Across Lite FAQs

Installation questions

  1. When I double click (Windows), unzip (OS/2), unstuff (MacOS) or untar (Unix) the downloaded program nothing happens or there is an error message saying that the program/archive is not valid. What do I do?
  2. I want to install the program on a NTFS/HPFS/Network File system/Zip Drive? Can I?
  3. What is a helper application?
  4. When I initially installed the program as a helper application, everything worked fine. But suddenly my browser has started saying (i) there is no helper application configured for the MIME type application/x-crossword or (ii) it cannot find Across Lite. What do I do?
  5. I manually configured the browser for using Across Lite as a helper application using the instructions in the online help. But when I click on the puzzle link, the broswer does not start up Across Lite and says it does not know what the filetype application/x-crossword is. What do I do?
  6. I have installed the program successfully. Do I need the program file that I downloaded before installation?
  7. I have a Windows 98 (or 95) machine at work and a Windows 3.1 at home. Do I need to download two programs? Do I need to download the puzzle twice?

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Answers

  1. When I double click (Windows), unzip (OS/2), unstuff (MacOS) or untar (Unix) the downloaded program nothing happens or there is an error message saying that the program/archive is not valid. What do I do?
    The distribution was most likely corrupted during transfer or the download did not complete fully. Make sure that the download ends completely before attempting to install it. On some systems, it may help to not do any other net activity while the distribution is being downloaded.

    Try downloading again. If the problem persists and the downloaded file is the exact same size every time, send e-mail to helpdesk@litsoft.com with details about the Across Lite version being downloaded and the downloaded file size.
  2. I want to install the program on a NTFS/HPFS/Network File system/Zip Drive? Can I?
    Certainly. You can install it on any media with write permission and a filesystem supported by the Operating System. Since puzzles can be stored anywhere, the program can be installed on shared network systems with read/execute-only permissions set.

    Installing on removable media is not recommended if you wish to use Across Lite as a helper application.
  3. What is a helper application?
    A helper application in the context of a web browser is an external program that a browser has been configured to use for viewing/handling data that is not handled by the browser itself. A browser, for example, can handle many types of image and audio files. Since the browser cannot handle all possible data files, especially non-standard formats, itself, a facility is provided in most (but not all) browsers to configure third-party applications to help in handling new forms of data. When the browser receives a file of a certain (MIME) type, it checks its configuration to see who should handle it. If there is nothing assigned for that type, the browser provides several options to the user, with saving to disk being one of them. If an application has been associated with that type, then the browser will automatically lauch that application and pass the file that has been downloaded to the application.

    The application can decide to do whatever it wants with the downloaded file but the standard response in most helper applications including Across Lite is to display that file and allow user interactions. This facility allows a download of a crossword from a web site directly into the program which can then be saved or printed.
  4. When I initially installed the program as a helper application, everything worked fine. But suddenly my browser has started saying (i) there is no helper application configured for the MIME type application/x-crossword or (ii) it cannot find Across Lite. What do I do?
    Most likely, either the browser has lost its configuration files, or was moved or upgraded recently or the directory/folder containing Across Lite was moved. Use the step-by-step instructions in the included online help for Across Lite to manually configure the browser to use Across Lite as a helper application.
  5. I manually configured the browser for using Across Lite as a helper application using the instructions in the online help. But when I click on the puzzle link, the broswer does not start up Across Lite and says it does not know what the filetype application/x-crossword is. What do I do?
    More often than not, this is because something was entered incorrectly in one of the steps. Go through the entire process again and carefully verify the spelling of the MIME type and sub type, location of Across Lite specified, etc. To test, drag and drop or open a puzzle file from the file menu of the browser. If the configuration is correct, the browser should start up Across Lite. Now you can visit a web site and click on an Across puzzle.
  6. I have installed the program successfully. Do I need the program file that I downloaded before installation?
    No. You may safely delete the initially downloaded program distribution after verifying that the Across Lite program can be started up..
  7. I have a Windows 98(or 95) machine at work and a Windows 3.1 at home. Do I need to download two programs? Do I need to download the puzzle twice?
    Not necessary and No. The Windows 3.1 program will run on both machines (note Windows 95 version will not run on Windows 3.1). However, if you can, you should download the Windows 95 program for the Windows 98/95 machines to get maximum benefits from a 32-bit program designed with Windows 98/95 guidelines. For the crosswords themselves, they are completely interchangeable between ALL platforms. One of our users uses a Linux machine at home to start on the puzzle, copies the partially completed puzzle into his PowerBook to solve during his train commute and finishes it on a Sun at work.

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