PHP Programmers on CAP Talk?

Started by JC004, November 17, 2009, 07:20:49 AM

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JC004

Are there any people around these parts who are knowledgeable in PHP/MySQL? I'm fiddling with an attempt at a web-based mission management utility based on PHP and MySQL.

Oh, and some people familiar with GIS would be most welcome also.

JoeTomasone


Nick

#2


(Yeah, cheezy.  I know.)

Edit: Note -- I don't have PhotoShop at work. :)
Nicholas McLarty, Lt Col, CAP
Texas Wing Staff Guy
National Cadet Team Guy Emeritus

SarMaster

Semper Gumby!

RiseAbove

PHP/MySQL guy here!  Sounds like a cool idea, would like to hear more!
C/Tucker
Goddard Cadet Squadron
NER-MA-007

JC004

I was playing with using existing open source project management systems to make a framework for a mission management utility and dashboard. Using existing open source systems would allow for fast development, easy deployment, the ability to modify it, and no licensing costs for units deploying it.

RiseAbove

Do you have an open source platform in mind?  I am a huge fan of Joomla! if you're still considering
C/Tucker
Goddard Cadet Squadron
NER-MA-007

SarDragon

All the folks who recommended Joomla to me three years ago have now all apparently moved on to something called Drupal.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
55 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

JC004

#8
Joomla is bloated with hundreds of thousands of lines of code.  If a CMS were required, Drupal would probably be the ticket.  While it may be useful to use code from a CMS to create customizable dashboards for different mission functions, none of the major CMSs have a truly outstanding project management system.  They tend to be stand-alone and my idea is to keep it as simple as possible, but powerful nonetheless.

There is a lot of good existing code that could be used.  Some would just be require changing the name in the code...example: a "project" becomes a mission.  Instead of a project ID number, make it a mission number.

We'd also need operations folks, HTML/CSS people, folks who know AJAX/mootools/jquery and beta testers.  We could also use the recently-released Google Java Script tools that they use in Google apps like Gmail.

Overall, if kept simple in development, I think that it would be pretty easy to program something like this because much of the code already exists under the GPL.

Here are some thoughts that I outlined on it:

Incident Status Board
Personal dashboard
Situation Mapping
Mission Log
Weather
Resources Locator
Alerting
- SMS
Satellite Tracking (NASA)
Report Generator
Instant messaging
Checklists
- Position checklists
- Briefing checklists
- Debriefing checklists
Task assignment and tracking
Conferencing/Chat
Notes widget
Time widget (local/Zulu)
Mission Sign-in/Sign-out
Document repository
- CAP regulations, manuals, etc.
   - CAPR 60-3
   - Task guides
   - Communications quick reference cards
   - Sample forms
- CAP Forms
- ICS Forms

Command
- IO
  - News releases
  - Safety
     - ORM
Operations
Planning
- POD matrix
Logistics
- Communications Unit
   - Communications log
Finance/Admin
- Expense tracking

SarMaster

Semper Gumby!

JC004

I only use it when I want to show people how disgracefully it crashes.  Web-based is my goal.  IMU would be useful made web-based with some upgrades and webishness added.  I know a lot of people felt that way when we discussed the future of IMU.

N Harmon

I have some experience with MySQL and PHP web development. I have also been thinking of starting work on a web-based CAP mission management system.

The IMU is a disaster. It needs to be moved to the web. If someone wants a thick client that interacts with the web system, then that can be accomodated. But fundamentally it needs to be a web system.
NATHAN A. HARMON, Capt, CAP
Monroe Composite Squadron

JC004

Absolutely.  If it needed to be run on a local network or machine, that could even be done too.  I think we should make a stab at it.

ande.boyer

We used IMU3 at a recent wing SAREX and it worked great.  We were using it in Internet Server Client mode with our "server" being a commercially purchased leased server that we also have our wing web page on.  Since Internet Server Client mode is FTP based, I think it's a lot more stable than when operating in LAN mode which is windows file sharing based....a MUCH less mature standard (if you can even call it a standard).

Capt Ande Boyer
ALWG/Deputy DOS

Eclipse

Quote from: ande.boyer on December 09, 2009, 04:34:18 AM
We used IMU3 at a recent wing SAREX and it worked great.  We were using it in Internet Server Client mode with our "server" being a commercially purchased leased server that we also have our wing web page on.  Since Internet Server Client mode is FTP based, I think it's a lot more stable than when operating in LAN mode which is windows file sharing based....a MUCH less mature standard (if you can even call it a standard).

Capt Ande Boyer
ALWG/Deputy DOS

WOW! Is that documented in with the IMU3?  The infrastructure would be stupid-simple to setup.

"That Others May Zoom"

ande.boyer

Quote from: Eclipse on December 09, 2009, 04:36:09 AM
Quote from: ande.boyer on December 09, 2009, 04:34:18 AM
We used IMU3 at a recent wing SAREX and it worked great.  We were using it in Internet Server Client mode with our "server" being a commercially purchased leased server that we also have our wing web page on.  Since Internet Server Client mode is FTP based, I think it's a lot more stable than when operating in LAN mode which is windows file sharing based....a MUCH less mature standard (if you can even call it a standard).

Capt Ande Boyer
ALWG/Deputy DOS

WOW! Is that documented in with the IMU3?  The infrastructure would be stupid-simple to setup.

Is what documented?

Eclipse

Using it with the more stable FTP option.

"That Others May Zoom"

ande.boyer

Quote from: Eclipse on December 09, 2009, 04:42:22 AM
Using it with the more stable FTP option.

No, that's just a personal observation. 

I've worked in IT for a few  years and based on my workplace observations/experience, windows file sharing is a nightmare especially  when you throw in a bunch of different operating systems (XP, Vista, Win7, x86 vs x64) then add on top of that various security and permissions settings.  So, when you try and throw together a bunch of computers and do IMU you'll inevitably run into all those problems.  I think this is the biggest reason people think IMU is bad when it's really got nothing to do with IMU. 


Eclipse

So you were just running IIS and connecting to it that way?  That could be replicated locally, though its easier to let an FOB access
it from IIS.

"That Others May Zoom"

ande.boyer

#19
Quote from: Eclipse on December 09, 2009, 04:57:33 AM
So you were just running IIS and connecting to it that way?  That could be replicated locally, though its easier to let an FOB access
it from IIS.

The server we were using to use IMU wasn't local. We configured the commercial server we use as our wing web host to also do IMU.  I forgot the name of the company that provides it but it's a windows hosting environment (as opposed to Linux).

Setting up a local server on a LAN running IIS might work; not sure about that.  The IMU requirement is that it be running on a server that can support ASPX web pages.  I don't know if this is a native ability of IIS.

I tried finding the instructions I had at one time that says how to setup a remote IMU INternet Server but couldn't.  Contact Pete Anderson for more information.

I used to be an IMU hater with most of the people on here; but now that I've seen what it can do when everything is working correctly, I'm a convert.