Technical Support 
FAQ on CD-ROM
1. At the bottom left hand side of the screen in some
CD publications the "record" number is not shown (as stated
in the user guide). The "case" number is shown instead.
Is there any way the "record" number can be shown, so that
printing can be done by means of the record number? Read..
2. Apart from the ("show history") icon, is
there an easy way to check what exactly we have searched? Read.
3. Does The Singapore & Malaysian Case Law Library
contain FULL unreported texts of all digests from Mallal's Digest? Read
4. This error message appears on my screen when performing
a workstation install and the installation can’t be completed
: "XCopyFile function error, COPY_ERR_TARGETREADONLY. The file
in Target Directory is read-only. Error occurred during Windows core
system files for 32-bit windows." Read...
5. I've installed Release 3 onto the server but when the
infobase is launched, it isn't updated. It still shows Release 2 of
3 on the screen. Read...
6. What do those Mallal's Digest [MD] numbers mean? Read...
7. CD-ROMs on a network - run from CD or install to hard
drive? Read...
8. What's included in a 1999 case report CD subscription? Read...
1. At the bottom left hand side
of the screen in some CD publications the "record" number
is not shown (as stated in the user guide). The "case" number
is shown instead. Is there any way the "record" number can
be shown, so that printing can be done by means of the record number?
There is no easy way to do this. If a user wants
to know the record number that their cursor is in
then they can press Ctrl+G and bring up the GO TO
screen. The record number that their cursor is in
will be displayed in the "Go to:" box.
2. Apart from the ("show
history") icon, is there an easy way to check what exactly we have
searched?
You can use the "Prev" button which appears
in all search templates to see the previous searches
and the re-execute them.
3. Does The Singapore & Malaysian
Case Law Library contain FULL unreported texts of all digests from Mallal's
Digest?
No. Firstly, not all unreported cases from Mallal's
Digest are available for inclusion, particularly the
ones from the early years (1808). Mallal's Digests
may well be the only record available of those early
judgments, with no full-text judgment held anywhere.
Secondly, only full-text unreported judgments from
Malaysia are currently included. However, there are
many full-text unreported judgements on the CD which
are not digested in Mallal's Digest. Remember, altogether
you are gaining access to everything in MLJ, SLR and
Mallal's Digest plus thousands of unreported cases
more.
4. This error message appears
on my screen when performing a workstation install and the installation
can’t be completed : "XCopyFile function error, COPY_ERR_TARGETREADONLY.
The file in Target Directory is read-only. Error occurred during Windows
core system files for 32-bit windows."
We have been advised that the solution for this is
to delete all files and sub-folders in the \Bwnpubs\Views32\Winsys
folder on the server before performing a workstation
installation.
These files and sub-folders in the \Bwnpubs\Views32\Winsys
are as follows:
mfc40.dll
msvcrt40.dll
Vshare.386
\win95\Ctl3d32.dll
\winnt\Ctl3d32.dll
5. I've installed Release 3 onto
the server but when the infobase is launched, it isn't updated. It still
shows Release 2 of 3 on the screen.
On a network
If you have further questions, please email electronic-support@mlj.com.my.
or use the form below to submit your questions.
On a stand-alone PC
If you are a stand-alone user, and you have Release
2 of 3 already installed and unlocked on your computer,
all you need to do is place the disc into the CD drive
of that computer and start using it. It's that simple!
No installation and password is required.
6. What do those Mallal's Digest
[MD] numbers mean?
The [MD] numbers refer to a volume number between
1 and 12, which matches the hardcopy in their boundaries.
As an example, all the cases under Volume 1 on the
CD refer to cases within Administrative Law to Civil
Law Act.
The book volumes of Mallal's are reissued periodically.
The two most recent book versions of Volume 1 have
been:
Volume 1 [1989 Reissue] (with cases decided up to
end 1997); and
Volume 1 [1995 Reissue] (with cases decided up to
end 1993).
