Copyright: helpC, (c) Copyright 1992,95 HyperAct, Inc.


Catalog Maker

Tutorial  Creation Tasks Generation Tasks Administration Tasks

The HyperAct Interactive Catalog Maker is a new, one of a kind tool - the first user oriented multimedia catalog and presentation manager.

The Catalog Maker features an easy to use Windows catalog database program and a one click compiler that generates hypertext based multimedia titles that run on every PC Windows machine as an enhanced WinHelp title, or an interactive Web Catalog on the internet.

The Catalog Maker is the first multimedia authoring tool that lets you create catalogs without learning computer programming or electronic publishing design and implementation.

In order to create a powerful and easy to use catalog all you need to do is :

1 -  Provide Company and Catalog Information

2 -  Define Categories in the Catalog

3 -  Insert information about items for sale

4 -  Optionally - Provide payment, shipping and tax information

Related Topics

 Contact


Catalog Maker Tutorial

To create a catalog in the catalog maker, you will have to follow the following steps :

1 -  Enter general catalog information

•  Add Description

•  Optional - Add Graphic

•  Optional - Add Audio

•  Optional - Add Video

2 -  Enter company address information

3 -  Enter company telephone, fax and e-mail information

4 -  Create categories

•  Add or Edit a category

5 -  Create items

•  Add or Edit an item

6 -  Create shipping options

•  Add or Edit a shipping option

7 -  Create Payment Methods

•  Add or Edit Payment Method

8 -  Create Tax Options

•  Add or Edit Tax Option

9 -  Make the catalog

10 -  Test the catalog


WalkThru - Enter general catalog information

When a buyer enters your online catalog he starts from the "Main" or "Overview" page. The "General Catalog" information panel in the catalog maker program allows you to define the information presented in this page. Whenever you define a catalog page you will perform the same tasks that will be explained here.

1. You define the content (description) of the page by clicking on the Description button.

Steps 2, 3 and 4 are optional.

2. You define a picture that will be displayed in the page by clicking on the Graphic button.

3. You define an audio clip that will played when the user enters the page by clicking on the Sound button.

4. You define a video clip that can be played by the user by clicking on the Video button.


WalkThru - Create screen description

Use the Description Window to describe the catalog. The same Window can be used to describe categories or items, when you are editing or creating these elements.


WalkThru - Insert a graphic image

From the Graphic window you can insert a graphic image at the top of your screen. A graphic image can be inserted to every category or item screen using this window.


WalkThru - Choose a sound for catalog entry

The Sound window can be used to choose an audio file that will greet the catalog users when the catalog is activated.


WalkThru - Choose a Video

A Video clip can be inserted from the Video window. Video clips can be inserted in categories and items, using the same window.


WalkThru - Enter company address

The company address is defined in this screen.


WalkThru - Enter company phone/fax/e-mail

The company's phone number, fax number, contact e-mail and web-page are entered in this screen.


WalkThru - Enter Categories

The Categories in the catalog are entered and managed from this screen.  When you choose the Edit or Add buttons, the category editor is displayed.


WalkThru - Add or Edit category

In this screen you define the category's description, title , and multimedia elements. You also define the category's "parent", the category you edit is in the "parent" category. (e.g. - Sportswear will be in Causalwear). If the parent is <none>, the category will appear under the overview screen.


WalkThru - Create Items

The items in the catalog are created and managed from this screen.  When you click on the Add or Edit button, the Item Editor is displayed.


WalkThru - Add or Edit item

In this screen you edit an item. Use this screen the describe the item, specify it's title and price, attached multimedia elements to it, and define in what category it belongs.


WalkThru - Enter shipping information

Shipping options are defined in this screen . When you choose the Add or Edit buttons, the shipping information editor is displayed.


WalkThru - Add or Edit shipping information

Use this screen to add or edit a shipping option.


WalkThru - Create Payment Methods

Payment methods are defined in this screen . When you choose the Add or Edit buttons the payment options editor is displayed.


WalkThru - Add or Edit Payment Method

Use this screen to add or edit a payment method


WalkThru - Create Tax Options

Area tax percentage is defined on this screen.  When you choose the Edit or Add buttons the tax editor is displayed.


WalkThru - Add or Edit Tax Option

Use this screen to add or edit tax definition


WalkThru - Make the catalog

Choose the Catalog|Make Catalog entry to create the catalog automatically.


