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description The Digital Team is responsible for maintaining the ASP app and databases which drive the assessing online application.

Assessing Online Maintenance

Maintenance Cycle Checklist

{% tabs %} {% tab title="December (Q3)" %} See tabbed notes for December (on this page) for detailed instructions.

  • Request SQLDBA's to clone the current live database (assessingupdates20YYQ1 ) to a new database called assessingupdates20YYQ3 where YY is the current financial year.
  • Create sandbox default.asp page for testing by copying the current default.asp to default20YYQ3.asp ,
  • Update the dates and tax rates in sandbox,
  • Update sandbox to connect to the assessingupdates20YYQ3 MS SQL database,
  • Update MS SQL assessingupdates20YYQ3 database with data from MS Access,
  • Run any adjustment processes in assessingupdates20YYQ3 database,
  • Copy new forms into the folder at wwwcob/assessing/search/forms,
  • Test sandbox, and re-import data as needed/provided by Assessing Team,
  • Backup the current default.asp page by copying into default.asp20YYQ3.bak .
  • To put the new page and data live, simply delete default.asp and then rename default20YYQ3.asp todefault.asp.
  • Cleanup any remaining asp pages you may have created and any redundant databases and tables. {% endtab %}

{% tab title="July (Q1)" %} See tabbed notes for July (on this page) for detailed instructions.

  • Request SQLDBA's to clone the current live database (assessingupdates20YYQ3 ) to a new database called assessingupdates20YYQ1 where YY is the next financial year.
  • Create sandbox default.asp page for testing by copying the current default.asp to default20YYQ1.asp,
  • Update sandbox to connect to the assessingupdates20YYQ1 MS SQL database,
  • Update MS SQL assessingupdates20YYQ1 database with data from MS Access,
  • Run any needed adjustment processes in assessingupdates20YYQ1 database,
  • To put the new page and data live, simply delete default.asp and then rename default20YYQ1.asp todefault.asp.
  • Cleanup any remaining asp pages you may have created and any redundant databases and tables. {% endtab %} {% endtabs %}

ASP Application

The ASP application is served by an IIS Server from zpcobweb01.web.cob.

On the Windows server hosting the IIS Server, the ASP files which make up the assessing online app can be found at d:\wwwcob\assessing.

The files which are appear to be live (i.e. have no redirect to boston.gov) and which currently live in the folder are:

FilenameLast ModifiedDescription
..\global.asa (wwwcob)2022Contains the database connection strings for the whole cityofboston.gov website
paymentinfo.asp07/2017
payments.asp11/2015
res_prop_sales_archive.asp03/2016Suspect this file is not live, just an archive of res_sales_prop.asp which has not been redirected.
taxratehistory.asp03/2016
global.asa (assessing)08/2013Contains connection strings which do not appear to be used.
paymentshistory\default.aspx03/2014Unknown, appears to be a file uploader - inserts records into the Treasury database on vsql01
search\default.asp11/2022
search\hotline.asp06/2020Unknown, looks unused.
search\json.asp05/2016Unknown, looks unused.
wwwcob\global.asa

This file contains connection strings for the whole cityofboston.gov website.

The strings used by Assessing on-line are found around line 450:
assessingsearch - used for production data,
assessingupdates - used for test data prior to 1 Jan update.

Generally, these do not need to be updated or modified, unless other databases are being used for testing/staging etc.

If new connectionstrings are provided, then the correct DNS name for the target SQL Cluster should be used. At this time (Dec 2022) the main database server for the IIS Server hosted apps is vsql01(.web.cob)but, databases are being migrated to vsql71(.cityhall.boston.cob).

**Note:**Do not use IPAddresses in connection strings. Also use the DNS for the SQL Server cluster, not the DNS entry for the actual Database server. i.e. do not use the server zpcobsql61.web.cob instead use the cluster vsql61. The cluster will always redirect traffic to the currently active database server during maintenance or fail-over conditions.

wwwcob\assessing\search\default.asp

This file contains the assessing online search service.

There is a section titled BEGIN CONSTANTS (line 20) to END CONSTANTS (line 70). This block of code contains a number of constants. Principally these are dates, but also some tax rate information. This data is provided by the Assessing Team in Dec each year. Nothing outside of this block requires routine maintenance.

Maintenance Cycle

{% tabs %} {% tab title="December (Q3)" %} Create sandbox ASP page for testing.

Create a copy of default.asp named default20XXQ3.asp.

Update DB connection string.

Once the SQLDBA's have cloned the current live database:

In the global.asa for the IIS server (in the root of wwwcob folder) there are a number of database connection strings defined. Search for assessingupdates and you will find a block defining the assessing-online apps connection strings. Make a new connection string called assessingupdates20YYQ3 and point it at the new database created by the DBA's.

The constant for AssessingSearchDB in (line 56 of) default20YYQ3.asp indicates the actual connection string for the page to use. Change it to assessingupdates20YYQ3 (which will then run SQL queries on the page in the assessingupdates20YYQ3 database in the MSSQL Server).

Make changes to dates and tax rates for next year.

Using data provided by the Assessing Team, update the constants in default20YYQ3.asp.
Refer to the notes in the default.asp page next to each constant for guidance.

