Script library FAQ

For most of the scripts in the Library, you need to donwload the right verison of REBOL for your computer and operating system. The download file size is between 250K and 650K, so it doesn't take long.

Officially supported versions are on the REBOL.com download page.
Some scripts in the Library need alpha or beta versions. They are available from REBOL.net download page.

Some scripts run under the REBOL browser plugin. If you have a supported browser and have enabled the running of plugins, the browser will download REBOL for you.

2. Joining

2.1. How do I join the Library?

Click signup
Pick a name and a password
Wait for the emailed activation code

2.2. What happens to my email address when I give it to you?

We encrypt it
We use it to send you an activation code
We may, in the future, send a membership probe message if you haven't signed on for six months
We will send you notices of Library changes if (and only if) you request them on your preferences page [supply link]
We will send you message from other Library members or users if (and only if) you include a contact form on your personal page [supply link]
We will not disclose it to any third-party; nor will we pass on emails from them to you.

2.3. Why didn't I get sent my activation code?

If you saw the page containing the sentence Your activation code has been emailed to you then we did send it. Some possibilities:

The internet can be slow. Please allow a couple of hours for delivery
It may have been caught by your (or your ISP's) spam filters.
About 5% of sign-ups bounce back to us as undeliverable. Usually this means the email address given was incorrect, although it may also indicate a spam-filtering problem with your ISP

2.4. Can I have another activation code?

Sorry, no. We've only got a one-way hashed value for it.

2.5. I've lost my password: what can I do?

Visit the lost password page

2.6. Do I need to use a cookie?

If you want to be logged on, yes:

We set a session cookie by default (it is deleted whenever you log off or close your browser); or
A cookie that lasts up to 999 days.

You can specify the sort of cookie you want, and its duration on the Control panel / Update profile and personal preferences page.

More information about cookies here.

3. Scripts

3.1. How can I add a new script?

If you are logged on then the Script Library home page has the contribute a script link.

There is a separate FAQ for owners (or prospective owners) of scripts here: Script owners' FAQ

See also contribution help for help on how to contribute a script.

3.2. How can I report problems with a script?

Please send us a Feedback message

3.3. How can I contact a script's author?

It may not be possible -- not everyone has enabled their profile to accept emails. This is how to try:

Find their name in the List of Library members
If their name is clickable, click it to get to their personal page
If their personal page contains a contact form, use that.

You may need to be logged on to do this -- some members will accept emails only from Library members.

3.4. How can I tell if a script has been updated since I last looked at it?

We can send you an email each time scripts that interest you are added or updated. See Control panel / Update profile and personal preferences.
When viewing a script, you'll see the History link in the menu bar. That will take you to a page that shows details of previous versions. (If you own the script, the link is called Statistics and contains more information). Sample history page.

3.5. What are the licensing options for scripts?

Each script has a license entry in its header. If you are viewing a script, the menu bar at the top of the script will have a license entry. That may take you to further details.

You can also click here for details of all licenses

Note that many scripts were contributed before we started thinking about licensing. They will have a license set to none. That does not mean they have no license. It means the author or owner hasn't told us what the license is.

4. Mailing list

4.1. How can I join the Mailing list?

Follow the directions on the REBOL.org discussion page

4.2. How can I reply to messages on it?

You need to be a member of the Mailing List -- see above. There is no way to send a message to the Mailing List from this site: we're just an archive.

4.3. How does the topic index work?

It's a human edited index to the mailing list archive. The team has indexed over 95% of the Mailing List archive.

5. General

5.1. I have a useful REBOL resource, will you link to my site?

Possibly. We do have an Other REBOL links page. Send us a feedback message.

We'd be more likely to take such a request seriously if you have your own Library member's page and have already used that to introduce yourself and perhaps point other users to your resource.

Sample Library member's page

5.2. What's the quickest way of finding what's new?

5.3. Why don't you improve the look and feel of the Library?

We did, at the end of 2004. But there's no time to do everything!

If there is anything you specifically don't like about the site, you can probably fix using the Personal CSS feature -- that allows you to override or enhance any part of the site's CSS.

Or someone may have already beaten you to it: Check the available CSS sets to see if someone has already set up some CSS that fixes your niggle.

You can also select the style of buttons we use in HTML links.

6. Members' benefits

6.1. What do I get if I log on rather than use the site anonymously?

Several things:

You can customise the way the site appears in several ways:
- Alter the number of items shown in pageable lists to your own preference -- see Control panel / Update profile and personal preferences
- Select a different CSS scheme or create your own -- see CSS help
- Select a button style
Requests notification when scripts are added or updated -- Control panel / Update profile and personal preferences / Notices
Contribute your own scripts -- Control panel / Contribute a new script
See public profile details of other members on the List Library members

7. Alternatives to using the website

7.1. Have you got a REBsite?

Yes, but only for the Script library part of the site.

In View/desktop, goto http://www.rebol.org/library/reb/index.r

7.2. Why no REB access for the Mailing list archive?

Because REB only works with static (parameterless) URLs. With the Script library, that's not so bad: we generate a mere 200 static URLs to provide that. But with the Mailing list, we'd need many thousands, so it is just not practical.

7.3. I hate the web! Can I use the scripts without using the website?

Yes. If your computer can run REBOL/View 1.2 or later, you can download the Desktop Librarian -- this is a read-only copy of the Script Library that runs under REBOL/View.

7.4. And if I don't have View?

Why not help out and write a Core Desktop Librarian. A complete API exists to help you do this -- see the documentation on the Library Data Services (LDS).

You can also access the Script Library via the REB:

REBOL/View
Desktop
Connect
Goto: http://www.rebol.org/library/reb/index.r

7.5. And what about the Mailing List?

Under MS Windows, and with REBOL/View 1.3 or later, checkout REBOL Mailing List --Graham Chiu's desktop application for the mailing list.

You could also use LDS (see above) to write an application.

8. How can I get involved?

REBOL.org is a community project, and many people are already involved at various levels:

QA: reporting errors in scripts
Helping tag Mailing List messages
Suggesting enhancements
Redesigning the CSS and other look'n'feel aspects of the site
Improving and upgrading the Desktop Librarian and other tools

If you'd like to get involved in those or any other way, please send us a feedback message.

Last updated: 13-Jun-2010