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Variations2 Version 5.1 Installation Instructions
for Mac OS X

Step 1. Install Variations2

Currently, downloading files from IUWare Online on a Mac using Internet Explorer does not work. Use another browser such as Firefox.

- Note: If you have an older version of Variations2 installed, first drag it to the trash, and empty the trash. This installation file is about 10MB. It is not recommended that you download this file if you are using a dial-up modem. If you have a dial-up modem you should go to a computer with a high-speed Internet connection and copy this file onto a CD. You can then install the file on your computer from the CD.
  1. Using a browser other than Internet Explorer, go to IUware Online, and click on "Music" to find Variations2. Click the "Login" button and login with your IU Network ID and passphrase. Then save the Variations2 installer image file to your desktop.
  2. When the file finishes downloading, you will see an install disk image (an icon of a disk called "Variations2"); open it to begin the installation.
  3. In the install disk image is the program, an application also called "Variations2"; drag it to where you would like it to be installed--usually the Applications folder.
  4. Double-click on the program to start it. You will be prompted to login. Use your IU Network ID and passphrase (same as you use for Oncourse). Search for something by Beethoven and see if the audio is working properly. If so, skip to Step 3.

Step 2. Configure QuickTime - Note: This step is only necessary if you are having trouble playing the audio, or if audio is consistently low-quality despite having a fast Internet connection.

  1. After the installation is done, open System Preferences to configure QuickTime.
  2. Click on the QuickTime button.
  3. Under the Connection tab, ensure that the Connection Speed matches your Internet connection.
  4. Make sure the Allow Multiple Simultaneous Streams box is checked.
  5. Close the QuickTime Settings window.

Step 3. Configure Web Browser(s)

In order for Variations2 to work properly when links are clicked from web browsers, you must follow the instructions below for each web browser installed on your system.

Firefox

Firefox

Firefox does not allow setting of file/mime types ahead of time, and so you must "teach" the browser to recognize files by first clicking on them in the browser. For each file type (v2p playlists, v2t timelines, v2a annotation files, and v2x player/viewer links), the first time you click on a link to one of these files, a pop-up dialog will ask which application you wish to use to open files of this type. For each file, choose Variations2.

Configure Firefox by clicking on each of the sample links on the samples page

Internet Explorer

Mozilla

Start Mozilla and choose Preferences from the Mozilla menu. Choose File Helpers and add new mime types 'application/x-variations2' and 'application/x-variations2-timeline'. You should associate 'application/x-variations2' with file types v2p, v2a, and v2x. You should associate 'application/x-variations2-timeline' with file type v2t.

Test Mozilla with samples from the samples page

Safari

Use of Safari is not currently recommended for accessing Variations2. If using Safari, you must manually download files to your hard drive, then double-click on the file in the Finder to launch the application. This is true for v2t, v2p, and v2a files. If the file downloads as a file with a 'cgi' extension (this will happen for v2x player/viewer links), you MUST rename the file once it is downloaded to have the 'v2x' extension in order to use this file with Variations2.

Problems?

  • If you experience problems when you try to run Variations2, check the following link for possible solutions: Known Problems.
  • If the Known Problems link still does not solve your problem, contact support for assistance.

Fonts
We strongly recommend that you install the font Arial Unicode MS in order to be able to view all international and special characters in the application. This font can be installed as part of the "international features" option in Microsoft Office 2000 or XP. You can easily check to see whether this font is already installed by opening Microsoft Word and looking at the list of fonts. For more information on installing this font, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q287247.