I have taken full account of your recommendations, thanks alot. I am
working on "web publi****ng" and as reference using a book from the early
days titled, web publi****ng unleashed 1996. those thoughts were about a
job
format language, which i also am having association with. my writing isnt
good, so i copy things and just edit a little to suit my tastes. i have
this to poste to your benefit==and information from a book. the isa
server
regularly used for publi****ng servers, and sites. it has a lot of
features.
have you seen courses on www.cbtnuggets.com for isa server? g'day
The contents of this file is based upon the practical requirements for
transferring ideas to data (information structures), and then data into
information. A reference book Intranets Unleashed by David Garrett, et al.
publ. Sams.net 1996. Chapter 21 is a chapter of Part III : Using Your
Intranet - Business Applications. The title of Chapter 21 is "Creating a
Dynamic Site".
Static Data
Even the most dynamic intranet will contain a fair amount of static data,
such as employee handbook or memos that likely would be in text or HTML
files. The problem with static data, however is that discerning old data
from new data can be difficult. For this reason, you should establish a
way
to tag or mark static data with a time stamp or date indicator that can be
posted on the site.
In the floral shop, the delivery personnel's directions and the bouquet
diagrams for the designers,such as fig. 21.1 Intranets Unleashed, pp. 323,
are examples of static files.
Image and Audio Data
In addition to the data input listed previously, users might input other
types of data onto the company intranet. Images or audio files are an
example of uer-input data that could dynamically enhance your site. The
creation and manipulation of image and audio files is getting easier.
Many companies have computer cameras. After taking a snapshot the image
is
saved as a .jpg file (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Intranets
Unleashed
pp. 324. Image input onto the intranet is especially useful for creating
easily updatable catalogs. The designers at the flower shop might post
GIFs
or JPGs to their bulletin board as a way to exhibit newly designed floral
arrangements, or to show examples of particulkar breeds of flowers. A GIF
visual diagram showing how to contruct a flower arrangement pp. 324.
Inventory Data
These datasheets list available product stock or other type of inventory
or
employee information; they can be organized with a spreadsheet program,
like
Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. The floral shop requires that each of the
10 stores keep an individual inventory datasheet, but the board wants to
build a common inventory database for the company intranet. This way, a
clerk would access the site when looking to see whether a product not
available in his store is available in another.
In the case that it is available in another, the clerk could then post a
message requesting the needed product. Your intranet should allow
employees
to input inventory data. How the data will be stored and manipulated is
discussed later in the chapter Intranets Unleashed, chapter 21 pp. 323.
The Dynamic Site
On pp. 321 "The Dynamic Site", the managers will use the site to
administer
payroll for all employees and to create weekly schedules (all the
employees
will be entering requests for days off into the website). Managers also
will use the site to keep the employees up-to-date with the amount of work
and the type of work that will be needed for particularly busy times of
the
year, such as holidays. For example, because Mother's Day is one of the
more lucrative holidays for florists, managers will want to send
information
to the employees for handling the influx of business during that week.
The data manipulated by the managers will need to be secured so that
sensitive data such as selaries and time-off requests will not be
accessible
to everyone. Therefore, a password system needs to be implemented for the
databases that the managers will be accessing.
Let's look at an example of the development of a dynamic intranet. the
board of Directors of a floral comany with stores in 10 differrent
locations
has decided to redesign its current Web site, which is a simle home page
listing the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the stores, in a static
HTML file. The Directors have decided that the site should be expanded to
allow more options, not only for the public, but for the employees as
well.
The primary internal goal is to allow the employees of the 10 stores to
use
the site to communicate with each other. the stores employ clerks,
managers, delivery people, and floral designers.
The needs of each class (or type) of employee should be incor****ated into
the site. First ill look at the needs of each type of employee, and then
i'll talk about what techniques and tools are available for meeting the
goals of the board of directors and the needs of the employees.
Clerks
Clerksk will use the site to record finiancial data about the stores'
sales
and to update the product inventory (because they are responsible for
maintaining a steady stock of greeting cards and gifts). Along with all
the
inventory, clerke might also record the number of hours they work each
week;
the site woulkd take the place of the time-clock system currently in use.
