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Appointment scheduling

Started by Raiko, 2010.10.27, 22:28:10

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warpcafe

Hi,

well... I can do it in Rexx (DrDialog or vxRexx). However, I have yet to figure out what works best in matters of concurrent file access (file sharing, locking). Sure, a database server like MySQL makes sense... however affords to use rexxSQL (another white spot on my experience set). A client/server technology with a SQLite DB (controlled by the server part) would come to mind as well... there are lots of ways to create the thing.

The question is - what is suited best for the purpose. And therefore, I need to make sure I get the picture right:
- the persons are scheduling appointments for 1 person in the company?
  (like 4 secretary people for 1 person who attends the appointments?)
- or: is each of the persons scheduling their OWN calendar?
  (like: Person A schedules their appointment list, person B... person C... etc.)
- or: is each of the persons scheduling ALL calendars?
  (like: There is a pool of 4 people doing appointments and each of them can schedule all persons from the pool?)

Perhaps it makes more sense to give detailed example of 2 or 3 use cases ("user stories").
Regarding your PDF: Is there an existing database that has customer IDs? (I noticed the "RegNO" -> is that a customer id?)

More questions:
- Is the network running file shares with drive letters or UNC names (like "T:\teamfolder" or "\\servername\resourcename")... or does it only support services (by a server/port id like "local.server.name:7789").
- How about backup? Is there an existing backup solution in place - and how does it work? (This would be affecting open file handling during backup... or how to deal with client/server database dumps before backup runs...)

Cheers,
Thomas
"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that"
- G.H. Hardy

Raiko

Quote from: warpcafe on 2010.10.30, 21:18:20

The question is - what is suited best for the purpose. And therefore, I need to make sure I get the picture right:
- the persons are scheduling appointments for 1 person in the company?
  (like 4 secretary people for 1 person who attends the appointments?)

This is a workshop that has appoinments available every 15 minutes, but not assigned to any specific person.
Only one calendar involved and the "secretaries" must all have access to it, so it must be a "multi-user" database.
No existing database will be involved. (RegNO is a field meant to hold a vehicles registration number.)

At the moment It's a workgroup all running OS/2 Peer, but an eCS server well be set up soon.

No automated backup, for the time being it is done "manually".



jep

Hello,

You can borrow some code from "Duplicate files on your computer?" when you want to store the information and connect to a database.

Just create the database and add the ODBC connection to the database in the ODBC Manager and then call it from rexx.
1. Connect
2. Command
3. Disconnect

rxODBC and rexxSQL is quite similar though rxODBC doesn't work with DrDialog yet (Haven't figured out how to make it load odbc.dll dynamically when restricted by DrDialog).

It's quite straight forward to work with databases with rexx. UnixODBC include it in the installation so it's available right away.

//Jan-Erik

warpcafe

Hi,

I'll do two POC (proof-of-concept) prototypes this week... hopefully.
- one is about the calendar grid and "slot" GUI parts
  I need to see the effort required to make DrDialog implement logic and UI as required
- the other will focus on rexxSQL and SQLite
  This is to check if DrDialog has some problems (or weakness) around using rxSQLite

The basic idea here is to see if it COULD work in general (from a tech viewpoint) and to provide a click-dummy prototype to Raiko so he can judge about user acceptance criteria (see where the journey goes).

The reason for using SQLite is that it requires only "a single file" as the DB "server" so it is transparent to use on peer-to-peer as well as real "server-based" networks. Also it eases backup (just copy the DB file). Lastly, it should integrate more or less simple with DrDialog via rexxSQL.
I'm no fan of having to deal with ODBC configs "managers" required at the end user, be it simple or not. I prefer to keep it simple and stupid but straightforward:
- Copy files
- Launch executable
- Works

Oh, while we're at it:
Raiko, question by example: Let's assume UserA has booked the slot at 9:00-9:15 on Monday and now the Customer calls again and declines the appointment... what happens? Is only "UserA" allowed to cancel the booking or everyone?
I understand that up to 4 people can answer calls and schedule the time slots. This means that UserA perhaps has booked the slot, but when the customer calls again to cancel/change the appointment, he will perhaps talk to "UserB", "UserC" or someone else... For me this means that everyone will have to be able to add, change and delete appointments... right?

Cheers,
Thomas
"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that"
- G.H. Hardy

Raiko

Quote from: warpcafe on 2010.11.01, 13:51:47
For me this means that everyone will have to be able to add, change and delete appointments... right?

Cheers,
Thomas


Exactly, that is the way it should work.
Sorry, but forgot to mention that there actually is no need for "end time" of the slots. Each appointment is always finished in less than half an hour. Sounds a bit strange, but there are several employees in the workshop handling the appointments without being assigned to a specific employee.
This workshop changes tires on cars/vans. Like right now is the high season for changing from summer to winter tires.


Raiko

Thomas, need to mail you some info. Pls send an email to the address on my profile.
Tks, Raiko

warpcafe

Hi Raiko,

done.
BTW: Ahh! OK. So this is for people wanting to have a tire change - I understand.
Are you sure it's always done within 15 minutes? 4 tires with removal of old, putting up new, inserting valve, inflate, centerization and mounting? :-P No, just kidding... I bet you know the time required better than me.

Looking forward to your mail - if there is anything more the application should do (tire size selection from list, etc.) let me know. Perhaps you may want to have a customer database with plate and email for reminding them every half year... :-)

Cheers,
Thomas
"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that"
- G.H. Hardy