How To (do things at MACS)

Travel and Claiming Expenses

1. Fill out permission form (see attachments), get it signed by project PI, or Head of Dept (if PI is not present).

    R35 is the Activity Code for European project -funded travel

2. Fill out risk assessment online at: http://www.hw.ac.uk/insurance/risk-assessment-travel-multi.htm

3. Book travel

4. Claim expenses when you return (see attached form) **Expense claims now go to the office**

     *** note - normally you will use the "Projects" tab on the expenses form. However, some expenses are "Non-project" (e.g. Visa fees)

     *** note: when you get a receipt (e.g. for a meal) , it needs to not just be a credit card receipt, but also the actual items list.

     *** e.g. when in a project meal - you need to get a separate receipt for your personal meal, not just your visa receipt :( 

     *** Note: the "Nominal" code for Travel & Subsistence is 5815

FULL CODING GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ATTACHED AT THE END OF THIS PAGE.

Computing Set-up Options

How you want to configure your desktop machine is up to you (and your project requirements).  The basic options are:

• Install a department supported OS; currently either CentOS 5.5 (Linux) or Windows XP

• Install your own OS(s) and maintain it/them yourself.

Quick comparison of the two options:

Windows Anti-Virus Framework

MACS provides a McAfee AntiVirus Framework which can be installed on any Windows system. Download the package from http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/av/FramePkg.exe and run it. In Windows Vista (and possibly Windows 7) you'll need to right click and run as administrator. It will download the required software in the background and set up regular updates. NB the security settings in the framework are centrally maintained, you cannot change the settings locally (if you try it looks like they have changed but they change back within minutes) nor can you easily disable the anti-virus software. If you suspect the framework is blocking some port or executable that you need then check with Paul or MACS technical support for details on how to temporarily deactivate the framework without having to complete remove all the anti-virus software. If the framework is found to be blocking some essential service (for example Voxeo Prophecy) an exception can be added for that machine - talk to MACS technical support staff.

Technical Support

Normally you should make a support request by email though you can just pop into Iain's office EM 1.33 for a simple question.

There are two support email addresses, one is for the university helpdesk dealing with

the issues in the university ranges such as the University firewall issues: UICS Helpdesk <ITHelp@hw.ac.uk>

Another one is the MACS helpdesk: help@macs.hw.ac.uk to which we normally send requests.

If you would like to borrow a departmental laptop or projector please read the following guidance http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/internal/projector.htm and then send an email request to: projbookings@macs.hw.ac.uk.

Wireless Network

HWU Help page

Eduroam: http://network-help.hw.ac.uk/xpressconnect/

To connect to the iLab wifi email Stewart Murray with the devices Wi-Fi MAC address

stewart.murray@hw.ac.uk

Changing Email Password

If you need to change your email password- don't do it through webmail as that will mess up your other passwords (e.g. Library, pure)

You need to change it here to make sure everything is synched up.

http://my.hw.ac.uk/passwords/

Remote Access

Remote Login

ssh jove.macs.hw.ac.uk

then type your HW username and your linux system password (Note that we have two MACS passwords in the initial setup, one for Linux and one for Windows unless you change them to the same) then you are in your home directory. To iLab space: cd /ilab/data0

Remote Browsing of Internal Web Pages

To access web pages only available internally (to MACS) use "ssh -D 8080 username@jove.macs.hw.ac.uk" and then set up your browser to use a SOCKS proxy which points to localhost port 8080. NB don't forget to change your browser proxy setting back when you've finished. For Firefox you can find a SOCKS proxy under Preferences -> Advanced -> Connection Settings. For Google Chromium use the "--proxy-server" option when launching from the Linux command line, e.g. chromium-browser --proxy-server=socks://localhost:8080.

Using  a "Stepping-Stone" to reach an Only-Accessible-Internally Machine

ssh username@jove.macs.hw.ac.uk -N -f -L54322:internally-accessible-machine-url:22 # this sets up a ssh tunnel

using this tunnel you can now ssh to the internal machine   ---  this creates a 2nd ssh session which is tunnelled via the 1st.

ssh username-on-internally-accessible-machine@localhost -p 54322

and by extension you can use ssh to create a tunnel inside the 1st tunnel to reach a VNC server on the remote machine which is set up to only accept local1 VNC connections

(1this is done for security).

vncviewer -via "username-on-internally-accessible-machine@localhost -p 54322" localhost

NB to get the above command to work on TigerVNC (as commonly installed in Fedora) you need to export the following local variable first

export VNC_VIA_CMD='/usr/bin/ssh -f -L "$L":"$H":"$R" $G sleep 20'

for details of what this means and where it comes from do 'man vncviewer' on Fedora; I've basically stripped the quotes off $G so the port parameter is passed correctly. 

Off-site access to articles through the library proxy

VPN

If you are using Mac OS X install Sonicwall mobile connect app and then connect to:  http://hwvpn.hw.ac.uk

using your HWU user name and passwd.

Accessing P-drive from Mac (for teaching)

On your Mac open a Finder window and press Cmd+K (this brings up the Connect to Server window which can also be accessed through the Go menu).

In the server address box enter

smb://home-server.macs.hw.ac.uk/office

Then click on Connect and use your Windows password for login.

Matlab on non-CentOS machines

To install Matlab on a non-CentOS Linux machine simply copying across the matlab directory /opt/matlab/ (this might work for Apple OS X too). Best to copy it from jove.macs.ac.uk as I've had some strange issues when copying from some machines but jove seems okay.

