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Table of Contents
Planning for Sahana activities @ FOSS.IN 2008
FOSS Workouts by Ajay Kumar
Main Objective:
* To extend the current SMS/Messaging module and add features to enable public information access using SMS as a medium. * Add the feature of effectively managing KEYWORDS sent and User session from a particular cell phone. * Build a hierarchical SMS menu management feature and compare timestamps for session logging to DB. * Add Missing Person Registry [MPR] “People Search” * Add “View Latest CAP Alerts”
The proposed work for the work-out would involve implementing a modular, reusable hierarchical menu structure, written in PHP, that handles user-state based on Caller ID and SMS timestamps to calculate session expiry, and that works as a module to the Sahana core.
Agenda to achieve the objective:
Work to be done before the event:
* Understand the key metrics for Missing Person Registry Search which can be input/accessed over an SMS. For e.g. Search by Last Name, First Name etc. * Locate the Sahana functions that perform the MPR search functions. * Figure out how to devise a generic SMS validation library to check for incoming SMS formats. * Understand the DB Structure and changes to be made to enable time based keyword/menu state logging based on Cell number. * Plan the end user SMS Menus and output messages to be sent in response to input. * E.g. User sends “SAHANA” to 56682 * The main SMS Menu is sent to the user “Welcome to Sahana Public SMS Information System Choose the following menu options by sending they keyword: 1. Search Missing Person [SEARCH] 2. Check Latest Alerts/Updates [ALERTS] 3. HELP ” * We keep track of the cell number the keyword SAHANA was sent from and save the time. * The user responds with a SMS Keyword “SEARCH” or “1” for “Search Missing Person” * Sahana responds with the Second Level hierarchical menu for Missing Person Search. * “Welcome to Missing Person Search. Choose search criteria: 1. Search by First Name [FNAME] 2. Search by Last Name [LNAME] 3. Go back to Main menu [MAIN] 4. HELP
And so on, asking the parameters to be passed in in the subsequent messages.
* All communications to be done on the project mailing list https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/sahana-maindev * Updates / Plan to be put up on the project wiki page here http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:foss_in_2008_ideas
Work to be done at the event:
* We release Sahana code for SMS Public SMS information system to enable people to search for missing people and check recent alerts at the event. * After freezing on all the above mentioned plans we try to have the following deliverable at the event of before: 1. Time based logging of Keywords maintaining session state. 2. MPR Search working. 3. Recent CAP Alerts displayed to users. * Based on the number of contributors interested we can add more features which are a part of the wishlist, to be planned. Based on interest and inputs from volunteers of course.
Pages and Codes to be familiar with:
1. http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:msg_archi 2. http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:gsoc2008_msg_report 3. http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:gsoc2008_msg_plans 4. http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:gsoc_2008_msg_smstools_config
Tools required:
1. Sahana 0.6.2 installed from the CVS, Apache, mySQL, PHP follow install instructions here http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=doc:nwhome 2. SMSTools v3 installed and configured [actual hardware not needed though, emulating is possible mentioned in above wiki pages] 3. CVS for checking out the latest code from the repo. 4. Any favorite PHP editor/IDE of your choice. 5. mySQL adminstration tool, for e.g. phpMyadmin.
Special Hardware/Software Requirements:
1. For Windows you need cygwin to run SMSTools v3 details on the GSoC project page above. 2. For actual testing, in case you have a GSM Modem or phone that supports AT Commands for both Sending and Receiving SMS connected to your PC. [optional] The speaker will bring in 2 phones for the same purpose which can be used during the session for real time testing.
Pre-requisites:
* Knowledge of PHP/mySQL * Check out what Sahana is at http://www.sahana.lk/overview * Check the project documentation wiki located at http://wiki.sahana.lk * Go through the work out brain storming session on IRC done here http://logs.qgis.org/sahana/%23sahana.2008-10-16.log to give you a quick overview of things. * An overview of how SMSTools v3 works http://smstools3.kekekasvi.com/ *not necessary to actually install and configure it with a hardware i.e. GSM Modem/Phone* * Understanding of the Messaging Architecture of Sahana module http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:msg_archi * Test the existing SMS features. * Understand the MPR Module of Sahana and CAP Module. * Sahana PHP Coding Conventions located here http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:php_coding_convention * Study any current applications like PlaySMS etc, and figure out how they handle Keyword sessions.
