Sharing the OFBiz database.
Locked
Sharing the OFBiz database.
 
|
Hi,
One of the things we shall need to do when adopting OFBiz is to be able to share data from other applications with OFBiz. Why would we want to do that? The client has a custom application for handling customer calls and the necessary follow-up to getting an order. In doing this the application collects the customer's details which will be needed by by the order processing and stock control we hope to use in OFbiz. Although we may transfer this custom application to OFBiz in the future, it works fine for now and we will have enough to do on the order processing and stock control. I realise that I can alter the application to write the customer details to the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have some problems if it has been written assuming it has exclusive access to the database. Having separate customer databases is not considered an option. Any input will be gratefully received. Kind regards, Andrew Ballantine. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/622 - Release Date: 10/01/2007 14:52 ***************************************************************** This email has been checked by the altohiway Mailcontroller Service ***************************************************************** |
Re: Sharing the OFBiz database.
Administrator
|
Andrew,
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Ballantine" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 3:09 PM Subject: Sharing the OFBiz database. > Hi, > > One of the things we shall need to do when adopting OFBiz is to be able to > share data from other applications with OFBiz. Why would we want to do that? > > The client has a custom application for handling customer calls and the > necessary follow-up to getting an order. In doing this the application > collects the customer's details which will be needed by by the order > processing and stock control we hope to use in OFbiz. Although we may > transfer this custom application to OFBiz in the future, it works fine for > now and we will have enough to do on the order processing and stock control. > > I realise that I can alter the application to write the customer details to > the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have some problems if it has > been written assuming it has exclusive access to the database. > Having separate customer databases is not considered an option. I don't know much about it but I guess it's how is working the group map <group-map group-name="org.ofbiz.shipext" datasource-name="localderbyodbc"/> It's goal is to share a DB with another shipment software. You may check this way.... Jacques > Any input will be gratefully received. > Kind regards, > > Andrew Ballantine. > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/622 - Release Date: 10/01/2007 > 14:52 > > > ***************************************************************** > This email has been checked by the altohiway Mailcontroller Service > ***************************************************************** > |
|
|
In reply to this post by Andrew Ballantine
Andrew (Ballantine),
I have just been discussing a similar scenario with a client this morning. Generally, if you don't want to intrude too much on the custom app it's a good idea to just send data back and forth as xml using https/soap/rmi or whatever and write a little customisation on the OfBiz side to do the rest for you. Assuming the custom app uses a normal JDBC accessible DB, you can even write something to share the data without the need to modify the custom app. - Andrew (Sykes) On Thu, 2007-01-11 at 14:09 +0000, Andrew Ballantine wrote: > Hi, > > One of the things we shall need to do when adopting OFBiz is to be able to > share data from other applications with OFBiz. Why would we want to do that? > > The client has a custom application for handling customer calls and the > necessary follow-up to getting an order. In doing this the application > collects the customer's details which will be needed by by the order > processing and stock control we hope to use in OFbiz. Although we may > transfer this custom application to OFBiz in the future, it works fine for > now and we will have enough to do on the order processing and stock control. > > I realise that I can alter the application to write the customer details to > the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have some problems if it has > been written assuming it has exclusive access to the database. > Having separate customer databases is not considered an option. > > Any input will be gratefully received. > Kind regards, > > Andrew Ballantine. > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/622 - Release Date: 10/01/2007 > 14:52 > > > ***************************************************************** > This email has been checked by the altohiway Mailcontroller Service > ***************************************************************** Kind Regards Andrew Sykes <[hidden email]> Sykes Development Ltd http://www.sykesdevelopment.com |
Re: Sharing the OFBiz database.
