SupportCalls with Outlook

Step 6: Write/Update XML metadata files from SupportCalls with Outlook

The last remaining step is to save/update the web access specific XML metadata files in the web access network folder. The XML metadata files contain all the SupportCalls lists and settings defined by the helpdesk manager in Outlook and these files feed data to the web access application when remote technicians work on support cases on the web.

Before any XML data files can be updated, the helpdesk manager needs to specify the network share that was configured in Step 2. If the appropriate permission was set, clicking the 'Update data' button generate all the required XML files.

Automatically update TWA metadata XML files (including web.config)
In due course, the SupportCalls lists and settings would change/update (eg. problem categories and types). This requires the helpdesk manager to manually update the web access XML metadata files accordingly (by clicking the 'Update data'), so that data used in the web access application is in synch with that in Outlook. Though the helpdesk manager can manually update the data files for web access, it would be a tedious task if the settings in Outlook is to changed every now and then. In such scenario, it is recommended to allow SupportCalls (in Outlook) to automatically update web access specific metadata XML files in the shared network folder, when there is any changes in the lists and settings in Outlook.

What is web.config? The ASP.NET Web.config file is used to define the configuration settings for an ASP.NET application. ASP.NET and the .NET Framework use .config files to define all configuration options. The .config files, including the ASP.NET Web.config file, are XML files. The web.config file is also updated everytime in the network share along with the XML metadata files. SupportCalls specific data are saved under the <appSettings> section as illustrated below:

- <appSettings>

</appSettings>