HOTBED v1 Users’ Guide

2. Login

3. The Access Page

3.1 Search the HOTBED Database

3.2 Browse the HOTBED Database

3.3 Public Lists

4 The Item Page

4.1 Marker/Loop Controls

4.2 Edit/Save Markers

4.3 Feedback

5. Profile

5.1 Message Centre

5.2 My Profile

Appendix I - Troubleshooting and FAQ

Appendix II - Contact Information

To get to the website:

Once the site has loaded click on the ‘access hotbed’ link on the left-hand side.

When you have finished your work on HOTBED click the [logout] button in the orange location bar:

Type in your username and password, as provided by HOTBED staff, and click [login]. Please note, the usernames and passwords are case-sensitive: that is, if your username is ‘jsmith’ and your password ‘scunner2’ you must type them without capitals and not ‘JSmith’ or ‘SCUNNER2’, etc.

You will receive a welcome message, and after a few seconds you should be presented with the main Access page.

The HOTBED system behaves like most other websites: if a piece of text is underlined you can click on it and if a button exists [like this] you can click on it.

From the Access page you can:

• Search the HOTBED Database
• Browse the HOTBED Database
• Access your Profile
• View Public Lists

There are 2 search types in HOTBED:

Free Text Search. Here you can enter one or more search words (keywords) and HOTBED will return the most relevant items first (that is, the items that most closely match your search phrase). For example, you could search for ‘jock lundie scots’

(The Intelligent Search checks any words you type in the Free Text Search for similar terms: e.g. HOTBED knows that 'Bagpipes' and 'Pipes-Highland' are the same. Generally you should leave this switched on; but if you are getting results you really don't want, try switching it off. If HOTBED makes use of the Intelligent Search it will tell you when you get your results.)

Category Search: Clicking on one of the New Search Categories will allow you to search within a specific category only.

If you choose to search by Instrument, Tune Type or Language HOTBED will provide you with a drop-down list from which you can make your selection.

Enter your information or make your selection from the list and click [Search]. The results will then be displayed. When you see the item you want, click on its name, and you will be taken to the Item Page.

Searching is used when you are sure of what you are looking for. For example, if you wanted to find all the performances of ‘To Answer the Peacock’ in HOTBED you would search by Title.

Browsing is used to have a look around all the items in HOTBED. So this is a good place to start if you have nothing in particular to search for.

You may Browse by Title, Composer, Performer, Instrument, Tune Type, and Language. Simply select your chosen category from the list and click [Browse]. Note: Browsing by Title will display ALL the entries in the Database in alphabetical order and this will be a very long list!

The Public Lists link gives you access to lists of items assembled by members of staff for public viewing/listening. For example, a fiddle tutor may choose to compile a list (to make a list see 5.2.4 - Your favourites lists) of fiddle tunes for first year students to learn. The tutor could create a list and put the items they wanted students to learn in it and make it public – this list would then appear in Public Lists along with the description the tutor had written.

Each list has a name, a date, a note of the staff member who created it, and a description of the purpose of the list.

Click on the name of the list to access the items within it. You can also click on the name of the staff member to send them a message (see Message Centre).

Clicking on any item in the list will take you straight to the Item Page (in the same way as clicking on any item search results).

To create a public list you must be in My Profile - please see 5.2.4 - Favourites Lists

The Item page is displayed when you click on an item in a Search or Browse or in your Profile.

Here you will find information on your chosen item (such as Title, Performer, Instrument, Duration, etc).

Below the item information you will find the Quicktime player:

Click on the right pointing triangle to play the piece. You can control the volume of the piece by clicking the speaker icon (leftmost icon) and moving the slider up and down. Moving the main, horizontal slider will move through the piece.

Beneath the Quicktime Player you will find the Marker/Loop controls. (see 4.1 below)

Included in this information you may often find a link (an underlined piece of text). Clicking on this will provide you with more information, such as a transcription or a link to a composer’s biography. This link will be opened in a new window. The old window (your Item Page) will not be closed and can be accessed again by clicking on ‘Window’ in your browser’s menu bar and then the name of the item.

