No Animated Tutor? / I've disabled code downloads. What am I missing?

Java and JavaScript are used to support an animation of a Tutor plane. It accelerates along the bottom of the screen on the Home page, takes off and climbs up the page. Once it has reached its cruise altitude, it slowly drifts downward, and then makes an approach, landing smoothly on the bottom of the screen, and decelerating to a halt. For variety, sometimes its landing is a bit bumpy. After a while it starts to move again, accelerates and repeats the sequence ad infinitum. Some possible causes for not seeing this are:

1. Internet Security Settings prevent operation of Javascript.
   

   If this is the case, then rather than seeing a picture banner going right across the top of the screen, with the Cheltenham Municipal Buildings on the right hand edge, you will see a picture just in the right hand corner, with the Building on the left hand edge of this. The Javascript test below this section should also be displaying a red JavaScript error message.

   In Internet Explorer, the default security level Microsoft recommend is Medium (look at the Security tab in the Tools ... Internet Options menu to see the current settings - it's shown in bold), and a Medium setting will allow the facility to work. But if it is set to High then Javascript will be disabled, and so this aspect of the website will not be available.

   Alternatively, you might find the setting is shown as Custom in which case there are individual detailed settings that may prevent the use of Javascript and/or Java - these are accessed via the Advanced tab. In particular, the following options must not be disabled (use Prompt if uncertain):

   • Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins (even though this does not use any ActiveX)
   • Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting
   • Active Scripting


2. Javascript is enabled, but not Java
   

   This will be indicated by the test displays (below this section), showing a green confirmation that JavaScript is enabled, but a red error message relating to Applets or <Object> will appear, or possibly an empty rectangle. As above, this may be caused by the Internet Security Settings, and in IE, use of Medium should suffice. If Custom is used, then the following option (on the Advanced tab must not be disabled:

   • Java Permissions ("High Safety" is good enough to let it work)
   See also cause 3 below, as the same symptoms may be presented by that, which is at least equally likely.
   

3. Java may not be set-up on your browser
   

   To enable use of Java, for this and the many other web sites that use it, Click Here to find out how, or if you have Windows, then you can Click Here to do this automatically.

Your site uses Java. Is it safe on my browser?

Yes. Browsers restrict Java downloads (Applets) to run in what is called 'the Sandbox'. This restricted environment prevents the code from accessing any files on your system, or in fact finding out anything about you. Therefore it is entirely safe to run this code. The Java Applet in this site is used to do all of the lateral and vertical navigation calculations for the Tutor animation.

Your site uses JavaScript. Is it safe on my browser?

Yes. The only use of JavaScript is to support the animated Tutor which flies around the screen on the index page. When you allow JavaScript to run in your browser, it is still very restricted in what it can do, and can NOT read (or write) any files from your system, or in fact establish anything about you. All it is used for here here is to move the plane image around the screen.

Why do I get a JavaScript error?

This is associated with the animated flying Tutor. This uses both a JavaScript and a Java component and so both these need to be enabled to allow the plane to fly. To enable use of Java, for this and the many other web sites that use it, Click Here to find out how, or if you have Windows, then you can Click Here to do this automatically.

Why do I get a can't contact servlet runner... message?

This is a message generated by a J2EE web server on the Internet, and usually just reflects that the server is extremely busy at that time, and so can't handle all requests. This can affect all dynamic pages on this website, including News and the members-only pages. Usually such problems are short-lived and so if you try again soon, it should resolve itself.

Why does my firewall detect messages to myJavaServer.com?

The 125 Squadron website uses a mixture of 'static' (slow-changing) and 'dynamic' (generated at viewing time) content, roughly as shown in the site map. The dynamic content is hosted on a different Internet machine (myJavaServer.com) which supports the necessary 'server-side' processing. Therefore, when using this website, a firewall may display alerts for port 80 (HTTP) use on this other machine too. It's harmless. If disabled, then parts of the site may appear to be unavailable.

Why does the tutor propeller only go round sometimes?

Whether you see this feature or not primarily depends on the screen resolution you are using. The size of the plane varies to try and give the impression of getting further away and then nearer again. If the available screen height is too low then only 3 sizes of plane are used, instead of the normal 4 (as otherwise it looks ridiculously large). Currently, only the 4th, largest plane size image has the animated features (propeller rotation, navigation lights). So if you view it on smaller than 1024*768 (or at this resolution, have several browser bars enabled, so reducing available screen height), the propeller won't be seen. It's always visible at 1280*1024.