NET Genium
Information and Communication Portal
NET Genium, a framework designed for creating applications with a web-based interface, can be used to program web-based applications and portals, integrate existing data and administer all the related processes many times faster than ever. The most common type of web-based applications created with the NET Genium framework is an information and communication portal.
Its user-friendly graphical interface is accessible from any computer connected to your intranet or from any place on the Internet using an Internet browser. It may also be accessed from a mobile phone using WAP.
For its users, NET Genium is a standard web-based application. In fact, it is a sophisticated modular system comprising a number of interconnected applications. The actual strength of NET Genium is in allowing the users to create their own applications using the built-in intuitive designer.
Technical parameters
NET Genium is a web-based application programmed in C# using MS Visual Studio .NET 2003 developer’s tools. For its operation, it needs the .NET platform and the IIS (Internet Information Server) web server from Microsoft, along with a database engine for storing its data. Besides the MS SQL Server, the freeware version Express Edition / MSDE (MS SQL Server Desktop Engine) or the freeware Firebird database server from Firebird Foundation Incorporated may be used. As the technology used suggests, NET Genium must be installed on a computer with MS Windows operated as a web server. This means that the IIS web server is required rather than a server version of the operating system (such as MS Windows Server 2000).
As NET Genium supports fulltext search for attachments in the DOC, TXT and PDF formats, the Indexing Service is required which is a component of the MS Windows operating system. It also needs the Adobe PDF iFilter.
To access the NET Genium web server, the clients only need an authenticated connection and an Internet browser. The communication between the clients and the server may be secured using the SSL protocol.
System of user rights
NET Genium is based on a system of user accounts and groups. Users have their own person settings that are applied to any task performed in the system and determine which applications and data are accessible. After opening NET Genium in the window of their Internet browser, users are prompted to log on by entering their user name and password. A separate licence is required for each logon. However, the system may also be configured to display information to anonymous users, as well. These are users who have not logged on and do not need a licence for working with NET Genium. NET Genium automatically monitors the usage of every single component of the information portal by its users and logs invalid attempts to log on.
NET Genium supports two basic types of user rights: standard user rights for a majority of users and administrator rights allowing their holders to perform operations related to the administration of the information portal. Depending on the type of rights, the information portal is displayed either in a standard user environment or in the administrator mode which, among other things, allows the authorised users to create or modify any system components or applications. NET Genium may have more users with administrator rights authorised to administer the information portal.
Logging on to NET Genium
When NET Genium opens, the user is prompted to enter a user name and a password. We recommend that you should change the default password immediately after your first logon to the system. To do so, use the dialogue designed for logging off and/or logging on under another user name. You can open the dialog by clicking the ”Log Off” link in the upper right-hand corner of the desktop. To end your work in the information portal, just close the window of your Internet browser. NET Genium will log you off automatically.
Desktop
The desktop consists of three basic elements:
- The header contains an editable logo, the name of the information portal, the name of the user currently logged on to the system, the current date, a link for logging off and/or logging on under the name of another user, and a list of application groups that can be accessed.
- The navigation area consists of an editable logo, a list of applications available and a section called ”My Settings” where portlets and favourites can be set.
- The main window displays three types of pages:
- Portlets (the initial page of the information portal);
- View pages; and
- Edit forms.
Applications
NET Genium is a sophisticated modular system consisting of a set of interconnected applications. The applications are used to enter and display user data saved in database tables. An example of an application is the Personal Address Book with the database table ”Contact”, or the Planning Calendar with the database table ”Event”.
The idea behind NET Genium is that any application can be composed of two elementary building blocks – Edit forms and View pages. While Edit forms are used to edit every single data record, View pages display multiple records at a time and are used to view, filter and search for records. In addition, they contain navigation elements and controls for opening Edit forms. Both the Edit forms and the View pages may contain buttons used to display events.
Any application for NET Genium can be created using the built-in intuitive designer accessible in the administrator mode. This means that applications may only be created and modified by users with administrator rights. The information portal, as they can see it, is identical to what standard users see. The only difference is that navigation elements and controls for modifying applications or parts of them are displayed in the administrator mode. The creation of applications consists in the creation of Edit forms, View pages and internal controls.
