HTML panel content

technopak · Post by **technopak** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:55 pm

Hi everyone,

I've been trying to import a HTML page into a panel on my Administrator perspective.

Even though I import the various files including a background image, and they are present subsequently in the Aware IM sub-directories, the background doesn't display. It does display correctly when I open the HTML page in a browser, but not in my Aware application.

Any suggestions why not ?

Thanks in advance,

Peter

aware_support · Post by **aware_support** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:01 pm

This feature does not support sub-directories - you need to put all images and other resources into one directory. (the HTML page should refer to the images accordingly - without a sub-directory)

technopak · Post by **technopak** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:10 pm

Thanks support,

My files are all in the same directory, not sub-directories.

Earlier, I meant that my files are imported into Aware and are in the Aware sub-directories - or that's what a search reveals

Peter

aware_support · Post by **aware_support** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:49 pm

This should work. You are doing something wrong, but I can't tell you what. Check out sample applications where this feature is used extensively and then compare to what you are doing.

Or maybe it's a browser caching problem and you just need to refresh the browser.

technopak · Post by **technopak** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:07 am

I've browsed the various sample applications, and I'm unable to find any instances where an image is used as the background to a HTML page.

Does Aware support background images ?

In an attempt to create HTML panel content, here's what I've done -

1. Create a basic HTML page in Dreamweaver.
2. Place my image files in the same directory as the HTML page.
3. Set the page background to an image file from the directory
4. Insert a table into the HTML page
5. Insert a button image from the directory into the table, centered on the page
6. Add a hyperlink to the button image (linking to an Aware process)
7. Save and open the HTML page in a browser - and it displays correctly

8. Open the configuration tool in Aware
9. Click the import button in the Main content panel of my Administrator perspective, and browse to the directory containing all the files. Click Save.
10. Save the updated configuration.

Result - my application opens with my link image in the middle of the main area, but no background image displays, just a white background is shown.

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but I don't know what.

Further comment much appreciated !

pbrad · Post by **pbrad** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:34 am

If you export the imported html again, are all of the graphics in the export folder? I suspect that the import function may not be pulling in the background image that the html file references and so if you manually dump that image into the relevant AwareIM folder the problem may be resolved.

Pete

tford · Post by **tford** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:13 pm

If Pete's suggestion happens not to solve this, you might want to use DISPLAY URL in a process as described at:

http://www.awareim.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3087

technopak · Post by **technopak** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:54 pm

Thanks Pete and Tom for the input.

I did what Pete suggested and the HTML page exports correctly to a new folder on my desktop and displays correctly with the background image in place.

Following Tom's advice, I must admit that I didn't understand how to use the technique referred to at http://www.awareim.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3087 to place my HTML in the content panel. Where exactly do I place the DISPLAY URL action was my question ?

Tom's suggestion did lead me to a success of sorts - I noticed that panel content can be specified by a Command in the perspective's Selected Panel configuration.

I poked around a bit there and discovered that if I place my HTML file in the c:\AwareIM\Tomcat\webapps\AwareIM directory (which is where the import had placed my image files), I can then specify an URL as part of the Command settings. I clicked the ...... button beside Command, gave the item a name, chose URL as the type, and specified my HTML filename in the URL field.

I then saved my update to the BSV and tested the application, and found my HTML page to be displayed correctly in the content panel of my perspective.

So I have managed to accomplish my goal in a trial and error kind of way. The relevant segment from the Guide says -

'Command

Select this option if you want Aware IM to run the specified command and display its results inside the content panel. You must click on the button next to the radio button to specify which command to run. You do it in much the same way as when defining the system menu (see Setting Menu Properties). For example, you may define a command that runs a process and displays its results inside the content panel. Or you can define a command that goes to a particular URL and shows it inside the content panel.'

Based on this, I could probably have placed Tom's DISPLAY URL action in a process and used the Command option to fire the process, filling my content area with beautiful HTML. But I haven't tested this ......

I still don't know what I was doing wrong with a standard import of my HTML page, but using the Command option and Tom's URL suggestion, I've got it to work. Provided you don't mind manually dumping the HTML files in the Aware directory, the Command option works very well indeed.

Now ..... I'm off to try get the links to my Aware processes to work !

Peter

tford · Post by **tford** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:16 pm

Based on this, I could probably have placed Tom's DISPLAY URL action in a process and used the Command option to fire the process, filling my content area with beautiful HTML. But I haven't tested this ......

Yes, that is correct Peter.

technopak · Post by **technopak** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:28 pm

Once again, kudos and respect to Tom, Pete and others who help enormously with the learning curve that Aware presents us all with.

Many thanks !

Peter