How to use client-side assembly via a web application

[DevX]

Hi to all,

An ex-coworker of mine is learning ASP .NET for building web application.
Because I had 3 years experience in .NET programming (but zero on web
programming and ASP .NET) he asked me a question that I, in turn, ask to
you.

He ask me if it is possibile to call, from the web application running in
the user's browser, some client-side-executing assembly.

Example:

We have this ASP .NET application that produces some web form that the
remote user visualize on his browser, when the user click a button the web
app download, install and execute an assembly that, for example, print a
string on the user's printer (my friend asked exactly the capacity to use
printer, scanner and other device on the user machine).

I suggested to make a rich client with all those funcitonalities and then
connect via web service to the app, but my friend need to develop a web form
app running in the browser and make it downloads those "plug ins" (as he
call those client side assemblies) and execute them interacting with
methods, properties and events.

Do you know if is possible to do what my friend ask? There is something
similar to the use ActiveX Controls/Java Applet that use .NET assembly
instead?

Thanks

DevX

 

[Chagel]

Hi to all,

An ex-coworker of mine is learning ASP .NET for building web application.
Because I had 3 years experience in .NET programming (but zero on web
programming and ASP .NET) he asked me a question that I, in turn, ask to
you.

He ask me if it is possibile to call, from the web application running in
the user's browser, some client-side-executing assembly.

Example:

We have this ASP .NET application that produces some web form that the
remote user visualize on his browser, when the user click a button the web
app download, install and execute an assembly that, for example, print a
string on the user's printer (my friend asked exactly the capacity to use
printer, scanner and other device on the user machine).

I suggested to make a rich client with all those funcitonalities and then
connect via web service to the app, but my friend need to develop a web
form
app running in the browser and make it downloads those "plug ins" (as he
call those client side assemblies) and execute them interacting with
methods, properties and events.

Do you know if is possible to do what my friend ask? There is something
similar to the use ActiveX Controls/Java Applet that use .NET assembly
instead?

Thanks

DevX

Hi DevX,

I think the ClickOnce tech could be thought to use.
More details here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/windowsforms/learning/features/clickonce/

Anyway, the coming Vista with XAML will change the thin and rich client
world indeed.





--

Best regards,
Mike Chen

Focus on .NET & C# & ASP.NET & SQL Server

 

[DevX]

Hi DevX,

I think the ClickOnce tech could be thought to use.
More details here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/windowsforms/learning/features/clickonce/

Anyway, the coming Vista with XAML will change the thin and rich client
world indeed.





--

Best regards,
Mike Chen

Focus on .NET & C# & ASP.NET & SQL Server

Hi Chagel,

Thanks for your response.
You suggest to use this clickonce technology to install (semi)automatically
a windows form application on the user machine. Here some questions:

1) This windows form application must be an executable or I can install also
a class library?
2) After I install those assempbly, that expose my client-side classes, how
I use those classes in the web application?

DevX

 

[Chagel]

Hi Chagel,

Thanks for your response.
You suggest to use this clickonce technology to install
(semi)automatically
a windows form application on the user machine. Here some questions:

1) This windows form application must be an executable or I can install
also
a class library?
2) After I install those assempbly, that expose my client-side classes,
how
I use those classes in the web application?

DevX

DevX,

The answer is:
1. It's a windows form app can be executable itself.
2. You cann't.

it's still a kind of windows client programming, but it's a architecture
technology to perform the rich client things and simple to be accessed like
b/s. It can be thought to use when you want to preform much rich client
operations. But it's another software architecture against web application.



--

Best regards,
Mike Chen

Focus on .NET & C# & ASP.NET & SQL Server