SciFinder

SciFinder Scholar is Chemical Abstracts Service's client/server desktop research tool that provides access to the Chemical Abstracts databases, including Chemical Abstracts, the CAS Registry, and more.

How to Access SciFinder Scholar

• Access to SciFinder Scholar is restricted to current CSUN students, faculty and staff. SciFinder Scholar can only be used if you have a CSUN IP address. This would be any campus computer, CSUN modem pool, or Campus VPN users.
• The SciFinder Scholar client must first be installed on your computer. System requirements information is available on the SciFinder Scholar Support page.
• Authorized users may download and install the SciFinder Scholar client to their campus or home computer.
• Additional resources may be found at the SciFinder Scholar Support page.
• Access is limited to two (2) simultaneous users. Please logoff when you are done in order to allow access for someone else.

Software Download

Windows

1. Download SFS2007.exe to your desktop or to a temporary directory.
2. Double-click on the file you downloaded to launch the installer.
• Accept all defaults by choosing "SETUP," "OK," or "NEXT" during the install. This will install SciFinder Scholar to a folder named c:\sfschlr .
• Answer "NO" to the question "Do you have a disk labeled 'Custom Site Files?'".
3. After installation is complete, download Windows site.prf to the installation directory (c:\sfschlr).
4. (Optional) You may wish to download and install ViewerLite 5.0 from Accelrys Inc., a software tool for Windows users that allows you to view three dimensional structures of molecular models within SciFinder Scholar. This viewer is provided "as-is" and is not supported by Accelrys, CAS, or the Library.
   • Download the software ViewerLite50_4cas.exe (~5.64 MB) and save it to your desktop, or to a temporary folder.
   • Double-click the file that you have just saved. This will install the ViewerLite software on your computer. You must choose the default location of C:\Program Files\Accelrys\ViewerLite50 or SciFinder Scholar will not be able to locate the ViewerLite application.
   • Open the ViewerLite application once before using SciFinder Scholar. This gives the SciFinder Scholar program some information it needs to find the application. When the installation is successful, the icon (called "3D Model") will appear in a SciFinder Scholar substance record.

You can now run SciFinder Scholar by selecting it from your Windows Start menu.

Mac OS X

1. Download SciFinder Scholar.zip and save it to your desktop.
2. Double click the "SciFinderScholar.zip" icon to unzip or expand it.
3. Move the resulting "SciFinder Scholar" icon into your Applications folder.
4. (Optional) Create an alias for your dock or desktop.

Macintosh OS 8,9

1. Download the client software sfs2004-2.hqx (~11.2 MB) and save it into a temporary folder.
2. Unpack the .hqx file using a decompression program, such as "Stuff It Expander."
3. Double-click the "SciFinder Installer" icon.
4. Save the Mac site.prf file in your SciFinder Scholar folder.

After you have installed SciFinder Scholar on your computer, you will be able to use it by clicking on the SciFinder Scholar icon in your SciFinder Scholar folder.