New Mortgage Origination System (NOS)

We worked closely with Filogix executives, management and technical staff to analyze and document the requirements for a next generation mortgage origination platform. Filogix has acquired and developed a number of origination systems and the goal of this project was to develop a unified replacement to those systems. The solution involved both a thin-client and fat (Java Swing) client communicating to an integrated server layer.

Generated Solutions continued to work with FiLogix on this project, supplying project management, architecture and development expertise. This was the first large scale enterprise development project using Java/J2EE that Filogix has embarked on and represents a major technology shift for the company; one that will allow Filogix to maintain it's leadership position in the Canadian mortgage technology services market.

Fixed Income Technology (CanDeal)

Basis100 Inc. engaged Generated Solutions to assist in the design and implementation of a Retail Fixed Income line of business. We provided a Product Manager and a Business Analyst to assist in the development of the high level product definition and functional requirements and subsequently the development of detailed functional specifications. During this project, we also provided two Senior Architects to perform a detailed analysis of the business requirements and technology capabilities of Shorcan Brokerage Limited, Spectra Securities Inc., E*Trade Canada, eBond Canada and various competitive systems offered in the USA.

Our staff reported directly to the VP of Fixed Income Technology at Basis100 for the duration of this successful project. The fixed income unit of Basis100 and the technology that was developed were later merged into Candeal.ca Inc., a joint venture among Canada’s top liquidity providers.

Java "App Server" Abstraction for MSI Division

Worked with the MSI Division of Basis100 to resolve a number of system faults in there WinMorty mortgage origination system. The solution involved building a Java server that utilized a well-defined protocol over TCP/IP to replace a system that used RAS dial-up connections and direct access to an MS Access database. This solution had the benefit of abstracting the client connections, so that the RAS layer and Access database could then be replaced with robust and scalable technology.

Live Auction Sales System

Designed and implemented a Live Auction Sales System and Integrated Environment (LASSIE) for OLEX. The system tracked all livestock as it entered the sale barns, move through the auction rings and ultimately back out of the sale barns. Besides tracking the livestock, the system calculated all commissions, insurances, special deductions and taxes for all buyer and seller transactions. It printed buyer invoices,seller cheques, trucker cheques and posted all pertinent accounting information to an A/R file for import to the online accounting system. Each live auction sale involved more then 30 users and was closed off and reconciled as a lengthy and complex set of entries in balanced cheque and invoice registers, before the next auction sale was started.As part of this project and for several years following, Generated Solutions upgraded the onsite computing facility and fulfilled the role of IT department for OLEX.

Internet-Based Electronic Auction System

Since 1978, OLEX had operated an electronic auction system. That system ran on Dec VAX hardware with the VMS operating system and used X.25 (Datapac) communications. Generated Solutions designed and developed a multi-tier application to replace this system, using TCP/IP (public Internet) communications. The new Internet-based electronic auction system was comprised of a multi-threaded server application that utilized a SQL database to manage all auction related data and a Java applet auction client that used a proprietary socket-based communication protocol that we developed, to stay synchronized with the servers auctioning sequence.

Multi-Tasking Electronic Auction Software

For several years, Generated Solutions took over all design, development and customer service responsibilities for NEMI, related to their electronic auction system. The system consists of a multi-tasking communication server (X.25) that controls multiple simultaneous auctions with up to 1000 interactive users. A series of text files were used to describe an auction sale and bidders were allowed to login and bid on each lot in the auction as they were offered.

Enhancements introduced during this time included supporting the Dutch auction model for milk sales in Scotland and Ireland and credit control over buyers for sales of livestock in South Africa.

Fax Communications Interface

Developed an RS232-based PC to fax applications interface. With this interface, the Wordcraft integrated desktop publishing product was able to utilize a number of Canon facsimile machines directly as image printers, scanner and send/receive fax devices. The Canon fax machines that interfaces were created for included the L770, 750, 850 and L920. We worked with other fax OEMs such as Panasonic and Fujitsu to build similar interfaces to their fax devices.

