XTS - Revision history

Xander: Migrating content to opentheatre.org.uk

2009-02-27T12:03:28Z

Migrating content to opentheatre.org.uk

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 == eXtensible Ticketing System ==
@@ Line 5: / Line 9: @@
 If you are just looking for help using the software to sell tickets, try [[Using XTS]].
-This page is a stub. I intend to document as much of the ticketing system as possible but keep forgetting things that I want to write about. Until it's completed, here's a list of sections that I intend to write under. This article is currently aimed at people who want to maintain the source code, NOT people who want to learn how to sell tickets.
+== What I planned to write about ==
 * History / Motivation
@@ Line 228: / Line 230: @@
 This is much easier than making a new layout. Just replace C:\Xander\ticketlogo.bmp with your new logo. It should have the same dimensions and should probably be just black and white.

Xander: /* Security */

2009-02-21T14:51:50Z

Security

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:51, 21 February 2009
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	XTS also has a built-in secure proxy (security.py, part of [[#XWF]]), based on AES with a preshared key. It allows trusted remote hosts privileged access to the ticketing server over an encrypted connection.		XTS also has a built-in secure proxy (security.py, part of [[#XWF]]), based on AES with a preshared key. It allows trusted remote hosts privileged access to the ticketing server over an encrypted connection.

	Applications that want to use the secure method of connecting to the server use a special URL (/v1/secure/v1/connect) and then "trade secrets" with the ticketing server in order to prove it's trustworthiness and verify the trustworthiness of the server. It's all very ingenious and you really shouldn't try doing it yourself until you've taken Computer Security (a really good course) or are Bruce ~~Sterling~~.		Applications that want to use the secure method of connecting to the server use a special URL (/v1/secure/v1/connect) and then "trade secrets" with the ticketing server in order to prove it's trustworthiness and verify the trustworthiness of the server. It's all very ingenious and you really shouldn't try doing it yourself until you've taken Computer Security (a really good course) or are Bruce Schneier.

	To be honest, it's quite voodoo - but it's also crucial when doing anything regarding ticket sales over the internet. So, really, don't mess with it until you quite know what you're doing.		To be honest, it's quite voodoo - but it's also crucial when doing anything regarding ticket sales over the internet. So, really, don't mess with it until you quite know what you're doing.

Xander: /* Setting Up a Development Server */ Too much sudo

2008-10-24T11:38:41Z

Setting Up a Development Server: Too much sudo

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:38, 24 October 2008
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	* '''Add the MySQL server binaries to your path'''. To do this you need to create a bash profile.		* '''Add the MySQL server binaries to your path'''. To do this you need to create a bash profile.
	$ ~~sudo~~ emacs ~/.bash_profile		$ emacs ~/.bash_profile
	Then, put this in the new file you've just created in EMACS:		Then, put this in the new file you've just created in EMACS:
	export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/mysql/bin		export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/mysql/bin

Xander: /* Setting Up a Development Server */

2008-10-16T06:23:23Z

Setting Up a Development Server

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:23, 16 October 2008
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	$ sudo easy_install web.py		$ sudo easy_install web.py

	* Install "Python Crypto"		* Install '''Python Crypto'''
	$ sudo easy_install pycrypto		$ sudo easy_install pycrypto
	Installing PyCrypto under Windows is not so trivial. You will need to install MinGW, then perform the install manually (or tweak the easy_install configuration). [http://jintoreedwine.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/python-25-and-encryption-pycrypto-under-windows/ This page summarises how to get the job done quickly].		Installing PyCrypto under Windows is not so trivial. You will need to install MinGW, then perform the install manually (or tweak the easy_install configuration). [http://jintoreedwine.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/python-25-and-encryption-pycrypto-under-windows/ This page summarises how to get the job done quickly].

Xander: /* Ticket Server */ Various updates.

2008-10-16T06:22:49Z

Ticket Server: Various updates.

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:22, 16 October 2008
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	The [[#Javascript Client]] uses the XTS API to make a nice box office interface for selling tickets to customers.		The [[#Javascript Client]] uses the XTS API to make a nice box office interface for selling tickets to customers.

	If you know a little XML ~~and HTTP~~ you can write programs that interact with the API yourself.		If you know a little XML you can write programs that interact with the API yourself. You can write your programs in Java, PHP, Python, Ruby -- whatever. So long as you can make an HTTP connection and deal with a little XML, you're good to go.

	See [[XTS API]] for further information and full documentation.		See [[XTS API]] for further information and full documentation.
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	The ticket server uses host and password authentication to decide who can do what using the API. Full details are in the [[XTS API\|API documentation]].		The ticket server uses host and password authentication to decide who can do what using the API. Full details are in the [[XTS API\|API documentation]].

			XTS also has a built-in secure proxy (security.py, part of [[#XWF]]), based on AES with a preshared key. It allows trusted remote hosts privileged access to the ticketing server over an encrypted connection.

