Beilstein & Gmelin via CrossFire

Friendly URL: http://scilib.ucsd.edu/howto/guides/beilstein/beilstein.html

Beilstein and Gmelin are databases of organic, inorganic and organometallic structures, reactions and physical/chemical property data.

Beilstein contains 10.6 million organic compounds, and Gmelin contains 2.6 million inorganic and organometallic compounds. Each database can be searched by chemical name, structure/substructure, reaction, citation information and property data.

What is CrossFire Commander?

CrossFire is the actual search/retrieval software client that accesses the Beilstein and Gmelin content. It must be installed on the computer if you want to use either database. The newest version (7.1) was released in 2008.

Mac Support? Vista Support? XP Support?

The new 7.1 CrossFire supports Vista, while Windows XP users can go with 7.1 or the previous 7.0 client.

• NEW in 7.1: Each reference has a Full-Text button that connects you to UC-eLinks so you can check to see if we have the article (online or print). However, it does not include the Autonom feature that came with the 7.0 client.

CrossFire 6.0 is the only version available to Mac users (OS9 and OSX, but not native-mode OSX).

• The 6.0 client will not run on the Intel Macs. Boot Camp and Parallels Desktop have been suggested as possible workarounds because they can let you a) start up your Mac as a Windows PC, or b) run both operating systems simultaneously. Both solutions require a full Windows license.

On and Off-Campus Access

UCSD affiliates must use the client VPN to access CrossFire from off-campus, not the Proxy or WebVPN. Launch and connect to VPN, and then start CrossFire.

CrossFire 7.1 is installed on the ACS computers in the S&E Library and NSB 2303 as well as the BML Infocommons. The 7.0 client is on many of the Libraries' public Infostations and will be upgraded to 7.1 in early Fall 2008.

Installing CrossFire

To install CrossFire, start at the Install CrossFire Commander at UC San Diego site. You will need the UCSD information for the installation and first time you launch CrossFire.

1. Follow the instructions to download and install CrossFire 7.1 or 6.0 (Windows or Mac). If you have an older version installed, you will be prompted to remove that one first.
   
2. During the installation for CrossFire 7.1 you will be prompted for the following:
   
   -- Article Resolver URL: enter http://ucelinks.cdlib.org:8888/sfx_local (without this URL, CrossFire will not connect to UC-eLinks)
   
   -- Patent Resolver URL: use the default URL given
   
3. During the installation and first launch of CrossFire 7.1/6.0, you will also be prompted for the following:
   
   -- 1) Host IP Address (crossfire-acad.elsevier.com), 2) License Group Name, 3) User ID, 4) Password: refer to the Campus Info on the CrossFire for UC San Diego site. When you enter the user ID and password the first time, check the box to save the login information.

Troubleshooting CrossFire

1. You get an error when you try opening the structure editor.
This happens because CrossFire pre-selects ISIS/Draw as the default editor instead of the editor that's actually included. Go to Options >> Select Structure Editor. Change it to CrossFire Structure Editor.

You can download ISIS/Draw and/or Symyx Draw [aka MDL Draw] at no charge (registration required for ISIS/Draw). Then return to Select Structure Editor and select MDL Draw or ISIS/Draw. After you complete your structure, there's an option to transfer it back to CrossFire.

2. You clicked the Full-Text button in CrossFire, and according to UC-eLinks, we don't have the article online or the print journal in Roger.
The full-text linking is a new feature in CrossFire, and it indexes many older journal articles. This means there's a chance that what you're seeing in UC-eLinks is incorrect. Always search the journal title in Roger to double-check our holdings before assuming we don't have the journal.

1. If we don't have the article, follow the REQUEST link on the UC-eLinks page to request a copy of the article.
2. If we have the article and UC-eLinks was wrong, please use the "Report a Problem" on the UC-eLinks page to let us know that you were able to get the print or online article.

3. You're having trouble connecting to CrossFire.

1. If you're off-campus, make sure VPN is launched and running. If you're on-campus and using a laptop, make sure you've registered for UCSD wireless access.
2. Make sure you're connecting to the right CrossFire server. In CrossFire, go to Options >> Define Server Profiles. Select default.prf and click Edit. The Host should be crossfire-acad.elsevier.com. If not, change it, save and close out of the Server Profiles box. (Note: you will be prompted to enter the UCSD CrossFire password the next time you connect.) As of 9/30/2008, all host IPs except crossfire-acad.elsevier.com were retired.

Tutorials, Guides and Other Training Materials

• CrossFire 7.1 Quick User Guide for Beilstein
• Quick User Guides for Beilstein and Gmelin that based on CrossFire 7.0, but applicable for 7.1.
• Additional guides and tutorials at Elsevier's CrossFire support site.
• List of journals indexed in Beilstein and Gmelin, current titles as well as significant titles that are no longer published. Note: these databases cover far fewer journals than SciFinder Scholar or Web of Science.
• Exporting CrossFire 7.0/7.1 (post-1980) citations to EndNote.

More questions about CrossFire, or you want to schedule a consultation or training session? Contact Teri Vogel.

Friendly URL: http://scilib.ucsd.edu/howto/guides/beilstein/beilstein.html
Author: Teri Vogel (tmvogel@ucsd.edu)
Page last updated: September 25, 2008