Implimentation advice
i have a situation where i have to design an application which works like this:
a client-server architecture which works in an intranet/internet environment, which stores data in centralized database.
Simultaneously the client needs to work offline sometimes i.e., which can run on a laptop and when the user connects to intranet/internet the data fed while the client is offline need to be sync. with the centralized database and any change in the coding of the application need to reflect in all the clients simultaneously. I need to design it as athinClient i.e., web based using JSP and Applets. can anybody tell me what technologies i have to use to accomplish the task.
I recommend that you look to hire a J2EE Architect to tackle this challenging task. Based on your requirements, designing a thin client with JSP and Applets sounds extremely difficult.
Sun has a great team, you should check out their solutions and services available at:
http://www.sun.com/servicessolutions/
There are also other resources which can help you with spelling and business writing skills.
Good luck!
You're not going to have much luck building an offline application that's implemented using JSP and Applets.I concur with the earlier poster; hire an expert.
>You're not going to have much luck building an offline application >that's implemented using JSP and Applets
I disagree.
The first question you should ask yourself, is: does your client trust you a lot? If the answer is yes, applet(s) would be more than sufficient.
You don't need JSP unless your clients are not willing to download a JRE (needed to run applets on the browser).
JSP cannot do much for you offline, at least from the client side unless the client user decisively goes back online.
Unless the client app is a standalone, your best bet would be an applet. The sweet aspect of that is: the user can bear a little performance burden, with less burden on the server.
> >You're not going to have much luck building an
> > offline application >that's implemented using JSP and
> > Applets
>
> I disagree.
Then you'ed be wrong, there are contraditory requirements in the initial requirements. It cannot work off-line and be a thin-client. That does not mean that contradiction cannot be resolved but ignoring or covering it up is bound to lead to trouble one way or the other. So that risk should be eliminated as soon as possible.
To OP,
You need to find a polite way of telling your client that they don't know what they are talking about and should stick to their domain of expertise; the business/functional requirements and let you stick to yours, the technology.
Though as others have pointed out you seem somewhat lacking in the correct areas of expertise yourself. So either suggest a solution based on technology you are expert in or hire another professional who is familiar with the appropriate technologies.
jsp's in a disconnected mode? Where are the jsp's going to reside, please dont tell me that you are going to install a web server on each of these clients!!!! Secondly where do you plan to put your business logic. Client or Server and how do you handle that in a disconnected mode? There are so many questions to be answered befefore you get a correct answer
i am planning to use both JSP and Applets. my planning is like this:
the database and JSPs are placed in a centralized server. The screens that are to be handled offline are designed using JApplets, if the client wants to go offline, he need to download the applet into his local harddrive and run from there. If the client is connected to the network (he won't use the downloaded applet) the request goes to the webserver and data is processed, stored in the database, if not the applet writes the data into an xml file and stores it in the client's local harddrive. as soon as the client connects to the network he presses a "Sync." button, then the xml file is sent to the server and data is processed. i don't know whether this will work or not.
I don't think applets are the correct solution.They are not designed to run offline on client machines, so attempting to would be too much effort for minimal reward. At least thats how I understand them.
I'd recommend, in order of preference:
1. Use just thick clients. Why duplicate functionality in thick and thin clients? What is the reason for your customers insistence on thin clients?
2. Use a thick client for offline entry and jsp for online entry of data.
Using Java Web Start technology, standalone Java software applications can be deployed with a single click over the network. Java Web Start ensures the most current version of the application will be deployed, as well as the correct version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
Read More
http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/
as far as i know, Java Web Start works only if the client is a Win32 application i.e., written using Swing..but here my client wants the appliaction to be written only as a thin client.
am i right regarding Java Web Start? if not please let me know.
i need the right combination of technologies that can be used to accomplish the task, please guide me..
