DATABASE OF SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADS
DIRECTIONS FOR ACCESSING THE DATABASE
For a discussion of the purpose and rationale of the database, please
see the comments by the chair.
We assume that everyone using the system will have Email access;
however, since different people have different computer systems, we
are offering two different registration options that should cover everyone.
One is a Unix shell script, and the other is simply a template containing
embedded instructions for an Email file.
ON A UNIX SYSTEM
Send a message to FedReg@aps.org, containing the line:
### get_script [optional_email address]
to download a Unix (nawk) script for running on your system. You will
have to edit off the header lines before executing it. It produces a
menu-driven input routine, with on-screen instructional prompts.
ON A DOS OR MAC SYSTEM
Send a message to FedReg@aps.org, containing the line:
### get_template [optional_email address]
to download an Email template file, with instructions. This option is
compatible with any system, including Unix, that has a text editor. Since
the instructions are embedded in the file, it works best with a screen-oriented
text editor.
IN EITHER CASE the optional third word in the command line may be
used to specify an Email address if you don't want it simply returned
to you at the "reply" address, or if the reply function is not working
due to some oddity of your address format. (There are many varieties.)
ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR TEMPLATE OR SCRIPT FILE, use it to place the information
on your summer job opportunity in the format accepted by the database.
With either the template or the nawk script, full instructions are
provided. The nawk script is menu driven, with on-screen prompts for
each response, while the template file contains embedded instructions.
(Since the template is usable with any text editor, and is therefore
the more general option, I'd appreciate feedback as to whether those
of you who use the nawk script think it is a useful addition to the
system.)
Mail the resulting file to FedReg@aps.org. You will receive a confirmation
message after the mail is processed at the CNU system. The reply will
contain a registration number that will identify your record on the
database, and will confirm the password you have chosen for modification
access.
At this writing, the internet access to the database search capability
is not fully tested, but we anticipate that it will be operational
before you receive this newsletter. After you register, we will send
you an Email message with the instructions on accessing the database.
OTHER EMAIL COMMANDS
A number of other commands, accessible by Email, are available for such
things as obtaining lists of the programs, reading the contents of a
specified record and for updating your registration. All of these, and
any others that we decide to add, will be covered in the manual page,
which you can obtain by simply sending the message
### manual SJB [optional_email address]
to FedReg@aps.org. It will be updated as changes occur. Note that this line
can be combined in a single message with those mentioned above.
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