Configuration Manager

Contents

2. Configuration Manager overview

3. Areas
    3.1 Areas overview
    3.2 Add an area
    3.3 Edit basic properties of this area
    3.4 Configure theme 'Theme name' for area n
    3.5 Reset properties of theme themename for area n (Area Name)
    3.6 Delete an area

4. Site
    4.1 Site configuration

5. Alerts

6. Concluding remarks

1. Introduction

1.1 Features

1.1.1 Area features

• Bazaar Style Style: Edit layout and style at Area level and enable/disable BSS at section and page level. For an introduction to BSS see chapter Bazaar Style Style.
• Areas (general): An Area is separate part of the website. To a visitor of the website an Area appears as a site on its own. Areas can be public (accessible to everyone) or private. Private Areas (also called Intranets) are only accessible with a login name and a password.
• Set Public/Private: Once an Area is created (either public or private) the choice cannot be made undone. This is a security feature.
• Set Active/Inactive: Any time public and private Areas can be set to active or inactive and vice versa. Inactive means that pages and sections in that the Area are completely inaccessible, even if the URLs are known.
• Merge/Split: The content of Areas can be merged with other Areas. An Area can also be split into more Areas. Merging or splitting are done in the Page Manager, section 3.3 Advanced: Edit advanced properties of page n.
• Add: Add an Area to the site, set its name, select public or private Area, set data folder name, select theme for the Area.
• Basic properties: Edit the basic properties of the area: name, area active/inactive, add meta data to the pages in the Area, select the theme for the area.
• Theme Configuration: Configure the options for the chosen theme. The available options depend on the chosen theme. Please see the Table of contents for the available themes.
• Reset theme: Reset the theme to its default values. This feature is for pupils that learn CSS. When they have created a mess, they can return to basic settings.
• Delete: Delete an Area. The Area must be empty, i.e. all sections and pages must be moved or deleted.
• Home: Set the Area as the 'home' i.e. starting point of the site.
• Sort order: In the list of Areas the desired order can be set.

1.1.2 Site features

1.1.3 Alerts features

1.2 Assumptions

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2. Configuration Manager overview

configurationmanager_overview.png

Explanation:

• Menu: Pane with an overview of the selectable managers:
  • Areas: Clickable link to the Area manager, discussed in 3. Areas.
  • Site: Clickable link to the Site manager, discussed in 4. Site.
  • Alerts: Clickable link to the Alerts manager, discussed in 3. Alerts.
• Workplace: Pane to manage the various options of the managers. No manager selected.

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3. Areas

3.1 Areas overview

configurationmanager_areas_overview.png

The list of areas is shown, the Areas link is underlined.

Explanation:

• Add an area: Link to the Add an area dialogue. See paragraph Add an Area.
• Home icon: A visible home icon indicates the default (opening) area of the site. grayed out home icons indicate that these areas are not the opening ones.

  NOTICE:
  When no Home icon is set, the Area with the lowest number in the sort order will be the opening Area. For Sort order, see paragraph Edit basic properties of this area.

• Trashcan icon: To delete an area, it must be empty.
  Deleting an area is further discussed in section 4.6 Delete an area
• Pencil icon: Clickable link that gives direct access to the theme configuration. See paragraph 3.4 Configure theme 'themename' for area nn.
• (public/private )Name of the area (nn,nn) (inactive): One clickable link that gives direct access to Edit basic properties of an area, see paragraph 4.3 Edit basic properties of this area.

  The different parts of this link refer to:

  • (public/private): Whether this is a public or a private area.
  • Name of the Area: The Area name will be displayed on the website.
  • (nn,nn): The first number indicates the number of the area. It is given to the area when the area is created. The last number indicates the sort order in this row.
  • (inactive): The site is not operational, invisible and cannot be found, even when the URL is known.

3.2 Add an area

configurationmanager_area_add.png

Explanation:

• Name: Enter the name of the Area. The name is visible in the theme and in the browser title, i.e the wording you see at the very top of your browser.
  The name may contain dicritical characters. Enter at least a space; this produces no name at all. This can be useful in some themes.
• Private area [ ] Mark this area as private (cannot be changed later on): A private are is a non-public area, i.e. an Intranet, only accessible with a username and password.

  NOTICE:
  Take care! Once an area is selected as a private area, it cannot be changed to a public area. Also, when an area is selected as public, it cannot be changed to a private area. This is a security feature.

• Data folder: Enter the name of the data folder for this area. Accepted symbols are: [a-z], [A-Z], [0-9], '.' (dot), '-' (dash) and '_' (underscore). The folder name must start with a character or digit and spaces are not allowed.

  Keep the name short and descriptive. Best practice is to limit the mane to lowercase letters, digits and underscores and no longer than 12 characters

  If the name is not acceptable, this results in an error message. Website@School tries to construct a suitable directory name based on your input. If this occurs, accept the suggested name or enter a name that is acceptable and click [Save].

