FieldTRAKS Web Applications

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FieldTRAKSWeb Applications

• Customizable Online Applications for
• Data Collection and Reporting with
• Web Mapping Capabilities
• Dave Branson
• FieldTRAKS Solutions Inc.
• North Gower, ON
• Tel [phone]

January 2008
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What we do
FieldTRAKS offers clients highly customizable
data collection and mapping solutions. Clients
can obtain services from FieldTRAKS Solutions
Inc. for the construction, hosting and
maintenance of their applications, or they can
acquire the FieldTRAKS development components and
construct their own solutions using industry
standard technology. FieldTRAKS applications are
designed to enable clients to build web and
desktop applications tailored to their specific
data collection and reporting requirements.
Through the adoption of industry standards such
as .NET, XML and Web Services, FieldTRAKS
applications can be integrated with other
enterprise solutions.
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FieldTRAKS Product Family
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FieldTRAKS Application Advantages

• Easily customized to meet the data collection and
  reporting needs of the client the client defines
  the activities and data that are recorded.
• Can be deployed in either web-based or windows
  configurations application updates are seamless
  in both configurations.
• With the optional RadMAP GIS component,
  geographic objects can be either created or
  imported and overlaid on satellite and map layers
  (WMS Services).
• Adopt industry standard technologies that enable
  third party system integration and data exchange.

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RadMAP is a Web Mapping SDK that can be used to
create either standalone Web GIS applications or
be integrated with BaseTRAKS.
Applications can be deployed in either Web based
or Windows configurations.
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• The BaseTRAKS Data Engine is an application
  framework that enables clients to define their
  own hierarchy of spatial and non-spatial objects
  and to define activities and data to be
  associated with these objects.
• Applications are customized to meet client
  business requirements through easy to maintain
  database configurations.
• The BaseTRAKS Data Engine connects with a MySQL
  Database Server and can be configured using
  BaseTRAKS Administrator.
• User Profiles enable control of User
  relationships and data access.
• RadMAP GIS window allows project objects to be
  captured and displayed with background
  high-resolution satellite imagery and street
  mapping.

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• Applications can be deployed in either a Windows
  desktop configuration using a one-click install
  over the web or as an Internet Explorer browser
  application. In either format, application
  software and configuration updates are seamless.
  
• Clients can work in either a connected or
  disconnected state. In the disconnected (or
  offline) state, selected historical project
  data is downloaded to the device (workstation,
  notebook, PDA, etc.) and additions and changes
  synchronized once an Internet connection is
  reestablished.
• Add-on applications and integration with other
  computer applications can be achieved using
  either Web Services or .NET controls. For
  example, BaseTRAKS DataConnect is standalone
  application that uses Web Services to create
  custom reports by mapping data properties to
  Excel spreadsheet templates.

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Client Application Example EXMAG Pipeline
Integrity
Look Feel can be customized to meet corporate
specifications.
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ClientApplication (EXMAG Example)

• In EXMAGs application
• Users have Projects,
• Projects have Sites, and
• Sites have Pipe Joints.
• Each of the data objects (Projects, Sites and
  Joints) have activities defined that enable the
  User to record field data.