Edit forms
Every database table must have a certain interface in which its structure (a list of database columns making up the table) can be set. The interface must also allow correlations with other database tables to be set. In NET Genium, the Edit form is used as the necessary interface. By storing metadata about database tables, it contains the important information about which database columns are to be included in the database table. At the same time, the Edit form is a graphical interface to be used by the users for entering information in the database and/or editing records in the database table. Every database table has its own Edit form. For example, the ”Contact” database table may include the columns ”Name”, ”Surname” and ”Telephone”. Its Edit form contains an entry field in which the user enters the appropriate values to have the record stored in the database. For example, the ”Name” field may contain the value ”John” and the ”Surname” field the value ”Smith”.
NET Genium automatically logs the history of records in all database tables (a list of all changes that have ever been made to a record). With this feature, it is easy to track any change, including who made it and when. You can even search for deleted records in the history. In some cases, though, logging is not necessary. Since the history of records may account for a considerable part of the database, logging of the history of the database tables may be deactivated.
View pages
Information stored in the database tables is usually displayed on View pages in the form of View tables. The View pages are used to:
- Display records and visual controls;
- Open records in the appropriate Edit forms to edit them; and
- Open an event by clicking the respective button.
Controls
Just like applications, which consist of Edit forms and View pages, both the Edit forms and the View pages also have a number of elements. The Edit forms consist of entry fields, pull-down menus, headings, graphical separators, and other elements. The View pages include View tables, calendars, charts and other elements. These elements are generally referred to as controls. The controls included in the Edit forms are used by users to enter information. They correspond to database columns and are called database controls. An Edit form includes both the database controls and standard visual controls which only have an informational or graphical function. For example, they may be used to clearly arrange the Edit form, or they may include some important instructions for the users to follow when entering data. Some controls may also be used to ensure interactivity of the Edit form by containing a program code with specific functions.
The Edit form consists of controls, with a majority of them being database controls. The View page contains controls that are typically used to activate various modes of viewing records stored in database table. The controls are always arranged vertically in a single column. You can use the TAB key to switch to the next control in the Edit form. To go back to the previous control, press the SHIFT+TAB combination. For an Edit form to make any sense, it should include at least one database control. The same applies to the View page which should also include at least one control, such as a View table, a calendar or a chart.
Portlets
The initial page of the information portal is structured into three columns displaying the visual components referred to as portlets. Portlets are used to view various kinds of information at the same time. Typically, it is the most current information for the users. In fact, portlets are simplified controls chosen according to the needs of their users. By setting the portlets, users choose what kind of information should be displayed in the columns.
Favourites
Favourites are used to make the orientation in the information portal easier. They are links to the most frequently used applications (their View pages).
Database query
Database queries are key elements of NET Genium. A database query defines which records are to be displayed in the portlets, View tables, calendars and charts, what values are to be displayed in pull-down lists, etc. As NET Genium contains its own graphical designer of database queries, only elementary knowledge of SQL is required from the administrators who create applications and the related database queries.
Script
A script is a program code run by clicking a button located in an Edit form or a View page. The activation of the script depends on the decision of the user of the information portal. A script usually reads records or values from database tables, assesses situations, verifies data entered by users, enters data in the database or sends email messages.
A script designer is available in the administrator mode for modifying the scripts. A script consists of a set of commands inserted as script lines one after the other. Each line of the script contains instructions on what is to be done. NET Genium reads the script line by line, performing the operations according to the instructions. Simple instructions contained in a script may be declaration of a variable, storing a value in a variable, comparing values of two variables or a value entered by the user in the Edit form and a variable, sending an email, etc.
A script is a programming language. It has its own syntax but does not support program blocks. The operation of a script is only ensured by a set of pre-defined instructions entered in the script designer. In fact, the instructions contained in a script may seem elementary at first sight but they perform quite complex operations and are designed in a manner so as to meet as many requirements as possible for the system functionality.
C# or Visual Basic
Scripts and events triggered by the control elements incorporated in editing forms and on view pages may contain instructions calling for program blocks written in C# or Visual Basic. This option is mainly used for:
- generating special control elements by combining fragments of HTML codes, or
- processing events using more complex algorithms.
Printing
NET Genium supports printing records contained in View tables using print templates. This feature is activated by clicking the printing button either in an Edit form or in a View page. XLS, DOC, PDF, HTML or TXT files may be used as print templates. XLS files are recommended for creating print templates as documents are easy to create in MS Excel.
Data synchronisation
Data synchronisation is used to keep a true copy of a database table concurrently in other databases located in remote installations of NET Genium, such as on another server. The system uses symmetric data synchronisation (with multiple masters), meaning that a change in a copy of the database results in the request for making the same change in the remaining copies.