{% hint style="success" %} Testing/verification of the new data can now be completed at:
https://cityofboston.gov/assessing/search/default20YYQ3.asp {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %} While testing, you can use the variable TodaysTime (around line 70) to test the site for a future date and see that the date fields and the availability of exemption forms links are altering on the page as expected. {% endhint %} {% endtab %}

{% tab title="July (Q1)" %} Create sandbox ASP page for testing.

Create a copy of default.asp named default20YYQ1.asp.

Update DB connection string.

Once the SQLDBA's have cloned the current live database:

In the global.asa for the IIS server (in the root of wwwcob folder) there are a number of database connection strings defined. Search for assessingupdates and you will find a block defining the assessing-online apps connection strings. Make a new connection string called assessingupdates20YYQ1 and point it at the new database created by the DBA's.

The constant for AssessingSearchDB in (line 56 of) default20YYQ1.asp indicates the actual connection string for the page to use. Change it to assessingupdates20YYQ1 (which will then run SQL queries on the page in the assessingupdates20YYQ1 database in the MSSQL Server).

{% hint style="success" %} Testing/verification of the new data can now be completed at:
https://cityofboston.gov/assessing/search/default20YYQ1.asp {% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %} Typically the dates in the form do not change, and the tax rate should also not change. Really, the only expected change to default20YYQ1.asp is to change the DB connection string name. {% endhint %} {% endtab %} {% endtabs %}

Assessing Forms

There are a number of forms which are provided as part of the assessment process during the first part of each calendar year. The templates for these forms are saved in docroot/modules/custom/bos_components/modules/bos_assessing/pdf/FY20xx.

When a constituent requests a form, it is processed through the bos_assessing managed endpoint at boston.gov/assessing-online/ This endpoint adds a barcode (related to the parcelid) and selected tax bill information onto the form.

See Assessing Form generation notes here, and more detailed notes on PDF generation here.

{% hint style="success" %} Various assessing forms are made available to consitituents based on a calendar. The calendar is set in the constants fields in wwwcob\assessing\search\default.asp (see box above).

Once those dates are set, the form display is controlled by code and no further action is needed to enable or disable them. {% endhint %}

Maintenance Cycle

{% tabs %} {% tab title="December (Q3)" %} Each year new forms for exemptions and other request are generated and will be provided by the Assessing Team.

  • Ensure dates (AbatementExemptionStartThisYear, AbatementDeadlineThisYear and ExemptionDeadlineThisYear) are set correctly in wwwcob\assessing\search\default20YYQ3.asp
  • Upload the forms (typically 4) to a new folder at docroot/modules/custom/bos_components/modules/bos_assessing/pdf/FY20xx.
  • Update the the json and fdf files in the same folder. {% endtab %}

{% tab title="July (Q1)" %} There is nothing to be done with forms in the July updates. {% endtab %} {% endtabs %}

MSSQL Database

The database which contains the data for the assessing online app is contained onvsql01 (aka zpdmzsql01, vsql02, zrb01(?)). This may well be migrated to vsql71 at some point.

The assessing department validate and transfer data to the Digital Team via an MS Access database. This database contains tables of data that should be mapped and uploaded to databases on the MS SQLServer.

{% hint style="info" %} MSAccess data is imported into tables prefixed "_" in the MSSQL Database.

Stored procedures are then written to update/merge data from the import tables into the main tables used by the app. The stored procedure is saved in the DB as a record of the updates and manipulations performed. {% endhint %}

The production database is assessingsearch and the staging database is assessingupdates.

December data should first be imported into assessingupdates, verified and then copied to assessingsearch

Maintenance Cycle

{% tabs %} {% tab title="December (Q3)" %} Obtain the updated copy of the MS Access database.

In the assessingupdates20YYQ3 database, delete all tables prefixed "_", these are import tables from the previous Q1 update.

Following these instructions, copy tables from Access to assessingupdates20YYQ3 in MS SQL.

Notes from Assessing Team will detail any particular instructions on data manipulations that are required.

To keep a record and for replaying updates, and data updates (from import tables to main tables) and data manipulations should be coded into stored procedures and executed from the stored procedure.
The stored procedure should be saved in the DB, and named sp_20YYQ3_import. If multiple sp's are used, then number them sequentially (sp_20YYQ3_import_1 etc).

For example, in 2023Q3 there is a (incorrectly named...) stored procedure sp_update_current_owners which should be executed to make additional data changes to parcel/property ownership.

{% hint style="success" %} Testing/verification of the new data can then be completed at:
https://cityofboston.gov/assessing/search/default20YYQ3.asp {% endhint %} {% endtab %}

{% tab title="July (Q1)" %} Obtain the updated copy of the MS Access database.

In the assessingupdates20YYQ1 database, delete all tables prefixed "_", these are import tables from the previous Q3 update.

Following these instructions, copy tables from Access to assessingupdates20YYQ1 in MS SQL.

Notes from Assessing Team will detail any particular instructions on data manipulations that are required.

To keep a record and for replaying updates, and data updates (from import tables to main tables) and data manipulations should be coded into stored procedures and executed from the stored procedure.
The stored procedure should be saved in the DB, and named sp_20YYQ1_import. If multiple sp's are used, then number them sequentially (sp_20YYQ1_import_1 etc). {% endtab %} {% endtabs %}