The Final Installment of Serendipitous Cerebration

This is it.  The final installment.  The end.   Our tunnel of light leading us to the promise land of perfect integrations with Serendipitous Cerebration as our Virgil guiding us through the Malebolge of Content Management.

So we integrated PeachTree to ILINX Content Store via ILINX Integrate and a few weeks pass by with no word from the client.  Like most other Engineers, we figured no news == good news.  Then like a meteorite dropping from the heavens  a client that we will refer to as Dr. Frankenstein, We’d use “Dr. F” for short if any other references to them were made in this blog and they are not, submitted a ticket stating an issue has been identified that will need correcting.  Seemingly out of nowhere the Integration project quit opening up Content Store documents.  To be a bit more specific, the ILINX Integrate project was no longer able to get past the login screen.  Even when we logged in manually, we are still unable to get any image retrieval using the “Magic Buttons”.

When a formal inquisition was placed to the workers, it was learned that an issue showed itself a few days after the project was installed.  Nothing like hearing that the project you were working on less than a month ago is completely down, for like 2 weeks!  Did I mention we heard about there being 2 issues that broke the project weeks AFTER completion?  Oh and the crowning turd in the punch bowl, the client wants the error corrected yesterday.

Shooting the Trouble

ILINX Integrate is fairly strait forward to troubleshoot project issues with.  Open the .kap file using the Integrate Studio and run the project.  The Studio outputs log messages as part of the user interface, a very nice feature when trying to figure out what could have happened to a once working project.

 

 

 

 

Earlier we outlined how the project works, but let us take a few moments for a brief review.  Scrape values from PeachTree screens and feed the values into a URL search string for ILINX Content Store.  Now as much as I hate to admit to this, both parts broke.  No values were being gathered from the PeachTree Screens and the search URL no longer worked, but what happened?

Updates to ILINX Content Store

Of the 2 issues correcting the access URL was the first that we noticed.  ILINX Content Store had an updated revision that came out about a week after we completed the project and the client updated their system.  Part of the update was a modification to the access URL.  Easy fix, correct the URL in the project to match the new URL format.

 

 

 

 

 

Easy fix on this one, now when we test the URL corrections in a browser and enter in the parameters by hand we get a return from ILINX Content Store.  We could not however get the “Magic” buttons to work.

Software Updates Part Duex

Yes, that’s right some more updated/patched software in an integrated system that once updated breaks the integration/system.  Most support staff and/or engineers have encountered a software update that wreaked havoc on a system leaving technical support scrambling around like headless poultry.  PeachTree had an update, and part of that update has somehow changed the format of the AP and AR forms where the Invoice Number and PO Number fields became unreadable.

We fought with these 2 fields for who knows how long.  We tried different adapters, configurations, coding tests, all to no avail.  To be honest, it was starting to feel like we were fighting against a greased pig version of the Borg.  Blood pressures raised & tensions were high when the sound of maniacal laughter erupted behind me.  At first I figured that John “The Hit-man” Hart had snapped and I started checking to see which exits are unblocked.  The smile on his face was not that reassuring either, and crap he is looking in my direction and BLOCKING THE DOORWAY!  Finally John decided to let me in on what made him start acting like he was just released from Arkham hospital.

Apparently, Serendipitous Cerebration can temporarily cause delirium like symptoms in some people.  I managed to defuse the crazy by attempting to use the Jedi Mind trick to convince John that the project was still broken and that David Blaine, Chris Angel, and David Copperfield are casting an illusion making the fields only appear to read properly.   Training more Random must do with his Jedi powers, as John wasn’t buying it and I could see an open document in the ILINX Content Store window behind him.  Low and behold the fields are reading properly!

What had happened? 

John was working with configuring different adapters when out of nowhere it started working.  During some of the testing, John was building out adapters and configuring to read frames inside of frames and switching back and forth without deleting the adapters.  What he found that ended up working was first building out & configuring a Windows adapter then to changing the configured Windows adapter into a Windows .Net adapter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only difference that I can see here is that the configuration for the Windows adapter reads the Secondary Window Information differently.  Using Notepad I tested what we found.  I was unable to configure the secondary screen to read the entry portion of the Notepad window using a .Net adapter, so I tried configuring a Windows adapter and it is able to find and read the Notepad screen.  When I switch to the .Net adapter I found that I had to remap the entry field, but this time it could find the field properly.  It’s a strange illogical way to configure a screen but sometimes you are just happy that it started working that finding out the details as to how takes a bit of a back seat, and without Serendipitous Cerebration we’d probably still be fighting this beast.

I apologize for the lack luster conclusion to this blog series, but 1 long blog later I feel that even given the strangeness of the…..OHHH something shiny, is that Nexus?

 

Co Authors: Random Kurt-Patrick Duncan McParks & John Hart
ImageSource Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serendipitous Cerebration – Part (X = 5-2) of (X+2)

Once we got what we felt was all of the needed information from the client as to their expectations and requirements.  We formulated a solid battle plan, sharpened our keyboards, and forged ahead with a spirit steeled on the principle of “Rat’s Head, Ox’s Neck”.

