AJAX Magazine

Tutorial : Create Realtime Charts With FusionCharts and Ajax

2010-03-08T05:49:10Z

In this tutorial We will create realtime chart data update that reflect to price fluctuation. There are many solutions to do this, but now we will cover using a nice flash charting component called FusionCharts. FusionCharts comes with several edition, but now we will use the FusionCharts Free version. You can download it from http://www.fusioncharts.com/free/. By the time of this writing, FusionCharts Free version is 2.2.

The price fluctuation is visualized with a line type chart and data will be fetched from database every 5 seconds using Ajax call and then display the latest 5 (five) data to the chart without any page refresh. We assume you already familiar with deploying the FusionCharts Free and have experience using prototype.js, since we don't explain every details of the tools we used in this article. Please refer to FusionCharts Free documentation about deploying the chart and prototype.js documentation about the usage of the library.

Let's do it

1. You have to download the FusionCharts Free version, extract it, and copy the chart FCF_Line.swf (from the Chart folder) to your web root folder.
2. Copy FusionCharts.js (from JSClass folder) to your web root folder.
3. Download prototype.js from www.prototypejs.org and save it as prototype.js on your web root folder. We will use prototype.js to do the Ajax call.
4. Now prepare the table to store the fictional price fluctuation. Here is the simple table structure. We only need 2 (two) fields.

Visual WebGui based web applications automated IDE built with $300,000 savings

2010-03-03T16:47:47Z

Visual WebGui are sharing with us today a new interesting case study for a web applications automated IDE built with Visual WebGUI : Automato.

"Visual WebGui turns web dreams into reality in a very gracious way while Automato makes it even more powerful... No any other ASP.NET framework does it for you" Alexnaldo Santos

Overview

SISMONT Ltda. creates ERP systems in Brazil since 2003 on Windows platform only. Since 2004 the company targets all the systems it designs for the Web platform.

The Automato project was born to integrate different business applications using single development tool, allowing total customization for customers.

The company already offers its accounting system on a Web platform with a competitive production cost thanks to Automato and Visual WebGui. Until the end of 2010, all of SISMONT's systems will also be offered on Web platform, significantly increasing their potential performance in Brazil.

Alpha Software Launches Alpha Five Version 10 with Codeless Ajax Technology

2010-02-19T21:40:00Z

Every day, companies announce new products and call them revolutionary, breakthrough, innovative, and game changing. It's not often that a new product actually lives up to that kind of billing. Today is one of those days, with the official launch of Alpha Five Version 10, from Alpha Software. Featuring the company's patent-pending "Codeless Ajax" technology, Alpha Five V10 is the first programming tool that allows developers to visually build rich Internet database applications powered by Ajax - without having to write one line of code.

That said, developers who like to get their hands dirty can work swiftly using Alpha's Codeless Ajax, then optionally craft custom code using popular SQL dialects, JavaScript, REST Services, and Xbasic. Developers can also plug in open source or their own JavaScript code, components, and frameworks to extend the development platform in any way they need. Best of all, the resulting applications support every major SQL database, including the newest: Microsoft SQL Azure databases residing in the Microsoft cloud.

"Alpha Five Version 10 with Codeless Ajax is like having an entire development team at your fingertips," says Richard Rabins, Co-Chairman of Alpha Software. "Just one developer can produce the output of five to 10 coders with Codeless Ajax. The calculus is simple. If you're a consultant or ISV, you produce more solutions in less time. If you're a corporate developer, you solve more business problems faster, and slash your budget for custom application development. There's no faster way to design and build contemporary Web applications."

Vaadin, Free Java UI Framework

2010-02-17T08:41:22Z

Vaadin is a Web application framework for Rich Internet Applications (RIA). In contrast to Javascript libraries and browser-plugin based solutions it features a server-side architecture, which means that the majority of the logic runs on the servers. AJAX technology is used on the browser side to ensure a rich and interactive user experience.

