Portfolio
Site integration modules (Qtask)
Qtask is an online project management tool that is integrating information from other sites to a high degree, so you don't have to log in to many sites to get all your information; Qtask will have it all.
We worked on integration for the following sites and formats:
Our job was to provide interface modules that the internal Qtask developers could use to access information from these sites, or for specific formats and platforms, for display and interaction in Qtask.
Technical writing (REBOL Technologies)
We specialize in REBOL, so it was nice to be able to work with the big brains at REBOL HQ to get some new documentation out when a new version of View was released.
Make-doc was the main format used to produce documents, but a number of internal tools and formats were also designed, to make generating large volumes of reference information much easier. A lot of the data was in native REBOL format, or a dialect of it, and then processed and aggregated to create the final documentation for the web, and for use in tools like the REBOL Word Browser.
Loan origination and service system (Best Finance, Inc.)
The ultimate goal was a complete system, written in C# and SQL Server. Since those aren't our primary development tools, we looked for ways to leverage our skills in ways that would help us, and also help their internal developers. In addition, the existing system had some issues that could be improved, if not solved entirely, while the new system was under development.
Ultimately, we built custom code generators for C# classes, and SQL definitions and stored procedures, prototyped some Windows custom controls in C#, and mocked up some user interface prototypes; laying a design and infrastructure foundation so the final development could be done in-house.
We also created a number of interim tools (a.k.a. band-aids) to help users, while main system was being developed.
- Simple Amortization schedule
- Simple Interest Calculator
- Clipboard quick-paste utility
- Automation for existing credit card processing software
- Mail Merge System update - The old system used WordPerfect and custom file formats and required manual mail merge input. The new system uses MS Word, uses existing data format, and added a UI for complete merge visualization and automation.
- Redraft system handler - replaced paper process for failed payments that needed to be reprocessed.
Screenshots
- Interest Calculator - REBOL - The first utility we built was a quick interest calculator. We did a REBOL version initially.
- Interest Calculator - C# - Then did a version in C#.
- Amortization Schedule - The Am. Schedule was done later, but turned out rather well.
- Mail Merge Controller - The front end for the mail merge process concealed all the details of data import/export, file formats, and automation control of Word.
- Credit Card Software "Extension" - This utility was just four buttons on a screen (not shown here). The help tells you what each one did. Most small utilities had a built-in help screen like this.
- Clipboard Utility - Users could create their own text snippets for hot-key access via the clipboard. Very handy since they had to enter certain information in different programs in specific formats.
- Reprocessing Manager 1 - This was written to replace a manual, paper-based process.
- Reprocessing Manager 2
User Interface Prototypes
Health Club distributed membership management system (ASAP Workout, Inc.)
This system was built on top of REBOL IOS, which handled all the remote sychronization for us. We wrote "reblets" that operated from the IOS desktop and integrated with each other via TCP-based IPC, so the system was very modular.
It integrated with an optical bar code scanner and credit card/MICR check reader and an interface to the ECHO online payment processing system was built.
The front end was a collaborative effort with a graphic designer (Chris Ross-Gill), who designed a built the low level styles and many of the initial screen layouts.
Screenshots
- Control Center - This is the main screen, not counting the IOS desktop of course. From here you can navigate to different menus on the right, open a user for editing, or delete a check-in record.
- Member Select - From the control center, you could also pop up a selector, so you could edit members that aren't in the current check-in display. The front screen for the member selector is a search screen (not shown here).
- Manual Check-In - If a member forgot, or lost, their ID card, they couldn't scan it to check in, so the clerk could check them in manually.
- Account Info - The member editor was a tabbed dialog, with many fields and options. These are just a few pages it contained.
- Measurement Info
- Payment Info
- New Member Payments - For new members, you could split payments between checks, credit cards, and cash. The individual entry screens aren't shown here, but each was tailored for their purpose. For example, the credit card screen validated card numbers and the checking screen verfied bank routing information. From this screen, if you swiped a credit card, or scanned a check, with the reader, it would automatically identify it, pre-fill information, and take you to the correct screen for final data entry.
SURFnet National Research Institute (Netherlands)
- Open Source Cross platform installation toolkit (Roxy).
- Stunnel-in-a-Box - Installer, configuration via web portal, auto-updater for Stunnel universal SSL wrapper.
- Secure web portal.
Screenshots
- Stunnel-in-a-Box Main - Stunnel-in-a-Box was designed to simplify the process of installing and configuring Stunnel, for both users and administrators. It was built using REBOL, PHP, and MySQL.
- Stunnel-in-a-Box Admin - Administrators would log in and configure the services that are available to users. This was developed in PHP and MySQL, with server side REBOL scripts to do key generation and some other specific processes.
- Stunnel-in-a-Box Installer 1 - End users would download an installer for their operating system (Windows and Linux were the only systems targeted initially). The installer was built with a toolkit developed for this project. It displayed a familiar installer UI.
- Stunnel-in-a-Box Installer 2 - The installer would access the secure portal, given the user's institution (login) information, and would pull the proper Stunnel configuration file dynamically. The application installed (open-stunnel) would, on startup, connect to the secure portal; using PEM certificates and MD5 checksums for security, it checks for any updates to the configuration, downloads them, and runs Stunnel. With this model, administrators could make changes as necessary, and users would get them automatically.
Theatre Audition Software
Developed for two local non-profit theatre groups, to help manage their season auditions, which sometimes drew hundreds of actors. Scoring, remembering, and casting four to six shows, with dozens of potential candidates for certain roles, can be very trying, especially at 3AM.
