05 July 2012

Changes to the lochours page

Since the information in the chart is used both in the /loc/lochours.php and the Spanish language /loc/index-spi.php, I decided to create text files containing the information under the header rows in three places:
  1. hours for campuses under the header row for days of the week
  2. hours for other services points under the header row titled ( Other ACC Library Services Locations: AND Otros servicios y bibliotecas de ACC:)
  3. phone numbers under the header in that table
Then I used php includes to insert the text in the appropriate place in the file and remove the actual information from the files.  The three include scripts are:
  • ...?php include("http://library.austincc.edu/loc/lochours-top-include.txt"); ?...
  • ...?php include("http://library.austincc.edu/loc/lochours-bot-include.txt"); ?...
  • ...?php include("http://library.austincc.edu/loc/lochours-phone-include.txt"); ?...
Now only the text files need to be edited when hours change.

23 April 2012

New WebPac (2009b latest example set)

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WebPac progress
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1 Editable
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The files which are editable are called customizable forms and files. They fall into these categories:

Search screens (called search help files) and all have the file name schema of "srchhelp_someletter" e.g., srchhelp_t.html for a title search screen.
Definition files, e.g. wwwoptions, webpub.def
Style sheet (styles.css)
Search Results screens, e.g., briefcit.html, which is the results display for a keyword search.
Paton verification and display forms, e.g., pverify_web.html, the log in form to view patron information.
Record display forms,e.g., bib_display.html, the page that displays a bibliographic record.

1.1 Main page, i.e., Opac home page
1.1.1 opacmenu
1.1.2 mainmenu
1.2 Individual search pages (called search help pages in iii venacular; all named srchhelp_?.html with the index letter being the ? in the file name, e.g., srchhelp_a.html = Search for Author Note: case is important in the iii files)
1.2.1 Advanced Keyword (X) [basic keyword (Y)
1.2.2 Author (a)
1.2.3 Title (t)  [author and title (q)]
1.2.4 Subject
1.2.4.1 LC (d)
1.2.4.2 NLM (j)
1.2.5 Numbers (i)
1.2.5.1 LC/NLM call numbers (c)
1.2.5.2 Local Call numbers (m)
1.2.5.3 ISBN/ISSN (i)
1.2.6 Course Reserves [course (r), instructor (p)
1.3 Patron verification pages
1.3.1 View your account (pverify_web.html)
1.3.2 Request an item(s) (pverify3_web.html)
1.3.3 View reserves (pverify6_web.html)
1.4 Save and Export
1.4.1 viewsaves
1.4.2 request_results
1.4.3 item_select
1.5 Record display base
1.5.1 bib_display
1.5.2 course_display
1.5.3 resource_display
1.5.4 patronview
1.6 Search results display base
1.6.1 briefcit
1.6.2 briefcit_authority
1.6.3 briefcit_resource
1.6.4 authority redirect
1.7 css  (styles.css)

1.8 wwwoptions
This file has no extension and contains styling and other options about what happens and how it is displayed.  It also contains any vendor subscription information related to display.
Note: Anytime this file is changed the web server processes must be restarted before the change takes place.  ditto toplogo files 
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2 System-generated
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2.1 search results
2.1.1 browse screens (briefcit files)
2.1.2 record screen (bib_display, etc.)
2.2 patron information

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3 content
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3.1 definition files
3.1.1 styles [Style changes noted in comments on the file itself.]
3.1.2 toplogoNote: Anytime this file is changed the web server processes must be restarted before the change takes place.  ditto wwwoptions Changes:
  • Changed div widths and substituted our banner for the iii banner. [div class="topLogoSmall"]
  • Moved toplinks to nav bar and added icons
  • created own or used public domain icons except the print icon
  • Start Over (arrow-left-big.png)
  • My LIbrary Record (ico_page_key.png)
  • Help (ico_RedQmark.png)
  • Chat (ico_chat_sm.png)
  • Hours (clock2.png)
  • Print (ico_printer.gif)
  • In lieu of toplinks, added lslinks
  • Login
  • Accessible Catalog
  • Espanol (green link as in current catalog)
  • Removed the drop menu searchnav (More Search Options)
  • Note: Have made this idea into a side option division for each search page. But the code isn't in the toplogo file
  • Note: Will echo all of this on the toplogo-loggedin file.
3.1.3 toplogo-loggedin
3.1.3.1 Need to echo toplogo
3.1.4 botlogo
3.1.4.1 Need to create similar to current botlogo
3.2 web options (wwwoptions)
Changes:
Mostly needed to change the image names for icons place holders
Changed BROWSE50= to false
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4 Icons / Images
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4.1 material types
4.2 buttons

19 February 2012

Mid-Year Improvements Suggested by LS Staff

Improvements Made to Library Home Page

Mid-year improvements were made to the LS home page using suggestions sent by LS staff to the Web Content Team. These can be see on two drafts listed below. The only difference in the drafts is the placment of the Chat icon. Because IE treats spacing differently, there is some difference in the placement which may be noticible to some. The Web Content Team should decide which draft seems best.
These were the changes made:
  • Not seen on the home page: Changed wording in the Catalog from "My Library Account" to "My Library Record."
    Note: Also checked for wording on LS FAQs and other help pages for consistency.
  • Wording "Staff Directory" on black navigation bar changed to "Contact Us."
  • Left Sidebar:
    • "Get Help!" link replaced by "Quick Tour of the Library Website."
    • Read posters made clickable. Link goes to the new Posters image gallery.
  • Middle Column:
    • Need Help with Research header deleted.
    • Chat link moved to the top of the list and a chat icons added.
    • Wording changes to Library & Subject Guides
    • "Try us on your SmartPhone!" link added to Go Green separator line.
  • Right Sidebar:
    • Link to ACC Home Page moved to ACC Online Services section.
    • Quicklinks rearranges a little.
    • A-Z List link added to Quicklinks
    • Hours & Locations chart added to Quicklinks.
THINGS WHICH WILL NEED TO BE DONE:
    • topmenu bar both for home and subsequent pages will need to be changed to Contact Us since I created a draft bar for the home page only.

    24 January 2012

    Changes to Email Address and images in LivePerson Chat

    Now that we have a real library@ email account again, I went into the Admin Console in LivePerson to change the email address for those wishing to send an email if our chat is not active.  That is, students are given the option to go to Ask Academic or to email if it is outside of our normal chat hours or if no one answers a chat request.

    ALSO ...
    We received an email today from LivePerson Chat in regards to their commitment to secure connections.
    As part of our ongoing commitment to maintain a highly secure platform, we will soon implement a configuration change that will no longer allow a non secure HTTP connection between your visitors, agents, and the LivePerson Platform.  You are receiving this email because we have detected that your account may be affected by this change. ... If you are using custom images in your chat windows that are not hosted on HTTPS, your visitors may receive a mixed content warning on their browsers ...
    We did have our own "branding" kind of images which were there from long ago and had no link to anything we are currently doing.  These are not on a secure server and we have no available LS secure servers upon which to place them.

    Steve and I discussed this and looked at the standard images offered by LivePerson that most closely matched "our look."  We changed all instances of branding to innocuous images on these windows:

    • Pre-Chat survey
    • Chat Window
    • Exit Window
    • When we are offline (email) windo