M-C-M Lite (FREEWARE) - "readme" initial installation instructions


PRINT THIS INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR EASE OF INSTALLATION. ALSO AVAILABLE AT: http://www.mcmtech.com/download/lite/readme.html


This software is a FREEWARE product. This is a basic messaging and message management software that allows you to post 4 messages on your Website. For more features, such as Web graphics (GIF and JPEG) Support, 3D frame, full color and size control, up to 22 messages and Header/Sub-Header proportions adjustment, you may purchase one of our commercial products (M-C-M Simpson, M-C-M Simpson Plus, or M-C-M Simpleton). To purchase, visit: http://www.mcmtech.com/wheretobuy.html



THIS IS A ONE TIME ONLY PROCESS. ONCE YOU'VE FOLLOWED THESE STEPS AND INSTALLED YOUR NEW SIMPLE HEADLINE SOFTWARE, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO USE AND UPDATE YOUR HEADLINES ANYTIME YOU WISH USING A SIMPLE FORM.
 

1. You will receive your M-C-M Lite software as a zip (condensed) file called: snglt.zip (for Wintel/Unix/NC) or snglt.hqx (for Mac).

2. Extract the zip file. 3. Read and agree to the Licensing Agreement (license.html, also at: http://www.mcmtech.com/download/lite/license.html ).

4. At this time you should decide how you want to update your messages. Lite has two update modes:


"CGI" INSTALLATION SECTION:

5. Open the upltrd.html file from the source. You will see several Form tags similar to the example below:

<FORM Method="POST" Action="http://www.your_domain.com/cgi-bin/upltrd.pl">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="PathToInFile" VALUE="../wherever_up_files_are/">
<INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="UrlToCgiDir" VALUE="http://www.your_domain.com/cgi-bin/">

Change the "path" in each form tag to correspond to the path for your mcm directory on your Website. 

6. Now you're ready for action! UPLOAD all the files that begin with the letters "up" from your Lite directory/folder (on your hard drive) to your Webserver, as follows:

9. Once you've customized your Lite Tag and placed it on the URL where you want Lite to appear, upload/ftp the updated URL to its proper place on your Web site.
 

10. In the Lite Tag, update the path to where the "up" files are stored (your mcm directory). Type the correct path after where it says: "<APPLET codebase=". For example: APPLET codebase="http://www.chicago.com/h/s/88/7/mcm/5/Lite/"code="uplt.class"

11. Upload/ftp the updated URL to its proper place on your Web site. To change/update your messages in the future, plug into the Internet using your favorite browser and go to /upltrd.html (or to the alternative file name you have chosen for this file).  Update messages using the simple form.
 
 
 
 

If you prefer to update messages each time via FTP to your server, continue the installation process as follows:
 
 

1. Copy and paste the Lite Tag onto the Web-page/URL where you want Lite to appear.  
            TIP: You can copy the Lite Tag directly from Step 2 below, or from either if the following two places:  
              A) Go to the "tagishere.html" file (located on your Lite directory). Open the file from your HTML Author or from your Browser. Copy the Lite Tag from the source.  

              B) The same "tagishere.html" file is also located on SNG's Web site at http://www.mcmtech.com/download/lite/tagishere.html.

            TIP: You can make as many copies of the tag as you want and place it wherever you want on your site (but remember, unless you've purchased a Multiple License version, once you activate the header, the same messages will appear in all of these places).

2. Customize your Lite Tag's appearance and functions.  

            TIP: You can customize the Lite tag in two ways:

            1)"M-C-M Tag Wizard": Customize the tag using the new "M-C-M Tag Wizard" on SNG's Website. The Wizard will ask you a series of questions and generate a tag with the parameters updated for you. Using this option greatly simplifies tag customization. (Click HERE to visit the Wizard).

            2) If you prefer, you may customize the tag directly in the URL document source on your browser. If you choose to customize Lite in the document source, follow the guidelines in A - I below, according to the following sample Lite Tag:

               
          <APPLET codebase="http://www.chicago.com/k/l/mcm/777/98/5/k/j/Lite/" code="uplt.class"  
           width=600 height=20 align=center >  
          <PARAM name="CyclesTillRead" value="1">  
          <PARAM name="MessageDelay" value="4">  
          <PARAM name="FrameWidth" value="5">  
          <PARAM name="FrameColor" value="red">  
          <PARAM name="HGlobalBGColor" value="red">
          <PARAM name="HGlobalFGColor" value="white">
          <PARAM name="SGlobalBGColor" value="white">
          <PARAM name="SGlobalFGColor" value="red">
          <PARAM name="InputFileType" value="txt">  
          </applet>  

          A) Important: In order to update messages in the FTP mode, you must include the following line in the tag:
          <PARAM name="InputFileType" value="txt">.
          This line instructs Lite Plus to read messages from the .txt file where you type your messages. You can copy and paste the tag including this line directly from this readme.
            

