"Work Smarter, Not Harder"

Active X and COM objects are a big part of how I keep the costs of development down while still turning out high-end custom applications. The components below are the culmination of my efforts over several years to create re-usable base objects that can be used across all of my applications.

FieldX
My primary input component and is best described as a Stem Cell Component. It dynamically turns into any one of several different control objects each with a built-in functionality for commonly used functions such as input masking, calendar pop-up and auto-fill. Each with at least 2 individual standard controls that are created dynamically so there isn't any extra overhead caused from unused objects. From a programming standpoint one of the most advantageous aspects of this object is that it allows different controls to be created as part of the same control array, something that is normally not possible.






Multi-Option
Allows the easy and fast creation of multi-option lists and includes built-in functionality for database connectivity to speed development. This object also encapsulates code to make it unnecessary to re-code common access to a group of options.

Priority List
The Priority List object provides a multi-selectable list with options for re-ordering the items to express priority based on item order.

Select

The Select object provides advanced display and selection of records from a database. The visual interface of this object is based on HTML and CSS web technologies and provides a rich user interface. It has built in search functionality, its columns can be re-ordered alphabetically and record sub-data can be inserted dynamically when requested. The entire list can be set to slide open vertically, horizontally or can also be set to Always Open. This allows the user to utilize the full screen for selecting data then to slide closed to reveal the data entry screens.

The following is a Select object with standard settings used to select/delete records from a database. It is set to slide open and closed horizontally.

Here is the Select object with the Search pane displayed at the top under the title bar. As you type the corresponding data in the grid is highlighted. Pressing 'enter' loads the selected record. Any field displayed on the grid is searchable in this way. Client data is fictional.

Here is a Select object set for multi-selection. This allows for multiple records to be selected and also responds to the standard SHIFT method of selecting a group of items at once.

Here is the above example with an optional right-click context menu shown.

Here is a Select object with a header and drag-and-drop functionality. The files and folders listed below can be dragged and dropped similar to Windows Explorer.



Error Notification
Provides instant notification of any bugs in my software via email. This allows me to quickly and efficiently diagnose and repair any bugs uncovered. Once a bug has been fixed an update is immediately published.

Live Update
Provides an easy way for my clients to keep each of their workstations updated with the latest versions of my software. When I publish an update their software will notify them and allow them to initiate the update. The Live Update downloads and installs the updates automatically.

DB Connection

All database calls are processed by this separate tier which allows for quick and easy changes when any special updates are required.

The following are a sample of applications I've written for clients. They range from small projects to my Region II project which has been on-going since 2001. These applications were all written using VB6, SQL Server, Crystal Reports and Active X/COM technologies.

Region II Human Services
Region II provides Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling to the western portion of Nebraska. I developed this software from the ground up. It is currently being used by all of Region II's facilities and may soon be adopted by other regions or providers in the state. The software is a complete suite and integrates almost all of Region II's business processes. The suite includes client/episode tracking, client and insurance billing, reporting, scheduling, financial journaling and check writing.
The Consumer and Episode tracking pieces utilize a unique multi-document interface (MDI) which uses ActiveX EXE objects to encapsulate the screens in a separate operating process from the main application. This not only makes the application multi-threaded but also contains any unchecked bugs between the two separates program processes. In addition it allows screens to be updated and added without requiring a complete application update or a large download.


The Client Billing form organizes the bill by individual Episode and Service for each client so it is easy to understand. The Insurance Billing is setup to print on the standardized 1500 claim forms. Electronic insurance claims are processed by interfacing with a 3rd party software application.


The Scheduling Suite was designed to operate similar to a standard scheduling book but with all the extra functionality that software will allow. The scheduler can quickly display client information via popup layers, can display a quick appointment view and can also display all future appointments for a client or provider.