  Every area has an associated data directory. In general files that belong to an area should be stored in this directory. Note that every user also has a personal data directory. This directory should be used for personal files only, and not for files related to the area.

• Theme: In the dropdown menu a theme for this area can be selected.

  A theme is a set of configurable properties. Together the configured properties define the visual appearance of an area. The configuration of the properties is done in the Configure theme 'themename' for are n dialogue, see 3.4 Configure theme 'themename' for area n.

  The theme can be changed to another theme. The old theme and its configured properties are retained, so you can return to the previous theme and it's configured properties, provided you have not reset it's configuration to default values. In this way, one theme can have many configurations of its properties, thus quite differing visual appearances.

• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

configurationmanager_area_addded.png

NOTICE:
Do not forget to add a page to the area. If no page is added, this results in a painful message for the visitors:

configurationmanager_area_addded_no_page.png

3.3 Edit basic properties of this area

configurationmanager_area_basic_properties_edit.png

Explanation:

• Name: The name of the area can be changed. The name may contain diacritical characters.
• Active area [  ] Mark the area as active: - Active: an area must be active before any files can be served.
  - Inactive: if an area is inactive, it is as if it does not exist. But, the rule of thumb is: everything is public except what is not public, so please read the notice below.

  NOTICE:
  1. In general any file in the data folder of any active public area can be retrieved by anyone as long as the name of the file is known.
  2. If an area is inactive, no files can be retrieved, even if the name of the file is known. In other words: once an area is inactive, to a visitor it appears that neither the area nor the files exists anymore.

  NOTICE:
  The same active/inactive conditions also apply to pages in areas. Once an area is inactive, to a visitor it appears that the pages in that area no longer exist. Even if the URL of the page is known, the page cannot be retrieved.

• Private area [  ] Mark the area as private (cannot be changed later on): The checkbox is grayed out, i.e. you cannot use this option. Once an area has been selected as public or private in 4.2 Add an area, this selection cannot be undone.
• Data folder (pathname cannot be changed): Once set in 4.2 Add an area, this path cannot be changed.
• Metadata: Default:

  <meta name="keywords" content="school website, websiteatschool, primary
    education, secondary education, freire, freinet, habermas, learing tool, it
    learning tool, ict learing tool, ict, bazaar style sheet, bss, screen reader,
    braille reader, braille terminal, learning html, learning css, free software,
    exemplum, site@school, siteatschool, websiteatschool.eu">
    <meta name="description" content="Website@School is a website content 
    management system (CMS) for schools">
  

  Here valid HTML code can be added as it is used between the >head< and </head> tags. The code added here can be understood by search engines. For an overview of possibilities and exaggerated expectations see for example http://searchenginewatch.com/2167931 and for an explanation http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_meta.asp, a link about keyword phrases http://www.seologic.com/faq/keyword-optimization.

• Sort order: The order in the list of areas, as shown in the Areas overview and the Page Manager overview. It's the second number in the name of the Area. With every created area the number is increased with 10, enabling you to add other numbers in the row, thus creating an easy to use list.
  When the sort order numbers were changed, the user has to logout and login again to have access to the Page Manager.
• Theme: To change the theme. When changing to another theme, the old theme configuration of the area is retained, so it's possible to go back to the previous theme and its configuration.
• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

3.4 Configure theme 'Theme Name' for area n

The Bazaar Style Style options for themes are the same for every theme and are extensively discussed in chapter Bazaar Style Style, paragraph 3.1 BSS at Area level

3.5 Reset properties of theme themename for area n (Area Name)

configurationmanager_area_reset_properties.png

NOTICE:
Take care! It is a good idea to copy and paste complex style information to a safe location before resetting a theme.

3.6 Delete an area

To delete an area, in the Areas overview, click the Trashcan icon to open the Confirm delete of area Area Name dialogue:

configurationmanager_area_delete.png

• Delete: To delete your work and return to the area managers main screen.
  
• Cancel: To cancel your unwise action and return to the Page Manager main screen. It's wiser to make the Area inactive.

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4. Site

NOTICE:
If you do not know what you are doing here, it might be better to leave the Site configuration untouched.

4.1 Site configuration

configurationmanager_site_configure-top.png

configurationmanager_site_configure-bottom.png

• Internal version number (do not change): Website@School has two version numbers:
  - An external version number: i.e. the release number, for example 0.90.0.
  - An internal version number: for example 2011010100. This number is composed as yyyy-mm-dd-serialnumber. It indicates the version of the database structure. As soon as the database structure is changed, this version number also changes. Do not change the number because it's is used when installing updates.

  See also chapter Tools, paragraph 6. Update Manager.