          B) "<APPLET code=uplt.class width=620 height=20>" allows you to choose the width and height of the tag. When you look at your customized tag later, you will notice that the text you have entered will be automatically adjusted to fit these new tag dimensions.  

          C) "<PARAM name="CyclesTillRead" value="1">" allows you to choose how often you want the software to contact your server to check for updates/changes to your headlines. If you type in "1", the software will contact your server and re-download your headlines after one cycle, that is, each time your header runs through all of the headlines you have entered. Fill in a number. The default value for this line is 1.  
           

            NOTE: Choosing "1" would be a good option if you plan to change your headlines very frequently (i.e. every couple of minutes). If you plan to change your headlines only once a day or so, choose a higher number, such as 5, 100, or 1,000. This way the software will re-download the headers only after the headlines have run through 5, 100, or 1,000 cycles. Choosing a higher number will cut down in the number of bytes the software downloads from your server. The best way to decide on the number of cycles that is best for you is to experiment with different cycle numbers and check the number of bytes downloaded per day with your Web master. This way you can find a number that fits your needs and you traffic capacities. In any case, visitors to your Webpage will get the updated messages in real-time.  

          D) "<PARAM name="MessageDelay" value="4">" allows you to control the number of seconds each message appears on your rotating header. "4" equals four seconds. Change this value as you like. The default value is 5.  

          E) "<PARAM name="FrameWidth" value="3">" allows you to determine the size of the colored frame around the header. The default value is 1.  

          F) "<PARAM name="FrameColor" value="blue">" allows you to choose a color for the frame around the header (colors include red, blue, green, yellow, pink, white, black, orange, cyan, magenta, gray, light gray, dark grey). The default color is black.  

          G) "<PARAM name="HGlobalFGColor" value="white">" allows you to change the Header foreground (or text) color for your tag. The default color is white. Choose a color.

          H) "<PARAM name="SGlobalBGColor" value="white">" allows you to change the SubHeader background color for your tag. The default color is white. Choose a color

          I) "<PARAM name="SGlobalFGColor" value="red">" allows you to change the Header foreground (or text) color for your tag. The default color is red. Choose a color.

          TIP: You do not need to include all of the parameters in your tag if you do not intend to use some of them.

  

3. Open upltin.txt and type your headers in this text file. Just follow the format of the sample given... 

            TIP: Don't forget to save the file after you update it.

            TIP: Your file may look like the following example: 

            ---------------------------------  
            Header=Budget meeting  
            SubHeader=Tomorrow, Dec. 22, 6 a.m., Joe's office  
            URL=http://www.sngchicago.com 
            EndHeadline 
            Header=SALE 
            SubHeader=25% off all CDs! 
            URL=http://www.cdworld.com 
            EndHeadline 
            Endmcm 
            ---------------------------------------------- 
              

            a) Before you begin updating the file, we recommend that you make a copy of it and save it somewhere on your hard drive. This way you can retrieve the original file if you make a mistake and alter the file while updating.

            b) Type your Header and SubHeader texts and URL links in the proper places. Be sure not to delete any of the "code" around the texts or to change the order of the format.

            c) The above example shows 2 messages. You can create up to 4 messages - just copy and paste.... (The commercial version of this product allows you to create up to 22 messages).

            d) Instead of linking messages to URLs, try linking them to e-mail addresses! Instead of typing URL=http://  for a URL, type URL=mailto: (for example: URL=mailto:support@sngchicago.com). When people click on the headline, they will be able to send you e-mail (as opposed to jumping to another URL).

Using this FTP Update mode, you just need to come back to the upltin.txt file anytime you wish to update your messages, make your changes and ftp the file to your server!

            TIP: If you want to view your updated messages before you upload the Web-page to the WWW, just open the file upltrd.html to see your updated Tag. If you like the way the tag looks, just copy and paste it to the Web-page/s where you want your headlines to appear and then ftp the page!

 


For tech. support assistance, please visit: http://www.mcmtech.com/support.html
 
 

ENJOY THE M-C-M!

 

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