Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncementsFree MagazinesWhite PapersSubmit Content
Discussion GroupsASP.NETWindows FormsLanguages.NET FrameworkVisual Studio.NET
Articles.NET FrameworkASP.NETToolsWindows Forms
.NET DirectoryOpen Source ProjectsUser GroupsWeb Resources
Related Topics
Visual Basic 6SQL ServerMS AccessOther DB ProductsMS Server ProductsMore Topics ...

.NET Forum / .NET Framework / General / November 2004

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

Developing and Consuming a Class

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
Fred Herring - 08 Nov 2004 19:59 GMT
I work in vb.net and utilize some functionality which is based upon some
external classes which I currently reference in my application. These
external classes all contribute to a single area of functionality in my
application.   I would like to create a new class for my application which
rolls up these external classes into one class which my application can
consume.

I create a new class library and referenced my external classes.  I built
the new class and added it to my application.  I get an error that my
application is missing the old classes that I use to reference.    Is there
some step I am missing in creating my rollup class.

Fred
John M Deal - 08 Nov 2004 21:04 GMT
Based on your description I've come up with the following.  First, each
of the external classes is actually in their own individual assembly
file (e.g. DLL).  Second, what you want to do is somehow wrap all of
these individual assembly files up into a single distributable DLL file
that can be accessed by consuming applications without having to
distribute each of the smaller files individually.  If that is the case
I don't believe you can do this in VB.Net.  If this is not the case you
need not read any further because I'm about to explain something you
aren't asking about.

When you reference an external assembly you get just that, a reference
to it; you do not get it's code wrapped up into your own assembly. This
is true whether the external assembly is yours or a third party.  What
sometimes gets confusing here is that you see that you can reference
Microsoft assemblies (like System.Data) and don't have to distribute
them to get the application to work, this is because they have been
installed in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC) of every .Net installed
machine; what you don't see is that the real DLL for these referenced
assemblies are on the machine, they are just in the GAC install
location.  You could do this same thing with your assemblies but it
would mean a whole lot more work (check MSDN about strong named
components and the GAC).

What you basically get stuck with is creating a facade (it's a design
pattern) assembly that consumers can reference to have a single location
to call for functionality without having to know the details of all the
"rolled up" classes and assemblies.  However you still need to deliver
all the assemblies (your "rolled up" one and the ones that were "rolled
up" to the consumers of the application.

Have A Better One!

John M Deal, MCP
Necessity Software

> I work in vb.net and utilize some functionality which is based upon some
> external classes which I currently reference in my application. These
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Fred
David - 09 Nov 2004 12:30 GMT
check this (http://www.remotesoft.com/linker/) maybe is the solution.

> I work in vb.net and utilize some functionality which is based upon some
> external classes which I currently reference in my application. These
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Fred

Free Magazines

Get these publications absolutely FREE for up to 12 months. There are no hidden fees and no obligation. Simply choose a title, complete the application form and submit it. Read more ...

Oracle MagazineNetwork ComputingComputer WorldBio-IT WorldeWeekInformation WeekInfosecurity
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2009 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.