The consulting.com ConsultTree Site Explorer Applet

ConsultTree Site Explorer

Purchasing the Applet

When using the free evaluation version of ConsultTree Site Explorer, the message "free applets at www.consultcom.com" will be displayed in the browser's status bar every couple of seconds. It is a violation of this license agreement to intentionally overwrite this message. The purchased version does not display this message.

To order the purchased version of Site Explorer, please visit http://www.consultcom.com and browse to the Site Explorer page in our Java Software section.

Easy Setup
The easiest way to set up the applet on your site is to start with Tree found on this page. First, view the source code for this page in Notepad. Then use Notepad and cut and paste the applet code into your own HTML page. This is the code from
<applet code="ConsultTreeTrial.class" width="220" height="480">
to
</applet>

Please make sure that the following files are all in the same directory as your html file:

- ConsultTreeTrial.class
- ConsultCanvas.class
- ConsultFolder.class
- ConsultImageScroller.class
- blueOpenFolder.gif
- blueCloseFolder.gif
- tanOpenFolder.gif
- tanCloseFolder.gif
- bookOpenFolder.gif
- bookCloseFolder.gif
- Cross.gif

After you change your HTML file you must hit 'Reload' on your browser to view the changes. You may need to close and reopen the browser to see the changes.

Once you have this tree working within your own page, then begin to customize the tree links for your site. You will do this by modifying two text files that describe the structure of the tree and the urls that it links to. These two files are described below under treeLink and treeIndex.

Applet Usage

The purchased version of the ConsultTree Site Explorer may be displayed in multiple locations on one web site (one domain). Our free evaluation version is for unlimited use, however it displays the consulting.com. Inc url in the browser's status bar. The purchased version does not display our url. For more information visit the consulting.com, Inc. web site.

Technical Support

If you encounter any problems setting up the Site Explorer applet, please read the Frequently Asked Questions section on our web site. Visit http://www.consultcom.com and browse to the Site Explorer page in our Java Software section. This page lists the solutions to the most common questions that arise when setting up the applet. If your question in not answered there, then email your question to support@consultcom.com. Please be as specific as possible when describing your problem. Be sure to include your order number if it is available.

Applet parameters

linkFrame

This controls which default frame is used when a hyperlink is clicked. Use this parameter like the HTML Target attribute. Standard HTML frame rules apply. If your page does not have frames, then do not include this parameter.

_self - load page in current frame
_parent - load page in parent frame
_top - load page in topmost frame
_blank - load page in new unnamed top-level frame
BODY - load page in new top level window named BODY.

It is possible to specify a different frame target for each link in the tree. This is discussed below under the treeLink parameter.

backgroundColor

Specifies the background color of the applet. There are two ways to specify this parameter: by color name or by RGB color values

The following color names are supported:

    			black
    			blue
    			cyan
    			darkGray
    			gray
    			green
    			lightGray
    			magenta
    			orange
    			pink
    			red
    			white
    			yellow

You may also specify the red, green, and blue values for a unique RGB color. These three numbers must be separated by commas.

For example, this parameter will set the background color to red:
<param name=backgroundColor value="255,0,0">

dotColor | This controls the color of the dotted lines connecting each folder. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.
boxColor | This controls the color of the boxes that contain the plus/minus signs. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.
plusColor | This controls the color of the plus/minus signs. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.
highliteColor | This controls the color of the link name when the mouse move over it. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.
dragScrollHor | Controls whether the applet can be scrolled horizontally. Set to either yes or no. Scrolling with this parameter uses our unique drag-and-drop scrolling without scrollbars.
dragScrollVert | Controls whether the applet can be scrolled vertically. Set to either yes or no. Scrolling with this parameter uses our unique drag-and-drop scrolling without scrollbars.
scrollBar | Controls whether a vertical scroll bar will be displayed. The scrollbar will be automatically displayed when needed. Set to either yes or no. Setting this parameter to yes will disable the border parameter and both dragScroll parameters.
border | Controls whether the applet has a border surrounding it. Set to either yes or no.
borderColor | This controls the color of the applet's border. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.
borderRaised | Creates a three dimensional effect on the applet's border. Set to either yes or no.

canvasSize

The size of the 'canvas' that the applet is displayed within. The horizontal size is specified first and then the vertical size, separated by a comma. The canvas should be big enough to fit the entire tree when it is completely expanded.

