Documentation? Is this the correct module to do the job?

jgoodwill01 - October 2, 2009 - 15:08
Project:Public Bookings
Version:6.x-1.0-alpha5
Component:Documentation
Category:support request
Priority:normal
Assigned:tirsales
Status:closed
Description

I'm trying to figure out how to use this module.

I have a Content Type where users send in requests for meeting rooms. I am trying to find a way to have these submissions checked for availability before the node will be posted. Is the Booking API the right tool for the job and how do I go about implementing it?

Basically I have a Room CCK field and a Date/Time field and I need to be able to check availability of the room at that time.

#1

tirsales - October 12, 2009 - 14:24

Appologies for the delay - I was away for two weeks and in contradiction to my plans had no internet-access available... I will get back to you tomorrow.

#2

tirsales - October 13, 2009 - 12:33
Status:active» postponed (maintainer needs more info)

Actually Booking API would be able to do the job. Add a resource for each room, add a new content type and own submission of new entrys (or change) check whether the resource can be booked and (if possible) book it. If not - display a warning to the user and reject the booking.

But then - why not just use Public Bookings?

#3

tirsales - October 29, 2009 - 10:33
Component:Bookings API Trigger» Code
Assigned to:Anonymous» tirsales
Status:postponed (maintainer needs more info)» fixed

Setting to fixed. Feel free to reopen, if additional information is needed.

#4

jgoodwill01 - November 3, 2009 - 15:41
Status:fixed» active

I'm sorry can you explain in a little more detail. I'm looking at the components included with the Booking API and Public Bookings.

Bookings API 6.x-1.0-alpha5 An API for managing the booking and scheduling of resources. Does nothing on its own.
Depends on: Date API (enabled), Date Repeat API (enabled)
Required by: Bookings API Rules (disabled), Bookings API Trigger (disabled), Public Bookings (disabled)

Bookings API Rules 6.x-1.0-alpha5 Adds Rules-integration for Bookings API.
Depends on: Bookings API (disabled), Rules (enabled), Date API (enabled), Date Repeat API (enabled)

Bookings API Trigger 6.x-1.0-alpha5 Adds several triggers for Bookings API.
Depends on: Bookings API (disabled), Trigger (enabled), Date API (enabled), Date Repeat API (enabled)

Public Bookings 6.x-1.0-alpha5 Allows public booking of rooms and resources, with administrator approval.
Depends on: Bookings API (disabled), Views (enabled), Date API (enabled), Date Repeat API (enabled)

Let me get this straight in my head.

I'll need to create a new content type ofr the rooms with a node for each room would this be the resource? I assume this will need a date field.

I'm not sure what you mean by "own submission of new entrys (or change)" do you mean set permissions for new entries?

How do I go about "check whether the resource can be booked"?

Are you referring to setting triggers and rules if so can you give an example?

I believe more documentation with these modules would really make them useful to a lot of people if you can give me a nice explanation of setting up a booking environment then maybe more people will understand how this works.

Thanks!

#5

tirsales - November 3, 2009 - 15:59
Project:Bookings API» Public Bookings
Version:6.x-1.0-alpha5» 6.x-1.0-alpha5
Component:Code» Documentation

At the moment Bookings API (6.x-1.0) is using an own, custom resource-type. Using nodes is not possible at the moment (I am writing on a new version which will use a node-based resource-type (6.x-3.0) but so far it is NOT usable). Thus it's not needed to add a custom node-type.
In the future Bookings API will add its own node-type for resources. In an even farer future, I will allow using your own custom node-type - but let me first get the easy stuff set up ;)

Steps to use Public Bookings:

  1. Install Bookings API and Public Bookings
  2. Go to admin/content/publicbookings/settings and activate the Booking form. Perhaps you like to check some other settings too? You can e.g. set the granulation of bookings, whether a confirmation of email-addresses is needed or whether an administrator needs to finalize (check) each booking.
  3. Add Resources on admin/content/publicbookings/resource - there you can set whether a resource can be booked, if its available, etc
  4. Use it ;) - Public Bookings has a public interface (/publicbookings) and an administrative interface ( /admin/content/publicbookings/ ). Have a look at both of them (resources can be added in a sub-menu of the administrative interface)

When somebody tries to book a resource (/publicbookings) , availability is checked prior to allowing this bookings.

You wont need Trigger or Rules - unless you want to combine Bookings API with one of those (e.g. send a mail to the admin upon recieving a new booking).

Yes, I will need to add some documentation and I'll redesign the interface (e.g. menu structure) - but I hesitate to do so with the current version. It's lifetime is really running low and it would only delay work on the more advanced version..

#6

jgoodwill01 - November 5, 2009 - 20:15

That you so much. That makes everything a lot more understandable. What advanced version are you working on?

#7

tirsales - November 5, 2009 - 21:11
Status:active» fixed

You're welcome :-)

For users:
I'm working on a version of Bookings API and Public Bookings that uses Nodes to store its data. In a first step it will use a pre-defined node-type for resources (thus allowing easy integration with CCK, Views, custom permissions,..), a second step will save bookings as nodes (thus allowing e.g. easy integration with a calendar).

For developers:
I'm rewriting the hooks inside of Bookings API (thus allowing more advanced features for additional modules) and on an addition that will allow table/seat bookings (that is: advanced grouping of resources, handling of sets of resources and resources with special features like combinable size (2 three-person tables make for 1 six-person table), etc

In short:
I'm working on a near complete rewrite of Bookings API - and yes, I will provide an update path :-)

#8

jgoodwill01 - November 6, 2009 - 13:22

Great to hear it. That sounds like a large task. Good luck.

#9

System Message - November 20, 2009 - 13:30
Status:fixed» closed

Automatically closed -- issue fixed for 2 weeks with no activity.

 
 

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