			Applications that want to use the secure method of connecting to the server use a special URL (/v1/secure/v1/connect) and then "trade secrets" with the ticketing server in order to prove it's trustworthiness and verify the trustworthiness of the server. It's all very ingenious and you really shouldn't try doing it yourself until you've taken Computer Security (a really good course) or are Bruce Sterling.

			To be honest, it's quite voodoo - but it's also crucial when doing anything regarding ticket sales over the internet. So, really, don't mess with it until you quite know what you're doing.

	==== Error Handling ====		==== Error Handling ====
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	Where possible, error numbers correspond to the [http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec10.html HTTP status code definitions]. This is mostly because I'm perverse and think it's funny that when something isn't there you get a 404 error. However, it can be useful when writing your client software in that a 4xx error indicates that the client probably did something wrong whereas 5xx errors indicate that something went wrong on the server (which is potentially much more serious).		Where possible, error numbers correspond to the [http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec10.html HTTP status code definitions]. This is mostly because I'm perverse and think it's funny that when something isn't there you get a 404 error. However, it can be useful when writing your client software in that a 4xx error indicates that the client probably did something wrong whereas 5xx errors indicate that something went wrong on the server (which is potentially much more serious).

			==== XWF ====

			XWF is a python module of useful bits of code for writing web applications. The thinking is that only XTS code should be in the XTS module. So if there's some code which does something more generic - like writing log files or providing security - this code should be written in a different module where it doesn't clutter up the code that actually matters.

			At time of writing, XWF includes xml.py, which is a lightweight set of functions for very quickly writing XML documents, and security.py, which provides a security layer for remote hosts that need trust and secrecy when talking to the Ticket Server (see [[#Security]]).

	==== Source ====		==== Source ====
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	data.py provides an interface to the database. Wherever XTS needs to get information from the database, it does it by calling a function in data.py. data.py then takes care of turning the information request into SQL, and if necessary, post-processing the response into a useful form for the caller.		data.py provides an interface to the database. Wherever XTS needs to get information from the database, it does it by calling a function in data.py. data.py then takes care of turning the information request into SQL, and if necessary, post-processing the response into a useful form for the caller.

	You should be able to port XTS to another datastore simply by replacing data.py.		You should be able to port XTS to another datastore simply by replacing data.py and stats.py.

	===== exceptions.py =====		===== exceptions.py =====
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	printer.py is an abstraction layer with one synchronous public function, printTicket(). It takes care of sending the ticket to the [[#Print Server]] and making sure that the printer got the ticket. If the print can't be confirmed it throws a SnewtsError.		printer.py is an abstraction layer with one synchronous public function, printTicket(). It takes care of sending the ticket to the [[#Print Server]] and making sure that the printer got the ticket. If the print can't be confirmed it throws a SnewtsError.

			===== reflection.py =====

			reflection.py is a silly bit of code with some functions for counting lines in code. It's used to provide some of the statistics you get when you look at the XTS "about" page, such as how many TODO comments are still left in the code.

			reflection.py should be refactored into the XWF module - none of the code is specific to XTS itself, so it shouldn't be cluttering up the snewts module.

	===== report.py =====		===== report.py =====
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	snewts.py does the job of recognising requests from clients, checking that the clients are authorised to make the requests, and sending back responses. Simple requests (ie. getPerformances) are fulfilled by getting data from [[#data.py]] directly. More complicated requests are fulfilled by calling business logic in [[#logic.py]] or getting [[#report.py]] to generate reports.		snewts.py does the job of recognising requests from clients, checking that the clients are authorised to make the requests, and sending back responses. Simple requests (ie. getPerformances) are fulfilled by getting data from [[#data.py]] directly. More complicated requests are fulfilled by calling business logic in [[#logic.py]] or getting [[#report.py]] to generate reports.

			===== stats.py =====

			stats.py contains code for calculating various metrics and statistics with regards to the XTS database (such as "how many tickets have been sold?" and "of all of the seats that have been available for all of the shows ever, what percentage of them did we actually sell?"). stats.py accesses the database directly, because otherwise all of the code in stats.py would have to be in data.py, and that would make data.py even bigger than it already is.

	===== status.py =====		===== status.py =====

Xander: /* Setting Up a Development Server */ Additions regarding new crypto library.

2008-10-16T06:01:57Z

Setting Up a Development Server: Additions regarding new crypto library.

