Getting started with a web application

[mvillion]

Hi Peoples.

I have been writing apps for Windows, Mac and iOs for a few years now and have (finally) got the hang of it. My code no longer completely sucks. I cringe at some of my old code and frequently it is easier to re-write chunks, than attempt to fix it. This is not an issue as my skills have significantly improved and I consider myself not a total novice anymore.. but..

I now need to take some of my old platform-based apps and convert them into a web portal. This is where I go UrK! I have no idea where to start.

I understand Windows, Macs and Unix and know how to install apache on all platforms as well as administer them (being an old system administrator from many years ago). This is not my problem. I originally was hoping I could take my existing app and export them as HTML 5 apps but that did not work out. I supported the financing of the platform but I think there is a difference between my hopes of what it was and reality. 8-P

So. This means I need to learn how to write a secure, multi-user, database web application. Bugger!

I do not know where to start with this and I would appreciate ANY pointers either her or links to articles etc. I searched the help and it was not much (help - that is). I understand the concepts of MVC but I don't know about the application architecture beyond that. Any help or links greatly appreciated. Yes, I am aware that I am biting off a huge chunk to chew on but I need a web app so I need to learn what I need to learn to do. 8-/

Thanks in advance.
Matt

[ghettocottage]

Can you elaborate a little more on what the app will do.
Do you want a website where people can login and access a database? Or do you want an app that gets its data from a remote server?

[mvillion]

The application would hold a dataset and a number of workflows.

The user can log in can access their own organisation's data to view or edit, based on their delegated permissions.
The user is able to update their data set and a snapshot will be taken to provide a 'snapshot' of progress.

I am unclear about the relevance of the question 'get it's data from a remote server' because in my mind, good application architecture should have a clean API to access the data set so I see the location of the data as irrelevant. (Regardless of if it is locally stored or stored in a server in Australia) -

User -> load balancer -> web server -> Application layer -> Database access layer -> Database

I see the database access layer would filter and control access to the database to ensure that unfettered access to the backend DB cannot occur but only authorised query type would be allowed. By using this design, the location of the dataset is irrelevant as it will always be a 'call' to a remote other server thus hiding the true location of that database.

[SparkOut]

I think ghettocottage was asking a more simple question, as in do you want a multi-user interactive website (such as this forum)? Or more like an app that runs remotely on the target device but is populated by data stored in a web -enabled database?
The first option, with a user accessing via a web browser, would suit LiveCode Server (or php) with html/javascript to display and interact.
The second option, with a user accessing via a standalone app that has access to internet traffic in order to get/post data to a (web)server-based api would suit LiveCode.
Since you have already tried LiveCode to generate html 5 apps, I am thinking you want to be able to provide an app that runs in a browser (option 1). Making the interface this way is going to be much more complex. Unless you can actually squeeze success from LiveCode's html5 generator.

[mvillion]

Ok. I will try to answer the question is a clearer way.

The goal is to build a web portal which will offer similar functionality to the standalone applications already written.

The standalone application allows an organisation to profile it's legal and regulatory compliance against a database of laws and regulations then mark themselves against the activities that improves said compliance. The first set of answers creates a baseline. Further subsequent changes will create a timeline effect so an organisation can tell if it is doing better or worse over time.

Components
-Centralised core dataset of laws & regulations with applicability criteria
-User set of selections that relate to the applicability criteria
-User set of answers against the legal and regulatory obligations
-User set of answers against the legal and regulatory obligations over time