The 1998 Reissue contains all of the 1995 Reissue,
together with Volume 1 material from the Yearbooks
of 1994 to 1997. The same digest will not have the
same digest number in both Reissues, because the cases
are arranged alphabetically by catchword and then
they are given sequential digest numbers. Each release
of the CD-ROM is like a simultaneous reissue of all
12 volumes. We incorporate the latest yearbook material
and also material from recent monthly parts of the
Mallal's Current Service. But then there's more:
We remove all of the digests of MLJ and SLR cases
because the CDs already contain these as full-text
reports; and duplicate material adds no value, takes
up CD space and slows down searching.
We split the remaining material by jurisdiction so
that the CD publications remain jurisdiction-specific.
Finally, we give sequential digest numbers to what
remains.
The result: If you need to cite a digest from the
CD and would prefer to give a book citation rather
than a CD citation, then you will need to use the
case name, volume number and/or judgment date to locate
the case in the hardcopy books. However, we are also
moving to a citation system for unreported judgments.
MLJU's and SLRU's which will be allocated to all unreported
judgments and remain consistent between hardcopy reissue
volumes of Mallal's and CD-ROM releases. It will also
allow us to offer this material on-line in a consistent
and maintainable manner, because at the moment material
posted online which refers to the 1998 reissue volume
will be difficult to cite in 50 years time (17 reissues
later) unless we continually re-post the material
to give users the most current digest number.
This is a big job, amending material captured since
1808, but we are confident that by 1999 Release 2
of 3, our new Mallal's Digest database will be in
place and this new system of MLJU's and SLRU's will
be reflected in the CD-ROM's initially and then gradually
in the hardcopy as we reissue material.
7. CD-ROMs on a network - run
from CD or install to hard drive?
Many network users wonder whether they should be
running our CD-ROMs from a CD-ROM drive, or whether
they should be running it from their sever.
If you run the CD-ROM from a CD-ROM drive, it means
that the data files remain on the CD-ROM disc. To
access the data, the CD-ROM must be in the CD-ROM
drive. This can be inconvenient if your server only
has one CD-ROM drive. It is certainly no problem for
those who have a CD Tower, a unit consisting of several
CD-ROM drives which acts somewhat like a jukebox for
CD-ROMs except that all drives can be accessed at
the same time.
A CD Tower solution is popular in situations where:
- there are many CD-ROM publications being made available
- the CD-ROM will be searched relatively infrequently
(as with archival data)
- CD-ROM content will be swapped/.updated relatively
frequently (simply remove and replace discs instead
of copying and deleting data from the hard drive -
see below) and
- few people will search the same material at once.
If you run the CD-ROM from a hard drive, then during
installation the content is copied to the hard drive.
Users search the data files within your hard drive
thereafter. There is no further need for the CD-ROM
to be in the CD-ROM drive after installation.
A hard drive solution is popular in situations where:
- there are few CD-ROM publications being made available,
hence lots of space available on the server
- the CD-ROM will be searched frequently (as with all
essential sources)
- CD-ROM content will be swapped/updated relatively
infrequently, and
- many people will search the same material at once
- if you have a licence for a large number of concurrent
users then we strongly urge you to run the CD-ROM
from your hard drive.
8. What's included in a 1999
case report CD subscription?
Using The Malaysian Case Law Library as an example;
a 1999 subscription entitles you to all the cases
from Part 1 of [1999] 1 MLJ until Part 12 of [1999]
6 MLJ. The CD comes out three times a year, and works
roughly to this schedule:
| Release No: |
Release Date: |
Content: |
| Release 1 of 3 |
May'99 |
January 1, 1999 - April 31, 1999 |
| Release 2 of 3 |
September'99 |
May 1, 1999 - August 31, 1999 |
| Release 3 of 3 |
January'00 |
September 1, 1999 - December 31, 1999 |
Occasionally subscribers get confused because they
receive the third CD for the year in January of the
following year.
