Babel 1.0 Beta - quick start

ATTENTION: Cette version de Babel est une version d'évaluation. Les modalités d'utilisation peuvent être modifiées sans préavis. En particulier les conditions d'attribution de comptes pourront changer dans le futur.
CAUTION: This is an evaluation version of the BABEL web server. The methods of use can be modified without notice. In particular the requirements for accounts opening will be able to change in the future.

Babel sessions

A babel quick tour

  1. Introduction

    This document is intended to introduce you to some basic operations that you can expect to do with Babel. Babel is not a monolithic application but a framework hosting various command line tools which were adapted for the web. If you want more detail on how to execute a certain command please refer to the relevant help provided by its main form.

  2. Registration and login

    When you access Babel the home page is shown first. From here you can :
    • start an anonymous session if you are an occasional user (by clicking the "Anonymous mode" link)
    • start an authenticated session if you already have an account (click "Login").
    • create a permanent account (by clicking the "Register" link) if you are a new user and you wish to preserve your working data between two sessions. A permanent account also provides enhanced capabilities (disc space, CPU time and session time limits) to your jobs, as compared to the anonymous mode.

    • Creating a permanent account

      • When you click the "Register" link a registration form is displayed.
      • Fill the registration form :
        • Fill the field "Entry your e-mail address" (warning : the e-mail address entered here must be a valid one and it must be yours)
        • Choose a password having at least 6 characters and type it in the next field (named : "Enter your password")
        • Re-type your password in the field "Password verification" (do not use "copy an paste")
        Warnings :
        • Please note that your password is confidential and should not be shared with other users.
        • Do not use here your UNIX account password.
      • Click the "Submit Query" button
      • You will then receive an e-mail asking for confirmation. This message explains the terms of your subscription to the service. If you agree these terms please click the link at the end of the message or copy and paste it into your browser.
      • Your browser will display once again the login form. You can start then an authenticated session.

    • Starting an authenticated session

      When you click the "Login" link a login form is displayed. Enter your e-mail address and your password and submit the form.

    • Starting an anonymous session

      Just click the "Anonymous mode" link. A new page informs you about the limitations of this kind of session and gives you the choice between "Continue" and return to the login form. Click to "Continue" if you really want to start an anonymous session. Keep in mind that all your working data will be lost at the end of the session and think to save (upload) the data you want to preserve.

  3. Page Layout

    The layout for many of the Babel pages is shared. The different parts of the layout are :
    • the navigation bar
    • the logout link
    The Navigation Bar includes many tabs, plus the Help link (?). When you click on a tab it will take you to the associated page. The tabs are explained below.

    • The "Commands" Tab

      This is a link to the "Command Select" page which lists the commands currently available.

    • The "Files" Tab

      This is a link to a file browser page which helps you to examine and navigate the files in your workspace.

    • The "Job History" Tab

      This is a link to a page which shows jobs that have run or are still running in your current session.

    • The "Process List" Tab

      This is a link to a page which displays all running processes attached to your current session.

    • Help link

      This is a link to the page displaying this intro.

  4. The "Command Select" Page

    This page lists the commands currently available. Two different views of the command list are available : List view (index view) and tree view (explorer view). You can switch from one view to another at any time by clicking to the corresponding link on the top right of the page. Although both views display the same list of commands, list view shows commands as a single, alphabetical sorted list, whereas the tree view organizes the commands into various folders and subfolders. A folder can contain commands, subfolders or both. A command is always displayed as a line containing :
    • a link to the command help (a clickable question-mark image)
    • a link to the command main form.
    • a short description of the command.
    A folder can be opened or closed. A closed folder is displayed on a single line containing :
    • a link to the help page concerning the folder content (a clickable question-mark image)
    • the folder name
    • a clickable image representing an open folder (which opens the folder on click)
    • a short description of the folder.
    An open folder is displayed on many lines (if not empty). Its first line contains :
    • a link to the help page concerning the folder content
    • the folder name
    • a clickable image representing a closed folder (which closes the folder on click)
    The next lines of the folder display folder items. You can open all the folders and subfolders on the page by clicking "Expand all" link and you can close all of them by clicking "Collapse all". Both links are on the top of the page.

  5. The "Files" Page

    This is a File Browser which allows you to :
    • list the files and subdirectories in the current directory
    • view detailed information about a file or display it
    • download files
    • change the current directory
    • upload files
    • delete or move files
    • create new directories

    Listing files and subdirectories

    The top of this page contains :
    • the relative path of the current directory (look for "Content of .../YourHome/babelwork/...")
    • a table displaying general information about files and subdirectories (one file or subdirectory per row).
    The displayed file properties are named in the table header. While a part of these properties are completely defined by their names ("Last modified", "Size") some of them require some additional explanation :
    • "As Input/As Output" indicate if the file is used as input/output by one of your jobs.
    • File name is a link. According with the kind of the item (i.e. file or directory) clicking this link allows you to visualize the file content in a new window (when the visualization is possible) or to browse the subdirectory. The file name is preceded (in the same cell) by two icons.
    The first one represents a floppy disk or a folder according to the kind of the item.
    • clicking the "floppy disk" icon allows you to download the associated file (the download mode is forced even if the visualization is possible).
    • clicking the folder icon allows you to browse the associated subdirectory.
    The second icon shows an "i" (as information) character. Clicking it will display detailed information about the file or subdirectory in a new form which also allows you to move or delete it.

  6. The "Job history" Page

    Each command you run in your Babel session is a task that the (Unix) system performs, i.e. a job. This page gives you access to your job list and allows you to replay, restart or delete a job. Babel job history proposes two views.
    • The general view is displayed when the "Job history" tab is selected.
    • The detailed view is displayed when you click a particular item in the "Job Id" column of the general view.

  7. The "Process List" Page

    This page displays information about the (UNIX) processes related to your jobs.