Just a quick thought/idea re Alvin's fondness for the ability of the
navigator to keep track of and indicate where one is in a document: Early
in the EAD discussions, I had a conversation with Daniel and/or Alvin about
the possibility of a running header that would be context-sensitive to the
part of the finding aid on the screen and provide the user with the
collection/record unit name, series, and any other header-type information
that the repository deemed appropriate. Coupled with a table of contents
in a navigator window, it would provide a more information-complete
environment for the user to navigate and comprehend the finding aid. I
assume that something could be done in the frames environment, but have the
same question/concern as George re XML's ability to generate these types of
navigational aids automatically without a great deal of programming
intervention by the repository. Michael Fox's comments on Sun's attempts
to create a navigator and their need for proprietary extensions makes this
an area that we need to keep an eye on.
Rich Szary
At 09:36 AM 9/10/97 -0700, you wrote:
>George,
>
>Expandable/contractable tables of contents are
>implementable in html with frames in a number of
>ways. They can be mimicked using multiple table
>of contents files, they can be implemented with
>cgi, and they can be rather nicely done with
>javascript. If you have Netscape version 3 (don't
>use version 4, there is a bug in Netscape 4's
>implementation of Javascript) you can see an example
>of a fully-expandable Javascript table of contents at:
>
>http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/FindingAids/arequipa
>
>A partially-expandable table of contents is implemented
>using multiple table of contents files (suitable for
>viewing on ANY frame-enabled browser) at:
>
>http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/snyder
>
>Both files were generated automatically with an ead to
>html conversion program written in perl.
>
>The thing that I like about dynatext and other sgml
>browsers, is that not only does the table of contents
>expand and contract, but a little pointer highlights
>the toc section that you are currently "in". If you
>are browsing a large series it's nice to be able to
>glance over at the toc to remind yourself where you are.
>No web browsers that I know of can implement this yet
>without developing a full-blown java applet.
>
>Alvin Pollock
>Electronic Text Unit
>UC Berkeley Library
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>
|