Questions about Web/Cell technology..

[RickJ]

I am thinking about doing a project for my wife sometime in the future and I have a few questions that perhaps someone can answer or offer an informed opinion.  I would basically be building a web calendar/appointment scheduler that would be accessible from her cell phone.   I know there are web calendars out there already but out of the box they do not have some features I need.  For example when an appointment is made specific data would need to be entered and save in a database record.  From the cell phone she would be able to select the day and time of the appointment and then display this data in a sensible format.   There would need to be a way of capturing a signature from the cell phone's touch screen and entering additional data to the existing record.  There would need to be a way (button click) to send everything back to the web server/database.  Eventually a report of that record would need to be generated and faxed to a predefined phone number.  Now that you have an idea of what I would like to accobplish here are my questions:

Programatically Sending Fax
How to generate and send a fax from a webserver or the server upon which the webserver is running?  Is it necessary that I have a phone line/modem connection to send the fax?

Signature Capture
I imagine there would be a web form with a signature box.   A click in the box could bring up a signature window or just send focus to the webform's field where the users's pen strokes would be recorded in a png or svg file.   How would you suggest that this be done?    I found an example of a sketch program that uses HTML5 and  Canvas; is this the way to go?  Will I need to deploy an exe on the cell phone to make this happen or can I do it all on the server side?

GWT and GWT Designer
Is there anyone using AJAX and if so what tools are you using?  I am thinking about using the Google Web Toolkit and GWT Designer which is a third party IDE; any opinions?

HTML5-Canvas or other
This is a bit unrelated to the above project but is it possible to make a web page (thinking AJAX) that would allow a visitor to compose an image by selecting multiple Alpha-PNGs and overlaying them the same way Photoshoppers use layers to  build up an image.  Once completed then I would like to create a single PNG from the composite.  How would one go about implementing a thing like this?

Comentary
Any commentary, opinions, or questions are welcome.  I am interested mostly in what technology or tools would be needed and what conceptual approach would be best or easiest to implement.  Additional detail is also welcome of course. I know we have some experts lurking about so I thought I'd ask for some advice.  Thanks.   

[Calin Leafshade]

Programatically Sending Fax
How to generate and send a fax from a webserver or the server upon which the webserver is running?  Is it necessary that I have a phone line/modem connection to send the fax?

There are web APIs that allow you to send faxes via the interwebz but they tend to be expensive. On the plus side they are very easy to implement.

Signature Capture
I imagine there would be a web form with a signature box.   A click in the box could bring up a signature window or just send focus to the webform's field where the users's pen strokes would be recorded in a png or svg file.   How would you suggest that this be done?    I found an example of a sketch program that uses HTML5 and  Canvas; is this the way to go?  Will I need to deploy an exe on the cell phone to make this happen or can I do it all on the server side?

Canvas might be a good thought but do any cellphones fully support HTML5 yet?.. mine doesnt even support flash.

GWT and GWT Designer
Is there anyone using AJAX and if so what tools are you using?  I am thinking about using the Google Web Toolkit and GWT Designer which is a third party IDE; any opinions?

Im not sure really what you mean by tools... AJAX is just javascript calling a PHP script really. In all the cases i've used AJAX its just been a matter of using a script to call a PHP script to retrieve from/write to a database.
All i used is notepad :p

HTML5-Canvas or other
This is a bit unrelated to the above project but is it possible to make a web page (thinking AJAX) that would allow a visitor to compose an image by selecting multiple Alpha-PNGs and overlaying them the same way Photoshoppers use layers to  build up an image.  Once completed then I would like to create a single PNG from the composite.  How would one go about implementing a thing like this?

I would simply compose the image server side and provide a download link to the composed image.. instead of using client side script.

So you would have a system whereby the user can upload all their pngs. Then the server runs an image manipulation script (with GDlib probably) and returns a link to the composed image.

Comentary
Any commentary, opinions, or questions are welcome.  I am interested mostly in what technology or tools would be needed and what conceptual approach would be best or easiest to implement.  Additional detail is also welcome of course. I know we have some experts lurking about so I thought I'd ask for some advice.  Thanks.   

Sounds fun (im not an expert.. just a hobbyist)

[RickJ]

Programatically Sending Fax
How to generate and send a fax from a webserver or the server upon which the webserver is running?  Is it necessary that I have a phone line/modem connection to send the fax?

There are web APIs that allow you to send faxes via the interwebz but they tend to be expensive. On the plus side they are very easy to implement.

Thanks for letting me know where to look.  Found a bunch of google links; one company offers fax service for $24/month, the same cost as another phone line with my internet phone company, packet8.     

Signature Capture
I imagine there would be a web form with a signature box.   A click in the box could bring up a signature window or just send focus to the webform's field where the users's pen strokes would be recorded in a png or svg file.   How would you suggest that this be done?    I found an example of a sketch program that uses HTML5 and  Canvas; is this the way to go?  Will I need to deploy an exe on the cell phone to make this happen or can I do it all on the server side?

