James H. Zisch - Computer Services

Solutions : Page Generators : Item Compare

 

Item Compare

PRICE:  $149.99 (subject to change without notice)

Description
Requirements
Usage
FAQs

Description

Item Compare provides a comparative display of detailed information for items assigned to a same category, subcategory or manufacture. This comparative display assists users to locate items and make decisions quickly. They simply check the items to be compared, then click Compare.

Invocation

Supported via POST method passing valid Item Compare Controls and their respective values as input. Item Compare Controls consist a check boxes for each item contained in a list and the Compare button(s). The controls are automatically created when page as generated using via Category List, Subcategory List and Manufacture List by simply references contained in their respective page templates. Item Compare is also supported on static pages by simply inserting the Compare Controls manually into those pages.

Results

Results include items grouped by sorted alphabetically and formatted using a fully customizable template. Template processing automatically generates links and controls supporting:

Any data item defined within the Item Information Dataset (IID) may be referenced within Item Compare's template. Special format handling supports item specification data defined within the IID for enhancement to the comparative display.

Special formatting is provided for display of item features and specifications information contained in the IID. This provides a more comprehensive detailing of this item information.

Web Server Requirements:

  • Operating Systems Supported: Unix, Linux, Macintosh OS X® and Windows®
  • HTTP 1.x with CGI (Common Gateway Interface) PERL 5.x (check with your ISP or Server Administrator; this requirement is typically supported on most systems)
  • Optional: SENDMAIL (supported on most all Unix/Linux platforms), or PERL NET:SMTP (available from CPAN) (commonly used on Windows® server platforms) with an SMTP system pre-installed and configured. This optional requirement supports automatic email notification to the webmaster when execution errors are detected.
  • Optional: For configurations using an RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) data source requires a supported RDBMS, the PERL DBI module and the RDBMS specific DBD module to be previously installed and configured

Item Compare
Installation and Usage

FILENAME: e.html

PURPOSE: Describes Item Compare dependencies, requirements, installation and usage.

DEPENDENCIES:

jhzcs.pl - JHZ-CS configuration and common logic modules (see: jhzcs.html)
IID (Item Information Dataset)

REQUIREMENTS:

e.cgi
e.htm ( Item Compare results template)

Optional:

Support for Text Search and Banner Rotator System requires those components to be installed and configured according to their specifications. Inclusion of Special Template markup supporting those components must also be included within the templates supported by this product.

PACKING (PARTS) LIST

PACKING LIST
PRODUCT ID: IC
COMPONENT TYPE SIZE AUTH*
cgi-bin/dbmtabs/dbmparms.txt TEXT 1501 750
cgi-bin/dbmtabs/dbmtabs.incl TEXT 1970 700
cgi-bin/dbmtabs/dbmtabs.pl TEXT 1998 750
cgi-bin/geog.pl TEXT 11750 750
cgi-bin/jhzcs.pl TEXT 47225 750
cgi-bin/license.incl TEXT 7565 700
cgi-bin/pg/e.cgi TEXT 17395 750
cgi-bin/pg/e.incl TEXT 13391 700
cgi-bin/pg/pg.pl TEXT 13315 750
css/pg/pg.css TEXT 3008 750
data/IID/c.dat TEXT 15117 700
data/IID/i.dat TEXT 2584820 700
data/IID/m.dat TEXT 15181 700
images/JHZCS.gif BINARY 745 750
images/compare/compare.gif BINARY 212 750
logs/errorlog.txt TEXT 91 750
tmpls/pg/e.htm TEXT 4593 750
*AUTH - Authorization/permissions octal equilvalents where:
7=RWX, 6=RW, 5=RX, 4=R (R=Read W=Write X=Executable)
1 char indicates Octal number
2 char Owner
3 char Group
4 char All Others

INSTALLATION:

It is strongly recommended that you read the entire installation process steps prior to performing any installations. Each solution has specific instruction that must be followed precisely.

The Installation Process

The installation process follows this order:

  1. Download solution to PC development platform and expand installation package (use any standard archive application such as WinZip®, StuffIt Expander® or TAR command)
  2. Modify configuration settings
  3. Upload to server
  4. Set access authorization permissions
  5. Test
  6. Customize Templates
  7. Test

Authorize non-Logic Components

Authorize non-logic components as follows:

  • authorized all images for read and execute access; see NOTE FOR NON-LOGIC COMPONENTS below
  • authorized all static HTML ".html" documents for read access; see NOTE FOR NON-LOGIC COMPONENTS below
  • authorized all HTML Templates ".htm" documents for read access at the logic level; see NOTE FOR LOGIC COMPONENTS below
  • authorized all images for read and execute access; see NOTE FOR NON-LOGIC COMPONENTS below.

