2D vector graphics, approach to take.

Hi there

I currently have a Python program outputing to the command line,
durations of 'completed Steps' and 'data items' in relation to time
i.e.


--------------jfh
---------kl //kl started after jfh finished
% Ds //new data arrived at this point in time
-------pl (1) //Details error with finished Step
*kl // This step is now outputed but
//due to error with pl is
cancelled (no duration)

I am now going to represent this graphically i.e. boxes will be used
to show the progress of the different items in relation to time (as
the page will refresh after x seconds). Different colours, lines and
symbols will also be used to represent different things happening i.e.
the right hand side of a box still running will be dotted. Clicking on
different Steps will also load up a specific web page relating to it.

I came accross PHP/SWF as a PHP tool which should help allow me to do
this (the below link shows a perfect example of the type of output I
require)
http://www.maani.us/charts/index.php?menu=Gallery&submenu=Fl oating_Bar

But unfortunately it has to be bought to accomodate the functionality
of linking to other web pages when pointing to the graph (otherwise it
goes to the companies home site). I therefore wondered if anyone knows
of anything else out there which will be best suited to my needs.

Any other suggestions are also much appreciated i.e. whether you think
representing this as a graph like approach is the best option.

Cheers
Chris

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

Oh and I forgot to mention, in adition, the solution must support
firefox, netscape 4 and IE without the need to instal plugins etc.
This is one of the reasons why I was looking at some php solutions
because things such as svg and canvas's with JavaScript 'painted' in
are not supported by all the above browsers.

Any help would be much appreciated
regards
Chris

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

wrote in message
news:1192445405.302855.295310@v23g2000prn.googlegroups.com.. .

> I came accross PHP/SWF as a PHP tool which should help allow me to do
> this (the below link shows a perfect example of the type of output I
> require)
> http://www.maani.us/charts/index.php?menu=Gallery&submenu=Fl oating_Bar
>
> But unfortunately it has to be bought to accomodate the functionality
> of linking to other web pages when pointing to the graph (otherwise it
> goes to the companies home site). I therefore wondered if anyone knows
> of anything else out there which will be best suited to my needs.
>
> Any other suggestions are also much appreciated i.e. whether you think
> representing this as a graph like approach is the best option.

No - this is not a good approach because it relies on a non-web technology -
Shockwave Flash.
It wouldn't be so bad excpet for the fact, as you pointed out, that it
requires a third-party plug-in.

Better to use PHP's built-in image manipulation functions.

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

On Oct 15, 2:37 pm, "Sanders Kaufman" wrote:
> wrote in message
>
> news:1192445405.302855.295310@v23g2000prn.googlegroups.com.. .

Thanks for the reply. I can't seem to access this link I'm afraid
though. I will endavour to look into PHP's built in image manipulation
functions. Could you also perhaps tell me a bit more about it? It
seems to be used to manipulate generated images however unfortunately
(i'm sorry i didn't mention this before) this is a bit too 'heavy' for
my needs. I would really prefer a 'light weight' complete web based
generated page without requiring any generated image which has to be
accessed.

Cheers
Chris

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

What do you think of the image_graph PHP pear library? Looks
promising.

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

wrote in message
news:1192456172.790954.147090@v29g2000prd.googlegroups.com.. .
> On Oct 15, 2:37 pm, "Sanders Kaufman" wrote:
>
> Thanks for the reply. I can't seem to access this link I'm afraid
> though. I will endavour to look into PHP's built in image manipulation
> functions. Could you also perhaps tell me a bit more about it? It
> seems to be used to manipulate generated images however unfortunately
> (i'm sorry i didn't mention this before) this is a bit too 'heavy' for
> my needs. I would really prefer a 'light weight' complete web based
> generated page without requiring any generated image which has to be
> accessed.

Well - if you're looking for Light-Weight - Shockwave Flash is not a good
solution.
It's heavy like a bowling ball.
That's why some folks (like me) don't even install it.

As for the rest of that specification - What!?

It sounds like you've got a real good idea about what you do NOT want.
Now all you need is to define what you DO want.

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

wrote in message
news:1192456260.774089.161840@e9g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

> What do you think of the image_graph PHP pear library? Looks
> promising.

Toward what end?

It's cool and all - but it's just, yet another, freebie third-party utility.

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

> It sounds like you've got a real good idea about what you do NOT want.
> Now all you need is to define what you DO want.

hehe very true. Basically I would like:
-the page to be supported by all browsers without requiring any
additional plugins etc thus it seems java script and ajax used within
a canvas to p'paint' the graph or svg are not possible
-the page to be able to be quickly generated and scalable thus without
the need of writing and reading a image to update the page as it is
refreshed

This leads me to thinking using some php library which supports making
very specific tailor made graphs as the best option. I would have one
graph produced and refreshed which shows the current processing taking
place and a second graph showing the whole processesing that has took
part so far visible after scrolling diagonaly down-right

Your option of creating the image and then loading it into the browser
using image manipulation functions is possibly faesible but the
problem here is that (as mentioned before) I need to be able to click
on different Steps within the graph to load up different web pages,
thus loading a image would then require me to have some image
recognition which is probably making the task more complicated then
needed. Thanks for your help though Sanders, I am new to php so your
suggestions and thoughts are much appreciated.

