advice on how to procede with this project

[Daniel]

Hi

Do these deviced have nothing at all in common or is it they have a lot in
common with the odd thing different that needs to be on the interface for
those special situations?

My opinion on both your methods you described are that both are not viable.
Let me know in regards to above question as there are better ways forward if
so.

 

[Peted]

Hello

Im writing a app that is designed to test and interrogate serial
devices.

I can do the serial comunication ok

My problem is i have a mdi parent form and i want the interface for
the serial device to appear as a child form, BUT each device has a
different interface with different options.

I could in the project creat and compile a form for every new device i
come across or need to test, but that is very inflexiable.

I want a way to creat the child form as a independant file stored on
HDD, and use a dialog box to load it and make it pop into my mdi app.
Is there a way to do this, then i could create and store a new child
form everytime i need to do so for new devices

or how about is it possible to compile multiple forms into a lib of
some kind and call it. then i could just update the lib with new
interface forms


any advice appreciated

thanks

 

[David Browne]

Hello

Im writing a app that is designed to test and interrogate serial
devices.

I can do the serial comunication ok

My problem is i have a mdi parent form and i want the interface for
the serial device to appear as a child form, BUT each device has a
different interface with different options.

I could in the project creat and compile a form for every new device i
come across or need to test, but that is very inflexiable.

I want a way to creat the child form as a independant file stored on
HDD, and use a dialog box to load it and make it pop into my mdi app.
Is there a way to do this, then i could create and store a new child
form everytime i need to do so for new devices

or how about is it possible to compile multiple forms into a lib of
some kind and call it. then i could just update the lib with new
interface forms

Yes. You can compile additional types (forms in your case) into external
assemblies. Load them at run-time, and dynamically load the types in them.
Typically you either use a configuration setting to name the assembly and
type to load, or use a custom attribute on the target type in the assembly.
Or in your case you could just iterate the types in the loaded assembly and
load the first Form you find.

The key is to use .NET Reflection to load the assembly, find the right type
in the assembly, and create an instance of the type.

David

 

[Peted]

thanks i will have a think about this

Peted

in message news:[email protected]...

Yes. You can compile additional types (forms in your case) into external
assemblies. Load them at run-time, and dynamically load the types in them.
Typically you either use a configuration setting to name the assembly and
type to load, or use a custom attribute on the target type in the assembly.
Or in your case you could just iterate the types in the loaded assembly and
load the first Form you find.

The key is to use .NET Reflection to load the assembly, find the right type
in the assembly, and create an instance of the type.

David

 

[Peted]

These devices have virtually nothing in common. they are all serial
devices, but even when they are similar in function the user
interface i want to lead for each will be different depending on make
and model and certainly the serial codes required will bear no
commonality at all

You may assume each interface i want to load is unique

thanks for any suggestions

Peted