What is a Message?

The following subjects are covered in this topic:

 

Message Definition

A message is an HTML file that can be added to a map object such as an entire buzPAK, a group or an item. The contents of messages are displayed in the Note tab of PlanBee. Messages are typically used as advertising space, but they can also function as a display area for just about anything you might want to create in HTML. Messages can only be changed by the original author of a buzPAK.

 

Rules for Messages

There are a number of rules a message must follow in order for it work properly in PlanBee. They are as follows:

  1. A message must be an HTML file.

  2. Links in the message HTML file that activate webpages across the internet must be absolute links. This means the HTML for the link must contain the full URL pathname of the webpage. You cannot use an abbreviated URL. (e.g., http://www.thoughtshare.com NOT thoughtshare.com)

  3. Links to files, such as images, java, or other HTML files that are included in the message HTML file, must not contain directory paths from your local drive or server. The links should only include the filename, and the file must be located in the same folder that the message HTML file is located in. (e.g. <img src="mickey.jpg"> NOT <img src="C:\Program Files\mickey.jpg">).

 

Message Manager

All messages for a map object are added through the Message Manager. Message Manager is visible only to the author of the buzPAK. It is a button labeled Msg Mngr on the Note tab. Others see a single Message button, found in the Note tab when you select the map object containing a message.

 

Parent/Child Map Object Relationship and Message Display

There is a parent/child relationship between the map objects in a buzPAK that affects how messages are displayed. The highest level parent is the entire buzPAK itself, the immediate child of a buzPAK is a group. The immediate child of a group is an item or a subgroup inside that group.

If a child map object does not contain its own message, it will display the message of its most immediate parent. If the most immediate parent does not contain a message the application will move up the parent chain until it comes to a parent with a message. It will then display that message. If there are no messages in the parent chain, no messages will be displayed.

Note: A map object must be contained within another map object to be its child. This is why all map objects are children of the buzPAK, because all map objects are inside the buzPAK. This is also why items cannot have children, because items cannot contain other map objects.

 

Multiple Message Display

Map objects with more that one message in the message manager will rotate the displayed message each time the map object (or its child) is selected. For example, a group containing messages 1, 2 and 3, will display message 1 in the Note tab the first time the group (or its child) is selected. The next time the group (or its child) is selected it will display message 2, then 3, and then repeats the sequence.

 

Further Information