Getting Started with Iron Speed Designer

Copyright © 2006-2010. Iron Speed Inc. All rights reserved

Getting Started with Iron Speed Designer

Presenter:

Alan

Fisher

Presenter:

Razi

Mohiuddin

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Copyright © 2006-2010. Iron Speed® Inc. All rights reserved

Etiquette

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We expect many questions during this webinar!

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What is Covered in this Course

Part 1: Basic Application Creation & Configuration

Part 2: Page Layout Customization

Part 3: Advanced Application Configuration

Learning More

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Why use Iron Speed Designer?

Speed application development Cut software development costs Reduce testing time Simplify maintenance

It’s about acceleration

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What does Iron Speed Designer do?

Business process automation Reporting and tracking applications Workflow and scheduling applications Rapid prototyping

Use Iron Speed Designer for

"I can honestly say that Iron Speed Designer does cut your development time by more than half. … That's how productive I think the tool makes our developers."

— Robert Rivera, Development Manager, Los Angeles County Health Department

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What does Iron Speed Designer Do?

ASPX pages C# and Visual Basic code-behind files Data access layer Stored procedures

Iron Speed Designer builds Web applications…

… straight from your database.

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Application Development Philosophy

Application Creation

Database Preparation

Application Wizard

Configuration

Menu Wizard

Application Security Wizard

Customization

Page Layout

Formulas and Code

Fine Tuning

Coarse Tuning

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Part 1: Basic Application Creation andConfiguration

Preparing your database

Use Application Wizard to create a web app

Non-developers can create and configure apps

No knowledge of code, ASPX or other .NET concepts required

Knowledge of database schemas, foreign keys, and SQL is

helpful

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Prepare Your Database

The better your database is structured… … the more Iron Speed Designer can do

You’ll get more Web pages

You’ll get more sophisticated master-detail Web pages

It’s easier to extend your application

It’s easier to maintain your data

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Create Child Tables for 1-to-Many Relationships

Child tables are used to create

Master-detail (parent-child) pages

Child table examples

Orders.CustomerID Customers.CustomerID (one customer may have many orders)

OrderDetails.OrderID Orders.OrderID (one order may have many line items)

DBAs call this ‘normalizing your database’

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Create Separate Lookup Tables

Lookup tables are used to create

Dropdown lists for data entry

Display Foreign Key As

Lookup table examples

Order.ShipperID Shipper.ShipperID (choose order shipping method: FedEx, UPS, USPS)

Displays “Shipped Via FedEx” (instead of “Shipped Via 3”)

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Create Database Views for Complex Queries Create Database views for

Multi-table joins

Complex queries: distinct, not, nested queries

Create via Microsoft Enterprise Manager or similar tool

Designer treats database views just like database tables

Database view examples

Current quarter sales (query filters based on time)

Paid invoices (query filters based on status field)

Iron Speed Designer is not a query construction tool !

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Make Database Views Updatable if Possible

Designer uses updatable database views to create

Add Record page

Edit Record page

Edit Table pages

Create updatable views in your database

Cannot make an updatable view in Designer

View must have primary key declared in database

Update ‘flows’ through the view to underlying tables

Iron Speed Designer is not a query construction tool !

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Declare Primary Keys in your Database

Primary keys are used to create

Show Record pages

Edit Record pages

Edit Table pages

Primary key relationship examples

Orders.OrderID

Shipper.ShipperID

Not permitted to modify your database?

Create a Virtual Primary Key in Iron Speed Designer

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Create Virtual Primary Keys in Designer

Use VPKs if you can’t add a primary key in your database

Used mostly with database views

Designer uses VPKs to create Show Record, Edit Record & Edit

Table pages from database views

Go to: Application Wizard’s Keys step OR Databases New

Virtual Primary Key…

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Declare Foreign Keys in your Database

Foreign keys are used to create

Master-detail (parent-child) pages

Every Designer-built page can be a master-detail page!

Pages with data from multiple tables (multi-table joins)

Display Foreign Key As

Foreign key relationship examples

OrderDetails.OrderID Orders.OrderID

Orders.ShipperID Shipper.ShipperID

Not permitted to modify your database?

Create a Virtual Foreign Key in Iron Speed Designer

Throw me a frickin' bone here! I'm the boss! Need the info! – Dr. Evil

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Create Virtual Foreign Keys in DesignerUse VFKs if you can’t add a foreign key in your database

Used to create Master-Detail pages & Display Foreign Key As

Go to: Application Wizard’s Keys step OR Databases New

Virtual Foreign Key…

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Create an Application: Application Wizard

Go to: Tools Application Wizard… OR

Files New Application…

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Application Generation Options

Go to: Options… button in the Application Wizard OR Tools

Application Generation Options…

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Application Generation Options

200+ options

New Application Creation Options

- Applies to new applications

- Won’t change currently open application

New Page Options

- Applies to new pages

General Application Options

- Control creation options

- Applies globally with immediate effect

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Demo: The Application Wizard

Build an application in 2 minutes

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Questions?

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Part 2: Page Layout Customization

Drag and drop user interface layout

Inserting rows and columns

Using toolbox controls

Changing cell attributes

Using the Cell Editor

No graphic design or programming skills needed

No knowledge of HTML, ASPX, code or .NET required

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Page Layout Customization

Spreadsheet shows a ‘logical representation’ of page section

Drag and drop to arrange controls

Designer converts page layout to HTML (ASPX)

- <table> <tr> <td> structure

You don’t have to know any HTML or ASPX!

