One of the most powerful features of the Web+Center product is the ability to be extensively customized by editing the ASP modules. The Web+Center product has even been migrated from a compiled C++ based environment to an open sourced, ASCII text based scripting environment to allow the end user to make customizations to the product when needed.

Any changes to the ASP (Active Server Pages) modules should be done with a plain ASCII editor such as Notepad or we recommend TextPad available from www.textpad.com. TextPad provides line numbers which are critical when debugging your ASP applications since the ASP engine reports errors by line number. DO NOT open and save any ASP module with HTML editors or MS Word, since it may save the file as a non text file and it will not work properly.

Recommendations on how to properly customize your Web+Center modules and special upgrading methods are listed in the Programmer’s guide which can be found in your documenation directory.

The current shipping version of the Web+Center product is version 3.5. If you are running a different version, you can upgrade from previous Web+Center versions to the new 3.5 version by downloading the free (3) tech version from the ISS website and then carefully follow the steps listed in Appendix C and D of the Installation Guide.

Upgrading from previous versions will upgrade your existing database to the new 3.5 database structure and provide you all of the new 3.5 codes. If you have made any customizations to the ASP, HTML or graphics files, those must be carefully migrated to the new 3.5 directory tree.

Since the initial 3.5 version has been released, some additional features have been added and some ASP modules have been updated with bug fixes. All of these additional features and changes are compatible with the 3.5 database structures, so no changes are necessary to the database. To update any of the new 3.5 version ASP file updates, simply obtain the latest ASP module through one of the methods listed below and replace the existing ASP module with the new module.

To determine if any of your ASP modules for the Tech+Center, Customer+Center, or Business+Center are out of date, there are three methods which include:

• (1) Download the full Web+Center free (3) tech version and install the files into a different directory than the current working directory. Sort the techcenter, customercenter and businesscenter directories by modified date from the latest download and then sort your working directories by date. Determine if there are any files that are newer in the new version download for each directory (techcenter, customercenter, businesscenter, documentation) and then copy and paste the newer files into each of those directories. Make complete backups of your original Web+Center directory tree before doing any of these changes in case you have made changes to any of the ASP, HTML or graphic files and do not want to lose those changes.

• (2) A special web-based version checking tool is available in each of the Web+Center applications called checkversions.asp. This tool will first catalog all your files on your current system and then compare those files by date and size on the ISS version server and display a list of files that are out of date. The outputted list provides links to allow you to simply click and download the updated modules and place it on the server if you are running this tool on a browser located on the server. The checkversions.asp script can be accessed from a web browser by entering the following URL for each of the applications:
  • http://<hostname>/tech30/checkversions.asp - For Tech+Center Updates
  • http://<hostname>/customer30/checkversions.asp - For Customer+Center Updates
  • http://<hostname>/business30/checkversions.asp - For Business+Center Updates

  The <hostname> should be replaced with your machine name, IP address or domain name. ** Note If the Checkversions.asp script fails or times out, then your system is probably configured with an anti-virus software configuration that has disabled some ASP functions that prevent file and directory information from being processed. If this approach fails, we recommend you use approach 1 or 3 instead to obtain Web+Center version updates.

• (3) A new web-based version tool has been developed that works similar to the CheckVersions.asp approach, but it does not first catalog and then compare files. These three new pages list all of the modules of the particular application directory (techcenter, customercenter, or businesscenter) and then color codes them by the date they were last modified. By comparing files on your system and viewing the dates and sizes of the files on the current shipping version server, one can manually determine if any updates are required. To update a particular module, simply click on the module link and select the appropriate Save As and save the file into the correct Web+Center directory. Use the links below to obtain Version 3.5 updates for method 3.

  http://helpdesk.inet-sciences.com/Version35Check/ShowAllCustomerfiles.asp

  http://helpdesk.inet-sciences.com/Version35Check/ShowAllTechFiles.asp

  http://helpdesk.inet-sciences.com/Version35Check/ShowAllBusinessFiles.asp

There are several new enhancements available with the current release of the software that may be of interest to the Web+Center 3.5 users. These features can be added to your configuration if you do not have the current version of the particular ASP module by one of the three methods listed in the last section.

• New Reports

  Several new reports have been added to the Tech+Center reports page. New case reports based on customer, categories and date ranges provide numerical and graphical information break downs for open and closed cases. Additional open and closed cases reports by tech and group provide additional reporting options not available before. To enable these new reports, one must download the following files: Reports.asp, CasesClosedByTech.asp. CasesClosedByGroup.asp, AllCasesByCustomer.asp, AllCasesByCustomerByDate.asp, ClosedCasesByCustomerByDate, ClosedCasesByCustomer.asp, CasesByCategory.asp

• Web-enabled File Upload Feature

  Customers can now download a file and attach it with their support cases so that tech support staff can also pick up and review that file through the Tech+Center interface.

