Integrating a Legacy Application

[Jason Madison]

I would like to create a .net application that still uses a few screens from
an old legacy application we have.

I can list records from the database in my .net app, but when it comes to
making updates I still need to legacy screens as the update logic is very
complex.

I have found I can use SetParent to "embed" some of the legacy screens
within my .net app, but because they are still basically two separate
applications clicking between objects in the .net app and objects on the
legacy screen is confusing for the users as they need one click to get focus
on the legacy screen and a second click to actually click on the object.

Is there a better way to embed these few legacy screens in my .net app that
will stop them acting as two separate applications?

 

[Michael Nemtsev]

Hello Jason,

Apparently you need to apply "screen scrapping". Read about it there http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_scraping

JM> I would like to create a .net application that still uses a few
JM> screens from an old legacy application we have.
JM>
JM> I can list records from the database in my .net app, but when it
JM> comes to making updates I still need to legacy screens as the update
JM> logic is very complex.
JM>
JM> I have found I can use SetParent to "embed" some of the legacy
JM> screens within my .net app, but because they are still basically two
JM> separate applications clicking between objects in the .net app and
JM> objects on the legacy screen is confusing for the users as they need
JM> one click to get focus on the legacy screen and a second click to
JM> actually click on the object.
JM>
JM> Is there a better way to embed these few legacy screens in my .net
JM> app that will stop them acting as two separate applications?
JM>
---
WBR,
Michael Nemtsev :: blog: http://spaces.live.com/laflour

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not
cease to be insipid." (c) Friedrich Nietzsche

 

[chanmm]

What platform is your legacy screens in?

chanmm

 

[Jason Madison]

What do you mean? What operating systems does it support or what is it
written in?

For OS I guess traditionally it was any 32 bit version of Windows, but I
don't see any harm in restricting it now to Windows NT,2000 and XP.

For language, it is written in Omnis 7.

 

[Jason Madison]

If I have to use screen scraping it will introduce a huge overhead. Screen
scraping is traditionally done for pre-windows programs. This legacy
application is windows, it just isn't .net. I am hoping to use the existing
screens in the legacy application, but host them in the .net application.
Screen scraping will be writing new .net screens for each legacy screen and
passing data somehow between them both.