Xander: /* Getting Started */ Pycrypto

2008-10-15T14:06:01Z

Getting Started: Pycrypto

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:06, 15 October 2008
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	* Install '''web.py'''		* Install '''web.py'''
	$ sudo easy_install web.py		$ sudo easy_install web.py
			* Install "Python Crypto"
			$ sudo easy_install pycrypto
			This step relates to a part of XTS that is under development at time of writing. Pycrypto is the cryptographic package that I favour at the moment because it doesn't have any external dependencies, and thus should be easier to build on Windows. However, as I write, I'm still at least needing to install MinGW in order to have the headers needed for compiling from C. So we'll see. --[[User:Xander\|Xander]] 15:06, 15 October 2008 (BST)
	* In order to run the administration interface, install '''Django'''. http://www.djangoproject.com/download/		* In order to run the administration interface, install '''Django'''. http://www.djangoproject.com/download/
	* Build a '''Python/MySQL adapter'''. Download the tarball from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python. Then untar it, patch _mysql.c by hand and install. Sounds hard? It is. Hopefully by the time you come to do this, installing the mysql adapter will be as easy as sudo easy_install mysql_python. See http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?50,175059,219216#msg-219216 for more info.		* Build a '''Python/MySQL adapter'''. Download the tarball from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python. Then untar it, patch _mysql.c by hand and install. Sounds hard? It is. Hopefully by the time you come to do this, installing the mysql adapter will be as easy as sudo easy_install mysql_python. See http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?50,175059,219216#msg-219216 for more info.

Xander: /* What I plan to write about */ XTS now has a crypto layer that needs documentation

2008-10-15T14:03:18Z

What I plan to write about: XTS now has a crypto layer that needs documentation

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:03, 15 October 2008
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	** Python		** Python
	** Java		** Java
			** Crypto - Rjindael (AES)
	* Parts of the system		* Parts of the system
	** DONE Database		** DONE Database

Xander: /* What I plan to write about */

2008-08-28T15:38:48Z

What I plan to write about

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:38, 28 August 2008
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	*** IPython		*** IPython
	** Things You Must Do		** Things You Must Do
	*** Setting up your own dev version from trunk		*** DONE Setting up your own dev version from trunk
	*** Working on a test data set
	*** Keeping the documentation up-to-date		*** Keeping the documentation up-to-date
	** Safe and Unsafe		** Safe and Unsafe

Xander: /* Setting Up a Development Server */

2008-08-28T15:23:45Z

Setting Up a Development Server

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:23, 28 August 2008
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	$ sudo easy_install web.py		$ sudo easy_install web.py
	* In order to run the administration interface, install '''Django'''. http://www.djangoproject.com/download/		* In order to run the administration interface, install '''Django'''. http://www.djangoproject.com/download/
	* Build a '''Python/MySQL adapter'''. Download the tarball from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python. Then untar it, patch _mysql.c by hand and install. Sounds hard? It is. Hopefully by the time you come to do this, installing mysql will be as easy as sudo easy_install mysql_python. See http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?50,175059,219216#msg-219216 for more info.		* Build a '''Python/MySQL adapter'''. Download the tarball from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python. Then untar it, patch _mysql.c by hand and install. Sounds hard? It is. Hopefully by the time you come to do this, installing the mysql adapter will be as easy as sudo easy_install mysql_python. See http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?50,175059,219216#msg-219216 for more info.
	$ tar -xvf MySQL-python-1.2.2.tar		$ tar -xvf MySQL-python-1.2.2.tar
	$ cd MySQL-python-1.2.2		$ cd MySQL-python-1.2.2

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:01, 16 October 2008
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	You need to be familiar with Terminal, and you'll be using the sudo command to do things as root. If these things sound frightening you should start by googling around a little.		You need to be familiar with Terminal, and you'll be using the sudo command to do things as root. If these things sound frightening you should start by googling around a little.

	* Install '''XCode Tools'''. You're going to need XCode so that you can build the Python/MySQL adapter later. You can download XCode from http://developer.apple.com/tools/xcode/. It's free, but it's a big download. While you're downloading it, move onto the next couple of steps.		* Install '''XCode Tools'''. You're going to need XCode so that you can build the Python/MySQL adapter and the PyCrypto library later. You can download XCode from http://developer.apple.com/tools/xcode/. It's free, but it's a big download. While you're downloading it, move onto the next couple of steps.

	* '''Python 2.5''' is already installed on Mac OS X 10.5. Rejoice.		* '''Python 2.5''' is already installed on Mac OS X 10.5. Rejoice.

	* '''easy_install''' is already installed on Mac OS X 10.5. Aren't you glad you bought a Mac?		* '''easy_install''' is already installed on Mac OS X 10.5. Aren't you glad you bought a Mac?

