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C H A P T E R 25 |
Part 5 Using Microsoft Office Throughout Your Organization |
Microsoft Office Resource Kit |
| Web Support in Microsoft Office Applications |
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This chapter describes features in each Microsoft Office 97 for Windows and Office 98 for the Macintosh application
that can help you create and manage content on an intranet or
on the World Wide Web. It is a companion to Chapter 24, "Integrating Microsoft Office with Your Intranet," which describes Officewide strategies and features you can implement to integrate Office into your intranet.
- Hyperlinks to display and run standard Internet content, such as HTML documents.
- Hyperlinks
that allow you to move between Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft
Excel worksheets, Microsoft PowerPoint slides, and Access database objects that are stored on a hard disk or on a LAN.
You do not need Internet connections or intranet servers to use
Office hyperlinks to move between Office documents or files. You
can use both kinds of hyperlinks in the same database application.
There are two ways you can use hyperlinks in Access applications:
- Create a field with the
Hyperlink data type to store hyperlink addresses in a table
and then bind that field to a text box on a form.
Like other bound fields, as the user moves from record
to record, the value in the text box changes to display the current
record's hyperlink value. For example, you can use hyperlinks
in this way to create an application in which users can go to
Web pages, or to other content on the Internet or an intranet,
from a predefined list of addresses. You can also create an application
that displays and manages Office documents.
- Create
a label, image control, or command button on a form that references
a specified hyperlink address.
In this case, the hyperlink does not change as you
move from record to record. For example, you can use hyperlinks
in this way to go to other database objects within the same database,
or to open a Web page on an intranet that contains updated information
about how to use your application.
Regardless of how a hyperlink is defined in your application,
if the hyperlink goes to a database object or opens another Office
document, you can use the Web toolbar to move between the
hyperlinks that you have previously followed. For example, in
the following illustration, the Products form has a command button
with a hyperlink that opens a report. Once you have clicked the
hyperlink, you can use the Web toolbar to move between
other objects you have opened with hyperlinks.
Similarly, if you follow a hyperlink from an Access form
to a Word document, you can click the Back button on the
Web toolbar in Word to return to the Access form.
Note By
default, after a user clicks a hyperlink on a form, Access continues to display the Web toolbar when the user closes the form. If you want to prevent this, you can use Visual Basic code in the OnClose event of the form to hide the toolbar. To see an example of this code, open the Products form in the Northwind sample application in Design view, and then display the event procedure in the OnClose event of the form.
Storing Hyperlinks in Tables
In Access, a field in a table can store hyperlinks as data. To create a Hyperlink field, add a field in table Design view and set its DataType property to Hyperlink. You can also create a Hyperlink field in table Datasheet view with the Hyperlink Column command (Insert menu).
You can follow a hyperlink stored in a table by clicking it in
the table, but the field is more typically bound to a text box
control on a form.
To
add a text box that is bound to a Hyperlink field to a form
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- Open the form in Design view.
- Make sure the RecordSource property
of the form is set to the table that contains the Hyperlink field
or to a query that includes the table.
- Click Field List on the toolbar.
- Drag the Hyperlink field from the field list to the form.
To see an example of how to use a Hyperlink field, open the Suppliers
form in the Northwind sample database application. Go to Record
2, New Orleans Cajun Delights. The Home Page text box on
the form is bound to the HomePage field in the Suppliers table.
Clicking the hyperlink in the text box starts your Web browser
and displays the supplier's home page.
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- Saving data as HTML documents.
- Synchronizing a database replica with a replica or Design Master on an HTTP or FTP server.
Saving Data as HTML Documents
Access provides four ways to save data from your database as HTML documents:
- Save data as static HTML documents
You can create static HTML documents from table, query,
and form datasheets and from reports. When you save data as static
HTML documents, the resulting pages reflect the state of the data
at the time it was saved. If your data changes, you must save
the pages again to share the new data.
- Save table, query, and form datasheets as IDC/HTX files
You can save your table, query, and form datasheets
as IDC/HTX files that generate HTML documents by querying a copy
of your database located on a Web server for current data.
- Save forms and datasheets as ASPs
You can save your forms as ASPs that emulate most
of the functionality of your forms and display data from a database
located on a Web server. You can also save table, query, and form
datasheets as ASPs that display current data from a copy of your
database located on a Web server.
- Automate the publishing of dynamic and static HTML documents
You can use the Publish to the Web Wizard to automate
the process of saving multiple objects to any combination of all
three file types. In the Publish to the Web Wizard, IDC/HTX files
and ASP files are referred to as dynamic Web pages because these file types display current data to users.
The following sections discuss each of these options in more detail.
Saving Data as Static HTML Documents
With Access, you can save table, query, and form datasheets and reports as static HTML documents.
To
save a table, query, or form datasheet or a report as a static
HTML document
- In the Database window,
click the table, query, form, or report you want to save.
- On
the File menu, click Save As/Export.
- In
the Save As dialog box, click To an External File or
Database, and then click OK.
- In the Save as type list, click HTML Documents.
- To open the resulting HTML document in your Web browser automatically, select the Autostart check box.
- Specify a file name and location for the HTML file, and then click Export.
- In the HTML Output Options dialog box, specify whether you want Access to merge an HTML template with the resulting HTML document, and then click OK.
For information about HTML templates, see "Using
an HTML Template When You Save Data as HTML Documents" later
in this chapter.
You can also save data as static HTML documents by using the Publish
to the Web Wizard (available through the Save As HTML command
on the File menu), the OutputTo method in code, or the OutputTo action in macros.For more information about saving table, query, or form datasheets and reports as HTML documents, see Access online Help.
When saving table, query, and form datasheets, Access saves each datasheet to a single HTML file. Access saves reports as multiple HTML documents, with one HTML file per printed page. To name each page, Access uses the name of the object and appends _Pagenn to the end of each file name after the first page; for example, ProductList.htm, ProductList_Page2.htm, ProductList_Page3.htm, and so on.
Saving Table, Query, and Form Datasheets as Static HTML Documents
When you save a table, query, or form datasheet as an HTML document,
the HTML document generated is based on the table or query associated
with the datasheet, including the current setting of the OrderBy
or Filter property of the table or query, which determines
how the table, query, or form is sorted or filtered.
The HTML document contains an HTML table that reflects as closely
as possible the appearance of the datasheet by using the appropriate
HTML tags to specify color, font, and alignment. The HTML document
follows as closely as possible the page orientation and margins
of the datasheet. Whenever you want to use settings that are different
from the default orientation and margins for a datasheet, you
must first open the datasheet, and then use the Page Setup
command (File menu) to change settings before you save
the datasheet as an HTML document.
If a field has a Format or InputMask property setting,
that setting is reflected in the data in the HTML document. For
example, if a Format property of the field is set to Currency,
the data in the HTML document is formatted with a dollar sign,
a comma as the thousand separator, and two decimal places; for
example, $1,123.45.