  Currently we only support this File Upload feature with the Customer+Center One-Step- Ticket form while we completely verify all of the required components for this approach work across the various IIS platforms we support.

  This feature allows the customer to submit one file that is then saved on the Web+Center server in a special directory. A web-based link to this file is created in the case history text that allows the Tech support staff to access the file with the Tech+Center application. There are configuration options that allow the file to be re-named based on the case number and other file size upload limitations. The configuration options for this feature have been put in the db_define.inc file located in the customercenter directory. These configuration options will be replaced into web-based configuration pages in future releases. The configuration options are:

  '******** File Upload Definitions ************************* ' Interim 3.5 Release for File Uploads ' See User Guide for more information on how to configure this option ' Note: This definitions here will become configuration options that are ' configured through the web in future versions. FileUpload = "YES" ' Uncomment this line if you want to allow user to upload files FileUpLoadDestinationPath = "c:\WCFileDownloads" ' Set this to your full destination path FileUploadVirtualDirectory = "WCDownloads" ' You must configure this virtual in IIS - Allow read access ONLY! ' For security reasons, do not allow FileVirtualDirectory Script or execute permissions FileUploadRenameForCaseNumber = "YES" ' If you want to rename the files based on the case number FileUploadMaximumSize = 1000 ' Maximum Allowed download file size in bytes ' End of File Upload Definitions ***********************

  Running this file upload option requires that the webserver has installed Internet Explorer 5.0 or later to have in place the necessary vbscript 5.0 to enable this file upload feature.

  This feature is documented in the updated User Guide in the Customer+Center section titled How to create a one-step-ticket for customer registration and case creation.

  To enable this feature for the Customer+Center, download the following files into the customercenter directory: OneStepTicketFileUp.asp and DoOneStepTicketFileUp.asp, Upload.asp and db_define.inc.

  Once these files are downloaded, edit the configuration options in the db_define.inc file. Create a virtual directory where the files are going to be physically stored. Create a link to the OneStepTicketFileUp.asp module somewhere on your site so the file up feature can be called.

If your Help Desk typically supports customers that only submit occasional trouble tickets and if you want to allow “customers” the ability to register and submit a trouble ticket in one form, then add a link to the OneStepTicket.asp page on one of your Customer+Center pages.

The default configuration for the Customer+Center user is to have them register or pre- register, login, and submit a trouble ticket. The registration and case submissions are different pages and are handled separately.

The One-Step-Ticket approach submits a full customer registration into the customer database and creates a standard case with all of the tech and customer email notification options, but it does it from a single form and a single page submit. If the customer email from the One-step-ticket already exists, then a new customer record is not created but the existing customer record is used to prevent the duplication of customer records.

To enable this feature, download the OneStepTicket.asp and DoOneStepTicket.asp modules and place a link to the OneStepTicket.asp page somewhere on your customer site, possibly on the default.htm page.

To make the Asset Management feature more configurable for recording and searching assets labels that are not PC/computer related, the asset labels (such as Serial Number, Monitor size, etc) are now configurable in a single text based include (*.inc) file called AssetLabels.inc. Editing this file will change the asset labels displayed on the asset search, view and edit pages. Once this file is edited, it should then be copied to the Customercenter directory so that both the \techcenter and \customercenter directories have the same AssetLabels.inc file. One must also download the related asset files including:

(Techcenter Directory files: AssetInfo.asp, Assets.asp, DoAssets.asp)
(CustomerCenter Directory Files: CAssetSearch.asp, DoCAssetSearch.asp, ShowCustomerAssets.asp, ViewAsset.asp)

Although the Web+Center web-based Help Desk is often used without ever reading any documentation, we provide several HTML and MS Word based documents to help with the initial configurations, daily operations and extensive customizations. All of the documentation is available with each download in the \documentation directory or available online at our website at:

http://www.inet-sciences.com/documentation/

Web+Center documentation includes:

Document and File names	Description
Install Guide (installguide.htm, install.doc)	This is the initial install guide or upgrade guide. It includes detailed or express installation instructions.
Getting Started Guide (GettingStarted.htm, gettingstarted.doc)	This document should be reviewed once the product is initially installed but before it is used in a production environment. There is more information on how to properly configure categories, groups and other configurable options to make best use of the software.
User Guide (userguide.htm, userguide.doc)	This is the complete user guide that defines all of the programs’ functions and operations.
Programmers Guide (programmersguide.htm, programmersguide.doc)	This document is for those advanced users who want to make customizations to the software. Information on how to import data into the database, database tables and file structures are all included.
Web+Center Training Module (webcentertraining.ppt)	This power point training document provides information for technicians on how to use the Web+Center software.