Canvas might be a good thought but do any cellphones fully support HTML5 yet?.. mine doesnt even support flash.

I think the Nokia N900 does or is gong to support HTML5?   There is also a device called CrunchPadthat could possibly be used instead.
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GWT and GWT Designer
Is there anyone using AJAX and if so what tools are you using?  I am thinking about using the Google Web Toolkit and GWT Designer which is a third party IDE; any opinions?

Im not sure really what you mean by tools... AJAX is just javascript calling a PHP script really. In all the cases i've used AJAX its just been a matter of using a script to call a PHP script to retrieve from/write to a database.
All i used is notepad :p

GWT is a framework for creating AJAX applications.  There is a collection of widgets that are coded in Java.  There is a compiler that converts the Java into the required JSP, PHP, HTML, etc.   There are a number of other frameworks as well.  GWT Designer is and IDE for GWT.  It allows GUI elements to be created visually and then  connected to the the appropriate event handlers.  Similar to Borland and AGS for that matter.
[/quote]

HTML5-Canvas or other
This is a bit unrelated to the above project but is it possible to make a web page (thinking AJAX) that would allow a visitor to compose an image by selecting multiple Alpha-PNGs and overlaying them the same way Photoshoppers use layers to  build up an image.  Once completed then I would like to create a single PNG from the composite.  How would one go about implementing a thing like this?

I would simply compose the image server side and provide a download link to the composed image.. instead of using client side script.

So you would have a system whereby the user can upload all their pngs. Then the server runs an image manipulation script (with GDlib probably) and returns a link to the composed image.

I was thinking about making a 2D character generator something like CHARAS  except for adventure games.  The user would first select a module which consists of a base and a number of components (i.e. Layers) Such as body parts, clothing , etc.  For each component there would be one or more variations from which the user could select.  When the character design is complete a definition file could be generated and fed into a client side compiler that would fetch all the necessary images and generate the specified composite for each frame in each loop.   The result could be a collection of PNG/Sprite files that can be imported into AGS  and perhaps some kind of def file that could be used by an AGS editor plugin to automatically import the character sprites, define the view(s), loops, frames, and AGS character.

Anyone would be able to upload new options for existing components.  The model author would be able to add new components  and would have moderator power over submissions. 
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Thanks for the info.

[Calin Leafshade]

I was thinking about making a 2D character generator something like CHARAS  except for adventure games.  The user would first select a module which consists of a base and a number of components (i.e. Layers) Such as body parts, clothing , etc.  For each component there would be one or more variations from which the user could select.  When the character design is complete a definition file could be generated and fed into a client side compiler that would fetch all the necessary images and generate the specified composite for each frame in each loop.   The result could be a collection of PNG/Sprite files that can be imported into AGS  and perhaps some kind of def file that could be used by an AGS editor plugin to automatically import the character sprites, define the view(s), loops, frames, and AGS character.

Anyone would be able to upload new options for existing components.  The model author would be able to add new components  and would have moderator power over submissions. 

Ahhhh, i see where you are going with this.

Sounds like a very cool idea.. essentially you are thinking of a doll system? I.e you can dress the sprite, change the head... stuff like that?

In that case i think flash is the way to go.

I assume youve seen the shitty flash adverts which encourage you to make some kind of emaciated anime avatar?.. Just hijack that in sprite form.. flash makes stuff like that easy.

[TerranRich]

As far as AJAX goes, I too just code it from scratch, although lately I've been developing my own classes and whatnot for quick and easy AJAX calling.

Your project sounds very interesting, RickJ. HTML5 support is still kind of iffy in most browsers, however, so you'd have to have some pretty strict browser requirements for visitors. I'll have to look into this Canvas object a little more to tell you more about whether it can be "flattened" (like layers can be in Photoshop) and saved as an image.

[RickJ]

... so you'd have to have some pretty strict browser requirements for visitors ...

This isn't as much of a problem as it seems.  The project is a long term one (1-2 years) and the target audience is a pool of subcontractors for whom I would be booking appointments.  The way it's done now by competitors is that they call each other up on cell phones and fax sheets of paper back and forth.   I think there is a better, paperless, phone call less way of doing this.  Initially I'll be working with one subcontractor, my wife.  When I have something that works well and is scalable then I will begin expanding.

[edit-1]
For anyone interested here are links to GWT Designer
http://www.instantiations.com/gwtdesigner/index.html

and to  GWT
http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/

[edit-2]
Also I was wondering what concerns are there keeping and manipulating business data (i.e. billing and other financial transaction) on the same server as the web portal?  How is this usually done?   Is it conventional wisdom to keep the business data and logic on a separate, non-web server and limit communication to/from webserver?