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This software is a multimedia catalog of all actually produced in the world cars:
- 27 countries
- 124 brands
- over 600 car models
- over 5000 car types
Each type has more than 100 technical characteristics and up to 5 pictures for each type. Two versions of catalogue are available: a standalone Win32 (written in Delphi) application, and its Web-based analog (AutoSearch). Because of the pictures, amount of binary data exceeds 600 Mb.
To allow users easily browse through all of these data, we used two different kinds of navigation: hierarchical and random. Hierarchical way: left side of the screen has a tree, in which data are hierarchically ordered by country, brand, model and type. Like in Windows-Explorer, user can open/close nodes and quickly come to the data he is interested in.
Picture 1. Main screen of WorldAuto catalogue
For random navigation, search components are used: it is possible to search over any technical characteristics (remember there are over one hundred of them).
On the right side is displayed the information about the selected car with the picture of it. User can run a slideshow to see a number of big pictures. This process is supplied by background music.
When user wants to analyze the data he is searching for, it is possible to put search results into an analog of a 'shopping cart' - we call it 'garage', where it is possible to navigate in the same way as on the basic data (i.e. it is possible again to use 'hierarchical' and 'random' navigation). This way of work with large amounts of data is very comfortable. After a search over the basic data is done, user can open 'garage' which represents data in the same way as they were represented before the search and he can use 'hierarchical' and 'random' navigation again and again in the same way he did it with the basic data.
Picture 2. 'Garage'
In 'garage', it is also possible to compare technical characteristics of different cars, which is very useful when a detailed comparison is needed. Saving selected in the 'garage' cars in a file, user can always review his selection, and also make a slideshow for these cars: putting the cars in a needed sequence, he can anytime later review it as set of automatically changed pictures, supplied by nice music.
All the information present in the Catalogue can be printed out in different ways, which can be customized by the user.
Are special module we developed and built in WorldAuto allows to see the car dealers of any German region by clicking on the map of Germany.
Picture 3. Interactive map of Germany: by click user gets list of dealers
In WorldAuto, we are using some of our own developed components. Good samples of them are Linear and Ring sliders, shown below.
Picture 4. Linear and ring sliders - Delphi components
Demos of these components can be downloaded here.
We acquired excellent experience in catalogue developing and possess know-hows in this field, so we would be happy to develop a catalogue for you.
Used tools and technologies:
User Interface: Delphi 3, own design with Adobe Photoshop, own developed components (Linear,Ring Sliders,Map,CoolPanel,CoolButtons,etc.).
Database: MS Access 97, ODBC. Modelling with ErWin.
OS: Windows 95/98/NT/2000.
Time spent:
5 developers were working 24 months = 120 man-months.
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