WalkThru - Test the catalog

Choose the Catalog|Test Catalog menu option to test the catalog you have just created.


Catalog Creation Tasks

To create a catalog you will have to perform the following tasks :

Manual Editing :

Create Welcome Screen

Describe items and options - The Description Window

Choose graphic images - The Image Window

Choose sound files - The Audio Window

Choose video clips - The Video Window

Provide Company Information

Company Address

Company Phone/Fax/EMail

Define catalog Categories

Categories Page

The Category Window

Define catalog Items

Items Page

The Item Window

Specify Shipping Options

Shipping Option Window

Specify Payment Options

Payment Method Window

Specify Tax Options

Tax Option Window

Database Import :

Importing from a database

Importing Categories information

Importing Items information


Create Welcome Screen

The first screen the buyer will see when he activates your catalog is called the Welcome screen.

To create the layout and content of the Welcome screen, please perform the following actions :

•  If you do not have an open catalog, do one of the following :

1 -  Create a new catalog - Choose File|New from the menu

2 -  Open an existing catalog - Choose File|Open from the menu

•  Switch to the "Catalog General" page of the Catalog Maker (Choose Catalog|General Information from the menu

•  Enter a title in the Title edit box

•  Press the Description button to open a Description Window  when you are done writing your description choose File|Return from the menu.

•  If you want a graphic image to appear at the top-left corner of the Welcome screen, click the Graphic button to open an Image Window

•  If you want a Welcome audio clip to be played the first time the buyer sees the welcome window, click the Sound button to open the Audio Window

•  If you want a video clip to appear at the top-left corner of the Welcome screen, click the Video to display the Video Window

Notice - If you have both an image and a video - the image will be overlayed on top of the video, until the buyer will press the Video button on the catalog button bar. It is your responsibility to choose an image with the same dimensions as the video clip.


The Description Window

The Description Window is used to describe the contents of a screen in the catalog. If you are editing an item's entry, the description will appear on the item's screen in the catalog, the same applies if you edit a category or the Welcome Screen.

The Description Windows is a standard Windows editor. You can type the description into this window.

The Description window menu allows you Save the description, or print it (From the File menu), or to copy, cut and paste (From the Edit menu).

When you are finished describing the screen you are working on, choose File|Return from the File menu to return to the window you were working on before.


The Image Window

The Image Window is used to add a graphic image to the contents of a screen in the catalog. If you are editing an item's entry, the image will appear on the item's screen in the catalog, the same applies if you edit a category or the Welcome Screen.

The Image Window will display the chosen image in the left side of the window. The Load button is used to choose a different image, the Clear button is used to clear the selection (No image will be associated with the current screen).

When you are satisfied with the changes you have made, press the Ok button. If you would like to return to the previous window without changing the image, press the Cancel button.


The Audio Window

The Sound Window is used to add an audio clip to a screen in the catalog. In this version of the Catalog Maker, an audio clip can be inserted only on the Welcome screen. This clip will be played automatically when the buyer opens the catalog.

The Sound Window will display name of the chosen clip in the left side of the window. The Load button is used to choose a different clip, the Clear button is used to clear the selection (No clip will be associated with the current screen).

When you are satisfied with the changes you have made, press the Ok button. If you would like to return to the previous window without changing the clip, press the Cancel button.


The Video Window

The Video Window is used to add a video clip to the contents of a screen in the catalog. If you are editing an item's entry, the clip will appear on the item's screen in the catalog, the same applies if you edit a category or the Welcome Screen.

The Video Window will display the chosen video clip in the left side of the window. The Load button is used to choose a different video, the Clear button is used to clear the selection (No image will be associated with the current screen).

When you are satisfied with the changes you have made, press the Ok button. If you would like to return to the previous window without changing the clip, press the Cancel button.

Notice - If you have a graphic image and a video clip in the same screen, the graphic will overlay on top of the video, the video will be seen only when the buyer presses the Video button in the catalog window. It is your responsibility to ensure that the video and image have the same size.


Providing Company Information

Company information is provided on the "Company Address" and "Company Phone/Fax/EMail" pages.

The information provided on these pages is used when creating an order or information request for the buyer.

