Transcript The InfoIguana/Database-Driven Web Model

The Attack Of The
900 pound
Information
IGuana
Presented by
Gary Roberts
Alfred University
The InfoIguana
Objectives
•I will show you the difference between
static Web pages and dynamic databasedriven Web sites.
• I will explain the advantages of a
database-driven Web site.
The InfoIguana
•A Patron-Driven Interface
•A Database-Driven Web site
•A Sustainable Information System
•A Scalable Solution
The InfoIguana
•Library Web sites have grown large.
•There are more efficient ways to manage
information than a hierarchy of static
documents.
•E-commerce has got it right.
•Content Specialists are not always the
same folks who have Web publishing skills.
The InfoIguana
Library Web sites have grown large
•Research Databases--How Many Do You
Have?
• Do you have list of “approved” Web sites
on your Web page?-How large is that?
• How many trial databases? What is the
turnaround time?
• Print research guides--have you made
these available via the Web?
The InfoIguana
Library Web sites have become large
•How many people are contributing to your
Web site? How many should be
contributing?
•Almost enterprise-level?
•Is all of your public information funneled
through one person?
The InfoIguana
What about e-commerce?
•Amazon.com--A giant relational database
with a Web front-end.
• Amazon’s Web site is simply 2-3 dozen
Web templates.
Static HTML Model
The InfoIguana
Web Server
Large Number Of Content-Intensive, Static Web Pages
Network/Internet
Patron
Clicks A
Hyperlink
Static
HTML
Page
Retrieved
Client/Browser
The InfoIguana
The InfoIguana/Database-Driven Web Model
Web Server
Template
Database
(.asp,.php,.
cfm)
Template
merged
with data
(.asp,.php,.
cfm)
Network/Internet
Info
Iguana
Request
Form
Info
Iguana
Results
Client/Browser
The InfoIguana
An Intermediate Solution
•The proverbial straw-- Our Research
Services librarian wanted to export our
print-based Research Guides to the Web.
•We saw the absurdity of exporting still
more information into a large body of
static documents.
The InfoIguana
An Intermediate Solution
Static
Content
Dynamic
Content
The InfoIguana
The SourceFinder
www.vmi.edu/sourcefinder/
The InfoIguana
The Benefits Of A Database-Driven Site
•End-users are empowered to “Search.”
Passive browsing is nearly eliminated.
•Resources which are appropriate in several
areas need only to be edited once. All
corresponding subject area pages are
automatically updated.
The InfoIguana
The Benefits Of A Database-Driven Site
(cont.)
•Content contributors do not need to know
HTML or a WYSIWYG editor.
The InfoIguana
The Benefits Of A Database-Driven Site
(cont.)
•Database content can be reused in other
Web applications, paving the way for Web
developers to rapidly create increasingly
sophisticated patron interfaces to
information.
•Patrons are accustomed to sophisticated
e-commerce Web sites.
The InfoIguana
What About The Librarian/Staff
Interface?
The InfoIguana
What About The Librarian/Staff
Interface?
The InfoIguana
The Ready Reference database structure
• I spent some time thinking about how the
database would be used.
• I wanted to make sure that the database
was scalable. I knew that additional fields
and tables would be developed.
The InfoIguana
Ready Reference database structure
• Originally the Ready-Reference database
had a free form structure. We’ve had to
start codifying policy.
The InfoIguana
Technical Application Details
• Uses Microsoft Access 97 as a database
back-end.
• The Web application is composed in
Microsoft Active Server Pages.
• The e-mail component utilizes Persists’
“AspEmail .”
The InfoIguana
Technical Application Details
• What are Active Server Pages (ASP)?
• Server-Side Scripting. Like CGI
• Microsoft Proprietary Technology.
• InfoIguana could have been created in
any Server-Side Script, ColdFusion, PHP,
PERL.
The InfoIguana
Active Server Page (ASP) Detail
Web Server
Mix of
VB script
and
HTML
Server Strips and
Processes VB Script
Raw
HTML
sent back
to
browser
Network/Internet
Request Sent
For an Active
Server Page
ASP page
looks like any
other HTML
document
Client/Browser
The InfoIguana
ASP (Active Server Page) Details
• Consists of a full array of programming
structures: variables, loops, conditional
statements.
• Several Components for databaseconnectivity:
• ODBC, and non-DSN connections.
• SQL for queries, updates and
inserts.
The InfoIguana
Hardware/Software Requirements
• Microsoft Web Server, Internet
Information Server, Personal Web Server.
• Persists’ “AspEmail” installed on Web
Server.
• External SMTP server to bounce
requests. Sufficient permissions on SMTP
Server.
The InfoIguana
InfoIguana.asp
InfoIguanaResults.asp
MyList.asp
EmailGetter.asp
EmailThisGuide.asp
MyListProcessor.asp
The InfoIguana
Making The InfoIguana Your New Pet
• Install six ASP files within the server
directory on your hard-drive. Don’t forget
the “IguanaIncludes” folder.
• Install Persists’ “AspEmail” on your Web
Server.
• Modify line 56, 58 and 61 in
“MyListProcessor.asp” to reflect your local
information.
The InfoIguana
Making The InfoIguana Your New Pet
(cont)
• Create an ODBC data source and name it
“Reference.”
• Use an editor to change some of the
HTML to reflect your library information
on “InfoIguana.asp.”
The InfoIguana
Future Directions
• Create a ranking system that prioritizes
resources.
• Improve E-mail component flow.
• Clean and consolidate code.
• Create Subject-Heading Links Into DRA
MultiLis or Aleph System.
The InfoIguana
Future Directions
• Add several tables containing patroninformation to create a MyLibrary Portal.