T 'n' T: Transfer and Telecommunications

Overview
This purpose of this web page is to provide additional information and resources to assist educators and students who wish to e-mail their "Internet-ready" Tessellation(s) to the facilitator for displaying on the world wide web. The steps necessary for this process to be successful include the following:

• Ensure that all tessellations created adhere to the standard 512 x 342 pixel size
• Download compressed files off the Internet (if necessary) to acquire conversion software
• Convert tessellation images to GIFs or JPEGs for display on world wide web page
• Test the e-mail attachment & sending procedure using MIME compliance
• Upon confirmation of the correct process, send remaining tessellations as e-mail attachments
• View and share tessellations on the world wide web

Tips on Transferring Tessellations by E-mail
It is recommended that educators, who participate in this activity, print out the contents of these resources and work through the steps themselves prior to introducing the activity to their students. This entry-level process will allow students to be creative and at the same time learn to design within a set boundary, convert images to GIF or JPEG formats and send them as e-mail attachments. However, it is recommended that each teacher should take time to test the procedures including the design, conversion to GIF or JPEG and sending the images as e-mail attachments prior to introducing this activity with one's students

It is important that all tessellation designs (including optional text) adhere to the standard 512 x 342 pixel sized frame. Last year some students were disappointed when their graphic creations were returned via e-mail as unacceptable because they were created using the full screen of the computer rather than the size specified. Unfortunately we do not have the capacity to store and display larger images on our server and the time to download and view these creations increases dramatically with size. So, from the start, insist that all students design and save all tessellations within a borderless 512 x 342 pixel frame as described in the previous resources "Tessellations - Step by step with 'Paintbrush' or 'Paint'" or in "Tessellations - Step by step with 'HyperStudio'".

Downloading compressed files
It is important that the tessellation creations be converted from their "native" mode to either one of the two Internet-ready GIF or JPEG graphic standards. For example, graphic files created on Macintosh computers may be in PICT or TIFF formats while Windows "Paint/Paintbrush" files may be initially created in PCX or BMP format. Thus, it is important to have a software program that can convert files from their "native" PICT, TIFF, PCX or BMP formats, as an example, to GIF or JPEG for display on the Internet. Educators who do not have access to such file conversion software often download freeware or shareware products off the Internet. However some newer Internet-users may be somewhat unfamiliar with the download procedure or the "unzipping" decompression process. If you would like additional information to assist Windows-users with the downloading process you are invited to peruse the article entitled "How to download Windows-based files off the Internet" in the March '97 issue of my "Bits and Bytes" newsletter. Remember, if you do explore any newsletter articles, you should click on the "Back" button on your browser software so that you return to this page.

How to convert images to GIFs or JPEGs
Depending on the tessellation-creating program used, the image will probably be saved in its "native" format. Since the students' tessellation creations are to be displayed on the World Wide Web in our "T 'n' T: Talent 'n' Tessellations" web page, all images must be converted to GIF or JPEG formats before they are sent by e-mail to the "T 'n' T" host at the following e-mail address: lgc98@wsd1.org

Some newer commercial products like Corel Draw will save or create images in either GIF or JPEG formats and can be used to convert between graphic formats. If you lack software to convert the tessellations to their Internet-ready GIF or JPEG formats then you may wish to download a freeware/shareware software conversion utility off the Internet. Some of the more popular ones include:

• Windows - Lview 31 freeware at:
  http://www.wsd1.winnipeg.mb.ca/bitsbytes/9697/bbmar97/default.htm#FREEBIE
• Windows 95 - Lview Pro at:
  http://www.lview.com/
• Windows 3.1, 3.11, '95 & NT - Graphic Workshop for Windows at:
  http://www.mindworkshop.com/alchemy/gww.html
• Macintosh - GIFConverter at:
  http://www.kamit.com/gifconverter/index.html

Windows-using educators can download the freeware version of Lview 3.1 off our web server as noted above and can also peruse the article entitled "Image conversion for 'Let's Get Connected' Week" located at: http://www.wsd1.winnipeg.mb.ca/bitsbytes/9697/bbmar97/default.htm#STORY5

It is recommended that when the students convert their tessellations from the "paint" program "native" formats to the corresponding GIF or JPEG formats that they ensure that all images adhere to the 512 x 342 pixel size. Lview users can simply open their original BMP files and then click on the "Edit/Resize" menu items. If one removes the check mark from the "Preserve Aspect Ratio" box, one can specify that the Width must be 512 and the Height must be 342 pixels respectfully. Once the frame has been resized, it is a simple matter to click on the "File/Save As" menu items to save the image in its corresponding Internet-ready GIF or JPEG format.

