About WebView
Welcome to WebView, an interactive system for accessing information from
Villanova University's Banner database in a simple, effective manner. This system
makes use of the World Wide Web and its graphical interface capabilities to provide
instant, easy access to the university's largest and most complex database.
To try it out, select a WebView function from the
WebView Home Page.
How it works
Like all parts of the World Wide Web, WebView's various screens are transmitted to
your computer in a format called
HTML. WebView also
makes extensive use of
HTML forms, in order to get your user input to control its various features.
But what sets WebView apart from other Web resources is that most of WebView's HTML is
generated in real time. Although a few pre-made HTML pages (such as the one you are
reading now) are used with the WebView system, the bulk of the interactive pages are
constructed on the fly by the actual server program named WebView.
This WebView server is written mostly in C for Unix, but it's largest module is
actually in Pro*C (a language that looks like C, but with SQL statements strewn
about in it. It compiles to ordinary C before becoming executable). The Pro*C
module queries the Banner database for all your information needs, and the C
portion formats the data into HTML for your Web viewing pleasure.
If you have comments or suggestions, feel free to contact UNIT Webview Team.
Webview Team.
Return to WebView Home Page