Now I'm going to sound dumb but as I felt 2 years ago with OI I have all this information coming at me and I need a little bit of advice from you "more experienced" folk - if you could be so kind !?!?

I have a client who wants me to "get him on the net".

He sells sporting goods wholesale to schools, clubs etc

He has a say 5000 line product database on AREV (1.16)

Minimal product information is store here, basic inventory stuff

Current catalog is produced externally with a DTP/WP style application.

He's keen to publish the product details on the net, in a catalog style publication, with pictures. He doesn't know it yet but I think he will go toward a "shopping trolley" style application, but 1 step at a time (for him and for me)

How would/could that scenario be implemented using OI?

Is OI the "best" solution?

Could an OI solution it be "hosted" with all necessary "update" functionality?

Is there a "better" (read more common) web server which I should

focus on using with the OI solution?

I'm not asking for (or expecting) a complete road map, just a push in the right direction. I want to leverage my OI skills/knowledge against the "future" (web) potentials.

I will be reading all the available OI literature and web available literature on the concepts behind the web, HTML, Java etc

Any assistance would be appreciated, either here or direct ro my email.

Many thanks

Tony

[email protected]

Thanks for your inquiry on moving Arev to the Web. I think you will find that OpenInsight is the best solution for publishing Arev data to the web because:

a) Only OpenInsight allows you to access Arev data directly (read/write/delete/etc)- all data access is real time.

b) You leverage all your programming skills (Rbasic/Basic+) for customization

c) OpenInsight provides support of record locking on the Lan AND the web - including security

d) Dictionary definiations including conversions (ICONV/OCONV) are respected on the web

e) There are many preprogrammed 'Quickevents' that perform basic web functions (read, update, report)

You can also run on any popular web server that runs on a Windows environment and the server can be hosted with all necessary 'update' functionality - assuming your host has access to the 'live' data. A good road map would be the following articles in our knowledgebase:

a) Getting to the web with OpenInsight: a step by step guide

1. Provides basic setup, plumbing, and basic development information

b) Extending your Arev applications

1. Provides more info on development and some examples (see Appendix 4 -10)

c) Notes on Migrating your Arev Application to OpenInsight

1. Specifically - install the Workshop Application and check out the Web section (and source code)

d) Licensing Guide for OpenInsight for Workgroups

1. Understand all the licensing of network/web users

Then check out the following web sites:

a) http://www.kw.com

1. A live web site that uses OI to publish/query real estate listings; go to the QuikNet search.

b) http://www.winwinsol.com

1. Go to 'Web Access' then 'OpenInsight Demonstrations' for examples of entering/updating/reporting data

1. Examples of integrating Excel to front end OI data over the web and enabling remote data administration.

I hope this helps - If you have any other questions, please let us know.

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