For example, in the sample applet on this page, the width and height of the applet is set as

    <applet code="ConsultTree.class" width="200" height="480">

while the canvas size is set as

    <param name=canvasSize value="200,800">

The result is that the tree is only partially displayed, however the canvas size is set large enough to fit the entire tree.

If you have scrolling turned on, and scrolling the tree causes a "trail" of trees to be displayed, this is a sure sign that your Canvas size is too small.

folderColor | This specifies the picture that is used for nodes of the tree. Three values are supported: "tan", "blue", and "book". (Yes, we know "book" is not a color!)
textColor | The color of the text labels in the tree. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.

fontStyle

This is the font style used in the tree. Use one of the following:

    			PLAIN
    			ITALIC
    			BOLD

descriptionColor | The background color of the box surrounding the folder descriptions in the tree. Colors supported are the same as for the backgroundColor parameter.
descriptionBorder | Turns on and off the border surrounding the text descriptions in the tree. Set to either yes or no.

treeIndex

This parameter identifies the name of the text file that describes the structure of the tree. Make sure the text file name is spelled correctly, upper and lower case matter, and that the file has a .txt extension. Put the text file in the same directory as the class file ConsultTree.class (or ConsultTreeTrial.class if you have the trial version).

For example, if your text file is named DemoIndex.txt, enter the following parameter:
<param name=textFile value="DemoIndex.txt">

The structure of this file is very simple. Each line in the file describes one level of the tree. You describe a level of the tree by listing the name of a folder followed by the name of all folders that are 'beneath' it. Each folder name is separated by semicolons. The first folder listed must be the root folder of the tree, and each line in the file must end with a semicolon.

Let's use the tree on this page as an example. The Demo folder has one folder 'beneath' it - Parameters. This is defined in the treeIndex file as:
Demo;Parameters;

The Parameters folder has many folders under it. This is defined in the treeIndex file as: Parameters;linkFrame;backgroundColor;dotColor;boxColor; plusColor;highliteColor;scrollHor;scrollVert;border; borderColor;borderRaised;canvasSize;folderColor;textColor; fontStyle;descriptionColor;descriptionBorder;treeIndex; treeLink;copyright;

treeLink

This parameter identifies the name of the text file that contains the tree's links. Make sure the text file name is spelled correctly, upper and lower case matter, and that the file has a .txt extension. Put the text file in the same directory as the class file ConsultTree.class (or ConsultTreeTrial.class if you have the trial version).

For example, if your text file is named DemoLink.txt, enter the following parameter:
<param name=textFile value="DemoLink.txt">

The structure of this file is very simple. Each line contains the name of a folder, followed by the url that it links to. Each line must end with a semicolon. For example, the topmost folder in the tree on this page, Demo, is a link to the Demo.htm. This is defined in the treeIndex file as:
Demo;Demo.htm;

In the sample tree on this page, we also provide links to anchors within the page. Clicking on a specific parameter takes you directly to that parameter. Anchors are defined in the treeLink file just as you would define them in a HREF tag, for example:
linkFrame;Demo.htm#linkFrame;

If you wanted to link to a site on the web, you would define the folder as follows:
consulting.com;http://www.consultcom.com;

If you want to have have a folder that is not a link, but is just a directory containing other folders, you must still list the folder in this link file. Just enter a blank space instead of a url. For example,
MyDirectory; ;

You may specify a different frame target for each link in the tree. At the end of each line, place the name of the frame followed by a semicolon. For example,
consulting.com;http://www.consultcom.com;_top;

If the frame is not specified for a link, then the value of the linkFrame parameter is used as default.

copyright | The copyright parameter must be included or the tree will not function properly. The value for this parameter must be: ConsultTree v1.0 Copyright (c) 1998, consulting.com Inc.