Prototype Javascript Framework

"Prototype is a JavaScript Framework that aims to ease development of dynamic web applications.
Featuring a unique, easy-to-use toolkit for class-driven development and the nicest Ajax library around, Prototype is quickly becoming the codebase of choice for web application developers everywhere."

Of Late I had a chance to know about open source JavaScript Framework called Prototype while reading an article "Painless JavaScript Using Prototype". Prototype has been there since 2004 but now a days getting more focus because of AJAX hype. Prototype framework eases the javascript development and also teaches how javascript code needs to be written (i.e. object oriented way of writing). It has plenty of methods and helper functions to manipulate DOM and execute AJAX calls & without the help of prototype, coding those functions would be really tough, time consuming and error prone.

After tasting Prototype, my javascript programming (the way i write javascript code) has been changed tremendously and I could realize the benefits. I strongly recommend my friends who read my blog posts to have a look at Prototype Framework and start using it in your projects. The API docs of Prototype can be found here here.

Prototype together with Scriptaculos an add on for Prototype are must have Javascript Libraries.

To get a quick grip on Prototype, read "Painless JavaScript Using Prototype". I'll also publish web 2.0 (AJAX Enabled) demo applications built using prototype and Scriptaculos. Already I coded a Photo Gallery & Film Strip Demo applications using Prototype, Scriptaculos, ASP.Net Web Services. In the Demo app, I leveraged few powerful prototype methods i.e. Iterators, Templates, Custom Event Binding [Attach & Detach], Calling ASP.NET Web Services From Client Code [With out using ASP.Net AJAX Libraries] etc. Articles on Photo gallery AJAX Demo Application is under way, I'll publish it in a short while.

Part 1: LEARNINGS DURING PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION EXERCISES in an ERP application development using C# .Net 2005, ORACLE 10g, ActiveReports.Net etc

For the past one month I have been working on Performance (query) optimization exercise for an ERP application for a leading chain of Rental [DVD, VHS, BOOKS, and GAMES] store in JAPAN. We (my company) involved in the development of store front set up, touch panel catalogue search; store administration etc which involves variety of batch processes, multi dimensional reports and the lists goes. It is needless to say about the data structues (Tables) in a complex ERP system, tables are huge in numbers and the data sizes are in the range of millions with nearly 30% data increase per year. The coding phase is almost done [Design and coding consumed more than a year] and currently functional and non functional testing is under way. Lots of performance related issues popping up due to different reasons!! may be overseen in the requirement and design phase [no comments] or due to lack of experience in the ever changing technology and between version changes among products [No software is perfect during design & development and some are even bad after development too!]. Here I would want to share my learnings and experience in this optimization exercise so that this might help others too who are in the same path or at least facilitate them to look their problem in a different perspective.
Though I am mainly focussed on queries, I will not only talk about query in particular here but also the programming language, design approachs & any 3rd party tools used (reporting tools etc) which are tightly coupled with data.

Japan Railway - Time Table, Course & Fare Search in English

Hitachi Information Systems ,Ltd developed Japan Railway Course & Fare search online tool for foreigners. The tool can be reached here http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi

In this tool one need to give the starting and destination point, it gives us the Train Schedules, Fare, distance in Kms, change point so on and so forth... This site should be bookmarked in your favorites.

Japan Maps - Address Search, Place Lookup, Zip Search in English

Travel and address lookup are tedious for foreigners living in Japan because everything in Japanese Scripts [Kanji & kanas]. In Japan they have everything from address look up - driving directions like in America and Europe but not in English. Recently I found a private website http://diddlefinger.com/ offers the following services on top of Google Maps in english labels.

• English Address Search: Map most addresses in Japan using English.
• Place Lookup: Look-up many geographical locations in Japan.
• Zip/Postcode Search: Type in a yubinbango (Zip/Postcode) and you will be taken to the area it relates to. Enter the first 3 digits to go to the approximate area.
• JP Address: Look-up a Japanese address using standard kanji address entry.
• Plot Link: Copy and paste a "Google maps" e-mail link here to plot that location on diddlefinger.
  
• Sync: Synchronize the map and the web-page. [Useful if you pan/zoom a long way from your starting point and want to make a bookmark. ]
• Link to page: Get a link you can e-mail/IM of the current map location and any "green arrow" markers.
• E-mail: Make a link to current page, and any green markers, in your mail client.

I thought I can share this with others who visits /google my blog. I strongly recommend aliens living in Japan to bookmark this link.