Kentucky Transportation Cabinet:Materials Testing Web Application

Purpose

Extract materials test data from Excel workbooks for mix designs and QC/QA processes. Mix Designs and QC/QA Workbooks are

submitted by Contractors. Application allows for capturing of this

data without hand entering in SiteManager.

Validate the data. Transfer validated data into the

SiteManager Database for analysis and payment adjustments.

Create Workbook TemplateCreate physical sheet(s) in

workbook that match SiteManager table data structure

Map table structure to data entry modules in workbook

Create Schema Map (XML representation of SiteManager

Table structure

Attach XML schema map to workbook data tables

Populate workbook with dataSubmit workbook to KYTC

Division of Materials designated representative

Launch SiteManager-Materials testing application (‘Applet’)

Browse for and select workbook

Initiate data validation processInstance of Excel is launched on client

workstation

Copy of workbook is saved on temporary directory on web server

Extract XML data to XML file and save to temporary directory on web server

Excel instance is closed on client workstation

Web server places XML data into dataset

Data Validation begins

Check fileserver to determine if user has

security access to district identified on sample id

Errors in validation· Displays error(s) · No data is loaded to SiteManager database· Temporary XML data deleted from Web server· Copy of Excel workbook deleted from Web server

Does user have security access rights

to district

No Errors in validation· Data loaded to SiteManager database· Copy of Excel workbook deleted from Web server· Copy of temporary excel workbook saved as root Sample id by district by discipline on file server· Temporary XML data deleted from Web server

Errors in validation· Displays error(s) · Displayed errors include notification that user does not have security access rights to district as identified

on sample id· No data is loaded to SiteManager database· Copy of Excel workbook deleted from Web server· Temporary XML data deleted from Web server

No Errors in validation· Error displayed notifying user that they do not have security access rights to district as identified on sample

id· No data is loaded to SiteManager database· Copy of Excel workbook deleted from Web server· Temporary XML data deleted from Web server

Yes

No

Technologies

The application uses a variety of technologies including: Server Side

ASP.NET C#

Client Side JavaScript Excel

Business Process

KYTC is currently utilizing 8 separate disciplines: 6 QC/QA Workbooks 2 Mix Design Workbooks

Test data is collected on a variety of materials, which are categorized within the discipline.

One or more test methods are utilized for each discipline.

When complete, the workbook is reviewed by the designated authority and subsequently presented to the application for validation and data transfer.

Excel Workbook Design

Test data is extracted from the Excel workbooks utilizing an internal XML schema map.

To implement this feature, the XML schema map must be designed externally and attached to each workbook.

The XML schema is based on SiteManager database structure. For simplicity, every utilized SiteManager table and it’s field were included in the schema design. This allows the one schema to work for all workbooks.

Excel Workbook Design (cont.)

Workbooks are designed to match the XML schema One worksheet is added to the workbook

for each SiteManager table needed. Data from the workbook is mapped to

these table-oriented worksheets. Then, the XML schema is attached to the

workbook, and its elements are mapped to the table-oriented worksheets.

Concrete Pavement QC/QA Workbook

SiteManager Tables

10 Tables are used by the application: t_smpl t_smpl_tst t_smpl_tstr t_cont_smpl t_tst_rslt_hdr t_tst_rstl_dtl t_rmrks_dtl t_pcc t_superpave t_bit_conc_mixblnd

Application Execution

Upon receipt of a completed workbook, the web application is launched.

Application Execution (cont.)

The page’s JavaScript allows the user to: Browse for the workbook(s) they want

to load into SiteManager. Add or remove from list of files to

process. Validation of the user’s choices

prevent loading of non-Excel files, or adding duplicate files to the process list.

Application Execution (cont.)

The user chooses the ‘Load’ option when they are satisfied that the process list is correct.

In the background, and invisible to the user, JavaScript launches the client’s Excel application and briefly opens the workbook to be processed.

Based on the already attached schema map, a method is called to extract data, and then save it to an XML file.

Application Execution (cont.)

The resulting XML file is saved to a temporary processing folder on the Web Server.

Next, the workbook being processed is saved to the same temporary directory.

Then, Excel closes without interrupting or affecting any Excel processes the client may already be running.

Application Execution (cont.)

From here, the server side of the application begins its work.

First a series of validations are run against the XML file that Excel extracted to the web server’s temporary directory.

Since each table from the discipline now exists in XML format, Excel is no longer needed.

Application Execution (cont.)

If a validation fails, none of the data is loaded into SiteManager, and the errors are displayed to the user.

The user must correct all errors before data can be loaded into SiteManager.

After the initial load has completed, a ‘Reload’ option is available if the user finds a non-validated error in data, (i.e., a complete record delete/insert based on original Sample and Mix Design ID’s).

Application Execution (cont.)

Upon successful validation, the data is loaded into SiteManager, and a message indicating this is displayed to the user.

Also, upon successful validation, a copy of the workbook is archived from the temporary processing area on the web server to a central repository on a data server, and is named according to the root Sample ID.

The XML file which was used for validation is then deleted.

Questions

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