|
|
In reply to this post by Andrew Ballantine
Andrew Ballantine wrote:
> I realise that I can alter the application to write the customer details to > the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have some problems if it has > been written assuming it has exclusive access to the database. The way you ask your question makes me wonder if you really "get" ofBiz. Please don't take this wrong, and I know this is the kind of thing that sounds bad on a mailing list but would be fine face2face, but have you really grepped ofBiz? I say that because at the root level in my kindergarten appreciation of ofBiz, the foreign key retraints make sure you don't create evil records or delete required data, and that everything is atomic at the service level. So adding orders to the database externally isn't going to break it. What'll break first is your mind learning the proper order to load the data into the database to avoid foreign key restraints. Once you have that proceedure figured out, then your're gold. At the end of the day ofBiz is still a turing machine. Without getting to deep, it's still just a tool. To most of the world, when you own a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail. But to 0.0079% of the population, they see a hammer and think of it as something to throw in order to win gold metals. What drew me to the project is that the core committers (to me) seemed to see ofBiz not as a hammer for just building a house, but a hammer that also could win gold metals. -- Walter |
Re: Sharing the OFBiz database.
|
Administrator
|
Welcome on the new list (turing machine makes me smile :o)
Jacques ----- Original Message ----- From: "Walter Vaughan" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:08 PM Subject: Re: Sharing the OFBiz database. > Andrew Ballantine wrote: > > > I realise that I can alter the application to write the customer details to > > the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have some problems if it has > > been written assuming it has exclusive access to the database. > > The way you ask your question makes me wonder if you really "get" ofBiz. Please > don't take this wrong, and I know this is the kind of thing that sounds bad on a > mailing list but would be fine face2face, but have you really grepped ofBiz? > > I say that because at the root level in my kindergarten appreciation of ofBiz, > the foreign key retraints make sure you don't create evil records or delete > required data, and that everything is atomic at the service level. > > So adding orders to the database externally isn't going to break it. What'll > break first is your mind learning the proper order to load the data into the > database to avoid foreign key restraints. Once you have that proceedure figured > out, then your're gold. > > At the end of the day ofBiz is still a turing machine. Without getting to deep, > it's still just a tool. To most of the world, when you own a hammer, the whole > world looks like a nail. But to 0.0079% of the population, they see a hammer and > think of it as something to throw in order to win gold metals. > > What drew me to the project is that the core committers (to me) seemed to see > ofBiz not as a hammer for just building a house, but a hammer that also could > win gold metals. > > -- > Walter > > > > |
RE: Sharing the OFBiz database.
|
|
OK I'll rephrase the question.
How do I get data from an external application into the OFBiz database? Do I get OFBiz? In principle I think I do. What I am I trying to achieve right now? Answers to fundamental questions that may or may not encourage me to commit to a 6-12 project customising OFBiz for a specialist client. Kind regards, Andrew Ballantine -----Original Message----- From: Jacques Le Roux [mailto:[hidden email]] Sent: 11 January 2007 20:18 To: [hidden email] Subject: Re: Sharing the OFBiz database. Welcome on the new list (turing machine makes me smile :o) Jacques ----- Original Message ----- From: "Walter Vaughan" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:08 PM Subject: Re: Sharing the OFBiz database. > Andrew Ballantine wrote: > > > I realise that I can alter the application to write the customer details to > > the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have some problems if it has > > been written assuming it has exclusive access to the database. > > The way you ask your question makes me wonder if you really "get" ofBiz. Please > don't take this wrong, and I know this is the kind of thing that sounds bad on a > mailing list but would be fine face2face, but have you really grepped ofBiz? > > I say that because at the root level in my kindergarten appreciation of ofBiz, > the foreign key retraints make sure you don't create evil records or delete > required data, and that everything is atomic at the service level. > > So adding orders to the database externally isn't going to break it. What'll > break first is your mind learning the proper order to load the data into the > database to avoid foreign key restraints. Once you have that proceedure figured > out, then your're gold. > > At the end of the day ofBiz is still a turing machine. Without getting to deep, > it's still just a tool. To most of the world, when you own a hammer, the whole > world looks like a nail. But to 0.0079% of the population, they see a hammer and > think of it as something to throw in order to win gold metals. > > What drew me to the project is that the core committers (to me) seemed to see > ofBiz not as a hammer for just building a house, but a hammer that also could > win gold metals. > > -- > Walter > > > > -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 - Release Date: 11/01/2007 15:33 -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 - Release Date: 11/01/2007 15:33 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 - Release Date: 11/01/2007 15:33 ***************************************************************** This email has been checked by the altohiway Mailcontroller Service ***************************************************************** |
