NewsLine 2000: Tips, Tricks and Information | ||
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EXPERIENCE WITH AN ASP |
We've recently completed a project for North Somerset Council providing a Minutes Management system using ASP - that's Microsoft's Active Server Pages. ASP basically lets you bulid programs to deliver web pages, rather than static HTML.
Now we used it to build a fairly large application because we found it delivered some very useful benefits.
Firstly, the application is entirely driven on the client side by the web browser, this means there is no software installation required on the users desktop PC. For a roll-out that could ultimately involve every worker in the council organisation that's a big plus.
Secondly, all the application programming is held entirely on the server, if we need to change anything, then it only requires changes on the server, the web browsers of course use whatever is current. So no desktop PC updates required either.
Thirdly, it's quite a simple environment to work in. This system required extensive integration with SQL Server but that is very straightforward with ASP - all the smarts are built-in for direct integration to any ODBC compliant database. We also need to integrate directly into email - again no problem.
Fourthly, there are a lot of support tools around for ASP, one of the things that's missing from ASP is the ability to upload files from the web browser to the server (a curious lack definitely as this is a very common web requirement). But there are lots of add-ons available which provide this functionality. It took us about an hour to integrate our chosen selection into our system.
Fifthly, it's pretty fast - most of our functions work as fast as you need them to, you do need to be a little clever sometimes with how you interrogate the database - but that's true for any client/server database setup.
Downsides? There are probably two - firstly when requesting user input you can't validate when it's entered - you have to submit the results to the server and let it validate the results. This is OK once you've got the structure of your form handler sorted. Of course you can do on-line validation using Javascript as well.
The other downside is Microsoft's Office programs are not really supported in the server environment - for example when creating new council documents we need to create a word document that is pre-filled. Now the ideal way would be to use Word automation to open a template and insert data into it, but really Word does not always want to play ball, functionally it's not reliable and the performance is pretty dire. We ended up creating RTF versions directly from code - again takes you longer to setup, but is blazingly fast compared to Word automation.
So, if you need delivery of an application to a LOT of desktops with easy management on the server then ASP could well be what you need.
Incidentally, you're not restricted to using a Microsoft server either - Chillisoft provide ASP functionality for Linux and other Unix variants too.
See http://www.c2000.com/products for more information
NIFTY PRINT SERVER |
Anybody who knows me knows I hate two things more than anything else in computing the first is modems, the second is printers. So, it's nice to report on a little hardware gizmo for printers that makes sense.
The gizmo is Connection Technology Systems PTS111 - this is a small print server unit about the size of two matchboxes. Print servers connect one end to your network and the other end to the printer parallel port so you can easily share printers across the network at any location, no need to attach parallel cables direct to the server computer.
What's so good about this print server?
Firstly it has a built-in centronics plug, so it just plugs straight onto the back of the printer - no need for an additional parallel port cable that you usually need.
Secondly, it only costs £65 - so it's pretty cheap as print servers go.
What's wrong with it?
The only downside is that it only supports NetBeui, you have to fire up the NetBeui protocol on your server to be able to connect to it. Also, out of the box the diskettes only support Win 95/98 - you need to download the latest driver from the web site to get Win2000 support.
See http://www.c2000.com/products for more information
NIMDA AND MAIL ESSENTIALS |
In the days following Nimda and the Nimda re-run attacks we have had quite a few calls whether Mail Essentials stops such attacks.
Yes, it does.
The Nimda work is quite sophisticated, employing no less than 16 different methods of infection and transmitting from machine to machine by using a loophole in Outlook. What makes Nimda particularly nasty is that it can run automatically just by being viewed in the Outlook Preview Pane.
Once triggered, the Nimda worm sends itself out to all contacts in the recipient's email address book. The Subject of the email carrying the Nimda worm is random, whereas the email itself carried no message text. Because of its highly replicative nature, Nimda could clog mail servers.
With Mail essentials, blocking this virus is easy: In the Mail essentials configuration, just add an Attachment Checking Rule to block executable attachments. This will block any incoming/outgoing infected mail, by quarantining any attachments which are .exe files.
About Mail essentials
Mail essentials for Exchange/SMTP is an email content checking and anti-virus solution that removes all types of email-borne threats before they can affect an organization's email users. Spam, viruses, dangerous attachments and offensive content can be removed before the email users can receive them.
If you want more information, please call Simon on 01242 25500
See http://www.c2000.com/products for more information
ERRORS CHANGING USER PASSWORDS IN W2K |
Depending upon your setup you may find situations where users cannot change their passwords - instead they get the error message "The password cannot be changed at this time".
This occurs when you have not set a minimum password for the users' Group policy. All you need do is configure of minimum password age of 0 (zero) instead of the default None.
1) Start Active Directory Users and Computers
2) Right-click the domain to change and select properties
3) Click on the Group Policy tab and edit the Group Policy (usually Default Domain Policy)
4) Find Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Security Settings, Account Policies, Password Policy.
5) Double click the "Minimum password age" and set it to 0.
6) Click OK and close the Group Policy windows
7) On the domain controller you can force the change to take affect immediately by running at the command line:
secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy /enforce
See http://www.c2000.com/mswindow for more information
BETTER JUSTIFICATION IN WORD |
Word justifies text (that is makes the right hand edges of paragraphs line up) by adding space between words. This can result in what typographers poetically describe as "rivers of space" - where there is a lot of white space between words that shows out through the page.
Well, lurking away in the deep options is the option to use WordPerfects 1980's model of also compressing spaces between words. Select Tools, Options and then the Compatibility tab. In this long check list is an option "Do full justification like Word Perfect 6.x for Windows". Check this.
