Hera Setup Instructions for Mac OS-X

These instructions apply to Mac OS-X computers running Jaguar, Panther, or Tiger, using the Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape or Camino web browser. The Safari, Opera, and Internet Explorer web browsers are not currently supported.
  1. Download and install the appropriate Mac version of Fv on your computer. Note that the version of Fv that was included in the April 2005 release of version 6.0 of the HEASARC's HEASOFT package cannot be used to connect to Hera.

    Once you have downloaded the fv dmg.gz file, drag it onto Stuffit Expander to decompress it (Stuffit Expander may launch and decompress the file automatically). If the disk image doesn't mount automatically, double-click on the .dmg file to mount it. Once the disk image mounts, open it, and drag the fv icon onto your hard disk. We recommend that you copy it to the Applications folder.

    To start fv double click on the icon or type open -a fv from the command line. The X11 graphical environment needs to be installed.

    Select QUIT (command-Q) from the fv menu if the Quit button on the fv graphical user interface does not work.

  2. Click on this 'Test Hera' link and carefully follow these instructions:

    For Firefox, Mozilla, or Netscape:

    • A brower window should appear that asks what you want to do with files of type XHERA or text/x-hera.
    • Select the "Open with" option, and use the "Browse" or "Choose" button to find and select the previously installed fv file.
    • Also select the option box to always do this automatically the next time a file of this type is opened, if your browser provides that option.

    For Camino (tested with version 0.9.a1):

    • Clicking on the above 'test Hera' link will cause a "setbrowser2.xhera" file to be downloaded. Use 'finder' to locate the file, then do "CMD-I" on it ("show info"), then set the "open with" application to the Mac OS-X version of Fv that was installed in step 1, above.

After performing this installation, clicking on the above 'Test Hera' link should display a new window confirming that you have successfully setup fv to run Hera.

If for some reason you need to reset the path to the fv executable, follow these instructions, depending on your browser:

  • Firefox: open Preferences -> Downloads. In the "File Types" window, select the XHERA file type, then click the "Remove" button.
  • Netscape and Mozilla: open the Netscape Preference -> Navigator -> Helper Applications, select the line associated with "text/x-hera", and click the "Remove" button.

    You should then be able to click on the above 'Test Hera' link, and enter the new path to the fv executable.

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