How many engines does my O4W consume?

I recently ran into a problem where I was demonstrating O4W to a prospect and I ran out of available user counts. I have a 5-user system and I had been running up O4W, closing it, running up the desktop OpenInsight and then running up O4W again. I’d assumed that when I closed down O4W the user counts would be freed up, but as I was leaving the EngineSever running this was not the case.

This issue then provoked the usual question about how many O4W Web User licenses people should purchase for their web based systems. This is a terribly difficult question to answer, mainly because it depends on the time required to process each web request and this is dependant on the application and the type of request itself. If the request is a simple record read with only a few data items being returned, then it is going to be very quick and the engine could handle multiple requests of this type per second. However, if it is being asked to process a large report, then the engine will be tied up for considerably longer.

However, with the release of OECGI3, this becomes less of an issue as OECGI3 will utilise multiple licenses (OEngines) to process multiple requests. Furthermore, it will then queue any inbound requests if an OEngine is not free to process the request at that time. When an engine becomes free, it will then process the request as normal. That said, it is always advisable for developers to build in some form of monitoring where user counts are likely to be tight, so that peak usage times can be handled efficiently or additional user licenses purchased to cater for the peaks.

Now, if OECGI3 is able to consume multiple engines, and we are unable to control the number of web users accessing our system, AND we have both the web system AND the desktop system using the same OpenInsight user license (Oengine.dll file), then we could run into trouble.

Take the scenario where I have a 60-user licensed OI system. This is used to serve 50 desktop (office based) users and an O4W system that has been built to extend my application to customers over the web. I could easily get into a situation where I have 20-user licenses being used by O4W and this would leave only 40 user licenses for my office staff – i.e. 10 office users could be blocked from using the system – not a favourable situation.

Fortunately, the O4W developers have thought about this issue and it is easily addressed through the eserver.cfg file within OpenInsight. This file includes two lines towards the beginning of the file for managing both the maximum number of engines that the engine server (OECGI3 / O4W) can consume and also the time that the engine will remain active and able to process web requests.

MaxEngines is used to define the maximum number of engines that are kept alive and ready to process stateless connections. This means that the engine does not need to be spawned and closed down for each web request and it therefore handles more requests more efficiently. The default setting for MaxEngines is 10 (MaxEngines=10).

IdleTimeout is the length of time (in minutes) that an engine remains active and ready to process web requests before it is closed down. The default setting for IdleTimeout is 15 minutes (IdleTimeout=15).

So, in our example scenario above, we can easily use the eserver.cfg file to limit the number of engines available to O4W to just 10 and we can also control the amount of time that the engines remain active. By setting MaxEngines=10 and IdleTimeout=15, we can ensure that we will always have at least 50 engines (from the 60-user license) available to our desktop users.

I should also point out that O4W requires a minimum of 10-user licenses and you will receive a warning message stating that a 10-user license is the minimum requirement for O4W use if you try to use an engine with fewer than those required 10 users. In addition, the MaxEngines can be set to any number from 1 to 10 for that minimum number of user engines, or more if there are more engines available. If you set a figure greater than the number of user licenses in the engine (say MaxEngines=100 on a system with only 10 users) then O4W will use all of the engines available up to the maximum user count in the license (so 100 in the above example).

So, why was I running out of engines during my demo? Quite simply, I had the defaults set for MaxEngines and Idletimeout in the eserver.cfg file, and as I was not closing down my OengineServer all five of my engines (licenses) were being used and left open for the full 15 minutes. I then changed my MaxEngines to 3 and IdleTimeout to 5, mostly because I don’t need them open for 15 minutes) and all was fine. I now know that I always have two engines free for my desktop OpenInsight system and the remainder available for my O4W system.

O4W Quick Start Guide Video Series

Well the midnight oil has been well and truly burning in my office these last few days, but finally the O4W Quick Start Series of videos are now complete and published to the web. You can gain access to the series from the new O4W Quick Start Guide page on our website.

The video series works through extending the Clinic application that we built in the desktop tutorial series and it provides us with a great example if extending a small ‘existing’ OI application. When I began the desktop series, I had only planned on web enabling one form as an example. However, when I saw what we achievable (at my level) with O4W I went quite a fair bit further.

I hope that you find the series of videos useful and I’ll welcome your feedback as always. I should also say a special thank you to Bryan at RevUS for his patience in answering some silly questions at times and helping over a couple of small hurdles.

OpenInsight 9.2.1 Released

Revelation Software released OpenInsight 9.2.1 today (incorporating O4W version 1.1), along with the Universal Driver 4.7.  The 9.2.1 version is now available as a free upgrade to all OpenInsight WORKS members, and for everyone else an evaluation version can be downloaded from our OpenInsight Evaluation page..

This is the culmination of months and months of work and it really is another sterling piece of work by the team at Revelation.