Details

Company Address

Company Phone/Fax/EMail


Company Address

The open the "Company Address" page choose Catalog|Company Address from the menu, or click on the Company Address tab. These options will be valid only after you have started a new catalog, or opened an existing one.

The information you provide on this page is important - the address you provide is the address the user will send money to if he chooses to do that using regular mail.


Company Phone/Fax/EMail

The open the "Company Phone/Fax/EMail" page choose Catalog|Company Phone/Fax/EMail from the menu, or click on the Company Phone/Fax/EMail tab. These options will be valid only after you have started a new catalog, or opened an existing one.

The information you provide on this page is important - if your buyer will want to communicate with you or to order your products - he will need to know how to get you by phone, fax or e-mail. An additional field "Web Page" will be useful in a future release of the Catalog Maker that will create Catalog for use on the internet.


Defining Categories

Most catalogs include products or services from different categories. Catalogs created with the catalog maker are not different.

Categories can contain items (products) and other categories. You should think of the catalog's Welcome screen as the main category that contains all the other categories.

Each category include a "Parent" attribute that defines in what other category it is included, or <none> if it is directly under the Welcome screen.

Because Categories can contain other categories, we create an upside- down tree-like structure, where the Welcome screen is at the top, all the categories that are included in the Welcome screen in the 2nd level, etc ..

Related Information

Categories Page


Categories Page

The Categories page is used to add, edit and manage categories in the catalog.

To get to the categories page do the following :

After you have opened a catalog or created a new one, choose Category|Show Window... from the menu, or click on the Categories tab.

A table of all the categories is displayed, the categories are ordered according to the Name column, except from categories that you have defined in the current session and appear at the bottom of the categories list - for easy reference.

You can use the mouse to click on any category you would like to edit or delete.

The Edit button at the right side of the window is used to open the "Category WindowcatWindow, that allows you to edit the layout of the category screen in the category, and change it's place  in the catalog or it's parent category.

If one of the categories is selected in the categories table, this category will be edited in the Category Window, if the selected line in the categories table is the empty line at the end of the table, an empty Category Window will be opened and you will be able to add a new category. The Add button will perform the same operation.

The Add button is used to open an empty Category Window, and allows you to add a new category to the catalog.

The Delete button is used to delete the category which is currently selected in the categories table.

Related Topics

Category Window


The Category Window

The Category Window is used to set the category's attributes.

The name of the category is used to identify the category and set it's alphabetic place in the catalog, each category should have a unique name.

The category's title is the title that will appear at the top of the category's screen.

The parent field holds the name of the category that includes this category, if the category <none> is chosen, the parent of this category is the Welcome screen.

The Description button is used to describe the category in the category screen of the catalog. When the button is clicked, the Description Window is opened.

The Graphic button is used to insert an image at the top left corner of the category's screen in the catalog. When the button is clicked the Image Window is opened.

The Video button is used to insert a video clip at the top left corner of the category's screen in the catalog. When the button is clicked the Video Window is opened.


Define Items

Most catalogs include products or services from different categories. Catalogs created with the catalog maker are not different.

A product or service is called "Item" in the Catalog Maker. Items are included in Categories. You should think of the catalog's Welcome screen as the main category that contains all the other categories.

Each item include a "Category" attribute that defines in what category it is included, or <none> if it is directly under the Welcome screen.

Because Categories can contain other categories, we create an upside- down tree-like structure, where the Welcome screen is at the top, all the categories that are included in the Welcome screen in the 2nd level, etc.., Items are always at the end of the hierarchy.

Related Information

Items Page


Items Page

The Items page is used to add, edit and manage items in the catalog.

To get to the items page do the following :

After you have opened a catalog or created a new one, choose Items|Show Window... from the menu, or click on the Items tab.

A table of all the items is displayed, the items are ordered according to the category they reside in, and the name column, except from items that you have defined in the current session and appear at the bottom of the items table - for easy reference.

You can use the mouse to click on any item you would like to edit or delete.

The Edit button at the right side of the window is used to open the "Item WindowitemWindow, that allows you to edit the layout of the item screen in the catalog, and change it's place in the  catalog or it's parent category.

If one of the items is selected in the items table, this item will be edited in the Item Window, if the selected line in the items table is the empty line at the end of the table, an empty Item Window will be opened and you will be able to add a new item. The Add button will perform the same operation.

The Add button is used to open an empty Item Window, and allows you to add a new item to the catalog.