	* Install a '''MySQL database server'''. It's free and open-source. http://dev.mysql.com		* Install a '''MySQL database server'''. It's free and open-source. http://dev.mysql.com

	* '''Add the MySQL server binaries to your path'''. To do this you need to create a bash profile.		* '''Add the MySQL server binaries to your path'''. To do this you need to create a bash profile.
	$ sudo emacs .bash_profile		$ sudo emacs ~/.bash_profile
	Then, put this in the new file you've just created in EMACS:		Then, put this in the new file you've just created in EMACS:
	export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/mysql/bin		export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/mysql/bin
	Then save and close your new profile by pressing CTRL-X, CTRL-S, ~~XTRL~~-X, CTRL-C. Then to make use of your new profile, close and re-open your terminal.		Then save and close your new profile by pressing CTRL-X, CTRL-S, CTRL-X, CTRL-C. Then to make use of your new profile, close and re-open your terminal.

	* So long as the previous step went well you should now be able to '''start up your MySQL server''' by typing:		* So long as the previous step went well you should now be able to '''start up your MySQL server''' by typing:
	$ sudo safe_mysqld		$ sudo safe_mysqld
	If that fails to work, you didn't manage to reconfigure your path properly. Google for help.		If that fails to work, you didn't manage to reconfigure your path properly. Google for help.

	* Install '''web.py'''		* Install '''web.py'''
	$ sudo easy_install web.py		$ sudo easy_install web.py

	* Install "Python Crypto"		* Install "Python Crypto"
	$ sudo easy_install pycrypto		$ sudo easy_install pycrypto
	~~This step relates to a part of XTS that is~~ under ~~development at time of writing. Pycrypto~~ is ~~the cryptographic package that I favour at the moment because it doesn't have any external dependencies, and thus should be easier to build on Windows~~. ~~However, as I write, I'm still at least needing~~ to install MinGW ~~in order to have~~ the ~~headers needed for compiling from C~~. ~~So we'll see~~. --~~[[User:Xander\|Xander~~]~~] 15:06, 15 October 2008 (BST)~~		Installing PyCrypto under Windows is not so trivial. You will need to install MinGW, then perform the install manually (or tweak the easy_install configuration). [http://jintoreedwine.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/python-25-and-encryption-pycrypto-under-windows/ This page summarises how to get the job done quickly].

	* In order to run the administration interface, install '''Django'''. http://www.djangoproject.com/download/		* In order to run the administration interface, install '''Django'''. http://www.djangoproject.com/download/

	* Build a '''Python/MySQL adapter'''. Download the tarball from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python. Then untar it, patch _mysql.c by hand and install. Sounds hard? It is. Hopefully by the time you come to do this, installing the mysql adapter will be as easy as sudo easy_install mysql_python. See http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?50,175059,219216#msg-219216 for more info.		* Build a '''Python/MySQL adapter'''. Download the tarball from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python. Then untar it, patch _mysql.c by hand and install. Sounds hard? It is. Hopefully by the time you come to do this, installing the mysql adapter will be as easy as sudo easy_install mysql_python. See http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?50,175059,219216#msg-219216 for more info.
	$ tar -xvf MySQL-python-1.2.2.tar		$ tar -xvf MySQL-python-1.2.2.tar
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	$ sudo mkdir /usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql		$ sudo mkdir /usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql
	$ sudo cp /usr/local/mysql/lib/libmysqlclient_r.15.dylib /usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql/libmysqlclient_r.15.dylib		$ sudo cp /usr/local/mysql/lib/libmysqlclient_r.15.dylib /usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql/libmysqlclient_r.15.dylib


			Hilariously, on Windows, this step is much easier. Just get the binary installer from Sourceforge: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python

	You've now finished installing all of the required software. Next you need to set up the initial data and permissions in the database.		You've now finished installing all of the required software. Next you need to set up the initial data and permissions in the database.

	* Download '''CocoaMySQL''', or an alternative MySQL client of your choosing.		* Download '''CocoaMySQL''', or an alternative MySQL client of your choosing.

	* '''Log into your own MySQL server''' as root.		* '''Log into your own MySQL server''' as root.

	* '''Create a database''' called "xts".		* '''Create a database''' called "xts".

	* '''Import a database backup''' from Maude. It's the fastest way to get up and running with plenty of real-world data.		* '''Import a database backup''' from Maude. It's the fastest way to get up and running with plenty of real-world data.

	* '''Set permissions''' so that the anonymous user on localhost ("@localhost") has full access to the xts database. These are very lax permissions, but they'll do for a development server.		* '''Set permissions''' so that the anonymous user on localhost ("@localhost") has full access to the xts database. These are very lax permissions, but they'll do for a development server.

	* Finally, '''run the XTS server'''. In whatever directory you have a copy of the XTS source, run:		* Finally, '''run the XTS server'''. In whatever directory you have a copy of the XTS source, run:
	$ python server.py		$ python server.py
	You can now visit http://localhost:8080 in a web browser on your own computer to play around. So long as the version signature under the XTS logo shows "DEV", you're looking at your own server.		You can now visit http://localhost:8080 in a web browser on your own computer to play around. So long as the version signature under the XTS logo shows "DEV", you're looking at your own server.

	* Get hacking.		* Get hacking.