Now, press CTRL-J to setup a justified paragraph and then start typing. Notice as you get to the end of the line instead of just breaking as Word normally does, instead it starts shuffling words to the left as space between words is decreased.
Of course, only so much space can be removed, so after a few more letters the line will break. But this gives a much better justification - more typographically correct.
Just a word of warning - on screen Word seems to compress just the first words on each line, making the spacing look unbalanced, but when you print the document the spacing is spread evenly across the line.
See http://www.c2000.com/mswindow for more information
CAPTURING THESE TIPS FOR LATER USE. |
Want to save any of these tips for later? Use the mouse to drag around the selection you want, then drag it over the Notes folder in outlook. A new note is automatically created. Just close the Note and it's saved for posterity.
As an extra hint, zap any blank lines at the top because the first text line is used for the title.
See http://www.c2000.com/mswindow for more information
SCREEN BUILDER LONG FORMAT DATES |
If you need to get long format dates, like 1st August 2001 into screen builder then you can define the field as a character type and enter the following syntax:-
field=type char, default="*udate '+%o %k 20%y';
This runs "udate" as an external command with %o for the day, %k for the long month.
See http://www.c2000.com/uniplex for more information
NEW IMAGE IN PAINTSHOP |
Here's a neat trick, to quickly open a new image with the same details as the last new one, you can just shift-click the new image button. No need to go through the new image dialog box then.
See http://www.justkiss.com/psp for more information
FIRST EVER EMAIL NEWSLETTER FROM A UK COUNCIL |
Bristol City Council launched what they reckon to be the first ever emailed newsletter from a UK council.
"e.Bristol" first issued in July provides monthly updates on the council's work to subscribers. Not surpringly most of the subscribers are from local organisations rather than individuals.
To subscribe send an email headed 'subscribe' to e_bristol@bristol-city.gov.uk
An interesting step forward I believe, especially if it is information based rather than PR puffery. I junk most things I get from my council because it's just one long glossy press release - what I really need is useful information about what my council can do for me.
We have a number of routes for managing this kind of email newsletter by the way, if you are interested in automating email address management on this kind of mass subscriber based emailing then please email sqw@c2000.com
See http://www.c2000.com/lgovt for more information
QUICK DESKTOP SHORTCUTS |
Want to put a file, folder or program onto the Desktop as a shortcut icon?
1) Right-click the file you want
2) Choose Sent To, Desktop (create shortcut)
You can also use the same option to send a file to a diskette or to a mail recipient.
See http://www.c2000.com/mswindow for more information
IT MUST BE TRUE |
I was on my way to the post office to pick up my case of free M&M's sent to me because I forwarded their e-mail to five other people, (celebrating the fact that the year 2000 is "MM" in Roman numerals), when I ran into a friend whose neighbor, a young man, was home recovering from having been served a rat in his bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken - which is predictable, since as everyone knows, there's no actual chicken in Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is why the government made them change their name to KFC.
Anyway, one day this friend went to sleep and when he awoke he was in his bathtub and it was full of ice and he was sore all over and when he got out of the tub he realized that HIS KIDNEYS HAD BEEN STOLEN. He saw a note on his mirror that said "Call 911!" but he was afraid to use his phone because it was connected to his computer, and there was a virus on his computer that would destroy his hard drive and infect all the electronics in his house if he opened an e-mail entitled "Join the crew!"
He knew it wasn't a hoax because he himself was a computer programmer who was working on software to prevent a global disaster in which all the computers get together and distribute the $250.00 Neiman-Marcus cookie recipe under the leadership of Bill Gates. (It's true - I read it all last week in a mass e-mail from BILL GATES HIMSELF, who was also promising me a free Disney World vacation and $5,000 if I would forward the e-mail to everyone I know.)
The poor man then tried to call 911 from a pay phone to report his missing kidneys, but a voice on the line first asked him to press #90, which unwittingly gave the bandit full access to the phone line at the guy's expense. Then reaching into the coin return slot he got jabbed with an HIV infected needle around which was wrapped around a note that said, "Welcome to the world of AIDS."
Luckily he was only a few blocks from the hospital - the one where that little boy who is dying of cancer is, the one whose last wish is for everyone in the world to send him an e-mail and the American Cancer Society has agreed to pay him a nickel for every e-mail he receives. I sent him two e-mails and one of them was a bunch of x's and o's in the shape of an angel (if you get it and forward it to more than 10 people, you will have good luck but for 10 people you will only have OK luck and if you send it to fewer than 10 people you will have BAD LUCK FOR SEVEN YEARS).
So anyway, the poor guy tried to drive himself to the hospital, but on the way he noticed another car driving without its lights on. To be helpful, he flashed his lights at him and was promptly shot as part of a gang initiation.
Send THIS to all the friends who send you their junk mail and you will receive 4 green M&Ms, but if you don't the owner of Proctor and Gamble will report you to his Satanist friends and you will have more bad luck: you will get cancer from the Sodium Laureth Sulfate in your shampoo, your wife will develop breast cancer from using the antiperspirant which clogs the pores under her arms, and the U.S. government will put a tax on your e-mails forever. I know this is all true 'cause I read it on the Internet.
(Ed's Note: I'm sorry I don't know the original author's name - if someone does, let me know and we'll give them the credit they deserve).
See http://www.c2000.com/fun for more information
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Centreline 2000 - Uniplex, Unix, Windows and Internet FREEPOST, PO BOX 2000, Pershore, Worcs, WR10 1BR Tel: (UK) 08000 772000 - Fax: (UK) 08000 772001 |
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URL: www.c2000.com/papers/nw_000317.htm © 1995-2000 Centreline 2000 Last Updated: 12/10/2001 |
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