Hello,
While trying (and, I should say enjoying) the features that come with the StrataFrame solutions I am also getting to know the CAB (as in Composite UI Application Block) and the SC-SF (Smart Client Software Factory) that utilizes the CAB. Now I would love to combine the strengths of both. Now when using the CAB, all UI for business functionality are in so called SmartParts, which derive from UserControl. The StrataFrame has quite some really neat UI components that work very well with the BO's. I guess most intelligent and used one being the maintenance form. It really has a lot of handy StrataFrame properties like the error checking and databinding. Also there is the StrataFrame UserControl which only adds the BOTranslator to the Microsoft UserControl. Now, it would be really nice to have a UserControl with all the functionality that comes with the maintenance form. The strengths of the two combined would make, in my opinion, as far as I can see now, a really handy development environment.
While I am at it, just another one. One can use the BO as a good datasource in a project. Really handy those datasources. One just defines which control should be associated with a field and drag the whole object (or just some fields) on the form (or even better, a smartpart that derives from a maintenance UserControl). Even the label is added at once. Just that instead of the binding in the StrataFrame properties is left alone and the standard microsoft databinding is used. Now I still have to remove the default binding and manually add the StrataFrame binding. Maybe it is an idea to look into the ability hooking into the process and altering it.
Well, that was quite a story. Thank you for reading, love to see you comments.
Greetings, Johan