Best way to structure app made up with several components

[RD]

Planning an app that will be made up of separately purchasable modules. Do
not want all the modules to be needed to be installed on end user machines,
only install when they get an additional module. If user has gotten modules
1,2 and 3 . App would always have to start in Module 1, then user if he has
it, can select to use module 2 or 3 but info has to be passed between the
first module and the next one user calls. Think of it a bit as of an
accounting system where you have to start with the GL module and then if you
want to add an AR and AP for instance. But when opening the AR and AP you
always should open it for the current company selected in GL, so info needs
to be passed to the other modules on opening. Also user should not see
available choices in the main module's menu for modules he does not have
installed.

I know if you make one big app and install everytring with some sort of
scheme that lets you set purchased modules (for instance in a sql table) you
can do this, but I'm trying to make this in a more secure way. I would
really welcome any and all suggestions.

Thanks for any help.

Bob

 

[Ken Tucker [MVP]]

Hi,

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/03/10/Plug-Ins/default.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnreal/html/realworld03232004.asp

Ken
-----------------
Planning an app that will be made up of separately purchasable modules. Do
not want all the modules to be needed to be installed on end user machines,
only install when they get an additional module. If user has gotten modules
1,2 and 3 . App would always have to start in Module 1, then user if he has
it, can select to use module 2 or 3 but info has to be passed between the
first module and the next one user calls. Think of it a bit as of an
accounting system where you have to start with the GL module and then if you
want to add an AR and AP for instance. But when opening the AR and AP you
always should open it for the current company selected in GL, so info needs
to be passed to the other modules on opening. Also user should not see
available choices in the main module's menu for modules he does not have
installed.

I know if you make one big app and install everytring with some sort of
scheme that lets you set purchased modules (for instance in a sql table) you
can do this, but I'm trying to make this in a more secure way. I would
really welcome any and all suggestions.

Thanks for any help.

Bob