i've been looking for quite some time for a whiteboard module (for any cms), but have had no luck. does anyone know of one? or where to begin to develop one?
my goal is to have an "idea database" basically. this would allow each user to use an online whiteboard to draw out basic diagrams or workflows, just like how someone would explain an idea in real life on a whiteboard. the image should then be able to be saved to the server, viewed by anyone who the user allows, and edited by anyone the user allows. it should be able to have comments under the image, and should keep track of each version, each update, and each new comment added.
i have no problems with php, however, i'm thinking that the whiteboard portion would require some java, which i am not familiar with.
if anyone knows of a module like this, or can point me in the right direction, i would be very greatful.
Comments
Hi jason
While I dont have a definitive answer, I do have some pointers which might help:
(a) Macromedia have a flash communicator product which allows you to do precisely what you want, but it is very expensive as I understand it for the server software.
if you go to macromedia.com and click through to information/demos about the FLASH COMMUNICATOR. that will give you an idea.
(b) I was looking at a similar application to what you are trying to do a while back and stumbled across this: http://ghostwire.com/go/28
it's an open source FLASH REMOTING piece of kit. Not sure of the legals, but assume it's okay as there appears to be positive communication between them and macromedia.
(c) one of the best uses of a whiteboard is on the drupal driven http:// www. terminus1525 .ca/ site..click through to their forum or contact the webguys for tips on how they did that. (I'm guessing it's just using flash communicator and nothing to do with drupal)
Notes: I haven't looked at any JAVA based applications...as that usually requires a client-side installation..which raises platform issues. Flash seems to be on everyones browser now...so it appears to be an easier approach.
Hope the above makes sense and is of use....if you do stumbled across any neat solutions..please post back up here..
cheers
Dub
Currently in Switzerland working as an Application Developer with UBS Investment Bank...using Drupal 7 and lots of swiss chocolate
thanks...
thanks for the info. doing it in flash would be pretty cool, but i think it's a little over the top.
from what i've read on the links you gave me, the macromedia software is more tward colaboration, and making it where 15 users can all be chatting and drawing on the whiteboard all at the same time. what i need is a goob bit more simple than that.
i just need the whiteboard to be able to save images to the server and be able to pull them back up for editing or viewing. i could handle the rest with php.
also, i don't have a copy of macromedia studio :(
image.module
ahh..I see...
Sorry... assumed you had already looked at the image.module and that wasn't enough.....the image.module allows you to save edited images to the server using drupal.
you could setup a special role type and grant Access control to them so others can collaborate on the same images.
Dub
Currently in Switzerland working as an Application Developer with UBS Investment Bank...using Drupal 7 and lots of swiss chocolate
but...
but does that module include a web-based image editor/whiteboard?
nope..
No. the image.module doesn't include a web-based image editor..the only one I have come across that are simple to setup and use is the flash remoting thing as mentioned before..
I stand corrected, but, when you get into anything bigger than text editing, like tinymce or htmlarea, you need a beefy server side application tool like flash communicator or the open source thing I linked earlier.
Although, that's only my limited knowledge of the subject. Bottom line is I think it is not something you could just slap into a module..
Dub
Currently in Switzerland working as an Application Developer with UBS Investment Bank...using Drupal 7 and lots of swiss chocolate
found it! (kind of)
i found just what i was looking for:
http://www.izhuk.com/painter/
and it allows you to save to the server, and even gives code examples here:
http://www.izhuk.com/painter/product/doc/intro.htm
however, it's not open source, and not free, and i can't redistribute it. anyone know of a good replacement?
Whiteboards
Searching freshmeat for the phrase whiteboard, http://freshmeat.net/search/?q=whiteboard§ion=projects&Go.x=0&Go.y=0 yields 13 open source and 2 commercial projects that may fit. You could install one and then link to it while you're waiting on a drupal based solution.
thanks!
thank you for sending me over to freashmeat. i had searched sourceforge a while back with no luck, but never thought about freshmeat.
i think i will try to work with pWhiteboard, which i found with your link.
thanks for your help!
modules..
HI Jason,
if you're thinking of working with pwhiteboard...it might be worth checking out the htmlarea.module or tinymce.module
both do the exact same as pwhiteboard is based on an earlier version of what the htmlarea.module is based on.
Dub
Currently in Switzerland working as an Application Developer with UBS Investment Bank...using Drupal 7 and lots of swiss chocolate
New Drupal Whiteboard Module
A new whiteboard module is now available for download. It is a 6.x-1.x-dev release with few features currently, but is under active development. Look for additional functionality soon. If you have feature requests or support issues, feel free to add them to the queue. 7.x version to be added. If you would like to see the direction I am taking the module, there is a link at the bottom. A link to a current demo is also available.
http://drupal.org/project/whiteboard