Extendable Workflow Applications and Business Social Networks
The xTendSite framework is built upon pure OO PHP classes. It was developed and implemented on a LAMP platform, utilizing Smarty as the Template engine.
The extensibility provided by PHP classes is the basis of the framework, which then enables the building of extendable Websites. New websites (or sub domains) can be built using, modifying, adding to, or negating behavior and content of existing (base) website(s).
This extensibility can greatly benefit the building of many localized websites, based upon the content and behavior (PHP Classes) of a main website. The main site might be the main office of a company, with localized sites being offices located in different states, cities or towns.
There are also benefits to the building of a sole website using this framework, since it is built upon PHP classes and Smarty templates (see www.dnapersonal.com).
Once that sole base site is built, it is setup to be extended by any new site.
Site Building
Sites are built using an XML configuration file along with file system directories containing the displayable content. PHP classes extend the behavior of the xTendSite framework to create the unique behavior of the Base Site, extending sites build upon the base site(s).
Extending classes is basic for OO based architectures, but what makes xTendSite unique is the content folders themselves being extendable. This allows an extending site to reuse any existing content of it's Base Site(s) as well as adding new content folders or negating existing base folders. This is built within the xTendSite framework, and is the "mindset" of xTendSite.
For companies needing multiple web sites, this is a huge cost savings for keeping their sites in sync and having some/all of the content specific to each individual site.
An Example of a base site is www.dnaservicesus.com.
An Example of a base site is www.dnaservicesus.com.
A Base Site is a site that is being extended by another site(s). It is not aware of any sites that are extending it. Extending sites are fully aware and dependant on their sites.
Extending Sites are built in the same manner as the Base Site (config file, file folders), except they reference which sites to extend (multiple extending sites). They reuse all the functionality/contents of the base sites, but can change/add/eliminate both directory content folders and PHP classes. New PHP classes can be created and run within the framework allowing for unlimited new functionality to be built for any base or extending site.
Example Extending Sites (extending www.dnaservicesus.com) are dnaservicesnj.com, nj.dnalady.com, newark.nj.dnalady.com, trenton.nj.dnalady.com and others).
Example Extending Sites (extending www.dnaservicesus.com) are dnaservicesnj.com, nj.dnalady.com, newark.nj.dnalady.com, trenton.nj.dnalady.com and others).
Content Building
Content can be displayed by simply creating an HTML (or PDF/JPG...) file and placing it into one of the sites folders. Multiple files can exist with all becoming displayable content.
Content can be created as Blogs on an SQL based blogging system such as Movable Type. This allows for the creation of content using a very user friendly system, negating the need to know HTML.
The content can then be retrieved by a Java(or other) app by an SQL query, and packaged as an HTML file for FTP to a site folder. This is done in the websites mentioned here.
The use of file folders for content allows for a semantic web based architecture, as that content can be accumulated, manipulated and packaged by an external process such as Java. The packaged content can then be FTP'd to the website for display.
For example, the sites News Feeds are created by Java Classes that access RSS feeds from Google (and other sources), creating content in HTML which is then FTP'd to the site folders. All of this is done twice a day in an automated scheduled manner.
Java classes also retrieve data from MySQL tables, producing content in an "off-line" manner making for a more efficient way to process information that does not change in a real time manner.
Website Analytics
SEO optimization is built within the architecture, defined via the XML based configuration file and base PHP classes. These base classes provide for "readable" URL's based on site folders, application defined menus and PHP classes. Search engines can easily access these URL's.
Security and Authorization
User Authorization on a per folder (menu item) basis is also built within the architecture, and applied by the Base and/or Extending site(s). The new sites decide and define which folders/menu have access based on roles created for users.
Roles are based on a hierarchy of access. For example, an Admin role will allow for access to all application functionality, where a user with a Clerk role will only be allowed access to folders/menus that are defined to have Clerk(and lower) access.
MySQL tables within phpBB3 are used for user-ids and group management, allowing for administration of these ID's within phpBB3. This is also the default Bulletin Board for all sites.
Workflow Applications
A website becomes an application when there is an exchange of information between users and the website, and not just the website displaying information to the public.
A Workflow application is one where there are a series of actions, requiring a user to provide information, so as to complete some functionality.
This interaction is achieved by means of Forms presented to a user for completion, in a series of pages, each responsible for building its part of the functionality. These forms provide the means of requesting and storing the results of the request in a database for further processing or inquiry.
The xTendSite architecture has base classes that interact with HTML_QUICKFORMS and the MySQL database. Together with the base classes that provide the needed pages, the building of workflow applications becomes an extention of the architecture, saving a great deal of time and effort needed to build a workflow from scratch.
Business Social Network
A business social network is a social network specific to an industry. It servers to bring together different business that are core to that industry, as well as other businesses that provide or request services to the core.
This is a private network (except for public requests for paid needed services), that all core and service business are required to request membership. Only those accepted are allowed access to all the functionality of these sites and have interacting with other core/services businesses.
The public can use the network for information purposes, or for the requesting of some business needs. These requests will be presented to the core business members as a source of work.
A key component to this type of network is the ability for the member businesses to interact with each other by means of Workflow Applications described above.
These websites are built upon the Workflow Applications described above.
Please see www.dnapersonal.com for an example of this.
Leave a comment