Looking for automated way to get staff docs to server

[Andrzej Kowalski]

>It is our desire to distribute the creation and maintenance of pages for our 
>library's webspace to as many library staff as possible. 

We have used our KE Texpress database engine to provide this type of
functionality for a number of Web clients.  The database essentially acts as
repository for HTML pages, constructs them and delivers them on the fly.

Using regular Web forms, staff enter their HTML documents into various text
areas, text entry boxes, radio buttons, check boxes and the like.  Some
sites have adopted a template-based approach where their staff are not
required/permitted to use actual HTML tags.  They get to fill out a form
specifying background colours, images, locations, text etc. and the HTML
page is then constructed and stored in the database.

Some clients give their staff full capability to enter HTML tags.
Typically, a person would use their favourite HTML editor and then copy or
paste the file into a text area box on a Web form.  Hitting the submit
button on the Web form causes the HTML document ot be stored in the database.

In either scenario, this approach realises several advantages over the
conventional way of HTML development:

* No ftp required.
* No knowledge or creation of directory hierarchy required on Web server.
* All Web pages are searchable since they reside in a database.
* No knowledge of HTML required.
* No user accounts required on Web server

>We also want to 
>restrict the number of login accounts to the Web server machine to as few as 
>possible for better security and management.  So, what we would like to do is 
>set up a way for library staff to contribute and maintain pages on the Web 
>server without having login accounts to the Web server and without
requiring an 
>intermediary.  Has anyone found a way to permit staff to put documents on the 
>server without requiring a login account on the server? 

Using the database approach, you store user account and password information
in the database without ever having to create a user account on the Web
server. Web forms with security controls are also used to manage the user
accounts and passwords.

>One thought we have 
>had is to replicate the Web document directory on a Novell fileserver; let 
>staff edit, add, and delete them there; and then used scripted FTP to transfer 
>the latest versions to the Web server at specified intervals.  We'd like to 
>hear if there are other ways to do this.
>--Jim
>============================================================================
>Jim Coble                                                Voice: 919-660-5859
>Senior Systems Librarian                                 Fax:   919-684-2855
>Perkins Library                              Internet: jim at mail.lib.duke.edu
>Box 90196
>Duke University
>Durham, NC 27708-0196
>============================================================================
>
Andrzej Kowalski
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Andrzej Kowalski                                     Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dingo Software Systems Inc.                          Tel: (604) 877-1960 
andrzej at dingo.com                                    Fax: (604) 877-1961
http://www.dingo.com    
                                                     
Fast and flexible data retrieval from data collections of all sizes
in-house and on the WWW with the KE Texpress object oriented database.
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