Module based software
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Hey guys! I have a question and I think the answer is 'Remoting', but I want to know for sure. I want to write an application which contains modules. Customers buy the 'base' software. If required, they buy additional modules which enables the software to 'do more'. Now all these modules are seperate projects (and thus seperate dll's). I want the software to check if a module is 'active', and then check for the existance of the dll, if both are OK, the system can reference the dll and use it. Ofcource all modules are available at design time so referencing the dll's is no problem, but when starting the system with one or more dll's missing i'll receive a JIT Debugger message. Is there a way to not deliver all modules, but only deliver the 'active' modules and change that (change db values and copy the module dll's) without having to compile the software again? And... Can I also accomplish this without module versioning? What I mean here, is that I may want to change (update or fix) modules which result in a new module dll (and a new version). Can I still use that dll from the 'base' system without having to decompile? (I am aware here, that I need to be very carefull what to change and not change (for example) return value types or so). Hrmmm... a fairly large story, but I wanted to explain exactly what I want to get a satisfying answer. Since English is a foreign language for me I may have used some unneeded words ;) Cheers guys!
.: I love it when a plan comes together :. http://www.zonderpunt.nl
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Hey guys! I have a question and I think the answer is 'Remoting', but I want to know for sure. I want to write an application which contains modules. Customers buy the 'base' software. If required, they buy additional modules which enables the software to 'do more'. Now all these modules are seperate projects (and thus seperate dll's). I want the software to check if a module is 'active', and then check for the existance of the dll, if both are OK, the system can reference the dll and use it. Ofcource all modules are available at design time so referencing the dll's is no problem, but when starting the system with one or more dll's missing i'll receive a JIT Debugger message. Is there a way to not deliver all modules, but only deliver the 'active' modules and change that (change db values and copy the module dll's) without having to compile the software again? And... Can I also accomplish this without module versioning? What I mean here, is that I may want to change (update or fix) modules which result in a new module dll (and a new version). Can I still use that dll from the 'base' system without having to decompile? (I am aware here, that I need to be very carefull what to change and not change (for example) return value types or so). Hrmmm... a fairly large story, but I wanted to explain exactly what I want to get a satisfying answer. Since English is a foreign language for me I may have used some unneeded words ;) Cheers guys!
.: I love it when a plan comes together :. http://www.zonderpunt.nl
Maybe this will give you some ideas Application Suite Template[^]
I know the language. I've read a book. - _Madmatt