More information can be found within the 9.2.1 readme file and the US press release can be viewed by clicking here.  The EMEA press release can be found here.

O4W 'Run First' Option

Did you know, that you can enhance an O4W Report with the "Run First" option?

The O4W Report tool, in addition to all the flexibility it normally provides the user when generating a report, also allows you to specify a statement to "run first" before any other sort/selection is performed. This can be any R/List command that generates an active list, for example the report designer could pre-select data for particular users, or a particular month, or activate a previously saved list, before the O4W Report runs any user-entered selection criteria. READ ON.

Article first published in the January 2011 edition of the Revelation Software Newsletter.

New Graphs for OI 9.2.1

As you will no doubt know OpenInsight 9.2.1 is in the final stages of beta testing and it is scheduled for release in early February 2011. Revelation also intends to release the new Universal Driver 4.7 at the same time.

Following the 9.2.1 release, Revelation will be working on the implementation of Data Encryption at Rest (DER) within the OpenInsight database environment. Whilst this has been discussed at length over recent months internally, please use the suggestions database for any requirements that you have for DER within your solutions.

Back to the 9.2.1 release – A number of the beta testers have asked if Revelation can provide a broader library of graphs for use with the O4W Dashboard. In response to that request, Revelation we will be including a new library of Google charts in addition to the existing jqPlot library. The new charts are as follows:

- 3D Pie - Gauge - GeoMap - Intensity Map
- Area Chart - SparkLine - Table - Line
- Scatter - Bar - Pie - Stacked Line
- Stacked Bar - Horizontal Bar - Horizontal Stacked Bar

O4W and older browsers.

OpenInsight for the Web (O4W) is fast becoming, if not already is, Revelation’s leading web development tool. This is no surprise when you see just how easy it is to create Web 2.0 compliant browser based systems against OpenInsight’s own Linear Hash data, TigerLogic’s D3 data, Rocket Software’s U2 data and also SQL data stores – the latter 3 via the built in dedicated data connectors.

However, being fully Web 2.0 compliant does come at a small cost. O4W uses advanced web technologies to deliver an interactive and dynamic web experience. To fully benefit from this, users and developers should use the most current versions of their web browser. At the time of writing this blog posting, these versions include; Chrome 3, Firefox 3, IE8, Opera 9 and Safari 3.

However, that is not the be all and end all. Developers and users may chose to use older versions of their web browser, but at the risk of reduced functionality. Developers who choose to support these older browsers should undertake their own careful testing of any plug-ins and functionality that their web solutions may rely upon. Minimally acceptable browser versions currently include Chrome 1+, Firefox 2+, IE6+, Opera 9+ and Safari 3+.

As a default, users accessing an O4W based system with an older browser will be presented with a message that their browser is unsupported. They can continue, but the message remains at the top of the O4W forms as a reminder that something might not work totally as expected. This can be seen if you run the Online O4W demo in an older browser or with IE8 running in compatibility mode.

The good new though, is that the javascript to create and display this message is stored in the O4W configuration record and this functionality will be updateable via the O4W Maintenance/Config Records screen in version 1.1 and later.

However, for the moment (version 1.0) developers can disable or modify the message by editing the appropriate CFG_O4W record in the O4WCONFIG table and clearing out or changing field 45 as appropriate. This can be either ‘CFG_O4W’ globally, or *CFG_O4W for a specific application.

Updating this will be easier from O4W version 1.1 (to be included in OpenInsight 9.2.1). From version 1.1, O4W will have an updatable field via the DB Management, O4W Maintenance, configuration Records, Browsers Tab.

Partial content c/o http://www.revelation.com/ discussion forum.

MVP Software Scores with Online Sports Scheduling Application

MVP Software, a long standing Revelation Software Value Added Reseller in the USA, has recently used OpenInsight 9.2’s O4W technology to extend their Sportspak (originally written in ARev) and associated applications to the web. The new web application is now known as Sportspak.Online.

Having made the move to SQL sometime ago, when a Windows interface was required, MVP Software returned to Revelation and their trusted MultiValue technologies through OpenInsight 7.0. Now with a new web interface being the next logical step forward and required by their users, MVP Software looked to O4W when designing and creating their new web application for high school sports management.

Joyce Wells (Database trends and Applications), picks up this story in her article recently published to http://www.dbta.com/Articles/Editorial/MV-Community/MVP-Software-Scores-With-Online-Sports-Scheduling-Application--69758.aspx.

Change the look of your O4W forms & reports.

With the recent release of OpenInsight 9.2, Revelation Software’s new O4W web development tool is finally available for everyone to use. One of the key design goals for O4W is to be flexible and configurable; that’s why it’s built on the widely-supported jQuery open source toolkit. One of jQuery’s features is the ability to quickly change the look of a web page by changing which jQuery user interface “theme” is selected - and O4W developers and users can take advantage of this feature to change the look of their O4W screens in the same way.

