Testing Customizable Files and Options in the Staging Directory
The presence of a staging directory on the WebPAC server lets you view, test, and approve changes to the WebPAC site before making them available to patrons.
Because some WebPAC functionality, such as the conversion of tokens into specific page elements, takes place on the Innovative Web server, testing in the local_staging/screens directory is limited to only basic HTML. By transferring edited customizable files to the staging/screens directory on the Web server, you can test the entire site.
After the files have been transferred to the Web server's staging/screens directory, you can view and test them on port 2082. For example:
http://your.Webopac.url:2082
Some changes require you to restart the Web server before viewing or testing them. Edits to your Web options and your toplogo.html, and botlogo.html files are the most common examples.
The staging port has all of the power of the WebPAC and is connected to your main database, so you can preview the site just as it will appear to patrons when live.
Staging Port
The staging port is connected to your database. Activities you initiate in the staging WebPAC (such as requests, suggestions, renewals, saved preferred searches, etc.) take effect just as if you had done them in the live WebPAC.
Verify that the pages you test are in the Web server's staging/screens directory. In some designs, it is easy to accidentally route yourself back to the live port. For example, you may follow a link to content hosted on another server, or to content that has the full location (including the system name) without port 2082 in the URL.