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t1g312
Posting Yak Master
148 Posts |
 Posted - 2005-12-06 : 08:33:46
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| Dear all,We are planning to move from VB 6/SQL 2000 to VB.Net/SQL 2000/2005 for our next application that will be used in multiple locations and sometimes over slow links (e.g. 128k VPN connection). However, we have no experience in developing web applications. My questions are:1. Can I programatically print/fax/email and access other devices from a web application?2. We are using Crystal 10 for reporting. How would we do it on the web? We cant afford the enterprise edition ($100k!!!). How good is Reporting Services?3. Is web services different from conventional .Net web applications?More to come... :)Thanks in advance,Adi |
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jsmith8858
Dr. Cross Join
7423 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-06 : 08:54:01
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quote:
Originally posted by t1g312
Dear all,We are planning to move from VB 6/SQL 2000 to VB.Net/SQL 2000/2005 for our next application that will be used in multiple locations and sometimes over slow links (e.g. 128k VPN connection). However, we have no experience in developing web applications. My questions are:1. Can I programatically print/fax/email and access other devices from a web application?2. We are using Crystal 10 for reporting. How would we do it on the web? We cant afford the enterprise edition ($100k!!!). How good is Reporting Services?3. Is web services different from conventional .Net web applications?More to come... :)Thanks in advance,Adi
Stop everything.... READ BOOKS about the development of web applications. Get a book on ASP.NET, HTML, etc. Send developers to classes. Experiment and learn how it works with small, sample apps to get a feel for the differences between web development and client/server development. Bring in someone who has experience with ASP.NET, or even bring in a consultant. (as a last resort, of course). ONLY THEN should you decide if you think you should convert your current code to a web environment. You are doomed to failure if you suddenly decide to start moving your application to the web when no one has any clue how web application work ! It sounds like cool buzzwords are impressing upper management (or, worse, the IT department!) when they have no idea what those buzzwords mean. |
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t1g312
Posting Yak Master
148 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-06 : 08:56:47
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quote:
Originally posted by jsmith8858
quote:
Originally posted by t1g312
Dear all,We are planning to move from VB 6/SQL 2000 to VB.Net/SQL 2000/2005 for our next application that will be used in multiple locations and sometimes over slow links (e.g. 128k VPN connection). However, we have no experience in developing web applications. My questions are:1. Can I programatically print/fax/email and access other devices from a web application?2. We are using Crystal 10 for reporting. How would we do it on the web? We cant afford the enterprise edition ($100k!!!). How good is Reporting Services?3. Is web services different from conventional .Net web applications?More to come... :)Thanks in advance,Adi
Stop everything.... READ about development web applications. Get a book on ASP.NET, HTML, etc. Send developers to classes. Experiment and learn how it works with small, sample apps to get a feel for the differences between web development and client/server development. THEN decide if you think you should convert your current code to a web environment. You are doomed to failure if you suddenly decide to start moving your application to the web when no one has any clue how web application work !
We are planning to go for training, but I would like to know which ones to go for. I have some expirience in PERL.Adi |
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jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-06 : 10:50:07
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Let me tell you slow connections are going to be a nightmare, especially at 128k, you have got to be joking ? I agree with Jeff, don't jump into a web application or an entire web environment just because you hear a lot about it. Many companies, that you don't hear a lot about are still using legacy systems. Just because you hear about .NET does not mean all the companies are using it. To be honest with you a lot of companies are still running vb4 apps and ancient asp applications. One of the things that you talked about like reports is going to be a totally different scenerio. Security will be a lot different, and a lot more communication needs to be planned by your company if this is to be used by multiple locations. BTW multiple locations means a much different application. Are the multiple locations going to be using the same exact system on the same server? If so your design will need to store a ClientID or CompanyID for each record to distinguish which subsidary is creating the row.One thing about web apps, there is a lot to learn, and there are some nightmares: activex, security, javascript, rendering html to come out the way you would like it. Long gone are the days where dragging and dropping was simple. Even creating a simple web page may be difficult. It's not easy but it's doable, but you have to be willing to spend the buck to gain the knowledge.One thing that you guys might want to rethink is the distribution of the app. IT could be web based but it might be better not to share the web app across multiple sites due to performance issues. And yes Reporting Services is great ;)
Keeping the web experience alive -- [url]http://www.web-impulse.com[/url] |
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MichaelP
Jedi Yak
2489 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-06 : 12:57:21
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| One thing to keep in mind with .net is that it tends to send a lot of data up and down the pipe, so that 128k connection might really be slow esp if there's more than a handful of users at any one time.Do some reading, make some small test apps (Northwind!), do some testing.For Reporting, take a look at Reporting Services, or ActiveReports.Net. I'm an AR.net guy. It has it's bugs, but for most things it's really great. The price is right too!!Michael<Yoda>Use the Search page you must. Find the answer you will. Cursors, path to the Dark Side they are. Avoid them, you must. Use Order By NewID() to get a random record you will.</Yoda> |
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t1g312
Posting Yak Master
148 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-07 : 01:04:14
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quote:
Let me tell you slow connections are going to be a nightmare, especially at 128k, you have got to be joking ?
