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various questions about finalizing my project
jagnje:
I wonder if anyne has experience with the following (windows xp and higher, i am using 2.6.4. lazarus)
1. As of now, my project allocates all memory on formcreate event and frees on formdestroy. is this good practice or should i be doing alloc/dealloc throughout the app? My memory usage is around 20 megs, so nothing really abnormal and i should be able to shrink that to 15m or so.
2. I want to let the users to try the app for 30 days. do i need to buy professional tools (for example aspack) to do so or is there any similar free alternative?
3. I am storing settings at simple text files. should i be using xml control or is th current system ok? there is only 10 or so settings.
4. My app has a fixed form height and width. I realize this might be problematic but I am wondering if it is ok for me to project only for limited number of resolutions. it would make my life quite a bit easier.
5. I will need a website. Any advice of what to use to build it? I will need a forum, some pics, some instructional videos, nothing too complicated.
6. i am using some charts and hence the component tachart. is this ok in closed-source apps? btw: i had problems with labeling the bar charts (there was a limit - only 1 label) so i labelled them manually. is there a way around that limitation? I do not want to breach any copyright, so I will draw my own charts if using tachart for commercial projects is not allowed.
7. I am using text files instead of proper database. Could such approach be problematic in any way? For me it works reasonably fast. But I suppose with some really large files the slow down could be substantial.
8. What is the best way to process payments? I do not have a company.
9. Does anyone have a suggestion about what to use to write user manual?
10. My app has no menus, generally I detest menus and want to have visual control over all settings. is this generally ok? I am also using a lot of colors? I should probably not overusing it, right?
I realize I am asking a lot of questions, so I will be glad for any answer to any question. The most important thing is avoiding doing something really stupid. :)
Leledumbo:
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---1. As of now, my project allocates all memory on formcreate event and frees on formdestroy. is this good practice or should i be doing alloc/dealloc throughout the app? My memory usage is around 20 megs, so nothing really abnormal and i should be able to shrink that to 15m or so.
--- End quote ---
No generic answer. It depends on many factors such as type of project, object liveliness, speed vs memory usage, etc. I tend to keep low memory usage and object liveliness to be as short as possible.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---2. I want to let the users to try the app for 30 days. do i need to buy professional tools (for example aspack) to do so or is there any similar free alternative?
--- End quote ---
Dig the wiki, turbopower has something already.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---3. I am storing settings at simple text files. should i be using xml control or is th current system ok? there is only 10 or so settings.
--- End quote ---
Same as 1. I prefer ini files as it's lighter and is hand editable while quite structured at the same time.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---4. My app has a fixed form height and width. I realize this might be problematic but I am wondering if it is ok for me to project only for limited number of resolutions. it would make my life quite a bit easier.
--- End quote ---
Back to 1.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---5. I will need a website. Any advice of what to use to build it? I will need a forum, some pics, some instructional videos, nothing too complicated.
--- End quote ---
FPC, with or without Lazarus :)
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---6. i am using some charts and hence the component tachart. is this ok in closed-source apps? btw: i had problems with labeling the bar charts (there was a limit - only 1 label) so i labelled them manually. is there a way around that limitation? I do not want to breach any copyright, so I will draw my own charts if using tachart for commercial projects is not allowed.
--- End quote ---
Read the license yourself, I believe it's in the source
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---7. I am using text files instead of proper database. Could such approach be problematic in any way? For me it works reasonably fast. But I suppose with some really large files the slow down could be substantial.
--- End quote ---
Back to 1. How big will your data be and in how long the peak might be achieved (or if you prefer growth speed, answer in GB/month or MB/day or any other unit you prefer)?
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---8. What is the best way to process payments? I do not have a company.
--- End quote ---
What's the easiest wa for you?
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---9. Does anyone have a suggestion about what to use to write user manual?
--- End quote ---
LaTeX
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---10. My app has no menus, generally I detest menus and want to have visual control over all settings. is this generally ok? I am also using a lot of colors? I should probably not overusing it, right?
--- End quote ---
You and your customers are the judge, not us. If you want to force a paradigm, do it. If you want to follow what most people do, do it. If your users don't like it and you want to change it for them, do it. The choice is yours.
taazz:
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---I wonder if anyne has experience with the following (windows xp and higher, i am using 2.6.4. lazarus)
1. As of now, my project allocates all memory on formcreate event and frees on formdestroy. is this good practice or should i be doing alloc/dealloc throughout the app? My memory usage is around 20 megs, so nothing really abnormal and i should be able to shrink that to 15m or so.
--- End quote ---
20MB? No worries even 200MB in today 6+ GB memory is not going to be a problem, by keeping the memory always allocated you avoid other problems that are harder to diagnose and correct, so if it works don't fix it.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---2. I want to let the users to try the app for 30 days. do i need to buy professional tools (for example aspack) to do so or is there any similar free alternative?
--- End quote ---
Depends is this going to be a one time effort or are you planning to keep "the good fight" for as long as the application leaves? If its a one time think and you do not want to spend time on it or you do not find the concept interesting, then go buy a solution and have people answer your questions. Use an open source solution if you are interested to learn, understand, extend and in general invest portion of your time on the subject then find an open source one and start fiddling.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---
3. I am storing settings at simple text files. should i be using xml control or is th current system ok? there is only 10 or so settings.