Saving Reports as Static HTML Documents
When you save a report as a series of HTML documents, the HTML
documents generated are based on the report's underlying table
or query, including the current OrderBy or Filter
property setting of the table or query.
The HTML documents closely approximate the proportions and layout
of the actual report and follow as closely as possible the page
orientation and margins set for the report. To change the page
orientation and margins, open the report in Print Preview, and
then click the Page Setup command (File menu) to
change settings before you save the report as HTML documents.
These settings are saved from session to session for reports,
so if you change them once, they will be used the next time you
save the form or report as HTML documents.
If you specify an HTML template that contains placeholders for
navigation controls when you save a report as multiple HTML documents,
Access creates hyperlinks that the user can use to go to the first, previous, next, and last pages in the publication. Where Access places the hyperlinks depends on where you locate the placeholders in the HTML template.
For information about HTML templates and placeholders, see "Using an HTML Template When You Save Data as HTML Documents" later in this chapter.
How Microsoft Access Saves Data Types in HTML
When you save data as static HTML documents, Access saves values from most data types as strings and formats them as closely as possible to their appearance in the datasheet or report. There are two exceptions:
- OLE Object fields are not saved.
- Hyperlink field values are saved as hyperlinks in the HTML document. The hyperlinks use HTML anchor tags with an HREF attribute, as described in the following table.
| In this scenario
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This anchor tag format is used
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| The hyperlink does not include a subaddress.
| <A HREF="address">displaytext</A>
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| The hyperlink includes a subaddress.
| <A HREF="address#subaddress">displaytext</A>
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| The display text is not specified.
| <A HREF="address">address</A>
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Access determines the displaytext, address, and subaddress values in the anchor tags by parsing the value stored in the Hyperlink field.
For information about the displaytext, address,
and subaddress values, see "Editing the
Hyperlink Field" earlier in this chapter.
Saving Table, Query, and Form Datasheets as IDC/HTX Files
With Access, you can save a table, query, or form datasheet as IDC/HTX files that generate HTML documents by querying a copy of your database located on a Web server. In contrast to static HTML documents, IDC/HTX files display current data from your database; therefore, the HTML documents that they generate are dynamic.
To
save a table, query, or form datasheet as IDC/HTX files
- In the Database window, click the table, query, or form you want to save.
- On the File menu, click Save As/Export.
- In the Save As dialog box, click To an External File or
Database, and then click OK.
- In the Save as type list, click Microsoft IIS 12.
- Specify a file name and location for the IDC/HTX files, and then click Export.
- In the HTX/IDC Output Options dialog box, specify:
- The data source name to use for a copy of the current database.
- A user name and password, if required to open the database.
- An HTML template, if you want Access to merge one with the HTML extension (HTX) file.
Note You
can specify any of these items later, except the HTML template,
by editing the resulting IDC file in a text editor, such as Notepad.
You can also save a table, query, or form datasheet as IDC/HTX
files by using the Publish to the Web Wizard (available through
the Save As HTML command on the File menu), the
OutputTo method in code, or the OutputTo action in macros.
For more information about saving table, query, or form datasheets
as IDC/HTX files, see Access online Help
How the Internet Database Connector Works
When you save a table, form, or query datasheet as Internet Connector
files, Access creates two files: an Internet Database Connector (IDC) file and HTML extension (HTX) file. These files are used to generate a Web page that displays current data from your database.
An IDC file contains the necessary information to connect to a
specified Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data source and to
run an SQL statement that queries the database. The information
needed to connect to the database includes the data source name
and, if userlevel security is established for the database,
the user name and password required to open the database. For
example, if you save the Current Product List query datasheet
from the Northwind sample database application as IDC/HTX files,
Access creates the following IDC file:
Datasource:Northwind
Template:Current Product List.htx
SQLStatement:SELECT [Product List].ProductID, [Product List].ProductName
+FROM Products AS [Product List]
+WHERE ((([Product List].Discontinued)=No))
+ORDER BY [Product List].ProductName;
Password:
Username:
An IDC file also contains the name and location of an HTML extension
(HTX) file. The HTX file is a template for the HTML document;
it contains field merge codes that indicate where the values returned
by the SQL statement should be inserted. For example, if you save
the Current Product List query datasheet from the Northwind sample
database application as IDC/HTX files, Access creates the following HTX file:
<HTML>
<TITLE>Current Product List</TITLE>
<BODY>
<Table Border=1 BGCOLOR="#ffffff"><FONT FACE="ARIAL" COLOR="#000000">
<CAPTION><B>Current Product List</B></CAPTION>
<THEAD>
<TR>
<TD><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="ARIAL" COLOR="#000000">Product ID</FONT></TD>
<TD><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="ARIAL" COLOR="#000000">Product Name</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</THEAD>
<TBODY>
<%BeginDetail%>
<TR VALIGN=TOP>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="ARIAL" COLOR="#000000"><%ProductID%><BR></FONT></TD>
<TD><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="ARIAL" COLOR="#000000"><%ProductName%><BR></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<%EndDetail%>
</TBODY>
<TFOOT></TFOOT>
</BODY>
</HTML>
Access saves the HTX file to be used with an IDC file
with the same name as the IDC file, but with an .htx extension
rather than an .idc extension. After the database information
has been merged into the HTML document, the HTML document is returned
to the Web browser.
If you open Current Product List.idc from a Microsoft Internet
Information Server that has an appropriately defined Northwind
data source name (DSN), the Web page shown in the following illustration
is generated.
Note You
can also reference an HTML template when you create IDC and HTX
files. An HTML template contains additional HTML code to enhance
the appearance of the resulting pages. If you specify an HTML
template, it is merged with the HTX file. For information about
the format of an HTML template, see "Using an HTML Template When You Save Data as HTML Documents" later in this chapter.
Requirements for Using IDC/HTX Files
To display and use IDC/HTX files, a copy of your database and
the IDC/HTX files must reside on a computer running one of the
following operating systems and Internet server environments:
- Windows NT Server version 3.51
or later running Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) version 1.0,
2.0, or 3.0.
- Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
with Peer Web Services installed.
- Windows 95
and Personal Web Server installed.
Use Peer Web Services or Personal Web Server only for testing
IDC/HTX files or if no more than 10 users use the server simultaneously.
Microsoft IIS, Peer Web Services, and Personal Web Server use
a component called the Internet Database Connector (Httpodbc.dll)
to generate Web pages from IDC/HTX files.
For more information about installing Peer Web Services or Personal
Web Server, see "Setting Up a Personal Web Server" in Chapter 24, "Integrating Microsoft Office With Your
Intranet."
