Help

Help files are categorized by subject:

Recommended System Requirements

Downloading Files from the DVD

System Help

What are the recommended system requirements for viewing this site?

See Recommended System Requirements

Can I view this site from a Mac or other system?

This site is designed to be viewed through Internet Explorer on a PC processor using Windows® 95 or later or Windows NT® version 4.0 or later system software. While most of the pages can be viewed from a Mac, fonts may appear differently and some functionality on the pages may be lost. It is recommended that the site be viewed according to the Recommended System Requirements

Browser Help

What browser and version is best for viewing the pages on this DVD?

Internet Explorer® version 5.x and higher, Netscape® version 6.0 and higher, or other compatible browser.

How do I download a PDF or video file to my hard drive?

To download and view large files from your hard drive:

1. Go to the web page, and the link to the file you wish to view.
2. Right-click on the link (not the file itself) and select "Save target as..."
3. Follow the instructions to place the file in a directory on your hard drive.
4. To view, click on the downloaded file.

Where can I download an updated version of the browser?

The following link takes you to the' Download Plug-Ins' page on the B.C. Government website. This page has links to a number of common plugins you may need for this site. Download Plug-Ins

My browser tries to download a video file instead of playing it automatically.

If you click on a link for a video file and your web browser attempts to download the file without playing it, your Player is probably not up to date. You will need to upgrade your Player

PDF Help

About PDF Files - Wherever PDF files are available for viewing, they require the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® (PDF). If you do not already have the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® installed as a browser plug in, please visit the Adobe Information Page.

What are PDF files, and why are so many of these documents in PDF format?

PDF (Portable Document Files) are postscript-based files that can be viewed the same way on any operating system that supports the Adobe Acrobat® Reader® software. This file, if built correctly, can be printed, viewed from the web or used for CD-ROM publications. PDF files can use several compression techniques, making them ideal for archival purposes.

In which version of PDF are the files saved in this site?

Files are saved in Version 5 or earlier. Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® v6.0 or v5.0 will open the PDFs in this site.

Are upgrades to the PDF browser Plugin free?

Yes, free upgrades to the PDF browser plug-in can be obtained from the Adobe® Information Page.

Why am I having trouble viewing some larger PDFs from my browser?

While every effort to reduce file sizes has been taken, there are some large PDFs that cannot be split or reduced any further without serious degradation to the appearance of the content. If you are viewing files using a modem, larger files can stall or "time out" your connection. In these cases, it may be advisable to download the file to your hard drive first, and open it from there.

Error message: "Update your PDF browser plugin"

Most PDFs have been saved in older versions of Adobe Acrobat, however a few may be saved in newer version 6.0. PDFs saved in version 6.0 will trigger a window requesting you to update your Acrobat Reader plugin. This can be ignored, as the file will open in earlier versions of the Reader.

Why is my computer "stalling" while trying to view some PDFs?

Your computer may not be stalling-- it may be trying to download and view a very large pdf. Most of the links to pdfs in this site are listed with their accompanying file size, so you know what to expect.

Media Player Help

What are Media Players, and why do I need one?

Media Players are utilities that allow you to view the animated video clips on this site, such as the photologs and flyovers.

We recommend the Windows Media® Player or QuickTime® Player for Flyovers and animated video clips on this site. Clips are generally in AVI or MOV format.

Where can I download a Media Player?

If you do not have the Windows Media® Player or QuickTime® Player installed, download Windows Media ® Player for AVI files, or QuickTime ® Player for MOV files, at no cost.

My browser tries do download a video file instead of playing it automatically

When you click on a link for a video file, if your web browser attempts to download the file without playing it, your Player is not up-to-date to play the selected file.

My browser displays a message saying that I don't have authorization to view the video file

Microsoft Media® Player 6.4 Authorization Message or File Cannot be Found Problem:

If you are having problems using Windows Media® Player 6.4 you may receive an error indicating that:

You do not have permission to access the video file

The video file cannot be found

This is a known problem with some versions of Microsoft Media® Player 6.4. One solution for this problem is to right click on the link or interactive map, save the video file to your hard drive and play the video file directly from your hard drive. Using Microsoft Explorer®, you can double click on the saved video file and it will play in the Windows Media® Player.

If you are having this problem in Windows NT®, there is no upgrade available for Windows Media® Player. Right click and save the video file to your hard drive, then double click on the saved video file and it will play in the Windows Media® Player.

If you are having this problem in Windows® 2000, or another version of Windows (except NT), you can upgrade your version of Windows Media® Player to a newer version.

What version of Windows Media® Player do I have?

Start up your current version of Windows Media® Player, then click on the Help menu selection and then choose About...

About Windows Media Player Graphic

Note: the Check for Player Upgrade option shown in this example is of no use to NT users since there is no media player upgrade for NT. Only the Media Codecs upgrade is available.

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