eScience Lectures Notes : Reports

Slide 1 : 1/9: Dynamic web pages

COMP1710 Tools for New Media and Web

Dynamic web pages

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Slide 2 : ToC : Reports

Table of Contents (9 slides) for the presentation :

Reports

• Slide 1 : Dynamic web pages
• Slide 2 : ToC : Reports
• Slide 3 : Dynamic web pages
• Slide 4 : Client-side scripting
• Slide 5 : Server-side scripting
• Slide 6 : Dynamic sites
• Slide 7 : Mixing Client and Server sides
• Slide 8 : Web content management system
• Slide 9 : ToC : Reports

Slide 3 : 3/9: Dynamic web pages

Dynamic web pages

Web navigation

provides an interactive experience over static content

Client-side scripting

changes behaviour within a web page

Server-side scripting

changes pages between pages, e.g. changes sequence

Slide 4 : 4/9: Client-side scripting

Client-side scripting

Use of presentation technology, "rich interfaced pages"

E.g. Javascript for DHTML

Or ActionScript for Flash.

Both frequently used to modify media types (sound, animations, changing text, etc.)

They only appear to be dynamic as they change their look without having to reload

Slide 5 : 5/9: Server-side scripting

Server-side scripting

Created with the help of server-side languages

such as PHP, Perl, ASP, ASP.NET, JSP, ColdFusion and other languages.

These server-side languages typically use the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) to produce dynamic web pages.

Things you can do

Changing the supplied page source between pages, adjusting the sequence or reload of the web pages or web content supplied to the browser. Server responses may be determined by such conditions as data in a posted HTML form, parameters in the URL, the type of browser being used, the passage of time, or a database or server state.

Can also use client-side scripting on the same pages

From DHTML to DOM scripting

Slide 6 : 6/9: Dynamic sites

Dynamic sites

Content and design live separately

content lives in a database that is placed on a webpage only when needed or asked for

Benefits

quicker page loading

can update own website content with limited web design expertise

Client side

content is generated on the client's computer

• browser retrieves a page from the server
• processes the code embedded in the page (usually Javascript)
• displays the retrieved page's content to the user

Server side

content generated on server

• client sends the server the request
• server receives the request and processes the server-side script such as PHP based on the query string, HTTP POST data, cookies, etc.
• For example:

<?php
 
//the contents
$contents = array
(
"nothing in page 0",
"page 1 is here",
"page 2......"
);
//output the current date
echo "Current Date:" . date('r') . "<br />";
 
//echo the content of the page based on the query string
echo "content for this page: " . $contents[$_GET['page']]; 
 
?>

• The output is sent to the browser. If the URL is like this: http://example.com/content.php?page=1, the content will be:

  Current Date:Thu, 21 Dec 2000 16:01:07 +0200<br />
  page 1 is here
  

Slide 7 : 7/9: Mixing Client and Server sides

Mixing Client and Server sides

AJAX (shorthand for asynchronous JavaScript and XML)

Ajax is a newer web development technique for dynamically interchanging content with the server-side, without reloading the web page. Google Maps is an example of a web application that uses Ajax techniques.

Like DHTML and LAMP, Ajax is not a technology in itself, but a term that refers to the use of a group of technologies. Ajax uses a combination of:

• HTML and CSS for marking up and styling information.
• The DOM accessed with JavaScript to dynamically display and interact with the information presented.
• A method for exchanging data asynchronously between browser and server, therewith avoiding page reloads. The XMLHttpRequest (XHR) object is usually used, but sometimes an IFrame object or a dynamically added <script> tag is used instead.
• A format for the data sent to the browser. Common formats include XML, pre-formatted HTML, plain text, and JSON. This data could be created dynamically by some form of server-side scripting.

Slide 8 : 8/9: Web content management system

Web content management system

Capabilities

CMS facilitates document control, auditing, editing, and timeline management

Automated templates

Create standard output templates (usually HTML and XML) that can be automatically applied to new and existing content, allowing the appearance of all content to be changed from one central place.

Easily editable content

Once content is separated from the visual presentation of a site, it usually becomes much easier and quicker to edit and manipulate. Most WCMS software includes WYSIWYG editing tools allowing non-technical individuals to create and edit content.

Scalable feature sets

Most WCMS software includes plug-ins or modules that can be easily installed to extend an existing site's functionality.

Web standards upgrades

Active WCMS software usually receives regular updates that include new feature sets and keep the system up to current web standards.

Workflow management

Workflow is the process of creating cycles of sequential and parallel tasks that must be accomplished in the CMS. For example, a content creator can submit a story, but it is not published until the copy editor cleans it up and the editor-in-chief approves it.

Delegation

Some CMS software allows for various user groups to have limited privileges over specific content on the website, spreading out the responsibility of content management.^[4]

Document management

CMS software may provide a means of managing the life cycle of a document from initial creation time, through revisions, publication, archive, and document destruction.

Content virtualization

CMS software may provide a means of allowing each user to work within a virtual copy of the entire Web site, document set, and/or code base. This enables changes to multiple interdependent resources to be viewed and/or executed in-context prior to submission.

Slide 9 : ToC : Reports

Table of Contents (9 slides) for the presentation :

Reports

• Slide 1 : Dynamic web pages
• Slide 2 : ToC : Reports
• Slide 3 : Dynamic web pages
• Slide 4 : Client-side scripting
• Slide 5 : Server-side scripting
• Slide 6 : Dynamic sites
• Slide 7 : Mixing Client and Server sides
• Slide 8 : Web content management system
• Slide 9 : ToC : Reports