Description of CMS's Add Comment Response files.

I. Introduction

CMS can use "Add Comment Response" files to customize the response
returned after entry of new comments.

Add Comment Response files should contain HTML elements that will 
generate an HTML file that will be returned to clients after a comment
has been added.

They should also contain special "replaceable strings". These "replaceable
strings", which will be "replaced" by CMS, make it easy to properly format
an Add Comment Response (so that it delivers an informative message)!

  
II. Usage

CMS-elements of the following syntax should be inserted into 
a CMS-template file (where rfile.ext is the Add Comment Response file).

  <? comment
     ?RESPFILE=rfile.ext
     ?MODE=ADD>Click here to add a comment <? /comment> about this article.

Or, if you want to customize the entry of the comment (where file.ext
is the Add Comment file).

  <? comment
     ?FILE=file.ext
     ?RESPFILE=rfile.ext
     ?MODE=ADD>Click here to add a new comment <? /comment>about this article.

(see ADD_CMT.TXT for details on comment files)

Hint: you can use the "link creater tool" option (provided by the CMS main
      page) to create a <? COMMENT > element that you can cut & paste.



How it works:
  a) When a <? Comment ... > CMS element is processed (possibly using
     a custom Add Comment file),  CMS will create a new comment
     (using the  entered values).
  b) CMS will also look for a  ?RESPFILE=file.ext option.
  c) If such a ?RESPFILE option exists, the "rfile.ext" file is read by CMS.
     CMS will look for this file relative to the Output-File directory
     (as defined when you created the CMS dataseries), or in the CMS\FILES
     directory.
  d) CMS will then replace the special "replaceable strings"
     with values specific to this comment (such as the record number),
     and CMS will then send this now-modified file to the client.
  e) CMS will then replace the special "replaceable strings"
     with values specific to this just entered record (such as the 
     record number), and CMS will then send this now-modified file 
     to the client.

CMT_RESP.HTM is an example of such a "properly formatted Add Comment
Response file". You can use it as a starting point for your own, 
customized, needs. 

Whether you start from scratch, or modify CMT_RESP.HTM, you'll need to 
appropriately use the "replacaeable strings". 

What follows is a description of these "replaceable strings".


III. The Add-Comment-Response file "replaceable strings"

These "replaceable strings" have the following format:

      <!--A_NAME-->
where: 

  * A_NAME MUST BE CAPITALIZED
  * there are NO SPACES between the <!-- and the -->
          
The following A_names are used. To repeat, they MUST BE capitalized:

   #COMMENTS: # of comments submitted for this record
   $NAME: The name variable (from the comment database) for this record
   $TITLE: The title variable (from the comment database) for this record

           If the CMS dataseries does not have a "NAME" comment (or title)
           variables, don't use $NAME (or $TITLE)

   $LENGTH: Length (in bytes) of the comment just aded
   $RECID: The record id (such as 5055.5161521) to which the comment was added
   $COMMENT_ID: The comment-id of the comment just added (similar to recid)
               
IV. Examples

    <em>There are now <!--#COMMENTS--> comments submitted for this record</em>.<p>

    You (<!--$NAME-->) submitted a <!--$LENGTH--> bytes 
    comment for record <!--$RECID-->

    The title of this comment: <tt><!--$TITLE--></tt><br>