ASP.Net Architecture for plugins and updates

[ekz]

Hey there ,
I have an architectural question :
I am working on CMS application build with ASP.Net and CSharp + SQL
Server 2000
This application should be product that the company will continue to
upgrade and to release new versions. So application design must meet
this argent purposes :
1) Easy upgrades :ability to easily upgrade application and to
distribute new release to older version's customers
2) Support for plug-ins : ability to release some functionality as
plug-ins .e.g. customers want to have the ability to export some data
in xml - it can be achieved without massive changes in the
application base, so the intuitive solution is some kind of plug-in

I understand that for web-application releases and plug-ins couldn't
be done with just dropping dll and registration of it . but any
approach to this targets will help a lot in a long-term tasks.

Any help, links , resources are welcome
Thanks a lot for this grate site and community

 

[Bruce Barker]

it you look at the factory model pattern, you will plugin's are easy in
..net. you could have a seperate registration file, or use the web config. if
you have the users drop the plugin in the bin folder, you just need the
assemby name to load it.

create an abstract plugin class thats compiled to a dll, and this is all
they will need to build their plugins.

-- bruce (sqlwork.com)

 

[SharpSmith]

Thanks, Bruce
as i understand, the basic idea is to play with reflection to
dinamically load assembly and to use some common interface for plugins
if you can provide some link to implemenation or theory of the pattern
you are talking about, i'll welcome it thanksfully.
anyway, im interseting aslo of design and standart to make my APS.NET
application "pluginabble"

again, thanks a lot for your help