1 Dr. Frank Padberg University of Karlsruhe & University of Clausthal Rotor RFP2 Workshop 2005

2 Original Idea  SoDA = Source Documentation Archive  use the Internet to allow users to attach textual comments to an existing source file tree  all users can see new comments (newsticker-like)  support the Rotor research community

3 FreeSoDA  store any kind of document, not only code and comments  offer Web services for accessing the document database  use a rich client  seamlessly notify clients about changes in the database

4 Hello, Rotor World!

5 Important Features  allow users to create links between semantically related documents  allow for filtering of what is shown on the screen (views and styles)  offer root documents for navigation  protect documents against deletion and overwriting

6 Adding Docs and Links (1) drag ‘n‘ drop...

7 Adding Docs and Links (2)...and then specify the attributes

8 An "Articles-Only" View

9 Services for Normal Users  logon/logoff for a project  open/close a view  insert/delete a document/link  edit a link/document description  download a document  trigger a refresh ("view update")

10 Connecting to the Server

11 Downloading a Document

12 Services for Administrators  create/delete users  create projects  define user groups and assign roles  define document/link types  define views all administrative tasks can be easily performed via the client

13 Managing the System must be FreeSoDA administrator to see this

14 Technical Problems  need sessions and transactions, but SOAP is stateless  need notification scheme  need caching to get performance  need ability to add file trees  need useful layout algorithms

15 Solutions  define FreeSoDA message format  store all state in SQL database  mimic observer design pattern  two-level caching scheme in the server; caching in the client; transmit deltas  external archives  "cycle" layouter; "spring" layouter

16 Notifications  can't use client-based Web services: this would require running a Web server on each client  the server notifies the client by sending a message to a client TCP port  this TCP port is made known to the server when establishing the session

17 Listening for Notifications

18 Adding External Archives must be project manager to add archives

19 Randomized Layouts (1)

20 Randomized Layouts (2)

21 Cycle Layouts

22 Deeper Cycle Layouts

23 More Things Ahead  add searching and bookmarks  write proxy server for browser access  study and enhance the client usability  implement server replication  host Microsoft Rotor

24 Check It Out Yourself... the official FreeSoDA web page & client download: RCD guest login: server username guest and password guest get a regular RCD account: send mail to

25 Please help us populate the Rotor Community Database RCD !

26 END