DA PROJECT CONFIGURATION
What we need to see happen first is to be able to recognize the appropriate screens, in this case PeachTree’s   AP and AR Invoice Screens and map them in ILINX Integrate.

Here is an example of one of the PeachTree screens.  Both the AP and AR screens are very similar.  The 2 main differences are the screen header and one of input fields.  The screen Headers is how we plan on differentiating between the screens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Configuration for these screens is pretty straight forward and we built basic applications using the “Windows” Connectors seen in the sample below “Project 1”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To finish off the screen configurations we need to tell ILINX Integrate how to differentiate one screen from another.

 

 

 

 

We do this by using the Window Finder tool.  Drag and drop style selection of screens with the “Flash” button to show you if you have the proper elements/screens selected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verify that Integrate sees the proper screen by using the “Flash” button.  Now we have screens that flash when tested using the selection tool, time to select the fields from the invoice applications that we need to pull values from.

 

 

 

 

On both screens we need to capture the values entered into the” Customer ID” field.  Click the Identify Field button, and using the Info Editor select the field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rinse and repeat with the other fields that need to be identified as well, for AP adding the “VendorID” and “Invoice No.” for AR.  For those of us that are following along in your books, you should end up with something akin to this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, this is what we have completed in this project already; configured “Windows” applications, recognized individual PeachTree screens, and input fields configured.  Now that the screens are identified and the entry fields have been configured, it’s time give the screens a job or “Task” to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are accessing the content in ILINX Content Store via a URL that takes in parameters to retrieve stored images in Content Store.  So add a Web “URL Task” here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At some point, technology will advance to the point that when building Integrate projects the program will read your mind to configure the tasks and events.   Current projections estimate this feature will be available in an underground version of ILINX Integrate v6.02×10²³.  Until that time, we will have to use the old tried and true method, entering in your configuration settings using the mouse and keyboard.  At this time if you feel the need to be a bit closer to version v6.02×10²³, as opposed to the current build v611, configure using input devices engineered after 1995.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

&

 

 

 

 

 

 

So with our fancy, or not so fancy, I/O enter in the following…

 

 

 

 

 

*Parts of the URL redacted to protect the innocent.

If you look closely in the top URL, you will notice 2 portions of the URL follow this format, ${SomeParamater}.   Each value entered into the URL in this format creates an input parameter that can be mapped to one of the fields we configured earlier.  The example above is for the AR configuration and we placed the ${PramCustomer} & ${PramInvoice} into the URL where we want the values read from the PeachTree Invoice to be entered.

 

 

 

 

 

The last Item that we need to add to the screens is an “Event”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently the developers knew in advance how “Cool” this project would be and named the Event we wanted appropriately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have our “KoolButton” action added with a name that gives some indication as to what function is to take place when pressed.  When this project is running & one of the configured PeachTree screens is opened, a free floating button will appear on the screen.

 

 

 

Click the button and BAM, ILINX Integrate is opened in a browser window and begins searching for the corresponding document in the image repository.  Now we can hit the “Green Arrow” to run & test the application.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warning: Testing can be hazardous.  Green Arrow can hit back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once testing has confirmed everything is up to par, do a final save of the Project’s .kap file.  In our next installment, we will review the deployment process and finally delve into realm of Serendipitous Cerebration and how it became a factor in this project.  TTFN.

 

Co Authors: Random Kurt-Patrick Duncan McParks & John Hart
ImageSource Inc.

Serendipitous Cerebration (Part 1)

I recently worked on a team tasked with a software integration project that connects invoices from between some Accounting software to ILINX®  Content Store.  The integration software was used for pulling invoice values from both our AP and AR invoices for modifying the image indices for the stored content in ILINX Content Store.  Following a series of patches for Windows, Content Store, and the accounting software, Murphy’s Law began rearing their ugly heads and the integration solution in place that retrieved and updated indices flat quit working.

Most of the issues resolved themselves in short order, but ONE issue – the ability to read one field.  We were able to connect and pull values from every other field on the Accounting form.  To complicate issues more, 2 of the fields from the invoices are used to identify the proper document in Content Store and the broken field was one of these.  Trying to isolate the cause of the issue quickly started feeling like wrestling with a squamous Kimono dragon bent on devouring as much time and resources as a large Monitor lizard can muster.

A couple of techs, multiple attempted connector types, some choice language, and a forehead sized dent in my keyboard later it connected and started pulling.  After all of the hair pulling and frustration I’m left with one of those moments when things started working for no reason and continued to function as originally expected, and while you still need to determine what happened you’re just too ecstatic that the software is no longer harassing you with error messages.

I’d never advise using Serendipitous Cerebration as a preferred method of problem solving.   In fact, if Serendipitous Cerebration is your preferred method of problem solving, chances are there is a lot of floundering around before isolating the issue down to a workable solution.  Which is why I’m guessing that most of us try and not go that route, but I’d bet that there are not many techs out there that have had similar moments when, out of the blue, an issue seemingly resolves itself and all you want to do is jump up and start cheering before attempting to figure out what really corrected the issue.

Please check back for the Part 2 of this 5 part blog on 9/30/11!

 

Co Authors: Random Kurt-Patrick Duncan McParks & John Hart
ImageSource Inc.