• Security code: Its'a SALT. In cryptography, a salt consists of random bits that are used as one of the inputs to a key derivation function. The security code is a quasi random generated string. Each Website@School installation has its unique security code. This feature makes the session key unique, which adds extra security to passwords and prevents taking over a session. It's a security feature.
• Session name: WASDATA is the name of the session cookie. Changing this name adds a bit of extra security. After changing the name, it's necessary to log out and log in again.
• Session expiry interval (seconds, default 86400): Defines when a user session is timed out, in this case after 86400 seconds, i.e. one day. After one day of user inactivity, the session is timed out, the user is logged out and an error message is displayed.

  Also see chapter Logging in and out, paragraph 4. Error messages.

  The expiry interval can be a point of discussion. It can be lowered, in which case the risk of losing work becomes higher. It can be extended which blocks a page in use longer, resulting in error messages for another users who want to edit that page.

  NOTICE:
  The best option is to leave it as it is and to save! your work often and/or deploy some other activity in Website@School management, in which case the session time is renewed, every time you click something.

• Maximum allowed login attempts (default 10): After a maximum of 10 wrong logins, the user is asked if he wants to go to the 'Forgotten your password? procedure. If he persists in logging in, he is blacklisted. See items below. This is a security feature.
• Login failures interval (minutes, default=12): The time window in which the blacklist is consulted before deleting a users failed login attempts. So, a user has to wait 13 minutes before he can undertake a new login attempt. This is a security feature.
• Valid bypass interval (minutes, default 30): This item refers to the 'Forgotten your password?' procedure.
  After sending the first mail, containing the one time code, the user has 30 minutes to read and enter the one time code. If the time is exceeded, the one time code expires.
  After the one time code is successfully entered, a second email is sent with the temporary password. Again there is 30 minutes time to renew the password. If the time is exceeded, the temporary password expires. This is a security feature.

  NOTICE:
  It's easier to remember your password than to do the forgotten password procedure. For details, also see chapter Logging in and out, paragraph 3. Forgotten your password?.

• Blacklist interval (minutes, default 8): The time a user is put on the blacklist. In this period, the system is unaccessible for that user.
• Website title: The text between the <title> and </title> tags. This title is only visible in Website@School Management and in the browser title bar. The title is not visible on the site. This field may be left empty. In that case it is not shown in the browser. This is a feature for users with a braille terminal or screen reader.
• Website From: e-mail address: This e-mail address is used for outgoing mail, e.g. alerts and password reminders.

  This feature enables a From: address that differs from the Reply-to: address. The From: address must be a valid e-mail address from the sending mail server.

  This is a useful feature when Website@School is installed at an ISP (Internet Service Provider) that uses an address like exemplum@isp.com, in case the ISP has no valid address for the webserver at that domain. Also read the next item below.

  For details, see RFC 5322: Internet Message Format on http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5322.

• Website Reply-To: e-mail address: For example the webmaster Wilhelmina Bladergroen: w.badergroen@exemplum.eu, or webmaster@exemplum.eu if you prefer a functional address.
• Default language (2-letter lowercase code, default 'en'): The language that is used in the login screens and on the site itself, e.g in the [Go] button in the Areas dropdown menu.

  Also see chapter Tools, paragraph 3.2 Add a new language where the two letter code is used when adding a new language.

  NOTICE:
  After logging in, the user can have her preferred language, also see chapter Account Manager, under 3.2.1 Basic, under Lanuage and Redirection (where to go after login).

• Number of items per screen (in long lists): This feature cuts long lists in manageable screens, for example in lists like the Log viewer in the Tools Manager, or the list of all users in the Account Manager.
• Maximum number screens (in long lists): An intuitive feature to easily browse and search in lists. Instead of a long explanation observe this example:
  < 1 2 3 4 5 6...>
  Page 4 is visible now and is in the invisible 'window' that tries to keep the used page in the middle of the row for easier searching and navigation. Try it and enjoy.
• Default editor: When a user is created, this is the default editor.

  Three editors are available:

  • CKEditor: the default WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) editor, also the best choice for blind and visually impaired. What a difference one character makes :-).
  • FCK editor: a WYSIWYG editor for older browsers.
  • Plain editor (Text Area), to edit plain HTML.
  In the user properties a user can select her preferred editor. Also see chapter Account Manager, paragraph 3. Users.

  NOTICE:
  - With a new installation, the CKEditor is selected as default.
  - With an upgrade the existing accounts keeps their selected editor (FCKeditor or Plain editor). New accounts get the editor as set in Configuration > Site.
  - In case of an upgrade, the default editor is only changed to CKEditor if the FCKeditor was the previous default editor. If the Plain editor was selected in the previous version, the default editor stays Plain. Obviously the webmaster had good reasons for selecting it.