Vaadin is a big collection of UI components. There are server-side components like Button, Table, and Tree that you use to compose the application user interface. The components use events, listeners, and data binding to communicate with each other and the business logic. Vaadin is a robust architecture for rapid application development. The component-based architecture together with the data binding features help you to build applications that are easily modularized and refactored as needed.

Developers using Eclipse and NetBeans as IDE can easily integrate Vaadin within their projects thanks to the Eclipse and NetBeans plugins. Vaadin is released under Apache License Version 2.0 and is free even for commercial use. However commercial products and services are available by ITMill, the company behind Vaadin framework.

More information and download at http://vaadin.com

CopperLicht, fast WebGL JavaScript 3D Engine

2010-02-06T06:40:47Z

WebGL is getting hot after being supported by modern browsers Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Now you can even create amazing apps with CopperLicht, a fast JavaScript 3D engine for creating games and 3d applications in the webbrowser. It uses the WebGL canvas supported by modern browsers and is able to render hardware accelerated 3d graphics without any plugins.

Key features :

3D World editor: CopperLicht comes with a full 3D world editor named CopperCube.
Many supported 3D file formats: .3ds, .obj, .x, .lwo, .b3d, .csm, .dae, .dmf, .oct, .irrmesh, .ms3d, .my3D, .mesh, .lmts, .bsp, .md2, .stl. and more, see below.
Incredibly fast: CopperLicht is highly optimized and able to render and animate even huge 3d scenes.
Simple API: CopperLicht is a SceneGraph based 3D engine, and a lot of examples and tutorials are available to show you how it works.
Binary compilation: Unlike other WebGL 3D Engines, CopperLicht compiles your 3D meshes into a small, binary file which downloads quickly, reducing bandwith usage for your users. Simply import your 3D files into the CopperCube editor and publish it as CopperLicht scene.
Totally free: CopperLicht is free to use. Just download and go!

ItsNat Natural Ajax v0.7 Released

2010-02-06T06:08:55Z

ItsNat is a server centric Java AJAX web framework with the same style of programming as the client, because ItsNat approach is "The Browser Is The Server" (TBITS). ItsNat simulates a Universal W3C Java Browser in the server, client events are sent to the server via AJAX and converted to W3C Java DOM Events, changes in DOM server are automatically sent to the client as JavaScript updating the client DOM. In ItsNat templates are defined using pure X/HTML or SVG files with no logic. View logic is coded in pure Java using Java W3C DOM APIs promoting reuse and the goodness of Object Oriented Programming.

This release, 0.7, is highly focused on SVG, these days web technologies like HTML 5 and SVG are trying to achieve the same Flash capabilities tanks to browser makers and projects like SVGWeb sponsored by Google.

ItsNat v0.7 adds first class support of SVG in native browsers and Internet Explorer using a broad range of plugins: Adobe SVG Viewer (v3 and v6), Renesis 1.1, Savarese Ssrc, SVGWeb and Batik as applet. Savarese Ssrc also provides XUL to MSIE.

Websync, .NET and IIS Comet Server

2010-01-23T08:06:23Z

If you are looking to turn your IIS, ASP.NET server into a highly scalable HTTP Comet/Reverse Ajax server, your solution could be called Websync, by Frozen Mountain Software. Websync is cool, because unlike every other comet server currently available, it doesn't require a separate server, instead it runs directly with IIS. It takes about 2 lines in your web.config to get it going, and we've tested 30,000 users simultaneously on a single $400 Acer desktop with 3gig of RAM.

More features include :
- an embedded JavaScript client (only 9 KB!) and .NET client.
- server-side publishers for .NET and PHP
- uses open protocols and proven technology (HTML5, Ajax, JSONP, Bayeux).
- allows secure, controlled access and virtually unlimited scalability.
- offers complete end-to-end application integration.

Websync is a commercial product, pricing start from $749. More information and download at http://frozenmountain.com.