The Delete button is used to delete the item which is currently selected in the items table.

Related Topics

Item Window


The Item Window

The Item Window is used to set the item's attributes.

The name of the item is used to identify the item and set it's alphabetic place in the category, each item should have a unique name.

The item's title is the title that will appear at the top of the item's screen.

The category field holds the name of the category that includes this item, if the category <none> is chosen, the parent of this item is the Welcome screen.

The Description button is used to describe the item in the item screen of the catalog. When the button is clicked, the Description Window is opened.

The Graphic button is used to insert an image at the top left corner of the item's screen in the catalog. When the button is clicked the Image Window is opened.

The Video button is used to insert a video clip at the top left corner of the item's screen in the catalog. When the button is clicked the Video Window is opened.

The Options table defines the multiple item options on this item screen. In this table you can define several options of items to purchase, with entries for the option's item number, description, list price and catalog price (our price), and the item's weight.

Every item in the catalog should have at least one option defined.


Shipping Options

Most catalogs include several shipping options. When you create a new catalog a standard set of shipping options is created for you, you can edit this list, add new options, remove several of the options, or change the price on top of an option.

After you have created a new catalog, or opened an existing catalog, you can open the Shipping options page by choosing the Catalog|Shipping Options entry from the menu, or clicking the Shipping Options tab.

The Shipping options table is on the left side of the window.

The Edit button at the right side of the window is used to open the "Shipping Option WindowshipWindow, that allows you to edit the description and price of the shipping option.

If one of the shipping options is selected in the table, this option will be edited in the Shipping Option Window, if the selected line in the table is the empty line at the end of the table, an empty Shipping Option Window will be opened and you will be able to add a new option. The Add button will perform the same operation.

The Add button is used to open an empty Shipping Option Window, and allows you to add a new shipping option to the catalog.

The Delete button is used to delete the shipping option which is currently selected in the table.

Related Topics

Shipping Option Window


Shipping Option Window

The Shipping Option Window is used to add or edit a shipping option.

The Shipping Option field is used to describe the option.

The Setup Price field is used to define the setup price for shipment.

The Price/Item is used to define the shipping price per item purchased.

The Price/Weight is used to define the shipping price per weight unit purchased.

The formula used to calculate the shipping price is :

Setup Fee + Number of items multiplied by the Price/Item + Total Order Weight roudned to the next weight unit multiplied by Price/Weight


Payment Options

You can choose to accept payment using several methods. In the Payment page you can define several alternate payment methods the user can use, define the type of the payment and a fee if one is associated with a method.

The payment methods table is on the left side of the window.

The Edit button at the right side of the window is used to open the "Payment Method WindowPAYMETHOD, that allows you to edit the description, type and fee of the payment method.

If one of the payment methods is selected in the table, this method will be edited in the Payment Method Window, if the selected line in the table is the empty line at the end of the table, an empty Payment Method Window will be opened and you will be able to add a new method. The Add button will perform the same operation.

The Add button is used to open an empty Payment Method Window, and allows you to add a new payment method to the catalog.

The Delete button is used to delete the method which is currently selected in the table.

Related Topics

Payment Method Window


Payment Method Window

The Payment Method Window is used to add or edit a payment method.

The Name field describes the payment method. This is the name that will be presented to the user.

The Type field defines the payment method as one of 3 types - Check/Cash, Purchase Order or Credit Card.

The Fee field defines a fee associated with the payment method if there is one.


Tax Options

The Catalog Maker allows you to define different tax percentages according to the area the buyer is located in. The Tax is calculated by comparing the buyer's state/province/county billing information to the values in this table.

The tax area table is on the left side of the page.

The Edit button at the right side of the window is used to open the "Tax Option Windowtaxinfo, that allows you to edit the area and tax percentage of this option.

If one of the tax options is selected in the table, this option will be edited in the Tax Option Window, if the selected line in the table is the empty line at the end of the table, an empty Tax Option Window will be opened and you will be able to add a new area. The Add button will perform the same operation.

The Add button is used to open an empty Tax Option Window, and allows you to add a new area to the catalog.

The Delete button is used to delete the option which is currently selected in the table.

Related Topics

Tax Option Window


Tax Option Window

The Tax Option Window is used to add or edit the tax percentage information for an area.

