FastLane Users,

FastLane is now accepting file uploads in a variety of formats including
Word, WordPerfect, PostScript, plain text, RTF, EPS, PowerPoint, DVI and TeX
(MiKTeX 1.20e) within FastLane Proposal Preparation sections.   Over 1000
files were converted by users this weekend.

Most of these were converted to PDF (for NSF use) without errors.  However,
given the large numbers of files uploaded to FastLane in a given year (over
200,000/year at our present rate), we anticipate that there will be various
possible combinations that will not work properly.  As problems are
identified, we will correct them or let users know how to avoid them.  It is
recommended that PIs continue to use standard fonts to avoid font
substitutions when their files are converted to Acrobat 3 PDF format.  Users
will be shown the PDF file resulting from their original file and they will
need to accept the results before the file is stored in FastLane.

A few viruses were uploaded with Word files on Friday evening and, while
detected by our software, they required manual intervention to clear the
system.  This is no longer necessary.   Another incident occurred this
weekend when a PI uploaded a file that produced a 30,000 page PostScript
file.  This also required manual intervention, at present.

PDF files will continue to be accepted if properly created (e.g. the file is
in Acrobat 3 format (PDF Version 1.2), PDFWriter was not used to create the
file and that all fonts are embedded).  The restriction against PDFWriter
files is active and necessary since these files do not combine properly with
other PDF files.    FastLane is evaluating software that may reduce the
known problems of combining together Acrobat 3 and Acrobat 4 files.  If
successful, this may allow the PDF version restriction to be eliminated.
FastLane is still exploring options for robust checking, in batch mode, for
font embedding in uploaded PDF files.

--Craig Robinson, NSF

 -----Original Message-----
 From:   Robinson, Craig R
 Sent:   Friday, January 05, 2001 5:31 PM
 To:     'Research Administration Discussion List'
 Subject:        RE: FastLane: pdf format NOT necessary

 FastLane Users,

 One of our users uploaded a virus-infected file to our new
conversion software.  Our virus software detected it but stopped other files
from being uploaded.  We are working on the problem and hope to have it
resolved soon.

 --Craig Robinson, NSF

 -----Original Message-----
 From:   Claire L. Carlson [SMTP:xxxxxx@SELWAY.UMT.EDU]
 Sent:   Friday, January 05, 2001 5:15 PM
 To:     xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
 Subject:        Re: FastLane: pdf format NOT necessary

 Sounds like a great idea - but isn't working out that way so
far!  We are having problems with this new approach.  It isn't completing
the upload and is timing out on us.  And it won't let us upload files we
have already converted to pdf.

 Claire L. Carlson

 At 04:25 PM 01/05/2001 -0500, you wrote:
 >>>>

 FastLane just implemented this in to production but
wants to monitor it over the weekend.  FastLane will still accept PDF, but
will accept other formats as well (TEX, Word).  They will then do the
conversion on their end.  If all goes well, they will formally announce it
on Monday.

 At 03:25 PM 1/5/2001 -0500, you wrote:

 Within the last two hours NSF has eliminated
the need to convert source documents into pdf format for proposal components
submitted via FastLane.

 This does not yet appear in the "Advisories"
on the fastlane home page; the info that pdf conversion is no longer
necessary only appears within the proposal, at the individual interfaces
where one begins the upload process.

 Christopher P. Aubry
 Coordinator, Electronic Grants
 Office of Rsrch Admin & Advncmnt
 2114 Lee Building, UMCP
 College Park, MD  20742-5141
 Phone: (301) 405-4179
 Fax:  (301) 314-9569
 E-mail:  xxxxxx@umresearch.umd.edu

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 Tammy Custer Ordway
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 Office of Sponsored Programs
 Cornell University
 120 Day Hall
 Ithaca, NY  14853
 P: (607) 255-5066
 F: (607) 255-5058

<http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/tjb3/>http://www.people.cornell.edu/pag
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 E-mail: xxxxxx@selway.umt.edu
 Phone: 406-243-5796
 Fax: 406-243-6330

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 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
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