You need to be connected to the MACS wired network to get a license from the Matlab license server.

Off-Site Access to the Matlab License Server

Modify the license file "/opt/matlab/licenses/network.lic". Change the SERVER reference in the file from "astarte" to "localhost". You don't need to change anything else in that file.

Find the port being used by the license daemon, unfortunately this seems to change, do the following:

[]: ssh some-machine.macs.hw.ac.uk

[]: matlab &

<RETURN>

[]: netstat -t --program 2>/dev/null | grep -i matlab

tcp        0      0 some-machine.macs.hw.ac.uk:51101    astarte.macs.hw.ac.uk:XXXXXX ESTABLISHED 1157/MATLAB

[]: fg

>> exit % to quit the copy of matlab that you started

[]: exit # close ssh connection

Substituting XXXXXX from above, create a tunnel for the required ports from your machine to the Matlab license server, e.g. in Linux type the following the command line:

ssh some-machine.macs.hw.ac.uk -L1727:astarte.macs.hw.ac.uk:1727 -LXXXXXX:astarte.macs.hw.ac.uk:XXXXXX

(The two ports are the Matlab server port 1727 and license daemon on port XXXXXX.)

Letter styles

 - Latex iLab Letter : template, logo, style file : ilab-letter.zip

 - Word template

Printing posters

Poster prices (correct on 1/9/2011):

A0 Poster photosatin        £30.45

A1 poster photosatin        £19.95

A2 poster photosatin        £15.75

A0 lamination (matt or gloss)                  £10.50

A1 lamination (matt or gloss)                    £7.35

A2 lamination (matt or gloss)                    £5.25

There is also a setup charge of £9.45 per order (not necessarily per poster), and poster tubes cost £3 or £5 depending on size.

Posters are normally submitted as Powerpoint files or PDFs but they can accept other formats (check first). Turnaround is normally 2 working days.

They trim to the edge of the printed area so there's no need to leave a border unless you want one. They do suggest ensuring that you don’t place any important content too close to the edges of the poster.

Contact Calum Wilson at Media Services to place your order and copy in Sandra McArthur - s.m.mcarthur@hw.ac.uk.

Example: email to  c.c.wilson@hw.ac.uk with your poster file attached, with info such as: 

Entity: 01

Business Unit: 1340

Cost Centre: 4101

Nominal Acct: 6210

Project Name:  PARLANCE

Project Code: F11R00021

Activity: R35

HWU branded slides

Template available here'

Staff / Library Card

To get a combined staff / library card individuals need to go along to the library. The card will be printed with your picture and School details.

Ordering a book from the library. Go here

http://www.hw.ac.uk/is/suggest-a-book.htm

Promotions

Promotion deadlines are in March, but the HoS needs your documents weeks in advance to prepare your case well, so please give us plenty of notice if you want to go up a grade. The Human Resources forms are all at: http://www.hw.ac.uk/hr/p_promotion.php

Description of the Research Grades structure (2010) is attached below.

Marking student projects

Download mark sheets at http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/macshome/cslocal.htm

Aliases and Mailing Groups

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/cs/localinfo/facil/aliases.htm

The document on the central mailing lists (incl. per-year) is here (also available on the Wiki under HaWo links):

https://intranet.hw.ac.uk/ps/is/Document%20Library/Virtual%20Mailing%20List%20Manager%20(VMLM).pdf

In short, use an email address like this to reach all students: course-F21SC-S1-1ED@list-serve.hw.ac.uk

where F21SC is the course code S1 stands for semester 1 1ED stands for Edinburgh campus (1DU for dubai)

To reach all students on the CS programme F291-COS, for Edi campus and year 2 use: F291-COS-F2-1ED-1-U@list-serve.hw.ac

Staff availability

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/internal/MACS%20away%20from%20school.htm

REF Conference list ranking

http://core.edu.au/cms/images/downloads/conference/08sort%20acronymERA2010_conference_list.pdf

Room Booking (updated Jan 2023)

2023: To book a room in the NR: email Elaine Hammond: e.hammond@hw.ac.uk

Other rooms: https://scientia-rb-hwu.azurewebsites.net/ 

Setting up Printing from a Mac

Ian needs to register the laptop with its account name for the printing to work.

Apple-> system preferences->print & fax

Add printer

Protocol: IPP

Address; cups-server-1.macs.hw.ac.uk:631

Queue: printers/cps1152

Name: cps1152

Print Using:-->select printer software--> HP Laserjet 4050 series (will vary depending on printer)

Click Add

Check Trays (e.g. Tray 3 for ps1152)- check if duplex

OK

Timesheets

We now have to do our own timesheets for EC projects -- but only if you are less than 100% - check with OL fora template / examples.

Meetings Website and Internal CS website

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/internal/MACS_Meetings.htm

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/macshome/cslocal.htm

Past papers website

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/cs/localinfo/pastpapers/index.htm

Ethics form: 

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/internal/forms/research_ethics_form.pdf

To be completed prior to experiments with human subjects. Word doc attached.

Pure: 

http://pureapps2.hw.ac.uk/admin/login.xhtml

Seminars 

to arrange seminars. Go to Jamie's webpage and fill out the form there and email it to him.

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~gabbay/

Less than 2 weeks notice and teas/coffees aren't guaranteed I've been told.

Booking lunch at the Business School Bistro

Call 451 3963 or email: bistro@ebs.hw.ac.uk

Leaving MACS

Make sure you have completed a "leavers form" and a "exit interview questionnaire" available here.