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World Wide
Web You can
learn more about applications that use IDC/HTX files by reading
about the Job Forum application. For information about the Job
Forum application, connect to the Job Forum white paper at:
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- Tab controls
- Rectangles
- Lines
- Page
breaks
- Unbound object frames
- Bound
object frames
- Image controls
- Background
of a form set with the Picture property
Requirements for Using ASPs
To display and use an ASP, a copy of your database and ASP components
must reside on a computer running one of the following operating
systems and Internet server platforms:
- Microsoft Windows NT
Server 3.51 or later running IIS 3.0
- Microsoft
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Peer Web Services with
the ASP components installed
- Microsoft Windows 95
and Personal Web Server with the ASP components installed
The Microsoft HTML Layout control must be installed on the computer
opening the ASP. If the computer opening an ASP produced by
Access 97 does not have the HTML Layout control installed,
a message is displayed prompting the user to download the control.
To display the ASP, the user must click Yes to download
the control.
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World Wide
Web The Microsoft HTML Layout control is not included on the Office CD, but you can download it directly from the Web. To download the Microsoft
HTML Layout control, connect to:
http://www.microsoft.com/ie/download/ie3add.htm
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World Wide
Web For more
information about installing the ASP components for Peer Web Services
and Personal Web Server, connect to the Windows NT Server
home page at:
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- Pick any combination of
tables, queries, forms, or reports to save.
- Specify
an HTML template to use for the selected objects.
- Select
any combination of static HTML documents, IDC/HTX files, or ASPs.
- Create
a home page to tie together the Web pages you create.
- Specify
the folder where you save your files.
- Use the
Web Publishing Wizard to move the files created by the Publish
to the Web Wizard to a Web server.
- Save the
answers you provide the wizard as a Web publication profile and
then select that profile the next time you use the wizard. This
saves you from having to answer all the questions again.
To run the Publish to the Web Wizard, click Save As HTML
(File menu). For more information about using the Publish
to the Web Wizard, see Access online Help.
Note The
Publish to the Web Wizard and Web Publishing Wizard cannot copy
the database itself or create a DSN on your server when publishing
IDC/HTX or ASP. You must perform these operations yourself.
Using an HTML Template When You Save Data as HTML Documents
When you save data as HTML documents, you can use an HTML template
to give a consistent look to the HTML documents you create. For
example, you can include your company logo, name, and address
in the page header; use the background that is used throughout
your company; or include standard text in the header or footer
of the HTML document.
Note You
can use an HTML template when you save data as static HTML documents,
when you save datasheets as IDC/HTX files, when you save a form
or datasheet as an ASP, and when you use the Publish to the Web
Wizard.
The HTML template can be any HTML document — that
is, a text file that includes HTML tags and userspecified
text and references. In addition, the HTML template can include
placeholders that tell Access where to insert certain
pieces of data in the HTML documents. When data is saved as HTML
documents, the placeholders are replaced with data. The following
table describes each of the placeholders that you can use in an
HTML template.
| Placeholder |
Description
|
Location |
| <!AccessTemplate_Title>
|
The name of the object being saved
|
Between <TITLE> and </TITLE>
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| <!AccessTemplate_Body>
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The data or object being saved
|
Between <BODY> and </BODY>
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| <!AccessTemplate_FirstPage>
|
An anchor tag to the first page
| Between <BODY> and </BODY> or after </BODY>
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| <!AccessTemplate_PreviousPage>
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An anchor tag to the previous page
|
Between <BODY> and </BODY> or after </BODY>
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| <!AccessTemplate_NextPage>
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An anchor tag to the next page
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Between <BODY> and </BODY> or after </BODY>
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| <!AccessTemplate_LastPage>
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An anchor tag to the last page
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Between <BODY> and </BODY> or after </BODY>
|
| <!AccessTemplate_PageNumber>
|
The current page number
|
Between <BODY> and </BODY> or after </BODY>
|
When you install Access, sample HTML template files
and graphics files are installed in the Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Templates\Access folder.
Creating Active Server Pages Database Applications
You can create simple client/server applications that use a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, as a front-end for an Access database or other ODBC data source. It is beyond the scope of this book to discuss these applications in detail, but this section points to resources that document how to create them.
You can use the Active Server Pages (ASP) components of Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0 or later on Windows NT Server version 4.0 to gain access to an Access database.
You can also install and use the Active Server Pages components from a workstation used as a Web server with Microsoft Peer Web Services 3.0 on Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 or Microsoft Personal Web Server version 1.0a on Windows 95. To use Active Server Pages with Peer Web Services or Personal Web Server, you must install the Active Server Pages components from the Internet Information Server Web site after you install your Web server software.
The following table lists sources of information for each of these applications.
After you have installed Active Server Pages on any of the three Web servers, you can view the Active Server Pages online documentation. On the Windows Start menu, point to Programs, point to your Web server submenu, and then click Active Server Pages Roadmap. From the Roadmap, you can also view the Adventure Works sample Web site, which demonstrates many of the features of Active Server Pages scripting and is an excellent source of sample code.
You can also view the Roadmap by typing the following address: http://yourserver/iasdocs/aspdocs/roadmap.asp, where yourserver is the domain name of your server. The Roadmap documentation requires either Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later, or a browser that supports frames. Microsoft Internet Explorer provides the best results.
The Database Access component of Active Server Pages uses ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) to provide easy access to information stored in a database that complies with the ODBC standard. To gain access to an Access database, use the Microsoft Access ODBC Driver running on your Web server. For information about how to create an Active Server Pages application that opens a database, open the Active Server Pages Roadmap documentation described earlier. In the Contents frame, open Tutorial, Module 2, Lesson 3, "Using the Database Access Component."
This Active Server Pages Roadmap documentation shows you how to create an ASP database application using a text editor. You can also create an ASP database application using Microsoft Visual InterDev. For more information, see the Microsoft Visual InterDev site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/vinterdev/
Note
If you want to use an ASP database application from a Web browser running on the Macintosh, do not use the HTML Layout control in your application. The HTML Layout control does not run on Macintosh computers.
Saving Access Reports as Snapshot Files
As an alternative to printing and distributing Access reports, you can save and distribute them as snapshot files. A snapshot file is a graphics file with a .snp extension; the file contains a copy of each page of a report. After you create a snapshot file, you can e-mail or post it to a Web site for convenient access.
Unlike saving Access reports to other formats, such as HTML or RTF, saving as a snapshot file preserves the full fidelity of the original report, including its twodimensional layout, embedded graphics, fonts, colors, and charts. Users can view and print snapshot files using the Snapshot Viewer or Snapshot Viewer control, which does not require a full or run-time installation of Access. Report snapshots are a way of electronically distributing Access reports in print preview mode — users can view, scroll, and print the reports using the same features available in print preview in Access.
The Snapshot Viewer allows you to view, print, and mail a report snapshot. Snapshot Viewer version 8.0 consists of a stand-alone executable program (Snapview.exe), a Snapshot Viewer control (Snapview.ocx), a help file, and other related files. You can use the Snapshot Viewer control to view a report snapshot from Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later, or from any application that supports ActiveX controls, such as Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
Requirements
To create report snapshots, you need Microsoft Access 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1) or Microsoft Office 97 Professional Edition SR-1. To make sure that you have this version, click About Microsoft Access on the Access Help menu. If you have SR-1, you already have Snapshot Viewer and the ability to create report snapshots. If not, you can download the SR-1 patch from the Microsoft Office 97 SR-1 Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/office/office97/servicerelease/.