The appointment scheduling expert allows for an appointment to be spanned across several months at specified intervals while also being given a number of different options of available times so that it can be flexible enough to alter the desired schedule when it is not available. The scheduler keeps track of the individual provider's work schedules to make sure that no appointments are made when a provider is not scheduled at the current facility. In addition, data entry is automated when a schedule item is marked as Client Showed or Canceled or No Show. The goal of the Scheduling Suite was to do away with the physical books while still providing the staff with the information they need at their fingertips to effectively schedule appointments.


Titan Medical
Titan provides medical staffing services to hospitals across the nation. I developed a complete CRM system for them from the ground up after they became frustrated with their previous system and its lack of support. My system provides more functionality than they could have dreamed for and has been developed well past the original project scope. The software features extensive search capabilities that allow Titan's recruiters to easily place candidates at facilities. In addition it provides the means to track things such as a candidate's personnel records, license expirations, etc. Reports can be generated to allow the recruiters to keep all of their candidates completely up-to-date. In addition the software provides quick and easy access to statistical information that can aide in placing a candidate and securing a facility contract.

These are my four favorite applications that I wrote originally for my own personal use. Typically the software I write is made to help my clients solve problems or increase productivity; these are no different except that I was the client!

Liquid - Carputer Touchscreen Front-end

Since my days as a tech back at Best Buy I've dreamed of having a computer in my car. In November of 2005 I coupled my fiberglass and fabrication skills with my tech skills and made that dream a reality. I tried a few software applications made for carputers but none of them operated the way I thought one should. They all had a lot of extra features but I only wanted a media player that operated the way I thought one should. So, Liquid was born! I named the software Liquid because it is able to conform to any shape you ask it to. It is completely skinnable through any standard graphics application and was written specifically for use on a touchscreen based system.

The initial screen is shown below on the left. Liquid picks up playing the last song you ended with. All of the buttons glow red when pressed. The skinnable buttons have several possible states so they can be pressed and released, held or turned on/off. This allows for buttons like the forward and back buttons to be used both to go to the previous and next song by touching them once and to also fast-forward and rewind by holding them. The list screen is below right. It starts off with a basic menu of Artist, Album, Genre, Song and Playlists. The + and ++ buttons allow for songs to be added to the current playlist or to replace the current playlist. The letters on the side make it easy to move quickly to the song you want to load.





The screenshot shown below on the left is displaying a sample of artists available with Matchbox 20 selected. The screenshot on the right shows the Search screen.





Liquid also supports Windows Media Player visualizations. On the left is the small version which displays only in the center portion of the screen. On the right is the full-screen version. Each screenshot is showing the album cover and song details. That information displays for 5 seconds at the beginning and ending of each song.





Liquid is currently being ran in my Eclipse and in my brother's Grand Prix. This skin was made for our 8" 800x600 screens. I have not made any other skins but they could be created for any resolution or look a person could want.

Font Selector
Since I often end up doing design work for web sites or for software applications I've constantly found myself needing to look through a list of fonts easily. I have over 1000 fonts at my disposal and it is a daunting task to look through all of them with an application such as Adobe Photoshop. Further, I wanted the ability to preview all of my fonts with the exact wording I was going to use. I wrote Font Selector to make this task simple. I also made it available on a few online forums and to a few friends who could benefit from it. It's a very simple application but its potential is great.


Picture Resizer and Uploader
One of my hobbies is photography. I have two web sites (both listed in the next section) that I share my personal photographs through. I wrote this software to allow me to easily resize, upload and catalog my photographs. I've also made it available to my family and friends so they can use it for the same purpose. You can read more about this software here.

ShutterVoice

ShutterVoice is an integration software that provides voice recognition control of Canon's line of EOS DSLR's. More info here ShutterVoice.com.

Below is a sampling of web projects I've done recently. They range from functional projects, like KVNO's Pledge Form, to more design orientated projects like the Omaha Police Union site design.

KVNO.org Pledge Form and Statistics

(view site)

In Fall of 2005 KVNO had their web site re-done. The design was done by Hirsch Design and the back-end coding was done by a former colleague of mine. In Fall of 2006, after being put off too many times by my former colleague, KVNO came to me for help. They needed their online pledge form updated in preparation for a pledge drive. Normally their pledge drives are extremely hectic to say the least. Pledges were submitted online, taken over the phone on paper then compiled. Statistics were calculated by hand and written on a large whiteboard.

