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Using Office with a Web Server

How to Participate in a Discussion on an OSE-extended Web

To participate in a discussion, users must specify an OSE-extended web for the discussion. If there is more than one OSE-extended web available on your network, users can maintain a list of the addresses of multiple OSE-extended webs. However, one of those servers must be specified as the current OSE-extended web. After users specify a server, they can contribute to discussions in Microsoft Office applications or in their Web browser.

Specify the current discussion server

Users can view and participate in discussions stored only in the database of their current OSE-extended web. Typically, a department establishes one OSE-extended web, and users specify that web as their current discussion web. Unless the OSE-extended web is renamed or more OSE-extended webs are set up, users never have to adjust this setting.

To view and participate in discussions stored on another server, a user must make that server the current server. A user collaborates on the same server through an Office application or in a Web browser.

Tip If you set up multiple OSE-extended webs, you can allow different departments to conduct independent and secure discussions in the same document. However, use this feature carefully to avoid confusing users about which discussion server to use for a document.

To specify the current discussion server or add discussion servers to the list

On the Tools menu in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft PowerPoint, click Online Collaboration, and then click Web Discussions.
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In Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later, on the View menu, click Explorer Bar, and then click Discuss.
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In Internet Explorer 5, on the Standard toolbar, click the Discussion button.
On the Collaboration toolbar, click Discussions, and then click Discussion Options.
Select a server in the Select a discussion server box. The server you select becomes the current server.
To add a new discussion server to the list, click Add.

Note Users can connect to only one discussion server at a time — the current server. This restriction prevents users from opening two instances of an Office application or Web browser where each points to a different server.

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Contribute to a discussion in an Office document

After users specify their current discussion server, they can collaborate on shared documents in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

To contribute to a discussion in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

Open a document, and then save it.
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Create a new document, and then save it.
On the Tools menu, click Online Collaboration, and then click Web Discussions.
To begin a new inline discussion thread in Word, position the insertion point at the desired location in the document, click Discussions on the Collaboration toolbar, and then click Insert in the Document.
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To insert a general discussion in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, click Discussions on the Collaboration toolbar, and then click Insert about the Document.
Type the subject and text of the discussion item, and then click OK.
Discussion text can include formatting and hyperlinks.

The discussion item is sent to the current OSE-extended web of the user, and then the discussion item is stored in the database. The following list identifies the properties that are stored with each discussion item.

Date and time

Display name
This is the name you create during Office 2000 Setup. You can modify the display name on the User Information tab in the Options dialog box (Tools menu).

Microsoft Windows NT account name
If the user does not have a Windows NT account, the account name appears as Anonymous.

In a shared document, each discussion item is displayed with an action button. Clicking the action button displays a menu for users to reply, edit, or delete the item. Right-clicking the button displays the shortcut menu, where users can delete the entire discussion thread — if they have permission.

Action button for a Web discussion item

Contribute to a discussion in a Web browser

After users specify a current discussion server, they can collaborate on shared documents in a Web browser.

To contribute to a discussion in Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or later

On the View menu, click Explorer Bar, and then click Discuss.
The Discussions toolbar appears at the bottom of the Microsoft Internet Explorer window.
Open the document in Web Folders.
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Type the URL in the Address box.

The Discussions bar in Internet Explorer 4.0 or later

To contribute to a discussion in Internet Explorer 3.0, or in Netscape Navigator

On the OSE Start Page, type the URL of the document in the Use Web Discussions by entering a document’s location box, and then click Go.
The document opens and displays a frame-based Collaboration toolbar to view and contribute to discussions.

The frame-based Collaboration toolbar

Note Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 and Netscape Navigator users can view and contribute to discussions, but all discussion items (including inline items) are displayed in a frame separate from the document. Only Internet Explorer 4.0 or later displays inline discussions directly in the document.