Technical Help

Some help with the more technical issues:

What Is Javascript?

JavaScript is a scripting language used in many websites to enhance their functionality. Ancestral Forest use javascript to make web pages more dynamic, carrying out validation for member input and displaying extra options at the appropriate time without having to referesh the web page. This is intended to minimise the number of time you as a user have to refresh the page (each refresh takes time).

How Do I enable Javascript?

To enable javascript follow the instructions appropriate to your web browser below:

Internet Explorer (6.0)

  1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
  2. Choose 'Internet Options'
  3. Click on the 'Security' tab
  4. Click on 'Custom Level'
  5. Scroll down until you see section labled 'Scripting'
  6. Under 'Active Scripting', select 'Enable' and click OK

Netscape Navigator (4.8)

  1. Select 'Edit' from the top menu
  2. Choose 'Preferences'
  3. Choose 'Advanced'
  4. Choose 'Scripts & Plugins'
  5. Select the 'Enable JavaScript' checkbox and click OK

Mozilla Firefox (1.0)

  1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
  2. Choose 'Options'
  3. Choose 'Web Features' from the left navigation
  4. Select the checkbox next to 'Enable JavaScript' and click OK

Mozilla Firefox (1.5)

  1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
  2. Choose 'Options'
  3. Choose 'Content' from the top navigation
  4. Select the checkbox next to 'Enable JavaScript' and click OK

Apple Safari (1.0)

  1. Select 'Safari' from the top menu
  2. Choose 'Preferences'
  3. Choose 'Security'
  4. Select the checkbox next to 'Enable JavaScript'

Please keep in mind that upgrading your browser or installing new security software or security patches may affect your JavaScript settings. It is a good idea to double-check that JavaScript is still enabled if you notice problems using Ancestral Forest.

What Are Cookies?

What are cookies? A "cookie" is a small piece of information sent by a web server to store on a web browser so it can later be read back from that browser. This is useful for having the browser remember some specific information. Cookies can be used to store preferences so that your view of a web site is personlised.

How Do I Enable Cookies?

  1. Click the Tools menu.
  2. Select Options.
  3. Click the Privacy tab.
  4. Select the 'Accept cookies from sites' checkbox.
  5. Click the OK button.

Internet Explorer 6 or 7

  1. Click the Tools menu.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. Click the Privacy tab.
  4. Click the Default button (or manually slide the bar down to 'Medium').
  5. Click the OK button.

Safari 3

  1. Click the Safari menu.
  2. Select Preferences.
  3. Click Security.
  4. In the 'Accept Cookies' section, select Always.
  5. Click OK.
Internet Explorer 4

Go to menu item View->Internet Options->Advanced->Security->Cookies and click on either Accept all cookies or Prompt before accepting cookies

Internet Explorer 5

Go to the menu item Tools->Internet Options->Security, click on the 'Internet' Logo (a globe), then click Custom Level, go down to the 'Cookies' section and click the 'enable' or 'prompt' items.

Internet Explorer 6

Go to the menu item Tools->Internet Options and select the Privacy tab. Set the slider to 'Medium High', 'Medium', 'Low' or 'Accept all cookies' ('Medium High' is enough for our site).

Netscape 4

Go to menu item Edit->Preferences->Advanced and click on Accept all cookies or only accept cookies originating from the same server as the page being viewed (2nd option is all that is required for our site)

Netscape 6, 7 & Mozilla

Go to menu item Edit->Preferences->Privacy & Security->Cookies and click on Enable all cookies or Enable cookies for the originating web site only (2nd option is all that is required for out site)

Lynx 2.7 & 2.8

(Earlier versions of Lynx do not support cookies at all. To use our penpal site you must upgrade.)

Whether cookies are enabled by default is a compile-time option. They can be forced on by having a line SET_COOKIES:TRUE in the lynx.cfg file. Alternatively the default cookie behaviour (to ignore or not) can be reversed by the -cookies command-line option.

AOL browsers

AOL 8.0

  1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings.
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
  4. Select the Privacy tab
  5. Select Advanced
  6. Deselect override automatic cookie handling button
  7. Click OK to exit.
AOL 7.0 with IE 6.x

  1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings.
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
  4. Select the Privacy tab
  5. Select Advanced
  6. Deselect override automatic cookie handling button
  7. Click OK to exit.
AOL 7.0 with IE 5.5

  1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings.
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
  4. Select the Security tab
  5. Select the Custom Level tab
  6. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
  7. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
  8. Select OK, Yes you want to save the settings
AOL 6.0

  1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
  4. Select the Security tab
  5. Select the Custom Level tab
  6. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
  7. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
  8. Select OK, Yes you want to save the settings
AOL 5.0

  1. Go to My AOL
  2. Pick WWW
  3. Click the Security tab
  4. Go to Custom Level
  5. Scroll down to find Cookie
  6. Click "Enable"
  7. Click OK
AOL 4.0

  1. Click on Preferences
  2. Select on the WWW button
  3. Click on the Advanced tab
  4. Select the "Accept all cookies" checkbox
AOL for Windows 3.1

Browser does not give you the ability to turn off cookies

Windows IE 6.x Browser

  1. Select Tools
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Select the Privacy tab.
  4. Select Advanced
  5. Deselect override automatic cookie handling button
  6. Click on the OK button at the bottom of the screen.
  7. Click OK to exit
Windows IE 5.x Browser

  1. Go to Tools on the menu bar
  2. Pick Internet Options
  3. Click the Security tab
  4. Select the Custom Level tab
  5. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
  6. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
  7. Select OK, Yes you want to save the settings
Windows IE 4.x Browser

  1. Go to View on the menu bar
  2. Pick Internet Options
  3. Click the Advanced tab
  4. Go down to the Cookies section
  5. Click "Always Accept Cookies"
  6. Click OK
Windows IE 3.x Browser

  1. Go to View on the menu bar
  2. Pick Options
  3. Click the Advanced tab
  4. Go down to the Cookies section
  5. Click "Warn Before Accept Cookies"
  6. Click OK
Netscape 7.x

  1. Click Edit on the Toolbar.
  2. Click Preferences
  3. Click the Privacy and Security category; expand the list to show the subcategories.
  4. Click Cookies
  5. Three options are displayed. Click the appropriate choice:
    • Disable cookies
    • Enable cookies for the originating web site only
    • Enable all cookies
    • If you want to be notified when a web site tries to set a cookie, select "Warn me before accepting a cookie."
Netscape 6.x

  1. Click Edit on the Toolbar.
  2. Click Preferences
  3. Click the Privacy and Security category; expand the list to show the subcategories.
  4. Click Cookies
  5. Three options are displayed. Click the appropriate choice:
    • Disable cookies
    • Enable cookies for the originating web site only
    • Enable all cookies
    • If you want to be notified when a web site tries to set a cookie, select "Warn me before accepting a cookie."
Netscape 4.x

  1. Go to Edit on the menu bar
  2. Pick Preferences
  3. Go to the Advanced option on the Category menu
  4. Click the check box next to "Accept All Cookies"
  5. Click OK
Mac IE 5.x

  1. Click Edit
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Under the Receiving Files option, select Cookies
  4. Under "When receiving cookies:" select the desired level of cookie acceptance
  5. Under "When receiving cookies:" select the desired level of cookie acceptance
  6. Click OK to finish
Mac IE 4.x

  1. Go to My AOL on the menu bar
  2. Pick WWW
  3. Go to the Advanced Settings option on the Category menu
  4. Click "Cookies"
  5. When receiving cookies: Click "Never Ask"
  6. Click OK