Connecting to the MIDI Lab Server

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The "Server" in our lab is simply a computer designated for public use. The Server provides personal Student Folders for student file storage, and a folder called the Drop Box where students can turn in assignments for MIDI Lab classes.

CONNECT TO THE MIDI LAB SERVER FROM AN OLDER (WHITE) IMAC (RUNNING OS 10.4)--

1. From a MIDI Lab computer, click on the Desktop, and make sure the word Finder shows up in the far left of the top menu bar.

The Finder is the default application on the Macintosh, the "starting-point" for most file-related activities. The name of the currently-running application always shows up at the far left of the top menu bar.

2. From the top menu bar, access the File menu, and select New Finder Window.

This is the simple way to just open a default window on a Mac.

3. At the left-hand side of the Finder Window, find the Network icon and click on it.

The Network icon is in a section of the Finder window called the sidebar. You can access a location contained in the Sidebar by single-clicking its icon.

If the Network icon is missing from the Sidebar, you can also access the Network from the Go menu in the top menu bar.

4. In the resulting window, find the three View buttons at the upper left, and click the Column button.

The View buttons allow you to view the contents of a Finder window with icons, in a list, or in columns.

5. In the resulting window, find the My Network folder and click on it.

On a Macintosh, the My Network folder shows all other Macs connected to the Network.

6. A new column will show up to the right--find MIDI Lab Server and click on it.

In Column view, when you click on a folder, its contents appear in the next column to the right.

7. In the new column, click the Connect button.

8. In the resulting window, enter this data--

• Connect as: Guest

--and hit Connect.

Note that this is the same data for everyone, even if you have your own account on one of the Macs.

8. In the resulting window, select the volume Public and hit OK.

"Volumes" are individual data containers. A hard drive drive can contain one or more volumes, so can a compact disk and other storage devices. This step has "opened" the Public volume on the Server, meaning that you now have access to its contents.

9. Notice that in the Finder window Sidebar, there is a volume icon for Public. Single-click it to open its contents in the Finder window.

10. In the resulting column, single-click Public to open its contents in a new column.

11. Single-click the Student, Drop Box, or Practica Musica window to open its contents in a new column.

If you clicked the Drop Box, navigate to your course's folder, and single-click it to access its contents. You may need to also open the folder for a particular assignment.

If you clicked on Student, find your Student Folder and click it to access it. If you don't have a Student Folder, contact your instructor.

12. To put something into the Drop Box or your Student Folder, find the icon for the item on your local computer, then drag the item into the destination folder. It will be copied into that folder, leaving the original item on your local computer intact.

Make sure you don't drag your work into another student's folder.

Important: Don't try to delete anything from any location on the Server. If you want to replace something in the Drop Box, give the newer item a different name and put it into the Drop Box along with the older item. Your instructor will evaluate the newer item. If you need something changed or removed, contact your instructor.

For additional guideleines, read the Server Guidelines below.

When you are done, don't forget to disconnect from the server.

CONNECT TO THE MIDI LAB SERVER FROM AN NEWER (BLACK) IMAC (RUNNING OS 10.5)--

There are times when the connections above don't work. If that is the case, or if you want to see how network connections really function on a Mac, read on...

1. From a MIDI Lab computer, click on the Desktop, and make sure the word Finder shows up in the far left of the top menu bar.

The Finder is the default application on the Macintosh, the "starting-point" for most file-related activities. The name of the currently-running application always shows up at the far left of the top menu bar.

2. From the top menu bar, access the File menu, and select New Finder Window.

This is the simple way to just open a default window on a Mac.

3. In the resulting window, find the three View buttons at the upper left, and click the Column button.

The View buttons allow you to view the contents of a Finder window with icons, in a list, or in columns.

4. At the left-hand side of the Finder Window, find the Shared label. If necessary, click on the triangle to the left of the word Shared to reveal the Shared items below it.