Clerks also use the site to communicate with the clerks from the other
store
locations. And because some of the stores are nerarby to one another, the
employees -especially the clerks -****ft from store to store as necessary.
Managers
The managers will use the site to administer payroll for all the employees
and to create weekly schedules (all the employees will be entering
requests
for days off into the site). Managers also will use the site to keep the
employees up-to-date with the amount of work and the type of work that
will
be needed for particularly busy times of theyear, such as holidays. for
example, Mother's day. the strategies for the busy week of Mothers day
will
be posted.
A password system needs to be implemented for the databases that the
managers will be accessing.
Delivery Personnel
The delivery personnel will have uses for the site. They will have
available maps, and delivery directions for the office buildings of
frequent
clients, which are posted at the site. New delivery drivers are given
access during their training. And the status of the delivery personnel
would also be updated regularly throughout the day.
The destination of a delivery person is entered into the site when the
clerk
who receives the order, fills out the invoice. Then by means ofo a CGI
script, or programming communicating with a database, the current location
of a particular delivery truck can be tracked throughout the day.
Managemtent could track this information, by taking a snapshot of delivery
operations at particular times of the year (or even the day) and could use
the information as a reference for developing employee schedules.
Designers
The store's floral designers will benefit from the site as well. Diagrams
and photographs of specialty bouquet arrangements will be available
through
either, postingns or downloadable files. The board of Directors also
wants
to establish a designner's bulletin board, so that tips of the trade can
be
communicated from the design teweam in one store, to the design teams in
the
other stores. when one designer creates a specialty design for a
particular
holiday, the site will allow for an immediate posting of a photogaph, a
diagram, and written instructions to allow the designers in other stores
to
implement the new floral arrangement immediately.
Intranet : Disadvantages
For one disadvantage, the intranet administrator must learn the
technicalities and techniques of establi****ng and maintaining such a
dynamic
website. In these regards the practices of quality, security, technical
ability, and expertise are most im****tant. And in the final analysis, the
intranet has to be useful, not only in its operations but in its
psychological appeal. A friendly technology, is what this means.
Otherwise
the employees will not cooperate as alies with the sites design.
A concern about site development, would be how the division between the
internal site which is used by the employees, and the public site which
is
used by the people who want to place orders or simply to learn about the
comany, has been designed. Because some of the information, such as a
customer order or complaint, will traverse from external site to internal
site, the public and the private aspects of the site structure must be
united (continuous). The site designer must determine a way to allow
unity
without jeopardizing security.
Intranet : Advantages
A secure and dynamic intranet that unites public and private access can be
established if the intranet builder (site developer) is creative and
knowleldgeable about what operations to include on the site. In fact, a
dynamic intranet should be more secure than a static one, because the
contents of the pages are determined by the users and the scripts. These
pages do not exist as files on the server , they are virtual do***ents not
files which are vulnerable to break-in. These virtual do***ents do not
even
exist until the client requests them, and when the user has obtained the
needed information and has logged off the server, these virtual do***ents
cease to exist.
Another advantage of creating a dynamic intranet: its nature requires that
the developers use databases as a means ofo organizing the data. Having
information in a database makes it easier to manipulate later, should you
change platforms or redevelop the site, or expand company operations.
A dynamic intranet also increases the flexibility in terms of how you
capture, manage, and analyze data. The way in which you choose to store
your data is im****tant: what you do now (data and otherwise) will affect
he
stability, security, and potential of your intranet.
Inputting Data
A dynamic intranet depends upon the steady flow of data, the bulk of which
is input by the users. Let's go back to the floral shop. If the model
Intranets Unleashed pp. 322, that the board of Directors wants to see is
developed, the employees will be entering quite a bit of im****tant data
into the site every working day. Information about costs, assets,
employee
hours, customer orders, and inventory cannot be placed at risk with a
faulty
computer system.
The intranet that would be entrusted with the manipulation of the business
information must be able to accept and organize the data securely and
efficiently.
