Mark your calendar 13:58 on December 12, 2008 the development staff completed the last of the 295 ASP.NET web projects, thus heaving the Manage 2000 7.3 web footprint on top Microsoft's not-so-backwardly-compatible Visual Studio 2008 designer.
This is an important achievement in terms of product life expectancy as it puts the Manage 2000 web presence on supported Microsoft technology for at least the next 5 years.
Hopefully, next time they will be a little kinder and gentler with backward compatibility.
This is not the end of development for the 7.3 release. It is not even the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning,to paraphrase Carnahan paraphrasing Churchill.
Next up is build and install capability so that as developers add and enhance application functionality we can easily re-install development sites and do integration testing.
Then the real fun begins putting to good use all of the fantastic enhancements in ASP.NET 3.5 and Infragistics 2008 to make Manage 2000 7.3 web functions sizzle.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, February 12, 2007
7.2 Release and Looking Ahead
Entry for February 11, 2007
After 10 days of negatives temps, some days with -5 for a high, I am ready to be out of the deep freeze. Past -10 my car sleeps with a trouble light under the hood to make sure I can get the kids to school in the morning. Maybe time to add that block heater.
The 7.2 release is currently in Beta. Lots of positive feedback, as well as, bug reports and clean-up work.
We are currently conducting training presentations to helpline, custom code and consultants. Last week I covered PageViewFilters and other tools enhancements, as well as, the new web ProductConfigurator interperter for implementing CTO on the web.
I continue to scout out the direction ahead with Visual Studio 2005 and ASP.NET 2.0. The way looks rough but passable at the moment, though where we all end up is sure to be filled with complaints. There are some tools I can write to smooth the way, but there are significant short-comings in the VS2005 IDE. The VS team seems to have fixated on codeless access to SQL and forsaken all other paths. Everything is focused on stateless, first-normal data updates between flat UI components and the SQL database, or some other object which must be organized along the same CRUD lines in a first normal world. They do not appear to have made any accomodation for web base applications with rich hierarchical complex UI's. Apparently we are supposed to use winforms unless we are implementing an Amazon.com web site. There are web sites and then there are web applications. Microsoft appears to be pressuring the web application camp back to winforms.
In particular databinding UI from hierarchical datasets to webcontrols is just plain gone. They have drastically different models for winform data access as compared to web forms. They are pushing ObjectDataSource and SqlDataSource as codeless access to databases and great productivity enhancements. But these depend on new TableAdapters within the dataset to orchestrate flat table accesses back and forth to the DB. They are tightly coupling the UI to the DB.
For thoses of us with ACID processes based on hierarchical datasets there is no room to fit in. The idea that first normal database requirements are going to start driving UI design is just plain scary. It may be ultra productive for the person creating it, but it's going to be butt ugly for the poor soul who has to actually use such software.
On another front I am watching Orcas with amusement. They are so hyped about LINQ and the ability to hook up SQL query statements to gridview. Manage 2000 has been delivering web query capability for over 5 years which include embedded sub-tables and hyperlinking. Our queries can even be defined from a report generator UI. I predict that when LINQ gets to field everyone will discover there is still a lot of problems because they will often want a three dimensional query result and you can't get that from a first-normal database without a lot of effort.
The reign of quality fights for a hierarchical object oriented UI. The reign of quantity fights for simple flat table models. Who will win?
After 10 days of negatives temps, some days with -5 for a high, I am ready to be out of the deep freeze. Past -10 my car sleeps with a trouble light under the hood to make sure I can get the kids to school in the morning. Maybe time to add that block heater.
The 7.2 release is currently in Beta. Lots of positive feedback, as well as, bug reports and clean-up work.
We are currently conducting training presentations to helpline, custom code and consultants. Last week I covered PageViewFilters and other tools enhancements, as well as, the new web ProductConfigurator interperter for implementing CTO on the web.
