UltimateRack - What is it, where is it going and... why?

[John Asendorf]

UltimateRack will hopefully be the ribbon rack builder to end all rack builders. I am using PHP to create a single rack graphic which can be saved and reused by anyone who so chooses. The other rack builders out there mostly toss the ribbon graphics into an HTML table. Most do not make any attempt to add the appropriate appurtenances... and those that do (a huge kudos to those making at least an attempt) usually require the user to figure out which appurtenances belong on each ribbon.

UltimateRack will hopefully end all of that.

I have coded UltimateRack to be extensible and to not rely on a database platform. Although I am using MySQL to order the ribbons, the final product will only require a user to have ribbon graphics and a basic understanding of arrays (with a far future goal of having a system by which to alter the arrays through a web interface). It makes all its calculations off of the graphics themselves and adds appurtenances as an actual part of the graphic instead of laying them over the graphic. Also, it will order the ribbons according to the branch of service (for instance, the same rack of Army and Navy ribbons are ordered differently on an Army or Navy uniform).

Why all the fuss? I like a challenge and thought this would be a good one to undertake.

Have fun finding the errors in UltimateRack, but please be kind in relating them to me.

Thanks, John