Types of Data
Listserv, and email data - What types of data will the user input? Most
likely your intranet will use three types of data input methods which are
described in the following paragraphs. One of those methods would be
data
from email and message boards. The floral shop of our example allows the
employees to communicate with each other, and with the managers, not only
by
email but alkso by electronic bulletin boards, which are also referred to
by
the names discussion databases, or listservs.
Commercially available programs will give site developers what they need
in
order to establish a discussion database on an intranet. Think of these
discussion databases, and listservs, asgroup web pages. In the floral
shops, employees from each division have a discussion database geared
toward
their questions and their need.
The data travels from the user to the database and then, potentially
outward
to all the users (access permissions apply). And the data can be archived
as text files. An archive of the stqatic messages and postings can be
integrated into a dynamic web page. For example, the employees on the
floral-designers bulletin board could access the archive for a listing of
Mother's Day bouquet samples from previous years. Software that allows
you
to establish a discussion thread is best. The thread is used as a means
to
organize the text archhive Intranets Unleashed pp. 322.
Inventory Data
These datasheets list available product stock or any other type of
inventory
or employee information; they can be organized with a spreadsheet program,
like Microsoft Excel. The floral shop requires that eah of the 10 stores
keepss an inventory datasheet, but the board wants to build a common
inventory database for th cvompeny intranet. This way, a clerk wouldl
access the site when looking to see whether a product that is not
available
in his store, is however available in another store (from among the 10
stores).
If the product that is not available in his store, is however available in
another store, the clerk could immediately post a message requesting the
needed product. Your intranet should allow employees to input inventory
data. How the data will be stored and manipulated is discussed later in
this chapter Intranets Unleashed chapter 21 pp. 323.
Above all, remember that your goal is to have the users of the site
interact
with it by inputting data. the more user input you have, the more
potential
you have for developing a site that is truly dynamic. Encouraging user
input means the siiter designer should make the input process easy for
people who do not have much computer experience.
You will want to be very selelctive about the applications and functions
that you include on your intranet. The following section discusses the
applications and functions which can be used for the intranet.
Applications and Functions
Email and FTP - Your intranet will almost certainly have email services.
Email is the heart on Internet communications. Email is a function which
many people fee comfortaable using and like to use. Email is popular
because it is used for directly communicating with another party without
interrupting the recipient.
Every user on the intranet should have ann email account, and email use
can
be encouraged with the creation of mail-oroiented functions i.e., topic
listservs, which are e-mail implementations of discussion databases.
Various software programs exist on the different network platforms, and
listserv functionslity often is included with Internet mail servers, along
with standard email functionality.
In the floral shop example, the clerks might have a listserv group in
which
they communicate with one another about events taking place in the stores.
Listservs almost always revlve around a specific topic, so you might set
them up in such a way that they will encourage discussion on topics which
will help to develop employee creativity, and in turn morale.
A floral shop delivery driver might notice that a road has been closed for
construction. Another driver (or any member of that listserv group) could
suggest an alternative route. The conversation would be seen by all
members
of the group, so all drivers would know that the highway was closed and
would learn of possible alternative routes.
Archives of these messages received at the listserv can be kept. The site
operator would be the person who would archive messages received at the
listserv. Archived messages can easily be used as the data contents of
dynamic pages on the topic, when need arises. That is why it is good to
establish listserves pertaining to specific topics.
For example of this, if the managers at the flooral shops are having a
meeting to plaan for the Christmas season, quick access to the listserv
discussions from the year before would be helpful.
The concept is discussed by the name of a clerk listserv. If the clerk
listserv has been active, the managers will be able to access the entries,
read them, and consider the prior Cheristmas' challenges and successes
when
developing the new company strategy. But if the discussion list
(listserv)
has not been active, then very little data will be available, and these
managers might be less likely to look for similar data, as a reference to
use at future meetings. therefore, it's im****tant to utilize the
information gained from the listservs and to reinforce their value within
your organization, to encourage use.
FTP File Transfer - File transfer allows the users of your intranet to put
data and files onto the server so that the server can process them, or so
that other users can access or download them.
An example of FTP file transfer, the datasheets containing daily customer
figures for each floral shop can be saved to the server by the clerks at
specified times during the workday. Later, the managers can incor****ate
the
files into the common datasheet along with maintaining the individual
store
datasheet.
