product provides the following features and functions:
Uses a web-browser-based interface so that you can view online documentation from any platform (running any operating system), provided that your web browser supports HTML 3.2
Depending on your web browser's configuration, lets you copy information from AnswerBook2 documents and paste it into other locations, such as your command line
Provides a robust search engine for finding words and word phrases throughout the documentation library
Gives you the ability to print pages, chapters, and books directly from the AnswerBook2 interface
Lets you view old and new AnswerBook documents using a single interface
Lets you define a subset of document collections (a Personal Library) to be displayed when using a specific document server
Uses a client-server architecture that allows the documents to be stored in a single location (server) and accessed from the user's desktop (client)
Provides a command-line interface (CLI) and a browser-based interface (GUI) for performing administrative functions
The following list identifies the significant differences between the AnswerBook1 and AnswerBook2 products:
Web-browser-based interface--The AnswerBook2 product uses a web-browser-based interface. As a result, you can use any HTML 3.2-compliant browser on any platform to view online documentation.
Source flexibility--You can use the AnswerBook2 server to deliver AnswerBook1 (Display PostscriptTM) documents, AnswerBook2 documents (developed in SGML), or regular HTML files.
Although you can use the server to deliver HTML documents, complete AnswerBook2 functionality is not provided for these files.
Client-server support--The AnswerBook2 product supports the client-server architecture, which 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 document servers so that links between documents always work.
Cross-platform--For this release, the AnswerBook2 document server must run on a Solaris 2.6 platform (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).
The AnswerBook2 product is relatively simple. It consists of the following elements:
A web browser--The Solaris 2.6 product release includes the HotJavaTM browser; however, you can use any HTML 3.2-compliant browser to view Sun's online documentation.
If you just want to view online documentation, you only need this element. All other elements are part of the document server system.
The AnswerBook2 application and utilities--Includes GUIs for document viewing and printing as well as administrative functions (you can also perform administrative functions from a command-line interface).
A document and administration server--Performs query functions and "serves" documents to the application; also, performs database, password authentication, and other administrative functions.
Documents--Can be new (SGML) documents or old (Display PostScript) documents.
This section lists some common questions about the AnswerBook2 product along with answers to those questions.
The AnswerBook2 product uses a standards-based document 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.
The previous AnswerBook product (now called AnswerBook1) used Display PostScript 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. Also, the AnswerBook2 product supports a client-server model, where the documents can be kept on a central server and users only need a web browser to view them.
Yes, unless your old AnswerBook documents were created before the release of the Solaris 2.2 operating system. To add AnswerBook1 collections to the AnswerBook2 server's database, use the AnswerBook2 "add collection" function and point to the directory containing the AnswerBook1 ab_cardcatalog file.
No. For consistency, the AnswerBook2 interface for AnswerBook1 documents is similar to the AnswerBook1 product interface. Thus, the AnswerBook2 product provides the following differences in functionality for AnswerBook1 and AnswerBook2 collections:
You cannot expand or collapse an entire AnswerBook1 table of contents listing; you can only expand or collapse 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 are not presented in a hierarchical structure for AnswerBook1 books.
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.