Enhancing the LitCrit Outlook Application

The existing LitCrit Outlook® application used by the Fitch & Mather book club needs changes to work with the Corporate Media Library (CML) application. The goal is to modify LitCrit behind the scenes to support interaction with the CML, while preserving as much as possible the original user interface. For a description of the LitCrit application, see The LitCrit Application in Stand-Alone Operation.

The LitCrit Outlook application needs the following key changes and additions:

• Add the ability to determine if the critique-enhanced CML is available. When the CML is not installed critiques cannot be added to the FmLib database and the approval process cannot be implemented. Business Logic in the Outlook Form describes how the LitCrit Outlook application verifies the enhanced version of the CML is available.
• Maintain the ability of the enhanced LitCrit Outlook application to function as a stand-alone application and preserve the capabilities of the book club's Outlook form. When the Critique-Enhanced CML is Missing describes how the Outlook application changes when the critique-enhanced CML is not installed.
• Detect the setting of the Approval Required switch. This setting turns the approval process on and off. Adding Application Settings describes how the Approval Required switch is implemented.
• Add a dialog box that allows reviewers to choose whether to make a critique available to the CML. Adding the Add Critique to Library Dialog Box describes the dialog box that allows reviewers to share critiques with the CML.
• Add a dialog box that enables reviewers to search the library using full-text search and select a title from the Fitch & Mather library to critique.
• Add an option for reviewers to choose the form that initially appears when they click New LitCrit on the Actions menu. Add Critique to Library dialog box describes how to select a default form.
• Display the existing critique for edit when a reviewer attempts to critique a title that he or she has previously reviewed. This limit of one critique per reviewer per title only applies to critiques that are shared with the CML. Choose Title dialog box describes how this rule is implemented. A reviewer can submit multiple critiques for a title if the critiques are only posted to the LitCrit public folder and are not available to the CML.
• Deny the reviewer the ability to edit a critique that is pending approval by an administrator. Applying One Set of Business Rules and Choose Title dialog box describe how this rule is implemented.
• Add routing to the LitCrit public folder that mails the critiques to an approver when the CML application is available and the Approval Required switch is set to Yes. The script in LitCrit_Agent.asp describes routing in the LitCrit Outlook application.
• Add the ability to add, delete, and update records in the FmLib database. When the critique-enhanced CML is available and a reviewer chooses to share a critique with the library, records are added or updated in the Critique table of the FmLib SQL Server™ database. If the approver rejects a critique, the Critique table record is deleted. Server-Side Critique COM Component discusses the methods of the COM component that performs database updates.