Although you must have Microsoft Access 97 SR-1 to create report snapshots, users do not need Access to view, print, mail, or browse them on the Web. However, users must have the Snapshot Viewer or Snapshot Viewer control installed.
If you have the Microsoft Access 97 SR1 or Office 97 Professional Edition SR-1 on CD-ROM, the self-extracting file to install the Snapshot Viewer and Snapshot Viewer control, Snpvw80.exe, is available in the ValuPack\Access subfolder. To install the Snapshot Viewer and Snapshot Viewer control, double-click Snpvw80.exe. You can also download Snpvw80.exe from the Microsoft Office Developer Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/accessdev/prodinfo/snapshot.htm. In either case, you can freely distribute Snpvw80.exe to anyone who has Windows 95, Windows NT Workstation, or Windows NT Server.
The Snapshot Viewer and Snapshot Viewer control work only with the 32-bit versions of the Windows operating system. The internal format of a snapshot file is a Windows metafile, which can be read only by a computer running 32-bit versions of Windows. For example, users cannot display a report snapshot file from a World Wide Web page on a Macintosh computer or a computer running Unix. If you are using Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51, you must have Service Pack 5 or later installed to use the Snapshot Viewer control (Snapview.ocx).
To electronically mail a report snapshot, you must use a mail client program that supports MAPI, such as Microsoft Outlook. To display a report snapshot on the World Wide Web, you must use a Web browser that supports ActiveX controls, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later.
Creating Report Snapshots
You create a report snapshot using the Save As command on the File menu in Access.
To create a report snapshot
- In the Database window, click the name of the report you want to export, and then click Save As/Export on the File menu.
- In the Save As dialog box, click To an External File or Database, and then click OK.
- In the Save as type box, select Snapshot Format (*.snp).
- Specify the location and name of the file to export.
- To display the results in Snapshot Viewer automatically, select Autostart, and then click Export.
A report snapshot is based on the table or query behind the report, including any sorting or filtering defined by the OrderBy or Filter property settings. If the report is based on a parameter query, Access first prompts you for the parameter values, and then outputs the results.
Opening Report Snapshots
After you create a report snapshot, users can open it using the Snapshot Viewer.
To open a report snapshot
- On the Windows Start menu, point to Programs, point to Snapshot Viewer, and then click Snapshot Viewer.
- On the File menu, click Open, and then specify the report snapshot file you want.
You can also doubleclick the report snapshot file in Windows Explorer.
The following illustration shows a page from the Northwind Traders sample application Catalog report in Snapshot Viewer.
Sending a Report Snapshot in Email
In Snapshot Viewer, you can e-mail a report snapshot as an icon or as an embedded file to a mail recipient or distribution list. You can send a report snapshot as an icon from Snapshot Viewer or directly from Access. To send a report snapshot as an embedded file, you must use an e-mail program that supports ActiveX controls, such as Outlook.
To send a report snapshot as an icon from Snapshot Viewer
- Open the report snapshot in Snapshot Viewer.
- On the File menu, click Send.
Snapshot Viewer starts your email program and creates an email message with an icon for your report snapshot file.
To send a report snapshot as an icon from Access
- Start Access and open the database that contains the report you want to send.
- Select the report in the Database window, and then click Send on the File menu.
Access outputs the report as a snapshot file, starts your email program, and creates an email message with an icon for your report snapshot file.
Note You can also create a macro that uses the SendObject action to automate the process of sending a report snapshot. For more information about using the SendObject action, see online Help in Access.
When using either method to send a report snapshot as an icon, it is a good idea to include a link to the Snapshot Viewer download page
(
http://www.microsoft.com/accessdev/prodinfo/snapshot.htm) in case a recipient does not have Snapshot Viewer installed.
For better performance and user convenience, you might want to set up a local site on your corporate LAN or intranet for downloading the Snapshot Viewer. You can do this by downloading the Snapshot Viewer self-extracting file (Snpvw80.exe) from the Microsoft Office Developer site, copying it to a public server, and providing a link to that location in your message.
The following illustration shows the Invoice report from the Northwind Traders sample application’s embedded as an icon in an Outlook message.
You can also embed a report snapshot as a file that displays the report snapshot inside a mail message using an electronic mail program that supports ActiveX controls, such as Outlook.
To embed a report snapshot as a file in Outlook
- Create a snapshot file for the report you want to embed.
- Start Outlook, and then create and address a new message.
- On the Insert menu, click Object.
- In the Insert Object dialog box, select Create from File, and then enter the full path to the report snapshot file name in the File box, or click Browse to search for the file.
The following illustration shows the Invoice report from the Northwind Traders sample application embedded as a file in an Outlook message.
When your mail recipients read the mail message, they can doubleclick the image to activate Snapshot Viewer control in place and read or print the report.
The following illustration shows the Invoice report in an Outlook message after activating the Snapshot Viewer control.
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Why is my email message so large in Windows 95?
Embedding a report snapshot as a file produces a larger email message under Windows 95 than it does under Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server. This may prevent you from sending the email message (because of message size limitations set on your mail server). This size difference is related to the way the two operating systems support Windows metafiles.
To reduce the size of the email message, you can do one of the following before sending the report snapshot:
- Embed the report snapshot as an icon instead of a file.
- Reduce the number of colors on your display before creating the snapshot.
- Reduce the size of the embedded report snapshot file using its control handles.
- Doubleclick the embedded report snapshot file to activate it in place, rightclick the control, and then click Fit on the Zoom menu.
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Publishing Report Snapshots on the World Wide Web
You can also make report snapshots available from a Web page on your intranet or the Internet. Once you have created your report snapshots, there are two ways you can publish them on the World Wide Web:
- Create a hyperlink to each report snapshot using an HTML anchor tag on a Web page.
- Embed a snapshot report on a Web page using the Snapshot Viewer control and the HTML OBJECT tag.
To create a Web page with a hyperlink to a report snapshot
- Create the report snapshot file and save it in a folder on a public server or Web server.
Note If you are updating the same reports on a regular basis, you may want to automate the process of creating snapshot files using the OutputTo action or method. For more information, see Access online Help.
- Create a Web page using Word, Notepad, or another HTML editor.
- For each report snapshot, create a hyperlink using an anchor tag.
For example, the following anchor tag creates a hyperlink to a snapshot file named Catalog.snp on an HTTP server:
‹A HREF="http://MyWebSite/Webreports/catalog.snp"›Catalog report‹/A›
This example creates a hyperlink to the snapshot file on a shared public folder:
‹A HREF="file://\\MyShare\MyFolder\catalog.snp"›Catalog report‹/A›
When users click the hyperlink, Microsoft Internet Explorer performs an in-place activation of the report snapshot using the Snapshot Viewer in the Microsoft Internet Explorer window. Other browsers open the report snapshot in a separate Snapshot Viewer window. In either case, Snapshot Viewer must be installed on the same machine as the browser. Therefore, it is a good idea to provide an additional hyperlink to a software download page for Snapshot Viewer, in case your users do not have Snapshot Viewer installed.
