We are currently in the process of evaluating application frameworks for our development environment. The choices have been narrowed down to StrataFrame, DevForce (by IdeaBlade) and eXpressApp Framework (by DevExpress). There is some give and take between the products, but the underlying concepts are similar.



What I would like to know is if anybody has experience in their search for an application framework, similar to what we are looking at, and why you chose StrataFrame (or conversely why you didn't choose another product) over any other tool?



This doesn't have to be specific to the products I mentioned. I would also like feedback as to how successful the product has made your development process.



Thank you for any advice you can provide.

Doug.

[quote]Doug Zapp (04/11/2008)

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What I would like to know is if anybody has experience in their search for an application framework, similar to what we are looking at, and why you chose StrataFrame (or conversely why you didn't choose another product) over any other tool?

This doesn't have to be specific to the products I mentioned. I would also like feedback as to how successful the product has made your development process.

quote]

Hi Doug,

I think this would be a very personal decision.  In my case, I spent great time reading a lot of materials from DevFoce (IdeaBlade) which I found to be a very solid framework and the way they handle the data is very unique.  My understanding is that they target Enterprise developers shop and their framework will requre a more experience .NET developer to work with.  There are many things I like about their approach and specially their form's builders which allow you to build a form pretty easily, but I think they lack in the Framework concept that I am used to in Visual FoxPro.

Then, I started reviewing SF, and found their approach easier to work with and understand specially with a little experience in .NET like I had.  Also the framework as whole package provided more features for the kind of applications I develop (Form's templates, .NET controls subclasses, Messaging System, Multiligual Application support, Database Toolkit, a very impressive Connection Manager, and of course a great forum support).

In my VFP experience dealing with frameworks, I learned to respect them all, and then choose the one that best fit your needs/budgets, etc. and then start working with the framework, not against it.  I remember some years ago when I was looking for a VFP framework to do the migration from FPD2.6 to VFP3/VFP5 and I tested about 5 frameworks, and bought 2 of them until I found the one I liked the most and stick with it for the last 10+ years and even got an MVP Live award title. 

I am still very new to SF, but so far I am pretty happy with the results.

Edhy Rijo

Hi Doug,



I was a VFP guy for quite a few years, we dipped our toes into .NET slowly and it was a somewhat daunting task. We had a framework that we relied on heavily for our VFP applications and when knew the value of having a solid foundation for our application that took care of a lot of the important underpinnings. We tried a few, some you have mentioned, and if memory serves they left me feeling like I had another learning curve altogether, feeling overly complicated and hard to get going with. I almost gave up.



To make a long story short, Strataframe has allowed our company to make a smooth transition to where we are now 100% .NET. Getting a new project started is 5 minutes, a data maintenance form is 10, search screens another 10. This allows us to focus on the screens that make the applications work, the ones that we all know to be the heart of the apps we write. SF provides the tools for both fast ramp-up as well as more complex controls to handle more complex tasks. Another selling point for me was the Database Deployment Toolkit, I already had to learn .NET and didn't want to have to learn TSQL as well at the same time. The two tools worked together great like my old friend Stonefield for VFP.



What really sold me on SF was the support. I remember a specific night not all that long ago, sitting at my PC around 1AM trying to properly evaluate SF in a short period of time since they had a training session coming up. I was stuck and posted on the forums hoping (praying) for a response over the weekend to report some progress to my boss on Monday. How shocked was I when about 10 minutes later I had a response and an email with help? Now I am not saying that is the norm (Trent and Ben would shoot me) but it illustrated to me their dedication to the product and their customers. Support has not dropped off one bit since, by far the best company I have dealt with in my 10 years in IT.



Hope that helps you out some.



Keith C.

Sigma Data Systems


Keith Chisarik

Hi Doug,

It just seemed to provide all the foundation stuff we were looking for in what seemed like an package that would be reasonably easy to digest and I was impressed by the StrataFrame forum which appeared to be very responsive with thoughtful help.

Bottom line - no regrets at all - it does all that we want.

Cheers, Peter

My own background is VFP and for the last 10 years I've been part of F1 Technologies, doing training and mentoring for the Visual FoxExpress framework as well as developing applications.  I've been lucky to work with what I consider the best framework and framework designers in the VFP world and I immediately saw a lot of similarities in Strataframe and the Microfour folks. 

A good framework has a design strategy and a lot of stuff available but doesn't get in the way by putting you in proprietary boxes.  I think a lot of the design decisions Microfour has made fullfill that requirement.  I'm still a beginner at both .NET and Strataframe but I feel like using this framework is flattening my .NET learning curve dramatically the way Visual FoxExpress did for my quickly becoming productive in VFP. 

I'll be going to Texas for the class this summer and look forward to starting a major project with Strataframe this fall.

Hey Charles.

Great to hear that. I will meet you there!