Mailpage

Contents

2. Adding the module

3. Configuration options
    3.1 Content
        3.1.1 Configure: Mailpage configuration
        3.1.2 Destination: Mailpage destinations overview
            3.1.2.1 Destination: Add new destination address
            3.1.2.2 Destination: Edit destination address
    3.2 Advanced options

4. The module in practice: tips
    4.1 Error: no destination address for page nn
    4.2 Change texts in the Translate Tool
    4.3 Sort order

5. CAPTCHAs and visually impaired

6. Concluding remarks

1. Introduction

1.1 Features

• No unreadable or unintelligible pictures like this CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turingtest to tell Computers and Humans Apart). No challenging math questions like (1 + 1= ?) or silly questions and puzzles.
• The Mailpage can be used by visually impaired or blind persons and users of text-only browsers.
• The number of Mailpage pages is unlimited, i.e. every Area (site) and/or section in an Area can have its own Mailpage.
• Every Mailpage has a cofigurable header and introduction text.
• On a Mailpage, a dropdown menu enables selecting a destination from a configurable list.
• Depending on the selected destination in the dropdown menu, a configurable short info text is displayed.
• A simple form can be made for one or all destinations on a Mailpage.
• Before submitting the mail, it is displayed for re-editing.
• After sending the mail, its content is retained on screen for saving, cut & paste or printing.
• A per destination configurable 'Thank you' message is displayed together with the IP address of the sender.
• Easy replying to received messages; just use the Reply function in your mail program.
• Usable without Javascript (for users with braille terminals or text-only browsers).
• Anti-spam measures.

1.2 Description of the the module

When you are on the Exemplum home page, i.e. the demonstration data, either click the toplink Contact or click the section 'School info' and next the page 'Contact' to enter the Mailpage module:

mailpage_mailpage_site_open.png

The Mailpage has, from top to bottom, the following items:

• Header text: Demonstration text: Configurable header
• Introduction text: Demonstration test: This introduction text is configurable too.
• Destination: Drop down menu. Default demo content: Principal and Webmaster, principal selected.
• Desciption of the selected address: Default demo text: Principal: Please send all your educational questins to our principal, Amelia Cackle.
• sName (requred): Entry field. Example text: M. Johnson
• E-mail (required): Entry field. Example text: m.johnson@example.edu
• Subject: Entrij field. Example text: A. Reese to Exemplum High
• Message (required): Entry field. Example text:

  Dear Mrs. Cackle,
  To our great joy, Andrew is accepted!
  More to follow.
  With amicable greetings,
  Mary
  
• Below the message entry field are 2 buttons: [Preview] and [Cancel].

Clicking [Preview] opens the next screen where you can examine your work, [Cancel] reopens the Mailpage without any data entered.

When Javascript is not used or disabled, the two descriptions of the demonstration data are displayed:

mailpage_mailpage_site_open_no_javascript.png

Below the dropdown menu both the introduction texts of Principal and Webmaster are visible:
- Principal: Please send all your educational questins to our principal, Amelia Cackle
- Webmaster: Please send all your website-related (technical) questions to our webmaster.
Allother fields are the same.

After entering at least the required fields, clicing the [Preview] button opens the Preview page:

mailpage_mailpage_site_preview.png

The Preview page has, from top to bottom, the following items:

• On the top of the page is the Preview header. Thereunder are 6 fields with example data.
• From: "M. Johnson" <m.johnson@example.edu>
• To: "Principal"
• Subject: A. Reese to Exemplum High
• Date: Day, nn Mon yyyy hh:mm:ss GMT,
• IP-address: nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn
• Message:

  Dear Mrs. Cackle, To our great joy, Andrew is accepted! More to follow. With amicable greetings, Mary

• Under the meaage are 3 buttons: [Edit], [Send] and [Cancel].

Clicking [Edit] reopens the previous screen for re-editing, [Candel] reopens the Mailpage without any data entered.

Pressing the [Send] button opens the Message has been sent page:

mailpage_mailpage_site_sent.png

The 'Message has been sent' pane has, from top to bottom, the following items:

• Meaasge has been sen: Demo header text. Thereunder 6 fields with example data.
• Demo text: Thank you for your message. Please allow 2 days for a reply from Amelia.
• Intro text: Default demo text: Here is a copy of your message
• From: "M. Johnson" <m.johnson@example.edu>
• To: "Principal"
• Subject: A. Reese to Exemplum High
• Date: Day, nn Mon yyyy hh:mm:ss GMT,
• IP-address: nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn
• Message:

  Dear mrs. Cackle, To our great joy, Andrew is accepted! MOre to follow. With amicable greetings, Mary

Below is the content of the mail as received by the Principal:

Subject: [7] Message from 12.34.56.78.: A. Reese to Exemplum High
From: (M. Johnson) m.johnson@example.edu
To: Principal
Subject: A. Reese to Exemplum High
Date: Day, nn Mon yyyy hh:mm:ss UTC-offset
IP-address: nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn (nn)
Message:
Dear Mrs. Cackle,
To our great joy, Andrew is accepted!
More to follow.
With amicable greetings,
Mary

On the first subject line the [n] indicates the page number and 'from:' shows the (fictional) IP address of the sender. The (nn) is the time in seconds it took to create the message.
Using the 'Reply' function in your mail program automatically puts the email address M. Johnson <m.johnson@example.edu> in the To: field.

If, in the configuration of the Mailpage only one address is created, the dropwdown menu is not displayed:

mailpage_mailpage_site_open_one_address.png

Mailpage with only the header text, intro text, name, e-mail, subject, message and 2 buttons: Preview, Cancel.

