N+ terms

Site

A site is a computer system, which usually has the following architecture:

• the computer itself, connected to the internet,
• a web server and
• a database software, both installed on the computer,
• a web application (which implements the functionality of the site),
• the database, stored by the database system.

When we talk about "site", we mean only the web application and the database.

The site has the following elements:

• pages,
• database specification.

Also, the user's point of view, the Neuron Client is also belongs to the site.

Page

A site is nothing else, but one or more pages. While a simple site can be a couple of static HTML (or Flash) pages; a complex, functional site is built of dynamic pages. We call "Page" the second kind.

Page parameters

Pages can be controlled by parameters. Parameters can be passed thru URL or POST. Dealing with parameters is closely related to the problem of the URLs. N+ provides a PHP class which is used to handle parameters and URLs.

Visitor

We're using term "visitors" for the end-users, who are downloading pages from the site with their browsers.

User

We're using term "users" if we talk about people who are the owners of the site. They create and edit content (news, articles), manage site, query traffic data and so on with the Neuron Client.

Also, we often call "users" the registered visitors, who have access to a function, which needs authentication (e.g.: forum, webmail), because they can perform similar functions as content provider users can. The main difference is that they are using web UI interface, not the Neuron Client.

Neuron Client

A Win-32 application which the users can manage site content, querying traffic data, create/modify documents with the WYSIWYG editor etc.

Document

The smallest content unit is the document. Each document belongs to a document Class. The users can manage documents with the Neuron Client.

Each document has an unique document ID within the same document class. (The PHP code can refer to a document by the name of document class and the document ID.)

The Document has also data fields called sections, as it is defined in document class. (The PHP code can refer to different sections of a document by the name of the section).

Document Class

The document classes are the definition of the documents. A document class has a name (e.g. "news", or "article") and a list of document sections.

The document classes are defined in the site definition file.

Document Section

Each document class consists of one or more sections. A section has a name (e.g. "lastmod", "owner") and a type (according to SQL types).

Document set

A name, a document class and a filter condition on its sections defines a document set. The main purpose of the document set is the access control: user and group rights can be assigned to document sets.

Example: The definition of the "SportNews" document set is: class "news" where section "category" is "sport".

N+ markup language

The N+ technology is using an HTML-embedded markup language to define functional units within the HTML code.

When we talk about HTML files, we assume that they already contain N+ markup language elements, so they are ready to use with the N+ system.

N+ Builder

A Win-32 application for programmers to managing projects, setting up pages and compiling HTML files to PHP script using remote compilation.

Project

A project holds all the information required to construct and set up a site properly. You can manage (create, store, modify) your projects with N+ Builder tool.

Master HTML

The base of the page is the master HTML file (also it picks up the master HTML's name). The generated PHP code will follow the structure of the master HTML file.

The sum of the master HTML files may considered as the static version or the preview of the site.

Jewelmine HTML

A page is basically built of the Master HTML file, but it's possible to use additional elements (boxes, items) from another HTML files, which called Jewelmines.

Master HTML files also can be used as jewelmine.

Engine PHP script

Each generated PHP script converted from a master HTML file needs one or more engine PHP scripts, which contain data provider routines. These routines must be created by a programmer or they may come from a modul. Engine PHP script contains data provider functions for the boxes of the page.

Data provider function

A box - if there's any variable inside it - requires a function, which fills the value of the variables by returning with a variable array. The sum of the data provider functions for all the boxes of the page is the engine PHP of the page.

Module

A HTML file and the related engine PHP script which implements such a common function like a forum can be interpreted as a module. A module can be reused by other sites by changing only the design of the HTML files with keeping its structure, so the related engine PHP scripts should not be canged or just minor changes needed.

Variable

Variable is an N+ markup language element. Where the variable is inserted into the HTML code, the compiled PHP will output dynamically generated value.

Box

Box is an N+ markup language element. Any part of the HTML code can be marked as a box. Variables and other dynamic content elements in the box are grouped together, the box can reused later, it can be switched off or replaced by another box etc.

Item

The item is a special box. The part of the HTML file which is marked as item, will be repeated as many times at run-time, as many data units are available for filling out the variables and other dynamic elements in the item.

Condition

Condition is an N+ markup language element, it is used to mark a portion of the HTML code, thus which can be turned off run-time by evaluating a simple condition.