• Knowledge of XML.

• Knowledge of JavaScript.

• Knowledge of SQL.

• Knowledge of TOPICA Basic.

Configurators creates/edits configuration items (files within the configuration). The configuration items define the data model and much of the user interface of the application.

Some configuration tasks may be performed using user interface built into the framework to create/edit configuration items. For example, a configurator will use the editor to create/edit form definitions.

For other tasks, no user interface exists. Examples: working with .config files and TOPICA Reports XML format. In these cases, the configurator will have to edit XML files (using any tool of the configurator's choice). These configuration files must be deployed to the correct directories on the web server running the TOPICA framework.

• When the configurator has direct access to the web server, (s)he may work directly on the XML files on the server.

• When the configurator does NOT have direct access to the web server, (s)he must upload the configuration files somehow. This might be done using standard tools (e.g. FTP) - or the configurator may use the upload/download/deployment tools built into the framework (see configuration deployment).

Configurators will need to read the following parts of the documentation:

• Configuration Guide for introduction/tutorial to the configuration task.

• Configuration Reference Manual for technical reference (detailed descriptions of configuration items, file formats, etc.).

• TOPICA defines its own expression language called TOPICA Basic. This language is used throughout the framework, and is used to construct validation rules, automatic computations, reports etc.

• Configurators will also need to be familiar with Application Guide, because Configuring Security involves using the application for Organization Administration and User Administration.

• For developing reports, knowledge of SQL and the Data Model is essential. There are several options for Developing Reports: TOPICA's built-in report format and SQL Server Reporting Services.

• If it is necessary to extend the built-in functionality in data entry forms (client-side), knowledge of JavaScript will be required. In this case knowledge of JavaScript libraries will be useful. TOPICA already includes references to jQuery and several jQuery UI components.

Besides knowledge of TOPICA Basic, SQL (and possibly JavaScript), programming skills are not required to get an application running. That is, you do not have to write any .NET code to get an application running (provided you do not need any functionality besides what is possible to configure).

There may arise situations, however, where the configuration alone is not sufficient to achieve what you would like to do. The framework is very extensible, so that a trained programmer might be able to write the necessary code and plug that smoothly into the framework. Consult an application developer.

As previously mentioned, the distinction between a configurator and an application developer is not clear-cut - both roles need to do some programming. The distinction used in this documentation is:

• A configurator primarily configures forms and reports (in XML or useing the editor - and may occasionally have to write code in SQL, JavaScript and/or TOPICA Basic.

• An application developer primarily programs in C# (implementing custom webforms, custom webservices, etc.) - and may occasionally also perform configuration tasks (configure forms and reports and program in SQL, JavaScript and/or TOPICA Basic).

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