Frequently Asked Questions

Q: After downloading the application, how do I install it?

A: The application requires you have Java 1.5.0 or later. Once that is installed there is nothing additional to install. Just download the application and double-click the icon.

Q: When I run the application I get an error message saying "Could not find the main class. Program will exit." What is wrong?

A: You get this message if you are trying to run the application with an older version of Java. The application requires Java JRE 1.5.0 or later. Make sure you have a compatible version installed and no other versions. Then try running the application again.

Q: When I run the application I get an error message saying "Could not establish a connection to the server. Our server may be temporarily down..." What should I do?

A: In general, the server is not down. This will usually appear if your organization has a firewall in place and is blocking our application from accessing the server. Ask your network staff to modify the firewall rules so the application is not blocked. To Check if you use a proxy:

Windows Users

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click on “Tools” » “Internet Options”.
3. Click on the “Connections” tab.
4. Click on the “LAN Settings” button.

If the window that appears has any information under the “Proxy Settings” section, (even if it looks greyed out or disabled), then you are using a proxy to connect to the internet. Enter this information into the application when it prompts you.

Mac Users

1. Open “System Preferences” panel
2. Click on “Network”
3. Click on “Proxies” tab.
4. Select the “HTTP” proxy

Proxy server and port information should be displayed on screen.

Q: I downloaded the file and unzipped it, but I can't find an executable. How do I run the application?

A: You do not need to unzip the file after you download it. The file should be a .jar file after download, however some computers will think it is a .zip file because the format is similar. A .jar file is a Java ARchive and is executable by the Java Runtime Environment. Re-download the application and if it got a .zip extension, change it to .jar. Then right click the icon and choose "Open with...". Next, select the Java Runtime Envrionment and check the box that says " Use this application every time". If you are still having trouble running the application, make sure you are using a compatible version of the Java Runtime Environment.

Q: How do I know which version of Java I am using?

A: You can check your version of Java from a command line application. Open a command prompt or terminal and type:

java -version

It will return a variety of information, one portion will inform you which version of Java you are using.

Q: I input incorrect proxy information and now the application does not prompt me to correct it. How can I change this?

A: After first entering proxy information, a configuration file is created in your home directory on your computer called, “GroundMotionParameterConf.xml”. You can delete this file and the application will again prompt you for proxy information the next time you start it. You user home directory is something like

On Windows: “C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR_USER_NAME\”
On Mac: “/Users/YOUR_USER_NAME/”

Q: Our proxy server requires authentication (username and/or password), how can we set this information?

A: Try running the application from a command prompt with the following options.

java -Dhttp.proxyHost=hostname -Dhttp.proxyPort=portNum -Dhttp.proxyUser=username -Dhttp.proxyPass=password -jar “C:\path\to\file\NSHMP_HazardApp.jar”

Note: You will have to replace all italic information with the proper values.

Q: I am still having problems, who can I contact for assistance?

A:
For questions related to the software (i.e. bug reports, unknown errors, problems using the application etc...) you can contact Eric Martinez (IT Specialist).

For engineering-related questions or comments about this application you can contact Nico Luco (Research Structural Engineer)