The State County Province field is used to define the area the tax percentage is applied to. This value will be compared to the State/Province billing information provided by the buyer.

The Tax Percentage field defines the percent of the total order that will be calculated for tax purposes.


Importing from a database

import categories import items

The catalog maker allows you to import data from a database into the catalog maker's categories and items structures. The import functions are available under the Import menu. Import|Categories allows you to import categories information from a database. Import|Items allows you to impoty items information from a database.

In order to import data from a database you need to follow these steps :

1. Define the data sources - Specify the database tables that include the information we want to import. In the case of items import, we define the relation between the items table and the item options (sub-items) table.

2. Define the data selection - define which rows in the data sources will be part of the import process.

3. Define the data binding - connect the database table's fields with the Catalog Maker fields.

4. Activate the import procedure.

See Also

Importing Categories information

Importing Items information


Importing Categories information

In order to import categories information from a database, follow these steps :

1. Choose the Import|Categories menu option.

2. Define the data source.

3. Define the data selection

4. Define the data binding.

5. Activate the import procedure.


Define Categories Import Data Source

To choose a database table as the source of the category import - click the button labeled "..." to the right of the database table name edit box. From the standard Windows open file dialog that will be displayed, choose the database table that you want to use for import. The catalog maker supports importing data from Paradox (tm), dBase (tm) and comma separated text files.


Define Categories Import Data Selection

In the data selection page - you define what rows of the source table will be used to import data into the categories data structures. If you choose All Rows, the selection that will be performed will be a SQL query that looks like :

select * from XXX

Where XXX is the name of the data source table you defined in the data sources page.

If you choose to define the query yourself, you should write a legal SQL query. the stucture of your query should be along the following lines :

select * from XXX

where <here you type the selection criteria>


Define Categories Import Data Binding

The data binding page is used to associate database fields with the correct information in the Catalog Maker data structures. You need to choose each one of the catalog maker information items on the left, and enter the information that defines how information will be imported to fill it.

This table summerizes the options specified for each data element :

Identifier	If the "Create Automatically" checkbox is chosen, the identifier is created automatically, otherwise it is imported from the field specified in the edit box labeled "Field". The "Prefix" edit box can be used to specify a prefix that will be added before the other information in the identifier.
Title	The title will be imported from the database field specified in the "Field" labeld edit box. You can also define a prefix and suffix to the title in the appropriatly named edit boxes.
Parent Category	The "Parent Type" choice box allows you to define if the category's parents will all be one specific category (Constant), or if the parent category will be imported from the database. The "Info" labeled edit box is used to define the parent category (If constant) or the field that contains the information (If imported).
Description	Choose how the description will be imported from the database field specified in the "Field" labeld edit box by choosing an option in the "Import As" combobox. The catalog maker can import description in either text or RTF format. The description can also be stored in the database as a mem/blob field, or as a pointer to a file name that contains the actual description.
Image	The "Import As" choice group allows you to define if the image is stored in the database as a bmp blob file, or if the database stores a pointer to the file name that contains the image. The "Field" editbox contains the name of the database field that will be used to import the data.
Video	The "Import As" choice group allows you to define if the video clip is stored in the database as an avi blob file, or if the database stores a pointer to the file name that contains the clip. The "Field" editbox contains the name of the database field that will be used to import the data.


Import procedure and import definitions

After you have defined all the parameters of the import, it is a good idea to save the import definition by clicking on the "Save" button. After you have saved the definition click the "Import" button, the data will be imported from the database and a log of the import procedure will be displayed.

If you want to rerun the import procedure at a later date, you can use the "Load" button to reload the import definition. In this case you will not need to define the data sources, selection and binding. You can change these if you are interested.


Importing Items information

In order to import items information from a database follow these steps :

1. Choose the Import|Items menu option

2. Set the data source - specify the items database table, and optionally the item options (sub-items) table. Set the key that links the 2 tables in a master-detail relation.

3. Set the data selection - speicfy which rows in the items table will be imported.

4. Define the data binding - what fields in the database will be imported, and how.

5. Activate the import procedure


Define Items Import Data Sources

Choose an items database table by clicking on the top button marked "...", choose a database table from the common file open dialog box that will appear.

