The file produced is designed to go on a web server that is also running the Test Pilot Java Servlet. That is, as in the case of all web-based electronic forms, a program must be available on the server to handle the data submitted with the form. The Test Pilot Java Servlet is such a program. It was designed to work in conjunction with a file produced by a Test Pilot database and was designed to be flexible enough to record the data from any test or survey generated by the Test Pilot database.

The test produced should be placed in a directory on the web server along with any media files to accompany the test (i.e GIF, MIDI or MOV files) when your are ready to administer the test. The test generated by Test Pilot has been designed to be compatible with the major Internet browsers regardless of the operating system on which they are running. A minimum version of 1.1 for Navigator is required.  The use of Netscape Navigator or Netscape Communicator is strongly recommended.

Calling Conventions

Test Pilot implement's Sun Microsystems' JSDK (Java Servlet Development Kit) conventions for calling servlets.  This convention is unnecessarily confusing, but unfortunately, must be followed to ensure cross platform operation of the product.

All URL's to ALL tests and surveys created with Test Pilot begin:

http://yourserver.com/servlet/TestPilot

You would, of course, substitute your servers name for yourserver.com.  Following this, you append the path to the .tpt file on your web server without including the filename. TestPilot as entered in the above URL is case sensitive.  What's particularly confusing here is that there does not necessarily have to be a /servlet directory on your server.

For example, let's assume you have exported a test from a Test Pilot database and called it, mytest.tpt  Furthermore, let's assume that you put it and all .gif, .jpg or .mov media accompanying it into a directory of your web server whose path is /Test/mine/  The URL should be extended as follows:

http://yourserver.com/servlet/TestPilot/Test/mine/

Now, if you were to enter this URL alone, Test Pilot, if properly installed will present you with a login screen like the following:

In the Test ID box, you and your students are expected to enter the name of the test.  That name is the name of the .tpt file without the .tpt ending.  In our example above, the test id to be entered in the box for the test file, mytest.tpt, would be simple mytest

The User ID box is where the student will enter their name.  If no user restrictions have been defined, as would be the case for a survey, this is simply where the user enters their name.  If restrictions have been specified, it is here where the user would enter their id, that is, the part of the user's restriction line from the database preceding the comma.  For example, if the user was specified in the user restrictions as:

12345,Malcolm Duncan

The user would enter 12345 into the user id box.

To access the owner options of the test or survey, that is, those options for retrieving results and/or bypassing time and date restrictions for preview and testing purposes, the owner of the test would enter the owner id and password which they specified in the database preferences separated by a comma alone into the User ID box in the login screen.  For example, if your owner id was fred and the password was joe, to access the owner options the owner would enter fred,joe (no spaces) in the User ID box.

Please Note:  The Test Pilot servlet caches your tests and surveys to ensure the fastest access for your users.  Whenever you replace a .tpt document, make sure you access it at least once with the owner ID and password.  This will cause the Test Pilot servlet to re-read your file ensuring that your users will get the most up-to-date version.

Shortcuts

To call up the test, requiring the user to enter an ID use the following URL:

http://myserver.com/servlet/TestPilot/Biology/Test1/?TEST_ID=myTest

To call up a survey where you will not have assigned user names and wish to bypass asking the user to input any user ID, use the following URL:

http://myserver.com/servlet/TestPilot/Biology/Test1/?TEST_ID=myTest&USER_ID=guest

The user id of guest above can actually be any identifier of your choosing as long as something is presented..  In fact, if as the owner, you want to store a bookmark to the owner options of a test or survey, simply enter your test's owner id,password entry in place of guest in the above example and save the bookmark.