SCSI Fax Communications Interface

In partnership with Canon (Canada/USA/Japan) we designed and developed an SCSI interface between a host computer and a high-end Canon fax machine. The SCSI interface was the next step in the evolution of computer to fax machine interfaces, from the earlier RS232 interface. Capable of 5 Mb/sec. transfers the interface worked with two Canon fax machines, the L6500 and the L4600. Both machines were capable of G3 and G4 communications and with the software interface could be utilized as high resolution scanners, 30 page per minute laser printers and send/receive fax devices. This Generated Solutions product was known as 4Fax.

To supplement the above communication API, a graphics conversion library was developed to convert images between fax formats and TIFF or PCX. The supported fax formats were the standard ones for G3 and G4 transmissions; namely, Modified Huffman, Modified Read and Modified Modified Read. A PCL 5 conversion library was also developed to allow the conversion of word processor documents directly into fax images.

4Fax - WordPerfect Integration

The 4Fax API was used to implement an automated mail merge fax server for the mail room of the EOP. The system captured documents that were create and printed in WordPerfect, optionally using mail merge lists. Each captured document was converted from PCL5 to a fax image and scheduled for transmission to the destination fax number contained in the document. The documents were then faxed in order by a communications despooler that read from the queue and serviced the fax machine.

This custom solution was developed in partnership with Canon USA, working with their regional office in Washington, DC.

Radial Low-Point Marking System

Designed and implemented an industrial computer interface to a low point marking system for a tire rim manufacturer. The system ran under MS-DOS using a graphical user interface. The system communicated to Allen-Bradley PLC's via an RS-232 connection and to a data acquisition board and 4 axis motion controller using direct memory addressing. Each tire rim was placed on a carousel by a robot then the software would spin the rim, take over 2000 measurements of it and then use those measurements to calculate various harmonic statistics on it. These calculations were the basis for rejecting or accepting the rim. Accepted rims were then repositioned to the radial low point for marking by a press.

Ultra-Violet Purification Monitoring System

Developed an operator interface for an ultra-violet light water purification system. The interface was developed using a graphics interface product called WonderWare and the application communicated with the PLC's data highway using Allen-Bradley KT1728 cards. The interface was a graphical representation of the system with flowing water, gates that opened and closed and provided complete control over the UV lamps in the banks.

Statistical Process Control (SPC) System

In continuation of the lowpoint marking system, Generated Solutions developed a statistical process control (SPC) package to permit the customer to leverage the vast amounts of collected data to improve their manufacturing processes. The system performed complex univariate, bivariate and SPC analysis on the data and presented the results in both graphical and tabular form. These results were then used to recommend adjustments to boring heads and other machine components in order to improve the production.

Industrial Downtime Monitoring System

A final addition to the low point marking system was a downtime monitoring and recording system for the entire manufacturing line. This system ran under MS-Windows and utilized DDE conversations between communicating tasks to monitor all the PLCs on the line and record all down time events. When a down time event occured its start time, end time and duration were databased along with details concerning which machines were involved, product being produced and personnel involved.

Porting Theatre Geometry Software

IMAX engaged Generated Solutions to port their custom theatre geometry toolset from SGI workstations to Microsoft Windows. These theatre geometry tools were developed over time at IMAX and were used to help design both theatre screen geometry and the related materials used to construct the screens, given their various optical properties.

The porting process involved converting from a custom GUI framework to Microsoft's MFC framework and enhancing the tools with new optical algorithms, developed by IMAX physicists.

Purchase Order Processing System

Designed and implemented a purchase order processing system (POPS), using the Raima Data Manager, and running on a local area network. The system tracked all product sales by product code, sales category and formula number; it produced purchase orders, invoices, month end aging reports and a number of related reports.

Broiler Care System

Designed and implemented a companion module for the purchase order processing system that tracks flocks of broiler chickens. The system took the date that the birds went into the barn, their target weight and a number of other factors into account and produced a feed delivery and lighting schedule for the flock. The feed deliveries could be optimized between multiple barns and / or customers to reduce freight charges. This multi-user system was developed in C and was a multi-user system using the Raima Data Manager on the server.

Custom AP/GL System

Created an accounts payable and general ledger system for use by the feed mill and Wallenstein Transport. The system featured a full general ledger module with journal entries, chart of account maintenance, income statement and balance sheet printing. It also featured accounts payable invoice entry and payment, through accounts payable cheques.