|
|
2 ways come quickly to mind both with their pros and
cons of course. 1) Keep in mind that OFBiz doesn't have complete control over the database, it is only connecting to it via JDBC. So you can use any tool that connects directly to the database and manipulate the tables/entities that way (generally through SQL statements). 2) Expose OFBiz services via SOAP and call those services from your external application. #1 is very simple to do, but you lose the benefit of the checks (referential integrity, etc) that the entity engine performs. #2 is a bit more entailed as it depends more on your ability to make SOAP calls from your external application. However, because you're calling the OFBiz service, it's manipulating data through the entity engine and so will maintain those checks. --- Andrew Ballantine <[hidden email]> wrote: > OK I'll rephrase the question. > > How do I get data from an external application into > the OFBiz database? > > Do I get OFBiz? In principle I think I do. > > What I am I trying to achieve right now? Answers to > fundamental questions > that may or may not encourage me to commit to a 6-12 > project customising > OFBiz for a specialist client. > > Kind regards, > > Andrew Ballantine > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jacques Le Roux > [mailto:[hidden email]] > Sent: 11 January 2007 20:18 > To: [hidden email] > Subject: Re: Sharing the OFBiz database. > > > Welcome on the new list (turing machine makes me > smile :o) > > Jacques > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Walter Vaughan" <[hidden email]> > To: <[hidden email]> > Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:08 PM > Subject: Re: Sharing the OFBiz database. > > > > Andrew Ballantine wrote: > > > > > I realise that I can alter the application to > write the customer details > to > > > the DBMS, but am concerned that OFBiz might have > some problems if it has > > > been written assuming it has exclusive access to > the database. > > > > The way you ask your question makes me wonder if > you really "get" ofBiz. > Please > > don't take this wrong, and I know this is the kind > of thing that sounds > bad on a > > mailing list but would be fine face2face, but have > you really grepped > ofBiz? > > > > I say that because at the root level in my > kindergarten appreciation of > ofBiz, > > the foreign key retraints make sure you don't > create evil records or > delete > > required data, and that everything is atomic at > the service level. > > > > So adding orders to the database externally isn't > going to break it. > What'll > > break first is your mind learning the proper order > to load the data into > the > > database to avoid foreign key restraints. Once you > have that proceedure > figured > > out, then your're gold. > > > > At the end of the day ofBiz is still a turing > machine. Without getting to > deep, > > it's still just a tool. To most of the world, when > you own a hammer, the > whole > > world looks like a nail. But to 0.0079% of the > population, they see a > hammer and > > think of it as something to throw in order to win > gold metals. > > > > What drew me to the project is that the core > committers (to me) seemed to > see > > ofBiz not as a hammer for just building a house, > but a hammer that also > could > > win gold metals. > > > > -- > > Walter > > > > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 - > Release Date: 11/01/2007 > 15:33 > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 - > Release Date: 11/01/2007 > 15:33 > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 - > Release Date: 11/01/2007 > 15:33 > > > > > This email has been checked by the altohiway > Mailcontroller Service > ***************************************************************** > |
Re: Sharing the OFBiz database.
|
|
In reply to this post by Andrew Ballantine
Andrew Ballantine wrote:
> How do I get data from an external application into the OFBiz database? Entity-engine-xml formatted if you can, should be the cleanest (as in you can't mess up) method. The only downside is that it has to be clean data loaded in the proper order. You can load 180,000 records and have one fail and it'll fail the whole thing. http://ofbizwiki.go-integral.com/Wiki.jsp?page=ImportingData If you are talking about Customers/Orders/Items/Payments, we are writing services that take a few input tables and build the dozens of ofBiz tables. We're still not done, but it writes back to the input tables so we know which records actually get into ofBiz. You haven't mentioned what DBMS you are using. I don't think anyone recommends the built-in Derby (nee: Cloudscape) database for production or even prototyping. I'm wondering if that's what is happening... you've only worked with ofBiz with Derby. There are tools to work with Derby... http://db.apache.org/derby/docs/10.1/tools/ctoolsimport13648.html Or are you using MS-SQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL 5+? As long as you load your data in the proper order, you could use any of your DBMS's import tools. -- Walter |
«
Return to OFBiz - User
|
1 view|%1 views
| Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |