Considering the BMI best practices, I was able to derive the basic parameters that are needed for evaluating this need.

The important parameters that need to be considered as Complexity of the Business Process, Localization Scope, User Experience and Administrative capabilities.

Business Process Complexity – If there are large differences between the Channel Sales and Internal Sales process & If there are large differences in the way the Pricing is handled within/per business process, then it makes sense to have multiple commerce processes within the organization.

Localization – A single commerce process can multi-currency or multiple languages. Pricing or related scripts in BML can easily handle multi-currency if designed efficiently. Hence for this case, a single commerce process is good enough.

User Experience – Since BMI is good at hiding and showing things based on conditions and not good at organizing elements within the quoting screen, if it a critical requirement to have dynamics on the quoting screen dynamically, it is recommended to have multiple processes, otherwise just one.

These are the basic elements which can help us evaluate the necessity of multiple commerce processes while designing the BMI architecture for an organization.

I defined a template:

	<xsl:template name="returnLastValueofString">
		<xsl:param name="inputString"/>
		<xsl:choose>
			<xsl:when test="substring-after($inputString,'~')">
				<xsl:call-template name="returnLastValueofString">
					<xsl:with-param name="inputString" select="substring-after($inputString,'~')"/>
				</xsl:call-template>
			</xsl:when>
			<xsl:otherwise>
				<xsl:value-of select="$inputString"/>
			</xsl:otherwise>
		</xsl:choose>
	</xsl:template>

This is how i called the value:

	<xsl:call-template name="returnLastValueofString">
		<xsl:with-param name="inputString" select="$OriginalStringAttribute"/>
	</xsl:call-template>

tableResults = bmql("SELECT SelectColumn FROM DataTable WHERE WhereColumn1=$WhereAttribute and WhereColumn2=$Variable");
for result in tableResults {
if (ConditionAttribute == result[0]) {
resultVariable = result[0];
break;
}
else {
resultVariable = "StaticValue";
}
}.....

The above rule, eventhough it looks perfectly alright, BML engine throws errors like “result in line x is not a valid array identifier”. I’ve realized that we cannot directly associate the record value to a condition attribute in a for loop of table results. If it was getpartsdata(), then we could declare the ‘SelectColumn’ as a string field and solve this array identifier error. But in BMQL, we don’t have the flexibility of declaring a table column in the rule.

So, i figured out if we return the coluimn values to a variable by ‘get’ function, this would solve the issue.

GetVariable=get(result,"SelectColumn");

Hence the modified script would be

tableResults = bmql("SELECT SelectColumn FROM DataTable WHERE WhereColumn1=$WhereAttribute and WhereColumn2=$Variable");
for result in tableResults {
GetVariable=get(result,"SelectColumn");
if (ConditionAttribute == GetVariable) {
resultVariable = GetVariable;
break;
}
else {
resultVariable = "StaticValue";
}
}
.....

Indication that the device is attempting to pair : The indicator blinks in red and white continuously

Steps:

1. Turn on the device – Holding the ‘Talk’ button for few seconds will turn it on

2. While the headset is blinking red, press Noise Assassin button, Talk button, Talk button, Noise Assassin, Talk, Talk

3.  Step 2 is hard reset. Once this is done, the device restarts and immediately starts auto-pairing.

In BMI’s perspective, I need to be able to create parts being on the configurator on the buy side. One possible solution for this is SOAP via BML.

BML understands a function called urldatabypost(). Basically the BML engine reads the file uploaded available at at URL and attempts to parse it. As long as the file is in a language which is understandable by BM, it works.

So the solution for this case is, i generate a dynamic SOAP request using the BM Webservices, add some keys to it (keys add dynamics to the request. In our case, we need the Part Number to be dynamic, so it could be a key) and add the SOAP XML as a file to the BM File Manager. Then i call this file using urldatabypost() and replace the keys with a BM function which generates a part number pattern.

