Sonny Software

On Monday, my school's library changed its IP address that's used to access the catalog. The only thing that's changed (supposedly) is the server address field in the setup.

I met with our reference librarian today and he gave me the new address. But it's not working with the new address (or the old address, of course).

Outside of the possibility that he's given me the wrong address, does anyone have any other idea of what could possibly be causing me not to connect?

All I get is the dreaded <h1>Failed to initialize to... error.

If only the server address changed, and you were given the correct new one, then it should connect (no?). I'd check back with the library...

Jon
Sonny Software

Yeah, I did. I'm really stuck. I realize that it's a library issue but it's frustrating and the reference librarian says his worked (he uses a Windows program) just by changing the server address. I can't imagine why mine wouldn't work now. The only thing I can think of is that it wouldn't work if he gave me the wrong server address. However, he even typed it in my settings himself.

Does Bookends create any kind of error log that would specifically say what is going wrong when I try to connect?

No, there's no log. But the error "failed to connect" is all you need to know -- no connection means Bookends couldn't find the server. Make sure the port hasn't changed, BTW. That will cause a failure to connect as well.

Jon
Sonny Software[/quote]

I'm going to bring this back up since I've never been able to get it to work. I was able to access my school's database until they changed the server. Let me throw out the settings, and if anyone has some time and want to try to get in, perhaps you can determine if I'm doing something wrong.

Everything was working fine until a few weeks ago when they put the database on a different server.

On the settings, under the internet tab, I have SBTS Library in the name (not that that's going to affect anything one way or another).

Gateway is Library of Congress.

Server address is sunfire.libnet.sbts.edu

Server port is 9991

Record syntax is Marc21 and Record Display is Marc

Boolean searches are allowed, and no password or user ID is required.

These are the settings they gave me. The only thing that has changed from when it was working before is the server address.

If you want to check out the regular html library page from a browser, go to library.sbts.edu and click on catalog.

Thanks in advance to anyone who might have time to look at this.

You didn't say what the database name is -- that is a critical parameter, too.

Jon
Sonny Software

Yes, my apologies. The database name is SYS01 (that's a zero, not an oh).

Using the info you supplied, I was unable to access the library from another Z39.50-compliant application. Can you?

Jon
Sonny Software

No. I just tried to connect by loading the trial version of Endnote 9 for Windows into VirtualPC and I can't connect.

I think the problem has to be squarely with them in something that changed when they switched servers. But I have no idea where to look to help them determine what's wrong. They don't seem to know either.

are you sure the port number is correct? seems kind of unusual to me…

ozean wrote:are you sure the port number is correct? seems kind of unusual to me…

It's the same port number that was used back before they switched servers and it DID work. If you go to library.sbts.edu and click on catalog, it looks like the port is 8991, but that doesn't work either. Our fellow in charge of the technology told me to try 8080 too, but that hasn't worked. He's fairly new to being in charge of the library's technology, so he's not sure. The port issue may be the entire problem though.