Features

Fisterra 2 is a GNOME development framework and middleware technology. Currently it features:

• A set of libraries to implement middleware and client-server software, which is named fisterra-base.
• A reference implementation of a Point of sale using the framework, which is named fisterra-distribution.

On the other side, there is fisterra-garage, which is an application for car repairment garages, based on the legacy Fisterra 1.x platform.

fisterra-base

Fisterra base is the Fisterra 2 framework implementation, which includes the tools to build the middleware, servers and clients.

Technical features:

• General features:
  • GNOME 2 development platform.
  • Implemented in C language. It uses GObject object and type system to implement object oriented programming.
  • Three tier architecture.
• Client layer features:
  • Software architecture: model-view-controller.
  • Business widgets repository.
  • Integration with the GTK UI manager, which provides easiest menu/toolbar implementation.
• Communications and security:
  • Communication between client and server implemented in CORBA.
  • Session management using CORBA.
  • Access Control List (ACL) based authentication.
• Server layer features:
  • Business objects: Enterprise GNOME Barnacles (EGBs). Server objects encapsulating business behaviour.
  • Persistence automagically generated using Fisterra Barnacles.
  • Multi-master database replication (only for PostgreSQL).
  • Database storage implemented with Gnome Data Access.

fisterra-bmodules: Business and Service basic modules

• Services modules
  • Authentication and authorization
    • pam, passwd, ldap, ...
    • ACLs based authorization policies to grant/denied access to business services.
    • session server to manage user sessions on business server.
  • Tasks scheduler
    • define and execute planned background processes.
  • Databases replication
    • Fisterra is designed to work also in off line mode.
    • Its possible to define mutliple servers with their own local databases.
    • Implements a single master-slave lazy replication algorithm.
      • Distributed databases on slaves
    • Automatic conflicts detection: Version numbers
    • Manual conflicts resolution: Administrator users must fix replication conflicts
  • Databases migration
    • Tools to import data from different data storage systems: Oracle, MySQL, Access, PostgreSQL, ...
  • Listing modules
    • Tools to create listing windows.
    • Defining only 3 XML files, a new listing window could be added to application shell.
      • Filter Context
        • Define rules to create searching filters.
      • Listing Scheme
        • Define columns to show in listing results view (type, visibility, ...)
      • Listing Source
        • SQL query definition
        • sql coding with a very simple XML syntax
        • provides the most SQL standard operations, but you should take into account that its only a subset of all SQL commands
• Business modules
  • • Document workflow
      • Define document serial numbers: format and sequence
      • Define flow transitions and states
      • It provides widgets and models to define a document detail window
      • It provides EGB components to implements a general purchases and sell document managment.
    • Payment management
      • It Provides widgets and modest about payment methods, bank accounts, payment modes, installments management, ....
    • Contact management
      • Module to manage all actors involved in the business logic to implement.
      • It provides widgets with common data (name, phone, email, address, ...), working data (specific data of each defined business role.
      • Implements EGB components for basic contacts management.
    • Tax management
      • Business logic about taxes management
      • Provides abstract classes to implement specific taxes policies for each country.
    • Calendar management
      • Define a specific calendar for each application.

fisterra-distribution point of sale

Fisterra Distribution is a Point of sale application, based on fisterra-base framework.

Features (retail)

• Graphical UI following the Gnome Human Interface Guidelines, providing an usable and polished interaction with the user.
• All the typical cash register functionalities, including:
  • The cashier can check items using an standard barcode reader, or inserting UPC/EAN barcode manually.
  • Printing of tickets.
  • Different payment methods: credit card, bank checks, cash.
• Cash auditing and reporting.
• Offers and items management
• And much more

Fisterra Garage

Fisterra Garage is an ad hoc development program to manage an automotive glass repair company.

Features

• Customers, companies, agents, garages, consortiums and enterprises management system
• Work order system: repairs, detailed piece information, vehicle, insurance (company, policy, receipt) and accidents (photo management)
• Invoice management system: invoice emission, consults, collection, charge management (bank note automatic generation), general administration of enterprise positions and account conciliation
• Warehouses management system: piece and stock management, multiple shops, inter shop transferences and order management
• Account information system: VAT book, invoices management, summaries listing
• Cash management system
• Multiple printing invoice format
• Distributed database system using PostgreSQL, it can work offline and using low bandwidth lines interconnection
• Internationalization support