The transfer of the above mentioned files, from the clerk to the manager
can
be performed by FTP (file transfer protocol) ess Intranets Unleashed
Chapter
27, where more coverage of FTP "FTP Sharing Files" is provided. This
information is from Chapter 211 pp. 326 "Creating a Dynamic Site".
Especially for large do***ents, FTP is preferred above HTTP protocol,
because FTP is faster. FTP moves data in a raw data stream from point A
to
point B, with no need for interpretation (as opposed to HTTP forms, which
require interpretation).
For example, the 10 floral shops all keep their inventories in an Excel
spreadsheet. On the main server the data is compiled into one big
spreadsheet. Each store (Point A) uses FTP to upload spreadsheets to the
common location on the main server (Point B). After the data has arrived
at
point B, it is secured in the server, accessible only to those that have
the
appropriate passwords. When the server has idle time, or at a preselected
time, the server can process the datasheets and generate the company
datasheet. The site administrators have the job of assigning users
different levels of access permissions when using FTP.
In addition to the file transfer, a user can send files across the
Internet
using most mail programs, and also web browsers which allow a file
attachment. File attachments arrive with email messages. Users of the
network might use the attach file feature to send files to one another, as
well as to the server for site maintenance (adding files to the server -
update).
As an example, one of the designers in the floral shop could send
instructions on the care of a particular plant variety, to a designer in
another store.. Along those same lines, downloadable files could be made
available to users. The administrator would want to create topic-specific
FTP directories from which users can download information.
Web Browser
It's easiest to facilitate FTP downloads through the Web browser. This
makes FTP transparent to the user. Making the files accessible to
anonymous
users, makes it easier to administer the site but also limits the data
that
is available to users.
Ananymous FTP allows users to access areas with a password. It is
im****tant
to realize however, that without a password requirement, anyone can access
the information. So you must evaluate your needs and apply appropriate
levels of security. In the case of the flower shop,, the appropriate
access
might be "write mode" access permission, without any ability to read.
this
level of security would allow all users to drop off files but not read or
acceess any of the files already there.
The above sceenario is simillar to a night deposit box. For security
reasons when you configure your server, don't put the upload direcrtory in
a
place where the user can later execute a file which he uploaded. If you
do,
a malicious user could upload an application that formats your hard drive
and then he could remotely execute the application he stored on your
system.
The upload directory should be separated from your hypertext do***ents and
your CGI program. Remember, that most "anonymous" accounts without
specific
settings are a two-way street (send and receive) allowing full access to
all
users.
WWW Forms
You can best develop the dynamic potential ofo your intranet with the use
of
forms. Most likely, you have visited Web sites that provide forms for
user
input.
The forms are used for surveys, orders, and customer complaints and
comments. The input for each of these purposes can be input via an online
form Intranets Unleashed pp. 327.
Almost all browsers sup****t form. You can find commercially available
programs that make the generation ofo forms and their execution
convenient.
Features on the form can includee radio buttons, or drop down boxes...
Dynamic Forms
Forms can be static or dynamic. Using a form to capture the user's input,
you are sending the dta to the server. The developer of the internet must
then handle the arrival of this information. Some Web servers also allow
you to linmk a form directly to a database.
In many cases, you willk want to perform some kind of processing on the
data, rather than just storing the data. To perform some processing, you
will have to write a script or a gateway program that communicates with
the
form by using a standard called a Common Gateway Interface.
Forms have an advantage over email, because you have more control over the
way in which the data arrives to the site administrators. Thid ensures
that
the correct data is captured in the right places. Enhancements like
JavaScript even allow the
developer to check the user's input before submitting it. Thjis is
generally called masking data.
Creating a database with forms is easier than creating one form email
information or uploaded files, because all users of the form enter the
data
in the same manner. You might however lose some ability, to process the
data at the server's convenience. And forms are connection oriented, so
the
data they transmit must be dealt with immediately, so you'll want to have
a
CGI-based program generating the form response.
