This was our first foray into Java. While we have endeavored to make the interface as useable as possible, we also decided to keep the programming effort (and hence the download time) to a minimum by using built-in Java Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT) components.

Unfortunately, every platform (and even each browser on a platform) implements the AWT differently--and incompletely. Following is a list of known "problems".

Rudimentary testing has been done using Netscape Navigator for Mac (v3.01) and for Solaris (v3.01), and Microsoft Internet Explorer for Mac v3.0.

If you notice any additions or corrections while using QUALITY, we'd like to know. If you can figure a workaround, we'd like to hear that as well.

General

• Tab and Shift-Tab will not necessarily move you from cell to cell, as you might expect. What you experience is the default Java AWT behavior on your platform. I could probably write keypress-handling routines to add this, but currently feel that the minor benefits aren't worth the programming effort, or the increased download time for you, the end user.


• Changing the number of dilutions reverts the cell contents to those of the last analysis you ran. If you've changed cell values, press "Go" before pressing the "+" or "-" buttons. Or re-enter the data afterward.

Netscape Navigator

• Scrollbars around the results TextArea don't draw initially. (Also occurs when the applet moves back to the web page after closing a window opened using the "New Window" button.)

  Fix: Navigator/Mac 4.03 and higher seem to have fixed this. OR switch to another window or program, then bring the applet window back to the front. It will then redraw correctly.

  Problem version: Navigator/Mac 3.01

 

• When opening a "New Window" for the applet, the applet on the page should blank out. Due to some redraw problems, it won't.

  Fix: Navigator/Mac 4.03 and higher seem to have fixed this. OR move the new applet window over the old applet region then move it. It will then redraw properly (empty). Or just ignore it.

  Problem version: Navigator/Mac 3.01

 

• When opening a "New Window" for the applet, the TextArea in the new window is minimal, not filling out the lower portion of the window.

  Fix: resize the window, and the TextArea will resize properly.

  Problem version: Navigator/Solaris 3.01

Microsoft Internet Explorer

• When running the applet in a separate window, the window isn't resizable. (Actually, the window is resizable but the applet doesn't resize with it.)

  Fix: upgrading to version 3.01 seems to fix this.

  Problem version: Explorer/Mac 3.0

 

• Can't select the text in the results TextArea, therefore unable to copy the results to another window.

  Fix: none known.

  Problem version: Explorer/Mac 3.0