Note Remind users to use the Snapshot Viewer Print button to print each page of the report snapshot, rather than the Microsoft Internet Explorer Print button or command, which only prints the current Web page.
You can also embed a snapshot report directly in a Web page using the Snapshot Viewer control. Users can view such a Web page only if they are using a browser that supports ActiveX controls, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later.
To embed a snapshot report on a Web page using the Snapshot Viewer control
- Create a report snapshot file and save it in a folder on a public server or Web server.
Note If you are updating the same reports on a regular basis, you may want to automate the process of creating snapshot files using the OutputTo action or method. For more information, see Access online Help.
- Create a Web page in Word, Notepad, or another HTML editor.
- If you use FrontPage or ActiveX Control Pad, insert the control named Snapshot Viewer Control, version 8 and specify the properties for the control.
or
If you use Word, use HTML Source view and enter HTML code to specify the control and its properties directly. (This is also required when you use Notepad or an HTML editor that does not provide a user interface for inserting an ActiveX control into a Web page.)
Regardless of how you create the Web page, the result should be HTML similar to the following example:
‹OBJECT ID="SnapshotViewer" WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=480
CLASSID="CLSID:F0E42D60-368C-11D0-AD81-00A0C90DC8D9"›
‹PARAM NAME="_ExtentX" VALUE="16722"›
‹PARAM NAME="_ExtentY" VALUE="11774"›
‹PARAM NAME="_Version" VALUE="65536"›
‹PARAM NAME="SnapshotPath" VALUE="http://MyWebSite/Webreports/catalog.snp"›
‹PARAM NAME="Zoom" VALUE="0"›
‹PARAM NAME="AllowContextMenu" VALUE="-1"›
‹PARAM NAME="ShowNavigationButtons" VALUE="-1"›
‹/OBJECT›
Note The VALUE string specified for the SnapshotPath parameter does not have to be a URL to an HTTP server. You can also specify a UNC path to a shared folder. For example, you could specify the SnapshotPath parameter like this:
‹PARAM NAME="SnapshotPath" VALUE="\\MyShare\Webreports\catalog.snp"›
The following illustration shows a page in the Catalog report from the Northwind Traders sample application embedded as a report snapshot in a Web page.
When a user without Snapshot Viewer installed on the computer opens a Web page with an embedded Snapshot Viewer control, Microsoft Internet Explorer automatically downloads the Snapshot Viewer control (but not the entire Snapshot Viewer program) from the Microsoft ActiveX home page. Alternatively, you can copy Snapview.ocx to a location on your corporate intranet and then use the CODEBASE parameter of the HTML OBJECT tag to specify this as the download location.
For example:
‹OBJECT ID="SnapshotViewer" WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=480
CLASSID="CLSID:F0E42D60-368C-11D0-AD81-00A0C90DC8D9"
CODEBASE="http://MyWebSite/LocalControls/Snapview.ocx"›
For more information about the Snapshot Viewer and the Snapshot Viewer control, see Snapshot Viewer online Help. If you have the snapshot viewer installed, you can read the help file, Snapview.hlp, directly from the C:\Program Files\Snapshot Viewer folder. You can also get more information about the Snapshot Viewer, including information about how to automate publishing and distributing snapshot reports, from the following article:
http://www.microsoft.com/accessdev/articles/snapshot.htm
Synchronizing Database Replicas over the Internet
With Access 97, you can synchronize replicas over
the Internet. Before you can synchronize over the Internet, you
must configure your Internet server for replication. To configure
your Internet server, you need Replication Manager, which includes
a wizard that guides you through the configuration process.
For more information about Replication Manager, see "Replication
Manager" in Chapter 20, "Using Replication in Your
Application," in Building Applications with Microsoft
Access 97. For more information about this and other Microsoft Press books, see "Microsoft Press Titles" in Appendix E, "Other Support Resources."
Importing, Linking, and Exporting Data to the Internet
With Access, you can import or link data from HTML tables
or other data sources on an Internet server. You can also export
data in your database to an Internet server.
Importing and Linking Data from HTML Tables
You can import or link data formatted as an HTML table to an
Access database. Before Access imports or links the
data, it copies the data into the local cache. Whenever you open
a linked table, Access makes a local copy from the original
on the Internet or an intranet before opening it. For this reason,
the data in the table is readonly. Similarly, if you export
the linked HTML table to an HTML file, Access exports
from the local copy of the file, not the original file on the
Internet.
To
import or link data from HTML tables
- On the File menu,
point to Get External Data, and then click either Import
or Link tables.
- In the Files of type list, click HTML Documents.
- To specify the file from which to import or link, use the Look in box to browse through the file system on your hard disk or LAN.
– or –
In the File name box, type a valid HTTP or FTP URL.
– or –
In the Look in box, click Internet Locations (FTP)
and select a previously defined FTP site.
– or –
In the Look in box, click Add/Modify FTP Locations,
and then specify a new FTP site and browse its files.
- Click Import or Link.
For information about linking HTML files using Visual Basic, see
"Working with HTML Files" in Chapter 18, "Accessing
External Data," in Building Applications with Microsoft
Access 97. For more information about this and other Microsoft Press books, see "Microsoft Press Titles" in Appendix E, "Other Support Resources."
When you import or link data from an HTML table, Access
parses the information contained within the HTML tags. The primary
HTML tags that define tables are described in the following table.
| HTML tag pair |
Description |
| <TABLE>/office/ork.</TABLE>
| Specifies the beginning and end of the table
|
| <TH/office/ork.>/office/ork.</TH>
| Specifies table header cells
|
| <TR/office/ork.>/office/ork.</TR>
| Specifies a row in a table
|
| <TD/office/ork.>/office/ork.</TD>
|
Specifies table data cells |
| <CAPTION/office/ork.>/office/ork.</CAPTION>
| Specifies the table caption, usually at the beginning or end of the table
|
Access applies the following rules when it interprets
the progression of tags and tag pairs within the HTML table it
imports or links:
- The <TD> tag pair may be closed with either a </TD> tag or a </TH> tag.
- The <TH> tag pair may be closed with either a </TH> tag
or a </TD> tag.
- The <TR> tag is not required to start a new row. If a <TD> tag follows a </TR> tag, Microsoft Access assumes this is the beginning of a new row.
- If a </TABLE> tag is not preceded by a </TR> tag, then Access assumes this is the end of the row.
In many cases, a table cell can display something other than text.
If a table cell contains an embedded graphic file, there is an
<IMG SRC/office/ork.> tag associated with it. This tag may or may
not have additional text that would be displayed. If additional
text is present, Access imports it, but Access
does not import the embedded graphic or the tag that defines it.