The items in this list are other computers connected on the local Network.

If the MIDI Lab Server shows up in this list, click on it once and skip to Step 7.

5. In the list of Items below the Shared label, click on the icon to the left of the word All.

A list of connected computers will appear in the next column to the right.

6. In the list of connected computers, scroll down to find the MIDI Lab Server item and click on it.

On a Macintosh, the My Network folder shows all other Macs connected to the Network.

7. In the new column, click the Connect As button.

8. In the resulting window, enter this data--

• Connect as: Guest

--and hit Connect.

Note that this is the same data for everyone, even if you have your own account on one of the Macs.

This will produce a list of available "volumes" in the same column. "Volumes" are individual data containers. A hard drive drive can contain one or more volumes, so can a compact disk and other storage devices.

8. In this same column, window, click on the volum name Public to access its contents.

This step has "opened" the Public volume on the Server, meaning that you now have access to its contents. You should see Drop Box, Practica Music Studnets, and Student Folders in the column to the right.

10. Single-click the Student, Drop Box, or Practica Musica window to open its contents in a new column.

If you clicked the Drop Box, navigate to your course's folder, and single-click it to access its contents. You may need to also open the folder for a particular assignment.

If you clicked on Student, find your Student Folder and click it to access it. If you don't have a Student Folder, contact your instructor.

11. To put something into the Drop Box or your Student Folder, find the icon for the item on your local computer, then drag the item into the destination folder. It will be copied into that folder, leaving the original item on your local computer intact.

Make sure you don't drag your work into another student's folder.

Important: Don't try to delete anything from any location on the Server. If you want to replace something in the Drop Box, give the newer item a different name and put it into the Drop Box along with the older item. Your instructor will evaluate the newer item. If you need something changed or removed, contact your instructor.

For additional guideleines, read the Server Guidelines below.

When you are done, don't forget to disconnect from the server.

DISCONNECTING FROM THE MIDI LAB SERVER--

When you are finished working with the Server, make sure to disconnect. To disconnect, do one of the following--

1. In the top menu bar, access the Blue Apple menu and select Log Out Student (or your current account).

2. Find the icon for the Public volume on your Desktop and drag it to the Trash in the Dock (the Trash icon will change to an eject symbol).

3. In the Sidebar of a Finder window, click the small eject symbol to the right of the Public volume.

GUIDELINES FOR USING THE MIDI LAB SERVER--

•Connect to the Server with care. If you are in doubt about a step, or any of these guidelines, ask the lab monitor for help.

•Do not stay connected to the Server longer than necessary. When you are finished with your work, make sure to disconnect from the Server

•If you are turning in work to the Drop Box, make sure to put your work in the proper folder inside the Drop Box.

•If you are accessing work in progress from your Student Folder, DO NOT open any file residing on the server. Rather, copy the file to your local desktop, then disconnect from the Server. When your work is done, copy the new file(s) back to your Student Folder.

•If you are working in Practica Musica, you do need to stay connected to the Server during your session. When you are done, and have quit Practica Musica, be sure to disconnect from the Server.

•If you are working on a project that needs to access other files (i.e. a Digital Performer file that includes audio files) make sure you copy your whole project folder to your desktop, not just the project file itself.

•Do not delete any files, including your own, from the Server. If you have handed in a wrong assignment, simply hand in a later version and leave the previous version there.

•The MIDI Lab Server is a public volume. Though we back up the files on this volume regularly, we cannot guarantee their security. We encourage you to back up any important files in another place, and not to store any files that contain confidential or sensitive information.

MORE INFO--

•There is more information coming at the Networking in the MIDI Lab page, specifically on working with Practica Musica, creating new Student Folders, connecting to other computers in the lab, and more. In the meantime, if you have questions, please ask your instructor or lab monitor.

This page was created by Jon Newton, January, 2009. If you have questions or find typos/mistakes, please send an email to jnewton@pdx.edu.