How can I create an on-line design tool?
 
I'd like to allow visitors to my website to post images they create at
the site. The images would be created with an on-line canvas and
pallet. On the pallet would be simple shapes: squares, etc. Users
would drag and drop the shapes from the pallet to the canvas to create
their design, name the drawing, then submit the design into a database
at the site.
 
What software would allow me to create this?

Hello Gantonick,

The short answer: SVG + ECMAScript (+ server-side scripting).


---- What is SVG?
SVG are Scalable Vector Graphics, an XML based W3C standard for web
graphics.

---- What is ECMAScript?
Just another word for JavaScript, or to be more correct; a
standardization effort for the family of JavaScript/ JScript
languages.

---- And server-side scripting?
This would be the back-end that handles the form submission and saving
to the database. I assume you're mostly interested in the client-side,
but this could be implemented in e.g. PHP, Python, ASP, alongside with
PostgreSQL, XML, MySQL, MSSQL.

---- How does SVG display in the browser?
Currently, there's the Adobe SVG Viewer 3:
http://www.adobe.com/svg/viewer/install/


Now you might want to see a running demo; after you installed the ASV3
mentioned above, you can go to:

SVG Draw
http://www.adobe.com/svg/demos/main.html
(Last demo on page, click image to enter)


As to so many things, there's other answers (e.g. "use Java", "use
Flash", or "use VML"). But this is my suggestion as I saw the power of
SVG and its ease-of-use, and how greatly it displays -- and scales --
on a web page. Another bonus: it's a standardized effort led by the
W3C, which is the safest way to ensure you're not betting your efforts
on a soon-to-be-outdated technology.

Please understand that a detailed explanation and actual complete &
working SVG source-code could take a whole week and exceed the scope
of this answer, but I hope this helps pointing you in the right
direction! I wish you the best of luck in your project.


More resources:

SVG homepage at the W3C
http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/Overview.htm8

KevlinDev.com
http://www.kevlindev.com

If you're familiar with XML, even better. If not, you might want to
see:

XML homepage at the W3C
http://www.w3.org/XML/

And for a visual tool to generate SVG:

JASC WebDraw (free demo)
http://www.jasc.com/products/webdraw/

---

Request for Answer Clarification by gantonick-ga on 06 Jun 2002 19:16 PDT

where can I find someone to program this for me?

---

Clarification of Answer by j_philipp-ga on 07 Jun 2002 00:58 PDT

Hello Gantonick,

thanks a lot for the great rating.

Since you already posted a second question, I take it you're now about
to break up the task ahead into smaller questions to be solved --
which is just what I would have suggested.

The other question is locked at the moment but me (and others) will
make sure to help you out whenever we can. It might be helpful if you
tell us (maybe in a clarification at your second question) if you want
to implement the tool on your own, or find someone to implement it for
you; that is, if you're managing the project, or about to program it.

Thanks, and again good luck!

perfect! perfect! just what I wanted and more.