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I started working with new project for one of my client. Project idea was good and implementation was much clear. Project requirement was to use J2EE and Oracle. Which was the only change this project had. I have been doing web development in LAMP since last 3 years. So, it was bit challeging to to setup and run this project but wasn’t impossible. We do use/favour open source software/tools for development or sometimes customization wherever possible. Here my journey of learning start.
So, I started searching for Oracle community version and fortunately there is free version is available for community as Oracle XE. So, I downloaded Oracle xe 10.0.2 deb file for my Ubuntu 9.10. It was pretty easy to install and setup oracle. Then we decided to use JSF RichFaces framework for the project. Then we setup an eclipse IDE with subversion and apache tomcat support. Downloaded Jboss Tools which contains JAR’s for RichFaces development. And development started as coding in the eclipse and database exploration through web interface or SQLPlus. It was altogether different to code a PHP project and Java Web Project. So, I had to understand the framework for what I am supposed to do for this what is preferable. So, I googled for JSF lifecycle and I got the link of Introduction to JSF on IBM Developer works. It was pretty good tutorial which gave me an very detailed understanding of the JSF. With little knowledge whatever I understand I started coding for the project. XHTML for view, Backing bean and manage bean etc…
Project goes on smoothly suddenly I need a good tool for database exploration, web interface of oracle was cool but still I was in search of tool. I find it it was DbVisualizer-6.5.9 (now 7.0.2 is available) great tool. I use evaluation copy of this tool. Just awesome for any database. Now I am using this instead of PHPMyAdmin, PgAdminIII and SQLPlus. So, project goes on smoother front.
Suddenly after a month when project 2nd was delivered there came major changes in entire project logic which causes very much changes in database. (This is not a ideal case for any project but sometime …). So code base changes started with updated DB schema. Which added extra step into the project data migration from old schema to new schema.
Data migration was big question in front of me. Whether should I write a code for data migration as batch process or should I look for readymade tool and explore it for my requirement. After a long search I come across some tools which are Apatar, Pentaho Kettle etc.. which data migration and data mining tools available freely. Looking at simplicity of working and my need fulfilment I chose Apatar. Wrote some aptr file describing transformation/join/filter etc.. in between old db and new db and run some supportive sql’s minor updates.
Then new problem hit back. We are using barcode generation, printing and reading operation in this application. So, my problem was to generate random but unique barcode image for printing which was pretty easy task with the help of Barcode4j or Barbecue libraies avilable for barcode in Java. But my problem was as per clients requirement to use some text along with barcode image and number. Which none of the above library has support. So, for that I use generated barcode imae and copule with required text and generate PDF using iText but generated PDF doesn’t print well and asexpected with printer.. So, this is the problem I currently fighting for to genreate and print required barcode label which should be readable by barcode gun…..
