Well, I certainly meant to post up here before now - but as usual things get hectic. I've been busy heading a 5S team for our Training Room at the plant. It's been quite a journey updating the tech as well as the aesthetics of the room. If you have never heard of 5S though, check out this
link.
I'm starting to get a real good feeling about applying a similar technique to my programming with the various programs that I am working on. It would make sense, not only in the event that I am no longer the only person working on these projects, but will also make it easier for me to go back and work on the code and make any necessary changes. In a way, it is how other programmers define their methodologies as "style" but taking it even further by standardizing the standard(s) itself by looking at the standard from a Lean view - removal of any and all waste.
So starting tomorrow I will begin my initiative of going Lean with my programming. One way in which I will be doing that is through learning Javascript and along side it, AJAX methodologies. I'll try to keep the blog posted more as I progress further in this endeavor.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Pushing Forward
Well, the final part of the server crash has been cleaned up - my Pentaho server can now burst once more. For some reason the port I was using for the email bursts became blocked - quite a frustrating thing that I didn't think of changing until I'd already beat my head on the wall in frustration, heh.
Now that things are almost back, I'm able to focus back on the front end - the users are requesting an interesting new feature that will bring out the most in depth records for historical purposes. I'm also planning a few tutorials that I've been wanting to cook up for this blog - things that I wish I had of had while working on the parts of Pentaho I've been able to figure out thus far.
More on that in my next post, which I hope will be soon ^^;
Now that things are almost back, I'm able to focus back on the front end - the users are requesting an interesting new feature that will bring out the most in depth records for historical purposes. I'm also planning a few tutorials that I've been wanting to cook up for this blog - things that I wish I had of had while working on the parts of Pentaho I've been able to figure out thus far.
More on that in my next post, which I hope will be soon ^^;
Saturday, September 8, 2007
A "Fun" Week
Ah the fun of a server crash............
It took me four days to get everything up and running again - a day for my apache server - which is still just a temorary fix - a day starting to set up the permanent fix, and two days getting Pentaho sending out emails again.
For some reason, the port I was using for the SMTP server went down/got blocked w/e. Took me two days to realize that I needed to change the port number - talk about feeling dumb -.-
Anywho, I've been working on getting up parameter reports, using the basic report methodologies I've been working on and building the parameters into them. I'd not used the BETWEEN statement before for a MySQL query, so at least I got to learn something new this week, heh.
I've not been able to work on my BIRT integration into Pentaho as of yet because of all the server nastiness, but I'm hoping to get to that next week. I'm also excited about the fact that I am getting another department on board with database systems within the plant... now if they will only cooperate with me instead of trying to be so .... demanding, let's say ;)
Anywho, another goal I have in mind is to learn how to place a calendar into my php code as well as in the .xaction parameters pages. I want to try and make the system easier to work with when entering date ranges.
Ah well, I'll try to post more later.
It took me four days to get everything up and running again - a day for my apache server - which is still just a temorary fix - a day starting to set up the permanent fix, and two days getting Pentaho sending out emails again.
For some reason, the port I was using for the SMTP server went down/got blocked w/e. Took me two days to realize that I needed to change the port number - talk about feeling dumb -.-
Anywho, I've been working on getting up parameter reports, using the basic report methodologies I've been working on and building the parameters into them. I'd not used the BETWEEN statement before for a MySQL query, so at least I got to learn something new this week, heh.
I've not been able to work on my BIRT integration into Pentaho as of yet because of all the server nastiness, but I'm hoping to get to that next week. I'm also excited about the fact that I am getting another department on board with database systems within the plant... now if they will only cooperate with me instead of trying to be so .... demanding, let's say ;)
Anywho, another goal I have in mind is to learn how to place a calendar into my php code as well as in the .xaction parameters pages. I want to try and make the system easier to work with when entering date ranges.
Ah well, I'll try to post more later.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Updating the Blog
I've intended to not let this blog drag =s - been real busy trying to keep my health up, plus I only have dial up at home -.- I'm looking forward to moving into an area that has broadband ^^; Anywho, I've made some progress with the Pentaho Report Designer - I'm looking forward to the next GA release so I can update the server at work.
I'm planning on trying the anonymous user's reply to my last blog - we'll see what happens from there =)
Anywho, hope everyone is having a happy Labor Day weekend - tonight's steak night ^^b
I'm planning on trying the anonymous user's reply to my last blog - we'll see what happens from there =)
Anywho, hope everyone is having a happy Labor Day weekend - tonight's steak night ^^b
Friday, July 20, 2007
PITA Day
Well it's happened again. I've hit a roadblock - mainly because the Pentaho documentation does not cover BIRT integration very well.
I've been working for the better part of the day to get a chart to work in Pentaho, which shouldn't have been as hard as it seems to have become after today's festivities.
I tried using the report designer to make the chart, but it is no where near as intuitive as BIRT - therefore, I wanted to work with a BIRT chart...... which I have built in the BIRT Report Designer and have been trying to plug it into the Pentaho Design Studio with an .xaction . Of course, I end up with the following:
Error: BIRT.ERROR_0007 - error running report Task_Master\Reports\mold_metric_by_jobtype.rptdesign - org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.EngineException: The design filehas error and can not be run. (org.pentaho.plugin.eclipsebirt.BIRTReportComponent)
I've been working for the better part of the day to get a chart to work in Pentaho, which shouldn't have been as hard as it seems to have become after today's festivities.