--- End quote ---
Don't waste time and disk space with xml. Its a attempt for a self contained data exchange format that wend overboard in all accounts. In most case an XML settings files has around 20% data and 80% metadata that describe the data or simple put noise. So no forget about xml for settings if you want a text form editable by any external program then keep your text file otherwise go binary. IT will not help much in your case but its the only sane solution that I would recommend.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---4. My app has a fixed form height and width. I realize this might be problematic but I am wondering if it is ok for me to project only for limited number of resolutions. it would make my life quite a bit easier.
--- End quote ---
My point of view is that its not OK for you enforce your limited capabilities on anyone else other than your self. That said I can't actually recommend anything with out any knowledge about the reasons behind your "limited resolutions" problem. I find it unlikely that in todays GUI and widget set world there is no concept you can use to create a "resolution free" solution. even if that means that you loose something like can't see everything at the same time or resample the results to fit in the screen and loose some details, it is usually preferred than not be able to start the application at all because I do not have the resolution to use it.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---5. I will need a website. Any advice of what to use to build it? I will need a forum, some pics, some instructional videos, nothing too complicated.
--- End quote ---
for easy deployment go the popular way. For fast development go the simple way in general avoid over complicated CMS that will have you jump through hoops to create a simple page because they are "multi language ready" (for example) when you really do not even have a single language up and running. I would go for the simplest solution of all and that is in my opinion wordpress if and when your needs are well documented then choose something more compatible to them.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---
6. i am using some charts and hence the component tachart. is this ok in closed-source apps? btw: i had problems with labeling the bar charts (there was a limit - only 1 label) so i labelled them manually. is there a way around that limitation? I do not want to breach any copyright, so I will draw my own charts if using tachart for commercial projects is not allowed.
--- End quote ---
It is part of the official lazarus distribution as far as I know they do not include components that can not be used in commercial applications.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---
7. I am using text files instead of proper database. Could such approach be problematic in any way? For me it works reasonably fast. But I suppose with some really large files the slow down could be substantial.
--- End quote ---
"If its not broken do not fix it apply" here.
Now having said that I would really have to know what kind of data are you using how often they change, are you filtering them or using them all to produce your results, and a nubmer of other details that I can't cover in a single post so don't fix it for now.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---
8. What is the best way to process payments? I do not have a company.
--- End quote ---
Ask an accountant in your country. Each country has its own rules and regulations if everything else fails contact one of the online money handlers like paypal and try to open an account there they will tell you the minimum requirements to do so.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---
9. Does anyone have a suggestion about what to use to write user manual?
--- End quote ---
Avoid html and you will be fine. Manuals should be written in a word processor like openoffice, MS Word, etc or in a more powerful environment like Quark Express better known as desktop publishing applications. If by manual you mean an online help and reference guide then there are a number of good applications out there like help & manual, do a search for help authoring and you will get a number of applications that can create pdf, web sites, and online help files from a single source.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---
10. My app has no menus, generally I detest menus and want to have visual control over all settings. is this generally ok? I am also using a lot of colors? I should probably not overusing it, right?
--- End quote ---
No. Especially when you force a resolution limit on me. At this time I would say use a menu then we can talk about resolution requirements.
--- Quote from: jagnje on February 28, 2015, 11:11:14 am ---I realize I am asking a lot of questions, so I will be glad for any answer to any question. The most important thing is avoiding doing something really stupid. :)
--- End quote ---
As you can see I avoided answering a number of questions. I do not have enough information to begin making assumptions.
wp:
--- Quote ---btw: i had problems with labeling the bar charts (there was a limit - only 1 label) so i labelled them manually. is there a way around that limitation?
--- End quote ---
Could you give more information on this issue? Maybe I can help you.
jagnje:
First of all I am sorry for replying so late. Working on some bugs pretty much 24/7....
2. As for now, I plan to maintain this application for at least six months. In six months I should pretty much know, if the app has any serious potential. I will be definitely looking at turbopower onguard.
4. Resolution fixation will be dropped. I agree it is not a good practice and in any case there are always people with smaller screens that would perhaps use the app too. I will support down to 800x600, less than that I cannot work with. The thing is, that some components that I am showing, cannot get any smaller, as they would get hard to read.
5. I can build websites with FPC? Didn't have the slightest idea. In any case, I will have a meeting this week with a friend who develops websites, so I will post then, what he thinks is best for my needs.
6. I have several charts. However, using TAChart, I discovered there is no easy way (like in Delphi, if anyone remembers) to apply labels to them. At first I realized that I need to drop a component TAChartSource, but when I tried to edit it, I saw there is a fixed limitation - it allows only one bar to be labelled, which is more or less useless.
This TAChart issue cost me quite a bit of time. Like I said, I managed a way around dirty way, and in any case, I did not find any other charting component for lazarus available. It may well be that I haven't searched enough for a solution...
7. About data.
"Database" usage is quite heavy in the app. Text files which act as a database, can be even 50M in size. I know that I can run into problems with really big files, but the app gets quite impractical with realy large database, so people are not going to do that...I know this is a big thing to assume. I am using several filters and I am applying them "manually". I really do not want to hassle the customers with applying database support.
I already "indexed on my own" with great success a really big text file (way bigger than database) that the app dynamically creates, so I will index database as well if the readings process gets too slow. But ok, I am happy to learn that I am not completely nuts not to use a proper database.
10. No menus thing is because I want people to use this application as quick as possible. So everything is on screen, waiting to be clicked. This is actually the biggest difference of my app against existing applications.
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