Screenshots
- Actor Info - First, you need to enter information about the people who are auditioning. This screen-shot shows a version that was adapted for a Summer-stock company, where actors auditioned for the complete season, and could hold various positions in the company.
- Score Sheet - Then, as they audition, you score them and tag them for suitable roles. Selecting an actor from the list on the right, by name or number, optionally filtered by time-slot, displays their information. Sliders are used for scoring; shows highlighted in beige indicate availability roles in light blue mean they are a match--by age and gender, using a simple fuzzy logic engine for age matching; green roles mean you have marked them as a candidate for a role. Mousing over a role displays extra details about that role, and extra "quick notes" can be selected from a customizable list. If the data is changed, the Save button flashes red to remind you to save it.
- Evaluation Sheet - Finally, you look at who got the best scores, by role. When you select a role from one of the lists, the actor's scores are evaluated, and actors who match age and gender criteria are displayed in descending order. If you want to see only actors that were marked for a role, you can do that as well. If you want to change the weight of the vocal, movement, or acting scores, there are sliders to do that. This lets you see how the order changes if you decide to emphasize dramatic ability over singing for a particular role (as an example). You can also select an actor from the list on the left, then click a box to drop them there for comparison. Mousing over an actor will display their quick notes in the list on the right.
Future Features
This software was developed for non-profit theatre groups, and all our time was donated. There is much more we would like to do given time and resources. The ability to print cast lists and enter actor bio's are important items, as is making the system easy to customize for different groups. Sharing actor data for geographically-related theatres, and a shared database of shows are also on the to-do list.
IOS and general file publishing utility (Real World Systems)
Auto-publish files from one location to another. There was a general version first, then it was adapted to auto-publish updated files to IOS. This was a proof-of-concept project built on REBOL IOS.
Other projects, not done under the auspices of Pointillistic Software
Infastructure Tools and Libraries
The client had an existing system for school system administration that ran on HP3000s, and they wanted a Windows front-end.
- Code generator for converting COBOL CopyLibs to VB Class modules. If all ~1,500 record definitions were converted, roughly one million lines of VB code would be generated. Each class knew how to serialize itself to and from the HP3000 back-end, converting datatypes, etc.
- Dynamic Report Screen generator. Using a simple definition file, a custom VB report form would be dynamically generated.
- Custom Windows socket library; based on original source created by Desaware software. Dan Appleman, of Desaware, is a true low-level Windows guru, plus a heck of a nice guy. Desaware makes great products.
- Continuation of previous class library development (that I retained rights to). I believe it had about 65 classes and 1,800 methods when all was said and done.
These were all built with Visual Basic.
Mortgage Origination System (used by 5 of the top-ten banks in the U.S.)
The banking brain behind this system was Rich Marston, of Marston Financial Systems, Inc. I was the technical guy, though I learned a lot about mortgages while working on this project. If you need someone who knows mortages, and how to get the numbers right--no matter how complex and ugly your products are--Rich Marston is the man you should call.
- Design and development of Windows-based mortgage origination system.
- Production technical support.
- Analysis, and optimization of clients other in-house software.
- Conversion of 16-bit mortgage origination system to 32-bit.
- Design and development of processes, reusable components (DLLs and ActiveX controls), and tools for VB/Windows development.
- Train and mentor employees in object-oriented development practices.
This system was built with Visual Basic, and some Delphi and PowerBASIC.
Visual Basic Specialist (IBAX Healthcare R&D project)
- Proof-of-concept project for conversion of a 4,000 screen AS/400 system to the Windows platform.
- Designed and developed an engine that would dynamically generate Visual Basic forms from AS/400 Presentation Spaces using Rumba.
Other
© 2009Spell checking add-in for vertical market software (MicroCraft)
Using Microhelp's custom control for Visual Basic, a spell-checking feature was "added to" an existing DOS program running under Windows. The add-on would read the proprietary data files, allow you to select a particular file or account, then scan the file for spelling errors, displaying a window that allowed you to update the data in the file.
Direct-Line-Plus mortgage origination system (Countrywide Funding)
Allowed brokers to remotely access current pricing, submit loan applications, and check their status. This was pretty cutting edge for a small team to build in Windows at the time.
Front end for Excel/Word data access (Bonneville Power, ETI/AMPG)
Bonneville Power did an energy survey (PNWRES92 if memory serves), that produced hundreds of Excel spreadsheets and Word documents. A navigation system was built with Visual Basic that controlled Word and Excel via DDE to let the users select documents, or groups of documents from menus, automatically display charts, etc.
Kiosk software (computer dating) (The Network Club International)
Interfaced with a bill acceptor and touch screen. Simple data entry, profile matching, and account maintenance.
Commercial PIM/Contact Manager (Call or Write -- Positive Software Solutions)
A commercial Personal Information Manager for Windows, published by Positive Software Solutions. Version 1 was built with Visual Basic version 1.0, and Version 2 with VB3; it used the QEVB data engine. Notable for its time was a customizable table view, the ability to define and store custom views, and the ability to query by example. It could be used to auto-dial phone numbers, and print mailing labels.
Gear Design Assistance software (DOS-based) (Barner Engineering)
This was a rough prototype, run as a graphics-mode DOS app, that would allow you to enter target criteria, then interactively "tune" the resulting gear design.
Loudspeaker Design Tools (DOS-based) (Self-Published)
Design software for loudspeakers. Supported various box designs (vented, transmission line, horn, sealed, double-chamber reflex) and simple passive networks. Came with a standard database of drivers that could be extended by the user.
Pointillistic
Software, LLC
