GWT and more

Back in spring I attended the Google IO event. After being impressed with several of their new apps and services (eg.. app engine, gears, etc), I must say as a developer I find myself using the Google Web Toolkit or GWT the most.

The idea is genius and for a smaller group of web developers with a lot on their plates the GWT has stepped in to become a huge time saver. With our (CERES) first project completed using GWT, here is short list of what it has added to our developers.

1) IDE developement w/ eclipse... its Java... its eclipse... enough said.
2) CROSS-BROWSER SUPPORT!!! ... can't say it enough
3) Easy sharing of packages w/in the gwt community.

And these are just three of the major additions the gwt has brought. This is not even touching on good OO development best practices that can be easily implemented in Java and not-so-easily implemented w/ JavaScript.

On to the new stuff.... Google has released a package for creating gwt gadgets that can be easily dropped into opensocial containers. Now you can use the gwt to create embeddable apps for the web.

We are currently setting up an Oauth server (for getting rid of the tiring ... please create an account ... for every new app we launch) and are going to look at integrating all three (GWT, OpenSocial and Oauth) to create easily deployable web apps.

New CaSIL

with new and improved YUI tools an new CaSIL (and CERES) site has been launched!

image zoom and table row expansion

Working on merging CaSIL with the new California State Template, I have put together an "eye candy" selection method to show which row your mouse is currently over. The idea is derived from application docks on your desktop. And if you hate it, there is checkbox to turn it off.

http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/etc/website/stateTemplate/

OpenLayers and getCapabilities

here is a OpenLayers plug-in I am working on ... type in a URL of an OGC standard service. It parses the getCapabilities response for (currently WMS/WFS) services, then shows available layers. These layers can then be dragged (via YUI widgets) to the add layer pane and added to the map. Color and opacity of WFS services can then be modified along with image type and opacity of WMS services. Layer order is determined by the order of the list (drag to reorder).

California...
http://olgcs.casil.ucdavis.edu/captureTool/test.php

World...
http://olgcs.casil.ucdavis.edu/captureTool/test4310.html

I hope to wrap this tool up and have the source available via svn at gforge.casil.ucdavis.edu at some point.

**Note: This thing only works in FireFox at the moment.