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Week 4

(July 01, 2025 – July 07, 2025)

Meeting 1​

Date: July 1, 2025
Attendees:

Summary​

  • Presented the updated UI incorporating the changes suggested during the previous call.
  • Received feedback from mentors for further UI enhancements:
    • Store the text in MD5 format in the database to facilitate validation and detect duplicates.
    • Add a Cancel button to both the Add Text Phrase and Edit Text Phrase forms to allow users to exit the form view.
    • Move the License column to the first position in the table on the Text Management page.
  • It was concluded that implementing these changes will mark the completion of the frontend component of the project.

Progress​

I successfully implemented all the UI enhancements requested during the technical call with the mentors. These changes represent the final improvements needed to complete the frontend component of the Custom Text Management system.

MD5-Based Duplicate Text Validation​

Database Schema Updates: The most significant change was implementing MD5-based duplicate detection to prevent users from entering identical text content. I had to:

  • Add a new text_md5 column to the custom_phrase table to store MD5 hashes
  • Create a unique index cp_text_md5_unique_idx to enforce uniqueness at the database level
  • Update the database migration script to handle the schema changes properly
  • Modify the core schema definitions to include the new column specifications

Backend Logic Enhancement: I completely rewrote the duplicate checking mechanism in the AdminCustomTextManagement controller:

  • Added a new checkDuplicateTextMd5() method that queries the database for existing MD5 hashes
  • Implemented an AJAX endpoint checkDuplicateAjax() for real-time duplicate checking
  • Enhanced the savePhrase() method to generate MD5 hashes and validate against duplicates before saving
  • Updated all SQL queries to include the new text_md5 column in INSERT and UPDATE operations
  • Added proper error handling with meaningful error messages for duplicate content

Real-time Validation UI: The user interface now provides immediate feedback when users enter duplicate content:

  • Integrated CryptoJS library for client-side MD5 hash generation
  • Added a debounced input handler that checks for duplicates after 500ms of no typing
  • Displays a prominent red warning message when duplicate content is detected
  • Prevents form submission when duplicate content is identified
  • Maintains validation state even when importing from bulk data

User Interface Improvements​

Form Navigation Enhancement: I added the much-needed Cancel button functionality that allows users to exit forms gracefully:

  • Added Cancel buttons to both Add Text Phrase and Edit Text Phrase forms
  • Implemented proper navigation back to the main management page
  • Maintained form state consistency when users navigate away

Table Layout Reorganization: I restructured the main table view to improve data visibility and user experience:

  • Moved the License column to the first position in the table as requested
  • Adjusted the table sorting to maintain proper date-based ordering
  • Updated the column indexes to reflect the new layout
  • Ensured all table operations (search, sort, filter) work correctly with the new structure

Visual and Functional Improvements: I also fixed several minor UI issues to enhance overall user experience:

  • Improved the delete button styling and functionality
  • Enhanced the scrollable text display for better readability
  • Fixed table column alignment and spacing issues
  • Updated the styling for better consistency across the interface

Files Modified​

Database and Schema Files:

  • install/db/dbmigrate_4.3-4.4.php - Added text_md5 column and unique index creation
  • src/www/ui/core-schema.dat - Updated schema definitions with new column specifications and indexes

Backend Logic:

  • src/www/ui/page/AdminCustomTextManagement.php - Complete enhancement of duplicate checking, AJAX endpoints, and form processing logic

Frontend Templates:

  • src/www/ui/template/admin_custom_text_edit.html.twig - Added real-time duplicate validation, Cancel button, and CryptoJS integration
  • src/www/ui/template/admin_custom_text_management.html.twig - Reorganized table columns and updated sorting configuration

Technical Implementation Details​

Duplicate Detection Algorithm: The system now uses MD5 hashing to efficiently detect duplicate text content:

  1. Client-side MD5 generation provides immediate feedback
  2. Server-side validation ensures data integrity
  3. Database unique constraint prevents duplicate entries at the storage level
  4. Real-time checking with debounced input improves user experience

Performance Considerations:

  • Added proper database indexing for efficient duplicate lookups
  • Implemented client-side debouncing to reduce server requests
  • Used prepared statements for secure and efficient database operations
  • Maintained transaction safety for all database operations

This implementation completes the frontend component of the Custom Text Management system with all requested enhancements, providing a robust, user-friendly interface with comprehensive duplicate detection capabilities.