Kevin Schreiner

Navigating Forward

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

It's been awhile since I have had the time to come back and update the status of the project, as well as the moving points on the next release. We have an array of bug fixes and some new features coming down the pike which will ease the issues that have been reported. While it is easy at times to identify the problems, it is often not easy to set aside the time and concentration to resolve them in a timely manner. To help reduce the time to market, I have added a new project member to the team who will provide additional development expertise on the product. Eric Walker will be brought up to speed on the current status and sort out a few of the issues that have been identified.

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Dotnetnuke::Map Module Released!

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:00:00 GMT

After an extremely long wait, and an audience of patient users, the DotNetNuke Map module has been released! I'd like to first thank everyone who offered their time and ideas during the beta period - all 80 of you provided an excellent structure for the Map module to run through a variety of DNN versions, server environments, and user skill levels. We have a variety of new enhancements already coming in the next month - so be on the lookout for the next version release now that we finally made it through the tracker.

Without further ado, the Map module provides the ability for you to plot your custom data points onto a Map, currently supporting only the interface provided by the Google Map API. Four interfaces come out of the box with the Map module

Map Beta - Capital Area Dotnetnuke Users Group

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Map made a wonderful debut at the Capital Area DotNetNuke Users group on Wednesday. The incoming reviews were very positive, and I thank everyone for the wait. Version 01.00.08 is still in the release tracker. The documentation is completed, and will be available when I am able to get the permissions to upload it to the project page. In any case - I'd like to get the module some heavier testing, as it is already in use in a number of places.

Anyone interested in a beta test, and a copy of the documentation, please contact me as a comment to this blog post with your email address and I will send the documentation and installation package. Thanks so much!

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In Testing

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:09:48 GMT

The map project has made its way into testing with much better responses on this round. There were a few hiccups with localization that needed to be corrected before proper release. We are now in version 1.0.7, so obviously there have been a few beta challenges. A bunch of new enhancements are in the queue and will be ready for the next release, but I have held of on inclusion until the download is available to the masses.

Happy Holidays!

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Decimals Ready..

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:24:05 GMT

The package has now been released back into the tracker. It's odd how certain things crop up that you wouldn't have expected. So - our friends across the pond (from my perspective) have a different way of handling decimal points than myself. This came as no shock to me, but when running your code as a combination of JS from a remote server (in our case google), JS from the local server, SQL from the local server and VB.net on the local server, somehow it becomes as annoying as trying to handle the exchange rates prior to the adoption of the euro.

The Database expected it one way, JS another and .Net is ignorant of the issue, as it allows you to be lazy and it will do its best to accomodate. In any case - after tracking down each location where the Decimals where grafted from the front-end or back to it, as the case may be - I have finally sorted out the blasted creature - and we are ready to move onward.

A few notable updates were also made in this release. First - adoption of the less optimistic approach of Geocoding, now that Google detects when you are making requests too quickly. A few additional checks and defaults were added for those times when things are missing (like the height of the map). There were a number of other things that were modified to keep the system stable, and to correct any culture issues that were identified.

I'm looking forward to a successful release, as I've got a set of new features underway, and want to get them rolled out ASAP!

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Welcome Back

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:22:37 GMT

Well I can say simply, OpenForce -07 was a great show! I'd like to start off by thanking everyone who attended, and especially to the team in control of the DNN portion of the conference. It was fun to finally meet everyone face to face - and well worth the trip. It was a huge success from the corporate sense also, and I've been working diligently to keep up with the traffic that has risen from the show.

As for the Map project - we made it a great way through the release tracker on the first go, but there was a problem with localization of numbers from abroad, and in I'm fixing the javascript handling to correct the issue. I've also been working with Shaun to get the User Groups into the map system, and a few minor issues with the handling of the Geo coding service also has cropped up, and I spent the last two nights working through these issues. I will be resubmitting into the Tracker this weekend - so look for the release notes.

I'm also working on a few new peices for the second release, which includes support for the tabbed balloons that appear within Google, as well as the port for the Yahoo API and directions and lines for both. I'll make a full announcement this weekend with the new features and changes I've made since the last release to the tracker.

