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This document contains help on the following topics:

  1. Selecting a Different Calendar
  2. Searching the Calendar
    1. Search Options
  3. Browsing the Calendar
    1. Printing Pages of the Calendar
  4. Using the Favourites Feature
    1. Create a Favourites Account
    2. Login and Logout of Favourites Feature
    3. Edit Your Favourites Profile

For additional help, please contact Technical Support.

 1. Selecting a Different Calendar

There may be more than one calendar available from the McMaster University system e-catalog Gateway at a time. If there is more than one, you will see a dropdown box toward the top of the page with the name of the current calendar. Clicking the dropdown box provides access to other available calendars. Selecting an alternate calendar will load it into the Gateway. If you do not see the dropdown box, then only a single calendar is currently published.

You may add information from any of the available calendars to your own personal Favourites. See below to learn more about Using the Favourites Feature.

 2. Searching the Calendar

The Calendar Search (shown at the top of the navigation) allows quick retrieval of calendar content that matches your interests.

To use the Calendar Search, simply enter a search keyword or phrase and press ENTER. The search will find any matching content in the calendar including courses, programs, school/colleges, departments or other narrative content.

 2.1. Search Options

Search options are available by clicking on the Advanced Search link below the regular search form or by clicking the Modify Search Options link after performing a search. The search options offer more precise searching of the calendar content.

To limit your search to only specific types of calendar content, check only the checkboxes for content categories you wish to include in your search.

Check the "Whole Word/Phrase" check box to search for an exact match for a keyword or phrase. For instance, entering "bio" will only return hits in which the term "bio" stands alone; it will not return any instances of the term "biology". The same is true if you enter a phrase.

Click "Show Prefix List" to display a list of all course prefixes available in the calendar. You may enter a keyword phrase that includes a course prefix and code (like "ENG 101") to better locate a specific course. The closest available matches will be returned first.

Click the Search button to perform the search.

 3. Browsing the Calendar

Overview

You may easily browse through the calendars by using the different navigation links on the left side of the page. Each calendar may have its own distinct set of navigation links.

Some links may display pages about the calendar or other related information. Other links may display listings of courses or programs within the calendar. These navigation links may display other information that is broken down by various methods such as by school/colleges, by departments, or by program, or course types.

Some pages may show "Go to Information..." links following a school/college or department which, when clicked, will display more information about that school/college or department.

Course and program titles are almost always shown as links. Clicking on a course title will display course information below the course title about the course and a link to Add to Favourites (course information may be shown in a pop up window if you have an older browser). Clicking on a program title will display all the related information for the program as well as the Add program to Favourites link.

Clicking on the Add to Favourites link will add information to your Favourites for later retrieval. See below to learn more about Using the Favourites Feature.

FlashPoint™ Links

Some school/colleges, departments, programs, and courses may have FlashPoint Links associated with them that may be a text link or a click-able graphic. These FlashPoint Links are links to an additional digital resource. The digital resource may be another web page, a text document, audio, video, or many other types of media and may require a special browser plug-in.

To view a FlashPoint Link, simply click on it. All FlashPoint Links will be displayed in a new pop up window.

To print a page click the print link. The "Print Friendly" version will open up with just the content of the page in it (no navigation or header). If you click the print link on a "Print Friendly" page the browser will popup with the print dialog allowing you to print that page.

Problems with Gateway Print Links

If your browser does not support the print link you may need to use the operating system or web browser's built in print functions instead.

 4. Using the Favourites Feature

You may add items to your own personal Favourites as you browse through the online calendars. The Favourites feature will retain a list of courses, programs, pages, divisions and saved searches that you have found interesting and wish to save for future visits to the online McMaster University calendars.

To add items click the Add to Favourites link or star icon next to the item in which you are interested.  This will open a new popup window that displays all items currently in your Favourites.

You may remove items from your Favourites by selecting the checkboxes next to them and clicking the Remove button.

Note: Items suffixed with the text [From Previous Calendar] are from older, outdated calendars that are no longer available. You will need to search within newer calendars to find alternative information to replace them.

The Favourites feature is based on an account system. You must sign up in order to permanently store items in the Favourites feature.

The Favourites feature will store your favorite items using a combination of temporary and permanent storage in a database. This method requires that you register an account and login to permanently save information in the Favourites. Items are still stored temporarily in the database until you login to your Favourites. Once you login, any temporary information will be saved into your account for permanent storage.

 4.1. Create a Favourites Account

To create a Favourites account, simply choose My Favourites from the left hand navigation and click on the create an account link. Now enter a valid e-mail address and a password.

If you wish to have an admissions advisor contact you, select the contact checkbox. An advisor will contact you via e-mail.

When done, click the Create Account button to create the account.

Note: it is important to use a valid e-mail address in case you ever forget your password.

The account will be created and you will be logged in automatically. Any items you had already added to your Favourites will now be stored permanently in your account.

 4.2. Login and Logout of the Favourites Feature

To login to your Favourites account, simply choose My Favourites from the left hand navigation, enter your e-mail address and password and click the Login button.

If you have forgotten your password, just enter your e-mail address and click the Reset Password button. An email will be sent to the email address you used to sign up for your My Favourites account with a link that will enable you to reset your password.

To logout, simply view your Favourites and click the Logout link at top right.

 4.3. Edit Your Favourites Profile

To edit your Favourites account information, login to your Favourites account and click on the Edit Profile link at the top right of the Favourites feature.

You may change your account login by entering a new e-mail address and clicking the Send button.

To change your password, click on the Change Password link. A pop up window will prompt you for a new password. Enter a new password and confirmation and click the Reset button. When you are finished, you may close the pop up window.