NOTE FOR NON-LOGIC COMPONENTS: Use the minimum required permissions to achieve most secure configuration; permission requirements for non-logic modules are dependent on the server configuration whether authorization is required for group only or for both group and other.

Modify Logic Components

Modify all logic components "*.cgi" and "*.pl" logic modules as follows:

  • first line of code (#!) correctly points to the PERL executable on the server (use command "which perl" or consult your server administrator)
  • all "requires" statements contained in all "*.cgi" and "*.pl" logic modules must use absolute directory paths (beginning with a forward slash "/")

Authorize Logic Components

Authorize logic components and dependent components (HTML and Email templates, and others) as follows:

  • authorized as all "*.pl" logic modules for read access; see NOTE FOR LOGIC COMPONENTS below.
  • authorized as all "*.cgi" logic modules for read and execute access; see NOTE FOR LOGIC COMPONENTS below.
  • authorized all HTML and Email Templates documents for read access at the logic level; see NOTE FOR LOGIC COMPONENTS below

NOTE FOR LOGIC COMPONENTS: Use the minimum required permissions to achieve most secure configuration; permission requirements for logic modules are dependent on the server configuration whether authorization is required for owner only (i.e., Apache with SUExec active), or for both owner and group.

TEMPLATES:

Customize Item Compare results template for content and appearance as desired.

Uploading to Web Server

All dependent and required components must be installed and successfully configured. All components, with the excpetion of images, must be FTP uploaded as TEXT. Images must be FTP uploaded as BINARY.

TEST:

Test installation and configuration by invoking e.cgi from a web browser from a page containing Item Compare controls. These controls consist of:

  • HTML Form definition
  • Item Compare button(s)
  • Item Compare check boxes
  • hidden Item Compare item number text fields
  • HTML Form terminator

The values for Item Compare markup and controls must be hard coded within static page. Within dynamic page templates the values for the Item Compare markup and controls must be coded using special markup variables to assure proper dynamic generation of the appropriate values when the list pages containing them are produced. JHZ-CS Dynamic Real-time Page Generators supporting Item Compare markup and controls are:

c.cgi - Category List
s.cgi - Subcategory List
m.cgi - Manufacture List

Verify generated links to item categories, subcategories, manufacture and detail page for the items displayed in the Item Compare results page.

Any variable contained in IID may be referenced using the variables (column header name) wrapped in less than greater than pairs. Variable names may not contain spaces.

Two special keywords support variable reference for translation to web page anchor names, anchor references and CGI URL parameters. This allows use of referenced variables that equates to an item value containing embedded spaces causing them to be translated/escaped: 

	ANCHOR
	PARAM

EXAMPLE: 

	c.cgi?c=<<category PARAM>> 
	
	<a href="#<<category ANCHOR>>"> 

	<a name="<<category ANCHOR>>">

Special mark-up within Item Compare Template must respect group order sequence to support nested repeating groups.

Indentation illustrates nesting relationships: 

<!-- Page Header End --> 
<!-- Categories List Header Start --> 
<!-- Categories List Header End --> 
<!-- Categories Repeat Line Start --> 
<!-- Categories Repeat Line End --> 
<!-- Categories List Footer Start --> 
<!-- Categories List Footer End --> 
<!-- Cat Group Start --> 
	<!-- Cat Header Start --> 
	<!-- Cat Header End --> 
	<!-- Cat Entry Start --> 
	<!-- Cat Entry End --> 
<!-- Cat Group End --> 
<!-- Page Footer Start -->

USAGE:

Following successful installation and satisfaction of dependencies and requirements, "e.cgi" may be invoked via an HTML Form using either GET or POST methods. The invoking page must contain the required Item Compare markup and controls. Both static and dynamic page templates may contain the Item Compare markup and controls. JHZ-CS Page Generators (except Item Detail with parameters), Item Search and Text Search resulting output automatic generate Item Compare Controls.

Display the page containing the Item Compare controls. Select the items to compare by clicking the check boxes for the desired items, then click the Compare button and the Item Compare results page will display its results.

FAQs

Do I need any other products in order to use Item Compare?

No. Simply remove the markup to the other products in the results template. You will need to use the IID to maintain the data used for the compare.

Can I add new data columns to the results template?

Yes. You may refer to any existing data column within the IID. Add the new data column to the IID prior to referring to it.

JHZ-CS Solutions are distributed exclusively under terms and conditions of the JHZ-CS Software License Agreement.