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QuickPlace Tips Newsletter #1
QuickPlace Tips Newsletter #1 from Rob Novak (SNAPPS)
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June 2005
 
 
QuickPlace Tips Newsletter #1
Tips from the QuickPlace Experts at SNAPPS

Greetings!
You may have noticed that my first tips newsletter came a little later than expected, and you're right! I was asked to speak at two conferences in May - Admin2005 in Boston, and WebSphere Portal Technical Conference in Cannes, France. It was a great time for 15 days, but took a lot more preparation than I anticipated!

So here you go, our first edition newsletter on QuickPlace tips! Enjoy and please feel free to write and let me know what areas interest you most.

Rob Novak, President

Rob Novak, President, SNAPPS

Creating Complex Forms
Include JavaScript in HTML forms for dynamic control
When creating new HTML forms for QuickPlace, you might notice that there is not an easy way to include external reference files, such as JavaScript files or XSL files. Why? Because these references are normally in the HTML HEAD section, and that all gets stripped out on upload. Also, using a script src tag doesn't automatically upload the file. However, you can get around this little quirk by fooling QuickPlace.

One thing QuickPlace does well is import images. The objective is to get all your files into the same document on the back end...so all you have to do to upload a .js or xsl file is to refer to it as if it were an image! This works in HTML forms as well as HTML pages and custom themes. Here's an example - note I have changed all tags from the "greater-than" and "less than" signs to curly brackets, just so it would appear properly in HTML emails:

To add the file "xmlFunctions.js" with some important JavaScript functions, we add this line to the HTML file: {img src="../javascript/xmlFunctions.js" style="height:0; width:0;"}

Then, we reference it as usual with the following tag: {script language="JavaScript" src="$FILE/xmlFunctions.js"}{/script}

Piece of cake. And because QuickPlace thinks it's a graphic, it automatically uploads it to the same document as the HTML file.

Notifications: Keeping it in Context
Teach Users Appropriate use of Notifications
This is less of a technical tip than a best practice. Notifications can occur in QuickPlace in several ways - when a new document is being created, when it's being edited, or even just when being viewed. However, too many notifications will cause users to ignore or delete the notification emails. Here are some basic rules of thumb for using notifications:

  1. Make sure the recipients include ONLY people who care about the document you're notifying them about. Folks don't like to follow links, type in their name and password, only to find the document doesn't apply to them. Think "contextual".
  2. Change the default subject line. Using the default subject line is a sure way to get your notification ignored.
  3. Use the comments field! This is your chance to let recipients know why it's important for them to visit the document.

Add Error Trapping for Forms
Best Practice for QuickPlace Programming
Programmers - ever have to debug a QuickPlace form, theme, page or some other custom code and chase down exactly where the error occurs? Use this tip to add error trapping to your front-end code. In every page, form, or theme we design we add the following:

window.onerror=fnErrorTrap;
function fnErrorTrap(sMsg,sUrl,sLine){
oErrorLog = "An error was thrown and caught.\n";
oErrorLog+="Error: " + sMsg + "\n";
oErrorLog+="Line: " + sLine + "\n";
oErrorLog+="URL: " + sUrl + "\n";
alert(oErrorLog);
return false;
}
Just drop this into your code and save some headaches when users report errors!

And Now a Word From Our Sponsors...Us!
Check out the AnyPlace™ Line of QuickPlace Products
SNAPPS has been known for over six years for its work with global companies on major QuickPlace deployments. Out of the labs, we've created four products uniquely focused on productivity.

AnyPlace Administrator is the browser version of command-line QPTOOL. AnyPlace Designer is an extension to Macromedia Dreamweaver that makes custom theme deisgn a snap. AnyPlace Explorer is a Windows Explorer view of your entire place, with remote control. And AnyPlace Navigator is the ulitmate user productivity enhancement - combining user-specific place lists, the explorer functionality, and user-managed lists of important places. Visit the product pages below to learn more about SNAPPS' products in the QuickPlace world!

phone: +1-913-381-4165

Thanks for checking out the first issue! Also be sure to check out the SNAPPS web site for information on our AnyPlace line of QuickPlace products, services, and example downloads.


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