ADEV 239
Microsoft .NET and
GeoMedia
REDLANDS SOFTWARE, INC.
Richard McFarland
rmcfar@redlands-sw.com
REDLANDS SOFTWARE, INC.
Overview
• What is .NET?
• How do I get started?
• What about .NET and GeoMedia?
• Example Applications
•Q&A
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What is .NET?
• It is huge, It is software
• Provides an software environment to
develop and execute modern
applications
• Like E-Business, Grid Computing, Web
Services, Utilility computing,
Autonomic computing, …
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What is .NET?
• Competitive products include J2EE and IBM
Websphere
• IBM has defined e-business on demand as
an enterprise whose business processes -integrated end-to-end across the company
and with key partners, suppliers, and
customers -- can respond with speed to any
customer demand, market opportunity, or
external threat.
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What is .NET?
• This new software model integrates
horizontally to link data, legacy
systems, and custom applications, and
this integration requires new levels of
data integrity and transaction
processing
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What is .Net?
• It allows an enterprise to connect
with other enterprises, other business
processes, other applications, and
billions of pervasive computing devices
• Open specifications and industry
standards are the only realistic way
that all of this can connect
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What is .Net?
• Grid computing allows distributed
computing resources to be shared and
managed as if they were one, large,
virtual computer – like water, electricity,
gas
• Think of the water supply – its
completely virtualized. Our interface is a
water spigot!
• See Scientific American, March 2003
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What is .Net?
• Autonomic computing
• Autonomic systems will self-manage, selfprotect, balance workloads, install device
drivers, and upgrade software
• See Scientific American, June 2003
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What is .Net?
• Microsoft .NET comprises most of these
concepts, and is built upon …
• The .NET Framework
• Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET
• Servers like Microsoft Windows® Server
2003, Microsoft SQL Server™, and
Microsoft BizTalk® Server
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What is .NET
• Client software, such as Windows XP,
Windows CE, and Microsoft Office XP
• The .NET Framework is an integral
Windows component for building and
running the next generation of software
applications and Web services
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.NET Framework
XML Web
Web
Services
Forms
ASP.Net
Windows
Forms
Data and XML Classes
Base Framework Classes
Common Language Runtime
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The .NET Framework
• 20 different programming languages
• Plumbing for developing software built in,
enabling developers to focus on the core
business logic code
• Easier to build, deploy, and administer
secure, robust, high performance
applications
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The .NET Framework
• Common Language Runtime or CLR is the
core of .NET
• Like an operating system running on
another operating system
• Like Java Virtual Machine, or the VB runtime
• Abstracts the operating system even more
• Windows itself is to close to the hardware
• Is portable in theory (BSD Unix)
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CLR
XML Web
Web
Services
Forms
ASP.Net
Windows
Forms
Data and XML Classes
Base Framework Classes
Common Language Runtime
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CLR
• The CLR is different
• A .NET compiler generates binary
executable software in a p-code format
called Common Intermediate
Language or CIL
• At runtime the CLR re-compiles or JITcompiles (Just In Time) the CIL into
native code such as x86 machine
language.
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CLR
• “Managed” code runs in the native
machine language of the system
on which it is launched
• The first invocation of an
assembly is cached in its native
machine code for subsequent
invocations
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Framework Class Library FCL
• Framework Class Library or
FCL
• The FCL contains hundreds of
classes
• Classes pervade every aspect
of .NET
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Framework Class Library FCL
• Framework Class Library reflects
.NET’s object-oriented nature.
• Most objects are extensible
through class inheritance and
other interesting .NET techniques
• The FCL is one of the most
extensive class libraries
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Base Framework Classes
XML Web
Web
Services
Forms
ASP.Net
Windows
Forms
Data and XML Classes
Base Framework Classes
Common Language Runtime
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FCL - Base Classes
• Base classes provide standard
functionality
• Input/output, string manipulation,
security management, network
• Communications, thread management,
text management
• User interface design features.
