Web OfficeView

Web OfficeView lets you use your web browser to run a virtual in-out board to 
facilitate communication in your office.  The board displays standard or 
customized remarks, such as "in", "in but unavailable", "on vacation until X", and 
so on. Because the location of your co-workers is constantly apparent, your 
office assistants can know your whereabouts and give informed responses to 
phone calls. The program also includes a messaging system (can be disabled) 
and a screen that displays employee information, such as the telephone, fax, 
and pager numbers.  Until the program is registered, 500 names can be 
displayed for a limited time after which only 5 names are displayed.

When you use the login feature, the main screen will automatically indicate "In" 
beside your name and allow you to read your messages. One click on the field 
beside your name opens a list of remarks. Another click selects your new 
remark. 

The program is a small 32-bit Windows application that can run on practically 
any system using Windows 95, 98, ME, XP, NT or 2K. Although it can reside on 
the file server that holds the database files, this is not a requirement. Any 
Windows workstation that can connect to the Web OfficeView directory on the 
server is suitable. Thus, the program will work with NetWare or Unix based file 
servers that hold the Web OfficeView database. Web browsers on Macs, Unix 
and other platforms can participate.

If you share the database directory with OfficeView Pro, the two programs work 
cooperatively displaying the same information and sharing messages. This 
setup allows you to use a small Windows application at your own workstation or 
a web browser when you are away.

Web OfficeView puts everything you need to maintain the database on one 
screen. If you run the program from the Web OfficeView directory on the server, 
just click on the Database tab to display the Database page, add the names 
and you are up and running. If Web OfficeView is not running from the database 
directory, you need to select the Control and Information page and set the path to 
the Web OfficeView database. 

The program contains a small web server that uses the Hypertext protocol to 
communicate with web browsers. To try a web browser, select the Control and 
Information tab and click on the Launch Local Browser button. Your web browser 
should start up and display a login page or the list of names if login is disabled.

After logging in, click on a name to display the corresponding employee 
information on a new page. If the message system is enabled, click on the small 
envelope icon to display the OfficeView Message Composer page where you 
can prepare and send a message.  If you are logged in and you click on the icon 
beside your name, the OfficeView Message Reader page appears to allow you 
to read your messages.

If the option is set to allow users to change remarks for other people, then you 
can do so from any page that displays the list of names. Click on the remark 
beside the name to bring up a new page with a list of remarks and click on a 
remark. If you prefer to customize the remark text, click on the edit area and type 
your own remark. Use the OK button to post the remark and return to the main 
page. You can use the Misc column in a similar way.

The main page has a quick way to view a single group. Click on a name in the 
Group column.  For instance, select the word "Sales" beside one of the names 
and only the names that comprise the Sales group will appear.  A second click 
on "Sales" brings all the names back into view.

To modify the list of available remarks, edit them on the Remarks page. Use a 
Select Color button to change the remarks background colors.

Closing the Web OfficeView screen shrinks the program to an icon in the taskbar 
tray near the clock. Placing your mouse on the icon identifies Web OfficeView. 
Click on the icon to make the main screen appear. Right clicking on the icon 
reveals menu items. Use the Open menu item to display the program screen. 
Click on Terminate to stop the program. Before shutting down, the program will 
ask you to confirm that you want to stop.

The Control and Information page on the server program displays the URL 
address to use at other workstations. Try to connect to the program from another 
workstation using the given URL. If the machine hosting Web OfficeView has an 
Internet connection, you should be able to use the numeric URL (i.e. 
http://202.101.30.21) to connect from any workstation via the web.  If you are using 
a modem to connect to the Internet, the connection to the web must be 
established before the Web OfficeView program is run so that it can obtain the 
external TCP/IP address. Otherwise, only clients on your local network will be 
able to connect and use the program.

The Control and Information page allows the server port to be changed to 800 or 
888 instead of the standard port (80). This feature allows the program to share the 
same IP address with another web server. A frame set can be used to 
transparently merge Web OfficeView with your existing web site. The preference 
section has options to permit users to log in, to allow users to change others' 
remarks, to add a time stamp when changes are made, to enable the message 
system and to display your company name on the main page.

To shut down Web OfficeView, right click on the tray icon by the taskbar clock 
and select Terminate. After you confirm the shutdown request, the program 
stops. 

Additional information is available to assist web browser users in the file called 
help.html. To purchase more capacity, email us at sales@officeview.com or vist 
our web page at www.officeview.com.

