Back in the days when I.T. was a hobby and not a full time profession I used to take on the occasional project, mainly for friends, sometimes acquaintances, rarely for money.

Software

I had intended to put up some nice screen shots. Unfortunately I only appear to have examples of my early work and currently do not have the necessary software installed to rebuild my later projects. I’ll give you a brief description and you’ll have to believe they exist.  If any arouse your interest then  contact me and we’ll talk about it.  I feel I must also apologise for the rather puerile acronyms used in the naming of some of these products :p.

BizTalk Server 2010 Documenter

About

User Guide

Download

Overview

When I became involved in BizTalk I was happy to find the BizTalk Server 2006 Documenter but unfortunately it did not run correctly in the environment that I was using. I have spent some time modifying, fixing and enhancing the application for use in the environment I use in my work. The project now includes modified files from the BizTalk OM project and the SSO Config project. It has been compiled in Visual Studio 2010 and tested on BizTalk 2010 running on Windows Server 2008 R2. Having now used it to successfully document the environments in my workplace I thought I should offer the installation files and source code to those who may find it useful as I found the original BizTalk Server 2006 Documenter.

Project Description

I have not removed any of the functionality of the original project. In this edition I have concentrated on the GUI and the compiled help functionality. So the description remains the same as it did for the BizTalk Server 2006 Documenter, with the following fixes/enhancements:

• GUI modified to resemble more of a wizard, step by step style.
• Fixed, click through functionality on Orchestration diagram
• Transformations added to Orchestration Code Elements page including input and output message(s).
• New click through functionality on above transformations
• Fixed, object descriptions pulled through into documentation (Code Elements page)
• Added, SSO integration. Will now document SSO applications
• Fixed, Documents exported BizTalk configuration file (xml)
• Enhanced, can now include additional HTML documentation by selecting folder it is held in. These documents appear under ‘Additional Notes’. Any file called titlePage.htm will replace the default title page.

PHART

PHoto ARchiving Tool

Developed in .NET for the local history group this tool allows for the cataloguing and printing of a large photo archive.  There are numerous fields for such things as dates, date ranges, subject, notes, title, owner, copyright details and categories. There is a sizeable photo preview with rotation tool and a full featured search tool allowing searches by category, date ranges, copyright and a free text search on most of the other fields. The results are shown with thumbnails and selecting one will to take you to the main editing screen or you can use the entire result for the basis of a print job, allowing batch runs.  The print set-up allows for customisable headers and footers with information displayed from your selection of fields. There is a full print preview and photos are automatically resized to fit the page area displaying in landscape or portrait, whichever gives the best fit. Finally a flag can be set against individual photos preventing printing where permission has not been given.

SMEG

Simple Multi-choice Examination Generator

I built this using .NET for the Programme Support Office who deliver Prince2 training and wanted a revision tool.  The software allows for the creation of text based multi-choice examinations. Questions are easily created with any number of answers (minimum two), one being flagged as correct. Answers can be multi-line and paragraphed and questions can be included or excluded from any exam.  Revision notes can also be included which are displayed at the end of the examination for any wrongly answered questions. Questions can be categorised and there is a fully featured search tool.  Questions are displayed in a tree view with right click pop-up menus and have varying icons dependant on their status i.e. whether selected for examination or incomplete (less than two answers or no answer flagged as correct).

Once sufficient data has been entered and questions selected the exam can be published.  At this point the user can set percentage pass mark, other examination options, and customise the start page by entering Title, Company, Description and a logo if desired. The exam is published to a folder and is HTML & JavaScript based.  It can be run from a CD or hosted on a website and is displayed in the students browser without the need to install any additional software. When the student runs the exam they are given various options (dependant on those selected by the examiner). They can choose the number of questions, select from categories and choose whether to display revision notes during the exam when incorrect answers are selected.  Thus using it to revise certain subjects or run it under examination conditions. When running in exam conditions selecting an answer immediately takes the student to the next question giving no indication of whether the answer was correct or not. Using other options allows the student to be alerted to incorrect answers, the display of the correct answer and associated revision notes/suggestions.  Once the exam is complete the student is given a pass or fail, their percentage, answers correct/incorrect by category and the time it took them to complete.  Incorrectly answered questions are also displayed with their associated revision notes. Finally every time the exam is run the selected questions are always randomised giving the same functionality as going over a number of past papers.

Sorted

Free file sorting and copying program

Sorted! is a freeware file utility which can be used for organising your mp3, wma, ra, jpg, gif, file types (in fact ANY file type) for backing up or transferring to other media sources (e.g. CD-R, DVD-R, memory card, etc.).  I built this many moons ago in VB6 and it wasn’t hosted for a while but my site still gets hits so I have decided to put it up again.

