Practical Implementation of Composite Smart Clients with CAB and SCSF

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Practical Implementation of Composite Smart
Clients with CAB and SCSF

• Kurt Claeys.NET Architect ORDINA Belgium
• www.n-technologies.be

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Abstract

• This session demonstrates the concept of the
  composite UI pattern and the implementation of it
  by using the Composite UI Application Block and
  Smart Client Software Factory and is focused on
  the task of the developer/architect to separate
  the responsibilities of the UI from business
  logic handling behavior. By integrating code
  generation into Visual Studio 2005 through the
  Guidance Automation Toolkit and delivering
  guidelines in design patterns CAB/SCSF allows to
  build Smart Clients where UI and logic are
  loosely coupled. CAB and SCSF, as part of the
  Microsoft Patterns Practices development tools
  and architecture guidance, are the foundation for
  building Enterprise Application enabled User
  Interfaces.

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Session not about ...

• ClickOnce deployment
• Mobile/PDA
• Atlas/Ajax
• Offline caching
• WPF, WPF/E
• Cabinet files

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Agenda

• Composite Smart Clients ?
• Composite UI Application Block (CAB)
• Demo Hello World of CAB
• CodeReview
• BankTeller demo (working with modules)
• Smart Client Software Factory (SCSF)
• Demo SCSF
• QA

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Real World Example
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Typical about Smart Clients ?

• Rich user interface (maybe WPF)
• Use local resources
• Exchanging information with services
• Have Complex infrastructure Logic
• Tailor Made
• Intelligent deployment (maybe ClickOnce)
• Windows (forms) based

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Composite ?

• Modular
• Integrated Desktops
• Hosting different types of applications
• Integration between applicationsparts
• Common way of working

Modules (plug-ins) integrated within a common
host environment
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Composite UI Application Block

• Microsoft Patterns Practices
• Dynamically loading modules into a common shell
• Supports the composition pattern
• Event-Broker, loosely coupled communication
• Base classes for MVC/MVP implementation
• Framework for pluggable infrastructure services

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Patterns Practices
http//msdn.microsoft.com/practices
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Goals

• Allow parts of the UI to communicate with one
  another but dont introduce too much
  dependencies.
• Separation of Concerns each developer
  concentrates on a specific task.
• Architectural Framework for a consistent, high
  quality desktop, development.
• Increase productivity, reduce overall development
  time.
• Separate shell logic, infrastructure components
  and business logic.

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Modules
Smart Client Module A
Service X
Smart Client Module B
Service Y
Users
Application
Smart Client Module C
Service Z
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Example
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Framework
Business Logic
Plug In
Your Infrastructure Services
Composite UI Application Block
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Composite UI Patterns Overview
Shell Services
Workspaces
Strategy presenters for UI
UI Extension Sites
Command
View
View
Commands
MVC
Activation
SPInfo
Controller
Presenter
MVP
Core Services
Event Broker
Pub/Sub
WorkItem
State
State Persistence
Model
Model
Blackboard
CAB Application
Workflow
Use Case Controller
Crypto
Extension
Instrum
Lifetime Container
Service Locator
ObjectBuilder
Module Loading
Enumerator
Loader
AuthN
Builder
Factory
Injection
Plugins
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Model View Controller
Calls
Manipulates
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Model View Presenter
Passes Calls to
Updates
Presenter
Fires Events
Manipulates
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CAB Terms

• ShellForm (hosts the plug-ins)
• Workspace
• UIExtensionSite
• Module (plug in)
• Workitem (a use case)
• ModuleControler ( root WorkItem)
• SmartPart (UserControl)
• Controller
• Service
• Commands
• Events

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Workitem

• Run-time container for components
• Component can be visual (smartparts)
• Component be services (supporting class that
  provides funcionality to other components)
• A Workitems own the components and has
  properties to access them.
• Workitem must be run.
• Can be actived/deactivated as required.
• Can be seen as a Use Case.