Optionally - if you want to import sub-items (item options) information, click on the second button marked "..." and choose a sub-items table. From the combobox labeld 'Link Key" choose the field that connects the two tables. After you have done that, the tables are in a master-detail relation. The items table is called the master table, the sub-items table is called the detail table. Choose different rows in the items table and observe how the sub-items table display changes to show only the rows that are related to rows in the master table.


Define Items Import Data Selection

In the data selection page - you define what rows of the source table will be used to import data into the items data structures. If you choose All Rows, the selection that will be performed will be a SQL query that looks like :

select * from XXX

Where XXX is the name of the items source table you defined in the data sources page.

If you choose to define the query yourself, you should write a legal SQL query. the stucture of your query should be along the following lines :

select * from XXX

where <here you type the selection criteria>


Define Items Import Data Binding

The data binding page is used to associate database fields with the correct information in the Catalog Maker data structures. You need to choose each one of the catalog maker information items on the left, and enter the information that defines how information will be imported to fill it.

This table summerizes the options specified for each items data element :

Item ID	If the "Create Automatically" checkbox is set the item's identifier will be automatically created, otherwise the identifier will be imported from the database field specified in the editbox marked "Field". The text defined in the "Prefix" editbox will be used as a prefix to the item identifier.
Title	The item's title will be imported from the database field defined in the editbox marked as "Field". The title might have a constant prefix and suffix, as defined in the editboxes marked as "Prefix" and "Suffix".
Category	The choose group marked "Set Category As" defines if the catagory will be be imported from a database field, or as a constant. The database field (or constant) is defined in the editbox marked as "Field".
Description	Choose how the description will be imported from the database field specified in the "Field" labeld edit box by choosing an option in the "Import Description As" choose group. The catalog maker can import description in either text or RTF format. The description can also be stored in the database as a mem/blob field, or as a pointer to a file name that contains the actual description.
Image	The "Import Image As" choice group allows you to define if the image is stored in the database as a bmp blob file, or if the database stores a pointer to the file name that contains the image. The "Field" editbox contains the name of the database field that will be used to import the data.
Video	The "Import Video As" choice group allows you to define if the video clip is stored in the database as an avi blob file, or if the database stores a pointer to the file name that contains the clip. The "Field" editbox contains the name of the database field that will be used to import the data.

This table summerizes the options specified for each sub items data element :

Option ID	If the "Create Automatically" checkbox is set, the option identifier will be created automatically, otherwise it will be imported from the database field defined in the editbox labeled "Field". The "Append to Item ID" checkbox determines if the option ID will include the item identifier, and the "Prefix" editbox can be used to define a common prefix.
Option Description	The "Import As" choice group determines if the option's description is created as a constant, or imported from the database field defined in the editbox labeld "Field".
Prices	The "Import List Price As" choice group determines if the list price will be created as a constant, or imported from the database field defined in the "Field/Constant Info" labeled editbox. The same is true about the information for the "Our Price" attribute of the item option.
Attributes	The "Import Weight As" choice group determines if the option's weight will be set to a constant, or imported from the database field defined in the editbox labeld "Field/Constant Info"


Import Items and save procedure definitions

After you have defined all the parameters of the import, it is a good idea to save the import definition by clicking on the "Save" button. After you have saved the definition click the "Import" button, the data will be imported from the database and a log of the import procedure will be displayed.

If you want to rerun the import procedure at a later date, you can use the "Load" button to reload the import definition. In this case you will not need to define the data sources, selection and binding. You can change these if you are interested.


Catalog Generation Tasks

To generate and distribute a catalog you create you will need to perform the following tasks :

Choosing the target platform - Stand alone or Internet

Setting Options

Presentation Options

Perl Generation Options

Generating a Catalog or a Presentation

Creating distribution diskettes for stand alone catalogs

Installing a catalog on a World Wide Web Server


Choosing the target platform - Stand alone or Internet

The Catalog Maker can prepare catalogs for use on stand-alone PC's and on the internet.

To create a catalog for a stand alone PC choose the Options|Targets|Standalone WinHelp menu option. When you choose the Catalog|Make Catalog menu option, the catalog maker will create the source for a PC only catalog, and create it for you.

To create a catalog for the internet choose the Options|Targets|HTML for Unix or Options|Targets|HTML for Windows menu option. When you choose the Catalog|Make Catalog menu option, the catalog maker will create the code needed to display your catalog on the internet's World Wide Web.  If the server you will use to host your catalog is a Unix server, or a server that supports the Perl programming language, choose the HTML for Unix option, if you use a Windows NT/95 or 3.x server that supports the WinCGI interface, choose the HTML for Windows option. Contact your Web server administrator if you are not sure what kind of server you will use.