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Release Tracker - We are in Testing

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:07:36 GMT

Yes, as you have all seen - the map module is now in the release tracker. I had a minor issue with the Source PA and Vault label, but that was easily corrected and the package was resubmitted last evening.

A minor note must be made, for all persons who have followed the 'progress' of the map module. Unlike its cousing "GoMap", Dotnetnuke Map will only be DNN 4.x compliant. There were a few issues with the existing layer of DNN for 3.x, and it was apparent that I would have to make the switch. In any case - it's moving through.

For anyone interested - I am currently working on the documentation, but also assembled a Flash Video Walkthrough which shows some of the basic features of the Map module, with the specific task of a real world example: Backfilling data from an existing table structure into the Map Points data, and provisioning the fill to sustain a future relationship with the old data - in much the same way the Search provider sustains the relative records.

I'm really interested if anyone would like to take a gander at the walkthrough and let me know your opinions on both A) its help and B) the Map interface!

http://www.bi4ce.com/documentation/dotnetnuke.map.html

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Map Module: 10-4 Good Buddy

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:57:53 GMT

I completed my development and testing efforts as of Monday, and started today with the help of sebastian in getting the module into the Release Tracker. I ran into a few troubles over the last few weeks with issues in both the ClientAPI which I was able to provide a fix for and work around, as well as the UrlControl (Which is a documented and corrected issue do to postbacks). The UrlControl Issue I have resolved by checking the 4.x version number, and if less than the fixed version, using a textbox rather than the familiar file selector. However, the only main affect these had on the module involve 4.x and 3.x compatibility. It will not be 3.x compatible upon release.

While the module is in the Release Tracker - I am documenting the interface as well as the steps for setting up and populating the map points from both the front end, user table, custom queries and back loading. This isn't all that difficult, as everything is cleaned and localized within the module, and it makes sense - in general. Additionally, I am in the processes of converting all the existing GoMap modules on our public website to the Map Module.

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Map Module - Final Changes and Requirements

kschreiner@r2integrated.com — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 13:00:28 GMT

During the last phase of development the most recent Project Lead chat provided a couple items that need to be modified before release into the tracker. The Geocoding services available in a multide of flavors generally require at a minimum a web service, or HTTP base API connection to send a receive the address and location result. Google's API is the geocoder of choice for this initial release of Map, and requires exactly the same structure. There is a problem, however, in that HTTP connections from Server to Server are specifically against a Medium Trust rule. To work around the issue, the Geocoder communication needs to be gracefully wrapped in a security check so that the user is alerted of the issue, and solution to the problem (you can add the url as a trusted connection while remaining in medium trust). This is currently under development and testing to verify that the change is accurate.

Finally, also directly related to the geocoding of locations, the backloading and updating of the addresses to specifically map it to a geographic location was originally crafted as a scheduled item in the DNN scheduler. However, it seems that this is not the best approach, and also needed to be moved to a request based scenario. A few specific notions must be worked out to verify that only one geocoder is operating within the site at the moment of request also, so that many threads are not spun off to handle this load.

I am finalizing these changes during the evenings this week and will release to the tracker once testing of those changes has been completed.

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Fourth and Inches!

kschreiner@bi4ce.com — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:08:28 GMT

Alright! A quick heads up for everyone. We have the front-end points loading with the ClientAPI, and all is a go on that side of the module. The final peice of the puzzle is the ClientAPI integration changes to the javascript for the Edit form (Adding and Editing points) in the control panel, and the callback to the GeoCoder provider. I'll be diligently knocking out that task when my day breaks free today.

The GeoCoder for this release will be specifically built from the Google API which supports 50,000 Geocoded locations daily. For the most part, points are "Set it and forget it", as long as the address doesn't change. However, that limitation, which may be exceeded by large or complicated lists of points is the reason for the dynamic provider model of the map module. I've had many clients in the past who have needed to make revisions to the old source to support other paid geocoding services. To keep this from causing upgrade issues, the entire model is dynamic, so you can quickly build and use an alternate geo locating service without touching the map source.

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