Sample:
// Clearances
cdataStart = "<![CDATA[";cdataEnd = "]]>";
// Call the SOAP file saved in File Manager
mySOAPURL = "https://customersite.bigmachines.com/bmfsweb/devge/image/SOAP/addgenericpart.xml"; //File Location
myPartFile = urldatabypost(mySOAPURL,"",""); // This calls the file
// Replace keys a.k.a Holder Text with the dynamic data
// _BM_USER_SESSION_ID a system attribute in configuration (an equivalent is available in commerce)
myPartFile = replace(myPartFile,"SESSION_ID", cdataStart +_BM_USER_SESSION_ID + cdataEnd);
// transactionID is a user defined configurable attribute
myPartFile = replace(myPartFile,"GENERIC", cdataStart +partListStr[i]+ cdataEnd);
// partListStr was a string which captures the length of the parts array
soapURL = "https://customersite.bigmachines.com/v1_0/receiver"; // location to send the soap call (receiver url)
soapResponse= urldatabypost(soapURL, myPartFile ,""); // sends the soap call and returns response to variable.

The clean and easiest solution for this is writing a JS Cookie. Write a cookie and paste it in the ‘Header&Footer’ section of the admin. The ‘Header&Footer’ is typically the placeholder to store all the JS related to Config/Commerce manipulations.

Sample Cookie snippet:

\\File Manager by default has an util_class.js which has many commonly used JS functions like get cookie, set cookie defined. So use it

<script type="text/javascript" src = 'https://testge.bigmachines.com/bmfsweb/testge/image/Scripts/util_class.js'>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">

\\On the commerce page, find the commerce attribute and store its value in the browser

if (document.bmDocForm) {
var commerceAttr1 = document.getElementsByName("commerce_attribute");

if(commerceAttr1.length != 0){
var tempcommerce_attribute = commerceAttr1[0].value;
_util.setCookie("config_attribute",tempcommerce_attribute, 2);
}
}

var changed = false;

\\Now search for the config attribute and then apply the cookie value to it
if (document.configurationForm)
{
if (document.configurationForm.config_attribute)
{
var tempconfig_attribute = _util.getCookie("config_attribute");
if (document.configurationForm.config_attribute.value != tempconfig_attribute)
{
if (tempconfig_attribute != null && tempconfig_attribute != "")
{
document.configurationForm.config_attribute.value = tempconfig_attribute;
changed = true;
}
}
document.configurationForm.config_attribute.readOnly = true;
}

if (changed)
{
submitPage(document.configurationForm, true, true);
}
}

Now this helps to auto-populate the configuration attribute with a commerce attribute value. Whenever user populates value to this ‘commerce_attribute’ on the quote page and then opens the configuration (via add line items or reconfigure), this cookie value is stored and then applied to the configuration attribute after arriving there.

This answers a lot of scenarios.  Most of the requirements which need SFDC values to be populated in configuration, can make use of this effort. Also if the SFDC values are not directly the values that needs to be populated in configuration, but if they have a mapping index, all you have to do is get those values to config and then do a BML across the mappings table to populate the config data.

The simplest and best way to answer this requirement is to over-ride the label using simple JavaScript. Here’s how we do it:

• Using firebug, find the HTML of the recommended items section header and the inner-table header ‘recommended parts’.

  “<td colspan="38">Recommended Items</td>”

  “<td width="70%" colspan="36">Recommended Parts</td>”

• Copy the above mentioned HTML tags

• Go to Admin -> Header & Footer and navigate to the ‘Footer’ section. Now, without meddling with the script in the footer content, add a new at the bottom of the script

• Inside the new script, write the JS Desired. The new JS should have a condition. The condition is that it should only be rendered for a specific product line or only during an attribute’s presence. This is just to make sure that this JS is not triggered always.

• Sample JS:

if(document.getElementsByName('conditionAttribute')[0].selectedIndex!=0)

{

if(document.getElementsByClassName('view-header')[6].innerHTML=='<td colspan="38">Recommended Items</td>')

{

document.getElementsByClassName('view-header')[6].innerHTML="<td class='top-bar' colspan='38'>Configured Items</td>";

}

if(document.getElementsByClassName('view-header')[7].innerHTML=='<td colspan="36" width="70%">Recommended Parts</td><td><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" width="50%">&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></td>')

{

document.getElementsByClassName('view-header')[7].innerHTML='<td colspan="36" width="70%">Configured Parts</td><td><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" width="50%">&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></td>';

}

}

During the adventurous exploration of the product’s capabilities i have been trying out different out-of-the-box solutions, which i would be sharing with the world. Comments, updates and thoughts are most welcome!