Please refer to the specific target topic for information about generation and distribution options.

World Wide Web

Stand Alone WinHelp


Setting Options

In order to create catalogs that will work on your target platform you should modify the generation options.

Presentation Options

Perl Generation Options


Presentation Options

Choose Options|Presentation Options... to set options for static presentations.

The Presentation Options Window allows you to define if item's price tables will be displayed in static presentations.


Perl and Directory Generation Options

Choose Options|Generation Options... to specify the Perl and directory generation options for the World Wide Web catalog.

The Perl and directories page in the Generation Options window is used to define the CGI parameters for your interactive catalogs. Please consult your system administrator for information about the following parameters :

Perl Command - The location of the Perl command on the server machine.

CGI Path - The directory catalog CGI scripts will be installed to - this is the virtual Web Server directory, not the absolute machine directory.

Catalog Path - The directory catalog HTML scripts will be installed to - this is the virtual Web Server directory, not the absolute machine directory. Please notice that if you are creating the catalog for a server hosted on Windows the CGI path is relative to the cgi-win directory.


Generating a Catalog or a Presentation

The Catalog Maker can create static presentations or interactive catalogs that can be used to mark products (add products to a shopping cart) and ordered by the buyer. Presentations are used instead of electronic brochures, Catalogs can replace your printed mail order catalog.

Choose Make|Make Catalog to create an interactive catalog.

Choose Make|Make Presentation to create a static presentation.


Creating distribution diskettes for stand alone catalogs

When you have finished creating and testing your catalog, and you are happy with the results, it is time to plan the distribution of your catalogs to the potential buyers.

If you created a catalog for a stand alone PC (Make WinHelp from the Options menu), you will want to prepare a diskette (or set of diskettes) with all the files needed for the installation.

There are several install maker products in the market you can use to create your distribution diskette, a good one we have been happy with ESetup Pro from Eschalon Software.

To help you with the creation of the distribution diskette, the Catalog Maker choose the Catalog|Prepare for Install menu option. The Catalog Maker will copy the files needed to the current directory and re-generate the catalog.

After the prepare for install procedure finished, all the files needed for the catalog are in the current directory, to distribute your catalog you will need to ship the following files :

1. The file called catalog.HLP Where catalog is replaced by the name of your catalog. (e.g. - If your catalog is called JUDGES.HIC, you will want to ship JUDGES.HLP).

2. All the Graphic, Sound and Video files you used in the catalog.

3. The files HLPDKDLL.DLL and CTL3DV2.DLL found in the System directory of our Windows installation (Usually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM).

The Installation procedure should copy the files mentioned in sections 1 and 2 to an empty directory on the buyer's machine, and the files mentioned in section 3 to the buyer's Windows System directory (Usually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM).


Installing a catalog on a World Wide Web Server

 To install a catalog on a World Wide Web server follow these steps :

1. Choose the Options|Output Directory menu option and set the output directory to an empty directory. All the files needed for the the catalog will be placed in this directory.

2. Copy all the *.HTM, Graphic, Sound and Video files from the output directory defined in step 1 to the correct directory on the Internet Server. Please consult your Internet Provider for details about this directory.

3. If you have created a catalog for a Unix server, rename all the *.htm files to *.html on the Web server. (Please ask your server administrator how to do that). Make sure that the html and media files have world read access. (chmod a+r *.html will set world read access rights for all the html files, you must do the same for graphic, sound and video files.) If you generated the catalog for a Windows machine, leave the files as *.htm and do not rename them.

4. Copy all the *.cgi files from the output directory defined in step 1 to the CGI directory on the Web server, please consult your service provider about the location of this directory. Please notice that when you upload the cgi scripts to a unix server, you must ensure that the files are uploaded in ascii mode, otherwise the Perl interpreter will not be able to execute the scripts and your users will receive a "CGI error" message when they try to read your catalog. Please make sure that the scripts have world execution rights. (chmod a+x *.cgi will set world execution rights to all the cgi files in the current directory). If you are using a Windows server you must cope the file backeng.exe to the /cgi-win directory of the Web Server, this is the script engine for Windows machines.

