 |
| SOFTWARE, INTERNET AND MULTIMEDIA DEVELOPERS • EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO HARD PROBLEMS SINCE 1987 |
|
||
|
||
|
|
|
Strange Software is based in North Norfolk, UK but has clients across the United Kingdom, Europe and further
afield; we'll come to you if appropriate. We're always happy to talk about potential new projects
without obligation...
Custom overseas personnel database for aerospace contractor
A new database developed for Cambridge-based firm Aeropeople has gone live at the customer's offices. Strange developed the tailor-made
application using C, MySQL and Apache to track and manage details of overseas workers placed on a variety of contracts across the UK, including personal information, such as
contact details, passport, certificate of sponsorship and training records, housing accommodation and travel arrangements and a holiday booking system.
The database replaces information held and updated manually in a series of tabbed Excel worksheets which had proved time-consuming and error-prone in the face
of a growing workload. As well as being difficult to access by several team members at once, the lack of structure in the spreadsheets made it difficult to keep information up-to-date and
consistent and meant that some reporting and management requirements were intensive manual operations or simply not practical.
In contrast, Strange started by designing a relational database, implemented in MySQL, that accurately modelled the real-world elements of the application, such as
workers, contracts, houses, leases, landlords, agents and holidays. This formal approach means the new database not only provides accurate current information but builds up valuable
historic data over time, such as a history of a worker's previous employments and addresses, or a record of previous tenants in a particular property.
The database was implemented as an intranet application running with Linux, Apache and MySQL with a front-end, data entry and reporting application written in C. The
client's network normally uses Microsoft server technology but the client was able to implement a virtual server for the new system so that it can run independently across their LAN
without interfering with other systems or causing security concerns. End users access the system through their normal desktop workstations and web browsers. Firewalled remote access
from the client's other offices or even from the staff's home PCs or personal laptops can be enabled if necessary and is used to allow Strange Software consultants remote access to the
database for trouble-shooting and maintenance.
The system includes a large range of reports that can be accessed with a few keystrokes and mouse-clicks to suit various requirements both internally and externally for clients. A
number of new reports that were not possible with the existing Excel system are now available on demand. Reports can be displayed on-screen directly to the operator's browser either as web pages or as
fully-formatted and directly printable PDF reports. PDF format reports can also be written to a files area so that they can be downloaded and e-mailed or further processed as necessary. A
further output option for most reports is as a SYLK export file which can be directly downloaded into Microsoft Excel. This provides an easy and very open way for staff and managers to download
specific report data for further processing or presentation and reporting as required. (It was odd to work with Microsoft's now very old SYmbolic LinK SYLK file format after all this time
but it proved a reliable and very direct way to generate reasonably formatted Excel worksheets that can be opened directly from user's web browsers with a single click!) The database also
includes a more formal ASCII-delimited export facility to offer an easy way to extract the underlying data should it ever be required.
The database is fully multi-user providing password protected access to nominated members of staff. Several different levels of account are provided so that certain data and
operations are only available to users with appropriate privileges.
As is our usual habit, the system has comprehensive logging and tracking built-in for both debugging and data security
purposes; all operations amd queries on the database are recorded by date, time and user. At the client's request, this was implemented down to a 'field-and-data' level so that, for example,
it is possible to see not only which operator amended a record and when but also which fields they changed and from what to what! This provides a valuable mechanism in addition to normal
back-up techniques. For example, if an operator mistakenly keys an incorrect phone number over a good one, it is possible to see what was entered, when and to recover the previous value.
Another unusual feature is a colour-coded flagging system that allows individual records in the system to be highlighted, a feature partly carried over from the original
Excel worksheets where staff had used row background colours to flag particular information, such as workers who had been dismissed or who were not presently available for work. Managers can
enter labels or meanings for particular flags and the relevant colours are used to highlight records both in query listings and editing screens.
In addition to the software design and development, Strange Software worked extensively on an export of the existing data to provide an initial import dataset for the new system.
This was a major task as the original Excel worksheets were not well structured and custom software had to be created to both to match records up (for example, a fuzzy search by name, surname and
birthdate across mulitple sheets for all information relating to a particular contractor) and to generate new fields (for example, reading row background colours in the worksheet to create input
values for new status fields). Strange then worked with the client's staff to eliminate outstanding issues and inconsistencies brought over from the existing data. A special 'suspect records'
report was included that lists records that appear to be out-of-date, incomplete or inaccurate... it took several days to work through the issues this initially raised but allowed the staff to
thoroughly clean up the database and start work with a much better quality dataset.
Improvements to Alert ID database...
Work has continued, since its launch last year, on the Alert ID database and web front-end. An enhanced version of the software
provides an easier and more structured framework for storing personal and medical information relating to family members, including photographs, pick lists of common allergies and conditions
and 'hotlinked' contact data (for example, if mum changes her mobile phone, her new number is reflected automatically on the profiles for dad and the kids). The system is now able to track ID
tags and related information for personal property, pets and vehicles as well as people. Customers can also enter holiday and travel itineraries so that response centre operators can more
easily reunite lost items (or, for that matter, stray dogs and children) with their families while they are travelling.
The database has established an excellent availability and reliability record, and has coped comfortably with thousands of accounts related to a variety of products and
services now being offered by Alert ID and its partner companies.
Not our usual sort of website...
We are not normally fans of fixed-sized box filled with fancy design-style web pages that leave little room for text and information, it
seemed much the most appropriate look for local outdoor and fashion clothing retailer Beachcomber.
Working with this local firm on a simple starter site was also an unexpected opportunity to dig out our cameras for interior and product shots as well as
rummage through our extensive collection of local landscapes for some suitably moody and outdoorsy beach pics...
The Good Plant Guide was just one database on an interactive CD-ROM produced by Strange Software and marketed by Dorling Kindersley and The Royal Horticultural Society.
Featuring over 1000 colour photographs and descriptions of award-winning garden plants, the program let users browse and search the collection, make and save lists of chosen plants
and even play them back as a slideshow. The CD, developed for Windows PCs in C, also contained interactive versions the RHS Plant Finder and fifteen other horticultural databases.
Website ©Copyright 1996-2009 Strange Software Limited. All rights reserved. |
|
|
|||||||||||||||
More about us