However, this is not true of embedded anchor <A HREF>
tags; Access imports anchor tags as Hyperlink fields.
HTML tables can contain lists that are embedded within a table
cell. Lists in an HTML table cell are formatted with the <LI>
and </LI> tags. Access inserts a carriage return
and line feed (<CR><LF>) after each list item and
imports each item in the list as a separate field for that record.
HTML tables can also contain tables that are embedded within a
table cell. You can import these as separate tables. To achieve
the most predictable results, however, import simple HTML tables
with a fixed number of fields per record, without embedded lists
or tables.
Exporting, Importing, and Linking Data from Other Data Sources on Internet Servers
You can export any Accesscompatible external data
file to an FTP server. You cannot export files to HTTP servers
through the Internet, however, because you cannot write to them
using the HTTP protocol.
To
export data from external data sources on Internet servers
- On the File menu, click Save As/Export.
- In the Save As dialog box, click To an External File or Database, and then click OK.
- In the Save as type list, select the type of file you want to export.
- To export files on an FTP server, enter a valid FTP URL in the File
name box.
– or –
In the Save in box, click Internet Locations (FTP) and select a previously defined FTP site.
– or –
In the Save in box, click Add/Modify FTP Locations, and then specify a new FTP site and browse its files.
- Click Export.
You can also import and link any Accesscompatible
external data file, except Access databases and ODBC
data sources, by using an FTP or HTTP connection. An FTP or HTTP
connection is only maintained long enough to perform a single
transaction. Therefore, when you import or link a file located
on an FTP or HTTP server, Access copies the data file
to the user's local cache. Access then imports or links
to the data file in the local cache. For this reason, files linked
with an FTP or HTTP connection are readonly.
To
import or link data from external data sources on Internet servers
- On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click either Import or Link Tables.
- In the Files of type list, click the type of file you want to import or link.
- To import or link files on an FTP server, enter a valid FTP URL in
the File name box.
– or –
In the Look in box, click Internet Locations (FTP)
and select a previously defined FTP site.
– or –
In the Look in box, click Add/Modify FTP Locations,
and then specify a new FTP site and browse its files
- To import or link files on an HTTP server, enter a valid HTTP URL
in the File name box.
- Click Import or Link.
Displaying Web Pages and Other Documents in
Microsoft Access
Forms
The Microsoft WebBrowser control is an ActiveX control that you
can use on your Access database application forms to
browse Web sites, view Web pages and other documents, and download
data located on the Internet. The WebBrowser control is useful
in situations where you do not want to disrupt the work flow in
a database application by switching from Access to a
Web browser or other documentviewing program.
For example, the following illustration shows the Browse Saved
Hyperlinks form in the Developer Solutions sample application.
(This sample application is installed in the Microsoft Office\Office\Samples
folder when you choose a Custom installation during Setup and
select the Sample Databases option under the Microsoft
Access option). You can use the Browse Saved Hyperlinks form
to browse addresses saved in the Links table.
The WebBrowser control can display any Web page that Microsoft
Internet Explorer version 3.0 can display. For example, the
WebBrowser control can display pages that include any of the following
features:
- Standard HTML and most HTML
enhancements, such as floating frames and cascading style sheets
- Other
ActiveX controls
- Most Netscape plugins
- Scripting,
such as Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript), JScript™,
and most JavaScript
- Java applets
- Multimedia
content, such as video and audio playback
- Threedimensional
virtual worlds created with Virtual Reality Modeling Language
(VRML)
In addition to opening Web pages, the WebBrowser control can open
any ActiveX document, which includes most Office documents. For
example, if Office is installed on a computer, an application
that uses the WebBrowser control can open and edit Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets, Word documents, and PowerPoint presentations from
within the control. Similarly, if Excel Viewer, Word
Viewer, or PowerPoint Viewer is installed, users can view those
documents within the WebBrowser control.
With the WebBrowser control, users of Microsoft database applications
can browse sites on the Web, as well as folders on a hard disk
or on a LAN. Users can follow hyperlinks by clicking them or by
typing a URL into a text box. Also, the WebBrowser control maintains
a history list that users can browse to view previously browsed
sites, folders, and documents.
Note Additional
ActiveX controls that you can use to work with content on the
Internet or an intranet are available in Microsoft Office 97
Developer Edition.
For more information about using the WebBrowser control, see "Using
the WebBrowser Control" in Chapter 21, "Developing
Applications for the Internet and the World Wide Web," in
Building Applications with Microsoft Access 97. For more information about this and other Microsoft Press books, see "Microsoft Press Titles" in Appendix E, "Other Support Resources."
- Convert worksheet ranges
to HTML tables.
- Convert charts to GIF images.
- Create
HTML tables or GIF images to be inserted into HTML documents,
or create readytoview HTML documents that contain
the tables or GIF images.
 | Note In Windows, the
Internet Assistant Wizard is installed by the HTML addin;
however, the HTML addin is not installed by default when
you choose a Typical installation during Setup. To install the
addin, rerun Setup, click Add/Remove, and select the Web Page Authoring (HTML) option.
|
 | Note On the Macintosh, the Internet Assistant Wizard is installed by the HTML addin; however, the HTML addins is not installed by default when you choose an Easy installation during Setup. To install the addin, run Microsoft Office Installer and click Custom Install. Select the Web Page Authoring option, and then click Install.
|
- Font size and color
- Font
formatting, such as bold or underlined text
- Cell
background color
- Merged cells
Note In
the conversion, Office hyperlinks are converted to HTML hyperlinks.
GIF Image Conversion Issues for Charts
The Internet Assistant Wizard converts charts to GIF format images
with a high degree of fidelity. Because the GIF images are static,
however, all links back to the source data on which the chart
data series or labels are based are broken.
Using Microsoft Excel Web Queries
To query data from a source on the Internet or your intranet and
then import the data into Excel, you can use the Run
Web Query command (Data menu, Get External Data
submenu). Once you import the data, you can manipulate, analyze,
and format it. For example, you can create a Web query that retrieves
a current product price from a database on your intranet.
 | Tools and Utilities The
Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities include the Excel Web Connectivity Kit. The Connectivity Kit includes
detailed instructions for creating Web queries, as well as several
sample queries. For more information, see "Microsoft Excel 97
Web Connectivity Kit" in Appendix A, "Microsoft
Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities."
|
| | World Wide Web For more information about Excel Web queries, connect to the Excel 97 Web Queries Web site at:
|
| |
This section describes the Web Form Wizard addin, which you can use to create dataentry forms on your intranet. The Web Form Wizard is available in Excel 97 for Windows. |
- Create an ODBCcompliant
database on the server.
- Insert, delete, or update
records in the database based on user input.
- Query
the database based on user input.
When you create a Web form for a server running IIS, the Web Form
Wizard generates four files:
- The Web form itself, which
is an Excel workbook.
- An Access
MDB file to contain the data records generated with the Web form.
