StrataFrame Forum

Application Navigation Templates

http://forum.strataframe.net/Topic13044.aspx

By Bill Cunnien - 12/14/2007

This afternoon was quite successful.  I was able to create a StrataFrame application.  Within that application I created a maintenance form and a business object that it attends.  I made another maintenance form for another business object.  I even discovered the joy of populating lists from other business objects (quite the snap!).  I am impressed on many levels.  However, this is a framework, not just a set of handy form wizards, so...

Where are the application navigation templates?

Within a framework like this, I am assuming there is already a mechanism for handling the myriad of maintenance forms, standard forms, themed forms, etc. that will be created during the application's development.  Can someone point me to this template/wizard?

Thanks,
Bill

By Greg McGuffey - 12/16/2007

If by navigation you mean the means to open your forms via some standardized way, there isn't one. However, there have been some very good posts on how to have a single entry point for the opening of all your forms. See these posts:



http://forum.strataframe.net/FindPost9345.aspx



http://forum.strataframe.net/FindPost12894.aspx



http://forum.strataframe.net/FindPost11445.aspx



And search the forum for "open form".



I've been struggling with this for a while and I think the problem is that opening forms is so open ended, both in how you could create them and how you could initiate the opening of them. To create forms, you can have constructors on your forms, that require parameters, you can require factory methods to make the form or you can use both and you can have a myriad of properties that could need to be set. To open forms, you can open them via buttons, labels, linked labels, toolstrip items, combo boxes, list boxes, mouse hovers...the list is endless. So what would the navigation "template" look like, within a generic framework? On the other hand every app likely does have its way of doing things, and there could eventually be a set of common styles used, I'm guessing. I'd be interested in hearing what the SF perspective on this is.