Don,

Good points.

I would also add that, if I was asked about it today for a future deployment, it is worth considering a web 2.0 type of approach. While HTML, JavaScript, AJAX, etc. will be here for awhile, the future is already being readied for deployment. That future looks like Microsoft Silverlight and Adobe AIR (plus others). Hence, it is worth considering building a new app in web 2.0 and foregoing the major limitations of current web technologies.

Alan

Alan Churchill Savian "Bridging SAS and Microsoft Technologies" www.savian.net

-----Original Message----- From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Don Henderson Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 10:37 AM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: Deployment of SAS/AF application from mainframe to the web

First, I agree (mostly) with what Alan is saying.

However, permit me to add that you question can not be answered in an abstract fashion. How to approach this depends heavily on how the AF application is structured, how the UI works, how it accesses the data, etc.

For example, if you AF application simply collects user choices and then submits code, then it can likely be simply migrated (i.e., re-written).

However, if it contains data entry components where you lock a row so the user can edit it, that is more difficult given the multi-tier environment of the web. For example, in an AF application if you hit the end button on an entry screen, presumably your SCL code will close the data set thus unlocking the record. It can do this because AF can detect your key clicks and knows that your user ended the session. On the web however, once the data entry screen is displayed in the browser, if the user just closes the browser, your SAS code on the server has no way of knowing that (without a lot of logic that can't be counted on). So if you locked the record before delivering to the UI, it stays locked. And if you don't lock it before delivering, two people could be editing the same record at the same time, thus stepping on each others changes.

There are virtually an infinite number of variations on the above examples. That is why the question can't be answered in the abstract. If you can provide more details on exactly what the AF application does and how it is structured perhaps the folks on the SAS-L list can help.

While pretty old, these prior SUGI articles provide a good overview of the issues you will face. Just recognize that the technology options available then vs. now are dramatically different.

http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi24/Internet/p178-24.pdf

and

http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi25/25/iw/25p173.pdf

When I have some free time, :-), I will try to put together a short page on www.sasCommunity.org on this.

Regards, -donh

> -----Original Message----- > From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Alan > Churchill > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 12:06 AM > To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > Subject: Re: Deployment of SAS/AF application from mainframe to the web > > Sure. Switch to SAS/IntrNet or SAS Integration Technologies as a backend > system and use a front-end web technology such as ASP.NET, J2EE, Perl, > RoR, > etc. > > I would recommend ASP.NET but I am biased. You can also do a lot with > SAS/IntrNet but I don't think it is as elegant on the front-end as the > other > technologies. However, it is great at submitting the code to SAS and > getting > the results back. > > Look at Don Henderson's book on SAS/IntrNet and the Application > Dispatcher. > > Finally, the web is not rich in user functionality. If you need a lot of > richness, consider alternatives. > > Alan > > Alan Churchill > Savian "Bridging SAS and Microsoft Technologies" > www.savian.net > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of > mrlau33@GMAIL.COM > Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 9:51 PM > To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > Subject: Deployment of SAS/AF application from mainframe to the web > > Can it possible to deploy the SAS/AF application to the web? If not, > what is the alternative?