Customized Tharpana Sankalpam Generator Online or Desktop

Ask people what Computers – specifically the desktops, laptops, or handhelds like tablets or mobiles – are for, and they probably would respond about internet, specifically about Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  A very few might think of MS Office or Google Docs.  Barely a handful might say that a computer is a tool which is meant to free us from repetitive tasks, to be done more efficiently (thousands of times faster), more accurately (less number of errors), more speedily (multi-tasking), and more cheaply (electronic delivery). 

The computing of things continue to evolve over time, sometimes within months.  The Moore’s Law on doubling of processing power every 2 years must have a contemporary on the software side.  My Google Map attempts of Ponniyin Selvan, clearly prove how Google Maps have improved over the years. 

Likewise, in the 2 years or so after the first attempt at Personalized Tharpana Sankalpam Generator, the Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Scripts and even Google Fonts have improved to an impressive extent. 

To recap, these are the main issues which made be abandon the online, Google Drive-Cloud Based Tharpana Sankalpam Generator and instead opt for the MS Excel based desktop tool:

• in-cell dropdowns which facilitate pre-filled selections/options were missing;
• standardized fonts, so the transliteration reflects the expectation, and is not garbled could not be effected;
• stability of fonts, so that the vowel-consonant marks are preserved as should be, and does not become rubbish was not implemented;
• the user were familiar with Excel.

OTOH, there were also some drawbacks in using MS Excel:

• non-use of macros, as it might downgrade overall security;
• the irritation checking for, and downloading updates;
• protecting with password, to maintain formatting integrity;
• protecting with password, to prevent copycats;
• use of Microsoft’s Excel and Fonts in what is essentially a Freeware (though not Open Source) tool;
• user dependency to format, and print the output.

If we add the advantage of the present day Google Drive with its Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Google Scripts:

• the Google Drive Cloud server does all the dumb work;
• modifying or updating the code is easy;
• the formatting is taken care of by Google Script – no need to worry at every update or modification;
• the delivery of output is seamless;
• easy workflow for the user too – just download and use;
• multi-language output is possible, and so on.

While working on ways to deliver Yajur Upakarma procedure, it became apparent with the improvements in Google Scripts and Docs, the Amavasya Tharpana Sankalpam Generator (and other such tools) can easily go online.  Which brought up some unique problems, and a week or so to solve.

Tags: Tharpanam,Sankalpam,Google Form,Webforms

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