The Project Navigator windows provides easy
access to data objects and their
activities. Data associated with each data
object or activity associated with an object is
clearly displayed in the application window and
be can be easily updated.
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ClientApplication (EXMAG Example)
Dialogues are defined by database configuration.
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ClientApplication (EXMAG Example)
User profile configuration enables collaborative
projects to be configured by assigning access to
projects and objects within a project by
User. This enables Project Teams to be created
where named Users have either read or read/write
access to specific projects (i.e., object) or
objects within a project.
The above example shows Children Users of the
Administrator and the assigned rights (e.g.,
read read/write) for the User named Al.
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ClientApplication (EXMAG Example)
Access to Activities can be controlled for each
User. The Privilege Tree window (shown on left)
allows the Administrator to enable access to
system objects and activities associated with
each object.
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BaseTRAKS Administrator Module
The Administrator module is a desktop application
designed to configure the database and the User
Interface.
Through the Administrator the Application
Designer can define all aspects of the object
hierarchies, data properties, activities and even
create the dialogue layouts. The follow slides
display examples of how data properties,
activities, lists and dialogues are constructed.
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AdministratorModule
Data properties are grouped into Activities and
can be defined by their type, default values and
numeric ranges. Among the data types are lists
that are used as drop-down items in the dialogues.
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AdministratorModule
Activities are collections of data properties
that define an Event. Events include
activities that create spatial and non-spatial
objects (i.e., Add a Site, Add a User) and
activities associated with an object (i.e.,
Inspect a Site).
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AdministratorModule
Data types include lists that are used as
drop-down items in the dialogues. This displayed
image shows an example of list items associated
with a Pipe Joint Start/End Locations. Lists are
useful for streamlining and standardizing data
entry and work in both connected on offline
states. List items can be dependant on other
lists. For example, a list of Product Names
could be linked to a parent list of their
Manufacturers so only products of a selected
manufacturer are displayed.
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AdministratorModule
The Dialogue Builder enables the Application
Designer to arrange the data properties for an
activity into tabs and columns in a dialogue
form. It allows tabs to be named and to specify
whether lists are to be alpha sorted.
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The BaseTRAKS Web Service Benefits

• The BaseTRAKS data management model utilizes a
  Web Service to provides users and organizations
  the ability to retrieve data from or post data to
  the system. The principle benefit is an easy to
  use mechanism for other Developers who either
  wish to create third party tools or integrate
  with other application systems.
• The Web Service also provides metadata about the
  system itself. This means that, not only do users
  have full access to their data, but they can also
  retrieve system based info so that they can build
  their own tools to integrate with the FieldTraks
  data storage system.

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Why Web Services?

• Interoperability among distributed applications
  that span diverse hardware and software platforms
• Easy, widespread access to applications through
  firewalls using Web protocols
• A cross-platform, cross-language data model (XML)
  that facilitates developing heterogeneous
  distributed applications

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The Benefits of BaseTRAKS Web Services

• The BaseTRAKS Web Services provide the
  programmatic building blocks to retrieve and
  store information.
• It uses platform independent exchange formats and
  the service self-describes it data model.
• Basically, if you have a Developer, you can
  quickly and easily build new applications or make
  your existing processes/applications integrate
  with BaseTRAKS.

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For Developers . BaseTRAKS Web Service
.NET or XML?

• BaseTRAKS Web Services exposes both .NET and XML
  formats
• .NET Developers can benefit from the fact that
  the BaseTRAKS core library is built in .NET and
  where possible .Net objects are exposed and can
  be time saver for developing applications.
• The second Web Service provides pure XML
  information exchange that can be leveraged by any
  development platform.

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• Use of the Web Service simply requires a
  Developer to create a reference in their project.
• If they are using .Net, it will automatically
  build SOAP wrappers and will expose all the
  public methods through intellisense.
• If they are not using .NET, most other
  development environments will also build the SOAP
  wrappers for you. There are also several 3rd
  party tools that will do this.

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• RADMap is a Rapid Application Development (RAD)
  tool for creating web-based GIS (Geographic
  Information System) applications.
• It is available as either a Browser application
  or as a .NET Windows component.
• As a .NET Component it is designed to enable
  Developers to quickly and easily add map windows
  to their applications using Visual Studio
  Designer.
• As a Browser Component, it allows web designers
  to create highly customizable applications by
  simply creating an XML file. The RADMap framework
  converts XML syntax into an application that
  leverages the power of SVG graphics, the
  interoperability of XML grammar and the
  ubiquitous JavaScript programming language.

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• RadMAP can be used to create either standalone
  web mapping applications or be integrated with
  the BaseTRAKS application framework.
• Some key RadMAP capabilities include
• Light weight design its a client side
  application that requires minimal resources.
• Ability to create, edit store geographic data
  groups interactively tools include vertex
  additions, deletes and moves.
• Use of smart graphics enables mouse-over
  display of attribute data and control of graphic
  attributes such as transparency.
• Support for WMS services and ability to display
  imagery from multiple WMS servers simultaneously
  (using a transparency control on WMS layers).
• Provides easy to use navigation tools such as
  pan, interactive zoom birds eye view
  information tools such as coordinate scale
  displays

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FieldTRAKS Web Application
Client Application Example Electronic Data
Access Technologies (EDAT)

• The following series of slides describe the
  FieldTRAKS Web Application which is an online
  service built upon a modified version of the
  BaseTRAKS Data Engine and RADMap GIS Viewer.

