Functionalities of A.U.S.T.I.N
A.U.S.T.I.N HTML5 Interface
Dashboard Enhancements
1) Create mockup user-interface
The aim is to create an enticing brand new user interface for the entire
AUSTIN system. We would not be using the existing template from the
first STEVE version. Instead, we would aim to base the interface on
HTML5. HTML5 would bring about advantages such as improved
semantics, cleaner code and elegant forms amongst others. The brand
new interface would encompass the broad-based functionalities and
current working tabs such as ‘Dashboard’, ‘Create Video’, ‘In Process’,
‘Setting’ and etc.
2) Login function
The current system allows anonymous users access to the
functionalities. However, for security as well as user rights scenarios in
the future, we would implement a login form. This login form would
allow authorized and authenticated users to successfully access the
system and make changes.
3) List names/description of videos for ‘Not Started’, ‘Sent to watch folder’
The current system does not allow users to view the names, metadata
and description of the videos that are currently not started or sent to
watch folder. It only displays the number of videos. This brings about
the problem of the user having to sieve through the huge amounts of
videos to check which video has been started. We aim to implement a
simple function such that the user can click on the number for ‘Not
Started’ and ‘Sent to watch folder’ to view the names and description of
the videos. jQuery would be used to ensure that the form opens in a
simple pop-up box and does not drag the user away from the
dashboard.
4) Search function
The current system does not allow users to search for a certain video.
It can get tiring and time-consuming for the user to look through the
huge amounts of videos through the different pages. This might be
pivotal if the user wishes to track the past few days videos. Hence, we
would implement a search function whereby the user can search for
videos either by name, service type and etc.
5) Paging function
The current system does have paging implemented. However, we see
the possibility to improve the paging function by having it load within
the same grid instead of having to load the form again. jQuery could be
used in this aspect to have a nicer and quicker paging load.
6) Sort function
The dashboard under the current system does not have a sort function.
Whilst going through the dashboard, we wanted to be able to sort by
the different service types such as SingTel. We feel that such a
function would be beneficial to the user to be able to sort videos very
quick through service name, date, status and etc.
7) Delete function
The current system has a requeue button. However, this requeue
button has the functionality build in such that it deletes the earlier video
and sends the video to the queue again. We wish to implement a
delete button. This delete button would encompass the delete
functionality whereby users can choose to get rid of a video totally from
the queue. This could be important in the scenario that the user might
have uploaded a wrong video or false metadata.
Create Video Enhancements
1) Tag function
The current system does not allow a user to tag videos. Tagging can
be an important feature as it allows for a cleaner categorization as well
as being able to locate different types of videos easily. We would
implement some pre-defined tag names such as ‘HD’, ‘World Cup’ and
‘Spanish Football’ and also allow the user a textbox to create his own
tag if the pre-defined tags do not meet his video requirements.
2) Browse FTP function
The current system, due to it being used in localhost circumstances,
allows users to only browse the local filesystem. We would implement
the users to have a browse FTP function, as the project would be
moving into the Intranet and Internet world soon after completion.
However, due to security issues, this browse function would not allow
the users to browse all files and folders. Some pre-defined folders for
the various FTP sites would be set aside for this system and its users.
3) Profile function?
Manage Options Introduction (New Tab)
1) Manage type function
The current system does not allow for dynamic management of the
video type. If a new type were required, the administrator would have
to go into the backend database to manually manipulate the tables in
order to create a new type. In addition, we plan to implement complete
management capabilities such as Create, Edit and Delete types.
2) Manage category function
the current system does not allow for dynamic management of the
video category. If a new category were required, the administrator
would have to go into the backend database to manually manipulate
the tables in order to create a new category. In addition, we plan to
implement complete management capabilities such as Create, Edit and
Delete categories.
3) Manage services function
The current system does not allow for dynamic management of the
video service. If a new service were required, the administrator would
have to go into the backend database to manually manipulate the
tables in order to create a new service. In addition, we plan to
implement complete management capabilities such as Create, Edit and
Delete services.
4) Manage sports function
The current system does not allow for dynamic management of the
type of sports. If a new sport were required, the administrator would
have to go into the backend database to manually manipulate the
tables in order to create a new sport. In addition, we plan to implement
complete management capabilities such as Create, Edit and Delete
sports.
A.U.S.T.I.N Windows Service
1) Implement windows service
This new windows service would have to check the application or system
for new jobs after a certain interval.
2) Send email notification
The current system does not send any sort of notification based on
emails or alerts whenever the system chokes up. This choking up can
range from the encoder being too full or the system breaking down as a
whole. We plan on implementing an email function within the web service
that sends email notifications to the administrator or the user in charge
should the encoder get jammed or the system run into trouble.
3) Generate RSS feeds function
The plan for the new system would be for it to be Internet based. Hence,
videos would have to be exchanged between users and systems.
However, due to the sizes of videos as well as performance and security
issues, we would implement a RSS Feeds function. We would like to be
able to generate and render XML into RSS feeds to send to external
parties
4) Render XML to different formats
Another requirement for the new system would be for it to be able to
generate XML files into different types of formats. These formats include
video player formats such as wmv, avi and even simple messaging
formats such as JSON for performance reliability as well.
A.U.S.T.I.N Miscellaneous
1) Logging function
The current system does not have any logging capabilities. Hence, any
problems that the system runs into make it very cumbersome for the
administrator to debug and solve within a short period of time. We would
like to implement a logging function done with log4net. With log4net, it
becomes possible to enable logging at runtime without modifying the
application binary. Log4net is designed with speed and flexibility in mind
and would definitely go a long way into enabling an all-round base for the
project, in the short and long run.
2) Create API for external parties to query database
Another separate functionality for the system is for it to be able to churn
out an API so that external parties and application can easily query our
database for outputs by sending in any input parameters. This saves
time between communications in the event that an external party might
require updated outputs for a certain method of input parameters.