Need Interfacing options to Windows App

[=?Utf-8?B?c2lwcHl1Y29ubg==?=]

Hi

I have a windows app that users use as a standalone product but some want to
embed the functionality into there system.
Basically they want a gateway to call my form or forms with parameters
then I will return data to them so they can continue in there larger system.

Curious is anyone has experience with this and any ideas??
This is what I am considering so far

1)Call exe command line with parameters and write text file for user to read
on output - only issue with this is that Dotnet Windows apps starts really
slow- startup of framework??? - so to embed in system the user would see a
lag time on every call to exe

2)Remoting - would this be a possibility ??? If I make sure my pgm is on
user pc or mapped drive??? I am playing with this and have questions in a
separate post

3)COM interface - can I expose methods in my Exe solution to call my forms

Any other possibilities???

Thanks

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

sippyuconn,

You could always just refactor your app into components that aren't tied
to the UI. Then you can choose to expose that functionality through
remoting, COM interop, or whatever mechanism suits you.
--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- mv*@spam.guard.caspershouse.com

"sippyuconn" <si********@newsgroup.nospamwrote in message
news:0A**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hi

I have a windows app that users use as a standalone product but some want
to
embed the functionality into there system.
Basically they want a gateway to call my form or forms with parameters
then I will return data to them so they can continue in there larger
system.

Curious is anyone has experience with this and any ideas??
This is what I am considering so far

1)Call exe command line with parameters and write text file for user to
read
on output - only issue with this is that Dotnet Windows apps starts really
slow- startup of framework??? - so to embed in system the user would see a
lag time on every call to exe

2)Remoting - would this be a possibility ??? If I make sure my pgm is on
user pc or mapped drive??? I am playing with this and have questions in a
separate post

3)COM interface - can I expose methods in my Exe solution to call my forms

Any other possibilities???

Thanks

[Michael Nemtsev, MVP]

Hello sippyuconn,

Do u have the source code for your standalone app or not?
If u do, the simplest way is to wrap the reusable functionality into user
controls, which can be consumed by the different clients, and consider to
move the logic to external services - making your controls like gateways.

If u don't have the source code, then I suppose the screen scraping the only
way to reuse functionality

---
WBR,
Michael Nemtsev [.NET/C# MVP] :: blog: http://spaces.live.com/laflour

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we
miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it" (c) Michelangelo
sHi
s>
sI have a windows app that users use as a standalone product but some
swant to
sembed the functionality into there system.
sBasically they want a gateway to call my form or forms with
sparameters
sthen I will return data to them so they can continue in there larger
ssystem.
sCurious is anyone has experience with this and any ideas?? This is
swhat I am considering so far
s>
s1)Call exe command line with parameters and write text file for user
sto read on output - only issue with this is that Dotnet Windows apps
sstarts really slow- startup of framework??? - so to embed in system
sthe user would see a lag time on every call to exe
s>
s2)Remoting - would this be a possibility ??? If I make sure my pgm is
son user pc or mapped drive??? I am playing with this and have
squestions in a separate post
s>
s3)COM interface - can I expose methods in my Exe solution to call my
sforms
s>
sAny other possibilities???
s>
sThanks
s>

[=?Utf-8?B?c2lwcHl1Y29ubg==?=]

Thanks Nicholas

The UI is an integral part of the process - so I need to keep some UI with the
fuctionality of the code

"Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]" wrote:

sippyuconn,

You could always just refactor your app into components that aren't tied
to the UI. Then you can choose to expose that functionality through
remoting, COM interop, or whatever mechanism suits you.
--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- mv*@spam.guard.caspershouse.com

"sippyuconn" <si********@newsgroup.nospamwrote in message
news:0A**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hi

I have a windows app that users use as a standalone product but some want
to
embed the functionality into there system.
Basically they want a gateway to call my form or forms with parameters
then I will return data to them so they can continue in there larger
system.

Curious is anyone has experience with this and any ideas??
This is what I am considering so far

1)Call exe command line with parameters and write text file for user to
read
on output - only issue with this is that Dotnet Windows apps starts really
slow- startup of framework??? - so to embed in system the user would see a
lag time on every call to exe

2)Remoting - would this be a possibility ??? If I make sure my pgm is on
user pc or mapped drive??? I am playing with this and have questions in a
separate post

3)COM interface - can I expose methods in my Exe solution to call my forms

Any other possibilities???

Thanks

[Linda Liu [MSFT]]

Hi,

In my opinion, you may build the reusable functions into a Web Service,
then your WinForm application and other applications can call these
functions from the Web Service.

FYI, the following link discusses "Getting Started with Web Services":
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/web.../aa740678.aspx

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Linda Liu
Microsoft Online Community Support

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[=?Utf-8?B?c2lwcHl1Y29ubg==?=]

Hi Linda

Thanks for the response - I new webservices probably would be the best way
to go but was staying away from it because it caused more of a support issue
when I distribute the app - customers may not want iis on there system and
also need people to know about iis

I was trying to leave a small footprint on the customers pc and easy to
support

Thanks
"Linda Liu [MSFT]" wrote:

Hi,

In my opinion, you may build the reusable functions into a Web Service,
then your WinForm application and other applications can call these
functions from the Web Service.

FYI, the following link discusses "Getting Started with Web Services":
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/web.../aa740678.aspx

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Linda Liu
Microsoft Online Community Support

==================================================
Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscripti...ult.aspx#notif
ications.

Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscripti...t/default.aspx.
==================================================

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

[Linda Liu [MSFT]]

Hi Sippyuconn,

Thank you for your reply!

Since Web Service is appropriate to your practice, you may make use of
remoting.

BTW, I have replied to your another post "Call Form from Library thru
remoting" in this newsgroup. If you have any question, please reply to me
on that thread and I will follow up with you in time.

Thank you for using our MSDN Managed Newsgroup Support Service!

Sincerely,
Linda Liu
Microsoft Online Community Support

[Mike Blake-Knox]

In article <13**********************************@microsoft.co m>,
Sippyuconn wrote:

customers may not want iis on there system

You might want to investigate Web Services Enhancements 3.0. It allows
you to offer web services without IIS.

Mike