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Workitem Hierarchy
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Events
Subscribers
Publishers

• Components can use events to publish or receive
  notifications.
• Publishers and Subscribers agree on
• Topic (identified by a URI)
• Message (in case a special EventArgs is required)
• Publishers set scope of event
• Subscribers have control over the thread in which
  they process the call
• Background (For long-running work)
• UI Thread (to update UI controls on appropriate
  thread)
• Publisher (on same thread as publisher)

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Loading Modules

• Load modules when the application starts
• Uses an XML catalog file to determine the modules
  to load

lt?xml version"1.0" encoding"utf-8"
?gt ltSolutionProfile xmlns"http//schemas.microsof
t.com/pag/cab-profile" gt ltModulesgt
ltModuleInfo AssemblyFile"GlobalBank.AppraiserWork
bench.AppraiserWorkbenchModule.dll" /gt
lt/Modulesgt lt/SolutionProfilegt
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How Does this all work ?
Shell
UI Extension Site
View
UI Extension Site
View
Work Item Shared State Shared Events
Element
Element
Module
Module Catalog
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Hello World Of CAB
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Developer issues

• Based on EntLib and CAB
• Patterns !
• New statement not used (factory)
• Type or Interface based references
• No project references (loosely coupled)
• Declarative way of working with attributes
• Code generation with SCSF
• Use of generics
• Modulebased architecture
• Configuration by ProfileCatalog.xml

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SmartPart
Form
Has a DeckWorkspace called placeholder
WorkItem
MyUserControl mUC SmartParts.AddNewltMyUserContro
lgt() Workspaces"placeholder".Show(m
UC)
SmartPart
SmartPart public partial class MyUserControl
UserControl
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UIExtensionSite
FormShellApplication
protected override void AfterShellCreated()
base.AfterShellCreated() RootWorkItem.UIExten
sionSites.RegisterSite("MainMenu",
Shell.MainMenuStrip)
WorkItem
ToolStripMenuItem menuItem new
ToolStripMenuItem("WorkItem") UIExtensionSites"M
ainMenu".Add(menuItem)
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Commands
FormShellApplication
ToolStripMenuItem menuItem new
ToolStripMenuItem("WorkItem") UIExtensionSites"M
ainMenu".Add(menuItem)Commands"DoSomething".A
ddInvoker(menuItem, "Click")
Controller
CommandHandler("DoSomething") public void
OnAction(object sender, EventArgs args)
//Implementation
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Services
Service
Service public class MyService public
string GiveMeData() //Implementation
Controller
ServiceDependency public MyService MyService
set myService value
myService.GiveMeData()
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Events
Controller
EventSubscription("topic//WindowsApplication/Eve
nt" public void OnEvent(object sender,
DataEventArgsltstringgt e)
Shell
EventSubscription("topic//WindowsApplication/Eve
nt" public void OnEvent(object sender,
DataEventArgsltstringgt e)
UserControl
EventPublication("topic//WindowsApplication/Even
t") public event EventHandlerltDataEventArgsltstrin
ggtgt MyEvent
MyEvent(this, new DataEventArgsltstringgt("TEST"))

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Controllers
UserControl
CreateNew public MyController Controller
get return controller set
controller value
Controller
public class MyController Controller //Implem
entation...
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Modules
ModuleInit
public class MyModuleInit ModuleInit public
override void Load()
base.Load() MyWorkItem mWV
rootWorkItem.WorkItems.AddNewltMyWorkItemgt()
mWV.Run()
ProfileCatalog.xml
lt?xml version"1.0" encoding"utf-8"
?gt ltSolutionProfile xmlns"http//schemas.microsof
t.com/pag/cab-profile" gt ltModulesgt
ltModuleInfo AssemblyFile"Module.dll"/gt
lt/Modulesgt lt/SolutionProfilegt
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BankTeller Application
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Smart Client Software Factory

• Proven and integrated practices
• Exposed trough patterns
• Reusable code components
• Reference Implementation
• Wizards
• Code generations
• Visual Designers

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SCSF - VS2005 Integration
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SCSF
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Resources

• http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb266334.
  aspx
• http//www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?Fa
  milyID5f9a8435-1651-4be2-956d-0446a89a7358displa
  ylangenModel View Controller/Presenter Pattern
• http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480450.
  aspx
• http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa546409.
  aspx
• http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480482.
  aspx

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