844-897-3935This article explains how to set up and use Web Linking, a streaming text platform that's available in the Version 7 (and higher) of the TypeWell Transcriber and Connect programs.
In this article:
- Software and hardware requirements for Web Linking
- Creating a Web Linking channel
- Add a channel created by someone else (using their "teaming name")
- Turning on Web Linking
- Understanding the Web Linking status message
- How will I know if the reader is seeing the transcript?
- Enabling and disabling your Web Linking channels
What is Web Linking?
Web Linking works over the internet, and the transcript can be viewed on almost any type of reader device, including a smartphone, iPad, laptop, or other web-enabled device. No installation of software is needed for the reader. All the reader needs is a standard web browser to view the transcript.
Click here to view a demo of Web Linking in your browser.
Software and hardware requirements for Web Linking
The following must be in place to use TypeWell's Web Linking features:
- The transcriber must have a reliable internet connection
- The transcriber must have the Premium Transcriber or Connect software installed
- The reader can use any web-enabled device as long as it is connected to the internet
Creating a Web Linking channel
To use Web Linking, you need to create or enable a Web Linking channel in TypeWell. Open the Link menu in the Premium Transcriber or Connect program and select by Web:
[Caption: A TypeWell Transcriber window has the Link menu expanded. Within this menu, the "by Web (0 channels enabled)" option is highlighted.]
To create a brand new Web Linking channel, (1) use the drop-down menu to select which server to link to—typically the West Coast server or the East Coast server—and (2) click the Add Channel button.
[Caption: A Web Linking Setup window has two steps numbered. Step 1 shows the "Link to" dropdown menu expanded with the "West Coast server" option selected. Step 2 shows the "Add Channel" button, located just to the right of the "Link to" dropdown menu.]
A new row will be added to the list in the Web Linking Setup window, and will automatically have the Enabled checkbox checked (3).
You should add a reader description to help you remember which reader or device this channel will be used for. In the example below, we used the initials of a student and their school (4).
When you click OK (5), the channel will be created on the Web Linking server.
[Caption: A Web Linking Setup window with a table that includes the following column headings from left to right: "Enabled", "Server", "Channel", and "Reader description". There is one row in the table showing channel information. In this row, the "Enabled" check box is checked (Step 3). The Server is listed as West Coast. The Channel is currently blank. The Reader Description is "J.R. at U of C" (Step 4). There is an OK button at the bottom-right corner of the screen (Step 5).]
Add a channel created by someone else (using their "teaming name")
Instead of creating a brand new channel, you might need to add a channel that someone else already created. They will send you a teaming name for their channel, which takes the format xxxxxxxx_yyyyyy. The underscore + extra letters at the end of the Channel ID enable you to share the channel between different computers/users, which is why it's called a "teaming name" even if you're not going to be teaming on this channel.
Paste the full teaming name into the Link to: field, and then click the Add channel button.
[Caption: A Web Linking Setup window with a teaming name pasted into the "Link to" dropdown menu. A callout box says, "Paste the teaming name here." Directly to the right of the "Link to" dropdown menu is the "Add Channel" button.]
Once you click the Add Channel button, a new row will be added to the list in the Web Linking Setup window, and will automatically have the Enabled checkbox checked. You can enter a reader description to help you remember which reader or device this channel will be used for (or which teamer shared this channel with you!).
When you click OK, the channel will be established between your software and the Web Linking server online.
Turning on Web Linking
Open the Link menu in the Premium Transcriber program and select Linking On. This master linking option will turn on (or off) the type of linking that is currently enabled. You can see in the example below that Web Linking is enabled because it shows a + symbol.
[Caption: A TypeWell Premium Transcriber window has the Linked menu expanded with "Linking On" selected. Further down in the same menu, "by Web" now shows a plus-sign next to it, and reads "by Web (linked to Web West)".]
If successful, TypeWell will link to the Web Linking server on the channel that you just created. The words "Web East" or "Web West" will display in the lower right-hand corner of the TypeWell Transcriber window.
Understanding the Web Linking status message
Hover over the lower right-hand status message for tooltip info:
[Caption: A TypeWell Transcriber window with a mouse hovering over the words "Web West" in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Tooltip info reads, "R equals linked reader, T equals linked transcriber. Click for reader URL".]
Click on the lower righthand status message to automatically copy the Web page address (URL) for the linked channel to your clipboard.
[Caption: A pop-up information window reads: "The clipboard now contains the reader URL: http://west.typewell.com/gohdodlb."]
You can then copy and paste the URL in a message to the reader(s) via email or instant message.
[Caption: An email draft is from a transcriber, addressed to a student, and cc'd to a coordinator. The email reads, "Hi John, here's the link for tomorrow's class. Have a great day! Kate," with the reader URL pasted into the email.]
The reader(s) must click the link or copy/paste the unique Web address into their browser's address bar. This will open the TypeWell Web Reader window, which will display the real-time transcript once the transcriber begins typing.
[Caption: A browser window is open to a Web Reader page with the URL west.typewell.com/gohdodlb.]
How will I know if the reader is seeing the transcript?
Any time a Web browser opens to the active (linked) channel, the TypeWell Transcriber will register that as a "linked reader", as indicated by **R **in the lower righthand status message.
If multiple readers open to a channel in their respective Web browsers, the status message will change to R2, R3, R4, and so forth.
Note that if the transcriber also opens to that channel in his or her Web browser, the transcriber's browser will be counted as an R.
[Caption: A close-up of the bottom-right corner of a TypeWell Transcriber window. The words "Web West" are followed by an "R".]
TIP: It's a good practice for the transcriber to open a Web browser page to the active channel, to verify that the typed text is showing up on the webpage. Some transcribers position the browser window side-by-side with their TypeWell Transcriber window.
[Caption: Two program windows divide a computer screen in half. On the left is the TypeWell Premium Transcriber window, linked to Web West with two Readers viewing the transcript. A class header has been typed into the window. On the right side of the screen is a web browser window, open to a Web Reader page. The same class header appears in the Web Reader.]
So, if the transcriber is viewing the channel in his or her browser, and the reader is viewing the channel on his or her mobile device, TypeWell should display R2 in the lower righthand status message.
]
[Caption: A close-up of the bottom-right corner of a TypeWell Transcriber window. The words "Web West" are followed by "R2".]
Enabling and disabling your Web Linking channels
It's very important for transcribers to be aware of which channels are enabled at any particular time.
Leaving a channel enabled for the wrong client/assignment could result in a breach of confidentiality!
[Caption: A close-up of the bottom-right corner of a TypeWell Transcriber window. Words read "Web West, West". A callout box says, "This indicates that TWO Web Linking channels are enabled at the same time."]
You should only enable the channel(s) that are intended for each particular assignment. Disable all of the other channels, to prevent other clients from seeing transcripts of classes or meetings that aren't their own.
[Caption: A Web Linking Setup window with two channels listed. One channel has its "Enabled" checkbox checked; the other is unchecked. A mouse hovers over the unchecked checkbox and a tooltip reads, "Allow temporarily disabling a channel without removing it permanently from the list." A callout box says, "Un-checking this box means the channel is disabled. You can check the box again later to re-enable the channel."]
See also:
How to team with Web Linking
How to "clear" the transcript when using Internal or Web Linking
Managing Web Linking channels