OurTown2000 Internet Publishing Wizard
Using the HTML_Update component to publish city services
Contents
The HTML_Update componant of OurTown2000 was created to allow cities to generate and maintain their own city services webpages. It also includes tools for verifying services prior to publishing.
HTML_Update uses Microsoft Internet Options to connect to the GOVT.com servers and generate a web page. Therefore, the computer which will be used to generate the website must have Internet Explorer 4.0 or above installed and be able to access pages on the world wide web through it.
HTML_Update uses the OurTown2000 database to generate the webpages. We suggest that you install the program into the same folder where the OurTown2000 client is located on your desktop computer. Otherwise the program will ask you to locate a file called net_file.dbf on your computer. This will be located in the 'net' directory above the ot2.exe executable file.
HTML_Update has been tested on Windows98 and WindowsNT machines, but should work on any Windows operating system.
Before using HTML_Update, you must have a Service Page account from GOVT.com. In you don't have an account or want more information, please call 1-977-OUR-TOWN and speak with a representative.
When you receive your account, you will be given a username and password. These will be used when the program logs into the GOVT.com webserver prior to generating your site.
Customizing your pages
If you would like to customize the look and feel of your service pages, contact your GOVT.com representative. Any samples you can provide to demonstrate the look and feel you would like are very helpful to the GOVT.com staff when generating custom templates.
If the help file "html_update\HTML_Update_help.hlp" exists, you may access context-sensitive help by right clicking your mouse over any button or field. F1 will activate context sensitive help for the currently selected field.
Logging In
When you start the program, you will see the familiar login prompt below. Enter your OurTown2000 username and password (the same username and password you use when logging into OurTown2000). This is a security precaution as the program provides tools which allow you to modify existing services.
Main Screen
This is the first screen you will enter after logging into the system. Here basic information is collected about how you want your service pages presented on the web and how you will recieve information from the website back into the OurTown2000 program.
The three buttons at the bottom lead to the three other main sections of the program.
Fields:
- Main Site URL - This is the location of your city's home page. This is where visitors will be directed when they click a link back to your ciy website.
- Services Page URL - This is the address of your city's service page overview. It may be your own overview page or the location of the frameset in which the generated service pages will appear.
- City Name - This is your city's name. This value will be used to pre-fill the city name field on the service request forms, and also will be used by the OurTown2000 program to validate that the user lives in your city.
- State Name - Two character USPS state code, which will be used to pre-fill the state field on the service request forms.
- Zip Code - Your zip code, up to nine digits, which will be used to pre-fill the zip code field on the service request forms.
- Area Code - Three digit area code, which will be used to pre-fill the area code field on the service request forms.
- Service Desk name - A user-friendly name of your city, something like "City of Lewisburg, West Virginia".
- Promotional Line - Your city's catchphrase or motto. A line of text which will appear at the top of each page and will link back to the Main Site URL.
- Download Requests Via - This specifies the method used to retrieve service requests from the website. There are two options: E-mail and HTTP
If E-mail is selected, the OurTown2000 program will log into a pop3 account when checking for incoming service requests. The client computer which will be used for this operation must have direct access to this account, and the POP3 server must be able to receive e-mail from the world wide web. This POP3 account may be your own internal server or a POP3 account on the GOVT.com servers created by your GOVT.com representative. If you intend to recieve service requests via this method, you must enter the username and password for the POP3 account into OurTown2000 under Admin->Internet Settings.
If HTTP is selected, the OurTown2000 program will download any new service requests directly from the GOVT.com service site. The client computer which will be used for this must have Internet Explorer 4.0 or above installed and be able to use Internet Explorer to access pages on the world wide web. If you intend to recieve requests via this method, you must enter the name of the GOVT.com server on which your service pages will be located, and the username and password provided by your GOVT.com representative for downloading requests. NOTE-Not all versions of OurTown2000 are able to utilize this feature, which was added to the OurTown2000 program in August, 2001.
- E-mail address to send requests to - If you are using the e-mail method of service request retrieval, this field will be active and you must enter the email address assigned to you for retrieving incoming service requests into it. This field corresponds to the same field within Internet Options in the OurTown2000 program, so if you already have an email address selected, that value will be pre-filled into this field.
Buttons:
- Review Settings - Clicking this button will take you to the Verify Requests Screen.
- Generate - Clicking this button will take you to the GOVT.com server Login Screen, from which you can begin the process of generating your site.
