What is best way to convert desktop app to web app?
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I work alone, and I have developed a huge desktop app, probably a quarter million lines of code, that has evolved for well over 10 years. I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI, but have watched many technologies go by, like asp, ajax, and now there's webmatrix, and sometimes I wonder whether I should take the leap, or whether it may cost me another 10 years to rewrite it for the web. It uses .NET remoting, and is multithreaded, so wcf and parallel programming come to mind as well. Fear promotes a lack of action, but knowledge defeats fear, so I thought I'd submit this general question to the "big team" out there in the code project universe. :)
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I would say before you dive in, restructure your code base to enforce a presentation layer, and if feasible (or not already accomplished) pull all the presentation layer off into a separate solution. this will make the development of even code behind faster. if you can, get everything scrunched down to one form, with all the necessary controls displayed on that single form. once you've accomplished this the mapping of winforms to webpages is quite simple (and if your comfortable spending about a week slopping code around flagrantly) you can etch out a crude close approximation first gen WebApp rather quickly. Really the "functional template" has already been written (legacy code) and you want to float a new UI on it, so Hack together a minimal UI (in appearance only) and then focus on getting everything to stitch together...
I'd blame it on the Brain farts.. But let's be honest, it really is more like a Methane factory between my ears some days then it is anything else...
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I work alone, and I have developed a huge desktop app, probably a quarter million lines of code, that has evolved for well over 10 years. I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI, but have watched many technologies go by, like asp, ajax, and now there's webmatrix, and sometimes I wonder whether I should take the leap, or whether it may cost me another 10 years to rewrite it for the web. It uses .NET remoting, and is multithreaded, so wcf and parallel programming come to mind as well. Fear promotes a lack of action, but knowledge defeats fear, so I thought I'd submit this general question to the "big team" out there in the code project universe. :)
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
I've been intrigued by Morfik. I was "forced" to learn TurboPascal to support manufacturing systems and that migrated to Delphi which I use for my own personal work apps (nothing commercial). The ability to reuse a large part of the existing code is very attractive to me but I haven't really studied Morfik in depth to see how easy/hard a conversion could be. Just a thought...
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Why not just make it a Click Once "Smart Client"? Then you can keep it a windows application, but deploy it from the web like a Java Applet. You'll probably need very little code changes, it's more of a deployment option really and simple to implement. Unless you have a customer willing to finance the effort, it's probably not worth the massive amount of coding you'll need to do. You can do smart client in a day. The beauty of Smart Client apps is that you have a single install location (on the web server) to keep up to date. When the user clicks the icon, it automatically goes out to check for a new version and downloads it before starting up the app. It's really best of both worlds...
Reminds me of something I did several years ago with a VB6 application...seperated it into logical modules, made each module a user control ocx, then hooked them up on a simple web page. The customer wanted a web application, and that's what they got...an spplication that is run in a web browser (IE only though) but behaves as a desktop application. In addition, the web page and controls could be run in offline mode (not so critical these days) and updates were automatically downloaded to the client. This setup worked extremely well for many years.
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MY first question is why? Does it really need to be a web bassed app? What value do the users gain, or are you just looking for something cool to try :) The only reason I bring it up is because it could be a SIGNIFICANT effort. You might get more value by simply migrating parts of the application engine over to Dotnet instead.
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My question is: why is there such a huge gap?
Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | µLaunch - program launcher for server core and hyper-v server.GAP? I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say 'gap'. I am assuming you mean why did they make such a big JUMP from all server side based stuff to forcing you all of a sudden to a totally separated model? I am not sure if there was any other way it could have been done gradually. If I am not understanding you then let me know.
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I work alone, and I have developed a huge desktop app, probably a quarter million lines of code, that has evolved for well over 10 years. I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI, but have watched many technologies go by, like asp, ajax, and now there's webmatrix, and sometimes I wonder whether I should take the leap, or whether it may cost me another 10 years to rewrite it for the web. It uses .NET remoting, and is multithreaded, so wcf and parallel programming come to mind as well. Fear promotes a lack of action, but knowledge defeats fear, so I thought I'd submit this general question to the "big team" out there in the code project universe. :)
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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BobishKindaGuy wrote:
I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI
Why?!? Why does everyone think creating a web app is the solution to every problem? :( :sigh: :doh:
Machaira wrote:
Why does everyone think creating a web app is the solution to every problem?
Good question! I wish I didn't have to consider it. But there are some good reasons. See my answer to Ray Cossack.
