Net-It Central FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why should I consider Net-It Central?
Why is Net-It Central a better publishing tool?
Does Net-It Central use HTML conversion?
How does Net-It Central compare to PDF conversion?
How do I publish documents to a web site or intranet?
How easy is it to publish documents to my site?
How do the documents get to my site?
What is a document site?
What is a template?
Can I customise the site templates?
How can I be sure Net-It Central will send my documents
to the right places on my site?
Can I control when documents are published and deleted?
Can I alert users that new documents have been
added to the site?
How many sites can I set up, and how many documents
can I manage per site?
Can Net-It Central hold more than 50 document sites?
Is there a limit to how many pages Net-It Central
can manage?
Can Net-It Central have the capability handle streaming
video?
Navigating
Is it easy for me and others to move around the site?
Can I easily find documents once I’ve added them
to my site?
How do others contribute to the site?
Will Net-It Central work with search engines?
Do I need to install separate software to use
the search feature?
How do I print documents, and what quality are
they?
What about security and revision control?
How secure is Net-It Central?
Can I designate access rights to various documents?
How do I ensure unauthorised users can’t publish
or change information?
Is there any revision management feature?
Net-It Central technical questions
What type of operating system do I need to run Net-It
Central?
How long does set-up normally take?
What’s the difference between Net-It Central
3.0 and 4.0?
Do I need a design program like MS Front Page?
Can end-users view documents regardless of what
operating system and platform they use?
Can end-users contribute documents regardless of
what operating system and platform they use?
What document files does Net-It Central recognise?
How accurately does Net-It Central convert my documents?
How does the publishing process work?
Can I exclude specific file types from being converted?
Can I integrate Net-It Central with other programs?
Net-It Central Evaluation and Licensing Questions
Can I evaluate Net-It Central before I buy it?
How many documents can I process during the evaluation
period?
How are the evaluation and real versions different?
How do I get help during my evaluation period?
Why should I consider Net-It Central?
Question: Why is Net-It Central a better publishing tool?
Answer: There are a variety of ways to convert documents into web-readable
formats, including HTML conversion or PDF documents. Net-It Central
eliminates the human processes associated with taking this converted
document through the additional steps to reformat, update, and place
this document on a web site. Now employees throughout your company can
publish documents directly to a web site or intranet as easily as they
would save a file.
Question: Does Net-It Central use HTML conversion?
Answer: No. In fact, Net-It Central is the only web publishing tool
that doesn’t use HTML conversion. Net-It Central uses a unique
process called jDocs Automation which is a Java-based program that compresses
document files while retaining their formatting, and making them viewable
on the Web with no plug-ins and no additional desktop software to install.
Return to top
Question: How does Net-It Central compare to PDF conversion?
Answer: Net-It Central offers the viewing accuracy and clarity of PDF
files, without requiring a plug-in. Net-It Central also publishes directly
to your web site or intranet, which PDF doesn’t do. It also handles
large document publishing more elegantly. With PDF, a large document
means a large file – and that means a lengthy download to the desktop
in order to be able to read the document. Net-It Central turns that
500 page manual into a composite document of 500 individual pages which
can now be navigated by selecting a page number.
Question: How easy is it to publish documents to my site?
Answer: Very easy! Net-It Central’s publishing process consists
of five simple steps—
1. Establish a document site
2. Choose a template
3. Choose your subject folders (i.e., Sales, Marketing, etc.)
4. Just add documents!
Net-It Central can now be set up to run its automation process according
to your needs (hourly? every evening?) and “automatically”,
the documents appear on the web site right where you need them. Return
to top
Question: How do the documents get to my site?
Answer: Once you add your documents and tell Net-It Central where you
want them, Net-It Central automatically adds them when you reload your
site with the network file system, or a built-in FTP utility.
Question: What is a document site?
Answer: A document site is a linked collection of web or intranet documents
that contain both the original (source) files and the published (uploaded)
files on the web server. You can create as many document sites as you
want, and have Net-It Central manage and update any or all of them automatically.
Each document site can have its own look and feel, or you can have them
all conform to your corporate standards. Return to
top
Question: What is a template?
Answer: Net-It Central includes pre-designed templates to help you
define the look and feel of your web site or intranet. Each set of templates
contains a hierarchy of subject folders to help you organise your documents.
Question: Can I customise the site templates?