Visual WebGui platform further enhances its SDK with the integration of jQuery in its new 6.4 version

2010-01-23T07:26:05Z

The new version offers upgraded performance, scalability and complete developer and designer freedom to design and customize Web 2.0 like user interfaces

Gizmox, the developer of Visual WebGui web/cloud applications platform announced today the release of its Visual WebGui 6.4 beta 1 version. The new version offers enhanced performance as well as enhanced customization, extension and user interface designing capabilities. The expanded capabilities include the integration of the jQuery library for faster behavior customization and user interface extension. This enables developers to create Web 2.0 user interfaces (UI) in a more expedited and easier manner. In addition, the integration allows jQuery developers to offer a path empowering the jQuery based UI, while maintaining the Visual WebGui server power and security which are vital for data secured - sensitive applications.

With the original VB6 like drag and drop development practices that earned Visual WebGui its popularity as an open source enterprise .Net Ajax platform, the new version lends its simple VB6 like web development empowerment to jQuery developers. In addition, Visual WebGui developers will be able to develop applications using full object oriented environment by utilizing the power of the server and at the same time to write extensions using one of the most popular client side frameworks.

dhtmlxScheduler 2.1 Released

2009-12-08T07:10:55Z

DHTMLX team has announced the availability of version 2.1 of dhtmlxScheduler, a lightweight and highly customizable Ajax calendar component for creating rich scheduling UI. The update includes numerous enhancements and bug fixes, and introduces the following new features:

- Agenda View, which allows users to see the list of oncoming events starting from the current date (if needed, this starting date may be easily changed).

- In addition to Day/Week/Month Views, version 2.1 provides the ability to display events in the Year View.

- The update includes multiple extensions for the most common use-cases such as: read-only form, loading from multiple sources, key navigation, html templates, etc.

- Online Skin Builder for dhtmlxScheduler now provides developers with the ability to choose the coloring scheme for the calendar, or change the colors of each part of the skin.

- Localization capabilities of dhtmlxScheduler have been extended. The list of supported languages includes Chinese, Japanese, French, Finnish, German, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, and more.

Version 2.1 also provides much more samples, which demonstrate the capabilities of the calendar and simplify the use of the component. For more info and download please visit this page.

AMPLE SDK, Open Source JavaScript GUI Framework

2009-12-08T05:28:03Z

Ample SDK is a standard-based cross-browser JavaScript GUI Framework for building Rich Internet Applications. It employs XML technologies (such as XUL, SVG or HTML5) for UI layout, CSS for UI style and JavaScript for application logic. It equalizes browsers and brings technologies support to those missing any.

Today's web browsers are playing a role more and more crucial in web application development since they're becoming the web platforms that we build on, but for web application developers problems to solve remain the same : use of open technologies and standards while assuring compatibility between different browsers and devices. AMPLE SDK provides a client-side application layer to build standards-based GUI using open technologies and guarantee a compatibility with most web browsers. No need to learn anything new !

The SDK simplifies coding client-side applications by providing common playground across all web-browsers. It doesn't modify/enforce any new programming practices or API - only standard technologies used. It enables XUL (Mozilla-based GUI technology) cross-browser, as well as it adds SVG 1.1 to the Internet Explorer. And many more.

The project is available under MIT and GPL license, more information and download available at http://www.amplesdk.com/

Gizmox Reveals Cloud Apps Platform at Microsoft PDC

2009-11-17T08:11:00Z

Today Gizmox, the developer of Visual WebGui Web & Cloud Platform, will reveal its innovative cloud application platform which will allow developers and enterprises to deploy their applications to Windows Azure with the click of a button with no re-writes or new programming skills needed. The company will also expose with Microsoft Azure team a case study showcasing a successful migration and deployment of an energy management system to Windows Azure cloud using Visual WebGui.