I continue to scout out the direction ahead with Visual Studio 2005 and ASP.NET 2.0. The way looks rough but passable at the moment, though where we all end up is sure to be filled with complaints. There are some tools I can write to smooth the way, but there are significant short-comings in the VS2005 IDE. The VS team seems to have fixated on codeless access to SQL and forsaken all other paths. Everything is focused on stateless, first-normal data updates between flat UI components and the SQL database, or some other object which must be organized along the same CRUD lines in a first normal world. They do not appear to have made any accomodation for web base applications with rich hierarchical complex UI's. Apparently we are supposed to use winforms unless we are implementing an Amazon.com web site. There are web sites and then there are web applications. Microsoft appears to be pressuring the web application camp back to winforms.
In particular databinding UI from hierarchical datasets to webcontrols is just plain gone. They have drastically different models for winform data access as compared to web forms. They are pushing ObjectDataSource and SqlDataSource as codeless access to databases and great productivity enhancements. But these depend on new TableAdapters within the dataset to orchestrate flat table accesses back and forth to the DB. They are tightly coupling the UI to the DB.
For thoses of us with ACID processes based on hierarchical datasets there is no room to fit in. The idea that first normal database requirements are going to start driving UI design is just plain scary. It may be ultra productive for the person creating it, but it's going to be butt ugly for the poor soul who has to actually use such software.
On another front I am watching Orcas with amusement. They are so hyped about LINQ and the ability to hook up SQL query statements to gridview. Manage 2000 has been delivering web query capability for over 5 years which include embedded sub-tables and hyperlinking. Our queries can even be defined from a report generator UI. I predict that when LINQ gets to field everyone will discover there is still a lot of problems because they will often want a three dimensional query result and you can't get that from a first-normal database without a lot of effort.
The reign of quality fights for a hierarchical object oriented UI. The reign of quantity fights for simple flat table models. Who will win?
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
ERPBusinessObjectService - M2k SOA
Entry for October 09, 2006
Manage 2000 7.2 sp0 is "in the can". Most of the preparations for Perspectives have been finished. And now the development team is settling into a pleasant lull after the long hard summer. There remain the perennial small projects to occupy us until the beta sites start feeding us the work which will make 7.2 "sea-worthy".
I am happy with amount of "cool stuff" which made it into 7.2. And yet, in each major project, I can see another level to climb up to.
The ERPBusinessObjectService, in particular, has some very important new features. Unfortunately there is no session planned for it as Perspectives. But maybe I can sneak in some attention to it.
There is the beginnings of legitmate interest in web services among clients, and 7.2 ERPBusinessObjectService provides new useful methods:
* ValidateRecordKey - for validating parts and customers without having to export and refresh Manage 2000 file contents to SQL tables
* CallUdtSub - for running UniBasic subroutines across SOAP. A Unibasic programmer can write a routine and a web developer can instantly make use of it.
* UniQuerySelect, GetKeysFromCookie, and GetItemsAsXML provide the foundation for running UniQuery processes returning XML content.
Manage 2000 7.2 sp0 is "in the can". Most of the preparations for Perspectives have been finished. And now the development team is settling into a pleasant lull after the long hard summer. There remain the perennial small projects to occupy us until the beta sites start feeding us the work which will make 7.2 "sea-worthy".
I am happy with amount of "cool stuff" which made it into 7.2. And yet, in each major project, I can see another level to climb up to.
The ERPBusinessObjectService, in particular, has some very important new features. Unfortunately there is no session planned for it as Perspectives. But maybe I can sneak in some attention to it.
There is the beginnings of legitmate interest in web services among clients, and 7.2 ERPBusinessObjectService provides new useful methods:
* ValidateRecordKey - for validating parts and customers without having to export and refresh Manage 2000 file contents to SQL tables
* CallUdtSub - for running UniBasic subroutines across SOAP. A Unibasic programmer can write a routine and a web developer can instantly make use of it.
* UniQuerySelect, GetKeysFromCookie, and GetItemsAsXML provide the foundation for running UniQuery processes returning XML content.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Product Configurator Challenge
Entry for April 18, 2006
The long nights of winter have passed. The garden is uncovered. Most of the spring pruning is complete and life is bursting out to greet the strong sunshine.