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Inserting Rows & Columns

Right-click Insert Column Left (Right)

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Merging & Splitting Cells

Right-click Merge Cells

Right-click Split Cells

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Navigating Your Page in Design ModeEvery part of the page is customizable via the spreadsheet

Page areas are nested

Zoom in or out to page level you want

Navigate via breadcrumb zoom level…

…or via page control hierarchy

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Using Toolbox Controls

Drag and drop controls onto your Web page

Toolbox controls are databound – there’s no code to hook up!

- Fields, labels and entire panels!

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Configuration Wizard

Quickly configure new panels from the Toolbox

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Demo: Customize Page Layout

Drag fields around the page

Add a toolbox control

Add a few fields and filters

Add a detail panel to create a table-in-table panel

Go to: Design Mode

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Customizing Cell Contents with the Cell Editor

Great for fine-grained tuning

Saves time by showing HTML snippet of selected cell

Enter any text and HTML you want

Text: Dear <GEN:FieldValue Name=“FirstName”/>,

HTML: <font color="red"><GEN:FieldValue Name=“FirstName”/></font>

ASP: <asp:treeview id=“xxx” runat=“server”>

JavaScript: <img src="logo.gif" onmouseover="alert('Welcome to Iron Speed!')" />

Third-party: <rad:RadGrid id="MyRadGrid" runat="server" />

But… don’t modify Designer’s GEN: tags unless you’re an expert

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Formatting Cells with the Cell Editor

Common formatting actions take just a button click

- Font, font size and colors

- Cell width

- Bold, italics, underline

- Vertical and horizontal alignment

- Cell borders

Format the entire cell or specific areas within a cell

Builds the cell’s Style attribute

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Demo: Cell Editor

Enter text and HTML into a cell

Modify cell attributes

- Set Style = background-color:#ff7878; font-weight:bold;

- Omit the quotes; Designer will add these automatically

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Questions?

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Part 3: Advanced Application Configuration

Use Iron Speed Designer’s wizards and property sheets to

configure your application

No coding or page design needed!

Property Sheet


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The Property Sheet

Go to: Design Mode Select a control

Iron Speed Designer properties control features

- Control types, Formatting, Pop ups, Rich text editor

ASP.NET properties govern underlying controls

- Appearance, Behavior, Layout

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Authentication (who can sign-in)

Authorization (who can do what / role-based security)

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Application Security Protocols

Database – login and roles in database tables

Active Directory – Microsoft Active Directory Server

SharePoint – Microsoft SharePoint groups

Windows Authentication – your network login credentials

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Simple Sign-In Security (Database Authentication)

The Users table in your database defines who can log in

Users Table

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Role-Based Security (Database Authorization)

Must belong to a special group (role) to access page

Many-to-many mapping of users to roles

User Roles Table

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User Roles Table

Assigns users to roles

Users can have multiple roles

First field is the ‘user’ field

Second field is the ‘role’ field

Can contain other fields

Role Names Lookup Table

Defines roles

First field is the Role ID field

(referred to by User Roles table)

Second field is the ‘Name’ field

Can contain other fields

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Applying Security to Multiple Pages

Select which roles apply to which pages

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Security Can Be Set on Individual Controls

Use the Property Sheet to set security for individual controls

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Demo: Simple Sign-In Authentication

Use Application Security Wizard to select Users table

- Southwind.mdb has login info in Employees table

(Optional) Select User Roles table

- Southwind.mdb uses EmployeeRoles table

Filter by logged in user

- Filter Orders table by logged in employee

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Questions?

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What Have I Not Covered?Workflow

- Workflow processing pages

- Sending workflow emails

Formulas and Code Customization

- Formulas tab

- Code tabs and code customization

- Code Customization Wizard

Databases tab

Debugging

- Performance tuning

- Tracking and Event Logging

Deployment

- Deployment Wizard

- Troubleshooting Wizard

And much, much more…

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Learning More: Training Videos

Over 65 videos from basic to advanced

Updated regularly

http://www.ironspeed.com/videos

24 x 7

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Learning More: Training Courses

Designer 101: Getting Started with Iron Speed Designer

Designer 201: Fundamentals of Iron Speed Designer

In-depth, three-hour course

Designer 301: Advanced Iron Speed Designer

Formula & code customization topics

Uses live examples

Third-Party Training Courses

Upcoming courses listed on

Start tab in Iron Speed Designer

http://www.ironspeed.com/products/TrainingCourses.aspx

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Learning More: Online Help

Over 1,020 help pages, regularly updated

Google searchable on Iron Speed website

Downloadable, printable

http://www.ironspeed.com/products/OnlineHelp.aspx

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Getting Support: Technical Forums

Developers helping other developers – Free!

Iron Speed does not provide support via forums

Many questions are answered, but no guarantees

Hint: provide as much detail as possible

http://www.ironspeed.com/forums

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Getting Support: Iron Speed Technical Support

Free for first 15 days of use and with paid support subscription

Available during Iron Speed business hours

Hint: provide enough detail to reproduce your problem

http://www.ironspeed.com/Support1

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Getting Support: MVP Consultants

Independent consultants (not employed by Iron Speed)

Must be licensed customer

http://www.ironspeed.com/mvp/MVPs.aspx

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Questions?

Getting Started with Iron Speed Designer

Technology

Transcript of Getting Started with Iron Speed Designer