Using the docs.sun.com Web Site

Chapter 3 Browsing the docs.sun.com Web Site

This chapter explains the concept of a collection and other structures that organize documentation on the docs.sun.com Web site. Understanding these structures enables you to navigate the docs.sun.com site more efficiently. You can browse every document on this site regardless of the book's format. Available formats include:

XML-based books, which are displayed as a tree of chapters and sections
HTML books, which are displayed as a tree of sections and pages
PDF-only books

Note –

When you access books for products that are being Beta tested, the docs.sun.com Web site requests a password. When the product is released in its final version, you no longer need to provide a password to access these books.

Here is a list of the information in this chapter:

What Is a Collection?

A collection is a group of related books on the docs.sun.com Web site that comprise the same product release. These books are grouped into collections for one or more of the following reasons:

The books relate to a single product or product suite.
The books contain the same subject matter.
The books are intended for a specific audience.

An individual book can appear in one or more collections, or by itself.

Books for a product might be included in more than one collection because that product might be documented in more than one book. Books are often grouped in different collections to facilitate browsing.

Note –

Locations of books and book collections are stable at http://docs.sun.com. If you create personal links or bookmarks to books or collections that are listed on the subject or product category pages, you can access those locations again without issuing a browse or search request. This stability also enables you to include links to Sun product documentation in your documents.

Organizational Structures That Make Browsing the docs.sun.com Site More Efficient

The docs.sun.com site provides organizational structures that enable you to search and browse documentation more efficiently. These structures appear as tabbed links on the docs.sun.com site:

Subject Categories – Collections and the book or books that make up that collection are grouped and displayed based on their subject matter.
Titles – Books and collections are listed in alphabetical order by the title of the book or collection.
Product Categories – Books and collections are grouped and displayed based on the product that they describe.

The docs.sun.com Home page also provides links to frequently requested information.

Note –

When you display the docs.sun.com Web site in another language, the books that are written in that language appear at the top of the current list when you browse the site. For example, if you display the content on the docs.sun.com site in French, books written in French appear at the top of the current list when you browse a title, subject, or product category.

Browsing Within Books on the docs.sun.com Site

The browsing features available for a book depend on its original format. The docs.sun.com site contains books published in three formats: XML, HTML, and PDF. This section describes the differences in the way each is browsed.

XML Books

When you browse to and open an XML-based book, a table of contents that contains links is displayed. You can click the link for the chapter, appendix, preface, glossary, or index to display that book element. You can then click the and icons to open and close these book elements. You can also click the and icons to open and close an entire book. You move from chapter to chapter or from section to section by clicking links.

HTML Books

When you browse to and open an HTML book, the initial, or “index” page of the book will be opened in a new browser window. The is because HTML books do not contain the docs.sun.com navigational features. To continue using docs.sun.com, you must return to the original browser window.

PDF Books

Some books are published only in PDF. When you browse to and open a book for which PDF is the only format available, you will be taken to a page with information about the size of the PDF file, and options for downloading it. How to Download and Print a PDF Document File on the docs.sun.com Site describes how to download and print PDF-only document files.