session variable in Upload Folder path

[mattcarroll]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

Selwyn confirmed that this is in fact a bug and they've fixed it. The fix will be in the next release (and tomorrow's pre-release).

[dfricke10]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

Revisiting this in another application. I never did finish the previous. But now the problem comes in specifying the Image File Transformation Template in the Image properties of the UX component.

Here's the session variable.

session.inventoryfull = "C:\inetpub\images\"+convert_type(session.CompanyID,"C")+"\productimages\fullsize"

Now to get the image to show up, I've tried:

session.inventoryfull\<value>

No go. Any suggestions?

[mattcarroll]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

I ultimately stopped working on this and opted to use AmazonS3 for my upload paths and storage needs. I am finding this far more manageable, not to mention the resource saving benefits of having the file/image uploading tie up Amazon instead of my WAS.

The only thing that comes to mind with what you are describing is whether or not you might need to declare/include SESSION.INVENTORYFULL in the published session variables on your UX component. I would not think so in terms of just using a session variable for an image file reference field, but it might be worth a try to see if this helps - it can't hurt.

[dfricke10]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

I've figured this out. Use the stored filename transformation expression of "<Filename>" and it saves the whole path. No need to specify an Image File Transformation Template.

I thought about the AmazonS3, but can't process thumbnails as the image never hits the WAS. I use that for some things, but not this. I have plans to do some work on that later, but have other things to fix first.

[mattcarroll]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

Yeah, the loss of thumbs is a pill I just figured I would swallow. That said, I am finding that I can cheat my way around that limitation by taking advantage of the scaling options on the image display. My miniature versions seem to load quickly (populating a screen of mug-shots for offenders who should not be found on a given property an officer is patrolling). I am posting twelve 2in/2in images on the screen; each controls set to scale the image down during the request from S3. They seem to load very quickly, so I assume this is achieving the same goal. *shrug*

[dfricke10]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

Yeah. That works. I thought of that also. I'm listing 100px x 100px images for a product list. Only 10 at a time, but the customer has the option to go to 50. Just trying to reduce bandwidth. I may change it though.

[dfricke10]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

Matt, have you figured out how to create folders on Amazon s3? There's no place to specify a folder. Just wondering if you figured this one out.

[mattcarroll]

Re: session variable in Upload Folder path

Yes, I did!

I am not using image upload, I am using file upload...

1. My UX component has fields (hidden) that will contain path information, therefore in the UX properties I am publishing the following session variables:
SESSION.FOLDER - this is from my hidden clientID field so all files related to a particular customer are in a particular S3 folder
SESSION.UUID - this is the result of an ajax callback (setscenepath) that generates a serial number for the filename to prevent the same name from ever being used.

2. The callback referenced above in #1 is as follows in the xbasic functions for the UX component:
function setscenepath as c (e as p)
dim SESSION.FOLDER as c = convert_type(e._currentRowDataNew.scenes_clientid,"C")
dim SESSION.UUID as c = api_uuidcreate()
end function

3. My TAKE PICTURE button on my UX component involves the following:
A. Have a file upload/download control on the UX
B. The onclick event fires the ajax callback to set the session variables above, and opens the file upload event
C. Fill in your Amazon S3 storage options however you like

D. In the Target Object Name on Amazon S3 event I entered the following:
var client = {dialog.Object}.getSessionVariable('FOLDER'); -- creates a variable with the clientID named Folder
var image = {dialog.Object}.getSessionVariable('UUID'); -- creates a variable with the serial number named Image
return 'Operations/Images/Scenes/'+client+'/'+image -- returns a path relative to the S3 folder created in the Target Object Name settings above.

E. In the On Upload Complete event I entered the following in order to store the resulting path into a field on mysql so it can be linked to later (image_scene). I also put the same value into another character field on the UX component to serve as a preview of the image just uploaded/stored (image3):
var basepath = 'https://s3.amazonaws.com/[YOUR PARENT FOLDER]/Operations/Images/Scenes/'
var customer = {dialog.Object}.getSessionVariable('FOLDER');
var uniquename = {dialog.Object}.getSessionVariable('UUID');
var completepath = basepath + customer + '/' + uniquename;
{dialog.Object}.setValue('image_scene',completepath);
{dialog.Object}.setValue('image3',completepath);

There may be better ways of doing this... but this is what is working for me. I need my employees to capture persons/suspects, vehicles/towing and incident/crime scene images throughout their field work. I have a different UX component for each type of image that may be captured... I modify the basepath for each to explicitly place them in the proper category/folder on S3.

...and for clarity, this will also CREATE the folder if it does not already exist on S3...