Markers allow you to set points of interest within a piece (at the start of a phrase, the beginning of a chorus, or at the end of a verse, for example). You can use them to quickly jump back/forward to the point you’ve asked HOTBED to remember.

HOTBED can remember different markers for every item you visit.

Markers are also used to set the start and end points of a loop. You could use the loop to continually play a marked section for practice or analysis.

To identify a marker hold the mouse pointer over the marker. The default names are ‘Marker 1, Marker 2, etc, but you can rename a marker anything you like (see 4.2 - Edit/Save Markers below).

To loop between two existing markers, click the [loop] button – which will turn dark green - then click on the first marker (the start of the loop) and then the second (the end of the loop), each of which will turn dark green also.

To select new loop points again click two points – the start point followed by the end point.

To switch off looping, click the [loop] button and it will turn grey.

NB! If you wish HOTBED to remember your markers you must click the [edit/save] button before leaving the current Item Page.

When you click the [edit/save] button a new, smaller window will open, displaying the time value, name, and a delete box for each of your markers. There are also [clear all] and [save changes] buttons.

To edit the time value of your marker, click in the time value box.

You can call your marker anything you wish. To rename your marker, click in the name box and delete the current name. Type in a new name.

To delete a single marker, click the checkbox beside the marker’s name then click [save changes].

To delete all your markers for this item, click the [clear ALL] button. Do not click the [clear ALL] button to clear single markers.

When you have finished editing your markers, click [save changes]. Your markers will be stored and recalled automatically when you return to this item.

You can quickly and easily send HOTBED staff queries/problems to do with specific items (problem with sound, wrong information, etc) by clicking the Send Feedback on this item link at the bottom of each item.

You will be presented with a box. Type your comments in this box. You do not have to tell us which item you are looking at, or who you are – HOTBED will provide this information for us automatically.

Click on the My Profile link on any page to go straight to your main Profile page.

The Profile page is the part of HOTBED that is unique to you, the user. This is where you can customise HOTBED the way you want. It provides access to your HOTBED messages, your favourite items, and displays a history of your most recently viewed items and your searches.

If you have new messages in HOTBED you will be alerted here with the number of new messages waiting for you. Click on the Messages link to read your messages.

Click on the Messages link to access the Message Centre.

When you click on the Messages link you will be shown a list of your received messages (inbox). Each message displays the date/time sent, the sender’s name, a Reply link, a Delete link, the message itself, and a link to any Favourites List you have been sent.

To reply to a message click the ‘Reply’ link.

To delete a message click the ‘Delete’ link.

To write a new message click the Write New Message link at the top of the page. Click in the New Message Text box and type your message. Select a recipient from the drop-down list of names beneath the text box marked To:. You may attach any one of your Favourites Lists to the message by selecting it in the Attach List: box which will show a drop-down list of all your favourite lists. Then click the [Send Message] box. You will be presented with a confirmation – click [OK].

To return to your profile from the message centre click My Profile in the orange location bar, or at the bottom of the page.

Below the Messages link, HOTBED displays the time and date you last viewed an item in its database.

Your ‘Profile’ refers to a textual description of who you are. You are free to enter anything you like here – this will be used in future to identify users in a directory. For example, you could identify yourself as ‘First Year Fiddle student’ or ‘Academic Studies Supervisor’.

Click on the Edit link and you will be presented with a box. Delete and enter text as you wish and click [Submit]. If you wish to return without changing anything simply click [Submit].

To change your password, click the Change My Password link. A popup window will appear, inviting you to enter your password twice (to allow for typing errors). If you mis-type one of the entries you will be informed of this and asked to re-enter the correct password. If you wish to leave your password as it is just close the window (click the window’s ‘x’ box in Windows, or the square box in Mac OS 9).

You can set the number of items per page HOTBED presents on its Results Page by deleting the number in this box, typing a new one, and pressing <Return>.

