Given the XML based file system used by GanttProject (see previous post), I have modified the XML file generated by the PM Portal tool to support GanttProject.  You can now create an export from the PM Portal and open the file in GanttProject.  The big advantage of this new functionality is the ability to generate reports in HTML, RTF, and PDF formats. 

I am evaluating a bi-directional interface, but for now it is one way only.  Give it a try and let me know what you think in the PMPortal Discussion forum.

I recently found a project on sourceforge which is 100% java based and does a very good job of generating gantt charts.   It uses an XML based file system to store all information on the project.   It allows you to work on one project at a time, but given the ease of use and extensive reporting features, it is worth a look.

http://ganttproject.sourceforge.net/

 

I have added the ability to have multiple 'skins' for the web site.  I was inspired by some of the DHTML sites including, CSS Zen Garden which allows people to develop there own CSS files and upload them on the site.  Another site that is great for showing what can be done with DHTML is DHTML Central (which is the home of CoolMenus).

Check out some of the 'skins' that this site can have by going to the skin switch page.

These skins are achieved by defining styles using CSS.  In addtion, the Top and Bottom code for the site is also maintained. The values are stored in a database and can be changed on the fly.  

Site components are added to the template using a custom tagging system.  This includes navigation, tittles, and copyright notices.

Some of the templates use the more traditional method of nested tables to achieve the desired layout.  There are others which are pure CSS using <span> and <div> tags instead of tables.  

 

Friday is here.   Hope you didn't get fooled too much yesterday. I got the new PC Magazine and I have been checking out the many sites listed on their 100 Best Undiscovered Web Sites.   Spent  way too much time on the site reviews.  Here are the sites that I really liked:

• Musicplasma.com - Interesting interface, must say that I do not always agree with the relative size of the artists, guess I'm too much of an independant.
• FilmAffinity.com - Was really fun to rate a bunch of movies, found a few that I will need to see soon.  However, my "movie soulmates" are all from Spain; What does that mean?
• TurnerClassicMovies.com - Great trailers and content, even though I have not been a watcher of the channel, I really liked the site.

This is no time for April Foolery.  

Ok, maybe a little, just check out the Onion for year-round April Fools.

 

Weather got a big colder on tueday, had to re-adjust the heat,  just another false alarm for spring.

Well, now that I am up and running with a BLOG that has an RSS feed, I now need a news reader.  I have added it today.  I have created a database table to hold the feeds so I keep the information 'fresh' without having to hit the RSS feed all the time.  The frequency is configurable.

I still need to create the maintance screens and the ability for each user to customize which feeds appear on which pages.

This is the first post, nothing special, just testing the waters.

Also created a RSS feed for the Public Menu

This feed has a default style sheet (XSL) associated with it, so when you click on the link you will not see the XML code, you will see formated HTML.  If you want to see the XML, just slect View Source from your browser.

 I was able to get an invite to the new Yahoo meme service. Thanks to GeorgeDearing for the invite. For a detailed breakdown of the service I reccomend goiing to ReadWriteWeb for thier excellent review.   Here are a few of my early thoughts after a small amount of time with meme:

1. Isn't Yahoo a little late to the party on this?  Seems like the micro-blogging attention is between Facebook and Twitter, with Facebook now in posissen of my favorite micro-bloggint tool FrieldFeed. 
2. When do we get back to usability over coolness.  Web application should not be like playing a game of Mist, "Hmmm.  I wonder what this does?"
3. One big win for meme over twitter is the better linking of posts/replies.  I have always wanted more of a threaded discussion so I can follow a converstaion more easily.   Nice to have that ability when I want it.