How to use BillsClock2 on your website

When you unpack the distribution, you should find a number of files in the extracted folder, this file (HOW-TO.html) being one of them

• *.au files - a variety of sound files from which you can customise the optional chimes.

• *.jpg files - a few basic clock images in 300x300 and 150x150 format. (Note that GIF files are also supported, although we are using JPG's in our examples.)

• billsclock2.jar - a java archive file that contains all the applet's classfiles in a fast-downloading, compressed format.

• FAQ.html - an HTML file that contains some commonly asked questions and answers concerning BillsClock2

• LICENSE.txt - By using this applet, you agree to the terms of the license. Please read the license agreement carefully.

Installation

• Upload the file billsclock2.jar to your web directory. (Be sure to upload this file as  binary and not ascii.) This is a java archve containig all class files required by the applet in an efficient, compressed format. Do not unpack this jar file - it is intended to be used as-is.

• If you want your clock to chime, choose the .au audio file(s) that you prefer and upload to the web directory that contains billsclock2.jar. The clock can optionally  chime on the hour and half-hour, and you can use the same or different audio file for the hour and half-hours. Just make sure that the .au files you configure the applet to use are in the web directory where the applet will be kept. Upload audio files as binary and not ascii. (Note that only .au format is supported.)

• Pick the .jpg (or .gif) image that you want to use for your clock face. You can use those provided, or you can find/create your own. If you use your own image, you will probably have to make some minor changes in the sample HTML code to reflect the size of the clock if different, and dimensions/placement of the hands. GIF's are supported, in addition to JPG format. Both images and audio files should be uploaded (as binary rather than ascii) to the same web directory in which billsclock2.jar was saved.

• Create an HTML page (or use an existing one) to display the applet. This HTML file should be placed in the same web directory that contains billsclock2.jar. Sample applet tags are provided below. Read the descriptions of the applet's parameters to see how you can tweak and configure the applet to accomodate your own images, sound files, time zones, etc.

Example HTML Tags

The following examples represent three typical installations.

Example One (300 x 300)

This example chimes on the hour and half-hour, displays the date and   AM/PM. See the applet parameter details for more information about configuring the applet.

Coordinated Universal Time

Here's what the above applet's HTML tags look like:

<applet code="BillsClock2" width="300"height="300">
	<param name="ARCHIVE" value="billsclock2.jar">
	<param name="BGIMAGE" value="24clock300.jpg">
	<param name="CENTERX" value="150">
	<param name="CENTERY" value="150">
	<param name="HOURCOLOR" value="#000000">
	<param name="MINUTECOLOR" value="#000000">
	<param name="SWEEPCOLOR" value="#ff0000">
	<param name="HOURLENGTH" value="60">
	<param name="HOURTHICK" value="7">
	<param name="MINUTELENGTH" value="100">
	<param name="MINUTETHICK" value="7">
	<param name="SHOWSWEEP" value="1">
	<param name="SWEEPLENGTH" value="100">
	<param name="FONTSIZE" value="12">
	<param name="USE_SNTP" value="0">
	<param name="SNTP_PORT" value="1200">
	<param name="SHOW_DATE" value="1">
	<param name="SHOW_AMPM" value="1">
	<param name="SNTP_SAMPLES" value="3">
	<param name="BGCOLOR" value="#ffffff">
	<param name="FGCOLOR" value="#000000">
	<param name="TIMEZONE" value="GMT">
	<param name="HOUR_CHIMES" value="bells.au">
	<param name="HALFHOUR_CHIMES" value="bells.au">
	<param name="SYNC_MESSAGE" value="Synchronizing...">
	<param name="VERBOSE" value=1>
</applet>

Example Two (150 x 150)

This applet does not chime, and does not display the date. It uses a smaller clock face. See the applet parameter details for further information on configuring this applet.

U.S. Eastern Time

<applet code="BillsClock2" width="150" height="150">
      <param name="ARCHIVE" value="billsclock2.jar">
      <param name="BGCOLOR" value="#ffffff">
      <param name="BGIMAGE" value="clock150.jpg">
      <param name="CENTERX" value="75">
      <param name="CENTERY" value="75">
      <param name="FGCOLOR" value="#000000">
      <param name="FONTSIZE" value="10">
      <param name="HOURCOLOR" value="#000000">
      <param name="HOURLENGTH" value="30">
      <param name="HOURTHICK" value="3">
      <param name="MINUTECOLOR" value="#ABA198">
      <param name="MINUTELENGTH" value="50">
      <param name="MINUTETHICK" value="3">
      <param name="SHOW_DATE" value="0">
      <param name="SHOW_AMPM" value="1">
      <param name="SHOWSWEEP" value="1">
      <param name="SNTP_PORT" value="1200">
      <param name="SNTP_SAMPLES" value="3">
      <param name="SWEEPCOLOR" value="#8D7F73">
      <param name="SWEEPLENGTH" value="50">
      <param name="TIMEZONE" value="EST">
      <param name="USE_SNTP" value="0">
      <param name="SYNC_MESSAGE" value="Stand by...">
      <param name="VERBOSE" value=0>    
</applet>

Example Three (300 x 300)

This example displays the date, but it does not chime. (One chimer per page is enough.) By not specifying a particular time zone, this applet will default to the timezone of the visitor's computer. See the applet parameter details for more information about configuring the applet.

Your Local Time

Here's what the above applet's HTML tags look like:

<applet code="BillsClock2" width="300"height="300">
	<param name="ARCHIVE" value="billsclock2.jar">
	<param name="BGIMAGE" value="clock300.jpg">
	<param name="CENTERX" value="150">
	<param name="CENTERY" value="150">
	<param name="HOURCOLOR" value="#000000">
	<param name="MINUTECOLOR" value="#ABA198">
	<param name="SWEEPCOLOR" value="#8D7F73">
	<param name="HOURLENGTH" value="60">
	<param name="HOURTHICK" value="7">
	<param name="MINUTELENGTH" value="100">
	<param name="MINUTETHICK" value="7">
	<param name="SHOWSWEEP" value="1">
	<param name="SWEEPLENGTH" value="100">
	<param name="FONTSIZE" value="12">
	<param name="USE_SNTP" value="0">
	<param name="SNTP_PORT" value="1200">
	<param name="SHOW_DATE" value="1">
        <param name="SHOW_AMPM" value="1">
	<param name="SNTP_SAMPLES" value="3">
	<param name="BGCOLOR" value="#ffffff">
	<param name="FGCOLOR" value="#000000">
	<param name="SYNC_MESSAGE" value="Synchronizing...">
	<param name="VERBOSE" value=0>
</applet>

Applet Parameter Details

The appearance and initial settings of the applet are controlled by HTML applet parameter tags.  In addition to height and width, the applet's other configurable parameters are depicted in the table below: If the default value is acceptable, the parameter can be omitted from the HTML. (Our examples have overspecified some defaults simply for the sake of showing how all parameters are used.)

Supported Time Zones

The following time zones are supported by JDK 1.1.8 (and as implemented in Netscape version 4.x and all versions of MS Internet Explorer 4.x or later)

Copyright (C) 2001 by Bill Giel. All rights reserved.