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QuickPlace Tips Newsletter #1 from Rob Novak (SNAPPS)
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| June 2005 |
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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, 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:
- 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".
- Change the default subject line. Using the default
subject line is a sure way to get your notification
ignored.
- 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!
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phone:
+1-913-381-4165
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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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|  | Powered by  | Rob Novak, President, SNAPPS | 9550 Metcalf 2nd Floor | Overland Park | KS | 66212-2285 |
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