University of Missouri - Columbia Archives


Policy Number 10: Posting Files to the Web Server
12/2000


1. POLICY:

All newly created and approved UMC Archives finding aids will be posted to the appropriate Record Group and Record Subgroup pages on the Archives Web page.

2. PURPOSE:

All University Archive collections will be described in HTML finding aids, for the purpose of enhancing user awareness of and access to the holdings of the University Archives.

3. SCOPE:

This policy applies to all University of Missouri - Columbia staff members and student workers.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES:

4-1. It is the responsibility of the University Archivist to approve all newly created finding aids prepared for posting to the Web site.

4-2. The Technical Services Archivist under the direction of the University Archivist constructs, updates and maintains the HTML files, WWW directories, templates, HREF links, and JPEG and GIF image files which comprise the University Archives' Web site. The Technical Services Archivist also documents and communicates to the rest of the staff any changes or updates in templates or posting procedures.

4-3. All Archives staff and student workers are responsible for posting approved findings aids to the Web site, according to the procedures outlined below.

5. DEFINITIONS:

5-1. WS-FTP - File Transfer Protocol. A program used to transfer files from a local PC to the UM-System Web file server.

5-2. GIF, JPEG - Graphics Interchange Format, Joint Photographic Experts Group. Image-encoding formats used to display images on a Web server.

5-3. HREF - an HTML attribute used to specify the URL of any valid document or image for retrieval and display by the web browser.

5-4. HTML - Hypertext Markup Language. A document-layout and hyperlink-specification language. It defines the syntax and placement of special, embedded directions that tell a Web browser how to display the contents of a document. HTML is a subset of the more general SGML, Specialized General Markup Language.

5-5. Remote Web Site - The HTML files and directories for the University Archives Web site maintained on a Web File Server by UM-Systems Computer Support unit.

5-6. Local Web Site - The HTML files and directories resident on the local WS-FTP directory on the hard-drives of individual PCs in the University Archives. When files have been edited, reviewed, and approved they are transferred to the Remote Web Site using WS-FTP.

5-7. CD-R - The recording media used to copy the Remote Web Site files resident on the UM-System Web File Server for security and protection reasons. The notation stands for Compact Disc - Recordable.

6. PROCEDURES:

6-1. Each finding aid must have a file name that fits it within the Archives' system.

6-1-1. The file name distinguishes whether the record is a Columbia or a University Wide record, what Record Group it belongs to, and its Subgroup number. The file name c-rg1-s2.html indicates that the record is a Columbia campus record, the item is part of Record Group #1, and it is Subgroup #2. Some Record Subgroups are so large that finding aids are prepared individually for the Series of the Subgroups. The file name c-rg1-s2-1.html indicates that the finding aid describes Series#1 of Record Group #1, Subgroup #2. A uw in place of the c indicates the item is a University Wide record. The Subgroup number is derived from the Web Postings Book; each Record Group has its own table of Web files created and loaded on the server, and the number is chosen as the next chronological number available.

6-1-2. Files that deal with policies, procedures, and other subjects dealing with the administration of the Archives, have names that indicate what they are, e.g., holdings.html for the Holdings title page and coll-pol.html for the Collection Policy and Donor Information page. Try to use no more than eight characters before the .html suffix, if possible.

6-1-3. Files that make up Internet exhibits will be named descriptively and stored in the main Web site directory. Images used in exhibits and in finding aids are stored in the Images directory of the remote Web site.

6-2. In order to transfer the finding aid file from the computer to the systems account for the Internet, you need to enter the WS-FTP program. Either click on the appropriate icon on your computer screen, or go through the Programs Menu.

6-2-1. When the WS-FTP screen appears, set Profile Name as system.missouri.edu.

6-2-2. Set Host Name/Address as system.missouri.edu.

6-2-3. Set Host Type as UNIX [standard].

6-2-4. Set User ID as your e-mail id, i.e. hollandm.

6-2-5. Enter the archives password.

6-2-6. You are in the University Archives' account.

6-3. The window on the left shows the contents of the local WS-FTP; the window on the right shows the contents of the Archives' Systems account. Locate the file you wish to post to the Server (whether on drive c or drive a), and click on it to highlight it. Make sure the right hand window near the top shows that you are in the / directory. Click on the arrow in the middle of the screen that points to the right. The file is then copied over to the Remote Web Site on the UM-System File Server.

6-4. Uploading images is exactly like uploading HTML files, except that the directories involved are different. When you connect to the server using WS-FTP and before you transfer files, you will need to change to the images directories on both the local computer and the Remote Web Site. Locate the images file on each window and double click to change to that directory. Then, highlight the file you want to transfer, and click the right arrow to send it over. This action copies over and erases old files with the same html file name. Remember to keep track of what directories you are in on both computers, so that you only put HTML files in the / directory and images (.jpg, .gif) in the images directory.

6-5. Be careful when transferring files between systems, so that new versions are not mistakenly replaced or overwritten with older versions. The staff member doing the posting must always remember that to double-click on any file name while logged in to the remote server and the local FTP system will result in the copying of that file from the designated (high lighted) location to the other location.

6-6. The HTML and Image files on the Remote Web Site are backed up on CD-R media monthly. The copies are maintained in 726 Lewis Hall.

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(Revised: 15 August 2002)