Min(Connection speed) = 128k. We have some locations that have 2 MBPS as well. quote:
BTW multiple locations means a much different application. Are the multiple locations going to be using the same exact system on the same server? If so your design will need to store a ClientID or CompanyID for each record to distinguish which subsidary is creating the row.
The branch offices in our city will be using the exact same database while other offices in the region will be using the same server but different databases. We presently have all the logic in place to handle multiple locations in VB 6. quote:
One thing about web apps, there is a lot to learn, and there are some nightmares: activex, security, javascript, rendering html to come out the way you would like it. Long gone are the days where dragging and dropping was simple. Even creating a simple web page may be difficult. It's not easy but it's doable, but you have to be willing to spend the buck to gain the knowledge.
Isn't the whole idea of using web applications that you don't need to install any activex components? We are planning to buy Infragistics Netadvantage so hopefully it should make our lives easier. quote:
One thing that you guys might want to rethink is the distribution of the app. IT could be web based but it might be better not to share the web app across multiple sites due to performance issues. And yes Reporting Services is great ;)
Do you mean seperate database/internet servers? We have only a handful of users in each location, around 2 - 3 users and usage is not very high.The reason why we are considering web application is because of the ease of deployment. It's a nightmare with VB 6 where for every little change I make, I need to update the program on each of the user's PCs.Adi |
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jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-07 : 11:48:24
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Many web apps still use active x content, haven't you been to any yahoo or ms site and gotten a pop up even in sp2 to install a certificate or an active x to perform or install an app? The web app I wrote recently that sends outlook tasks uses activex.You cant hide from it.
Keeping the web experience alive -- [url]http://www.web-impulse.com[/url] |
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t1g312
Posting Yak Master
148 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-10 : 05:22:44
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quote:
Originally posted by jhermiz
Many web apps still use active x content, haven't you been to any yahoo or ms site and gotten a pop up even in sp2 to install a certificate or an active x to perform or install an app? The web app I wrote recently that sends outlook tasks uses activex.You cant hide from it.
Keeping the web experience alive -- [url]http://www.web-impulse.com[/url]
Does that mean I will be able to access local applications such as Outlook, Fax, Printer, Barcode reader etc if I use activex controls?Adi |
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jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-10 : 11:56:01
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quote:
Originally posted by t1g312
quote:
Originally posted by jhermiz
Many web apps still use active x content, haven't you been to any yahoo or ms site and gotten a pop up even in sp2 to install a certificate or an active x to perform or install an app? The web app I wrote recently that sends outlook tasks uses activex.You cant hide from it.
Keeping the web experience alive -- [url]http://www.web-impulse.com[/url]
Does that mean I will be able to access local applications such as Outlook, Fax, Printer, Barcode reader etc if I use activex controls?Adi
Yes but it is easier said than done, a lot of applications that interface with outlook for instance require signing by companies like Verisign, to work properly. The reason being is this goes back to security. You will need to sign your activex control using the vs.net tool so that it is marked as a safe activex control.Like I said it is easier said then done, getting the outlook task feature to work was a pain!Jon
Keeping the web experience alive -- [url]http://www.web-impulse.com[/url] |
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MichaelP
Jedi Yak
2489 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-13 : 12:18:04
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| Yes, ActiveX Controls allow you to do a lot of powerful things, but they have some drawbacks as well.The browser must be IEThe browser must allow for "signed" controlsYour control must be signed (Verisign Code signing certificate needed each year!!)User that is logged in needs permissions to do whatever the control needs to do (IE read the file system etc).For now, I'd not focus on ActiveX Controls. I'd focus on all the other stuff you need to learn first. If you run into something that you just can't get a web page to do (read / write files on the client's machine for example) then you may need ActiveX. Just post back here before you start coding one though. There may be another solution.Michael<Yoda>Use the Search page you must. Find the answer you will. Cursors, path to the Dark Side they are. Avoid them, you must. Use Order By NewID() to get a random record you will.</Yoda> |
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t1g312
Posting Yak Master
148 Posts |
Posted - 2005-12-14 : 01:58:03
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quote:
Originally posted by MichaelP
Yes, ActiveX Controls allow you to do a lot of powerful things, but they have some drawbacks as well.The browser must be IEThe browser must allow for "signed" controlsYour control must be signed (Verisign Code signing certificate needed each year!!)User that is logged in needs permissions to do whatever the control needs to do (IE read the file system etc).For now, I'd not focus on ActiveX Controls. I'd focus on all the other stuff you need to learn first. If you run into something that you just can't get a web page to do (read / write files on the client's machine for example) then you may need ActiveX. Just post back here before you start coding one though. There may be another solution.Michael<Yoda>Use the Search page you must. Find the answer you will. Cursors, path to the Dark Side they are. Avoid them, you must. Use Order By NewID() to get a random record you will.</Yoda>
Thanks Michael and to everyone else for your time. Appreciate it!Adi |
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