ERIC Number: EJ1258195
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Aug
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1545-679X
EISSN: N/A
Liberating Legacy System Data with Rails, Intelligent Use of Conflict Data with Automated Class Scheduling Tools
Wolthuis, Stuart L.; Slade, Christopher
Information Systems Education Journal, v18 n4 p12-21 Aug 2020
In this research project we describe the legacy software landscape, its current state, and challenges associated with aging information systems and access to its data. We briefly describe the popularity of dynamic languages and how a specific dynamic programming language, Ruby on Rails (RoR or Rails), is used to create a system to extract data from a legacy system to increase efficiency and productivity in an academic class scheduling system. As an example, we describe, first, how a system developed in Rails, called Class Scheduler, pulls data from a legacy student management system (MAPPER) developed in Tcl (pronounced "tickle") and uses this data to vastly increase the efficiency of the scheduling process and, second, how it reduces conflicts in class schedules. We discuss the advantages of automatically extracting and processing the data from the legacy system and the limitations associated with this process.
Descriptors: Computer Software, Data Use, Programming Languages, Information Systems, Scheduling, Management Systems, Efficiency, Productivity
Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals. Box 488, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480. e-mail: publisher@isedj.org; Web site: http://isedj.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A