Hence the suggestion to rename the component. Best regards,
Pierre Smits *ORRTIZ.COM <http://www.orrtiz.com>* Services & Solutions for Cloud- Based Manufacturing, Professional Services and Retail & Trade http://www.orrtiz.com On Fri, Feb 27, 2015 at 10:32 AM, Jacques Le Roux < [email protected]> wrote: > In this case I'm more for baby steps. There was already an effort to > extract the birt component from the framework to specialpurpose, it should > not be thrown to attic. > BTW, note that, depite its names, Birt is not only to be used for Business > Intelligence. > > Jacques > > Le 27/02/2015 10:08, Pierre Smits a écrit : > >> Hi Taher, >> >> Indeed, all of those products you mentioned are skeletons. With additions >> that make them into solutions. The bi component could be the core of any >> kind of integration solution, whether that is the birt component or >> external products like jasper or pentaho. >> >> Basically i don't care how it is done. As long as it improves the feature >> set and the adoption of OFBiz. If that means that we chuck current work >> (in >> both bi and birt) to attic and start over, so be it. But if we can get >> some >> strides made by enhancing (albeit through small steps) what we have, >> that's >> ok with me too. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Pierre Smits >> >> *ORRTIZ.COM <http://www.orrtiz.com>* >> Services & Solutions for Cloud- >> Based Manufacturing, Professional >> Services and Retail & Trade >> http://www.orrtiz.com >> >> On Fri, Feb 27, 2015 at 10:01 AM, Taher Alkhateeb < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hi Pierre, >>> >>> I would call the BI component more of a skeleton than a solution. In fact >>> many things (entities, services, etc ...) in it can be used in BIRT. But >>> you do not have charting, drill-down, styling, event model and many other >>> things that a full blown BI engine can provide (like BIRT, jasper or >>> pentaho). >>> >>> Taher Alkhateeb >>> On Feb 27, 2015 11:22 AM, "Pierre Smits" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> We have OLAP capabilities in OFBiz: for each tenant a olap repository is >>>> created via the entity-engine. We have cube definitions: dimensions, >>>> >>> facts >>> >>>> and star schemas are defined in the bi component. >>>> >>>> I see interest. >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> >>>> Pierre Smits >>>> >>>> *ORRTIZ.COM <http://www.orrtiz.com>* >>>> Services & Solutions for Cloud- >>>> Based Manufacturing, Professional >>>> Services and Retail & Trade >>>> http://www.orrtiz.com >>>> >>>> On Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 5:45 PM, Ron Wheeler < >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> It seems that BIRT is really something like the Framework. >>>>> - It has some assets and code >>>>> - These assets and code are used throught the Base Applications and >>>>> SpecialPurpose components whenever you need to display a graphic or >>>>> dashboard, provide an interactive drilldown or want to produce a nice >>>>> report for display or PDF output. >>>>> >>>>> It is not really a separate component. >>>>> >>>>> Guess what! It sounds like a sub-project is the right way to handle >>>>> >>>> this >>> >>>> so people with the right skillsets can drive the process. >>>>> >>>>> In the meantime, the list of tasks identified by Taher is a very good >>>>> starting point. >>>>> Any idea of the number of manhours required to produce an initial >>>>> >>>> toolkit >>> >>>> that the application developers could use to integrate Analytics into >>>>> >>>> each >>>> >>>>> component that requires it? How much of this stuff exists buried in >>>>> applications or in customized OFBIz implementation that could be >>>>> contributed. >>>>> >>>>> Does anybody see why this is essential to the competitive position of >>>>> OFBiz or is it just a "nice to have"? >>>>> This goes back to my earlier commens and "marketing" research when >>>>> >>>> someone >>>> >>>>> was looking to get Gartner to look at OFBiz. >>>>> The lack of integrated Analytics would be a big negative in comparison >>>>> with other ERPs. >>>>> >>>>> For building eCommerce websites reporting is not a big deal but if you >>>>> >>>> are >>>> >>>>> going to provide an ERP, the CFO is going to want dashboards, the >>>>> production manager will vote for the system that gives him strong tools >>>>> >>>> to >>>> >>>>> see comparisons and trends in order backlog, production, quality, >>>>> >>>> manpower >>>> >>>>> utilisation, costs, etc. >>>>> The VP HR is going to want graphs on departmental manpower costs, >>>>> overtime, expenses etc. that can be shown to the CFO and CEO at a >>>>> >>>> moments >>> >>>> notice. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Ron >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 26/02/2015 10:21 AM, Taher Alkhateeb wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi Ron and everyone, >>>>>> >>>>>> BIRT is very powerful but by no means easy! I was working for a while >>>>>> >>>>> on >>> >>>> developing an infrastructure for OFBIZ to make it a bit more >>>>>> >>>>> streamlined >>> >>>> across the pages but stopped after a while for two reasons: 1) it was >>>>>> bigger work than I expected and 2) the community seemed uninterested >>>>>> >>>>> in >>> >>>> the >>>> >>>>> component as you can observe in our discussion in this JIRA for >>>>>> >>>>> example: >>> >>>> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-5070 >>>>>> >>>>>> To make it reach its potential, there are multiple things to do of >>>>>> >>>>> which >>> >>>> I did some partially: >>>>>> >>>>>> - Create a BIRT library (filename.rptlibrary) which hold references to >>>>>> javascript source files, CSS files, etc .. and it contains all the >>>>>> >>>>> assets >>>> >>>>> (logo, fonts, colors, you name it) so that you have a unified look and >>>>>> >>>>> feel >>>> >>>>> and unified data preparation scripts for all reports >>>>>> - Create CSS files unifying the look and feel of all reports >>>>>> - Create javascript files that contain scripts for repeating tasks >>>>>> (library imports, UI label preparation, report layout, parameter >>>>>> >>>>> import >>> >>>> and >>>> >>>>> validation, exception handling etc ...) >>>>>> - Create sub-libraries that handle business intelligence requirements. >>>>>> For example, you can prepare common cubes on the main entities of the >>>>>> system (Party, Product, OrderHeader, Accounting Transaction, etc ...) >>>>>> - Finally, once the above is in place, then you can design a whole >>>>>> >>>>> heap >>> >>>> of reports, OLAP cupes, Charts, you name it! >>>>>> >>>>>> The question remains, is the community interested in adopting BIRT as >>>>>> >>>>> its >>>> >>>>> reporting tool? If not, then renaming it would not make much sense >>>>>> >>>>> given >>> >>>> the effort put into fixing all the links to the component and anything >>>>>> >>>>> else >>>> >>>>> that might break from the rename. >>>>>> >>>>>> My 2 cents! >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> >>>>>> Taher Alkhateeb >>>>>> >>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>>> >>>>>> From: "Ron Wheeler" <[email protected]> >>>>>> To: [email protected] >>>>>> Sent: Thursday, 26 February, 2015 6:01:09 PM >>>>>> Subject: Re: [PROPOSAL] Change name of birt component >>>>>> >>>>>> You think that it might be more aspirational than real? >>>>>> >>>>>> http://bod-wiki.birtondemand.com/wiki/index.php?title=App_Mashboard >>>>>> >>>>> is >>> >>>> the kind of thing that I expect OFBiz to support one day. >>>>>> >>>>>> Perhaps a more ambitious name might encourage someone to take an >>>>>> interest in enhancing the capabilities. >>>>>> >>>>>> "BIRT" is just the name of a tool and gives no idea about what >>>>>> functionality is possible. >>>>>> >>>>>> "Reports" seems to understate what BIRT can do. >>>>>> I am not sure of the work required to enhance the existing interface >>>>>> >>>>> to >>> >>>> produce more of what BIRT can do OOTB but it seems to be something >>>>>> pretty easy >>>>>> http://www.theserverside.com/news/1364376/Using-Eclipse- >>>>>> BIRT-Report-Libraries-and-Templates >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Ron >>>>>> >>>>>> On 26/02/2015 9:19 AM, Jacopo Cappellato wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> My main concern is that assigning a generic name (such as "reports" >>>>>>> >>>>>> or >>> >>>> "analytics") to a component that is just one very specific way (and >>>>>>> >>>>>> in >>> >>>> some >>>> >>>>> ways limited/questionable for the way the Birt has been integrated) >>>>>>> >>>>>> to >>> >>>> implement an integration with a reporting tool may be misleading. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Jacopo >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Feb 26, 2015, at 12:46 AM, Pierre Smits <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi all, >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Currently, all component names describe - in one word - what the >>>>>>>> components >>>>>>>> are about and what kind of functionality the user - from a business >>>>>>>> point >>>>>>>> of view - can expect. As examples: accounting is related to the >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> various >>>> >>>>> accounting (financial, gl, invoicing, payment, , etc) functions and >>>>>>>> services, and projectmgr is related to program and project >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> management, >>> >>>> project task assignment and time registration. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The birt component is a bit the odd one out. The name doesn't say in >>>>>>>> that >>>>>>>> one word what it delivers. In stead it is an acronym for a specific >>>>>>>> third >>>>>>>> party integration solution and another open source project with the >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> same >>>> >>>>> name (birt, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIRT_Project ). One >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> could >>>> >>>>> even say it is the name of a tool, not the name of a business >>>>>>>> functionality. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> In order to be able to increase awareness of the multitude of >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> business >>> >>>> functionalities (as could be done by using the name of the >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> components) >>> >>>> and >>>>>>>> improve adoption, I suggest to change the name (and the references >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> to >>> >>>> it in >>>>>>>> the component and others) to something that is more to the point >>>>>>>> business >>>>>>>> wise. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I propose we rename it to 'reports'. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> What do you think? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Best regards, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Pierre Smits >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> *ORRTIZ.COM <http://www.orrtiz.com>* >>>>>>>> Services & Solutions for Cloud- >>>>>>>> Based Manufacturing, Professional >>>>>>>> Services and Retail & Trade >>>>>>>> http://www.orrtiz.com >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>> Ron Wheeler >>>>> President >>>>> Artifact Software Inc >>>>> email: [email protected] >>>>> skype: ronaldmwheeler >>>>> phone: 866-970-2435, ext 102 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>
