Installation and Disk Swapping
Navigating the Perseus Environment
Gateway & Navigator
Paths
Search Tools
Primary Texts
Philological Tools
Art & Archaeology
Atlas
Historical Overview
Essays & Catalogs
Tools & References
The Perseus Project: Goals & Expectations
Contents of Platform Independent Perseus
Platform Independent Perseus Help Pages

Paths Help Topics

Paths Overview

Use the Paths utility to record and annotate your journey through the Perseus database or to follow a previously made Path. There are four Paths packaged with the Perseus CDs. They are found on the Path Index window, which is reached via the Paths button on the Gateway or from the choice Paths under the Perseus menu. Select a Path and click Go. A window named Paths on the title bar appears with the name of the Path below. Select a Stop and click Go, or use the Paths Controller to move along the Path.

The Paths Controller is the icon on the Navigator that looks somewhat like a maze with an arrow on each end. Click the right-end arrow to go forward in a Path; click the left-end arrow to go backward in a Path; click the center of the maze to add a location to a Path.

Because Path Stops are analogous to electronic bookmarks, you can use them to return quickly to places in Perseus where you were working during a previous session.

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Following and Creating Paths

A Path is a sequence of Stops in Perseus. Any Perseus window or image can be recorded as a Stop. Creators of Paths may annotate their Stops at the time of selection or later on.

The Perseus Path utility is designed so that you can both create and save new paths with your own annotations and follow previously created paths. You may keep any number of Path files in the Perseus folder on your hard disk. Path files may contain the Paths originally distributed with Platform Independent Perseus or Paths created by yourself and others.

The Path Index window lists the names of all the Paths in your current Path file. To go to the Path Index window, click the Paths button on the Gateway. Or from anywhere within Perseus, choose the item Paths from the Perseus menu. From the Paths window you can choose a Path to follow, create new Paths or edit a Path. To change Path files in order to load another set of Paths, see Paths Configuration, below.

From the Path Index window, click a Path once to select it, then click the Go button. Perseus will take you to the Stop selected. To move among Stops, use the Paths Controller found on the Navigator. The Paths Controller consists of a left arrow, a maze-like square and a right arrow. Click the right arrow of the Paths Controller to go forward. Click the left arrow of the Paths Controller to go backward. Click the maze of the Paths Controller to add your location to the current Path. To skip around in the Path, select any Stop in the Paths window, then click Go.

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Guided Tours

Four Paths are shipped along with the Perseus CD set. They are:
Novice Tour
Expert Tour
Philological Tour
Art and Archaeology Tour

When you install Perseus onto your computer, the file containing the four above Tours, named "perspath," is automatically placed in a folder named Paths on your hard drive. In addition, a blank Path file is supplied, simply named Paths.

N. B. 1 You cannot start following a Path or start up Perseus by opening the "perspath" file.

N. B. 2 If the file containing the Guided Tours is not the current Path file, see Path Configuration immediately below. Then return here.

To follow one of the Guided Tours, click the Paths button on the Gateway, or choose Paths from the Perseus menu. This action brings up the Path Index window, which lists the four Tours enumerated above. To follow a Tour, choose one from the Index and click Go. To follow the Path, click the right arrow of the Paths Controller. A Path Note window will appear with the Stop.

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Novice Tour

The Novice Tour explores some of the places in Perseus described in the Help topic Exploring the Perseus Environment.

N. B. If "perspath" is not your current Path file, read about Path Configuration below.

Click Paths on the Gateway or choose Paths from the Perseus menu. You are now looking at the Paths Index window. Double click Novice Tour, then click the right arrow of the Paths Controller (the maze-like icon on the Navigator), and you are under way.

A new window called Path Note will appear along with the first Stop on the Path. The Path Note window contains commentary or instructions concerning the Stop. You may need to drag the foreground window out of the way in order to see the Path Note window. Move the Path Note window to a location on the screen where it will not be obscured. Resize the Path Note window to accomodate the full text of the note.

To proceed forward to the next Stop on the Path, click the right arrow of the Paths Controller on the Navigator. If you loose the Navigator, you can bring it up again by choosing Navigator from the Perseus menu. To return to the previous Stop on the Path, click the left arrow on the Path Controller.

Feel free to leave the Path at any time to explore Perseus on your own. To rejoin the Path where you left it, choose Paths from the Perseus menu, click the Stop you were on, and click Go. If, however, you quit Perseus, you must again choose a Path to follow according to the instructions in this section.

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Expert Tour

The Expert Tour is intended to familiarize version 1.0 veterans, Perseus Web page users and eager novices with some of Platform Independent Perseus' newer and more advanced features. Access the Path Index window according to the directions in the above section. Double click Expert Tour, then the then click the right arrow of the Paths Controller (the maze-like icon on the Navigator), and you are under way. To proceed forward to the next Stop on the Path, click the right arrow of the Paths Controller on the Navigator.

For further information on customizing and creating your own Paths, and how to convert Paths from HyperCard Perseus, see below.

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Philological Tour

This tour surveys the capabilities of Perseus to collect and analyze philological data, focusing both on tools from Perseus 1.0 and tools developed for version 2.0. Access the Path Index according to the directions above in Novice Tour. Double click Philological Tour, then click the right arrow of the Paths Controller (the maze-like icon on the Navigator), and you are under way. To proceed forward to the next Stop on the Path, click the right arrow of the Paths Controller on the Navigator.

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Art and Archaeology Tour

Platform Independent Perseus contains more art objects (and more effective ways to find and organize them) than version 1.0 and Web Perseus. Some of these are shown in the Archaeology Tour. Access the Path Index according to the directions above in Novice Tour. Double click Art and Archaeology Tour, then the then click the right arrow of the Paths Controller (the maze-like icon on the Navigator), and you are under way. To proceed forward to the next Stop on the Path, click the right arrow of the Paths Controller on the Navigator.

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Path Configuration

When you first install Perseus, the Path file in effect is "perspath." To change the current Path file, choose Preferences from the Edit menu. Choose Paths from the Configure pop-up menu, then click Browse. Click the Path you wish to follow, then click open. Click Commit Changes, and the Perseus Configuration window will go away. The new Path file will remain in effect until you change it, even if you quit your Perseus session.

N. B. We suggest that if you wish to follow a Path submitted on a floppy disk, you first copy it to your Paths folder.

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Personalizing Files

Go to the folder or directory in your hard drive containing the Perseus folder, open it, and find the Paths files. Duplicate the file you wish to personalize, and rename it as you would any other file. We suggest a name identifying function and user (if there are several who share a workstation), for example, "Nina's Paths," "Parthenon Path," "History Lecture," ktl. Instructions for loading personalized Paths files into Perseus are given above in Path Configuration. If you don't want the factory-installed Paths, delete them from the duplicated Paths file.

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Create a Path

From the Path Index window, click New Path. In a message window you will be asked to name the Path. Type in a name and click OK. You now may go to any point in the Perseus database. To add your current location in a Path, click the maze on the Path Controller on the Navigator. When you add a location to your Path, a New Stop window appears. Type in a title and then any annotation you wish and click OK. A Path may contain any number of Stops. The Address box at the bottom contains the lookup string for the current Stop.

N. B. 1 We recommend that you use a simple word processor (such as SimpleText for the Mac or Wordpad for the PC) to compose lengthy annotations.

N. B. 2 Some users create Paths to record the interesting or instructive things they have encountered while exploring the Perseus database. Others have a predetermined motive in constructing a Path: e.g., assembling links to materials on the theme "The Depiction of Homeric Heroes in Attic Vase Painting." In the latter instance, we suggest a familiarity with both the contents of the database and the techniques involved in navigating the Perseus environment.

N. B. 3 You may find it useful to create a Path Note on which to post class assignments, messages of the day or other information useful to a group of users. For info on setting Path files to read-only, see Lock Path file below.

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Edit a Path

From the Path Index window, select the Path you wish to edit and click Go. Select a Stop. Click Delete to delete the Stop. To change the order of Stops, click-drag the Stop with the mouse to the Stop immediately below the position where you want it to appear; now release the mouse. To rename the Stop or edit the Path Note, click Edit.

N. B. It is not possible to import Paths directly from HyperCard Perseus into Platform Independent Perseus. This is because Perseus is no longer based on HyperCard software. To reuse your old Paths from Perseus 1.0 and 2.0, we suggest that you find and record locations in Platform Independent Perseus, then cut and paste your annotations into the Path Note window.

As you follow a Path, you may wish to investigate something that causes you to leave your Stop on the Path. If you decide to add the new Stop to the path, follow the instructions below. If you wish to return to the same Stop or skip forward or backward, choose the Paths from the Perseus menu, select the desired Stop, and click Go. If you wish to continue on the Path, click the right arrow of the Paths button on the Navigator to go to the next Stop.

Almost every location in Perseus (with the exception of the Thumbnail Browser) can be made into a Path Stop.

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Deleting Paths and Stops

You can delete a Path from the Paths window. Click Delete. A dialog box appears requesting you to confirm the deletion of this Path. Click Delete if you wish to delete the Path. If you have changed your mind or made a mistake, click Don't Delete.

You can delete a Stop from a Path window. Click Delete.

N. B. No dialog box will appear requesting you to confirm the deletion of this Stop.

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Renaming Stops

To rename a Stop, from the Path window click Edit to bring up the New Stop window. Type the new name for this Stop and click OK.

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Lock Path file

You can make your Path file somewhat tamper- (though not hacker-) resistant by making the file read-only. From the Macintosh Finder, single-click your Path file, then choose Get Info from the File menu. Click the Locked box, lower left. From the C: drive on a Windows machine, go to your Paths file inside the Paths folder inside the Perseus folder. Single-click your Path file, then choose Properties from the File menu. Click the Read-only box, lower left, then click OK. When the file is locked, Path windows are read-only and cannot be changed or deleted.

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