I met with Membership Services and told them to tell me their wildest dreams. They told me how difficult it was to manage the free gifts given out during the pledge drive. They told me how hard it was to track pledge challenges put forth by local companies. They told me how much time is involved in all of the manual and repetitive tasks needed to be done in order to make a pledge drive successful.

I went back to my office and started plans that would forever change their pledge drives. I re-wrote their pledge form from the ground-up. The new form dynamically changes as the visitor starts filling it out which makes it even easier for the visitor to make a pledge and eliminates the possibility of errors. I made the free gift section dynamic so they could add new gift packages on the fly as necessary throughout the drive. The new pledge form is used by both site visitors and by volunteers on the phone which provides a single source for all pledge data.

Then I started in on what would make the whiteboard and manual calculations totally unnecessary. I wrote an online statistics page that would provide real-time information on pledges, pledge challenges and how they relate to one-another. I also added an assortment of summaries from the number of each pledge types per hour to the type and number of each gift requested. Their Fall pledge drive was the smoothest one they ever had!

The Alter Image

(view site)

The Alter Image is a local artography start-up ran by an Omaha Police Sargent and his wife. They asked for a simple site design that would allow them to easily show off their work. I created two different design-drafts and let them choose the one they liked best. I also created their logo. The site uses an advanced online WYSIWYG editor to allow them to edit site content in real-time directly from their Internet browser. The Gallery uses the same script I wrote for my Dynamic Photo Gallery to allow them to quickly and easily add new photos from FTP or from my Picture Resizer & Uploader software.

Lutheran Family Services

I had previously done work for Bing Behrens of Lutheran Family Services when he was a VP at Mutual of Omaha. He liked the work I had done so much for him then that he looked me up in the phone book to call me at home to see if I'd be interested in doing work for him at LFS.

LFS provides Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling for several regions in Nebraska. For information storage they use Profiler, a system developed by Unicare. I provide their report writing needs utilizing Crystal Reports for reports ran via Profiler with the addition of an ASP Reporting Suite I have created to allow faster accces to information via SQL Server stored procedures and pre-data-processing.

Omaha Police Union

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After doing the work for The Alter Image I was asked to put together a draft for a new Police Union web site. I went to the police station and took a wide array of photographs to use in the design of the site. The design is currently being bid to the union but we think there is a good possibilty of it being picked up.

Complete Comedy

(view site)

Complete Comedy is an agency run by Master Hypnotist Tony Potmesil. They currently provide Ice House with all of their talent. The site uses a SQL Server backend for displaying the talent and has an online administration to allow Tony to easily add and edit talent information.

Ducati Omaha

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Ducati Omaha is a relatively new dealership out in West Omaha. I originally did the design on their site SV Race Shop and have since helped them adapt it to several of their other businesses. I also re-designed their online store, Motospecialties.com, created its logo and created new product pages.

JM Web Designs

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JM Web Designs is a full-service web design firm out of Bellevue. I've helped them with many sites over the years and often help them with clients when they need someone technical to attend meetings or provide consultations. My main web strengths are in back-end programming and application useability although I have been known to whip up pretty tasteful designs! However, if you need something more than the simplistic designs I do then you owe it to yourself to give Jonathan at JM Web Designs a call.

Raminal.com

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This is my personal photo sharing site. In early 2007 I wrote the third version from the ground-up. It now uses AJAX with a SQL Server backend. All of the photos are easily viewed through galleries along with being searchable based on their unique description and keywords. Coupled with my Picture Resizer & Uploader software it allows my friends and family to easily share their photos online.

Dynamic Photo Gallery

(view site)

This site doesn't require a backend database like Raminal.com but instead acts like a spider and displays anything it finds throughout the folder structure. I built it to provide myself and a friend the ability to easily share photos from our rides out through rural Iowa on our sportbikes. This is the site my Picture Resizer & Uploader software was originally written for.