Main features are as follows:

• Fetch files from multiple directories and sub directories (mp3, wma, ra, jpg, gif any file type you like).
• Fetch and fetch files again to create custom lists / play lists.
• Fetch specific files or file types (mp3, wma, ra, jpg, gif etc.).
• List full path or just file name.
• Easily launch any file in list in its associated program.
• Sort files into directories of any size e.g. directories of 700mb, 1.44mb, 10gb.
• Easy selection/de-selection of files to sort.
• Choose how much of the original path to include (depth)
• SAFE! Never overwrites files or directories but adds increment postfix to name
• Randomize sort for unique compilations (music, slideshows etc.)
• Step by step easy to use interface

Please note: The help and update links on this program are currently redundant as they point to my old site, have a play and you should be able to figure it out.

Download and Installation

After reading through the agreement below click on ‘I AGREE’ to download sorted.zip (49K). Extract the .exe into a folder of your choosing (or onto the desk top). Double click on it and off you go!! Trouble Shooting In most cases this application should run trouble free on most MS Windows systems, however if the file does fail to execute properly then you may need to download and install Visual Basic 6 Runtime files. Just use the previous link to download the self extracting .exe and install.

Agreement

I accept no responsibility for the downloading, use or misuse of this software. You may freely distribute this software but you may not alter it in any way. By clicking on ‘I AGREE’ below you are accepting these terms and conditions. I AGREE.

PyroPro

A custom built Project Management System for Dragonfire Ltd one of the U.K.’s leading Pyrotechnic / Firework Companies.

This was my first commercial piece of software built using Access 97 (I know, I know).  They are still using it now as far as I’m aware.

Features

• General
  • Easy to use single screen interface.
  • Clean and stylish design.
  • Dynamic on screen help for every process.
  • Operates as a stand alone or networked application.
• Contact Management
  • Easily enter new comprehensive contact details.
  • Categorise by property, status, and class.
  • Unlimited notes field.
  • Enter date last time contact made and date next contact due, with notes field.
  • Auto-reminder to make contact, set number of days in advance to be warned.
  • Sophisticated contact search engine.
  • Quick launch from results to view full details.
  • Exclude feature for reports, mail merge, searches etc.
  • Hide excluded, show only excluded or show all.
  • Print mailing labels, full details, customised contact lists.
  • Merge search results with any word document.
• Project Management
  • Full project tracking system!
  • Track status of proposal, confirmation, fire sculptures/lancework, music requirements, show plan, transport, accommodation, stock (pulled/made up/location).
  • Ensures essential tasks are complete before advanced tasks can be attempted e.g. Stock must be pulled before it can be made up, show must be designed before system can be programmed etc.
  • Assign project leader and crew.
  • Set quoted and final price.
  • Set Payment conditions (these can be added to and customized e.g. 50% before/50% after).
  • View amount invoiced to date.
  • Visual To-Do list.
  • One click launch of client details and client history from project screen.
  • Sophisticated project search with advanced filters including Proposal required, Confirmation required, Invoice due, Design required, Stock to pull, Stock to make up, System to program, Accommodation to book etc.
  • One click on any search item to view client details and to-do list.
  • Double click to launch full project tracking system.
  • Print job sheets and summary information against search results.
  • Print custom confirmation notes and invoices. View invoice history where staged payments have been made.
  • Auto and manual archiving of completed projects.

Web Sites

I enjoy working with HTML, the challenge of manipulating a simple language to render correctly in any browser whilst endeavouring to stick to W3C standards.  I would never call myself a designer, I just enjoy a dabble, currently playing with WordPress, hence this site.

Most of these sites were created using the excellent free text editor HTML-Kit 292 and Jascs old Paint Shop Pro 7 both of which I still use now.  I haven’t built a site from scratch for three or four years.  Here are examples of my efforts for your amusement.  They are no longer current so please do not act on any of the information within.  Click on the images to browse.

Arboyne House The last site I developed for the former owners of a B&B in our village.  The idea behind the border was to try and make it look like one of those old wrought iron gates.  The owner was an electrician and did a bit of wiring in our kitchen in exchange for my time.  Now that’s how I like to do business. The Current owners have taken the WordPress route and their site can be found here.

Russell Building Built in exchange for hanging two specially made, odd sized,  front doors on our house.  The doors were hung upside down and I can’t say I did a brilliant job of the site either.  Lets put that one down to karma.

New leaf My first and last attempt at using Dream Weaver to create a site. Found it incredibly frustrating and had to revert to HTML to position elements properly. Having said that I was quite pleased with the animated leaf effect.

Helen I designed this site,  using Flash 4, as a family site when my wife’s grandmother died. The idea was to populate it with photos spanning her life. Sadly the impetus was lost and it was never completed so only the framework exists although I am still pleased with the effects, time line and navigation.

Data-Flow This was my first attempt at flash.  Joe Davies who runs Data Flow bought it for me in exchange for building this site.  The logo was his but turning it into a smiley was my idea. Things have moved on a lot since those days, when you had to write action script in an editor the size of a postage stamp, but I’m still quite chuffed with it. Joe’s site now resides here.

WMICP The first site I ever designed sometime in the mid to late 90′s.  You can tell by the ‘lovely’ colour scheme.  Built for my Father-in-law who is sadly no longer with us.