Pro Dynamic .NET 4.0 Applications: Data-Driven Programming for the .NET Framework

260 Pages·2010·4.195 MB·English

by  Carl Ganz Jr. (auth.)

Pro Dynamic .NET 4.0
Applications
Data-Driven Programming for the .NET
Framework

■ ■ ■
Carl Ganz, Jr.

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Pro Dynamic .NET 4.0 Applications: Data-Driven Programming for the .NET Framework
Copyright © 2010 by Carl Ganz, Jr.
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ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4302-2519-5
ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4302-2520-1
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With all paternal love, to Carl John III, Rose Veronica, and our unborn baby, either Paul
Christian or Emily Anne, whichever one you turn out to be.
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■ CONTENTS

Contents at a Glance
Contents at a Glance.......................................................................... iv
Contents ............................................................................................ v
About the Author ............................................................................... ix
About the Technical Reviewer.............................................................. x
Acknowledgments.............................................................................. xi
Introduction ..................................................................................... xii
■Chapter 1: Introducing Data-Driven Programming................................ 1
■Chapter 2: Reflection...................................................................... 29
■Chapter 3: Runtime Code Compilation .............................................. 59
■Chapter 4: Dynamic WinForms ......................................................... 77
■Chapter 5: Dynamic ASP.NET ..........................................................123
■Chapter 6: Dynamic WPF ................................................................155
■Chapter 7: Reporting .....................................................................183
■Chapter 8: Database Design ...........................................................217
■Index............................................................................................237

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Contents
Contents at a Glance.......................................................................... iv
Contents ............................................................................................ v
About the Author ............................................................................... ix
About the Technical Reviewer.............................................................. x
Acknowledgments.............................................................................. xi
Introduction ..................................................................................... xii
■Chapter 1: Introducing Data-Driven Programming ...............................1
Database Metadata.........................................................................................................2
SQL Server.............................................................................................................................................2
Oracle.....................................................................................................................................................4
Practical Applications.....................................................................................................6
Code Generation..............................................................................................................9
Custom Code Generators.....................................................................................................................10
Using the CodeDOM.............................................................................................................................13
Summary.......................................................................................................................28
■Chapter 2: Reflection...................................................................... 29
Instantiating Classes.....................................................................................................29
Loading Shared Assemblies.................................................................................................................31
Examining Classes...............................................................................................................................32
Drilling Down into Assembly Objects............................................................................41
Building an Object Hierarchy................................................................................................................42
Importing Control Definitions...............................................................................................................45

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■ CONTENTS

Decompiling Source Code.............................................................................................52
Summary.......................................................................................................................57
■Chapter 3: Runtime Code Compilation .............................................. 59
System.CodeDom.Compiler Namespace.......................................................................59
Compiling the Code..............................................................................................................................61
Error Handling......................................................................................................................................63
Executing the Code..............................................................................................................................66
Referencing Controls on Forms.....................................................................................68
Adding References........................................................................................................70
Testing..........................................................................................................................75
Summary.......................................................................................................................75
■Chapter 4: Dynamic WinForms......................................................... 77
Instantiating Forms.......................................................................................................77
Wiring Events................................................................................................................81
Loading Control Definitions...........................................................................................83
Loading from XML................................................................................................................................84
Loading from a Table...........................................................................................................................86
Connecting Event Code........................................................................................................................90
Practical Solutions........................................................................................................92
Building a Filter Screen........................................................................................................................92
Saving Grid Settings.............................................................................................................................99
Data-Driven Menus............................................................................................................................103
Creating Criteria Screens............................................................................................110
Dynamic Criteria Controls..................................................................................................................110
Extracting the User Selections...........................................................................................................117
Summary.....................................................................................................................122

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■ CONTENTS

■Chapter 5: Dynamic ASP.NET......................................................... 123
Instantiating Web Controls..........................................................................................123
Understanding the Page Life Cycle....................................................................................................127
Using HTML Tables.............................................................................................................................133
ParseControl.......................................................................................................................................137
Instantiating User Controls.................................................................................................................139
Repeater Controls..............................................................................................................................143
Practical Solutions......................................................................................................147
Dynamic Criteria Controls..................................................................................................................147
Extracting the User Selections...........................................................................................................152
Summary.....................................................................................................................153
■Chapter 6: Dynamic WPF............................................................... 155
XAML...........................................................................................................................155
Layout.........................................................................................................................157
Canvas...............................................................................................................................................158
Grid.....................................................................................................................................................160
StackPanel.........................................................................................................................................162
WrapPanel..........................................................................................................................................164
DockPanel..........................................................................................................................................166
Runtime Instantiation..................................................................................................168
Accessing Child Controls....................................................................................................................171
Nested Controls..................................................................................................................................172
XamlWriter/XamlReader..............................................................................................175
Persisting Objects..............................................................................................................................176
IsAncestorOf/IsDescendantOf............................................................................................................177
Wiring Events..............................................................................................................179
Data-Driven .Menus....................................................................................................180
Summary.....................................................................................................................182

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■ CONTENTS

■Chapter 7: Reporting .................................................................... 183
SQL Server Extended Properties.................................................................................183
Microsoft Excel...........................................................................................................189
Syncfusion’s Essential XlsIO..............................................................................................................191
SoftArtisans’ OfficeWriter for Excel....................................................................................................194
PDF..............................................................................................................................197
iTextSharp..........................................................................................................................................197
Syncfusion’s Essential PDF................................................................................................................200
SAP/Business Objects: Crystal Reports.......................................................................202
Embedded vs. Nonembedded Reports...............................................................................................202
Dynamic Crystal Reports....................................................................................................................202
SQL Server Reporting Services...................................................................................210
Using RDL...........................................................................................................................................210
Dynamic Rdl.......................................................................................................................................212
Summary.....................................................................................................................216
■Chapter 8: Database Design .......................................................... 217
Data Storage...............................................................................................................217
Committing Data to the Database...............................................................................221
Using Inverted Tables.................................................................................................225
Structuring Inverted Data...................................................................................................................225
Extracting Inverted Data.....................................................................................................................227
Converting Inverted Data to a Normalized Structure.........................................................................229
Mixing Normalized and Inverted Tables.............................................................................................232
Summary.....................................................................................................................235
■Index........................................................................................... 237

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About the Author
■ Carl Ganz, Jr. is a Senior Software Developer at Innovatix, LLC., in New York. He has an M.B.A in
Finance from Seton Hall University and is the author of four other books on software development as
well as dozens of articles on Visual Basic, C#, and Microsoft .NET technology. He is the president and
founder of the New Jersey Visual Basic User Group and has been a featured speaker at software
development conferences in both the U.S. and Germany. Carl and his wife Wendy, live in Raritan, New
Jersey, with their son Carl III, their daughter Rose, and their cats Jack and Jake. Contact Carl at
[email protected].

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