844-897-3935Web Linking is a streaming text feature available in Version 7 (and higher) of our Premium Transcriber software (which is used by trained TypeWell transcribers) and our Connect software (used by CART and voice writers).
See also:
How to use Web Linking
How to team with Web Linking
How to "clear" the transcript when using Internal or Web Linking
In this article:
- First, what is a channel?
- How to add, edit, delete, enable, and disable channels
- Understanding the parts of a channel URL
- Assign separate channels for different readers? classes? campuses?
- Enabling and disabling your Web Linking channels
- Linking to multiple readers during the same class or meeting
First, what is a channel?
A channel is a unique connection or "link" to a TypeWell server. A channel can only be created within the Premium Transcriber or Connect software program on a transcriber's computer. Think of it as a private two-way channel of communication between the TypeWell program on the transcriber's computer and one of the Web Linking servers (on the East or West Coast) or the Internal Server (on the transcriber's computer).
When linked to a channel, the typing from the transcriber's computer is sent to the server, where it can then be viewed in a Web browser at a unique URL (web address). When a viewer sends a chat from the browser page, the transcriber can see the chat in their TypeWell program.
With Web Linking, the channel ID is a random string of 8 letters, designed to be relatively unguessable. When viewing a Web Reader page online, the channel ID is shown at the end of the URL.
[Caption: A Web Reader page has the URL west.typewell.com/ebdlggof. The letters after the backslash are highlighted. A callout box says, "This string of 8 letters is the channel ID."]
How to add, edit, delete, enable, and disable channels
The Premium Transcriber and Connect programs can store up to 32 Web Linking channels. To add, edit, delete, enable, or disable Web Linking channels, select the "by Web Browser" option under the Link menu.
[Caption: A TypeWell Transcriber window has the Link menu expanded. Within this menu, the "by Web (0 channels enabled)" option is highlighted.]
This will open the Web Linking Setup window.
In the example below, the transcriber has multiple saved Web Linking channels on both the West Coast and East Coast servers, and none of them are currently enabled.
[Caption: A Web Linking Setup window displays a long list of channels. In the "Enabled" column, none of the channels' checkboxes are selected.]
- Adding a new channel is pretty straightforward and is covered detail in the article, How to use Web Linking.
- Editing a channel is limited to editing the Reader description field
- Deleting a channel is as simple as clicking the "X" on the right-hand side. This cannot be undone, unless you saved the teaming name for that channel somewhere and can re-add it.
- Enabling a channel by checking the checkbox means that when linking is ON, TypeWell will attempt to link to the Web Linking server on that unique channel.
- Disabling a channel by unchecking the checkbox means that TypeWell will not attempt to link to the Web Linking server on that channel, but the channel is still "saved" in the list and can be enabled later.
Understanding the parts of a channel URL
The URL that a transcriber sends to the reader is simply a web address where the viewer can see the transcriber's typing in a browser. Here is an example of a Web Linking URL (underlined in red) in the address bar of a Web browser:
[Caption: A Web Reader page has the URL west.typewell.com/ebdlggof. The entire address is highlighted. A callout box says, "This is the full Web Linking URL that the readers pastes into a web browser."]
The 8-letter channel ID at the end of the URL is unique and relatively unguessable, to prevent unauthorized viewers from seeing others' transcripts.
[Caption: A Web Reader page has the URL west.typewell.com/ebdlggof. The letters after the backslash are highlighted. A callout box says, "This string of 8 letters is the channel ID."]
Channels on the West Coast server always have a URL (web address) beginning with http://west.typewell.com/ . Channels on the East Coast server always have a URL beginning with http://east.typewell.com/ .
[Caption: A Web Reader page has the URL *west.typewell.com/ebdlggof.* The word "west" is highlighted. A callout box says, "This indicates which Web Linking server you're connected to (e.g. West Coast)."]
Assign separate channels for different readers? classes? campuses?
There is no right or wrong way to assign or describe channels, but here are some factors to consider:
- When you share a channel with a reader, they may bookmark it or save it in their browser history.
- When a channel is "live", anyone with the URL can view it.
- There is not a way to identify who is viewing the channel, nor is there a way to block or prevent someone from viewing it.
- There are benefits to bookmarking a channel in one's browser, making it convenient to view the channel again without having to paste or type out a long URL.
- Will the reader be viewing the channel on his personal mobile device, or is it a shared device that the transcriber passes around to different readers on different days?
With these factors in mind, it may be advisable to dedicate one channel to each different reader for the semester, or to create one channel per class for the semester. You may want to bookmark one or more channels in the browser on the reader laptop or mobile device.
When security and privacy are essential, you may wish to create a brand new channel for every event, and then delete it when the event is over.
Keep in mind that the Web Linking server will store the most recently typed text for a couple of hours, before "clearing" the channel. If the same channel will be used for back-to-back events, see How do you "clear" the transcript when using Web Linking or Internal Linking?
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."]
Linking to multiple readers during the same class or meeting
Multiple readers can all view the same channel at once.
A transcriber can also link to multiple channels at once, on one or both servers simultaneously.
In the example below, two channels on the West Coast server are currently enabled (checkbox checked).
[Caption: A Web Linking Setup window has two channels with their "Enabled" checkboxes checked. The channels have reader descriptions "John" and "Owen".]
This means that when the transcriber turns Linking ON, TypeWell will link to the West Coast server on two different channels simultaneously. Both John and Owen will see the same transcript, but John will view it at http://west.typewell.com/gohdodlb and Owen will view it at http://west.typewell.com/ffolimic.
See also:
How to use Web Linking
How to team with Web Linking
How to "clear" the transcript when using Internal or Web Linking