Simple EntityMapperTranslator

CAB defines a very clean way of defining a translator for converting objects from one type to another. A typical use for this is to convert from an "wire" object a business object and back. This is done by creating an EntityMapperTranslator. Defining two methods: BusinessToService and ServiceToBusiness. And then registering the translator in the IEntityTranslatorService.

Often, the business object identical or nearly identical to the wire object. The code below will copy every property from the SourceType to the TargetType. Of course, this can be used outside of the EntityMapperTranslator as well for the same purpose.

class TypeTranslator : EntityMapperTranslator<SourceType, TargetType>
{
    protected override TargetType BusinessToService(IEntityTranslatorService service, SourceType value)
    {
        TargetType target = new TargetType();
        foreach (PropertyInfo pi in value.GetType().GetProperties())
        {
           PropertyInfo newPi = target.GetType().GetProperty(pi.Name);
           if (newPi != null)
           {
              if (service.CanTranslate(newPi.PropertyType, pi.PropertyType))
                 newPi.SetValue(target, service.Translate(newPi.PropertyType, pi.GetValue(value, null)), null);
              else
                 newPi.SetValue(target, pi.GetValue(value, null), null);
           }
        }
        return target;
    }
}

Technorati Tags: C#,C# Sample Source,CAB. SCSF,Tips

Simple EntityMapperTranslator

Customizing SCSF Guidance Package for Modular Development

One of the requests that I've received from other developers is the ability to use SCSF for developing a module without including the shell in the solution. We develop a large number of modules independently in different groups and having the shell be a part of every module was getting to be a problem.

The only issue that I was getting with getting this to work was that SCSF guidance package would fail in ViewTemplateCS when I would right click on a folder and tried to add a new view to the project.

To solve the issue, I was made a small tweak to the source in the ViewTemplateReferenceCS.cs. (The code comes with the SCSF, however, you will have to install it separately after the SCSF is installed) The culprit is the function ContainsRequiredReferences(Project project) Specifically the call to ContainsReference(project, prjCommon.Name)

Since the common project is not in the solution, the call failed with Null Reference exception. All I had to do was to change the last line of the function to be ContainsReference(project, "Infrastructure.Interface"); Then recompile the GuidancePackage solution and place the Microsoft.Practices.SmartClientFactory.GuidancePackage.dll into the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Smart Client Factory\Guidance Package folder.

Technorati Tags: Application Blocks, C#, C# Sample Source, Development, SCSF, Tips

Customizing SCSF Guidance Package for Modular Development

Closing and Terminating views in SCSF

There is a bug in the SCSF implementation that views even though closed, will not terminate the workitems. This was described on codeplex in the following thread: http://www.codeplex.com/smartclient/Thread/View.aspx?ThreadId=4370

Here is my workaround:

In the View.Designer.cs

protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing)
{
if (_presenter != null)
{
_presenter.OnCloseView(); // <<<<<<<<======= Workaround
_presenter.Dispose();
}

if (components != null)
components.Dispose();
}

base.Dispose(disposing);
}

In the ViewPresenter.cs

bool Closing = false;
public void OnCloseView()
{
if (!Closing)
{
Closing = true;
if (WorkItem.Status != WorkItemStatus.Terminated)
WorkItem.Terminate();

base.CloseView();
}
}

The code will force the workitem to be terminated after the view is closed

Technorati Tags: SCSF, Tips, C# sample source

Closing and Terminating views in SCSF

Calculating Hashvalues for files the way .NET does for the Application Manifest

hey

I had to write a custom download component to download modules for a ClickOnce deployed application. The actual downloading is simple, the tricky part was creating the manifest and make sure that I only download files that are required.

I am using an GeneraApplicationManifest MSBuild task to generate an application manifest. The documentation is very easy to follow.

The generated manifest will include a Hash value. It is fairly simple to compute the same hash value manually and be able to validate it.

private bool HashChanged(string fileName, string originalHashValue)
        {
            byte[] Hash = Convert.FromBase64String(originalHashValue));
            byte[] newHash;
            SHA1Managed sha = new SHA1Managed();
         
            FileStream strm = null;
            try
            {
                strm = new FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);         
                newHash = sha.ComputeHash(strm);
            }
            finally
            {
                if (strm != null)
                    strm.Close();
            }

            if (Hash.Length != newHash.Length)
                return true;
            for(int i = 0; i< Hash.Length; i++)
            {
                if (Hash[i] != newHash[i])
                    return true;
            }
            return false;
        }

Technorati Tags: C#,Development,Tips,Security

Calculating Hashvalues for files the way .NET does for the Application Manifest

Creating a ClickOnce Smart Client CAB Based (SCSF) application with Environment Overrides

My application is distributed via ClickOnce and a requirement is to be able to provide endpoint overrides for multiple environments. Here's what was done to create the solution

---

Smart Client Software Factory includes a service called EndpointCatalog. It allow for easy management of endpoints with environment overrides. Start by adding a Microsoft.Practices.SmartClient.EndpointCatalog.dll as a reference to Infrastructure.Module. Then open ModuleController class in and register the EndpointCatalog service.

private void AddServices()
{
IEndpointCatalog catalog = WorkItem.RootWorkItem.Services.Get<IEndpointCatalog>(false);
if (catalog == null)
{
IEndpointCatalogFactory catalogFactory =
new EndpointCatalogFactory("Endpoints");

catalog = catalogFactory.CreateCatalog();
WorkItem.RootWorkItem.Services.Add<IEndpointCatalog>(catalog);
}

This will read the endpoint catalog from the application.config file , section Endpoints. Here is a partial app.config

<configSections>
<section name="Endpoints" type="Microsoft.Practices.SmartClient.EndpointCatalog.Configuration.EndpointSection, Microsoft.Practices.SmartClient.EndpointCatalog" />
</configSections>

<Endpoints>
<EndpointItems>
<add Name="DataService.DataClient"
Address="http://server/DataService.svc"
UserName="default-user-name" Password="default-password" Domain="default-domain">
<NetworkItems>
<add Name="QA" Address="http://qa.server/DataService.svc"/>
<add Name="UAT" Address="http://uat.server/DataService.svc"/>
</NetworkItems>
</add>
</EndpointItems>
</Endpoints>

The endpoints section defines an endpoint, and an override for each environment. The catalog will return the override if it exists, or the original entry if it does not.

To create the WCF client, I created the following function.

T CreateWCFClient<T, Ti>()
where T : ClientBase<Ti>, new()
where Ti : class
{
try
{
T client = new T();
if (endpointCatalog.EndpointExists(typeof(T).FullName))
{
client.Endpoint.Address = new EndpointAddress
(endpointCatalog.GetAddressForEndpoint(typeof(T).FullName, Environment));
}
return client;
}
catch (Exception)
{
throw;
}
}

Add the required service to the module that will hold the function and you are almost done. The request to create the client is as follows.

_DataWebService = CreateWCFClient<DataService.DataClient, DataService.IDataClient>();

Please comment for any questions, I'll try to clarify

Technorati Tags: C#, C# sample source, CAB, Smart Client Software Factory, SCSF, WCF

Creating a ClickOnce Smart Client CAB Based (SCSF) application with Environment Overrides

Update to Smart Client Software Factory

Blaine Wastell is writing about a soon to come out April Update to Smart Client Software Factory. The new functionality is extremely interesting:

• WPF Interoperability
• Offline Application Block (this was released a while back, but I didn't see support for it recently)
• WCF Support
• Possible support for WWF (Windows Workflow). This is 2nd priority, but that means it might be released in the future updates, if not in the April update.

Update to Smart Client Software Factory