Testing E-mail attachments using MIME compliance
Before a teacher sends a class room of tessellations to the facilitator, it is very important to send a single "test" tessellation to verify that the e-mail system is working flawlessly. If the steps below are followed exactly and the participant is notified that the tessellation arrived successfully, then the teachers can replicate the process with each student's creations and be certain that the process will work. Please work through this process as outlined.

1. Created a tessellation adhering to the 512 x 342 format standard
2. Use the "Paint/Paintbrush" or "HyperStudio" Text tool to enter the creator's First name and ONLY First initial of surname, together with school name, and optional creation title.
3. Convert the resulting tessellation to either a GIF or JPEG format so that the tessellation image is "Internet-ready" and save this initial test image as a file using the standard "8.3" rule. Here, the filename does not exceed eight characters and the filename suffix (in this case GIF or JPG) contains three characters. Use your school name (up to 5 characters) and the three-digit number "001" to create a unique file name for this initial tessellation test transfer. For example, some possible filenames for these initial test might be:
   • Ecole Marie-Anne-Gaboury                      EMAG001.GIF   or   EMAG001.JPG
   • Constable Edward Finney School             CEFS001.GIF   or   CEFS001.JPG   
   • Virden Collegiate                                      VIRDN001.GIF   or   VIRDN001.JPG
4. Save this file in a folder/or directory on your computer (perhaps "tessell8") where you can find it during the e-mail attachment process.
5. To ensure that your tessellation images transfer without any corruption, would you make certain that your attachments are sent using MIME encoding. This is particularly important for Macintosh users and some Windows users as their e-mail software may be set to the older BinHex format. Eudora users can check this setting by selecting the "Special/Switches" or "Special/Settings" menu items. Make certain that the "Encode with MIME" is selected (rather than BinHex).
6. Next compose an e-mail message with "TESSELLATION TEST from First Surname" in the Subject field. As a participating teacher, please place your first and last name in the subject field so I can reply in a more personal style.
7. Use the e-mail software feature to attach the previously saved file (in the "tessell8" directory/folder for example)
8. In the body of the e-mail message, please enter one line which indicate the following four items which I will need to build a table of contents for each tessellation: "name of creation" (optional), "first name of creator & first initial of surname", "school name" and "name of corresponding tessellation file". For example, the body of the e-mail message might include a line like one of the following:

• "Butterflies", Samantha K., Deloraine Collegiate, DELOR001.GIF
• "Tiger Stripes", Aman J., Carpathia School, CARP001.JPG
• Theresa H., Winnipeg Beach School, WPGBS001.GIF

9. Now send the message (with its accompanying tessellation test file) to the "T 'n' T" facilitator at: lgc98@wsd1.org
10. When the message has been received, the attached tessellation will be examined and if the attachment was sent with MIME compliance and is transferred without any defects it will be displayed on the "T 'n' T: Talent 'n' Tessellations" web page. If you haven't explored this tessellation display site yet, it is recommended that you click on the previous link so that you can better understand how the above information is built into the tessellation table of contents. Remember to press the browser's "Back" button to return to this page or click on the "T 'n' T: Transfer 'n' Telecommunications" navigation link at the top and bottom of each web page to return here. If there are any problems an e-mail message will be sent back to you with suggestions for improving the transmission procedure.
11. If the tessellation test procedure works as expected, you will be notified and you can then begin replicating the steps above to send your students' tessellation creations.
12. Teachers can attach more than one tessellation file per e-mail message by simply clicking on the Eudora "Attach Document" option (and selecting the appropriate file on your hard drive from, for example, the "tessell8" directory) repeatedly. However, in order to avoid "plugging up" the the "T 'n' T" facilitator's mailbox, I recommend that your e-mail attachments per message do not exceed 10 tessellations. Remember to include in the body of the e-mail message, one line of information (as indicated in Step 8 above) for each tessellation attached. Please ensure a one-to-one correspondence between each data line for each creator and the attached tessellation file. In other words, if one sends six tessellation attachments, the e-mail message must include six lines of data describing the optional tessellation title, creator, school, and tessellation file name. Accuracy in this process will ensure accuracy as I build the table of contents for the tessellation display.

I will be checking my e-mail on a regular basis for the next few weeks. So send in all your creations so that we can display at least 128 different tessellations to commemorate Manitoba's 128th anniversary! Good luck!

If you feel confident about this page, and have printed up the information to assist you in teaching your students, you may like to proceed to the "T 'n' T: Trivia 'n' Tours" page which provides a series of links to tessellation resources that are available on the world wide web. Others will prefer to go directly to the "T 'n' T: Talent 'n' Tessellations" web site, and bookmark it, so that they can return on a regular basis to witness the creativity demonstrated by students and staff across our province.