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What is the FieldTRAKS Web Application?

• FieldTRAKS is an online mapping application that
  is designed to capture and report farm and field
  level data such as crop details, fertilizer
  chemical applications, scouting, harvests and any
  other activity or data defined by the User.

It enables clients to enter and retrieve data
using a web browser and/or Windows CE device such
as PDA or mobile phone, including GPS supported
devices. Its design using open standards such
as XML and web services enables it to be
integrated with other systems.
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Overview of FieldTRAKS Web Application
The FieldTRAKS Web Application is designed to be
highly adaptable to a customers data collection
requirements.

• For Example
• Each customer can define their own set of
  activities associated to an object (e.g.,
  Planting a Field) and the data properties
  associated with the activity.
• Data access rights and privileges can be defined
  between User IDs and activities.

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ClientApplication (EDAT Example)
Field boundaries and other user defined objects
such as storage bins, wells and buildings can
either be created through the map window or
loaded from external sources.
The map window displays satellite imagery, street
mapping and any other mapping data available
through WMS services.
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Who Does FieldTRAKS Benefit?

• Typical applications are tracking traceability,
  scouting reports, nutrient management planning,
  records management, auditing, contract
  management, and real-time information systems.
• It is designed for Producers, Processors, and
  Agri-Businesses such a product dealers, insurance
  brokers and crop advisors. It can be customized
  by the User to meet their information reporting
  requirements.

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FieldTRAKS Data Hierarchy

• Users own farms, farms own fields.
• A generic object called Agobject provides a means
  to create objects that belong to fields or farms
  (e.g., a farm might own a Pivot, so the system
  allows you to Create an Agobject of type Pivot
  that is assigned to a given farm.)
• All objects (user, farm, field, agobject) also
  have a set of Activity Definitions (e.g., a field
  might have an activity called Record a Chemical
  Application) that describes the different data
  trapping activities that are possible for that
  object. The system traps events of these
  Activities definitions and assigns them to an
  instance of an object (e.g., Jones Field has a
  Chemical Application performed on it.)
• The FieldTraks Web Service provides methods that
  let you walk through this hierarchy so that you
  can drill down to any object or its activities
  and retrieve or edit data. Since you also have
  access to the definitions of the activities you
  can create your own interface for retrieving or
  editing data.

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FieldTRAKS has a strongly defined relationships
between the objects on the system and the
activities that can be performed upon them (see
below.)
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List of Field Activities Available to Logged In
User.
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Farm Name
Policy or Contract
The default data model organizes data by farms
fields. For special applications such as
contract management or crop insurance,
intermediate levels can be added for Contract
or Policy .
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FieldTRAKS Extensions (Web Services)

• FieldTRAKS Mobile (for Pocket PC) is a Windows
  CE application that delivers their FieldTRAKS
  dialogues to a PDA device where they can work
  offline and record data that can be uploaded at a
  later date when web connectivity is available.
• FieldTRAKS DataConnect is a Windows application
  that allows Users to create custom report using
  MS Excel. It is built upon Web Services and
  allows users to map their data trapping
  activities into Excel templates. Once mapped,
  Users can run batch reports that integrate their
  FieldTraks data into their report templates.
• FieldTRAKS MapBook Builder is a Windows
  application that generates a map book atlases
  into a pre-formatted PDF file. A map image page
  showing field boundaries overlaid on satellite
  imagery is created for each field and displayed
  with tabular data for selected activities and
  date ranges.

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How Can We Serve You?

• Use FieldTRAKS components to build your data
  collection and reporting systems
• Have FieldTRAKS Solutions construct, host and
  maintain your custom application
• Subscribe to either of our online applications
  designed for oil gas or agriculture industries.
• Become a FieldTRAKS Distributor.

Thank You!