New Version of GDB/Accessor Available

[GDB User Support]

==============================================================================
                    New Version of GDB/Accessor Available 
==============================================================================

GDB/Accessor 5.2 enhancements
-----------------------------
The new version of GDB/Accessor, called 5.2 to match the GDB version, includes
the following enhancements:

. Start-up and searching are faster

. Ability to specify the default GDB and gopher servers

        The default databases for searching GDB and the databases available
        via gopher (OMIM, Sequence Databases, MLC etc) are at Johns Hopkins
        University (JHU) in Baltimore and other sites in the United States.

        Use the Special menu to specify searching databases somewhere else:

                Configure GDB Servers     - specify where to search GDB
                Configure Other Databases - specify where to search each of
                                            the other databases

        For detailed instructions on how to specify new default databases,
        choose Configure GDB/Accessor in the Help menu or see the documentation
        that comes with the program. This documentation will be in a file
        called "GDB/Accessor Instructions 5.2" when you get the new program
        from FTP or from updating your current version.

. Additional command key shortcuts

        The following list includes all the command key shortcuts; the
        new ones are indicated by '*'.

              * Cmd-.   cancel query or reports in progress
                          PLEASE NOTE: This may not work immediately or at all
                          depending on the action you are trying to cancel,
                          your distance on the network from the GDB server,
                          and other factors.

                          You can also still specify the number of items
                          Accessor retrieves before pausing by selecting 
                          Query Settings in the Special menu. The default
                          number is 50.

              * Cmd-P   print report
              * Cmd-R   Probe Query Dialog
                Cmd-L   Locus Query Dialog
                Cmd-M   Map Query Dialog
                Cmd-Q   quit GDB/Accessor

. Meeting Abstracts available

        Meeting Abstracts have been added as a new type of citation. The full
        view includes the name and dates of the meeting, and the country and
        city where the meeting occurred. 

. Progress information displayed when generating reports 

        A Progress Information box appears when generating reports from GDB
        and includes the number of characters retrieved from the database.

. SQL Agent Man has been updated to version 2.0, which has improved performance
        and robustness and allows hooks to generate complex reports.

Updating your current GDB/Accessor software
-------------------------------------------
If you are already a GDB/Accessor user, you can use your current version to
get the new 5.2 version:

        1. Start up your current version
                You will see a notice that the new version is available
        2. Choose Update in the Special menu
                the new program will be automatically downloaded from Gopher
        3. unBinHex the new 5.2 application
        4. Start up the new version


Getting GDB/Accessor for the first time
---------------------------------------
If you do not yet have a copy of GDB/Accessor, here are the system requirements
and instructions on getting the software.

The software is designed to run on a Macintosh with access to the Internet. 
It will run without loss of functionality under System 6 or 7. The minimum 
requirements include: 

    For either system
    -----------------
        MacTCP version 1.0 or above (MacTCP version 1.1.1 or higher is 
                                     recommended)
        Approximately 600K to store the program, documentation, and 
                configuration files
        Approximately 1.5 megabytes of free memory to run
        At least 640x480 screen resolution (13" monitor or greater)

    For System 6
    ------------
        System software 6.0.4 or above (version 6.0.8 is recommended)
        At least 2 megabytes of RAM to run under Finder; at least 2.5
                megabytes of RAM to run under MultiFinder

    For System 7
    ------------
        System software 7.0 or above
        At least 4 megabytes of RAM

GDB/Accessor is available at no cost via anonymous FTP:
        Server Name     ftp.gdb.org
        Directory       pub/mac/accessor
        Files           accessor.sea.hqx   (program in Stuffed, BinHex format)
                        accessor52.readme  (how to convert the BinHex file into
                                                a Macintosh application)

If you have the appropriate Macintosh to run GDB/Accessor but no access
to FTP, contact GDB User Support for alternate ways of getting the software.

Please send all questions regarding GDB/Accessor distribution or use to:
        GDB User Support
        Genome Data Base
        Johns Hopkins University 
        2024 E. Monument St.
        Baltimore, MD 21205

        Internet:       help at gdb.org
        Phone:          (410) 955-7058
        Fax:            (410) 614-0434