Difference between revisions of "System requirements for use of InfoEx application"
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
The new InfoEx system is a web application that runs in a browser. When you load the application for the first time from {{InfoExURL}}, it is downloaded and stored in the application cache of your browser. Having it stored locally will allow you to use certain features of the application (e.g., observation entry) even when you do not have an Internet connection. | The new InfoEx system is a web application that runs in a browser. When you load the application for the first time from {{InfoExURL}}, it is downloaded and stored in the application cache of your browser. Having it stored locally will allow you to use certain features of the application (e.g., observation entry) even when you do not have an Internet connection. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The usability of the InfoEx application on different platforms is determined by the availability of two main technologies | ||
| + | * '''Support for the Filesystem API of HTML5'''<br/>The filesystem API of HTML allows web applications to read and write files to a sandboxed file system within the browser. The InfoEx application uses this technology for the following features: | ||
| + | **Allowing users to enter and store observations while being offline | ||
| + | **Storing local customizations such as setting for observation entry forms | ||
| + | :At the time of this writing only [https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/ Google Chrome], [http://www.opera.com/ Opera] and [http://ca.blackberry.com/ Blackberry Browser] are supporting this technology. See [http://caniuse.com/#search=filesystem Can I use...] for the latest information on browser support for this HTML 5 standard. | ||
| + | |||
We have the following important software requirements for the new InfoEx system: | We have the following important software requirements for the new InfoEx system: | ||
* '''Google Chrome is the only supported browser right now'''<br/>[https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/ Google Chrome] is currently the most advanced browser that supports the latest web standards. One of these standards we use in the InfoEx application is the ability to write files to a local file system with the browser. This ability allowed us to create a web application with local customizations and significant off line capabilities, a critical feature for the use of the application in remote locations with limited or intermittent connectivity. Other types of browsers will support the new InfoEx system as soon as they implement the latest web standards. | * '''Google Chrome is the only supported browser right now'''<br/>[https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/ Google Chrome] is currently the most advanced browser that supports the latest web standards. One of these standards we use in the InfoEx application is the ability to write files to a local file system with the browser. This ability allowed us to create a web application with local customizations and significant off line capabilities, a critical feature for the use of the application in remote locations with limited or intermittent connectivity. Other types of browsers will support the new InfoEx system as soon as they implement the latest web standards. | ||
| − | * '''Google Earth plug in for browsers is required for any geospatial functionality'''<br/>The new InfoEx system uses the [http://www.google.com/earth/explore/products/plugin.html Google Earth plug-in for browsers] to display InfoEx data geospatially on a map background. While the plug-in allows you to zoom into areas and explore the landscape in a three dimensional view, it does not have the full capabilities of the Google Earth application. | + | * '''Google Earth plug in for browsers is required for any geospatial functionality'''<br/>The new InfoEx system uses the [http://www.google.com/earth/explore/products/plugin.html Google Earth plug-in for browsers] to display InfoEx data geospatially on a map background. While the plug-in allows you to zoom into areas and explore the landscape in a three dimensional view, it does not have the full capabilities of the Google Earth application. |
==Platform support== | ==Platform support== | ||
Revision as of 11:41, 22 October 2013
| REQUIREMENTS | |
| Permission | All user levels |
| Connectivity | n/a |
This document describes the system requirements for running the InfoEx application.
Background
The new InfoEx system is a web application that runs in a browser. When you load the application for the first time from https://infoex.avalancheassociation.ca/, it is downloaded and stored in the application cache of your browser. Having it stored locally will allow you to use certain features of the application (e.g., observation entry) even when you do not have an Internet connection.
The usability of the InfoEx application on different platforms is determined by the availability of two main technologies
- Support for the Filesystem API of HTML5
The filesystem API of HTML allows web applications to read and write files to a sandboxed file system within the browser. The InfoEx application uses this technology for the following features:- Allowing users to enter and store observations while being offline
- Storing local customizations such as setting for observation entry forms
- At the time of this writing only Google Chrome, Opera and Blackberry Browser are supporting this technology. See Can I use... for the latest information on browser support for this HTML 5 standard.
We have the following important software requirements for the new InfoEx system:
- Google Chrome is the only supported browser right now
Google Chrome is currently the most advanced browser that supports the latest web standards. One of these standards we use in the InfoEx application is the ability to write files to a local file system with the browser. This ability allowed us to create a web application with local customizations and significant off line capabilities, a critical feature for the use of the application in remote locations with limited or intermittent connectivity. Other types of browsers will support the new InfoEx system as soon as they implement the latest web standards. - Google Earth plug in for browsers is required for any geospatial functionality
The new InfoEx system uses the Google Earth plug-in for browsers to display InfoEx data geospatially on a map background. While the plug-in allows you to zoom into areas and explore the landscape in a three dimensional view, it does not have the full capabilities of the Google Earth application.
Platform support
It is the support for the two software requirements mentioned above that limit the use of the InfoEx system on various devices. See the table below for more details on the supported of the InfoEx functionality on the various platforms.
| Platform | InfoEx support | Google Chrome | Ability to write to local file system1 | Google Earth plugin for browsers | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any PC running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later, Vista, 7 or 8 | Fully functional |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Google Earth plug in only works on the desktop environment of Windows 8 and not the Metro interface |
| Any Mac computer running OS X 10.6 or later | Fully functional |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Any Android phone or tablet running Android 4.0 or later | Partially functional |
✔ | ✔ | × | Mapping functionality not available due to the lack of the Google Earth plugin |
| iPhone, iPad and iPod touch running Apple's iOS 6.0 or later | Not functional |
✔ | × | × | Unable to use the application due to the limited capabilities of the Google Chrome browser on the iOS operating system |
1Support of the Filesystem API
Related documents
Functionality tested by
- Oct. 22: Pascal Haegeli / QA Server / Test Version 0.31.00)