5. You must activate initdb.cgi once in order to initialize the catalog maker databases. If your catalog is installed on a unix server, you can do that by connecting from your Web browser to http://your.site.addr/cgi-path/initdb.cgi - Where your.site.addr is the address of the Web Server and cgi-path is the path to the CGI directory. On a Windows server use the following URL - http://your.site.addr/cgi-win/backeng.exe?scriptName=cgi-path/initdb.cgi where cgi-path is the path of the cgi scripts.

6. Optional - Rename the CGI scripts cleaner.cgi and collect.cgi. these scripts are used to clean the file area of the catalog from old database files collected during user sessions, and to collect orders to be processed by your distribution system.


Catalog Administration Tasks

To take advantage of your catalog after you have created it you will need to perform the following administration tasks :

Changing the prices of items in the catalog

Linking to the catalog from a home page

Cleaning after the users

Collecting the order forms for processing


Changing the prices of items in the catalog

When prices in the catalog are changed, new options are added to items etc.. you can update your online catalog using the following technique :

1. Make your changes in the catalog maker and save the updated catalog.

2. Generate the catalog to the World Wide Web environent.

3. Upload the CGI scripts and re-run the initdb.cgi script to initialize the items price database.

Please notice that if you change the content of the catalog - descriptions, graphics objects, new items or categories - you will need to upload the html and media files again.


Linking to the catalog from a home page

The catalog maker creates a collection of html files, with a separate html file for each page in the catalog. The "Overview" or "Welcome" page is created with the name catalog.html, where catalog is the name of your catalog. (e.g. - If your catalog is called mycat.hic the catalog maker will create a mycat.html file that should be used as the "welcome" page of the catalog.

You can connect the catalog to your home page using two techniques, the prefered method is to enter a link to the dispatch CGI script created by the catalog maker, with the name of the "welocme" page as the additional path information.

e.g. Assume your cgi-bin directory is /cgi-bin, and the catalog (created from mycat.hic) is stored in the /catalog directory, the link url from your web page will be /cgi-bin/dispatch.cgi/catalog/mycat.html .

If you want you can connect to the catalog welcome page by including a link to the welcome html page directly. The call through dispatch.cgi is prefered, but it will work even without this call.


Cleaning after the users

In order the allow the users to mark products from different pages of your catalog, a database that tracks the user's movement and order status during his shopping session is created on the Web server. These database files take up important space on the database.

The catalog maker creates a CGI script called cleaner.cgi, this script can be executed through the Web or from the command line, the scripts deletes all the shopping session database files that have not been modified in 6 hours.

You can automate the cleaning process by calling cleaner.cgi from a cron server, please consult your system administrator about the use of cron on your system.

Notice that the cleaner.cgi script generated by the catalog maker assumes that the standard dbm system is used on the server, if the dbm system does not create *.db files you will need to change the script to look for *.dir, *.pag or system specific files. Please consult your system administrator for details.

Important - Some Web servers will restrict some of the functions that a Perl script can do in order to minimize security problems, In this case the cleaner.cgi script might fail when executed from a Web browser, please try to activate the script from the command line and consult your system administrator for information about restrictions on Perl scripts.


Collecting the order forms for processing

When the user orders from your catalog a line specifying his shopping session id is written to the daily order log called date.ord, where date is the date of the order in the format mmddyy, the order form itself is written to a file called session.frm, where session is the shopping session id assigned to the user.

The catalog maker creates a cgi script called collect.cgi, this script can be activated from a Web Browser or from the command line, this script will collect all the orders received since the last time the it was executed, and print the orders to the standard output. It is important to notice that the script will delete the *.frm files from the server, If you are calling the script from a Web Browser you must print the page received from the script in order to process the orders, if you are calling the script from the command line, please redirect the output to an orders file using the standard Unix redirection commands (As in : collect.cgi > orders ).

We strongly recommend that you backup the *.frm files before you collect them, because the *.frm files are deleted by collect.cgi


Contact

Please contact us using one of the following options :

Surface Mail :

HyperAct, Inc.

3437 335th Street

West Des Moines, IA 50266 USA

Tel/Fax  (515) 987-2910

Fax only (515) 987-2909

CIS - 76350,333 or 102703,3274

Internet - rhalevi@hyperact.com

World Wide Web - http://www.hyperact.com/