Historylink Migration Project

Overview

The current Historylink.org web site was built as a content management system using sql and coldfusion 16 years ago and has undergone several modifications to add new features and functions. However, the original coldfusion version has never been upgraded and is now very unstable from a security standpoint and even with a firewall that blocks all traffic from Asia and Russia is still subject to continued injection attacks. Furthermore, with the addition of various new system the overall stability of the website is an issue and it is time to combine elements into one more coherent system.

We would like to rebuild the system in LAMP, migrate the data and have a fresh start while retaining the same public output pages and a admin content management environment that is easy for editorial staff to learn. To this end we are looking for a vendor who can provide migration services and on going support for any additional functions or features that may arise, including the migration of current smart phone apps to work with the new system and the development of new smart phone apps.

Scope

Create a Content Management System that closely resembles the current Historylink system that was built upon Coldfusion and script output pages that match the current web site. Migrate all data to the new system. Some systems will remain largely the same in form and function, but some functions may be enhanced as needed to create a more coherent whole.

We prefer open source tool sets to create the new CMS system such as PHP, MySQL and do not wish to remain with Coldfusion.

The primary function of the content management is to edit content for output to the web. The current system utilizes several fields for managing metadata to control various aspects of file output and track the file. Output pages take the form of a standard single web page essay or a Tour. A tour has several individual pages associated with it each page linked from an image map. The content is also used by two smart phone apps, which will have to be changed for any new database. At this point access to the admin interface is protected by a single login and password with no user management. We are open to a user management system so that users can have their unique log in access.

A secondary feature is an image database that contains the images used in the content files and a media database that contains audio and video files. We would like these two db to be merged into one media db. The files in the media db have to be accessed via the content editing interface with some ease.

Additionally, there may remain a need to easily script static content pages. Currently there are several content pages that while in the cfm scripted wrapper, are created from static content and not managed with the database driven content management system.

The new services would be built on a LAMP server not the current live server. The server location is yet to be determined but will be located in Washington State.

Historylink currently has released several smart phone apps all of which use data from the current database at this time. Migration of the phone apps to the new data structure will be considered if we can do so within our budget, but if not we will keep the current data server active to support only the phone app needs and do migration of the apps at a future date.

Content File Fields

Title:
Event Date:
Abstract:
Narrative: The full Text field
Click Here to add translated titles and narratives
Author:
Written on:
Sources:
County:
Sector:
Location Keywords:
Special Sponsor:
Topics:
Special Suites:
Search Keywords:
Comments:
Address:
City:
Zip Code:
Phone Number
Population:
Geotagging Tool
Jump to Location:
Lat: Lon:
File Status:
Photos -> Add Photos feature
Phone App related Feilds
- PastMapWA Mapping Options
- Do not include this file on the PastMapWA App
- Include this file as a County marker
- Include this file as a City/Town or Port marker
- Include this file as a ‘Selected Places’ marker

Please See addendum for screen shots of each element of the editor interface and how the current site configures the interface for the user. The bulk of the content is in essay format that has a linear list of fields. However, the CyberTour or Slide Show has the addition of a system for linking frames into the file so that content is parsed into smaller outputs or Frames.

Data

The Data records (essays) are divided into unique libraries, which aid in user interaction. The unique libraries are:
Cyberpedia (Time for a name Change to History Eassy?)
Timeline
People’s History
Slide shows
Cybertours (Time for a name change to History Tours?)
Museums
StudyAids
History Byte (kick to the curb)
Mobile App Location
This is used for map location content that is not suitable as a timeline or cybertour, used in the Lake Union app.

We would like to add a function to allow administration to add a new library.

Image Database Fields

Photo:
Image in file(s):
Original Source:
Caption:
Credit:
Date:
Keywords:
Comments:
County:
Location:
Add to file:

Fields to Add

Media Type (audio, video, image)

Would like to add to this system so that it can maintain and manage audio and video files, which are currently managed with a stand-alone system. Obviously it would need a scripting solution to output these media files to an public output page.

Public Output

There are there main output types for content and a universal Search Results output.

The main page has a unique wrapper that is only see on the home page and contains a weekly update as content. That update is not currently in the database. It is hand built using a utility that adds tool tips to the links. The right column contains dynamic output for files that match the day’s date and new files posted that week. The remainder of the page is not dynamic, that is, not pulled from the database.

The Essay output is the general format for all essays content. It pulls text and images from the database and echoes some of the meta data to the output page, but not all.

The Cybertour and the Slide Show format adds “Frames” with links to page through the file one Frame at a time. A frame is text and image data The Cybertour is unqiue because it works with an image map that is put into the system. Currently the image map is made by hand and the image map code is pasted into the essay interface and the image is uploaded into a specific directory.

Tool Tip Generator

Convert the tool tip utility to work with new db. Current tool tip generator is used to markup the weekly Home Page update.

If possible we would like to include the This Week into the content management system and thus the tool tip generator would need to work with that.

Other DB assets

There are two orphaned Database projects that have been integrated into Historylink site and will need to be migrated to a new server and put into a new wrapper..

These are

Klondike Gold Rush Database
Duvall Newspaper Index

Addendum

Editor Interface Screen Captures:

The output is divided into 3 sections Essay, Metadata and images. All content shares these basic elements. To ease transition to a new system on the editor staff we would like to keep the format very similair, unless major improvements can be found.

The Cybertour and Slide show add the concept of frames to the base essay data. In this way one title brings up a series of linear files attached to the essay as “frames.” Frames can be added, deleted and moved up or down the linear list.

Output Screen Captures and Links

Search

Search is done with a general search field on the main wrapper or with several unique advanced search features among which is a map interface.

HistoryLink-Map-Search
Map search is unique because it puts a “Return to Map Page” for any essay found by the map system.
HistoryLink-advanced-search
Advanced search allows several ways to find specific files. We do not do a full text search as that tends to return too many results so advanced search can assist advanced users.

Search Results Output

There is one search result page for all Historylink searches and the output is ordered into three columns for the 3 main “Libaries” Essay, which includes cybertour and slideshows, Timelines, and People’s history.

HistoryLink-Search-results

Dynamic Output Pages:

Static Output Pages

Deliverables

Build Mysql Database
Migration of Current data to new database
Create new content management interface based on current system fields.
Migrate Orphaned sites that have no admin or content management features.
- Klondike Gold Rush Database
- Duvall Newspaper Index
Script new output wrapper based upon current design.
8 distinct output pages
- Home Page
- About Page
- Education Page
- Advanced Search page
- Search Result Page
- Essay Page (cyberpedia, timeline, peoples history)
- Cybertour Page
- Slideshow Page
Move Static Data into new wrappers
Install new system on new LAMP server or shared server environment

RFP Response Guidelines

We look forward to a response in more than bottom line format. While a price is important, it is not the only factor in choosing a vendor. We need to have confidence that the migration will be complete and seamless and that the look and fell for the public will remain unchanged and the content management interface, while perhaps not the same, will be easy for our editors to learn and work with.

To that end, any response should answer:

What tool sets will the vendor intend to use for the project?
How the vendor intends to address the various unique output pages with an eye toward maintenance and flexibility?
Detailed list of proposed changes to the way the system works now?
Who are two US based References?
What is the project revision and changes procedure and cost guidelines for changes during project?