Chris

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

Sanders Kaufman wrote:
> wrote in message
> news:1192456260.774089.161840@e9g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
>> What do you think of the image_graph PHP pear library? Looks
>> promising.
>
> Toward what end?
>
> It's cool and all - but it's just, yet another, freebie third-party utility.
>
>
>
Like PHP and javascript eh?

If you want instant response to the user, you probably need javasSHIT;
that means downloading a SHITload of code into the browser.

and of course validating against the quirks of the browsers.

If you can stand resubmitting the whole page very time you want to
change something, php (Pretty Hopeless Parser) generating images and
poking them in specific areas is oK ish.

Your call
What you REALLY want is to write your own plugin...;-)

No 3rd party shit at all.

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:51:32 +0200, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Sanders Kaufman wrote:
>> wrote in message
>> news:1192456260.774089.161840@e9g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>> What do you think of the image_graph PHP pear library? Looks
>>> promising.
>> Toward what end?
>> It's cool and all - but it's just, yet another, freebie third-party
>> utility.
>>
> Like PHP and javascript eh?
>
> If you want instant response to the user, you probably need javasSHIT;
> that means downloading a SHITload of code into the browser.
>
> and of course validating against the quirks of the browsers.
>
> If you can stand resubmitting the whole page very time you want to
> change something, php (Pretty Hopeless Parser) generating images and
> poking them in specific areas is oK ish.
>
> Your call
> What you REALLY want is to write your own plugin...;-)

Everything written in Assembly... Hmmmmm. Be sure to code your own HTTP
server as well, who needs this bloated apache/omnihttp/iis/whatever shit :P
--
Rik Wasmus

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

Rik Wasmus wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:51:32 +0200, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
>> Sanders Kaufman wrote:
>>> wrote in message
>>> news:1192456260.774089.161840@e9g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>>
>>>> What do you think of the image_graph PHP pear library? Looks
>>>> promising.
>>> Toward what end?
>>> It's cool and all - but it's just, yet another, freebie third-party
>>> utility.
>>>
>> Like PHP and javascript eh?
>>
>> If you want instant response to the user, you probably need javasSHIT;
>> that means downloading a SHITload of code into the browser.
>>
>> and of course validating against the quirks of the browsers.
>>
>> If you can stand resubmitting the whole page very time you want to
>> change something, php (Pretty Hopeless Parser) generating images and
>> poking them in specific areas is oK ish.
>>
>> Your call
>> What you REALLY want is to write your own plugin...;-)
>
> Everything written in Assembly... Hmmmmm. Be sure to code your own HTTP
> server as well, who needs this bloated apache/omnihttp/iis/whatever shit :P

At least you knew where you were with Assembler. ;-)

I guess we have moved on, at least now we don't PAY for over-featured
underperforming bug ridden bloatware from manufacturers with their eye
on the profits and not the customer.

Unless you but a Mac of course...

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

"Rik Wasmus" wrote in message
news:op.tz95o8an5bnjuv@metallium.lan...
> On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:51:32 +0200, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

>> If you can stand resubmitting the whole page very time you want to
>> change something, php (Pretty Hopeless Parser) generating images and
>> poking them in specific areas is oK ish.
>>
>> Your call
>> What you REALLY want is to write your own plugin...;-)
>
> Everything written in Assembly... Hmmmmm. Be sure to code your own HTTP
> server as well, who needs this bloated apache/omnihttp/iis/whatever shit
> :P

Yeah - he hit me with that one a while back, too.
Take's all kinds.

Re: 2D vector graphics, approach to take.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 03:08:46 +0200, Sanders Kaufman
wrote:
> "Rik Wasmus" wrote in message
> news:op.tz95o8an5bnjuv@metallium.lan...
>> On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:51:32 +0200, The Natural Philosopher
>> wrote:
>
>>> If you can stand resubmitting the whole page very time you want to
>>> change something, php (Pretty Hopeless Parser) generating images and
>>> poking them in specific areas is oK ish.
>>>
>>> Your call
>>> What you REALLY want is to write your own plugin...;-)
>>
>> Everything written in Assembly... Hmmmmm. Be sure to code your own HTTP
>> server as well, who needs this bloated apache/omnihttp/iis/whatever shit
>> :P
>
> Yeah - he hit me with that one a while back, too.
> Take's all kinds.

Just to keep thing in perspective: PHP is hardly quick and has a
reasonable large footprint. If speed, accuracy, and minimum traffic/load
times are that important in a project, one might indeed consider wether e
'web-interface' is what's needed. A simple dedicated application could be
what's best, or the twilight zone in between using java aplets for
instance.

Writing for the web/UA's has it's drawbacks and advantages one should
realise.
--
Rik Wasmus