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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I would say before you dive in, restructure your code base to enforce a presentation layer, and if feasible (or not already accomplished) pull all the presentation layer off into a separate solution. this will make the development of even code behind faster. if you can, get everything scrunched down to one form, with all the necessary controls displayed on that single form. once you've accomplished this the mapping of winforms to webpages is quite simple (and if your comfortable spending about a week slopping code around flagrantly) you can etch out a crude close approximation first gen WebApp rather quickly. Really the "functional template" has already been written (legacy code) and you want to float a new UI on it, so Hack together a minimal UI (in appearance only) and then focus on getting everything to stitch together...
I'd blame it on the Brain farts.. But let's be honest, it really is more like a Methane factory between my ears some days then it is anything else...
ely_bob wrote:
restructure your code base to enforce a presentation layer
My wife and I were discussing this last night, and that is exactly what I realized would be the first step! A windows form has 3 files, the resx (which is the pics, which a web page also fetches), the designer, which is the layout, which a web page also must generate, and a code file, which a web page also has. If I create that 4th file, a class that has all the real code in it, that is the file that will ultimately go on the server side.
ely_bob wrote:
pull all the presentation layer off into a separate solution
Hadn't thought of that point of putting it in a different solution. Perhaps you could share the motive for separating it to that degree. Excellent practical advice, thank you!
ely_bob wrote:
all the necessary controls displayed on that single form
Why a single form? I'm sure you are saying this from experience.
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BobishKindaGuy wrote:
Also, I want whatever I do to look way cool
No, you don't. You want whatever you do, done right. A working Windows 3.1-application will always beat an exception in Silverlight 6 in terms of usability. Make sure you produce a car that can be used for driving, before you start pimpin' it.
I are Troll :suss:
Eddy Vluggen wrote:
No, you don't. You want whatever you do, done right.
I hear you. The first priority is to produce a stable working model, then shine it up afterwards. But the shine must come before you show it to the world, at least in some environments, wouldn't you agree?
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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I work alone, and I have developed a huge desktop app, probably a quarter million lines of code, that has evolved for well over 10 years. I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI, but have watched many technologies go by, like asp, ajax, and now there's webmatrix, and sometimes I wonder whether I should take the leap, or whether it may cost me another 10 years to rewrite it for the web. It uses .NET remoting, and is multithreaded, so wcf and parallel programming come to mind as well. Fear promotes a lack of action, but knowledge defeats fear, so I thought I'd submit this general question to the "big team" out there in the code project universe. :)
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that web applications are mainly for publishing type of applications. In other words, if your desktop applications involve a lot of user interactions, then they may not be suitable for the web. Otherwise, it is not too bad to port them using either of the current available technologies.
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If you don't like the xaml then forget RIA, seems to want to move everything into the xaml. Also the latest MS demos seem to lean almost exclusively to EF as the DAL, I find that distressing and chucked the entire RIA concept out. We are just about finished our MVVM code generator so we should be getting a bit more production. My first .net book was on Dotnet Remoting, trying to learn dot net and remoting from scratch, what a nightmare. Eventually someone slapped me and pointed me to an ordinary winforms app and I never looked back.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
Mycroft Holmes wrote:
the latest MS demos seem to lean almost exclusively to EF as the DAL
Sorry, what is EF?
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When the app is well-structured into several layers (UI/presentation, business logic, data access), you could reuse most layers unmodified, and simply modify/add another presentation layer. If it isn't well-structured yet, now is the time to spend the effort. :)
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modified on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 9:18 AM
A well developed .NET desktop app should be easily ported to ASP.NET. You do however want to analyze the server requirements and the load that it may encounter. If it's a calculation intensive application (ie: Scientific, 3D graphics, etc) then it may be better as a desktop app.
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If you don't like the xaml then forget RIA, seems to want to move everything into the xaml. Also the latest MS demos seem to lean almost exclusively to EF as the DAL, I find that distressing and chucked the entire RIA concept out. We are just about finished our MVVM code generator so we should be getting a bit more production. My first .net book was on Dotnet Remoting, trying to learn dot net and remoting from scratch, what a nightmare. Eventually someone slapped me and pointed me to an ordinary winforms app and I never looked back.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
Mycroft Holmes wrote:
someone slapped me and pointed me to an ordinary winforms app
If you get a mo, could you point me to some article or resource that exemplifies this experience? I would love to see that too. Slap me !!
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
modified on Thursday, July 22, 2010 1:06 PM
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Eddy Vluggen wrote:
No, you don't. You want whatever you do, done right.
I hear you. The first priority is to produce a stable working model, then shine it up afterwards. But the shine must come before you show it to the world, at least in some environments, wouldn't you agree?
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that web applications are mainly for publishing type of applications. In other words, if your desktop applications involve a lot of user interactions, then they may not be suitable for the web. Otherwise, it is not too bad to port them using either of the current available technologies.
