Building a "snap-in" framework

[Derrick [MCSD]]

Hi,

My company is building a suite of applications in VB.NET. Ideally, we would
like to build a base application framework (like the Windows MMC) that can
accept these applications as "snap-ins". This would allow us to then deploy
applications as they are developed, and permit the user to add this new
functionality without requiring a new build and the headaches associated
with an updated application rollout.

If anyone has any experience with this kind of application framework, I'd
love to hear your thoughts. Links are also welcome, as I am compiling a
notebook of ideas and approaches. Please also let me know if you need more
information.

TIA,
Derrick

 

[AlexS]

Derrick,

this reminds me of plug-in pattern. Or not pattern. Anyway, you can see how
plug-ins (add-ins) are implemented in SharpDevelop - www.icsharpcode.net and
in Eclipse - www.eclipse.org

HTH
Alex

 

[Nick Malik]

Take a good look at the Factory Method and Abstract Factory patterns from
the Gang of Four book [GoF].
One of my favorite design patterns links:
http://home.earthlink.net/~huston2/dp/patterns.html

If design patterns are a new idea to you, this may help:
http://biztalkbum.blogspot.com/2004/07/how-to-learn-object-oriented.html

HTH,
--- Nick

 

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

Derrick,
This article may be helpful:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/03/10/Plug-ins/

Hope this helps
Jay

 

[Derrick [MCSD]]

Thanks, Alex... I'll look at these sites.

Derrick

 

[Derrick [MCSD]]

Jay,

This is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for! Thanks so much.

Derrick

 

[Derrick [MCSD]]

Nick,

I've not read the GoF book (seen a lot of references to it, though!), so
I'll take a look at it and see if it works in my scenario. Patterns by
themselves will give me part of the solution (from my understanding of
them); I'll check to see if there's more that I'm missing there.

Thanks for the tips!

Derrick

Take a good look at the Factory Method and Abstract Factory patterns from
the Gang of Four book [GoF].
One of my favorite design patterns links:
http://home.earthlink.net/~huston2/dp/patterns.html

If design patterns are a new idea to you, this may help:
http://biztalkbum.blogspot.com/2004/07/how-to-learn-object-oriented.html

HTH,
--- Nick

Hi,

My company is building a suite of applications in VB.NET. Ideally, we would
like to build a base application framework (like the Windows MMC) that can
accept these applications as "snap-ins". This would allow us to then deploy
applications as they are developed, and permit the user to add this new
functionality without requiring a new build and the headaches associated
with an updated application rollout.

If anyone has any experience with this kind of application framework, I'd
love to hear your thoughts. Links are also welcome, as I am compiling a
notebook of ideas and approaches. Please also let me know if you need more
information.

TIA,
Derrick

 

[Daniel Billingsley]

If I understand you correctly, you're right in that patterns may be helpful,
but I think they are in no way what you're asking for.

You want to have a framework running and then be able to just have the user
go into some screens and ta-da they've got new functionality. And given
that capability you could do the same thing for new apps or functionality in
your existing ones. Right?

I think you've got two general options. First is to have the framework
basically be a way of dynamically creating forms etc. based on metadata from
a database. Second is to use something like CodeDom to create and compile
applications dynamically. Those two aren't mutually exclusive, of course.

From what I've seen with that type of scenario you have to accept certain
limitations to the overall environment, since it's hard to anticipate
everything anyone might want to ever do and build it into the dynamic
system. And you have to be very careful or your performance will be
abysmal.

 

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

Derrick,
In addition to Daniel's comments on patterns:

James W. Cooper's "Visual Basic Design Patterns - VB 6.0 and VB.NET" is a
good companion book to the GOF book. For VB developer I would recommend
having both. The GOF book for the specifics the Cooper book for the VB slant
on it.

Martin Fowler's book "Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture"
covers a number or architecture patterns not found in the GOF book, such as
Plug-In. http://www.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/plugin.html

Both of these books are also from Addison Wesley.

Hope this helps
Jay

Nick,

I've not read the GoF book (seen a lot of references to it, though!), so
I'll take a look at it and see if it works in my scenario. Patterns by
themselves will give me part of the solution (from my understanding of
them); I'll check to see if there's more that I'm missing there.

Thanks for the tips!

Derrick

Take a good look at the Factory Method and Abstract Factory patterns from
the Gang of Four book [GoF].
One of my favorite design patterns links:
http://home.earthlink.net/~huston2/dp/patterns.html

If design patterns are a new idea to you, this may help:
http://biztalkbum.blogspot.com/2004/07/how-to-learn-object-oriented.html

HTH,
--- Nick

Hi,

My company is building a suite of applications in VB.NET. Ideally, we would
like to build a base application framework (like the Windows MMC) that can
accept these applications as "snap-ins". This would allow us to then deploy
applications as they are developed, and permit the user to add this new
functionality without requiring a new build and the headaches associated
with an updated application rollout.

If anyone has any experience with this kind of application framework, I'd
love to hear your thoughts. Links are also welcome, as I am compiling a
notebook of ideas and approaches. Please also let me know if you need more
information.

TIA,
Derrick