Virtual EOC

From Humanitarian FOSS Summer Institute 2009

Project Overview:

Virtual EOC is a rapidly developed prototype for a comprehensive volunteer organizations active in disaster (VOAD) communication system.

Project Details:

As a communication tool, Virtual EOC aims to facilitate inter- and intracommittee communication in case of a disaster. The system is centered around incidents (such as disasters) which have updates, intended to provide progress reports about the incident. Updates are submitted by users on behalf of committees; they have a description and may contain attached files. The system also provides a contact directory where users can be found based on their agencies and committees.

Weekly Check Points

• Presentation 1
• Presentation 2
• Presentation 3
• Presentation 4
• Presentation 6
• Presentation 7
• Presentation 8
• Final Presentation

Implementation:

Virtual EOC is a web-based application powered by Ruby on Rails. Database structure:

Deliverables:

A functional web-application which allows users to register and get access to the list of incidents, the pertaining updates, and the contact list.

Users should be able to:

• add updates to incidents
• join committees
• associate themselves with a single agency
• view incidents, updates, contacts
• manage their account.

Administrators should be able to:

• add/remove incidents
• add/remove updates
• add/remove committees
• add/remove agencies
• add/remove users
• etc.

First phase development:

Rapid prototyping of application and near-complete functionality.

Second phase development:

Plan for Week of the 29th

• Unit testing
• Every single view
• ACLing
  • Nearly done (needs testing)
• Begin styling if there's time
• Develop header

Specification:

ACL

• Models have -able? functions.
  • Available functions:
    • self.creatable?
    • creatable?
      • This case is required to ensure that users can only create updates pertaining to certain incidents, etc.
    • updatable?
    • viewable?
    • self.listable?
    • destroyable?
• Controller syntax example:
  • return with_rejection unless GroupType.creatable?
  • return required to stop controller execution
  • with_rejection has the page redirect_to and display an error flash

Rails Tutorials

• Installing Rails and RadRails
• Making Models in Rails

Rails Resources

• Simple 15 Minute Tutorial on Ruby
• Guides.RubyOnRails.org
  • We have used
    • Getting Started with Rails
    • Rails Database Migrations
    • Active Record Validations and Callbacks
    • Active Record Associations
    • Active Record Query Interface
    • Layouts and Rendering in Rails
    • Action View Form Helpers
    • Action Controller Overview
    • Rails Routing from the Outside In
    • Testing Rails Applications