Cloud computing or SAS proponents would say the opposite. Salesforce.com would be considered very user interactive.
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My question is: why is there such a huge gap?
Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | µLaunch - program launcher for server core and hyper-v server.peterchen wrote:
why is there such a huge gap?
Please elaborate on what you mean by gap, since that is probably a question that needs answering.
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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BobishKindaGuy wrote:
I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI
Why?!? Why does everyone think creating a web app is the solution to every problem? :( :sigh: :doh:
Thin client apps are so much easier to administer. 1) Changes to the app don't have to be rolled out to 100's of possible users by installing something on their computer. Then when 98% of them are updated and you start getting calls from people who don't read email or don't click yes to update their software when prompted you start pulling your hair out. 2) No installation involved so it involves less helpdesk time. 3) Less worry that someone may leave your company with proprietary software on their laptop. 4) The ability to log in any where any time from any computer. 5) Less of a requirement for users to have high end computers because the load is transferred to a server or a cluster that is centrally managed. 6) the list goes on... I speak from experience having to currently support and develop desktop and web applications. If given the choice, 100% of the time I would prefer to make a web application from a support standpoint. The only time I would consider a desktop application is if it were something that was not used by many people, was calculation intensive and there were no spare servers available for it.
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Why not just make it a Click Once "Smart Client"? Then you can keep it a windows application, but deploy it from the web like a Java Applet. You'll probably need very little code changes, it's more of a deployment option really and simple to implement. Unless you have a customer willing to finance the effort, it's probably not worth the massive amount of coding you'll need to do. You can do smart client in a day. The beauty of Smart Client apps is that you have a single install location (on the web server) to keep up to date. When the user clicks the icon, it automatically goes out to check for a new version and downloads it before starting up the app. It's really best of both worlds...
MachineGun wrote:
Why not just make it a Click Once "Smart Client"?
Hmmm! Do you have an article in mind that might help me analyze this option? Or would it be sufficient to wade through help do you think?
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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Reminds me of something I did several years ago with a VB6 application...seperated it into logical modules, made each module a user control ocx, then hooked them up on a simple web page. The customer wanted a web application, and that's what they got...an spplication that is run in a web browser (IE only though) but behaves as a desktop application. In addition, the web page and controls could be run in offline mode (not so critical these days) and updates were automatically downloaded to the client. This setup worked extremely well for many years.
Thanks for this suggestion, kmoorevs! Yeah, probably an easy to implement solution, but since this is a commercial app with lots of shiny UI, I doubt this would end up looking cool enough. I have no choice really - have to consider that aspect! But sometimes I wish I'd kept the whole thing in VB6 anyway - trying to surf all the changes over the years has probably been the most time-consuming part of my work. And for what? I wanted to "keep up with the times". Or - maybe I bought into the hype. But I must admit that VB6 alone may have led to some dead-ends, so maybe I did do the right thing. Good ol' VB6, gotta love it !!!
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
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I work alone, and I have developed a huge desktop app, probably a quarter million lines of code, that has evolved for well over 10 years. I keep thinking it would be nice to convert it to a browser UI, but have watched many technologies go by, like asp, ajax, and now there's webmatrix, and sometimes I wonder whether I should take the leap, or whether it may cost me another 10 years to rewrite it for the web. It uses .NET remoting, and is multithreaded, so wcf and parallel programming come to mind as well. Fear promotes a lack of action, but knowledge defeats fear, so I thought I'd submit this general question to the "big team" out there in the code project universe. :)
____________________________________________________________________________________ The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is impossible.
I've done a lot of work in both web and desktop; mostly web though. I would seriously consider why you want to make this change. If you've made it 10 years, then I'm guessing it's not something that is urgent or needed. Sounds like more of a nice-to-have right? However, if web is truly something needed, then ignore my post ;) We all know the benefit of why people choose to write an app as a web app instead of a desktop app. But, what people often underestimate is the benefit of why people would choose to write an app as a desktop over a web app. Two HUGE things come to mind. First, is the responsiveness of the app. A desktop app will always be more responsive than a web app regardless of what some web zealots say. The other is the rich environment a desktop offers. The web is catching up here, but IMO still isn't as fully featured as a desktop app. Especially when you get into 3rd party controls like Infragistics... In fact, there's several internal apps at my work that are web apps that are SUCH a pain to use simply because they run in a browser. If they were just done as desktop apps, it would be so much better. On a side rant, with the improvements of RDP and VPN, I think making intranets apps web based is less important these days... If you feel like you need web, then I would consider what one of the posters suggested. That as, just start with small bits of your app as web.