snAPPLynx Application Server

Need a custom application but don't want to pay for a team of developers? snAPPLynx offers a cost-effective and flexible alternative to custom programming.

snAPPLynx combines the flexibility of custom application with the cost savings of an off-the-shelf software package. The application begins with your database. If you do not have a database, we can create one for you. With snAPPLynx, an application can be created in a fraction of the time that it takes to "hand-code" a database-driven web site commonly created using Active Server Pages, Perl or Java.

Features

Security
User Identification
Lists
Relational Links
Custom Views
Forms
Form Elements
Form Validation
Searches
E-Mail Notifications
Custom Applets (snAPPLets)
Crystal Reports Integration
Dynamic Content Management
HTML Content Management

Security

Each application may incorporate either a centralized or isolated User Authentication Table. This SQL or Access table stores the passwords that identify users as they log into the application.

Each resource (such as a list or form) is assigned a security level. In addition, each user is assigned a security level. As the user requests the resource, their security level is checked against that of the resource to determine if they are authorized.

User Identification

Key information, such as the individual’s first and last name, e-mail address, security access, etc, are stored throughout the user’s session for use by the application. For example, the e-mail address may be used to send an e-mail to the user after they register or purchase a product.

Item Lists

A list of items allows the user to search or browse through information. The list has built-in features, such as "Next" and "Previous" buttons that provide a means for navigating multiple pages of information.

Relational Links

Relational Links are links to "related" items. For example, a list of companies may have a link to a list of employees within that company. SnAPPLynx is able to detect the relationships created between the tables and allows the site designer to create these links within minutes.

Custom Views

There will be times when you would like to display information from the database in a custom format. An example would be a product page that shows a picture of the product, a description, price and shipping. Rather than creating a separate page for each product, a "template" or view is created and the appropriate information is placed in the view as the user requests the page.

Forms

Forms allow the user to add, modify and delete records from the database. Forms consist of multiple "elements", such as drop-down boxes and text boxes (see below).

Elements

Forms have multiple "elements" or field types that are displayed on the form. Here is a list of elements that are currently available:

• Calculated: Allows a calculation between two or more elements on the form
• Custom View: Formats the data using a Custom XSL stylesheet (see the section "Custom Stylesheets)
• Drilldown: Allows the user to browse through hierarchies of data
• Form Link: Places the "Edit" link on the list for the user to navigate to the form
• Hidden: Allows the designer to pass information "behind the form"
• Hyperlink: A link to specified URL
• Keytext: Retrieves a text value from a lookup tables based on a "key" value from the current table
• List Checkbox: Places a checkbox on each line item in the list to be used to capture selections from the user
• Multi: Radio Buttons and Check boxes
• Multiarray: Allows for multiple values to be entered into a "child" table simultaneously using check boxes
• Password: A text box with ******* rather than text
• Read Only: Allows the user to view but not edit the text
• Select: Drop-down box
• Text: Text box
• Text Area: Allows input of multi-line text
• Upload: Allows for uploading a file to the server

Form Validation

Elements in a form may be marked as "Required". If a value is not entered, the user will get a customizable message.

Searches

Searches allow users of the application to find information they need. snAPPLynx allows up to 10 search criteria. And example of a search criteria would be:

"Employees with a date of birth greater than 10/1965"

E-Mail Notification

Many times when a form is submitted on the web site, you may want to send an e-mail to the submittor, to your, or both. This feature will not allow you to send an e-mail, but to include key information from the session, such as names and addresses.

snAPPLets

A snAPPLet is an "external" application that is written specifically for your application, and provides a means of extending snAPPLynx in situations that warrant special customization. An example would be setting a particular database field value based on a parameter send to the snAPPLet by the snAPPLynx Application.

Crystal Reports Integration

Seagate Crystal Reports is the most widely-used reporting software on the market. It has a report designer component that allows you to create reports from your database, as well as a server component that acts as a repository.

snAPPLynx integrates Crystal Reports by querying Crystal Enterprise and displaying all reports in a Crystal Enterprise directory, and displaying them as a snAPPLynx list. If the report requires parameters, a snAPPLynx form may be created in order to prompt the user for those parameters. Finally, the report is displayed in the browser.

Dynamic Content Management

Dynamic content consists of the content that is extracted from the database as the page is being displayed. Therefore, as the database is updated, any pages that read from the database are also updated. snAPPLynx allows for web-based management of your custom database. You will be provided with a username and password so that only you and those you specify can make modifications.

HTML Management

Some content in your site will be "static", or "HTML" content. This consists of text and graphics that do not come from the database, but reside in files on the web server. Traditionally, programs such as Dreamweaver or Frontpage are used to update this static content. However snAPPLynx provides another alternative with it's integration of a third-party product called "ActiveEdit" by CFDev.com. It allows you to update HTML content directly from your web browser. This product requires separate licensing from CFDev, currently $150 per site.