FAQ
- 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? View answer...
- Apart from the ("show history") icon,
is there an easy way to check what exactly we have
searched? View answer...
- Does The Singapore & Malaysian Case Law
Library contain FULL unreported texts of all
digests from Mallal's Digest? View
answer...
- 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." View answer...
- 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. View
answer...
- What do those Mallal's Digest [MD] numbers mean?
View answer...
- CD-ROMs on a network - run from CD or install to
hard drive? View answer...
- What's included in a 1999 case report CD
subscription? View answer...
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.