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2. Adding the module

In the Page Manager, select the Area or Section and click on the Add a page link to enter the Add a page dialogue:

mailpage_mailpage_module_add.png

Fill out the fields as described in Page Manager, paragraph 3.1 Add a page.
In the Moudle dropdown menu, select the module. Do not forget to select Visible, Hidden or Embargo. Click [Save] to save your work and return to the Page Manager.
Now click on the Page Name to enter the Module Name (modulename) configuration dialogue. In the next paragraph the module will be configured.

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3. Configuration optionsns

3.1 Content overview

mailpage_content_overview.png

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Using the link Configure in the submenu you can add an optional header and an optional introduction to the mailpage. Also, it is possible to enter a default message. The visitor will see this default message in the message field. This allows for a simple way to let the visitor answer multiple questions in a single message.

Using the link Destinations in the submenu you can add new destinations, or edit or delete existing destination addresses.

Note:
The mailpage requires at least one valid destination address.

[Cancel]

3.1.1 Configure: Mailpage configuration

mailpage_content_configure.png

• Mailpage configuration
  Here you can configure the Mailpage module for this page. You can add an optional header and an optional introduction to the mailpage. Also, it is possible to enter a default message. The visitor will see this default message in the message field. This allows for a simple way to let the visitor answer multiple questions in a single message.
• Header: Default demo text: Configurable header. If nothing is entered, there will be no header. In the Menu, selecting the Advanced link, you can add style elements to the header in the 'Extra style at page/section level', as example:
  

  /* Blue header text */
  .mailpage_header {
    color: #0000FF;
  }
  

  to create a blue font color.
• Introduction: Default demo text: This introduction text is configureable. If nothing is entered, there will be no introduction text. HTML markup can be used.
• Default message: Defaolt demo text: empty. If a message is entered in this field, it will be visible on all destination message fields.
  This feature makes it possible to create a standard message or a simple form like:

  YEARLY PLEASURE TRIP
  Choose by removing 2 options:
  A. Zoo
  B. Botanical Garden  
  C. Field trip. 
  
  Name of pupil:       Group:
  Can you assist? Yes No
  Kind regards,
  Amelia
  

mailpage_mailpage_configure_default_message.png

3.1.2 Destination: Mailpage destinations overview

mailpage_mailpage_content_destinationss.png

Mailpage destination overview
Here you can configure destination addresses for the Mailpage module for this page. You can add a new destination address, edit an existing destination address or delete an existing destination address.

Note: The mailpage requires at least one valid destination address.

• Add new destination address: Click the link to enter the Add new destination address dialogue:
• Name (nn): The name of an already configured address. Click here to open the Edit destination address dialogue.
  To delete a destination, click the Trashcan icon.

  NOTE:
  NO warning message! Deletion is immediate.

• Name (nn): see above.
• [Cancel]: To cancel your action and return to the Page Manager.

3.1.2.1 Destination: Add new destinations address

mailpage_content_destinations_add_destination.png

• Name: Example demo text: Senior Pupils. The name that is visible in the Mailpage dropdown menu.
• E-mail address: Example demo text: seniors@exemplum.eu. The destination email address. Please double check to avoid sending delivery failures or mails that will be lost in some cloud.
• Description: Example demo text: Please send us a message. When the destination address is selected from the dropdown menu, this short text is displayed.
• Thank you text: Example: Thank you for your message.
• Sort order: Example: 30. This number defines the sort order in the dropdown menu and in the list in the Mailpage configuration dialogue.
  See also 4. The module in practice: tips, under 4.3 Sort order
• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

3.1.2.2 Destination: Edit destinations address

mailpage_content_destinations_edit_destination.png

Edit destination address
Here you can modify destination addresses. You MUST configure at least one destination address for this module to work.

• Name: Example: Website@School. The name that is visible in the Mailpage dropdown menu.
• E-mail address: Example: info@websiteatschool.eu. The destination e-mail address. Please double check to avoid sending delivery failures or mails that will be lost in some cloud.
• Description: Example: The Development Team welcomes your comments. When the destination address is selected from the dropdown menu, this short text is displayed.
• Thank you text: Example: Thank you for your kind cooperation
• Sort order: Example: 30. This number defines the sort order in the dropdown menu and in the list in the Mailpage destinations overview dialogue.
  See also 4. The module in practice: tips, under 4.3 Sort order
• Save, Done, Cancel: Please see Save, Done, Cancel in the Basic procedures for beginners.

3.2 Advanced options

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4. The module in practice: tips

4.1 Error: no destination address for page nn

mailpage/mailpage_mailpage_site_no_address.png

You added the module, but forogot to configure it.

4.2 Change texts in the Translate Tool

43: Preview
51: Message has been sent 
52: Here is a copy of your message.

4.3 Sort order

5. CAPTCHAs and visually impaired

• Wikipedia: Captcha: "A CAPTCHA (an acronym for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart") [...] is a type of challenge-response test used in computing to determine whether or not the user is human. [...] The most common type of CAPTCHA [...] requires that the user type the letters of a distorted image, sometimes with the addition of an obscured sequence of letters or digits that appears on the screen." For examples of CAPTCHA's, please see the link below.
• An excellent article with many examples and inspirng advice by David Bushell: In Search Of the Perfect CAPTCHA, published in SMASHING MAGAZINE-For Professional Web Designers and Developers.
• Another article on Slashdot: Campaign To Kill CAPTCHA Kicks Off. The summary:
  Bismillah writes "CAPTCHA may be popular with webmasters and others running different sites, but it's a source of annoyance to blind and partially sighted people — and dyslexic people and older ones — who often end up being locked out of important websites as they can't read wonky, obfuscated letters any more than spambots can. A campaign in Australia has started to rid sites of CAPTCHA to improve accessibility for everyone."

  The complete story: Campaign to kill CAPTCHA kicks off.

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6. Concluding remarks

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