Writing a custom app to pull data from SIMS?

[robinm]

A long shot, but has anyone ever tried writing their own software to retrieve data from the SIMS SQL db? Would I be correct in assuming that as long as we create a user with full (read only) access to the database it should be like pulling data from any SQL db?

[Butters]

What data would you be pulling from the DB?

 

It this to do with a VLE link at all?

[dhicks]

A long shot, but has anyone ever tried writing their own software to retrieve data from the SIMS SQL db?

 

Have a quick check through previous messages in this forum, there's several about this subject. The SIMS license agreement doesn't let you directly access SIMS' database. However, they do provide a command-line utility called CommandReporter that spews out XML data that you can do whatever you like with. I have one Python script that turns CommandReporter in to a web service, and another that puts user name data from SIMS into Active Directory and assigns group memberships. This code is currently sat in a Mercurial repository at BitBucket, which I will make availabel for public access when get the latest changes checked in (probably a few days - end of the week, maybe).

 

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David Hicks

[wacaday]

......... Edited September 17, 2009 by wacaday

[robinm]

Nothing to do with the VLE - we have SIMS webparts to take care of that. We use AD provisioning to export users from SIMS to AD.

 

My manager said he had some idea about touch screens around the school that could display various information from SIMS (e.g. a map of the school with timetable and other information for pupils). Realistically it's never going to happen for various reasons, but it got me thinking whether it'd be possible given enough time / the right skills. Obviously the first step would be extracting the required data.

 

CommandReporter sounds intriguing. I'd be interested in seeing your web services script when you make them public.

[localzuk]

Interesting, my mind wandered over to that same idea yesterday - we have a giant board covered in timetables at the moment, but I thought maybe a single screen with a simple touchscreen interface which displayed things like empty rooms etc...

 

Extracting the data is pretty simple, I use commandreporter for a click2dial phonebook and for our new cashless catering system. Using that data, and making sure that data is not full of junk is the difficult bit.

[robinm]

Where could one find commandreporter? I had a look on supportnet but no luck!

[robinm]

but I thought maybe a single screen with a simple touchscreen interface which displayed things like empty rooms etc...

 

That'd be really cool. Ah if only we had time to spend on projects like that.

 

BTW, loving the Nerd Herd avatar! Matches my Nerd Herd mug

[localzuk]

Where could one find commandreporter? I had a look on supportnet but no luck!

 

It's just in the SIMS.net installation directory (ie. c:\program files\SIMS\SIMS .net\