This custom solution was designed to replace the companies use of AccPac and a full-time controller/accountant who had retired. It achieved this through tight vertical integration with the manner in which Wallenstein Feed carried on business.

Networked Sales Lead Tracking System

Designed and implemented a sales lead tracking system for the sales team with the company. The system ran on a Novell network and used the Btrieve file manager. The system kept track of all current and prospective sales leads for the company, by sales person assigned and point in the sale cycle.

Remote Diagnostics Software

Developed a remote diagnostics software package for operation with a range of industrial controllers that the company produced. The RDS system was designed to allow a support engineer to simulate any monitoring screen he wished by selecting set points from user-defined lists of set points, for a particular controller, placing them on the screen and adding auxiliary text descriptions. Once a screen was designed it could be used as a template for drawing data from a running controller anywhere in the world, via modem. The system had its own built in modem control and dialer. Once the system made a connection to a controller, the engineer could watch, in pseudo-realtime, the selected setpoints change and thus diagnose any problems that may have existed.

Smart Hopper Link

Created an RS232 link to a Luwa Smart Hopper, on the factory floor. The Smart Hoppers are used in the plastic injection and extrusion industry for dispensing raw materials to the injection or extrusion machines. The interface created was compatible with the WonderWare product and made use of DDE's under MS-Windows.

Watcom C/C++ Compiler & Tools

This work involved updating the resource tools of the Watcom C/C++ compiler for Windows 95. The resource tools included the image editor (bitmaps, icons, cursors), the dialog editor, the resource editor (menus, string tables, accelerators). Windows 95 included a number of new features for dialog boxes and icons as well as a new look and feel, and all of these were included in this new release of the compiler.

Distributed Computing Framework - Bytecode Kernel Development

Generated Solutions was engaged by TS Controls Inc. to work in a subcontract capacity for Internet Payment Processing Inc. (also called PayPro). Our mandate was to port (re-write) a C language transactional framework, that was used in embedded systems such as credit and debit card readers (IVI Verifact), to Windows 32-bit architecture (in C++).

As an embedded systems framework it provided a byte-code interpreter so that transactional software could be developed in a processor independent manner. Embedded software could be developed with a visual tool that produced a software diagram; the software diagram, encoded in a bytecode format could then be loaded into ROM on a device and executed within the framework. This technology was very similar to current VM and bytecode schemes used in frameworks like Java and Microsoft .NET, but proprietary in nature.

The re-targeting of this framework involved significantly enhancing its features and capabilities; the target platform was Windows NT organized as a networked server farm. The design principal used in the embedded framework was to be scaled to turn the framework into a distributed computing framework, capable of managing large-scale, distributed financial transactions. The framework was then to be used to build the distributed payment processing back-end for PayPro.

OBCFPP Database System

The Ontario Beef Cattle Financial Protection Plan manages the licensing of registered beef cattle buyers and the financial protection plan that the Ontario government has in place to safe guard producers from buyers who default on their payments.

Generated Solutions was engaged by the OBCFPP to design and develop a single coherent system that could administer the licensing of the beef cattle buyers, the collection of fees from auction yards and the settlement of claims from producers.

The system replaced and streamlined a collection of manual processes that involved word processor documents and spreadsheets to manage and coordinate all of the information. The system also provided the reporting outputs required by the OBCFPP to support it's mandate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Campaign Donation Database

CanCor is an outsource service providing mailing and receipt services to the Canadian charity industry. Generated Solutions designed and developed a database system for CanCor that managed donation receipts for charitable campaigns. This was a multi-user system that tracked all mail received and opened for any number of charitable mailing campaigns.

Bank deposits and accounting entries for the receipts were created and new mailing lists were created based on responses received. Receipts to donors as well as daily, weekly, monthly and campaign reporting to client charities were also produced by the system, for both paper-based and electronic delivery.

Outsource IT Management

Generated Solutions provided outsource IT services to the national office of MADD Canada in Mississauga, Ontario. These services included sourcing and installing computer hardware, printers and networking; setting up desktop publishing systems and other related software and training MADD Canada staff.

A large portion of these services were provided to MADD Canada on a pro-bono basis.