- Problems - If this button is active, the program has some questions about the names of some departments, bureaus, or groups which may affect the generation of your site. Clicking this button will take you to the Problem Solver Screen
Verify Requests Screen
This screen provides a centralized location to make last minute modifications to your services list before publishing. This includes marking services for publication and modifying their names, definitions and questions for the public. Changes made within this section will affect the data used by the OurTown2000 program so be aware when making modifications.
Click the 
button at the upper right-hand corner of the screen to exit.
Controls:
- View All/Published - Selecting the published option limits the services which appear in the list to only those which have been marked for publishing. The All option is selected by default, allowing you to see all services whether they are marked for publishing or not. Only those services which are marked for publishing will be available on your web site.
- Drop-Down lists - there are three drop down lists under the View All/Published radio buttons which allow you to filter the services which appear in the list to a specific department, bureau, and group. Selecting a department from the first drop-down list will filter list of services so that only those within that department will be displayed. It also activates the Bureau drop-down list so you can further limit the displayed requests to that bureau. These drop-down list boxes work in conjunction with the View All/Published radio selection buttons, so if View Published is selected, only published requests within the selected department, bureau, or group will be displayed.
- Services List - Click on a service to select it. Double click the mouse or press the enter key and the selected service will be displayed in the Modify Request Screen. Clicking on the column headers will sort the list on that column.
Modify Request Screen
Use this screen to modify the title, definition, and questions associated with the selected service request. Changes made in this screen will affect the data used by the OurTown2000 program, so be aware when modifying these fields.
Click the save button 
to save your changes, or the close button 
to discard your changes.
Controls:
- Name Field - This field appears at the top of the window. It is the same as the Contact Code Description in the Service/Contact Codes Definitions section of OurTown2000. This is the title of the service and should be short and also fairly descriptive so the end users can determine if the request matches their needs.
- Definition Field - Same as Glossary in the Service/Contact Codes Definitions section of OurTown2000. This is used to explain the usage of a particular request, so the citizen can determine whether or not their request matches a particular service.
- Questions Field - Same as Related Questions and Answers in the Service/Contact Codes Definitions section of OurTown2000. This is a list of questions which will, if answered correctly, facilitate the completion of the request. The questions should each start on a new line (line breaks within questions are fine) and end with a question mark. This is because we are planning to update the HTML generator so each of these questions will have it’s own text box. We feel that this will encourage the end user to answer each question. Answering each question is not required to complete a request. Since this list of questions will be published verbatim on the internet, address each question to the user directly: i.e. "What is your name, address, and telephone number?" rather than "What is the name, address, and telephone number of the resident making the request?"
- Publish Checkbox - Not checked by default. If checked, this service is selected for publishing, and will be included on the website.
- Form Checkbox - Checked by default. If this service is selected for publishing and this box is checked, the service page will include a form for the citizen to fill out to request the service. If this field is not checked, only the definition and questions will be published and no form will be provided to collect response information from the citizen.
- Save Button - Saves your changes and exits the screen, returning control to the Verify Requests Screen.
- Close Button - Discards your changes and exits the screen, returning control to the Verify Requests Screen.
Problem Solver Screen
This screen allows naming problems with department, bureaus, and groups to be resolved. The screen lists the potential problems and allows you to rename a department, bureau, or group by selecting an existing name from, or typing a new name into, a drop down list.
Exit this screen by clicking the button at the upper right hand corner of the screen.
Controls:
- Problem list - An ordered list of all detected current problems which appears at the top of the screen. Select a problem by clicking with the mouse or using the keyboard arrow keys. As a solution is given for each problem, the description of the problem changes to "Solved".
- Current Problem/Description - Displays the number and description of the currently selected problem. This will tell you the code of the department, bureau, or group which has the problem, as well as the code of the department or bureau the problem exists in.
- Solution Box - If several names were found for a particular department, bureau, or group, they will be listed in this box. If no names were found, there will be no names listed. Select a name from the list, type in a new name, or select a name and edit it.
- Apply Button - When you click the "Apply" button, the name in the "Problem Solver Box" will instantly become the name of the department, bureau, or group.
Server Login Screen
This login screen is for logging into the GOVT.com server when generating the HTML Service pages. Here you enter the username and password supplied to you by GOVT.com when you signed up for your account. The program will remember the last username used and will also remember the password if you click the "Save Password" check box. Click the "Login" button to generate your website from your current data, or the "Cancel" button to exit without generating your website.
Your computer must be connected to the internet before clicking the "Login" button or the program will simply return a "Could not resolve domain name" error.
Controls:
- Username field - Enter the username you were given for generating your website. The program will automatically remember the last username used.