Answer: Yes. You can use the Property Manager dialogue box to add a
title, footer, or a logo to your site. You can also edit the existing
templates to give your site a more customised appearance, or to make
it consistent with other pages on your site. You can create an entirely
new template of your own by editing the template’s HTML files,
or ask our support department to help you. For more information, contact
us at info@intvis.co.uk or call 01276 709899. Return
to top
Question: How can I be sure Net-It Central will send my documents to
the right places on my site?
Answer: The hierarchy contained in the template you choose automatically
organises your site, and determines location for each document. All
you need to do is decide which documents you want in each subject folder
and Net-It Central does the rest.
Question: Can I control when documents are published and deleted?
Answer: Yes. The Property Manager feature lets you schedule when documents
should be added and deleted from your site. It also enables you to define
rules about publishing and deleting certain types of documents. Return
to top
Question: Can I alert users that new documents have been added to the
site?
Answer: Yes. You can use Net-It Central’s “Smart Updates”
feature to automatically flag new and updated documents.
Question: How many sites can I set up, and how many documents can I
manage per site?
Answer: It depends on which edition of Net-It Central you have.
The Project edition enables you to create and manage one site, and
up to 250 documents.
The Professional edition lets you create 15 sites with a total limit
of 3000 documents.
The Pro Unlimited edition allows you to create up to 50 document sites,
and an unlimited number of documents. Return to top
Question: Can Net-It Central hold more than 50 document sites?
Answer: Yes, but you would need to open another project file (option
under File menu) because one project file can only hold 50 sites. You
can have unlimited projects, but only one project can build at a time.
Question: Is there a limit to how many pages Net-It Central can manage?
Answer: The only limitations are based on the version of software you
purchase. The amount of time it takes to convert a page would depend
on the content. For example, a newsletter with photos, graphics and
lots of formatting would take longer than a page of straight text. Return
to top
Question: Can Net-It Central have the capability handle streaming video?
Answer: It can add a video to your site, but it can’t convert
it. The file has to be printable in order for Net-It Central to convert
it.
Navigating
Question: Is it easy for me and others to move around the site?
Answer: Yes. Net-It Central includes a standard document tool bar familiar
to anyone who uses desktop software programs. The document tool bar
includes commands that enable you to move within and between documents,
zoom in and out of documents, and copy and print text. Return
to top
Question: Can I easily find documents once I’ve added them to
my site?
Answer: Yes. The templates and subject folders help you find documents
you’ve already added to your site in case you want to make changes.
Question: How do others contribute to the site?
Answer: By using the Contributor feature. The Contributor feature is
designed to lessen the burden on your Webmaster and IT department by
enabling anyone in your company to publish information to your web site
or intranet. Employees can organise, add, manage, and update documents
whether they’re on or off-site, regardless of their technical knowledge
level. Return to top
Question: Will Net-It Central work with search engines?
Answer: Yes. Net-It Central supports most standard search engines such
as Microsoft Index Server, Netscape, and Excite.
Question: Do I need to install separate software to use the search
feature?
Answer: No, assuming you already have a web browser installed on your
computer. Net-It Central uses standard HTML-embedded search strings
in conjunction with third party software. Net-It Central documentation
includes configuration instructions for the MS Index Server, as well
as Netscape, and Excite search engines. Return to
top
Question: How do I print documents, and what quality are they?
Answer: Net-It Central uses standard Windows printing features that
are supported by your printer and print driver. Therefore, your documents
will look like anything you print with desktop programs you normally
use.
What about security and revision control?
Question: How secure is Net-It Central?
Answer: As secure as your network or firewall. Net-it Central works
with the encryption settings on your firewall, and with the permissions
you set on your web server. Return to top
Question: Can I designate access rights to various documents?
Answer: Yes, by setting permissions through your web or network server.
Question: How do I ensure unauthorised users can’t publish or
change information?
Answer: Net-It Central enables you to set permissions through your
file server's operating system to give “read”, “write”,
“edit”, etc. rights to users who will be submitting, editing
and deleting documents. You can also set access privileges through your
web server software to determine who can view published documents through
the browser. Finally, Net-It Central enables you to control document-level
attributes such as the ability to print, copy, and/or download the document
within the browser. Return to top
Question: Is there any revision management feature?