Each control of the Web form is mapped to a field in the
Access database. When creating the Web form, you can specify that
you want user submissions to be appended to an existing
Access database instead of creating a new database.
- An
IDC file to record information about the user and data source.
- An
HTX file that describes the confirmation reply sent to the user's
Web browser after the user submits data.
Web Forms and CGI
If you are running CGI on your Web server, you can use Web forms
to add records to a tabdelimited database. You can then
import this database into Access or Excel for further manipulation or analysis.
When you create a Web form for a server running CGI, the Web Form
Wizard generates three files:
- The Web form itself, which is an Excel workbook.
- A Perl script to parse the users' submissions and insert them into a tabdelimited text file.
- A text file that contains the parsed data. The first record of the text file contains the Web form's control names.
Creating a Web Form
Creating a Web form involves the following steps:
- Design the form in Excel, and then start the Web Form Wizard.
- Specify
the controls or cells on the worksheet in which the user will
supply data and specify the corresponding labels for each control
or cell.
- If you are running your Web server
under Windows NT Server, specify whether your Web server
runs IIS or CGI.
- Specify whether Excel should save the Web form as an Excel workbook
– or –
If you are using FrontPage to administer your Web
site, add the Web form to your FrontPage Web and specify the path
to which to save the form.
- Specify the confirmation
message and the URL path to the database where the data is to
be submitted.
- If you are running IIS, add an
ODBC data source and edit the IDC file created by the Web Form
Wizard.
Each of these steps is described in more detail in the following
sections.
Design the Web Form and Start the Web Form Wizard
When you design a Web form in Excel, use only the Forms
toolbar (View menu, Toolbars submenu). The Web Form
Wizard only supports forms created with the Forms toolbar.
It does not support controls created with the Control Toolbox
or by any other means.
The wizard converts control names to database field names according
to the following rules:
- a to z are
accepted without restrictions.
- A to Z
are converted to lowercase.
- 0 to 9
are accepted as long as they do not appear at the beginning of
a control name.
- All other symbols are ignored.
- All
control names must be unique. If the Web Form Wizard encounters
duplicate control names, it numbers them sequentially.
Tip When
entering control names in worksheet cells, add a colon to the
name — for example Address: The Web Form
Wizard now adds both the label and the cell reference to the list
of available controls. This saves you from having to add the labels
and cell references manually to the list.
The Web Form Wizard generates a Submit Info button and
adds it to the Web form. Do not create a Submit Info button
yourself.
Tip When
using worksheet cells as data input fields, you can use the data
input features in Excel, such as data validation (Data
menu), conditional formatting (Format menu), and cell and
object protection (Format menu). For more information about
using these data input features, see Excel online Help.
To start the Web Form Wizard, click the Web Form command
(Tools menu, Wizard submenu). The wizard displays
a Welcome panel; click Next to continue.
Specify the Data Input Controls and Cells
In Step 2 of the wizard, select the data input controls you want
to use. You can remove any of the values that appear in the Controls
and cells box or add values that do not appear.
For detailed information about these options, click the Help
button.
Specify Your Web Server Software
In Step 3, specify the software running on your Web server: IIS
or CGI. You can create or add to an Access database only if your Web server is running IIS. For CGI Web servers, the Web Form Wizard creates a tabdelimited file. You can later import this file into Access or Excel for more analysis.
For detailed information about these options, click the Help
button.
Choose the Results Format and Path
In Step 4, specify whether you want the form to be saved as an
Excel workbook on your Web server or added to an existing
FrontPage server by clicking one of the following options:
- Save the result as an Excel file
If you select this option, you must also specify a location in the File path box.
- Add the result to your FrontPage Web
If you select this option, you must have a Web site
open in the FrontPage Explorer. If FrontPage is not running, the
Web Form Wizard starts it, and you must then open a Web site.
In the File path box, specify a location on your Web
server where you want the Web form and its related files stored.
If the path you specify differs from the path of the workbook
in which you initially designed the form, you must also specify
a Web form file name. The other files created by the Web Form
Wizard are given the same base file name. For example, if you
name your Web form Address.xls and specify a CGI interface, the
Web Form Wizard creates Address.pl (the Perl script) and Address.txt
(the tabdelimited text file) in the same location as Address.xls.
For detailed information about these options, click the Help
button.
Design the Confirmation Message
In Step 5, design the confirmation message you want returned to
the user's Web browser after the user has submitted data.
In the URL path box, type the HTTP address of the location
of the database file or tabdelimited file you specified
in Step 4 of the wizard.
For detailed information about these options, click the Help
button.
In Step 6 of the Web Form Wizard, click Finish to complete
your Web form.
Add an ODBC Data Source and Edit the IDC File on Your Web
Server (IIS only)
If you selected an IIS Web server in Step 3 of the wizard, you
must add an Access system data source in the ODBC control
panel and then edit the IDC file created by the wizard on your
Web server. You may also want to move the files created by the
wizard to different folders on your Web server.
Tip For
better security you can move the IDC, HTX, and MDB files to a
folder on your Web server with execute access but not read access.
Set these properties for the folder through IIS Directory Properties.
The XLS form itself, however, must remain in a folder with read
access.
To
add an ODBC system data source
- On the Windows NT Server 4.0 Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
– or –
In Windows NT Server 3.51, doubleclick
Control Panel in the Main group in Program Manager.
- Doubleclick ODBC.
- Click the System DSN tab, and then click Add.
- In the Create New Data Source dialog box, click Microsoft Access Driver, and then click Finish.
- In the Data Source Name field, enter a descriptive name for your Excel Web form; for example, Commuter Survey Form.
- If you want to apply an authorization logon name and password, click
Advanced.
This is not required to submit records to the database through the Web form you have created.
- Click Select, and then select your MDB file on your Web server.
From this point on, do not move your MDB file from this location.
To
edit the IDC file
- On your Web server, open the IDC file created by the Web Form Wizard in a text editor.
- In
the IDC file, replace the text Your
data source with the data source name you specified
in the preceding procedure.
- If you also specified
an authorization logon name and password, replace the text Your username and Your
password with the values you specified.
- Connect to the Internet
from a remote location and download messages.
For example, a traveling salesperson can check for
new email while on the road.
- Use rules
to process incoming and outgoing email.
For example, a user can have Outlook file all messages
from a particular Internet address in a separate folder.
- Send
and receive group scheduling meeting requests.
For example, a meeting organizer can send a meeting
request to offsite clients or suppliers.
- Assign
tasks and receive notification when tasks are updated or completed.
For example, a manager can send a task request to
an employee who works at home.
When a user types an Internet email address in the To
box, Outlook automatically resolves and properly formats the address
by removing spaces and changing commas to periods. For example,
if a user types R_King @ NorthWind,com Outlook formats
the address as R_King@NorthWind.com
Using Hyperlinks in Messages
Outlook automatically recognizes Internet addresses (URLs) in
the body of email messages and converts them to hyperlinks.
