The HelpDesk Sample Start Page

March 1998

Welcome to the HelpDesk, a free, 24,000-line sample application that shows you how to build a fast, practical, fully extensible Web-based application. This sample was created and documented by the MSDN team.

The sample is an intranet application for reporting and resolving tech-support problems. It uses various Microsoft technologies, such as Microsoft Transaction Server, ActiveX Data Objects, Collaborative Data Objects, and Active Server Pages, as parts of a complete package. To get started right away, go to the setup article, which contains a link to the sample file.

Here are the articles documenting the design and development of the HelpDesk sample:

"The HelpDesk Sample: Overview of an Automated Solution"

Discusses the MSDN HelpDesk sample, the sample's architecture, and its various components.

"MSDN HelpDesk Sample Installation and Deployment"

Explains the installation process for the HelpDesk sample. Familiarity with Windows NT, the registry, and Microsoft Transaction Server will help. Includes instructions for:

• Database and server installation
  
  
• Creating the database and setting up the data source
  
  
• Client installation
  
  
• Non-MTS installation
  
  
• Creating and registering the HDClient object.
  
  
• Passing calls to the server.
  
  
• Using Microsoft Transaction Server.
  
  
• Making the architecture more scalable.

"HelpDesk Sample Development Issues"

A series of behind-the-scenes looks at developing the HelpDesk sample. Including:

• Midstream design changes
  
  
• MTS deployment
  
  
• MTS, registry, and debugging issues related to the HelpDesk setup program
  
  
• Joining a new development team

"The HelpDesk Administration Explorer"

Explains how to build an Explorer-like application in Visual Basic to administer the HelpDesk. Familiarity with ActiveX Data Objects and Microsoft Transaction Server will help. (11 pages). Covers:

• Using COM components in an n-tier architecture
  
  
• Using the VB Application Wizard
  
  
• Populating tree views and list views
  
  
• Manipulating domains via COM objects
  
  
• Using a resource file for icons and localization strings

"Visual Basic Clients for the HelpDesk Sample"

Explains how to build two clients in VB, with standard controls and HelpDesk COM servers providing the interface to the back end. Familiarity with VB, ActiveX controls, and COM will help. Covers:

• Using COM components in an n-tier architecture
  
  
• Populating list views
  
  
• Creating context pop-up menus
  
  
• Using a resource file for icons and localization strings

"DHTML, Data Binding, and a HelpDesk Technician Client"

Explains how to create a transaction-processing client application with Visual Basic and Dynamic HTML. Familiarity with VB, COM, and DHTML will help. Includes:

• A discussion of data binding in a client/server application
  
  
• How to build a data source object in Visual Basic 5.0
  
  
• How to create an expandable table in DHTML

"The HelpDesk Sample Database Architecture"

Describes the SQL Server 6.5 database used in the HelpDesk system. Familiarity with relational data modeling and Transact-SQL will help. (8 pages) Covers:

• HelpDesk data entities
  
  
• The HelpDesk database schema
  
  
• Stored procedures

Creating the HelpDesk database

"Designing the Transaction-Processing Object Model for the HelpDesk"

Explains how to create an n-tier, transaction-processing object model. Familiarity with NT and Visual Basic 5.0 will help. (8 pages) Covers:

• Microsoft Transaction Server(MTS)
  
  
• ActiveX Data Objects (ADO)
  
  
• Writing components that are encapsulated, generic, and/or stateless

"Viewing HelpDesk Activity: A DHTML System Monitor"

Explains how to build a browser-based statistical monitoring application for the HelpDesk system with DHTML and an ActiveX control. Familiarity with DirectAnimation, Visual Basic, Dynamic HTML, and SQL will help. Covers:

• How and when to capture data
  
  
• Writing the DHTML client
  
  
• Manipulating the DirectAnimation graphics control
  
  
• Scriptlets

"A Web Application for Handheld Transaction-Processing Clients"

Discusses the issues involved in building a transaction-processing Web application for Microsoft Windows CE. Familiarity with VB, COM, ASP, and HTML will help. Explains:

• How to set up a "thick" server to support the handheld client
  
  
• The capabilities provided by the Windows CE client to a mobile technician
  
  
• How to overcome some of the technological limitations of the handheld platform

"Task Distribution in the HelpDesk Customer Service System"

Explains the data model and Transact-SQL code behind the HelpDesk's task-distribution system. Familiarity with T-SQL will help. Covers:

• The process and model for assigning HelpDesk tasks
  
  
• Searching the database for an appropriate technician
  
  
• Optimizing the system

"The HelpDesk API Reference"

Details the functions, properties, and constants of the HelpDesk COM components.