Extron Electronics MLC 104 Plus Series - Manual (Page 137)

5-33 MLC 104 Plus Series • Special Applications
PRELIMINAR
Y
Customizing HTML Files to Control Devices, Modify
Embedded Web Pages, and Send E-mail Alerts (IP models
only)
This section discusses methods that someone familiar with HTML can use to make
the MLC perform customized functions or to alter the MLC’s embedded Web
pages. One option is to create server-side includes (SSIs) to send commands to
the MLC, itself, or to devices connected to its control ports. Another is to write
query strings and insert them into Web pages stored on the MLC. Or you can put a
server-side include command into an e-mail file to customize alert e-mails sent out
by the MLC.
First we will detail SSIs and query strings, then show you how to integrate them
into HTML files to upload into the MLC.
N Before attempting to develop new Web pages, the user should have a working
knowledge of JavaScript, HTML, and Server Side Includes.
Creating and using server side includes (SSIs)
About server side includes and the MLC
The MLC’s embedded Web pages, GlobalViewer Web pages, and e-mails include
device- or situation-specific content such as unit temperature, button status,
projector connection status, or lists of available driver commands. How does the
MLC know which information to use and when to use it?
The MLC processes SSIs, which are a type of HTML instructions that dynamically
tell the MLC what material or files to include in the contents of a Web page
or e-mail or to send out one of the MLC’s ports. SSIs can include embedded
instructions (scripts) and style sheets (to set up the page layout), and also specify
what information to insert into the Web pages. These instructions run on the
MLC’s internal Web server.
To give the MLC customized instructions for creating e-mails and adding content
to Web pages, you can create your own server side includes and place them within
an HTML page or an e-mail file. These SSIs use Extron Simple Instruction Set (SIS)
commands to ask for and display information from the MLC, itself. When a Web
page is requested, the Web server (the MLC) replaces the SSI command with the
response to the SIS command.
Should you create a customized SSI? Weigh the benefits (ability to customize
messages from the MLC or information displayed on its GV Web pages) against
the drawbacks (the more SSIs being used, the slower the server processor) when
planning your installation.
N For the MLC and most other Web servers, an SSI‑enabled HTML file must have
a file extension of .shtml.