Willow and the Web

In the University of Washington Home Pages, there are numerous bibliographic databases that can be launched via a Willow link. If your web browser is properly configured, and Willow is correctly installed, clicking on one of those links should cause Willow to be started, and open that database. If there already is a Willow running, that Willow will be signaled to open the database you have selected. Following are some sample Willow links:

University of Washington Library Catalog

The UW Libraries Catalog lists the holdings of the 22 UW Libraries. It includes books, periodicals, audiovisual items, computer files and music. The total collections exceed 5 million cataloged volumes and an equal number of microforms. Updated weekly.

SilverPlatter MEDLINE

A subset of the MEDLINE database, courtesy of SilverPlatter. MEDLINE is the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic database covering biomedicine and contains references to over 3,700 journals. It contains all the citations published in Index Medicus, International Nursing Index and Index to Dental Literature.

In order to get these links to work, first make sure Willow is installed on your system. If it is not, either ask your system administrator to install it, or you can download it yourself. Then configure your web browser to recognize Willow database description files. Exactly how to do that depends on what platform you are running on:

Unix

For most unix web browsers (such as Netscape or Mosaic), you simply need to add the following line to your mailcap file.

application/x-willow; willow -cf %s

Once this is in place (and you restart your browser), you can select any Willow link, and your browser should automatically launch Willow for you.

Microsoft Windows

There are two ways to configure Netscape for WinWillow. The easiest way is to click on the Willow database link. Netscape will respond that it does not know what to do with the WinWillow mime type, and will ask if you want to use a helper application. You can then browse to WinWillow, select it, and you are configured.

Alternatively, go to Options/General/Helper Apps. Add the mime type Application with a subtype of x-winwillow. Browse for WinWillow and select it. WinWillow will now start when you select a Willow database link.

Internet Explorer is configured in roughly the same way as the first method for Netscape. A twist is that you must run WinWillow standalone once before trying to use the Willow database link. This registers WinWillow with win95/NT, and makes it easy to select from the Explorer associations dialog.

Questions and comments about Willow to: willow@cac.washington.edu