The use of forms requires that you determine what needs youree company has
that are best suited for online forms. Surveys are an example of a
user-input function that works well with forms, because they usualaly
require only the entry of single letters or numerals, which can be easily
transformed into database fields Intranets Unleashed pp. 328.
The floral shop chain of stores might use forms in the employee intranet,
not only for surveys, but as a "suggestion box" or even a means by which
to
enter requests for days off or special assignments (personnel). The point
is that forms can be used creatively according to a comany's need, and
that
forms should be developed so that users can input data successfully. But
taking responsibility away from the end-user increases the demand upon the
developer to make judgements and to anticipate the problems which may
arise.
A trade-off to the problem of difficult development would be the use of
scripts (easy to write programs) and gateway programs which capture the
data
(in context) from the forms.
Storing Data
After data is uploaded or entered by the end-users, it must be stored.
Several data-storing methods are available for intranet-builders. Most
likely you will store your data in a database. You probably have more
than
one database established. For the floral shops, there is an inventory
database containing the "stock" list of the types of gifts and greeting
cards. there is another database for employees, addresses, and telephone
numberss containing the information for the employees who are current, as
well as past employees. While building your intranet, you should consider
how and where user input and static data should be stored, and you should
also considder what types of databases will serve as the foundation for
your
intranet.
"Robert Maas, see http://tinyurl.com/uh3t"
<rem642b@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in
message news:rem-2007dec05-001@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > From: "WALLYWORLD" <ran...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> > CGI is just programming with some special types of input and a
> > few strict rules on program output. Everything in between is
> > just programming.
>
> I disagree. CGI forces a completely different kind of program
> management from other kinds of programming (such as "main" program
> calling subroutines, GUI event-driven, or distributed actors
> exchanging messages). The application is dominated by the need to
> process the form contents (and optionally cookies) to re-establish
> the program state for picking up where it previously left off, and
> then for somehow saving the program state after transmitting the
> next user form before closing the process. Some applications can be
> completed in a single CGI transaction, submit form and get results
> and you're all done, no state needs to be saved after a
> transaction. But that's only a special case, such as a Google
> search. Consider instead multi-transaction applications such as
> Web-based e-mail
> (log in, browse folders, view messages, compose and then send
> outgoing messages, move messages between folders, log out),
> or computer-assisted instruction
> (log in, choose topic, see mini-tutorial and question, answer
> question, read discussion of your answer, move on to next
> question likewise, log out),
> or online store
> (log in, browse merchandise categories, read merchandise
> descriptions, logically put instances of items in virtual
> shopping cart, present credit card or PayPal card at checkout),
> etc. Imagine how different such a program would be organized for
> CGI (or JSP etc.), compared to event-driven GUI on a single
> machine, or "main" program calling a command loop. The "business
> logic" might be the same in all three cases, but the overall
> program organization would be grossly different.
>
> > CGI changes the Web from just a simple collection of static
> > hypermedia do***ents (html) into a whole new interactive medium,
> > in which users can ask questions and run applications.
>
> Nicely written, although the present tense of it would apply circa
> 1992 or thereabouts. Couldn't you have used past tense?
>
> > Choose an HTML Editor
>
> Who *needs* an HTMP editor? A regular text editor is good enough.
>
> > When Should You Create a Database Driven Web Site?
>
> Well, to a large degree it depends on whether a relational database
> is even available where you are doing your CGI programming.
> I don't know of any free Web hosting services that provide it.
> (For example, 5gbfree provides MySQL, but only for PHP, not for CGI.)
>
> > In a way, CGI is as easy as using simple recipes.
>
> I think that statement is a bit misleading.
>
>
> --
> Nobody in their right mind likes spammers, nor their automated
assistants.
> To gain access to this site, you must demonstrate you're not one of
them.
> Please spend a few seconds to try to read the text-picture in this box:
> /--------------------------------------------------------------\
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> | | () LL|||(/_|| LL|(/_ || |)(/_ (|(/_(|(|. |
> \-(Rendered by means of <http://www.schnoggo.com/figlet.html>)-/
>
> Then enter your best guess of the text (80-100 chars) into this
TextArea:
> +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
> | |
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