This document discusses options for migrating a company's structured management system to a web-based user interface. It analyzes PHP, Java, WebSpeed, and ASP.NET options, considering factors like development speed, connection to existing business logic, availability of tools and staff, and support from the vendor Progress Software. The recommendations are to use PHP for a fast, easy start but with extra conversion work, Java for a more robust long-term solution, or ASP.NET if the company uses Microsoft technologies.

1. Web UI migration
for Structured Management Systems
by Doug Lucy

2. Agenda
Goals
Options
How it works
recommendations

3. Goals
Web user interface to Progress business
logic
Better looking, more portable front-end
No client footprint or license
Leverage agent-based licensing

4. Options
PHP
Server-side Java
ASP.NET
WebSpeed

5. PHP
 Open Source scripting
language
 Few commercial and Open
Source IDEs available
 Easy to learn
 Fairly fast
 Similar to 4GL
 Have to learn HTML, CSS, PHP
and SQL
 Only need PHP, web server
and Perl
 Weak connection to Progress
logic
– Need TCP/IP listener, pipe or
web services adapter
 Good connection to Progress
database
– Can connect to ODBC/JDBC
via Perl
 Becoming very popular
 Lots of source available
 Few libraries, tools and IDE’s
 Reasonable number of books
(700) and classes
 Entry-level staff may well
know PHP
 Cannot leverage SmartObjects
or ProDataSets
 Build your own framework

6. Server-side Java
 Sun-proprietary language
 Many commercial and Open
Source IDEs available
 Difficult to switch from 4GL to
Java
 Very, very popular
 Not as fast
 True OO
 Have to learn Java and tools
 Strong connection to Progress
business logic
 Strong connection to Progress
database
 2nd most popular language
 Lots of source available
 Many libraries and tools
available
 Huge number of books (4,000)
and classes
 Many staff available at all
levels
 Can leverage SmartObjects or
ProDataSets
 PSC has chosen to support this
path
 Excellent frameworks already
exist

7. WebSpeed
 Same language as
Progress 4GL
 Commercial IDE in 10.1,
not as strong
 As easy as 4GL
 Not popular
 Fast
 Direct connection to
Progress business logic
 Direct connection to
Progress database
 Least popular language
 Little source available
 One book and very few
classes available
 Difficult to locate staff
 Build your own
framework

8. ASP.NET
 Microsoft-proprietary
language
 Free and commercial IDEs
available
 Easy to switch from 4GL to
ASP.NET
 Very popular
 Reasonably fast
 Have to learn ASP.NET and
VWD/VisualStudio
 Strong connection to Progress
business logic
 Strong connection to Progress
database
 Most popular language
 Plenty of source code
available
 Many libraries and tools
available
 Large number of books (500)
and classes
 Many staff available at all
levels
 Can leverage SmartObjects or
ProDataSets
 PSC has chosen to support this
path
 Good frameworks already
exist

9. How it works - PHP
 Develop web UI in PHP
 Source code sits on web server
 Incoming web request to web server
 PHP is interpreted
 PHP calls Progress business logic
– Web services (need Progress App Server)
– TCP/IP listener
– Pipe
 Extra work to convert tables and datatypes

10. How it works - Java
 Develop web UI in Java using tools and libraries
 Compile to bytecode
 Incoming web request to JSE (Java Servlet
Engine)
 Java byte code is executed
 Java code calls proxy to Progress business logic
 Open Client call (need Progress App Server)
 No extra work to convert tables and datatypes

11. How it works - WebSpeed
Develop web UI by hand or in HTML tool
Incoming web request to web server
Web server calls Progress App Server
WebSpeed 4GL code is executed
WebSpeed 4GL code calls Progress
business logic directly
No extra work to convert tables and
datatypes

12. How it works – ASP.NET
 Develop web UI in Visual Studio anduse libraries
 Store on MS ISS server
 Incoming web request to MS IIS
 ASP.NET code is executed on IIS server
 ASP.NET calls proxy to Progress business logic
 Open Client call (need Progress App Server)
 No extra work to convert tables and datatypes

13. Serious issues
Connection to Progress business logic
Frameworks
Tools and libraries
Availability of staff, expertise, books and
classes
Lifecycle (revisions) of platform

14. Recommendations
Fast and easy – use PHP (extra work)
Slower to develop but more robust – use
Java (leverage tools)
Fast and robust but MS – use ASP.NET
Smallest learning curve – use WebSpeed

15. Platforms
PHP
 Zend or vi
 Apache
 Connection
– Progress AppServer
– TCP/IP listener
Java
 Sun, IBM, Eclipse
 Tomcat
 Progress AppServer
WebSpeed
 Dreamweaver
 Progress AppServer