Full screen calendar add-in??

[Scholin]

I am looking for a full screen interactive calendar add-in that will work well with Alpha (no need to re-invent anything).

When I do a Google search, I see there are several products designed for web sites including Google calendar. Has anyone found one that works particularly well and or examples?

[Bob Moore]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

The term "interactive calendar" can mean a lot of different things so you may want to be more specific.

Google's calendar is quite impressive and can easily be included in a mashup.
See http://www.programmableweb.com/api/google-calendar

[Scholin]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Bob, what I would like to be able to do is to have people enter patients into the data base and show up in the calendar, if their authorized to see XYZ patients, yet the office manager can see all the patients in the calendar. So I am looking for a calendar app that will interface with the alpha server database.

[Bob Moore]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

So what you want is to allow selective calender viewing of appointments based on user authentication. I'm not aware of a "plug-in" or web based calender that allows this so you may have to code up your own.

In terms of Googles calendar interacting with Alpha generated data, it shouldn't be too difficult to tie in an Alpha web app to Google's calender API through Javascript although to try to accomplish what you are looking for with the Google calender I believe that each patient would have to have an accessable shared calender which would be tough to manage, but not impossible. I suspect that there is a better way.

[peteconway]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

It seems it can be done. Check out the Alpha samples page: http://www.alphasoftware.com/AlphaFi...cations_02.asp

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Peter Wayne gives code in his book on how to do this. But note: Google calendar is very fast due to AJAX implementation.

[Scholin]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

I have seen that calendar on that Alpha web site sample. I checked with Alpha and the calendar program they sell as an add-in is only for the desk top. So I wonder where that calendar application came from as that is exactly what I would like to use. Does any know?

[Steve Wood]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

The calendar in the example was written by a consultant for another consultant for resale. I know who on both sides, but would rather ask before posting here. I don't think it would be very economical, as in a cheap plug-in, othewise it would have ended up being made available.

Peter Wayne writes very good code, so the example in his book is probably solid, but I've never seen it in action. I actually need a calendar for a client application, so if I don't see anything else on this thread, I will probably recreate the calendar from his book (as far as I know I have to manually retype it from the book).

[Scholin]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Thanks Steve. I would think the need for such a calendar application would be much greater - I was surprised to see so few comments in the past forums about using scheduling calendars with Alpha databases. If you hear or learn anything more, please let me know.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

So I wonder where that calendar application came from as that is exactly what I would like to use. Does any know?

Jerry Brightbill built it. He once said that Peter Wayne and he used the same concept in building their respective calendars.

I was surprised to see so few comments in the past forums about using scheduling calendars with Alpha databases.

Not sure what you mean. In the past there have been innumerable posts w. respect to calendars. Clearly, calendars are one of the most important aspects to many applications. Just hard to come by for some strange reason.

[Scholin]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Exactly my point - they should make an add-in like they did for the desktop that is built from Alpha code as I am sure integrating an Alpha calendar would be much easier than trying to shoe-horn in an unrelated calendar program, such as Google's calendar, even those some of the third party calendar programs would have more features.

But I am still surprised as I comb through the past forums that I could not find anyone commenting on using any third party calendar programs and how well it may have or have not worked. As you stated Peter, a calendar program can be an important part of many different applications.

Bottom line, I am no closer to finding a solution :(
(although I did order Peter Wayne's book this morning but I would rather buy a pre-built app!)

[dmartens]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Creating this type of component through some sort of collaborative volunteer effort seems like a perfect first example of what I suggested some weeks ago: volunteer module development as an open source project.

Although everyone would love it if everything they can imagine was 1) anticipated by Alpha and 2) made available as part of the Alpha subscription, the reality is that we are (understandably) left to our own devices on some of these components (like calendar modules). We can imagine [or "need"] far more than Alpha can provide.

Waiting for a commercial provider isn't too likely to work for many of these needs, either. The return on time and money isn't enough to justify the headaches of commercial software development.

Left to individual effort, at-best, the same wheel keeps getting invented over-and-over. At-worst, only a few people ultimately create it and they keep it to themselves for fear of needing to support it.

I wouldn't blame anyone for not wanting to volunteer for such an effort. However, if nobody does it, a solution never comes into existence either. For these reasons, having several people work together on something like a calendar component seems sensible.

Just a few thoughts on where we're at and how to get past the current situation ...

Regards,
Dave

P.S. Collaborative volunteer module development is quite common in other development platforms (e.g., DotNetNuke).

[Bob Moore]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Dave,

Excellent suggestion.

I've been working with Ruby on Rails for about 2 months now (which is Open Source) and the number of open source projects associated with RoR is astonishing. Most of what I've seen is quite impressive.

This would be a great way to expand and enhance A5.

[Steve Wood]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Anyone who has tried knows it is significantly more difficult to build something for distribution than for yourself (if you are going to do a decent job anyway).

I am going to tangent away from 'calendar' here because the more recent comments in this thread reflect something I think is more central.

In some ways I can't stand this forum because (as said below) it rehashes the same questions, ideas, and frustrations over and over. I've got some ideas on how to resolve that, maybe I'll talk about that later. But a healthy "collaborative volunteer effort" would yield great solutions and alternate sources of help beyond this forum. It could also help steer efforts at Alpha.

Lemme tell you, I think it is more vital than that. The Alpha Five product, the competition and the software development environemnt have evolved! It's vital to our existence (as Alpha Developers) that we also evolve. When I say we, I don't just mean us as individuals, but the whole Alpha spectrum in which we operate. See here, RoR comes along and sucks away some Alpha Developers, then FMP, then Delphi, then whoknows next. Its a highly competitive environment; Alpha has its advantages, but so do those other products. First impressions count for a lot when a potential user/developer looks our way; then access to resources becomes vital to sustain an agressive & talented developer. See how many complaints there are here about an absence of resources (training, docs, plug-ins, etc.). Its not always a reflection of what does exist (and Alpha has been doing well with the videos, etc.) but its a reflection of what amazing things people want to build with Alpha - seen positively, its a good sign that people site a lack of resources.

As said earlier here, Alpha is not to blame, they cannot possibly keep up, and I like them focused on building a great product, in which they excel.

So a lot of this has to do with US getting together and doing something. We are the ones that need to do this, and the best ones for the job. It may seem counter-intuitive, but I think it is vital for our own success that we help develop more Alpha Experts. That is the only way to attract more high quality clients to the field, and the only way for great ideas - in tune with today - to surface.

This requires sustained effort, it needs a 'program' and it needs a team to implement it. I have some specific ideas on this.

So back to the "collaborative volunteer effort". I'm game, you?

[Scholin]

Re: Full screen calendar add-in??

Steve and Dave,

Very insightful and forward thinking - you are absolutely correct.

One of the advantages of Alpha is it's modular construction, which as a new guy to Alpha I am still getting use to but starting to appreciate more and more. A pool of "open source" modules that are clear as to what they are (not supported products) can be a great help in product development and stimulating creativity as well as learning. Great ideas!