To quickly understand all of the features of the Web+Center Product Suite, review the Feature List Summary from our website. This shows what features are supported in each of the Web+Center applications (Tech+Center, Customer+Center, and Business+Center). There are some features that are only available or applicable for certain applications.

The Top FIVE (Problems and Questions)

Here are the top five most frequently asked questions or support issues that Internet Software Sciences support and sales staff receives.
• 1. Question: How do you properly install Web+Center on Windows 2000?
  Answer: Running Web+Center on Windows 2000 machines often requires resetting the file permissions for all of the files in the Web+Center directory to only the user Everybody with full control. Inherited file permission properties that are set for the \program files directories will set the file permissions too restrictive to run the ASP scripts and the database for the web-based anonymous users. To help debug your installation and database connectivity, try running the various installation tests available by referencing the page http://<your_host_name>/tech30/Installtest.htm. This page provides options to test virtual directory settings, database connectivity, read and write tests and SMTP mailer options. Almost all ASP errors reported by users are file permission security settings issues.

  If you have reset any file permissions, we recommend completely rebooting the machine to properly set all of the file permission settings in the access control lists.

• 2. Question: An ASP error occurs when a customer registers or submits a case.
  Answer: This is most frequently caused when the SMTP utility is not installed and you will get an ASP error. This utility is included with your download and is included in step #7 of the install guide. It is a separate utility that includes its own installer. This SMTP utility is not a SMTP mailer and it will NOT compete with other SMTP mailers located on that machine such as Exchange or other mail servers.

• 3. Question: How to configure the system to automatically send an email to a tech when a customer creates a case.
  Answer: Automatic email notification can be configured at the group level and tech level. When a case is first created by the customer in the Customer+Center application, it is first assigned to a (default) group. If techs are members of that group and have group level notification enabled, they will get an email.

  To configure a tech to get an email, first add that tech to the group that the cases are initially assigned to by clicking on Administration…Add staff members to support Group and then select the tech and the group that is set as the default group.

  Next, edit the tech staff record by clicking on Administration, Edit staff member, select the staff member, and press Edit Record.

  In the Support Group Member box, select the checkbox next to the label that says Notify by email if a case is assigned to this group. Verify that a valid email address is in the Work Email field. A short cell-phone email message can also be automatically sent if the Cell E-mail field is configured. Press the submit button to save any edits.

  This tech should automatically receive email notification when a case is created by a customer.

• 4. Question: How much does Web+Center cost?
  Answer: All of the prices are listed on our website at: http://www.inet-sciences.com/prices.html

  The free (3) tech version can be used with unlimited number of customers and cases and it does NOT time out. It is only limited by the number of registered technicians that can access the Tech+Center application. If you need to register more than 3 technicians, you must obtain a licensed version of the Web+Center program.

• 5. Question: The Tech+Center Administration button prompts for a download rather than displaying a page or gives an HTTP page error.
  Answer: Most often this error will occur when the (tech30) virtual directory for the Tech+Center application does not have the Execute Permissions setting set to Script and Executables. If you go back into the Internet Services Manager and reset the tech30 virtual directory properties to allow this setting, the administration button should work properly. If clicking on the Administration button gives an HTTP page error, then the file permissions for either the database file (webcenter35.mdb) located in the database directory and/or the techsupp.dll file will have to be opened up to allow the Everyone full control access on that file. Use the Windows Explorer to reset the security properties for these files. It may be necessary to remove the file permission inheritances that are propagated from a higher directory to enable the permissions to stay.

ISS offers various types of support that are listed on the main support page at:

http://www.inet-sciences.com/support.html

To submit a web-based trouble ticket, click the Web+Center support site link on that support page and register and submit the trouble ticket.

To request a program enhancement or custom report you would like to see in future versions, please click on the Web+Center support site link and when submitting the trouble ticket select the Enhancement Request category under the Problem Type category setting.

These enhancement requests will all be carefully reviewed by engineering while developing the next release.

ISS offers a world wide Web+Center Reseller Program for those interested in marketing and reselling the Web+Center product to customers anywhere in the world. We already have 12 resellers in US, Canada, UK, Austria, Africa, and South America. To find out more about the ISS partner programs and authorized Web+Center resellers, please click on the http://www.inet-sciences.com/services.html (Partners Page) and the Web+Center reseller list at http://www.inet-sciences.com/resellerlist.html.

These resellers are authorized to sell the product and offer Web+Center consulting, configuration and support services. Some resellers offer Internet Hosting services for the Web+Center product for those requiring a hosted Web+Center solution.