CODI - Channel Your Efforts to Limitless Content: How to Set Up Channels in 4.0

Dennis Todd, SirsiDynix

Channels concept based on uPortal.

Step by step: Publishing a channel.

Who can create a channel? SA user. Any SA user on Horizon can create channels in HIP.

Channels use a wizard for publishing. You can choose from: custom, applet, image, inline frame, portlet, RSS, web proxy, WSRP, XML transformation.

Choose your channel type.
Channel name.
Channel description (this is what displays to the users.)
Be sure to click "finished" on the final review screen to save your channel.

inline frame & web proxy are for web
custom: as if you're writing a program in uPortal.

Image channel required fields:

• URL of the image
• image dimensions
• hyperlink for the image (optional)
• caption and sub-caption (optional)

Cannot add ALT text for an image--this will be an accessibility problem.
A workaround is to do it as HTML.

Inline frames required fields:

• URL of the HTML document

• height of the frame

hint: don't make your frame too short. If a channel isn't tall enough for the content, it will give you a scroll bar.

[audience question] What is the recommended monitor resolution? Developers used 1280x1024 but HIP does adjust to any resolution nicely.

Web proxy channel required fields:

• URL (required)
• enable HTML filter (turn on)

Web proxies demand well-formed HTML. Use an HTML validator and look up valid HTML to find out how to do it correctly.
Don't assume because it worked in the browser that it's ok. Dennis said that browsers are more forgiving of HTML inconsistencies now, and you really need to use an HTML validator.

So what's the difference between inline frames and web proxy?
Inline frame keeps the fonts, sizes, etc of the URL
If you want a consistent look and feel for your HIP, use web proxy.

RSS feeds
for example: the NYT Best Seller list as RSS
[audience question] Does clicking a link in an RSS feed open in the same window or a new one? It opens in a new window.

RSS required fields:

• URL of the feed
• RSS version of the feed

Dennis said for HIP, regardless of the version the feed says it is, it works best if choosing "RSS 0.9x" [OK, but what if you're podcasting?!? Then the feed must be RSS 2.0 to support enclosures, will HIP support this? --ks]

RSS hint: use RSS validator

Create your own RSS feeds!
You could use the shareware $39.00 FeedForAll

Luke plugs Blogger because it's free! and easy to use...it's what I use for our library RSS feeds

(i thought his name was Neil--if not, let me know & where you're from!)... said they use an RSS feed for new books! I'd like more info!

also mention of Casey Durfee from Seattle PL and his RSS coding

Dennis' final tip: if you modify a channel

• delete the channel from the layout & re-add it.
• completely close your browser & re-open it.