FRx deployment has been passed along to Lane. The PageView Filter system has been completed. The web Product Configurator is undergoing testing and revision. Some version of rule support will definitely make the 7.2 cut. Trying to run Unibasic prompt after subs in the middle of a web page will not make the cut. Although it does make my head hurt.
"The World Is Flat" continues to resonate with increasing numbers of 7.1 Manage 2000 sites. We have work to do.
The long nights of winter have passed. The garden is uncovered. Most of the spring pruning is complete and life is bursting out to greet the strong sunshine.
FRx deployment has been passed along to Lane. The PageView Filter system has been completed. The web Product Configurator is undergoing testing and revision. Some version of rule support will definitely make the 7.2 cut. Trying to run Unibasic prompt after subs in the middle of a web page will not make the cut. Although it does make my head hurt.
"The World Is Flat" continues to resonate with increasing numbers of 7.1 Manage 2000 sites. We have work to do.
Friday, February 10, 2006
FRx Interuptions
Wimpy Winter Weather here in Minneapolis this year. The side roads are finally died white after todays not so rush hour dusting. Like one who grew up with the white trunks of a birch forest there is an unconscious expectation of color reversal which surprises me when it goes missing.
Round II of PageViewFilters and completion of the CTO Interpreter have languished while I help with field support for the FRx interface to the GltInquiry web function.
All of my relections lately are colored by Thomas Friedman's "The World Is Flat". I wonder about the shift of emphasis from internal development in Manage 2000 to building the myriad of interfaces onto complimentary products available with 7.1. I wonder how the 7.1 web function capabiliy will help customers cope with the flattening world. How fast is the game changing. How much time do business have to adjust, deploy, invent.
Round II of PageViewFilters and completion of the CTO Interpreter have languished while I help with field support for the FRx interface to the GltInquiry web function.
All of my relections lately are colored by Thomas Friedman's "The World Is Flat". I wonder about the shift of emphasis from internal development in Manage 2000 to building the myriad of interfaces onto complimentary products available with 7.1. I wonder how the 7.1 web function capabiliy will help customers cope with the flattening world. How fast is the game changing. How much time do business have to adjust, deploy, invent.
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Through the Looking Glass
Well I am getting ready for move number 3 since EPICOR bought out ROI Systems. Friday I pack up my cubicle for relocation to the 11th floor. Somehow the square footage of cubible allocated per programmer continues to dwindle. I am hoping the accountants are not shooting for equilibrium based on square foot costs in Monterey. On the upside the hallways are very wide and luxurious!
As I reflect on email queries from client web programmers obviously schooled in SQL and not so familiar with the Unidata world or the Manage 2000 toolset, it is clear to me that the REPORT.BUILD interpreter and the roiHyperQuery control offer extremely cheap efficient options for exposing ERP data out to the world. Only it is difficult to help them 'see' it. The expectation that knowing sqlCommand is enough is too stultifying. Is it worth learning another layer beyond Microsoft technology? When that layer provides CrossRef and Function Security and F1 help and edit patterns and defaults maintainable in dictionaries on the application server, and dictionary driven queries, and interactive UI screens based on REPORT.BUILD prompt definitions, the answer to me is clearly yes. But you have to expect to spend some time coming up to speed. There is a lot of tooling knowledge to learn.
As I reflect on email queries from client web programmers obviously schooled in SQL and not so familiar with the Unidata world or the Manage 2000 toolset, it is clear to me that the REPORT.BUILD interpreter and the roiHyperQuery control offer extremely cheap efficient options for exposing ERP data out to the world. Only it is difficult to help them 'see' it. The expectation that knowing sqlCommand is enough is too stultifying. Is it worth learning another layer beyond Microsoft technology? When that layer provides CrossRef and Function Security and F1 help and edit patterns and defaults maintainable in dictionaries on the application server, and dictionary driven queries, and interactive UI screens based on REPORT.BUILD prompt definitions, the answer to me is clearly yes. But you have to expect to spend some time coming up to speed. There is a lot of tooling knowledge to learn.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)