Accessing Virtual ChemLab

Overview
Welcome to Virtual ChemLab, a
collection of realistic simulations
covering the topics of general and
organic chemistry. In these
laboratories, students are put into a
virtual environment where they are
free to make the choices and decisions
that they would confront in an actual
laboratory setting and, in turn,
experience the resulting
consequences. Access to the
laboratory is granted either through
the electronic workbook (see Figure
1) or through the card reader (see
Figure 2). How you access the
Figure 1. Initially, access to the laboratory is granted
laboratory will depend on the type of
through the electronic workbook for student
installation you have been given. The
installations.
various topics given below describe
the different access options for Virtual ChemLab, how to operate the card reader, and common
problems encountered when first trying to gain access to the laboratories.

Virtual ChemLab Access Options

Virtual ChemLab allows instructors to
give electronic assignments and
unknowns to the students and for the
students to submit their results and
laboratory lab books back to the
instructors for grading. Not all
instructors will use the electronic
assignment capabilities and may,
instead, choose to give assignments on
paper. Regardless of how assignments
are given, access to the laboratories
and the handling of electronic
assignments are treated differently
depending on the type of installation.
The Virtual ChemLab simulations are
available as a network installation (a
typical computer lab installation) or as

Figure 2. The card reader is used to access the laboratory

when using electronic assignments.

a student installation (the student buys the software). In a network installation, electronic
assignments from the instructor and lab book submissions by the students are handled directly
through a local area network or through the web using the Web Connectivity Option. In a student
installation, it is assumed that students will be performing assignments on paper using
worksheets from one of the Virtual ChemLab Workbooks. However, the Web Connectivity
Option can be activated in a student version that enables the exchange of electronic assignments
and lab book results using a regular internet connection. Some computer lab installations may
find this to be the favored mode of operation as well. More details on the different types of users
allowed in Virtual ChemLab are given in the sections that follow.

Student User
When a student version of Virtual ChemLab is first installed, the software is configured for
student users without access to electronic assignments. (A computer lab may also have the
software configured as a student user.) Consequently, the identity of the user is not necessary and
password access to the laboratories through the card reader is not required. Starting the software
as a student user will bring the student to the hallway with the electronic workbook sitting on the
table. Access to the laboratory is granted by either clicking on a laboratory assignment in the
electronic workbook or by clicking on a laboratory door. Having access to the Card Reader Help
menu indicates that your version of Virtual ChemLab is not configured as a student user.

Web User
A web user is one who will be accessing electronic assignments using the Web Connectivity
Option. The Web Connectivity Option is turned on by opening the electronic lab book located in
the laboratory, clicking on the Web Options button, and then clicking on the Enable Web
Connection button. Multiple web users may use the same installation but the first web user must
be added at the time the Web Connectivity Option is enabled in the lab book. Subsequent web
users can be added at the card reader or in the Web Options section of the lab book. Web users
are not restricted to use a single computer (for example in a computer lab), but they are
responsible for uploading their results to the server before using a different computer.
The information required to activate a web user on a given computer is a user name, password,
and the URL address for the servlet engine that collects and distributes the assignments and
student results. This information will be provided by the instructor. Once a student has been
activated on a given computer, only the password is required to enter the laboratory. Details on
using the Web Connectivity Option are given in the user guides for the various simulations.

Direct Access User

A direct access user is one who will be accessing electronic assignments directly through a local
area network. A direct access user can only occur in a computer lab environment and cannot be
set up using a student version of the software. In order to gain access to the laboratory, the user
must provide a valid password at the card reader. Passwords will be supplied by the instructor.

Passwords
In order gain access to the laboratories, a valid password must be provided at the card reader.
The purpose of the password is to identify the user so the appropriate assignments, laboratory
configurations, and lab books are delivered to the student. This password will be provided by
your instructor. Often, the password is the student ID but it can be any alphanumeric sequence
specified by the ChemLab administrator. Passwords are case sensitive, so be careful that Caps
Lock is off or that Num Lock on if using the keypad. If you are a web user, you must first add
your account to the current computer by clicking on the Add New User button.

Add New User

Each web user is required to add themselves as a user to the current ChemLab installation before
they are allowed to enter the laboratory. If the software is currently configured for student users
(that is, password access is not required at the card reader), then the Web Connectivity Option
must be enabled and the first web user added in the Web Options page of the lab book. All
subsequent web users can be added using the Add New User button on the card reader. To add
yourself as a user, you will be required to provide a user name, password, and the URL address
of the servlet let engine serving your class. This information will be provided by your instructor.
The user name, password, and URL address are case sensitive, so be careful that Caps Lock is
off or that Num Lock is on if using the keypad.
Although the ChemLab administrator can specify any user name, the most common user names
will consist of a combination of the last name and first and middle initials. For example, if your
name is Jane C. Doe, then a likely user name will be either DoeJC or DoeJ where the first user
name would be used if the ChemLab administrator used the middle initial in the class roll and the
second user name would be used if the middle initial was not used. Remember that the user name
(as well as the password) is case sensitive. The user name must be entered with the correct
capitalization.
The URL for the servlet engine serving your class must also be entered correctly before you can
be added as a user. When adding a new user, the most recent successful URL will be used as an
initial address. The format of the URL address will have the form
http://Servername:8080/Context/servlet/ChemServ where Servername will be the name of the
server running the servlet engine and Context is the name of the specific engine serving your
class. Remember, the URL address is also case sensitive.

Guest Access
Clicking on the Guest button will allow you to enter the laboratories without requiring a
password. As a guest user, you will have complete access to the full simulations but will not be
able to receive electronic assignments nor report the results of your experiments.

Common Problems
Given in the following list are some of the most common problems encountered when trying to
gain access to the laboratories:
1. When entering the password, Caps Lock may be on which would cause the wrong
capitalization to be used for the password. Remember that the password is hidden as it is
typed, and it will not be obvious what capitalization is being used.
2. When entering the password using the keypad, Num Lock may be off which would prevent
the numbers from the keypad from being entered into the password. Remember that the
password is hidden as it is entered, and it will not be obvious what is actually being typed.
3. When adding a new web user, the most common problem is using either the wrong user
name or using an incorrect capitalization. The most common user names will consist of a
combination of the last name and first and middle initials. For example, if your name is Jane
C. Doe, then a likely user name will be either DoeJC or DoeJ where the first user name
would be used if the ChemLab administrator used the middle initial in the class roll and the
second user name would used if the middle initial was not used. Remember that the user
name is case sensitive. The user name must be entered with the correct capitalization and
without spaces.