Internet users can click the hyperlink to view the Web page with
Microsoft Internet Explorer (included with Office) or another
Web browser.
When you type one of the following Internet protocols in the text
box of an email message or other item, Outlook creates a
hyperlink from the text. If the Internet address includes spaces,
you must enclose the entire address in angle brackets (< >).
For example, type <file://c:\My Documents\MyFile.doc>
| Internet protocols recognized by Outlook
|
| file |
https |
Outlook |
| ftp |
mailto |
prospero |
| gopher |
news |
telnet |
| http |
nntp |
wais |
Using Outlook as a Web Browser
Outlook provides a number of ways to organize and display Web
pages. Users can use the Contacts list to keep track of contacts'
Web sites, open the Web history folder from within Outlook, or
create and share a catalog of Web sites in a public folder.
Keeping Track of Contacts' Web Sites
Outlook provides a way to keep an Internet address for each contact
in the Contact list, so you can go directly to a contact's Web
page from Outlook. While this feature is useful in individual
contact lists, it can also be used by a workgroup. For example,
a sales department can maintain a list of customers in a public
folder of Outlook contacts. The public folder could include a
custom view that shows each customer's name, business phone number,
email address, and Web address.
Follow these general steps to create a list of contacts' Web addresses
in a public folder.
- Set up a public folder
that can contain contact items.
For more information about how to set up public folders,
see "Microsoft Exchange Public Folders" in Chapter 31, "Workgroup Features in Microsoft Outlook."
- Create
or modify a view to show only the Full Name, Business Phone, Email,
and Web Page fields.
- Add or import contacts
to the public folder.
Using the Web History Folder in Outlook
The Windows\History folder contains a list of shortcuts to recently
visited Web sites in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. Unlike
most folders, the History folder cannot be viewed or opened from
within Outlook. (Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 uses shell
extensions that are not compatible with Outlook.) To use the History
folder from within Outlook, create a shortcut to the History folder
and keep it in the Favorites folder.
To
create a shortcut to the Web History folder
- In the Windows folder,
rightclick the History folder, and then click Create
Shortcut on the shortcut menu.
- On the Outlook
Bar, click the Other group, and then drag the shortcut
you just created from Windows Explorer to the Favorites folder
in the Outlook Bar.
Tip To
use a shortcut in the History folder from within Outlook, click
Favorites in the Other group on the Outlook Bar,
doubleclick the shortcut to the History folder, and then
doubleclick the shortcut you want in Windows Explorer.
Creating a Catalog of Web Sites to Share
If your organization uses the Web as a source of information and
also uses Exchange Server as a mail server, you can
set up a public folder to organize Web site shortcuts for users.
Keeping Web site shortcuts in a public folder gives users a way
to collect, categorize, sort, and group the Web sites in different
ways. When a user doubleclicks a shortcut, the Web browser
starts up and displays the Web page.
Follow these general steps to create a catalog of Web sites in
a public folder:
- Set up a public folder
that can contain mail items.
For more information about how to set up public folders,
see "Microsoft Exchange Public Folders" in Chapter 31,
"Workgroup Features in Microsoft Outlook."
- Create
or modify a view to show only the fields you want to use.
- In
your Web browser, locate a Web page you want to include in the
catalog and create a shortcut to the Web page.
In Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, you create
a shortcut with the Create Shortcut command (File menu).
- In
Outlook, open the public folder you created and drag the Web page
shortcut from your desktop to the public folder.
- For
each Web page you want to add to your catalog, create a shortcut
and drag it to the public folder.
|
Customizing the View of a Web Page Catalog
You can create a custom view to organize a list of Web sites for
your organization. For example, you can create a table view that
includes custom text fields for owner, audience, address, and
page type (such as internal, customer, supplier, and so on). Users
can click the field headings to sort Web sites by any of these
fields.
|
- Doubleclick the HTML file that corresponds to the PowerPoint animation file.
In Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or Netscape
Navigator version 2.0 or later, the PowerPoint animation
plays directly in your Web browser.
In Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 or Netscape Navigator 1.22,
a hyperlink to the PowerPoint animation is displayed; click the
hyperlink to play the animation.
When you are ready to publish the presentation on the Web, copy
both the PPZ file and the HTML file to a folder on the server.
You must also set up the Web server so that it supports PowerPoint
animations.
To
add a PowerPoint animation to your Web site
- Copy the PPZ and HTML files
created by the Save as HTML Wizard to a folder on the Web server.
- Add
a hyperlink from an existing Web page to the new HTML file.
Tip You
can also use FrontPage to add a PowerPoint animation to your Web
site. For information about FrontPage, see "Tools for Intranet Creation and Administration" in Chapter 24, "Integrating
Microsoft Office with Your Intranet."
The procedure for setting up the Web server depends on the browser
you want to support and the software on the server. If users are
viewing Web documents with Netscape Navigator 2.0 or later,
configure the Web server to send the PowerPoint animation files
as a special type of file to avoid having users receive the message
"Netscape was unable to find a plugin for application/octetstream."
Add the following Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)
mapping to the server.
| For this PowerPoint file type
| Add this MIME mapping
|
| PPT | application/mspowerpoint
|
| PPZ | application/mspowerpoint
|
| PPS | application/mspowerpoint
|
| POT | application/mspowerpoint
|
| | If you are using the Microsoft Internet Information
Server (IIS), set up the Web server to support PowerPoint animations
by modifying the Windows registry. In the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\InetInfo\Parameters\MimeMap,
add the following value entries:
|
- "application/mspowerpoint,ppt,,5"=""
- "application/mspowerpoint,ppz,,5"=""
- "application/mspowerpoint,pps,,5"=""
- "application/mspowerpoint,pot,,5"=""
For more information about MIME mapping, consult the documentation
for the server you are using. For more information about the PowerPoint
Animation Player, point to Microsoft on the Web on the
PowerPoint Help menu, and click Product News (requires
Internet access).
Using PowerPoint Central
| | In Windows, you can click PowerPoint Central (Tools
menu) to open a special presentation that contains hyperlinks
to Internet sites and the Office Value Pack. PowerPoint
Central is included when you choose a Typical installation during
Setup.
|
- Search the Internet for a word or short phrase from within Word using Microsoft Internet Explorer AutoSearch.
Internet searching is enabled just by installing the Lookup template on a client computer (assuming the client has a properly registered browser and Internet access).
- Search Web Find Fast indexes on your intranet.
Web Find Fast index searches require that you use the System Policy Editor to change Windows registry settings, as described in "Enabling Searches of Web Find Fast Indexes" later in this section.
| | Note Although Web Find Fast searching is not supported directly in Word 98, you can search Web Find Fast indexes through a Web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. For more information, see "Supporting Web Find Fast" in Chapter 26, "Finding Microsoft Office Documents on the Network."
|
| | Tools and Utilities The Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities include the Word Internet Lookup template. For information about installing the template, see "Word Internet Lookup Template" in Appendix A, "Microsoft Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities."
|