HOTBED remembers all the items you visit and lists them here in reverse chronological order – i.e. the most recent first. If an item has been visited more than once, its first visit is remembered.

You can instantly return to a previously viewed and remembered item by clicking on its name here.

You can choose to remove items from your list by clicking Remove for a single item, or clicking [clear all] to remove all items.

Note: If you use HOTBED for even a short while this list can get long – clearing your history frequently will make it much easier to manage.

HOTBED uses this feature to allow you to keep a virtual folder of related items together. For example, you could create a new Favourites List by typing ‘Fiddle Tunes’ in the ‘Create a new favourites list called’ box and pressing <Return>….

N.B. You must press <Return> after entering the name of the list to create it.

This will take you to the create a Favourites List page. Here you can type in a description of the list.

After you have typed in a description click the [Create listname] button and the list will be created and selected for you. Now whenever you call up an individual item a new link will be at the bottom of the item saying Add to listname. This favourites list will remain active until you select another or logout. To select another list, go to your Profile page (My Profile) and create a new list or click on the name of an existing one.

To remove an item from a list, click the Remove link beside the item name in the list.

To remove a list in whole, click the Remove link beside the list name. You will not be asked if you are sure, so make sure you want to remove before you click.

Lists can be used for whatever you like: a collection of tunes to learn, an exam syllabus, favourite pieces, a collection for a project, etc.

A list can be sent to another HOTBED user – see Messages below.

You can change lists as much as you like – you can add/delete as often as necessary. If the list is public (staff), or if you have sent it to someone, and you change the list in your profile, the changes will be made automatically in the public list/list you’ve sent.

Each time you logon to HOTBED no favourites list will be selected in your profile. Simply click on the name of a list to select it.

HOTBED remembers all the searches you have made and lists them here in reverse chronological order – i.e. the most recent first. If a search has been used more than once, its first use is remembered.

You can instantly return to the results of a previous search by clicking on its name here.

You can choose to remove searches from your list by clicking Remove for a single search, or clicking [clear all] to clear your entire search history.

Note: If you use HOTBED for even a short while this list can get long – clearing your history frequently will make it much easier to manage.

• Make sure you know your username and password and have typed them correctly.
• Don’t use capitals.
• Make sure the ‘Caps Lock’ key on your keyboard is not on.

• The orange bar under the ‘hotbed logo’ (with the date it in it) shows you where you are in the system. If any part of the location is underlined you may click on this to navigate back through the system. This can be a quick way to return to the Access Page. Simply click on the access part of the location bar to return to the Access Page.

• Check you are spelling/typing the text correctly.
• If you’re not sure about the spelling try typing just a segment of the name.
• The item may not be in the database.
• Make sure you’re searching in the appropriate category and have clicked on ‘Performer’ for a Performer search, etc.
• Try using the ‘Browse’ feature – it will always return results.

• When you do a text-based search in HOTBED, you can enter a Gaelic word without the accents and you will still get the results as if you had typed the accent in the search.

• You must be a member of staff to create a public list.
• Public lists are created in the same way as normal Favourites Lists – in ‘My Profile’ – i.e. not in ‘public lists’.

• This means that the sound/video file is being edited. Contact a member of HOTBED staff for details.

• Make sure your PC’s volume is turned up.
• Make sure speakers are turned on and volume is turned up.
• Check the Quicktime player’s volume by clicking the little speaker icon (the first icon) in the player.
• Make sure the piece is playing. The little right-pointing triangle (‘play’) button will have changed to a ‘pause’ button [II] if the item is playing.

• These controls require Internet Explorer 6/Netscape 4.7 or better and Quicktime 6 on the PC, or Netscape 4.7 or better and Quicktime 6 on the Mac. Contact HOTBED staff for assistance.

The HOTBED office is located within the Library.

For Technical Assistance contact

Mr Stevie Barrett

For information about Learning and Teaching use of HOTBED contact

Dr Karen Marshalsay