TEA/TUG + ALDOT(Mobile) = H(O+I) The TEA/TUG being hosted by ALDOT in Mobile causes Hurricanes to come to Alabama. The TEA/TUG being hosted by ALDOT in Mobile causes Hurricanes to come to Alabama.  Opal – October 4, 1995 (A couple of days before the CEW/BUG)  Ivan - September 16, 2004 (Three weeks before the TEA/TUG)

Web Pages from RTF in the Alabama DOT Andy Crenshaw Alabama DOT 2004 Trns·port User Group October 15, 2004

Overview  Definitions  How to write a custom template to generate HTML  How to get the files from the Process Window in TRNS·PORT to the web server  Web Pages that ALDOT generates from RTF

What is a...  HTML File - A simple text file that contains HTML tags that tells a web browser how to display the information as a web page.  RTF Output File – A simple text file generated from the Report Template Facility in a TRNSPORT module

What is a...  HTML File - A simple text file that contains HTML tags that tells a web browser how to display the information as a web page.  RTF Output File – A simple text file generated from the Report Template Facility in a TRNSPORT module.

 Since you would want to show each web page in the same way, why not let RTF build the HTML (code) pages for you.

I have some bad news  Time does not permit me to give you a full class in HTML.  For more on HTML go to your favorite search engine, and search for “HTML Tags”.

But a quick Lesson in HTML If you Don’t Know  All HTML tags are enclosed in  All HTML tags are enclosed in  Most all HTML tags are like parenthesis, you code an HTML tag to begin the desired formatting, and repeat the code preceded with a slash to end the formatting. “  Most all HTML tags are like parenthesis, you code an HTML tag to begin the desired formatting, and repeat the code preceded with a slash to end the formatting. “ Example in HTML code: See Spot Run. See Spot Run. Would appear in the web browser as: See Spot Run

A Quick List 0f HTML Tags  Underline  Bold  Italics  Title Bar  Pre-Format  Begins Code  Hyperlink  Table  Table Row  Table Element  Centers on the page.

Things to consider when writing an RTF template to generate HTML tags for a webpage.  You probably want a consistent format for whatever repetitive (Lettings, Calls in a Letting, Planholders, Bidder’s, etc.) information you want to display.  Remember that the HTML tags are “static” (They will be in the same place every time).

Develop a Prototype Web Page 1.Learn some of the basics of HTML. 2.Save a notepad document with an “.htm” extension, then minimize notepad. 3.Open the prototype in your browser. 4.Look at the results, noting the changes that you need to make. 5.Maximize Notepad make your changes. 6.Return to your browser, and request a Page Refresh ([F5] in Internet Explorer). 7.Repeat 5 & 6 as needed to refine your prototype.

Develop a Prototype Web Page  Keep your prototype and your final development simple. A lot of what you see when you look at HTML source is “fluff”.  When dealing with multiple detail records get the first line like you want it before you start adding multiple lines.  Repeat the first line when doing multiple lines in your prototype, as you are looking at how the repetitive data will appear.

Develop Prototype (continued)  If you are linking pages, work out the links to other pages in your prototype, because those links or series of links should be consistent within the web site.

Also, work on the RTF Template. Work on the underlying code that will get the output ready to display. Have it go ahead and display what you are eventually going to want to show on the web page. Your main emphasis in this effort is the RTF... Work on the underlying code that will get the output ready to display. Have it go ahead and display what you are eventually going to want to show on the web page. Your main emphasis in this effort is the RTF...  “Repeats” (Loops)  “Lets” (Variables)  “Sets” (Value Setting )

Use some of the recent features of RTF.  Set Output {filename} We use “Set Output” within a repeat to generate a file for each call in the letting. We We use “Set Output” within a repeat to generate a file for each call in the letting. We pass the letting date in mmddyy format to be concatenated with “C” and the call number to generate a file for each call in the letting. pass the letting date in mmddyy format to be concatenated with “C” and the call number to generate a file for each call in the letting C023 (Call 23 in today’s letting.) C023 (Call 23 in today’s letting.)

Get the template ready. It’s very important to get the template ready to display the variables that will be on the web pages. They don’t have to be in a final format, just make sure that all of your “lets”, “sets” and “repeats” work as you want them to work. It’s very important to get the template ready to display the variables that will be on the web pages. They don’t have to be in a final format, just make sure that all of your “lets”, “sets” and “repeats” work as you want them to work.

Merge the Prototype webpage with the RTF template.  Copy in the HTML code, with the sample data into the RTF template where it can pick up the variables that were “repeated”, “let” or “set”. (Remember that your HTML is static code).  Change the “sample data” to variable names. “&{name}”.  Test and Debug.

Sometimes you have to allow for things.  You will need to allow for long strings in your HTML code. What we usually do, is in the case of putting an Item Description in a table is to write it as follows; <TR><TD>&itemdescr</TD>  HTML code trims any extra spaces beyond double spacing.

Test and Debug the Web Page Generator  RTF Template (make sure the template is giving you what the web browser needs).  The actual Web Page or Pages themselves  Test using at least Internet Explorer and Netscape, as different browsers handle things differently.

RTF Output to Web Server  Basic Web Publishing  Content Management Systems

Basic Web Publishing  Save files to a staging area and test links and pages.  Highlight web pages you wish to load (publish) to the Web.  Select Copy.  Move to “Production Folder” on web server and paste.

Content Management Systems  Open File in Trns·port Process File Viewer.  Open web page editor in Content Management system.  Turn on the HTML editor in Content Management.  Return to file in Process Viewer “Select All” [Ctrl+A], “Copy” [Ctrl+C]  Paste copied data into HTML editor for Content Management.

Web Pages that ALDOT Generates from RTF  List of Proposals In the Letting Shows the list of Proposals plus the Proposal Header Info.  Individual Proposal Pages Repeats the Proposal Header Information, plus a list of items  Bidder’s List List of Bidding Proposal Holders  “As Read” Bids “Shell” for entry on Letting Day

List of Proposals

Individual Proposal

Bidder’s List

“As Read” Bids

Questions?