Hi all,
further to my email yesterday about online events calendars. I received a
flurry of email replies telling me that:
a) TERMINALFOUR Site Manager can output files in XML format.
b) TERMINALFOUR Site Manager can output files in iCalendar format.
c) Why don't we setup TERMINALFOUR Site Manager to output files in those
formats?
Which was kind. I'm blaming my twins-induced lack of sleep at my own lack
of clarity.
At St Andrews do already output some website information to XML format using
TERMINALFOUR Site Manager and I was part-way through implementing the events
calendar in XML when we got the call from Principal's Office to drop tools
and find a 3rd party application that was a dedicated event's calendar and
not simply an add-on to an existing web content management system.
That said we are now also evaluating the Site Manager module.
Our home-grown solution has much the same functionality as the TERMINALFOUR
version and is actually a little better for our requirements in a few
places. (I can say that because I didn't develop it.)
But we now need something that can more easily be shared across the whole
institution with a number of administrators who can manage their own events,
using an interface that is more user-friendly than simply a list of content
in Site Manager.
The interface should easily allow event administrators to check what else is
running on the same day as their proposed event and where. (We've had a
situation where a Christian prayer and spirituality conference was held
during the summer in the next room to a brass band camp! There were
complaints.)
Most importantly though we need something that can be maintained by
Not-the-Web-Team! The current events calendar is draining too much time
away from us which could be better employed elsewhere. We're a team of 4
and currently have a backlog of work that is estimated to take 13 years to
complete!
I simply wanted to clarify myself, thank those who suggested: XML and
iCalendar formats in Site Manager, and ask if anyone knew of any other 3rd
party applications.
Thanks again,
Gareth
--
The Revd Gareth J M Saunders
Assistant Information Architect/Web Manager
Business Improvements
University of St Andrews
Room 6 (Ground Floor)
Butts Wynd Building
St Andrews
Fife KY16 9AL
Scotland, United Kingdom
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