Based on the study lately, i derived the following understanding. All the core processors are multi-core; basically 2 or 4 processors layered into a single chip for spacing reasons. Each processor has a processing speed which is typically 2.2x Ghz recently. So the multi-core processor speed is the summation of all the cores i.e, a dual core with 2.26Ghz speed has a total speed of 2.26*2 = 4.5 Ghz. This greater speed helps the user to open several tasks at once while working. Of course, this amazing speed has to be substituted with a better RAM to build super-fast cache on the go.

Hardware factors:
People tend to make a decision with just both the factors mentioned above and as a result most of the assemblies wouldn’t deliver the performance as expected. This is because of ignoring 2 most important factors of computer assembly – Bus/Interfaces support and Heating. Even though, the multi-core processors compute a greater speed and RAM is aggressive, the communication mediums should be able to utilize the bandwidth. If a moderate motherboard is used, the bus and interface architecture will not be sufficient to manage the speed delivered by the processor chip. So one important factor is to choose an advanced board with better layout to deliver the respective speeds. For example, for a i3 chip with 2.26Ghz speed, choosing a board with 10Ghz space would be a great choice; Because the processor chip altogether delivers 2.26*4 = 9Ghz.
The second factor is the heating. Each core of the processors produces average heat. In this case, imagine the heat that can be produced by a combination of them in a single chip. The latest processor modules like the i-series from intel have embedded the mechanism to manage the performance based on heating to avoid hardware issues. Hence the performance will automatically be drilled down upon considerable heating temperatures. This makes a solid point that amplified cooling solutions have to be provided to the board to maintain the performance. Multiple fans and cooling solutions would help.

Now that the hardware factors give an idea which might help the decision making, let me put down the software factors

Software factors:
Most of the Software applications are being written to consume certain amount of speed and memory in run-time based on the OS. They cannot bargain for more speed/memory if the system supports. Where as the latest HD applications like Games, Advanced Video Players and Formats (like VLC vs Bluray), HD audio can amplify themselves based on the support rendered by the machine. Hence for a moderate office, web and multimedia user, having a quad-core wouldn’t help much. For hardcore gamers and passionate multimedia enthusiasts, the quads would definitely bring a noticeable advantage.

Leaving aside the hype of having a greater configuration, if a moderate user can sit back with a dual core, he’d save a lot of money, enjoying the almost-same performance!

When I first heard about this couple of years ago, I really had different opinions about this concept. I always thought that the entertainment, networking and similar IT services would be fascinated by it. Of course, the primary concerns I had in my mind were data storage, security and the acceptability of migration by major companies. If you look at the business picture now, all the major industries including General Motors, Barclays, GE, Essar etc who’ve been doing their business using automated software are migrating to the cloud. Some of them are even planning to get rid of their traditional tools and completely moving to cloud.

Salesforce.com is one major cloud moderator, who is doing an excellent branding and inviting a lot of people. The best part of salesforce is, not only the product is robust by itself, it knows where it fares bad. For all the segments where it is not capable of meeting the customer requirements, it recommends the customers to buy one of the products which excel in that particular segment. So, it integrates or provides the infrastructure needed to integrate with that partner which excels in that particular segment. Eventhough, salesforce has disadvantages and also having a tough time with competitors in the recent times, it has definitely played a major role to motivate major software consumers to migrate themselves to the cloud. Salesforce is one such company, and there are a lot more players here. Now one can imagine the scope and scale of the cloud.

These changes in the market have also revolutionized the development strategies. Developers in this domain are turning into consultants. Availability of custom APIs on the cloud provider and their own languages (like visual force/apex for instance) and functional mappings, these consultants has almost said good-bye to the client-server developing. Though it reduces your exposure and scope, people are loving it.

In the last 1 year, I’ve been exposed to a higher level of technical design and functional strategies. I’m really fascinated by the way the domains Business Intelligence and CRM are functioning in the current world. Keep watching, I’ll share more experiences/posts related to this J