Need Feedback on using many user controls

[Gary Kahrau]

I am planning a very large project in vb.net and I want to make it modular.
If the project needs 200-300 forms what do you think about creating a user
control for each of these forms? The main program would dynamically load,
place and dispose each one as required.
Is this a good idea from application size, modularity, performance of slower
PC's, etc.

I am also considering creating all modular forms dynamically. The main
program would only have common controls and act as a parsing / controling
program.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Gary...


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[Guest]

Does it really need 200 - 300 forms? Are these forms unique, or are many of
them variations of something more general. In other words, I'm wondering if
you could make certain forms more dynamic, and cut the number way down.
Creating 200 - 300 user controls won't make your code really much more
modular.

Scott Swigart
blog.swigartconsulting.com

 

[Gary Kahrau]

Scott,

That is a good question that I am not sure how to answer!
This is a major ERP system (cust orders, supplier orders, shop
control, scheduling, ERP, DNC,accounting, ship,recv,etc).
Many screens have common themes (look and feel).
It is currently programmed in a char based 4GL of about 500K lines of
code. I want to migrate to a windows client, SQL, and a lower cost DB
like MySql.
I have roughed out some code that creates dynamic form layouts from a
flat definition file. It was suggested to me that using user controls
is more like what .net was designed to do. I want to separate the
modules (MRP, engineering,PO,...) into separate source for
maintainability and allow a number of people to work in different
sections at the same time.

Does it really need 200 - 300 forms? Are these forms unique, or are many of
them variations of something more general. In other words, I'm wondering if
you could make certain forms more dynamic, and cut the number way down.
Creating 200 - 300 user controls won't make your code really much more
modular.

Scott Swigart
blog.swigartconsulting.com

I am planning a very large project in vb.net and I want to make it modular.
If the project needs 200-300 forms what do you think about creating a user
control for each of these forms? The main program would dynamically load,
place and dispose each one as required.
Is this a good idea from application size, modularity, performance of slower
PC's, etc.

I am also considering creating all modular forms dynamically. The main
program would only have common controls and act as a parsing / controling
program.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Gary...


--

-----------------------------------------------------------
Gary Kahrau - VP Technology
(e-mail address removed) (W)
(e-mail address removed) (H)
Stellex Monitor Aerospace Corp.
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[Guest]

Yeah, hard to know for certain without knowing more specifics. A good
approach might be to prototype doing it a couple of different ways. Dynamic
forms, user controls, maybe even code generation (see Kathleen Dollard's book
: http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=212)

Sounds fun in any case..

Scott,

That is a good question that I am not sure how to answer!
This is a major ERP system (cust orders, supplier orders, shop
control, scheduling, ERP, DNC,accounting, ship,recv,etc).
Many screens have common themes (look and feel).
It is currently programmed in a char based 4GL of about 500K lines of
code. I want to migrate to a windows client, SQL, and a lower cost DB
like MySql.
I have roughed out some code that creates dynamic form layouts from a
flat definition file. It was suggested to me that using user controls
is more like what .net was designed to do. I want to separate the
modules (MRP, engineering,PO,...) into separate source for
maintainability and allow a number of people to work in different
sections at the same time.