========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 22:49:34 +1100 Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Dwight Walker Subject: Re: Databases and HTML >I am in the running for a contract involving a 36-year cumulative index for >a professional journal. They would like it on a database but would like to be >able to have this database index accessible from a web page in a year or so. >This is pretty new to me so would anyone have a suggestion for a database that >would be compatible with creating a web page - obviously we do not want to >re-enter the information. The institute also would prefer not to buy database >software just to run this index; is there a database that can run "by itself?" > >I know dBASE III+ and have worked on a couple of other databases. I know very >little about HTML etc and the intricacies of setting up web pages. > You'd set up forms to run in HTML. They would interface to the database in the background be it in dBase or Paradox or whatever. HTML formats the data to go into the database and can display the data retrieved. Technically, you also need CGI scripts written to manipulate the data retrieved using HTML - it is human unreadable. Details on request. See Telecom Australia's (Telstra is their business name) Web meta index for an example of search forms: http://www.telstra.com.au/Index/cui-meta.html It consists of search fields which have interactive buttons and actions like in Visual Basic or any Windows database user interface. Why Folio Views? Is the database very large - 1000s of records. Why not use WAIS? You can get a shareware WAIS free text search engine and interface it to the user via HTML. I use HTML Writer to create HTML pages. Their home page is: http://lal.cs.byu.edu/people/nosack/index.html You need Netscape, Cello or Mosaic for Windows plus Trumpet or Chameleon Winsock to view the text as you're doing it. Contact me for basic HTML skills... Bye Dwight PS You don't have to be on the internet to use HTML hypertext documents. Just have a central copy of the document mounted on a server in your organisation. It's so flexible you could have a working copy maintained at home and synched with the live one at work by uploading using a modem - remote computing at its best. This is what I do to maintain the Australian Soc. of Indexers set of Web pages. We're working on interactive forms using CGI for our application and subscription forms. ecash from Digicash is on our priorities to enable folk to interactively transfer funds too, but that's by the by. ---------------------------------------------------------- Dwight Walker, Sydney, Australia +61-2-3986726 (h) +61-2-4393750 (w) W-F My Home Page: http://www.zeta.org.au/~dwalker AusSI Home Page: http://www.zeta.org.au/~aussi ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 11:32:41 +1200 Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Judy Lawrence Subject: Re: Databases and HTML I havn't actually done this but have some experience with HTML and this is what I would try. Perhaps a small test run first Use my indexing package, save it in ASCI import it into Wordperfect for Windows or Microsoft Word and use their packages to convert the document to HTML. Regards, Judy Lawrence >I am in the running for a contract involving a 36-year cumulative index for >a professional journal. They would like it on a database but would like to be >able to have this database index accessible from a web page in a year or so. >This is pretty new to me so would anyone have a suggestion for a database that >would be compatible with creating a web page - obviously we do not want to >re-enter the information. The institute also would prefer not to buy database >software just to run this index; is there a database that can run "by itself?" > >I know dBASE III+ and have worked on a couple of other databases. I know very >little about HTML etc and the intricacies of setting up web pages. > >Many thanks in advance. > >Patricia Buchanan >pbfl@hookup.net > > Judy Lawrence Audiovisual Librarian Massey University Library Private bag 11054 Palmerston North New Zealand Phone 64 6 3569099 ex 7839 Fax 64 6 350 5605 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 09:20:47 -0700 Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: johno@SPRY.COM Subject: Re: Databases and HTML In-Reply-To: <199508082343.QAA07416@homer.spry.com> A little feedback I've heard: MS's Internet Assistant is now a bit behind the times, but the Wordperfect HTML creator is right on top of everything (supports HTML 3.0). If you have the option, go with WP on this one. My kingdom for a true WYSIWYG HTML editor! John O. (my favorite friend is ?notepad?) On Wed, 9 Aug 1995, Judy Lawrence wrote: >I havn't actually done this but have some experience with HTML >and this is what I would try. Perhaps a small test run first > >Use my indexing package, save it in ASCI import it into >Wordperfect for Windows or Microsoft Word and use their packages to convert >the document to HTML. ********************************************************************** * John Overbaugh (206) 442-8486 * * Technical Documentation johno@spry.com * * CompuServe Internet Division www.spry.com * * * * What is documentation? Help, printed materials, Read Me's, HTML, * * online tutorials, design and layout, product management, GUI * * design, advertising design, technical editing, quality assurance, * * technical support, and even indexing. * * * * It's not a job, it's