I tried using the report designer to make the chart, but it is no where near as intuitive as BIRT - therefore, I wanted to work with a BIRT chart...... which I have built in the BIRT Report Designer and have been trying to plug it into the Pentaho Design Studio with an .xaction . Of course, I end up with the following:
Error: BIRT.ERROR_0007 - error running report Task_Master\Reports\mold_metric_by_jobtype.rptdesign - org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.EngineException: The design file
Debug: Starting execute of Task_Master/Reports/mold_metric_by_jobtype.xaction (org.pentaho.core.solution.SolutionEngine)
Debug: Getting runtime context and data (org.pentaho.core.solution.SolutionEngine)
Debug: Loading action sequence definition file (org.pentaho.core.solution.SolutionEngine)
Debug: SolutionRepository.DEBUG_FILE_PATH - getFile path=C:\Documents and Settings\ameadows\Desktop\pentaho-demo\pentaho-solutions\Task_Master\Reports\mold_metric_by_jobtype.xaction (org.pentaho.repository.filebased.solution.SolutionRepository)
Debug: Adding variable source request to parameter DEPARTMENT (org.pentaho.repository.filebased.solution.SolutionRepository)
Debug: Adding default value of "1" to parameter DEPARTMENT (org.pentaho.repository.filebased.solution.SolutionRepository)
Debug: audit: instanceId=905acb35-36fc-11dc-8a80-d52e03632182, objectId=org.pentaho.core.runtime.RuntimeContext, messageType=action_sequence_start (org.pentaho.core.runtime.RuntimeContext)
Debug: SolutionRepository.DEBUG_FILE_PATH - getFile path=C:\Documents and Settings\ameadows\Desktop\pentaho-demo\pentaho-solutions (org.pentaho.repository.filebased.solution.SolutionRepository)
Error: BIRT.ERROR_0007 - error running report Task_Master\Reports\mold_metric_by_jobtype.rptdesign - org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.EngineException: The design file
Error: RuntimeContext.ERROR_0012 - ActionDefinition for BIRTReportComponent did not execute successfully (org.pentaho.core.runtime.RuntimeContext)
Error: SolutionEngine.ERROR_0007 - Action sequence execution failed (org.pentaho.core.solution.SolutionEngine)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Working Through Converting Pentaho
Well, while I am waiting for Pentaho's Kettle component to download, I figured I would post an update on my progress.
Last night, I taught two of our QA department's teams how to use Task Master. They received the program pretty well, but I was here until about 8:30 last night, heh.
Anywho, for the past two days I have been working diligently on converting the Pentaho PCI over from the in-memory hypersonic database over to MySQL 5. My main reasons for doing this are to:
a) Keep the RDDMS the same across the board.
b) Work directly with the security system - permitting me to use the current usernames and passwords already in the Task Master system, making it easier for everyone to get into the Pentaho Server.
This has been very slow going - mainly because all the answers and guides to help me get a grasp on how this is all done were in blogs and forums - which I happened to be Web Sensed out of until today.
Hopefully I'll be able to post more regularly now that I have access from a faster connection than home.
Anywho, Kettle has finished downloading - back to the conversion.
Last night, I taught two of our QA department's teams how to use Task Master. They received the program pretty well, but I was here until about 8:30 last night, heh.
Anywho, for the past two days I have been working diligently on converting the Pentaho PCI over from the in-memory hypersonic database over to MySQL 5. My main reasons for doing this are to:
a) Keep the RDDMS the same across the board.
b) Work directly with the security system - permitting me to use the current usernames and passwords already in the Task Master system, making it easier for everyone to get into the Pentaho Server.
This has been very slow going - mainly because all the answers and guides to help me get a grasp on how this is all done were in blogs and forums - which I happened to be Web Sensed out of until today.
Hopefully I'll be able to post more regularly now that I have access from a faster connection than home.
Anywho, Kettle has finished downloading - back to the conversion.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Pentaho Reporting
Well it's been an interesting week since I last posted. I've finally been able to run a basic parameter report pulling from the MySQL database. I then went one step further and developed a bursted report. Everyone that received it was actually excited that they could see their data - seeing that I have been working on the database's front end (PHP/HTML/XML) since last winter it's a pivotal moment. The plant's workers have been entering the system and plugging away the things that the various departments have wanted to keep track of and now it's starting to pay off in dividends.
My only real complaint is with the Pentaho Design Studio v. 1.5.4 . It didn't work right with the Email feature for the bursted report - I ended up going into the XML file and updating the report to have the correct parameters. Ironically enough, the Design Studio decided to recognize the bloody formatting after I did that modification and I was able to run/deploy the report with no other hinderances.....
Anywho, I also had some visitors from one of the local plants in the company. They were there for some training from corporate, but my boss decided to have me show off my work. So I'll be doing some work for them sooner or later - probably a version of Task Master. I'm certainly looking forward to working with them. It'll be another venue for me to work out of and try out some new code <3
Ah well, I'm going to try to get up here more often, as long as nothing else decides to hinder me from my usual routines.
My only real complaint is with the Pentaho Design Studio v. 1.5.4 . It didn't work right with the Email feature for the bursted report - I ended up going into the XML file and updating the report to have the correct parameters. Ironically enough, the Design Studio decided to recognize the bloody formatting after I did that modification and I was able to run/deploy the report with no other hinderances.....
Anywho, I also had some visitors from one of the local plants in the company. They were there for some training from corporate, but my boss decided to have me show off my work. So I'll be doing some work for them sooner or later - probably a version of Task Master. I'm certainly looking forward to working with them. It'll be another venue for me to work out of and try out some new code <3
Ah well, I'm going to try to get up here more often, as long as nothing else decides to hinder me from my usual routines.
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