• Use proxy friendly URLs:
  - Proxy friendly: Produces a file path like, for example /file.php/areas/exemplum/image.png.
  - Proxy unfriendly: produces a file path like, for example: /file.php?file=/areas/exemplum/image.png

  Why proxy friendly? Many proxy servers see the question mark in the path as dynamic data which they do not buffer because 'dynamic' means the data can differ after each request.
  However, an image is static data and thus does not change. When the question mark is in the path, the proxy server will still request the image from the server, over and over again.

  This feature is useful, for example in a school with Website@School installed at an ISP that has little or expensive bandwidth. If the school has a proxy server, each time pupils request a certain page with static data, the server gets it from the proxy servers cache and not from the server somewhere on the web.

  NOTICE 1:
  Proxy friendly URLs do not function at the Dutch ISP XS4ALL. Also see Appendix A: XS4ALL installation. NOTICE 2:
  Advice: leave it on proxy friendly, unless your webserver has trouble working with virtual paths and links in pages are unaccessible. NOTICE 3:
  Do not change this setting after your Website@School installation is already in use for some time. It could be the case that you have to update a lot of links. After the installation, check if proxy friendly URLS function. If not, uncheck the box. Then create users.

• Fully qualified path to CLAMAV virusscanner program: During the installation, the install wizard tries to find the path to the free (not as in beer) CLAMAV virus scanner, but not other virus scanning software. If found clamdscan is the first preference because of it's speed. Otherwise, if available clamscan is used. If one of them is found, the box (see below) is automatically checked.
  If, for some reason, the box is checked and the virus scanner does not function, this results in an error message.

  NOTICE:
  It's a good idea to check the virus scanner after installation. Also see chapter Installation, paragraph 4. After the installation.

• [ ] Scan files for viruses on upload: See above. If unchecked files are not scanned on upload. This is a security risk. On a school server it's virtually impossible to prevent the upload of malicious material.
• Maximum number of files per upload (non Java): That says exactly what it is. Also see chapter File Manager, paragraph 3. Managing files.
• Maximum height and width for thumbnails: Thumbnails are automatically created [1] for the FCK editor in a 100 pixels square, in which the image always retains its aspect ratio. The longest side, either horizontal or vertical, is reduced to 100 pixels. This keeps thumbnailed images undistorted and image lists in a proper, well spaced row. [1] If supported by GD, see the next item.
• Maximum height and width for automatically resized images: Default is 800 x 800. Sets the maximum size (width or height, depending on landscape or portrait format of images).
• List of allowable extensions in File Manager(comma delimited): Only allowed extensions, entered comma separated with no spaces.

  NOTICE:
  Thumbnails are created with the GD support. Also see chapter Installation, paragraph 2.7 Compatibility which image extensions are supported.

  NOTICE:
  It is a good idea to only allow images that are supported by GD. By preventing the upload of unsupported images, for example .bmp, uploading and displaying on the internet will be faster. Use a program like Irfanview http://www.irfanview.com/ to resize, convert and manipulate images

  Also see chapter Editors, paragraph 2. FCK editor.

• List of extensions recognised as images (comma-delimited): Only allowed extensions, entered comma separated with no spaces.

  The FCK editor recognizes images and shows them as thumbnails when inserting. Unrecognised images extensions, for example .bmp are shown as question marks and not as thumbnails. Also see chapter Editors, paragraph 2. FCK editor.

• List of extensions recongised as flash (comma-delimited): Only allowed extensions, entered conna separated with no spaces.
  The FCK editor als recognises the flash extension.

  Also see chapter Editors, paragraph 2. FCK editor.

• [  ]Add new pages/sections at the end: Default, newly created pages and sections are set at the top of the Area or a section. When this option is checked new pages appear at the end of an Area or section.
• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

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5. Alerts

Alerts are sent:
- to the person who installed Website@School (with the initial e-mail address of the installer)
- to Amelia Cackle (also with the same initial address)

The person who installed Website@SChool gets all changes for the ellapsed time period once per 24 hours at the most. 

The alert for Amelia Cackle are sent 1x per hour. She receives all changes on Area #2 (the intranet when demodata is installed).

Fine grainded alerts for
- 'every' change
- a change in one or more areas
- a change on one or more nodes (pages/sections)
can be sent to users with an account or without account.

Possibilities:
You can make an alert for a teacher on a page owned by a pupil. When the pupil changes something on his page, the teacher receives an alert, only for that page.

The e-mail addresses of the alerts are not bound to an account, but are completely separated. This is done to be able to send alerts to addresses that have NO account. 
In this way, a visitor can take a subscription to the changes on a certain page.  For example: subscribe me to this page with the advertisement 'for sale'. When something changes in the price of the advertised articles,  the visitor automatically receives an alert.

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6. Concluding remarks

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