PROXY SERVER SETTINGS

A proxy server is a device on a local network that acts as an intermediary for all web requests between your computer and the internet.

The proxyserver settings should be left blank unless you require a proxy server for internet access. If an invalid setting is entered here, MARC Report will be unable to access the internet, and you will experience repeated long timeouts (30 seconds) when using the those parts of the program that make use of internet resources.

If you do not know whether you need to use a proxy server to access the internet, click the 'Clear' button, then click the 'Test' button: see what happens. If the test succeeds, then you probably do not need to use a proxyserver.

Another way to find out about this is to look at your Internet Options: goto Connections|LAN Settings and check whether the 'Use a proxy server' box is checked.

If it turns out that you do need to use a proxy server, enter the address of the proxy server (preferably the IP address), and the TCP port number that the server listens on. Additionally, supply the username and/or password for connecting to the server, if required. Leave the last option set to None unless you are instructed otherwise. Contact your local tech support person for this information if you do not have it.

NOTES

When the 'Test' button is pressed, the program sends an http request to the following URL:

http://www.marcofquality.com/current.html

(This is the same URL that the program uses to check for updates; the content of this url simply contains the current version number of the program).

If you do run into problems accessing the internet, consider the possibility that some other software on your computer is blocking MARC Report. Again, contact your local tech support people for help.

INTERNET ACCESS BY MARC REPORT

MARC Report makes use of the internet in two ways. In the first case, the program asks your default web browser to load a page from the web; in the second case, the program interacts with a web resource directly. In either case, only the http protocol and the default port (80) is used.

1. MARC Report asks your default web browser to load pages from the web:

+ the links under the Help menu that access our website, 
+ the 'Search LC' option on the main menu, and
+ double-clicking URLs that appear in records you are editing

2. MARC Report interacts with a web resource directly:

+ requesting a permalink copy of a record from LC
+ requesting updates to value lists hosted by LC
+ validating subject headings (if online validation is enabled)

It is typically only the second case, above, that may require the proxy server settings in MARC Report to be filled out.