Oh man its been a while

So what has transpired since I last posted? I have to say, this is a horrible daily journal. I guess I need to be more diligent. meh

Let's see, I like jQuery. Read me a couple books and have decided I am digging this extension of a very icky script (JavaScript). It's even got me wanting to build things. I like them kinda languages.

Currently reading Professional C# and .Net 4.0. I am about a third of the way through it. I wish I could apply it all right now, but my real projects are minimal.

I have a bunch of project I need to build, personally. Yes, need. I mean, for my own sanity. Or insanity.

Well, back to babysitting the innerwebs.

Three months later...

So finished the project in Site Studio. What a complete waste of time. The users aren't happy and now the system is shared amongst three systems. Stoopid!

I still don't see the value in using Oracle's software on this one. Maybe if I was a person with very little experience building web sites. But even that would be insulting to them. The software is made to provide content - but the consultants that helped set it up - charged us $200K for something that kids could do. (No offense kids).

Dear Diary

Today I am researching. What am I researching? Learning to excel even when tied to a rock and being thrown into the ocean. Yeah, I exaggerate a little, but I swear the crap I have to work with is 6 years old. There are so many cool things out there to build, design and maintain web sites with, and I'm stuck using a BAD notepad. Hell notepad would be better - at least I would know what the hell is happening.

I'm tethered to building a website, versus fixing a website, with Oracraple Site Studio. Hell, even the instructor of the ONE course that exists for this crapware, said he doesn't use it.

I'm getting frustrated... I'll be back.

What does this all mean?

I have been reassigned. I need an attitude adjustment. Everyone else seems happy. Why am I unhappy and discouraged?

I think it is because I will become an integrator, not a developer. I have spent a significant amount of energy, learning a technology, which is STILL very viable. But instead I will have to learn kludges and obsolete software. Things that allow a single company to stay viable, at the cost of my sanity. Oh and the single company isn't mine. Its the third party that sells only to big, stupid companies with CIO's looking to make a big splash (and risk a lot).

Blech. Get HAPPY! Dammit! Get Happy!!!

New Analogy

I've been wanting lemonade for years, I see them bring in a bushel of lemons, but I keep getting handed a glass of pissenade... I'm just wishing I didn't still want some lemonade.

yeah, the ingrediants are all there, but I keep getting handed piss and told its what the users will want.

Specifications

Today I embark on getting, saving, updating and deleting specifications for components within an analysis. I hope to say its done by the end of the day. This is kinda a week late. I mean, I was really hoping to have more done sooner, but support calls are coming in. You see we are in the middle of grape harvest. So the core product is being used extensively by tired and confused winemakers, enologist and cellar workers. It could be made a lot easier. In the future I hope I can do that.

Back to the LIMS project. The specifications are key to how an Analysis will be able to define the limits, ranges and hold times for each particular component. The crux of this design is that all labs within the enterprise have a stack of available components. These components make up the basis for all labs being able to exchange data. Then each lab combines those components into their specific methodology. For example, Lab X creates Metal analysis, specific to their lab, means they test for Calcium, Potassium and Sodium. Second Lab Y creates a Metal analysis, but they test for Potassium, Lithium and Beryllium. Within each analysis there are specifications for each component. Dated with a start date and end date - so at any point in time, you can see what the limits were for that component. A tree forms, Analysis has Component branches. A Component has Specification branches.

Let's see how well this works in action...

Components to Analysis

Feeling really good about getting the logic for the add component worked out. Will need to be refactored a bit, but think its smooth and workable. Even a little crispy.

So let's see if I can explain this.

Create an analysis object. Internal to that object there is an analysiscomponentlist and a second one that is not alterable. The two of them work together to determine any changes by the user.

When you save the analysis it calls a persist method that then compares the two lists.

The user adds, updates or removes from the public componentlist.

Same thing will happen for specifications. Instead of treating them as component specifications, I am treating them as analysis specifications - with the intent that they are tightly coupled to a component.