The original website was hardcoded HTML, with little room for updating or upgrading functionality. Our first, and probably hardest task, was updating the web page to a more robust system. We changed the webpages to use php, hosted on an apache server and utilizing a mySQL database. The database is used to store values relating the events and to store the information on the greenways. The PHP allows us to access these database elements to display on the site, as well as helping create a form for submitting issues, and displaying current weather, and the forecast for today and tomorrow.
The original site listed accessibility info for each greenway in a separate tab, which we moved to the information tab to reduce redundancy. We also added pictures of each individual greenway to its respective page.
The report issues page sends an email to the city of Winston-Salem with the problem, and also has a mobile link for calling the city if there is a more pressing matter, or if it is more convenient for the user.
Some things we would like to have completed were real time GPS tracking translated into the report issues page. We also wanted to have automated driving directions to each greenway from someone's current location. Instead there is just entrance info under each greenway. Some of the greenways can be difficult to get to, and are not easily accessed from major roads. Trying to map it without proper information would be haphazard, especially considering some of the latest tech news regarding people getting lost in huge parks due to faulty mapping software. With the new back end of the site, it can be more easily updated to do these types of things in the future, if Winston-Salem chooses to.
Links:
Screencast Demo
WSGreenways Github
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