You specify which theme you want jQuery (and thus O4W) to use on the O4W Configuration Screen. Bring up the O4W Configuration Screen (either in O4W from the main menu, or from within OpenInsight using the RTI_O4W_CFG form), and on the “scripts” tab press either the “on-line” or “off-line” button to set the default “core script” to the “on-line” version of jQuery hosted by Google’s servers (on the Google Content Delivery Network, or CDN), or the “off-line” copy of jQuery that’s distributed with O4W.

This blog article was taken from the September Rev US newsletter and more details can be found at http://tinyurl.com/2wjfxmk

O4W Examples Application Online.

Following my recent posting about the OpenInsight 9.2 Evaluation Edition being available, several of you have asked for the O4W Quick Start Guide application to be hosted on the web. This has now been done and you can get to the O4W examples application at http://tinyurl.com/37wvmsv.

The current version includes an example of a Customer Entry Form, an Order Report and a Sales Dashboard. This provides you with the opportunity to view the application before downloading the OpenInsight 9.2 evaluation edition (or upgrade if you are a WORKS subscriber) and running through the O4W Quick Start guide yourself.

3 reasons to take a look at OI 9.2.

As if you needed them, here are just three of the countless reasons why you, as a MultiValue developer, should be looking at OpenInsight 9.2. Using one fully integrated toolset, OpenInsight 9.2 now enables you to:

1. Very quickly and easily extend the life of your leading MultiValue applications for LAN, WAN and the Web deployments. Creating a web interface for your application can be done in just a few minutes using OpenInsight 9.2’s O4W.
   
   
2. Interact with the entire Windows world in the easiest ways possible. This includes consuming .NET controls, ActiveX controls, Widgets, API’s, Windows hardware, third party applications and more.
   
   
3. Seamlessly support multiple databases from within your application using OpenInsight 9.2’s data connectors. Currently supported databases include OpenInsight’s linear Hash, Rocket Software’s Universe and Unidata (U2), TigerLogic’s D3 and numerous flavours of SQL (including mySQL, MS SQL Server, Oracle, etc.). Support for Univision will follow in a few weeks time.
   
   This can enable you to enhance your users experience and workflow by aggregating disparate data sources into one interface, whilst continuing to maintain those separate islands of data. This ensures data integrity is retained, whilst enabling your application’s users to read, write and maintain those islands of data AND it enables the users of those islands of data to continue to work with them outside of your application, as they do now.

OK, so there is a fourth reason. Revelation Software has just recently released a free to use OpenInsight 9.2 evaluation version of the toolset – including the data connectors and O4W.

Mention this code (MDP92100810) and you’ll receive an installation key for a full 60 day period, rather than the usual 30 days.

OpenInisght 9.2 Now Available.

For those of you that might not have noticed, the final commercial release of OpenInsight 9.2 was made available to all OI WORKS subscribers on Thursday last week and a press release will be going out form the EMEA office ina few minutes.

This new release was very warmly received last week, both at the RUG and the various client meets that Mike and I had around the UK.

Some of the highlights were the enhancements to TCL for end-users and the connectors for SQL and D3 and of course O4W.

There are a number of documents available for the connectors and O4W and we have videos planned for the SQL connector, the D3 connector and I also have plans to turn the O4W Quick start guide into a series of videos over the coming weeks.

All OI WORKS subscribers have access to the new release through the WORKS area on www.revelation.com. If you are no longer a WORKS member and would like to get your hands on the new version, please contact me for WORKS renewal details.

One day you can't afford to miss!!!!!

I’m sorry for being more than a little quiet on the blog recently. The reason is simple and it is because I have been working solidly on a new OpenInsight application to replace my old contact manager. Following a crazy price increase to run my old faithful CRM system under Windows 7, I switched to MS Outlook and a plug-in. Following the 6th issue with that system, resulting in another two or three days work to get the application back (even with backups), I decided to do the obvious and write my own – a long, long overdue project.

Within a week, I had a nice looking fully working system and data was being punched in. Even though I know how good OpenInsight is, I’ve been amazed at what I have achieved with OpenInsight 9.2 (as a non-professional developer). There are some bugs to iron out, some reports to write and a few items on the wish list, but it’s looking damn good :)

Anyway, if you are not using OpenInsight and want to see what a novice can achieve in a week, come along to our next EMEA Revelation User group meeting in London on the 13th July 2010.

If you are an existing OI developer, an existing end-user or someone thinking about adding OpenInsight into your toolset, then you’ll definitely want to reserve a place to see Mike Ruane from Revelation Software demonstrate how to use OpenInsight's U2, D3, and SQL connectors to either Windows or browser-based forms.