Answer: Not really. Net-It Central is designed to be a cost effective,
easy-to-use web publishing tool. While adding revision management capability
would add functionality, it would increase the price, and make Net-It
Central more complex. Net-It Central can be integrated with other programs
to add revision management and other features by using the CentralTools'
API. For further information contact info@intvis.co.uk or call 01276
709899.
Net-It Central technical questions
Question: What type of operating system do I need to run Net-It Central?
Answer: You need at least Windows 95/98, or Windows NT browser. If
you use Netscape Navigator, you will need the Microsoft Portability
Container plug-in, which is included with Net-It Central along with
installation instructions.
Question: How long does set-up normally take?
Answer: Set up can take as little as 20 minutes if you use the included
'Quick Start Tutorial'. Return to top
Question: What’s the difference between Net-It Central 3.0 and
4.0?
Answer: Net-It Central 4.0 includes Windows 2000 support, PNG instead
of GIF, and improvements to PDF conversion and quality.
Question: Do I need a design program like MS Front Page?
Answer: No. Net-It Central includes pre-designed site templates that
you can use as is, or customise. Return
to top
Question: Can end-users view documents regardless of what operating
system and platform they use?
Answer: Yes. Net-It Central document sites can be viewed on any computer
platform by anyone using a standard Java-capable web browser, such as
Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Question: Can end-users contribute documents regardless of what operating
system and platform they use?
Answer: Yes, in most cases. To use Contributor, users need at least
Windows 95/98, or Windows NT browser. If using Netscape Navigator, they
need to install the Microsoft Portability Container plug-in. This is
included with Net-It Central along with instructions on how to install
it. The end user doesn’t need any additional plug-ins or the native
application. Macintosh and Unix users can also submit documents to Net-It
Central because it uses a compatible Windows application (e.g., Microsoft
Office) or a utility like KeyView™ by Verity® to open the files.
Return to top
Question: What document files does Net-It Central recognise?
Answer: Net-It Central will work with most commonly used desktop applications,
including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Lotus SmartSuite, Adobe
Acrobat PDF, Visio, and Corel WordPerfect Suite.
Net-It Central also works with native applications such as AutoCAD
to print and convert associated file formats. A copy of the native application
supporting the desired file format must be installed on the server along
with Net-It Central.
Question: How accurately does Net-It Central convert my documents?
Answer: Net-It Central converts documents with its unique jDoc automation
process, not by HTML conversion. As a result, Net-It Central retains
near-perfect formatting, including text attributes, pictures and graphics,
hyperlinks, tables, graphs and charts. Return
to top
Question: How does the publishing process work?
Answer: Net-It Central uses a proprietary technology called jDocs Automation
that creates exact copies of your documents at a fraction of their original
size. The jDoc Engine, a small (less than 37K) Java applet, “runs”
the documents. The second component, the jDocs Document Container, acts
as an organiser and translator by defining all the information required
for presentation, navigation and sharing the documents so they can be
viewed with Java-enabled web browsers. Therefore, once your documents
are published on your site, anyone can view them regardless of what
platform, operating system, or software they use, and without plug-ins.
Question: Can I exclude specific file types from being converted?
Answer: Yes. The Filter feature gives you the option to exclude files
such as exe or zip files, and include files such as html, jpeg, or gif
files, but not convert them. Return to
top
Question: Can I integrate Net-It Central with other programs?
Answer: Absolutely. Use the CentralTools™ API to create or add
components that meet your unique needs.
Net-It Central Evaluation and Licensing Questions
Question: Can I evaluate Net-It Central before I buy it?
Answer: Yes. You have an initial free 30-day evaluation period, after
which you have the option to download an “advanced” copy.
You can use the advanced copy, also at no charge, for another 30 days.
Return to top
Question: How many documents can I process during the evaluation period?
Answer: Your initial evaluation copy of Net-It Central is limited to
25 documents and one document site for 30 days. You can upgrade or even
begin with an enhanced evaluation edition with unlimited documents,
if you prefer.
Question: How are the evaluation and real versions different?
Answer: The initial evaluation and registered versions of Net-It Central
are exactly the same with two exceptions. While using the evaluation
version, you will notice your converted documents include a small Net-It
Central logo. You also have a 25-document limit when processing the
document site(s) within your Net-It Central .ncp project file. Return
to top
Question: How do I get help during my evaluation period?
Intelligent Vision offer free and full pre-sales support. Please contact
our support department, either by email to info@intvis.co.uk or call
on 01276 709899. Return to start
