Menus and Options 
Menus, Options and PreferencesMenu Options
Preferences
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| Note: Not all options are available in all editions. Product help within your licensed product can provide more detail. |
To view the preferences dialog, select "Preferences..." in the Options menu. The tabs in this dialog are:
Display/GUI Tab
The Display/GUI dialog tab looks like figure 11.1:
Fig 11.1: Display/GUI Tab
The Application Options are:
Notify me of product releases - When a new version of VisualRoute comes out you will be notified when starting VisualRoute.
Integrate VisualRoute - This adds a VisualRoute logo to the Internet Explorer toolbar. In doing so, a trace route can be started from Internet Explorer for the page being viewed.
The Display Options are:
Use physical map - When checked a textured map will be displayed showing mountain ranges etc. When unchecked a basic political map becomes the default map used.
Show map cross hairs - When selected, the end location for each trace is displayed under a cross hair icon.
Start/End locations - When the start and end locations of a trace are guessed, this option tells VisualRoute to plot them on the map anyway. By default this option is turned on.
Auto zoom to traceroute - Enables auto zooming of the map to show just the locations of the hosts for the current trace. The zoom level of the map will update in real time as more locations are resolved.
Display advanced analysis text - VisualRoute can display more information about a traceroute in an advanced analysis. By default the advanced analysis is turned on.
Analysis Columns Tab
The Analysis Columns dialog tab looks like figure 11.2:
Fig 11.2: File & Caching tab
The Analysis Columns Options are:
Visible/Hidden Columns - This allows you to change which columns are visible, and the order in which columns are shown. Simply choose a column then move it up or down using the buttons in the center of the dialog box. You can also remove or add columns using the hide and show buttons also in the center of the dialog box. To restore the columns to the default settings as delivered with the software, click on the Restore Defaults button.
Caching Options Tab
The Caching Options dialog tab looks like figure 11.3:
Fig 11.3: Caching Options Tab
The Caching Options are:
Cache stores - This dialog allows you to specify the amount of cache to be stored. All the cache explanations are in the yellow box at the bottom of the dialog box. To clear a cache just click the 'Clear Now' button to the right of the cache you wish to clear.
Use the stored local whois as authoritative whois information - This check box (which is checked by default) allows any whois information on your machine to be used when running a trace in VisualRoute.
Advanced Tab
The Advanced dialog tab looks like figure 11.4:
Fig 11.4: Advanced Tab
The Advanced Options are:
If target host is down, try to contact other hosts nearby to see if the network is up - If VisualRoute cannot contact the host you specified, checking this option causes VisualRoute to scan that host's network. This will determine whether the host's entire network is down or if just the specific server being pinged is having connectivity trouble. For more information see Appendix D. (Business, Support and Server editions only).
Number of pings sent to each hop - Set the number of pings to be sent to each hop of the traceroute by entering the number in the box provided.
Ping packet size - Set the number of bytes in each packet that is sent out in a traceroute by entering a number in the box provided.
Maximum time to wait for response - Set the maximum time in milliseconds that VisualRoute is to wait for a response from a specific hop. The request will timeout once that time limit has passed.
Port (for TCP tracerouting) - Set the port number for TCP tracerouting in the box provided.
Protocol selection - For the Business, Support and Server editions only, select the protocol to be used for tracing. ICMP, UDP and TCP are supported.
Database Updater 
Note: These instructions apply to VisualRoute Version 9 and above. If you have a version prior to this, please upgrade.
The Database Updater allows you to add node naming conventions and locations to IP addresses. The initial screen you are presented with when starting the database updater is shown below in figure 12.1:
Fig 12.1: Database updater initial screenYou have three options in the database updater as are detailed below. Basically, you can add a location to a node name, add a location to an IP, or you can set the home location that all traces start from.
Node naming conventions:
Clicking on the Add Name button under the Node naming convention data box opens the Add Naming Convention Rule dialog as shown in figure 12.2. When entering a naming convention you have to enter a domain that the naming convention applies to, which is done in the first text box. You also have to enter the search string that identifies where the host lies. See the product help for examples on how to complete this field.
Fig 12.2: Add Naming Convention Rule dialog boxTo choose the location simply select the country and city from the drop down menus
IP addresses:
Clicking on the Add IP button under the IP addresses data box opens the Add IP Address Rule dialog as shown in figure 12.3.
Fig 12.3: Add IP Address Rule dialog boxAdding a location to an IP is similar to adding one to a node name. Simply enter the IP address or CIDR range you want to add and select the Country and City location from the drop down selection boxes.
Set Home Location:
To set the Home Location for VisualRoute traces, select the 'Set Home Location' button in the main Database Updater dialog (see Fig 12.1). To set the home location, simply check the 'All traces begin from the same geographic location' check box then choose the Country and City from the drop down menus.
Fig 12.4: Set Home Location dialog boxIf your city is not listed in the drop down selector, you may add a new city location by clicking on the 'Add City' button. This will open the Add City dialog box as shown in figure 12.5. Provide the appropriate details for your city and click on the 'OK' button.
Fig 12.5: Add City dialog box
