I wanted to alert folks to what seems to be a slight discrepancy
between the Grants.gov PureEdge Viewer for the non-Mac and the IBM
Workplace Forms Viewer for the Mac.

Perhaps others can test this to make sure it is not just
idiosyncratic to my computers.  I did this on a Dell and an intel
based iMac.  This concerns the attachment of Appendices, Section 18
of the PHS 398 Research Plan page.  This also applies to Section 11,
Other Attachments of the Research and Related Other Project
Information page.

If one adds appendix files in the PureEdge program, the program puts
them in alphabetical order, no matter what order the user does the
uploading.  The IBM Workplace forms program keeps the files in the
actual upload order.

Generally this is not a problem unless the non-Mac user wants the
files to appear in the upload order regardless of  the actual title;
or if the Mac user wants the files to be in alphabetic order but does
the upload in some other order.  Both of these differences can be
seen when all the uploaded files are viewed together.

A serious problem can occur if the files are moved from one type of
computer to another.  For example, if a PureEdge user uploads files
in non-alphabetic order they show in alphabetic order; but if this
file is then opened by a IBM Forms Viewer user, the files revert to
their upload order.  If the IBM Forms viewer person then submits, the
Appendices will show up in the order last seen on the Mac  version,
not the alphabetic order desired by the original user.  The situation
reverses from the Mac to the non-Mac:  put in files randomly in IBM
program and they get alphabetized if read by the PureEdge program.

Thus I recommend that PureEdge users title their appendix files so
that they will show up in the order they want -- they will show up
alphabetically and to be on the safe side, I suggest that the files
be uploaded in the order that the user wants them to show up in the
final NIH version.  Make the alphabetic order and the upload order
agree.  Mac users with the IBM Workplace forms program need to upload
the files in the order that they are to appear in the NIH Commons.
Keep in mind that if the file is sent to a user with PureEdge
program, the files will be put in alphabetical order.  This might
pose a problem for institutions with Mac users in departments sending
files to a Grants Office with non-Macs.  The Grants Office program
will convert the appendices to alphabetical order, whether that is
what the user wanted or not. The reverse occurs for the PureEdge user
sending files to a Mac-based Grants Office.

This is a very small difference between programs that should only
show up when files are moved from non-Macs to Macs and vice versa.
Nevertheless, the difference can result is some strained interactions
between a PureEdge user who swears the Appendix order is showing up
one way, and the IBM program user who says it is some other order.
Luckily, this problem will exist for only a few more months until we
can all move to the Adobe program for all computers, we hope.

If any one has a question on this, feel free to contact me.

Bob
------------------------------
Robert Beattie
UMich Grants.gov Liaison
Managing Senior Project Representative for Electronic Research
Administration
Division of Research Development and Administration
University of Michigan
xxxxxx@umich.edu   (734) 936-1283
Learn more about Grants.gov @ UMICH
http://www.research.umich.edu/era/grants_gov/

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