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Data and XML Classes
XML Web
Web
Services
Forms
ASP.Net
Windows
Forms
Data and XML Classes
Base Framework Classes
Common Language Runtime
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FCL - Data and XML Classes
• ADO.NET classes enable
developers to interact with data
accessed in the form of XML
through the OLE DB, ODBC,
Oracle, and SQL Server interfaces
• XML classes enable XML
manipulation, searching, and
translations
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ASP.Net and Window Forms
XML Web
Web
Services
Forms
ASP.Net
Windows
Forms
Data and XML Classes
Base Framework Classes
Common Language Runtime
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FCL - ASP.NET classes
• The ASP.NET classes support the
development of Web-based
applications and Web services.
• Web Forms are analogous to Windows
Forms and the design time and
execution environments look and feel
very much the same
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FCL – Windows Forms
• The Windows Forms classes support
the development of desktop-based
smart client applications
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.NET Framework
• Class libraries provide a common,
consistent development interface
across all languages supported by the
.NET Framework
• CLR and the .NET Frameworks allow
the seamless reuse of code written in
any supported language
• But also allows the components to be
extended in another language
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.NET Framework
• The .NET Framework is freely
downloadable
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframew
ork/downloads/default.aspxs
• Its about 23 MB
• Once installed, you can run any .NET
application
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Building .NET Applications
• The .NET Frameworks contains a collection
of tools and compilers to generate .NET
applications
• MicroSoft provides C#, VB.NET, C++, and
J#
• There are at least 20 other compilers from
other sources.
• You can generate .NET apps with just the
Framework.
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Visual Studio .NET
• However, to be productive, most
developers use Visual Studio .NET
• Comprises a single Integrated
Development Environment for the
Framework Classes and all .NET
languages
• Many, many tools to develop apps
• Application delivery packaging
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How do get started?
• Develop on Windows 2000 or Server,
Windows XP Professional or Server
• Target these same platforms
• Make sure Internet Information
Services are installed and functioning
• Buy and install Visual Studio .Net
• Install your GeoMedia products
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How do get started?
• VB6 and C++ 6 will run just fine as well at
the same time
• Utilize the many free or cheap MS local
technical sessions
• Consult the many technical manuals
available at your local book store
• Utilize the Microsoft .NET online areas, and
other services like CodeProject
• MSDN Magazine
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What language to use
• Probably currently easier to use VB.Net than
C# for GeoMedia apps
• More enterprise type apps and examples
seem to be biased towards C#. MSDN
magazine seems to be more C# oriented
• Most of the Framework and Visual Studio
.NET written in C#
• C# apps are a little faster
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What language to use
• If you are a C or C++ developer, C#
for sure
• If you’ve always wanted to learn C++,
use C#. In many ways, C# is a leaner
easier C++
• You can still write standard MFC and
ATL C++ applications.
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What about .NET and
GeoMedia?
• Version 4 and 5 GeoMedia seem to
work pretty well with .NET
• Version 4 GeoMediaWebMap will not
• Not all objects seem to work with .NET
• Customer requirements will probably
dictate the time when all objects will
work well with .NET
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What about .NET and
GeoMedia?
• In the mean time, I would recommend
getting started on small scale apps
• Also applications, particularly Web
Apps, in the portions were GeoMedia
is not utilized
• A major focus in .NET is Internet
oriented applications and WebServices
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What about .NET and
GeoMedia?
• COM versus .NET
• COM will not disappear, but .NET
Framework is a bigger, better, faster
COM
• But .NET provides many tools/classes
for working with legacy COM object
hierarchies like GeoMedia
• What is Intergraph’s direction?
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City View Example
• .Net truly is a Rapid Develop
Environment
• CityView is a perfect example of the
power of .NET to utilize Web Services
to create interesting applications.
• Code…
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Web Services – City View
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GeoMedia Example
• A Water Company wants to maintain an
atlas sheet approach for the maintenance
crews
• Various interface mechanisms and plotting
mechanisms are based on a standard tiling
scheme ( 3000’ X 2000’ )
• Sheets are being added somewhat
frequently.
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GeoMedia Example
• Need a tool to generate all the
interface/generation mechanisms from
single source
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ASP.Net Example
• Our Web applications tend to have many
interface mechanisms for map navigation
• ASP.NET provides a rich environment for
extending existing controls
• And debugging ASP really works!
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Conclusion
• What is .NET?
• How do I get started?
• What about .NET and GeoMedia?
• Example Applications
•Q&A
REDLANDS SOFTWARE, INC.