There are times when users may find it more convenient to store catalog
items locally instead of on a server. For this situation, PowerTalk
includes personal catalogs. A personal catalog can contain any record that
can be stored in an PowerShare Catalog Server or available through a
Catalog Service Access Module. Users can also create new records
specifically for a personal catalog.
When PowerTalk is installed, one personal catalog is created and placed in
the Apple menu. Users can have more than one personal catalog on a
workstation. Personal catalogs can be stored on any volume.
Personal catalogs could be used to gather collections of similar records.
For example, one personal catalog could contain the addresses of everyone
associated with a particular project. Another personal catalog could be an
index to a music collection. Personal catalogs can hold the same types of
information as a regular PowerShare Catalog with the advantage that users
can create and edit personal catalogs at will.
Unlike PowerShare Catalog Server catalogs or catalog services accessible
through a Catalog Service Access Module which have a hierarchical
structure, personal catalogs have a flat structure. They are simple
collections of records.
?Personal catalogs, like other AOCE Catalogs, support collections of user
records called groups. To create a group, use the 'Create Group' menu
item. To add items to a group, drag the record from the personal catalog
into the group's folder.
To add a record to a personal catalog from a PowerShare Catalog or other
Catalog service, drag the PowerShare Catalog entry into the personal
catalog window. Data stored in the catalog record will be copied to the
personal catalog.
There is no automatic synchronization of records in a personal catalog with
the corresponding records in a PowerShare Catalog. To avoid
synchronization problems, it is possible to create aliases to the
PowerShare Catalog record and place the aliases into the PowerShare
Catalog. The disadvantage of this approach is that the record is no longer
available if the system cannot communicate with the PowerShare Catalog.
PowerBook users, especially, should avoid this approach.
Personal catalogs can also contain aliases to the original records.
Personal catalogs cannot contain other personal catalogs.
Creating New personal catalogs
To create a new personal catalog, open the Catalogs windows and select
'New Personal Catalog' from the Catalogs menu. There is no limit on the
number of personal catalogs a user can access. However, the preferred
Personal Catalog comes up automatically in the Catalog Addressing Panel.
Select which personal catalog is the preferred Personal Catalog by using
the Get Info window.