Auto-rosters

[awebb]

Hello,
I'm CEO of Fun-Flyer Virual Airline, (http://fun-flyer.tripod.com) and I'm getting board :-sleepy of every time anyone files a flight plan having to open up frontpage and edit the rosters. Does anyone know if there is a way of creaing a "Auto Roster"? (I no nothing about html, apart from how to copy/paste it!)
:-hmmm
Thanks in advance
Adam Webb
http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3cb70cc113a1cab5.jpg

[ORB_505]

Hi Adam,

The best way to do what you want is with ASP or PHP (I preferre ASP). ASP allows you to do all kinds of groovy things with database's and is just what you need. You can do it with CGI scripts but IMHO it's old hat and ASP is quicker.

The drawback is you need web hosting that provides ASP scripting support. You can get free hosting that has ASP support (try Brinkster).

Regards

Mark

[jonf82]

Actually, CGI isn't "old hat" The .dll that runs your ASP script is a CGI....same with PHP, the script interpreter is a CGI.

If you aren't a web developer and need to build functionality into a web page then learning a script is the way to go.....but....if you want more capabilities than any script could ever give you then you need to use a CGI. Much, much more power and control over your site since your code works directly with the web server and the OS instead of going through an interpreter where you are limited to the command sets of that interpreter.

BTW, if you already know ASP, learning how to write CGIs with VB is a very small step and I highly recommend it.

[ORB_505]

Like I said IMHO ASP is better and quicker. You can see the results quicker and easier with ASP than CGI scripts.

I have written CGI scripts in the past and (personally) find C++ a better lanuage to use. But again using ASP I can develope a solution easier and quicker using ASP. :-)

Mark

[jonf82]

That's why I recommended VB for your CGIs. C++ is overkill for CGI's Too much work for very little results. A VB CGI can be written as quickly and easily as ASP and runs just as quickly, however, if there is an ASP failure on the server then your whole site is down where if a CGI fails, it's only that one process running for that one instance. You also don't have server/platform issues that come with ASP. Microsoft doesn't support ASP on any other server than IIS. ChiliSoft, which is providing ASP capabilities through Sun has problems on many servers (Netscape, Apache, WSPro). A correcly written (NT) CGI will run on any web platform. They are also pay much better. I bill about $35-65/hour for scripted pages and between $100-$200/hour for CGI pages. A script will never have the full flexablity of an OS executable (CGI). They are much more secure as well.

[ORB_505]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-21-02 AT 01:06PM (EDT)[p]Horses for courses at the end of the day. I prefer ASP you prefer CGI...It would be a dull world if everyone was the same. :-)

Although C++ might be 'overkill' I still prefer the language as it's the first language I worked with as a professional and as such find it very natural. Other developers don't like it as their first language and I can repect that. :-)

We (the company I work for) only provide IIS servers and so ASP is very easy to setup and use as a solution.

But I think we are moving away from the original question and ranting on too much :-). For a VA of which the data security is hardly a high concern and VA being non-profit ($200 per hour being pretty steep to pay for a hobby) then basic ASP scripting to an ADO source would be easy for anyone with HTML experience to pickup. Also IIS or PWS comes with the MS operating system so they can practise their new skills before uploading.

Adam, I suggest one of the WROX publications on ASP for about £30 sterling would be a great investment...Good luck and enjoy!

Mark

EDIT
PS
Adam, don't let the 'jargon' you have seen on these posts scare you off. Buy the book and you'll pick it up like a pro, the WROX books are easy to understand and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about ;-)

[jonf82]

Cobol and Assembler were actually my first languages and I agree that C++ is almost always the preferred language (expecially for client/server dev) but for a CGI it's just too much coding for such a small result.

BTW, the rates I posted are my professional rates, not my VA developing rates :) (I own Livewire Programming, Inc. and World Wide Communcations, LLC in NY - Software Dev and ISP respectively)

As for security on a VA...major issue. I've taken legal action against two hackers so far and have people trying to crash my VA regularly. We're nearing 9000 registered members and there is a lot of jealousy among some younger, small-minded individuals that try (unsuccessfully) to wreak havok on my servers.

Don't overlook my original post, however....I did say that unless he was a professional developer that scripting was the answer for him, and that doesn't mean that as a professional developer scriping isn't an answer. I was just defending CGIs from being "old-hat". CGI's may once have been slower than ASP and more clumsy but that's not the case anymore and many large companies have web dev requests that just can't be done with scripting making CGI's vital to high-end development.

I should also apologize for getting off topic. Sometimes I just can't resist "talking shop". Bad habit.....hard to break :)

Blue skies,
Jon Finch
http://www.livewireairlines.com

[ORB_505]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-21-02 AT 06:45PM (EDT)[p]Sorry to hear about you 'crossing paths' with hackers (or crackers or what ever they like to be called these days :-) ). I wish you all the best in finding a secure solution.

I would just like to point out that in Adams original post he explains that he 'knows nothing about HTML except cut and paste it' which lead me to believe he wasn't a professional developer and so suggested ASP...the easier option. Even if he doesn't want to actually write the code then he can cut and paste the script directly into the same page.

Can I take this oppotunity to dof my cap to a fellow developer and wish you luck in both your business'. (Apologies for not knowing about your connection with the companies. Being from England I've never heard of them but have no doubt that they are extremely sucessful in their field)

Best Regards

Mark
www.positive-solutions.co.uk
www.mawdsleys.co.uk
(Equally unheard of companies outside Europe ;-))

PS
I didn't code the sites....I agree they are bad :-)

PPS
Ever get the feeling we are the only people posting in this forum?!?! :-lol

[Daniel_Ulvinen]

My automation is finished. If you're interested, send me an email to ceo@flyjetstream.com

It includes:
· Automated application and welcome email.
· Automated roster
· Automated PiRep form
· Automated profile system
· Automated administration area
» edit and delete pilots

hmm...what else....

Thanks,
Dan (ceo@flyjetstream.com)

http://www.flyjetstream.com/bcards/daniel_ulvinen.gif

[ant284]

Hi,

I also finished my Automated Pirep VA, and if you are interesting to run it please let me know and i will show you the demo

anthony