The SciFinder client software on your Mac OS X computer communicates over the Internet with servers at CAS. SciFinder can connect through your organization's network and firewall, through a dial-up ISP (Internet Service Provider), or through an always-on Internet connection such as cable or DSL. Refer to these computer and network requirements for more information.
The ease of connecting SciFinder on your computer to the CAS servers depends on the configuration of your organization's network and firewall. It is important to know that, although SciFinder uses the Internet, it does not use the HTTP protocol. Even if you can surf the web, SciFinder might not be able to connect to the CAS servers.
Site Preference files may be needed to facilitate the client/server connection. On Mac OS X, site.prf files may be placed in three different locations.
- Application Location: Place the site.prf file in the MacOS folder within the SciFinder application package. Admin or Root permissions may be required.
- Machine Locations: Create a folder named SciFinder in :Library/Application Support/ and place a copy of the site.prf file in that folder. Admin or Root permissions may be required.
- User Location: Create a folder named SciFinder in :Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/ and place a copy of the site.prf file in that folder. This location should be accessible by all users because it is within their HOME folder.
Note: When the SciFinder client starts, it will copy any site.prf file found in the Application Location or Machine Location into the current User Location, overwriting any existing site.prf file.
Common Connectivity Problems
- SciFinder is unable to connect with the server at CAS. Please contact your Site Administrator. (2406) Site Administrator: SciFinder is unable to traverse your organization's firewall.
- If SciFinder has just been installed on your computer and it has never worked, SciFinder or your network probably must be configured to let the connection through. If you have a colleague who can use SciFinder, try copying his or her site.prf (Site Preferences) file into your SciFinder application package or User Location folder. (A site.prf file is not always needed; contact your organization's SciFinder Site Administrator for assistance.) If your organization uses a proxy server, it is possible that the client component of the the proxy server must be installed or updated on your PC.
- If you have recently successfully used SciFinder on the same computer, find out if a colleague is able to log in to SciFinder. If your colleague receives the same message, the problem is probably in your organization's network or firewall. Was the network or firewall changed? Contact your local SciFinder Site Administrator or information technology staff.
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If your colleague can use SciFinder but you cannot, try logging in to SciFinder from your colleague's computer. If you can log in from a different computer, then something about your computer or your computer's connection to your organization's network is different from your colleague's, and the difference prevents SciFinder from connecting to the server. Contact your organization's IT staff or your SciFinder Site Administrator. Your organization's firewall may be configured to only allow SciFinder use from a defined group of internal IP addresses or MAC addresses. Your PC may need to be added to the permissions list on the firewall.
- It is possible but unlikely that the SciFinder Server at CAS is not working. If you have determined that the problem is not in your computer or network, contact CAS Customer Care.
- SciFinder is unable to connect with the server at CAS. Please contact your Site Administrator. (2408) Site Administrator: SciFinder is unable to traverse your organization's firewall. Check the SOCKS setting in the site.prf file.
This message means SciFinder tried to communicate with a SOCKS proxy server but was not successful.
- Check that the SOCKS proxy server is available and working correctly.
- If the SOCKS proxy server's name, address, or port has changed, update the Site Preferences (site.prf) file.
- If there is a proxy server, but the server does not use the SOCKS protocol, update Site Preferences (site.prf) by unchecking the SOCKS option box.
- Your organization's firewall will not allow you to access SciFinder. Please contact your Site Administrator. (2410)
SciFinder was able to communicate with your firewall, but you, or your computer, do not have permission to connect through the firewall. Your organization's firewall may be configured to only allow SciFinder use from a defined group of internal IP or MAC addresses. Your PC may need to be added to the permissions list on your company firewall. Contact your SciFinder Site Administrator or IT help desk.
- An unrecoverable network error has occurred; application is forced to terminate when trying to log in
See #1 above. The same problem connecting to the server can cause different symptoms.
- Unrecoverable network error while using SciFinder
- If this error occurs after you logged-in, but did not use SciFinder for awhile, the cause might be an inactivity timer in your organization's network. Some networks or firewalls disconnect SciFinder from the server if your computer and the SciFinder server have not communicated within some set time limit. While you are logged-in to SciFinder, but not actively searching, then approximately every minute the SciFinder server asks the SciFinder client on your computer if it is still running. If so, the server waits about 1 minute before asking again. If the inactivity timer is less than the "are you still there" polling, this error may occur. If this error occurs while you are actively using SciFinder, contact CAS Customer Care and provide as many details as you can.
- The login information you entered is invalid. Please reenter it and try again when trying to log in.
If you see this message, your computer is communicating with the server, but there is something wrong with your loginid or password. This is known as a login problem.
For further assistance connecting SciFinder on your desktop to the SciFinder server at CAS, contact CAS Customer Care.
Updated: 4/16/2009 12:33:09 PM
