WattDepot-App 1: Visualizers are GO!

One week has gone by since we were given our assignment for our class project and began working on WattDepot-Apps, the Application sample collection showing how WattDepot can be applied to other presentable forms. We had come to the conclusion that WattDepot Visualizer, the Google Visualization of WattDepot obtained information regarding energy, power, or carbon would be our first team obstacle and began working on what we could do.

We met with Prof. Johnson, who would help us form an ideal project he’d like to see in motion and help us form what goals we can tackle for the week and beyond. In both our meeting with Prof. Johnson, and our WattDepot expert Robert Brewer, we had come to the conclusion that the best way to visualize the data with the existing Google Visualization systems would be to use an Annotated Timeline. Discussion of future prospects continued with how to handle things, but for now our goal was clear: Make a simple interface, with the basic choices of start date, end date, source, type of data charted, and the intervals at which the data is collected. These basic fields would give us something presentable for the class meeting for the week, where each group summarizes their progress.

To begin with we needed to keep our tasks clear and organized. Edward took the forefront of this task and having already given us the project on Google Code page, added the Hudson system and also adapted code he previously worked on for his last project, Greenometer, for our use in WattDepot-Apps. He was also a solid benchmark to our own progress as well, as Edward was usually the first to show progress in our talks of what we are working on.

With the problem I talked about last time with Greenometer and Carbonometer lacking functional Google Visualization compatibility I went to work figuring out the exact problem and changing their code to provide a functional solution. After looking over the code, the major issue was that the original Carbonometer had hardwired part of their code to make it functional for their presentation. This “hardwiring” included arbitrary modification to the current date and an incomplete way of selecting the month, which when used in January (recognized as month 01 for our program) and the year 2010 it would send in month 1 (missing an important 0) and the year 2110 far beyond the data range provided. Fixing that issue and some minor issues I forwarded the code to Bao for his task at adding the Javascript to Edward’s already formed Wicket set up pages.

Bao added the Javascript into the page and with a couple of tests we reached our first functional visualizer. I had tested it and being the only one using a PC made minor code changes that would allow the presentation of calendars to work on both PC and Mac (an issue on the Google Visualization overriding the calendar selector was a problem). Bao had done a great job moving things over to the new site and with Edward’s wicket set up designed to minimize going outside the scope we had set up, we were making good progress for our first demonstration/presentation.

By 1/24 the page was stable and I changed the visual representation and coding to remove left over pieces from the Greenometer base, and streamline the appearance as a demonstration site. I am also responsible for presenting table data as a possible alternative to the graph visuals, but with our progress report ahead I put the visual setup and reworking on the title page as a priority. It is still something I need to do in the near future.

I think the most difficult part thus far was managing my own activities. I see Bao and Edward’s work and I want to help them work on their code and functionality but don’t have the same kind of drive for my own at first. I am grateful that as it turned out I was able to help them and do my own work which they helped me with as well. Our team dynamic at the moment appears to work and hopefully with help keep the project moving forward. Our channels of communication are always open and since we are in the same areas almost every day communication isn’t hard.

Our goals continue as we move on towards adding multiple factors to the visualizer including multiple types of data presented at once, restrictions to prevent selecting impossible items (for example asking for 1 week intervals of data when less than a week is selected), and improving the UI to allow these things easily through multi-selection elements. If possible we could divide our forces to start on the browser as well, if time permits. To me expanding the project now is where things can get more confusing or challenging as the major focus of these goals is allowing more options and possible overlapping options, something which can create difficulty in programming.

As the week goes on we’ll be able to see how much WattDepot-Apps can spread its virtual wings.