Messaging

[DKL01]

Hello All:

This issue is not ASP related but related to web technology. I thought many of you might have faced this issue and may have some suggestions/ solutions. My ASP application displays data from SQL Server. The data in SQL Server is updated by VB application 10-15 times per week. We need to send notification ( other than e-mail, something similar to instant messaging ) to certain clients when the VB application updates SQL Server. I was wondering if there is any solution for this.

THANKS

 

[Ovatvvon]

I'm not a VBA expert, but I would think there was a way to "auto-email" through your code if your program has access to an email/smtp server.(?)

Otherwise, have you tried the VBA forum? -Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[jfrost10]

Hey DK,

Super High Level Theory:
You could write a windows service that runs in the background on your client's machines. Once an update happens, your central server sends out a notificaton to everyone with this "service". The service then displays a dialog box to the client.

Easy to say, but to do it...be a pretty good amount of work.

Jack

 

[Ovatvvon]

What about people on corporate networks that don't want to have third party applications/communications running? Or what about firewalls...will it communicate over a port/socket that is open on every network? (doubt it). Or what about any clients on a dial-up connection...if they're not connected at the time of notification, they'll never receive it.

I'm sure there's plenty of other reasons not to do it that way, I'm just thinking of those off the time of my head. The only way I think that would work is if it's for your local area network. I think the email is the way to go...I just don't know the way to do it using the method you are. It is possible to control a web browser via VBA? If so, you could call a web site you made in ASP that will email everyone...otherwise I'm sure there's a way to do it via VBA. -Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[jfrost10]

What about the price of tea in china?


Actually, Ovatvvon has a few good points there regarding the networking side of things.

HOWEVER, there is another way you could do this where the user won't need to install software on their machine, and you won't have to send out email.

Here's what you do:
1. user logs into website (authentication)
2. site opens up a small browser (a-la javascript) which
continually posts back every few minutes/1/2
hour/whenever dat is updated.
3. This way, they can move the little browser wherever they
want on their desktop, and still be able to keep track
of updates throughout the day.

We did something similar for a chat appliation for our company, its pretty simple. Let me know if you want to know more.

Jack