Downloading Documents
This web site contains a number of documents which cannot be viewed through your browser. They must first be downloaded to your computer then viewed using a word processor. These documents, usually guidelines and forms, have been created using Microsoft Word and then 'zipped' (or compressed) resulting in a smaller file that can be quickly downloaded.
Downloading these documents from the web site is a two stage process. The first stage involves downloading a file containing the document in a compressed form. The second involves expanding this compressed file so it is readable by your word processor.
The CARM Form for Reporting Adverse Reactions to Medicines is used here as an example. The compressed file to be downloaded is ADR.EXE. The example shown uses Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6.0 as the browser. Other browsers may display screens with a different layout but the process is the same.
When you click on the document in the web site the following screen will appear:
In some browsers it is not possible to open the file, so you will have to save it to disk.
As the documents to download are not large and it takes only a few seconds, we recommend you run the program from its current location (if that option is available)
For an explanation of the rest of the process, select the method to download:
If you choose 'Open' a program containing the compressed document will be downloaded across the Internet and will automatically run itself on your computer. There is no opportunity to save the compressed file to your disk.
The unzip program will now start running automatically. The following screen will appear, asking you to choose a location for the final document:
Enter the name of the folder (directory) in the text box labelled 'Unzip To Folder'.
Click the 'Unzip' button to expand the file into a form readable by a word processor. When the 'unzip' is complete the following message will be displayed:
Click the 'OK' button then 'Close' on the 'WinZip Self-Extractor' screen.
To view the document open it from the folder you 'unzipped' it to, using your word processor.
If you choose 'Save the program to disk' the program vol1.EXE will be saved in the directory you specify. The following screen will appear for you to choose the folder (directory) in which to save it:
Select the folder (directory) in the 'Save in' field then click the 'Save' button.
ADR.exe is a program which needs to be run on your computer to extract the original word processing document from the compressed file. This can be done by choosing 'Run' from the 'Start' button (bottom left hand corner in Windows 95).
The following screen will be displayed:
If you know the folder (directory) and file name, you can enter them in the 'Open' field and click the 'OK' button. Otherwise click the 'Browse' button to locate the program.
If you click 'Browse' the following screen will appear:
Once you have located the program (vol1.EXE) click the 'Open' button. The 'Run' screen will be redisplayed with the 'Open' field filled in. Click the 'OK' button.
When the program runs the following screen will appear, asking you to choose a location for the final document:
Enter the name of the folder (directory) in the text box labelled 'Unzip To Folder'.
Click the 'Unzip' button to expand the file into a form readable by a word processor. When the 'unzip' is complete the following message will be displayed:
Click the 'OK' button then 'Close' on the 'WinZip Self-Extractor' screen.
To view the document, open it from the folder you 'unzipped' it to, using your word processor.