IComeFromTheNet.net

I have been working on my project where I can and I have decided on a JavaScript Library for the project. The winner was jquery, due to a recent decision by Microsoft ‘jquery will be the official script library for asp projects and as such there is a patch to add intellisense for jquery, this obviously helps development of custom JavaScript widgets.

I have been doing research and found the following sites helpful:

• 7 of my Favorite jQuery plugins for use with ASP.NET.
• Using jquery to consume aspnet json web services.
• Calling webservices via ajax [part 1].
• ASP.NET AJAX: Enabling Bookmarking and the Browser's Back Button.
• Experimenting with YUI's DataTable and DataSource Controls.

I have prototyped the methods for the web-service, No other code is yet implemented, I will use these prototypes to build custom ajax calls using the jquery methods and not the built in script manager.  Hopefully then after creating the data objects in JavaScript I will be able to test these methods and see the resulting post data they generate and in the web services test if the ajax calls product expected input and output using magic data.

What to do next?

• Code the Data objects in javascript.
• Code custom ajax calls.
• Test input and output for these calls.
• Design template for the site.
• Mock-up the interfaces for adding, removing and updating.
• Look at UI tools offered by jquery UI.

Title says it all, I wanted to enjoy some lounge room gaming and the DS was the right price and I love the use of a stylus.

I have always had a dream of playing Civilization on the DS ever since the consoles release many years ago. With the release of Civ Revolutions I can finally realise that dream.

Initially after purchasing it I decided to let that dream wait a while longer and purchased another port of an old favourite  Simicity Creator.  I think revolutions will have to be a Xmas present to myself later on.

I also received the ‘Sight Training’ game and have managed to keep at it for 3 weeks, not that I see a difference the games are fun and like to see how I can improve my score over the coming months. 

I altered a requirement of the project, Originally I decided that I would only have one implementation of each time e.g only one category of type book. I was thinking that I would rather have many instances of each type. Say I wanted to have favourites book list and a 2nd books I hate list. This would have been impossible with my first implementation.

I have altered the DB schema accordingly. There is now a table for each type that will store each instance as a row, the instance data is serialized into Json. I have not normalizing the data further and thus have avoided second and third tables for each category.

Each type needs its own DB class which cannot be generic as specific SQL queries are needed for each type. I have implement and interface ICategory.

Each Type will implement this interface and the IErrorLog which contains a simple method to log each exception in a textfile.

Each Type is able to save an instance of itself into a SQLite table. Now all we need is a generic collection to interact with.

This generic collection when created gather all items in the DB for that type and de-serialize them into a collection. Any items added removed or updated will be altered in the DB table as well.

The main purpose of this collection is to provide and abstraction to the DB and allow all instances to be serialized and sent to the client. A data-table could be used in this collections place.

What’s Next?

• Test, must write a test for these interfaces and magic data for each type.
• Implement the interfaces IErrorLog and ICategory in all category types, 8 in all

I have been working on this project in my spare time for a few weeks now, as I mentioned in a previous post , I have define a number of data classes and have decided to use an SQL Lite DB as a robust data store.

I built a simple data-class to handle the transactions to the DB.

The class consisted of a few methods that execute a pre-built sql command, 2 method in which to build the SQLLiteCommand object and some public methods to return a category and an image.

Handling Images

I wanted my application to store images in a separate table for performance reasons, a http handler could then be used to return an image. Since the images will upload as a byte stream , it is very easy to store them in the DB.

Going to make some changes

Last night I was thinking that wouldn't it be great if I could create multiple instances of each type on the client side. Say for example I wanted to create a ’list of books I hate’ the data is still of type books, but since my current DB schema only supports one category of a particular type this would be impossible.

How to Fix?

Again not too difficult I will have to move each type out of a single table and into its own, then I could store each instance in the table as a serialized JSON stream. I will need to create Collection class for each type, able to read the data from the DB and de-serialize into a collection.

I have been wanting to try this for a while, I have wanted an easy way to create lists of my Favourite; movies , books, songs etc and display them on my Blog, now I could just do a couple of blog posts but my lists change very quickly and its would just become a time issue.

I wanted to attempt a ajax app, so my a project that would allow me to use ajax techniques with a persistent data store seem in fruition, I could then dynamically display the lists and a have an easily modify control.

Quickly I have some requirements.

1. Use the .Net 3.5, framework
2. Blog use a flat file so must this datastore.
3. Use JSON and not xml as data format.
4. Use AJAX techniques.
5. YUI library components for the script.

I have identified 3 packages:

• Library which handle object definitions and persistence.
• Web-services that provide the access layer.
• Client Side package to display and allow control.  

Nothing too ground breaking about that setup, I have made good inroads into the first data layer.

Objectives of Data Layer

• It must accept string paramaters and return JSON string.
• Handle all transactions and object Deinitions.
• Provide a robust data-store.

I have decided to use the following libraries for this package.

• Json.net - This provides the Json TO .Net Object mapping. Is better than the inbuilt Json parser IMOP.
• SQLlite ado.net Provider - This provide the flat-file DB and help ensure transactional and data integrity.

The Data-Definitions

This is hierarchal data, With each category and items under the category. I have defined 2 base cases that cover the common data between each category. Below is a print out of these two classes

The 'CategoriesBase' implements 2 important static generic  methods. The first is a Serialize obj to json, which as its name suggest return a json string from an object.

The 2nd method is the reverse, De-serialize takes a Json string and returns an object.

These classes are still a work in progress but I will require a method that will store and object in the DB an other to retrieve it.

The Sub-Classes

I have created a number of categories and items.

• Albums
• Books
• Drinks
• Movies
• Recepies
• Songs
• Sports
• TVShows

Observations

• By Hard Coding the data-objects, I make adding new ones more difficult.
• The DB will consists of a single table with each category consuming one column, The objects state will be mapped to a single record and stored in JSON text string.
• I'm working on an object level, To edit and 'item' I will have to restore the state of the category first.
• No be appropriate for complex structures.
• Using DB over the .net streamwriter or and XML data-store(my first choice) gives Transaction integrity where none would have existed and easier to backup a single file than 5 or six.

Jobs to Come

I still must develop an DB helper class to handle the transaction to the DB file and obviously needs some magic data to test the methods.

Crappy Mock-up 1

Part of my Work-Experience at FD was to develop a cool looking web-site as part of that process I have been developing mock-up using Gimp.

I must say my talent really is my code and my Business sense not my designs. I'm just not the worlds greatest artist.  Below are the early and late mock-ups.

I have just Completed my First week, at FDS(Family Development Services), they are a charity which provided help to children with learning disabilities. This is all part of a work-placement program offered by UWS as part of my Degree

They current have 2 web-sites a older Geocities page at here and a newer .au domain at http://www.fdsinc.org.au/.

They have request me to develop a new professional web-site.  Which will make for an interesting few months.

My quick plan is to encourage them away from the static pages an other a CMS, the existing backbend is php so it looks like Joomla is a good candidate.

I have am going to give a presentation on there options on Wednesday 27th August. I still need to develop a budget and write some points down. I have a working Joomla on my laptop I will show them how easy it is to add and manage content.

I also have an essay due on Tuesday that same week, I am halfway through, I might have to take the option for a third week to finish it properly. Especially considering the crappy way I feel at the moment. 

I wrote some user profiles for FDS this week here's a copy :-)

User Profiles.doc (36.50 kb)