- Password field - Enter the password you were given for generating your website. The program will remember your password if the "Remember Password" checkbox is checked.
- Remember Password checkbox - If this option is checked, the program will remember the last password entered.
- Test button - Clicking this button will generate your service pages in a special test area on the server and will take you to the Session Screen. After generating a test, you will have a minimum of one hour to verify your changes (afterwards it will be made available so someone else can test a site).
- Login button - Clicking this button will start the process of generating your website and will take you to the Session Screen.
- Cancel button - Clicking this button or the button at the upper right-hand corner of the screen will exit this screen and return you to the Main Screen.
Session Screen
The Session screen displays the server’s progress as it generates the HTML code for your website. Sit back and relax for a minute, because it usually takes a few seconds to transfer the information required to build your website to the server. Once the information has been transferred, things move along much more quickly. Scroll down to see the complete session details. At the end of the session, a list of errors or warnings will be displayed.
When the server program completes and returns control to the html_update program, the "Save Session As:" button becomes active. If an error or warning is returned in the process, click the "Save Session As:" button and save the session information as a text file somewhere on your computer. Then attach this file to an email and send it to your representative at GOVT.com.
Exit this window by clicking the button at the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Controls:
- Session Dialog box - This shows a list of all messages sent to and recieved from the govt.com server. If any problems arise while generating a website, they will be detailed here.
- View Site button - After you update your website or generate a test website, this button will become active. Clicking it will open your web browser to the updated site.
- Save Frameset Document button - After you update your website, this button will become active. Clicking it will open a file save dialog box allowing you to choose a location to save your site's frameset to. This frameset should be added to your city's website. Link to it to direct people to your generated service pages.
- Save Session as... button - This button will become active when the generation session with the server is complete. Clicking it will open a file save dialog box allowing you to save the contents of the Session Dialog Box as a text file on your computer. In case of any problems, you can attach this file to an email and send it to your representative at GOVT.com.
After generating your site for the first time, you will need to link from your city's website to the service request pages you just generated. Use the "Save Frameset Document" button at the bottom of the session screen to save the frameset as an html file on your computer.
The frameset should look something like this:
<html>
<head>
<meta httpequiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
<title>City of Anytown, U.S.A.</title>
</head>
<frameset cols="130,*" border=0>
<frame src="http://www.govt.com/US/Anytown/navigate.html" name="TOC" marginwidth=1 scrolling=no>
<frame src="http://www.govt.com/US/Anytown/main.html" name="MAIN">
</frameset>
<noframe>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0" url="http://www.govt.com/US/Anytown/main.html">
</head>
<body background="http://www.govt.com/US/Anytown/images/coolbg.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff">
<h1><a href="http://www.govt.com/US/Anytown/main.html">City of Anytown, U.S.A. Services</a></h1>
</body>
</noframe>
</html>
Once you have a frameset file saved on your computer, give it to your Webmaster to incorporate into your city's website. Linking to this document will redirect people to your service request pages.
Please understand that this program is currently under development. This is a beta copy at best. If you would like to download
and test this program, click HERE. I would appreciate any feedback. If you
have questions or comments, please email me at aaron@govt.com.
When installing this program, it is best to install it to the root directory of an existing OurTown2000 client program. If you
install it somewhere else, you will be asked to locate the "net_file.dbf" file the first time you run this program.
This file is located in the 'net' directory under your OurTown2000 directory.
Thanks, Aaron
HTML_Update_setup.exe last uploaded on 7/22/2002
Change Log:
7/22/2002
- Fixed a problem where the problem analyzer was reporting that certain divisions did not have names when the divisions did not actually exist.
- Program is now compatible with newer versions of OT2 which have two additional file location directories. Still works correctly with older versions of OT2.
- Fixed a problem where the incorrect service request was being pulled up in the Verify Requests screen after sorting entries.
- Removed the Visual Foxpro runtime libraries which significantly decreased the size of the download. These should no longer be necessary as all of our clients are now using VFP6.0 clients. This does mean that this program can only be installed on a machine running an OT2 client.
5/23/2002
- Fixed a slight problem where two input fields on the main form were launching help when both clicking and right-clicking. Now only launch help when right-clicked.
4/17/2002
- Program now recognizes definitions and questions which contain only spaces, carriage returns, and linefeeds (whitespace characters) as empty. This was causing the program to generate the "Ask yourself the following questions" line on service request forms even if there were no visible characters to print.
- Fixed a problem where Email text box was enabled even if user selected the HTTP method of service request retrieval.
© Copyright GOVT.com 2002