Below the press release :

Visual WebGui to Reveal the First Cloud Application Platform to Migrate Legacy to the Cloud at a "button-push"

Developers can now deploy their applications to Windows Azure with the click of a button with no re-writes or new programming skills needed

Los Angeles, CA. - November 17, 2009 - Gizmox, the developer of Visual WebGui Web & Cloud Platform, today announced that it will reveal its application platform atop Windows Azure and its development framework, Visual WebGui web/cloud platforms offers the only push-button .NET desktop legacy application migration path to Windows Azure. With Visual WebGui enterprises will be able to migrate to Windows Azure, by reusing their existing Windows software code on Windows Azure without re-write or re-engineering. The process is as simple as copying and pasting the Windows code into VWG, selecting Windows Azure run in Visual WebGui SDK, and run.

"With our unique unrivalled legacy applications migration to Windows Azure, and the ability to run them as responsive as and as rich as desktop's, with proven unhackable security, we have crossed a new threshold," said Navot Peled, CEO of Gizmox, "While everyone is talking about the cloud, we're working with Microsoft to bring our solution to enterprises that are looking at migration to the Windows Azure cloud here and now. We also enable the fast development, desktop's performance, and richness and security benefits to newly built cloud applications"

SRP-Hermetic, New Ajax Security Library

2009-11-17T07:05:52Z

SRP-Hermetic, a JavaScript library which aims at providing a highly secure Ajax channel implementation (MIT license). Authentication is based on the SRP protocol, and messages can be signed using HMAC or fully encrypted using AES. An interesting implementation providing secure user authentication, communication integrity and communication privacy to AJAX applications, with main focus on efficiency, scalability and customisable secure channel as an alternative to HTTPS.

Your feedback is very welcome to review current implementation and develop it further. More information could be found on this blog post.

PMRPC, HTML5-based Inter-window Cross-Domain RPC Librar

2009-10-13T06:52:46Z

Pmrpc is a HTML5 inter-window cross-domain JSON-RPC based remote procedure call JavaScript library. The library provides a simple API for exposing and calling procedures from windows or iFrames on different domains, without being subject to the same-origin policy. Pmrpc also provides several advanced features: callbacks similar to AJAX calls, ACL-based access control, asynchronous procedure support and fault-tolerance via retries.

The implementation of the library is based on the HTML5 postMessage API, the JSON-RPC protocol and the JSON data format. Pmrpc uses the postMessage API as an underlying communication mechanism and extends it to a RPC model using the JSON-RPC, a transport-independent protocol that uses JSON for formatting messages.

The library is compatible with Firefox 3, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 8, released under Apache v2.0 license.

Webopoly, New Ajax-based Property Trading Game

2009-09-29T09:24:47Z

Webopoly is a new Ajax-based monopoly-like game written in PHP where players can trade properties like web companies, or products. It supports multi-player games, in-game chat and a variety of other features, all without the use of any Flash or Java. The games uses many JavaScript libraries such taconite, soundmanager2, and greybox. Geeky and very addictive game ! Players can create their own private or public games and invite friends or colleagues to join.

Have fun http://www.webopoly.org/ !

Open Source RIA Framework Qooxdoo 0.8.3 Released

2009-09-12T01:39:39Z

The Open Source RIA Framework qooxdoo is now available in a new release 0.8.3. This release include many enhancements, 300 bug fixes, and lots of new features including :

New Form Handling
Unified Selection API
Advanced Data Binding
New Flow Layout
New Flash Widget
New Themed Iframe
Global Error Handling

"qooxdoo 0.8.3 is one of the best tested and most extensive releases to date." According to QooxDoo announcement there are about 1.700 Commits since last release, more than 1.100 Unit tests (incl. more than 3.200 assertions), about 30 Browsers/OS combinations continuously unit-/GUI-tested, and about 160 GUI-tests of applications, fully automated. Migration and more details about this release are available here.

More information and download at http://qooxdoo.org/.