OpenInsight is a true, graphical, MultiValue product that's been around since 1992. Developers program in Basic, can run reports using an Access or English like language from TCL, but the can also create forms, reports, pop-ups and searches without writing code. Mike said to tell you all that, “If you write code... we have the capabilities that will knock your socks off”.

OpenInsight has its own MultiValue database, but with our Connector technology, OpenInsight can treat Rocket's UniVerse and UniData, TigerLogic's D3, and almost any flavour of SQL's data as if it was our own, and manipulate completely using our toolset. These connectors are going to open new doors for anyone involved with MultiValue systems and they are already opening doors for Revelation’s clients in the US.

Furthermore, Mike will be reviewing a number of new features in 9.2 and taking away a list of your needs and wants for 9.3.

And, if that is not enough reason to come along on the 13th July, then he’ll also be showing off O4W – The newest, best and easiest to use web enabling technology for OpenInsight and just about anyone wanting to create database driven web applications in minutes and without writing code – don’t believe me? Come along and see for yourself.

PLUS – For anyone already deep into using OpenInsight, Carl Pates (Sprezzatura) will be talking about utilising the Web Browser Control in OpenInsight - A bit hit presentation at this years main Revelation Conference in Las Vegas earlier this year.

So with an agenda like that you’d be mad to miss out on this one. Places are likely to be limited, so please reserve your place online as soon as possible.

O4W on an Apache Web Server

Aaron Kaplan has recently been working with OpenInsight for the Web (O4W) and I am pleased to hear from him that the toolset has been running nicely under the Apache web server, although some additional configuration steps were required, when compared to configuring it under IIS which is the web server covered in the O4W Quick start Guide. Aaron, was therefore kind enough to email those additional steps to me to share with my blog readers.

The first difference when installing and configuring O4W on Apache, is the requirement for an ASP support module. This is an open source third party module and it can be found at sourceforge.net. Once installed, you will then need to modify your httpd.conf file.

You’ll need to tell Apache and the ASP modules where to find the ASP files and directories. Please note, that in Aaron’s example below, you will need to change the paths to match your paths.

<IfModule mod_aspdotnet.cpp>
    # Mount the example app
    AspNetMount /examples/ "C:/revsoft/oinsight/9.1.1/O4W"

    #Alias in the examples directory to the O4W root
    Alias /examples/ "C:/revsoft/oinsight/9.1.1/O4W/"

    # Allow asp.net scripts to be executed in the O4W root
    <Directory "C:/revsoft/oinsight/9.1.1/O4W/">
        Options FollowSymlinks ExecCGI
        AspNet Files
        Order allow,deny
        Allow from all
        DirectoryIndex Default.htm Default.aspx 
           apache-start.html start.htm
    </Directory>

    # For all virtual ASP.NET webs, we need the 
    # aspnet_client files to serve the 
    # client-side helper scripts.
    AliasMatch /aspnet_client/system_web/
       (\d+)_(\d+)_(\d+)_(\d+)/(.*) \
       "C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/
          v$1.$2.$3/ASP.NETClientFiles/$4"
    <Directory \
        "C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/
           v*/ASP.NETClientFiles">
        Options FollowSymlinks
        Order allow,deny
        Allow from all
    </Directory>
</IfModule>

You will also need to ensure that OECGI2 will run at its default location, which is outside a standard script alias. To achieve this, you will need to add a script handler:

AddHandler cgi-script .exe inside the section.

Once you have made these additional changes, you should be able to run O4W on Apache in the normal way. Aaron’s testing with the current O4W release continues and we will post updates to this blog posting as appropriate.

In the meantime, I would like to extend my thanks to Aaron for working with O4W on Apache and for sharing this information with us.

PayPal in O4W

Over the weekend, Revelation have announced that integrating OpenInsight for Web (O4W) with PayPal, the online payment provider, will be extremely easy using O4W’s APIs.

Using the PayPal “Buy Now” feature, your customers will be immediately able to purchase a single product direct from your website. Once your customer has selected “Buy Now” (either via a link or a button on your web page), your O4W stored procedure will use the O4WPayPal call to redirect the browser to PayPal’s on-line payment site, from where your customer’s transaction can be completed.

Using the PayPal “Add to Cart” feature, your customers will be able to purchase one or more products by adding them into their PayPal shopping cart through your site. Once your customer has selected a product to “Add To Cart” (either via a link or a button on your web page), your O4W stored procedure will use the O4WPayPal call to redirect the browser to PayPal’s online payment site. From there, your customers can review their shopping cart and then they can choose to return to your site to browse or add additional items to their shopping cart, or they can proceed to “Checkout” on the PayPal site to complete their transaction.

Using the PayPal “Add To Cart” feature, your customers will be able to review which products they have placed in their PayPal Shopping Cart, modify their selections or begin the PayPal Checkout process.