A client was using a mounted eraser-pen whiteboard grid where everyone could follow queries on production planning resources.
I replaced this some years back (non-alpha) with self refreshing screen, in which anyone could type to reflect changes in schedule for any item, everyone else would shortly see the corrected details. Thats all it does. Successfully.
NOW I am required to give the cells different colours depending on status, and enough detail displayed (say 30 chars) to indicate customer & time, and if a cell depressed/clicked to come up with a menu, or to click a menu while a cell has focus to make relational adjustments in data tables.
The best analogy is a reservation table. - Across the top, a date for each column - future/past dates would repaint the "headings" and data.
Down the left, a list of all the resources, say machines/plots/rooms/vehicles that will be used.
A blank white cell would mean a machine/plot/room/vehicle unbooked, A green cell maybe confirmed, orange booked unconfirmed. Red priority booked etc
Click a cell to change data like confirm, change date, cancel, view and amend customer details etc. Each cell split into morning/afternoon, or an extra column no matter. A run that will cover a few days will block off the additional cells.
I have been pondering a browse, using double click events for the data change menu. The cell coloring could be controlled by a certain character in the content string. Repainting for different days and filtering on certain resources easy. Also I might need to resize on the fly to see less detail but more days coloured for a very long "reservation"
The whole thing in a browse doesn't feel solid to my mind, and scratch test beds dont feel industrial strength like.
A complex Xdialog may be more solid - or not. Or a third party adaptation of Gantt chart but with less complexity, A5 compatible.
Any thoughts?
I replaced this some years back (non-alpha) with self refreshing screen, in which anyone could type to reflect changes in schedule for any item, everyone else would shortly see the corrected details. Thats all it does. Successfully.
NOW I am required to give the cells different colours depending on status, and enough detail displayed (say 30 chars) to indicate customer & time, and if a cell depressed/clicked to come up with a menu, or to click a menu while a cell has focus to make relational adjustments in data tables.
The best analogy is a reservation table. - Across the top, a date for each column - future/past dates would repaint the "headings" and data.
Down the left, a list of all the resources, say machines/plots/rooms/vehicles that will be used.
A blank white cell would mean a machine/plot/room/vehicle unbooked, A green cell maybe confirmed, orange booked unconfirmed. Red priority booked etc
Click a cell to change data like confirm, change date, cancel, view and amend customer details etc. Each cell split into morning/afternoon, or an extra column no matter. A run that will cover a few days will block off the additional cells.
I have been pondering a browse, using double click events for the data change menu. The cell coloring could be controlled by a certain character in the content string. Repainting for different days and filtering on certain resources easy. Also I might need to resize on the fly to see less detail but more days coloured for a very long "reservation"
The whole thing in a browse doesn't feel solid to my mind, and scratch test beds dont feel industrial strength like.
A complex Xdialog may be more solid - or not. Or a third party adaptation of Gantt chart but with less complexity, A5 compatible.
Any thoughts?