an artform! * * * ********************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 14:35:49 -0700 Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Kari Bero Subject: ASI Web page has moved! _____________________________________________ _________| The official ASI Home Page is now located |________ \ | at the following URL: | / \ | | / > | http://www.missouri.edu/~libnh/ASI/ | < / |_____________________________________________| \ /________) (________\ Please stop by if you can. If you don't have Web access at home, call your local library (or a nearby college or university library) to see if they have a public Web terminal. Jot down our URL (our Home Page address) and ask a librarian to show you how to connect to this Web site. If you visit the site and see a mistake, please email the site maintainers (our email addresses are on the Home Page). We also are open to suggestions for additions to the page, which we will pass on to and discuss with the ASI Web Committee. Some information we're always looking for: 1. chapter meeting announcements and changes in officers. We're currently updating our info from postings to INDEX-L. If you don't post notices of your meetings to INDEX-L, please email me and I will make sure the notice gets onto our Home Page. 2. any chapter that creates its own Home Page is welcome to ask us to provide a link to their page. 3. if you (as individuals or organizations) offer workshops related to indexing, please send me a brief description and contact information. We have a page on indexing courses and workshops that we'd love to expand. 4. are there any books that have not been mentioned on INDEX-L or are not already on our Home Page Reading list? Let us know. 5. have you read any fiction including indexing or indexers? we have a _very_ small list on our Home Page. 6. reference sources that are not currently on our Virtual Reference Shelf that indexers would find useful. What dictionaries or databases on the 'net do you find you're using a lot? Of course, we also welcome encouraging messages, too. See you soon! ASI Web Committee: Lynn Moncrief (chair) Kari Bero Norman Howden Lori Lathrop Coleen Mackay Janet Perlman Neva Smith Jan Wright Pilar Wyman ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 08:07:44 -0500 Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Howden Norman Subject: Re: Databases and HTML In-Reply-To: <199508071616.AA05830@mercury.unt.edu> Whoa, let's go back into this discussion, gang. If this turns out to be a voluminous index (36 years?), and considering that many organizations want a full text database down the road, some kind of information storage and retrieval software is in order. Not many users will want to log into a web page and scroll through pages and pages of linear index either... An appropriate software will HAVE to be a software that is compatible with Unix (or perhaps Linux). Few decent web servers run directly under DOS. Personally, I would look for something that is as flexible and easy to use as Papyrus, but which will hook to a web page via a cgi or perl script. You will also find that any webmaster worth his or her salt will be VERY concerned about how such software runs so that there are no security holes created when the software links to the web server. Some of the others who responded to your posting, Pat, have identified good software like Folio Views, but please, please consider the computer environment and ask vendors about which operating systems their software works with. There may be something that is dBase compatible, like Foxpro, that is written for multiple platforms, there may be custom programming, and there is software unique to Unix. Long ago I remember writing system batch files to just use the Unix GREP command for simple searching. I suggest also that you talk with a knowledgeable programmer. The first person I can suggest is Glenn Kuhlman who is helping with the ASI homepage. He is a really busy person, but if he has time he might be willing to suggest some software or another person who knows about Unix retrieval software. Norm Howden ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 10:47:01 -0400 Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Patricia Buchanan Subject: Databases & HTML Many thanks for all the replies about HTML. There are obviously many things to consider before embarking on this project - one big problem is expense - storing the database, needing Unix in all probability, question of servers, maintenance of database, etc. I have just contacted a webmaster at a high tech research & development company here and he is willing to help out - finding out what the client has in the way of hardware & software, figuring out what they will need, and ensuring the expenses of a web site are fully explained (this is a non-profit professional association!). One of the first things he asked was whether they were PC or Unix based - a question raised by many. He did not see many problems in linking a database with a web page - just needs a gateway written (is this the CGI script a couple of you mentioned?), but there are all the other considerations to be addressed first. I will keep the list posted - am assimilating all the info and looking at the suggestions for databases - e.g. Folio Views. The advice was much appreciated - it has made me much more aware of the scope of the project (aside from indexing 36 years worth of journals). Patricia Buchanan pbfl@hookup.net