Building Windows Applications with .
NET
Allan Laframboise
Shelly Gill
Introduction
Who are we?
Who are you?
What is your experience
Developing with ArcGIS Desktop, Engine and
Server
ArcGIS 8.x, 9.x and 9.2 beta
Programming VBA/VB 6.0, VC++, .NET and Java
C# vs VB.NET
Overview
ArcGIS and .NET development
Visual Studio .NET IDE integration
How to build ArcGIS Desktop, Engine and
Server application
Version compatibility and migration
.NET development tips
Why develop ArcGIS and .NET?
Visual Studio development experience
Fast and easy to build applications
Unified IDE
Supports different languages (VC++, VB.NET, C#...)
.NET API and framework is very rich
Desktop components, web services, mobile APIs
Easier to program using managed code
Standards-based architecture
XML, SOAP
.NET runtime is freely distributable!
Why develop ArcGIS and .NET?
Provides full COM support
Program with any of the ArcObjects objects and
interfaces
Languages are object oriented
Easy to extend any given ArcObjects component
Easy to build n-tier ArcGIS applications
Desktop components
Engine components
Web applications
Web services
ArcGIS and .NET support
ArcGIS Desktop, Engine and Server install
.NET assemblies
Option to install .NET support during the
installation
Requires the .NET framework to be installed
ArcGIS 9.1 - .NET 1.1
ArcGIS 9.2 - .NET 2.0
ArcGIS .NET assemblies
Most assemblies map to a COM type library
Provide interop layer between .NET and COM types
Some assemblies are for ArcGIS Server
Not COM interop
Pure .NET implementations for ASP.NET
Primary interop assemblies (PIA)
Registered in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC)
ArcGIS and .NET IDE integration
ArcGIS .NET SDK installs extensions to Visual
Studio .NET 2003 and 2005
What you can do:
Build ArcGIS solutions (applications)
Easily extend base classes
Build and register custom COM components
Implement ArcObjects interface
Implement licensing code in any application
Use add-ins for other common tasks
Application plumbing is provided for you
IDE integration extends Visual Studio
New project templates
ArcGIS Desktop, Engine and Server
.NET and C#
Project Wizard
Add references
Implement licensing
New class templates
Add new ArcGIS Class e.g. command, tool, layer and render
Class Wizard
Implement interfaces
Select component categories
Code snippets
Building Desktop applications with .NET
Use the IDE integration to build a project
Types of projects
Component based projects (dlls)
Stand-alone (exes)
Most cases create a new class and implement
an interface
Use base classes where possible!
ArcGIS Desktop development example
IDE integration in action
Build a project
2. Build a command
3. Build a custom layer
4. Debug and test in ArcMap
1.
Building Engine applications with .NET
Use the IDE integration to build a project
Types of projects
Stand-alone (exes)
Component based projects (dlls)
Most cases create a stand-alone 2D or 3D
application
Use controls and base classes where possible!
ArcGIS Engine development example
IDE integration in action
Build a project
Use a previously built command
Use a previously built custom layer
Test and debug Engine application
Make changes
Save .MXD
Building Server applications with .NET
Use the IDE integration to build a project
Types of projects
ASP.NET web application
ASP.NET web service
Most cases create a new web application
Use templates, controls and convenience
classes where possible!
ArcGIS Server development example
IDE integration in action
Build a server object
2. Build a web project
3. Access data sources
4. Test and debug application in VS .NET
1.
* Re-uses previously built .NET custom component
ArcGIS .NET development tips
Version support
Compatibility
Migration
ArcGIS 9.2 and .NET support
ArcGIS 9.2 is built on the .NET 2.0 framework
Use VS 2005 for development
Can not develop with VS 2003 and .NET 1.1
Format of the metadata in assemblies changed
Can not load .NET 2.0 framework
ArcGIS .NET version compatibility
ArcGIS 9.2 policy files redirect 9.1 calls to 9.2
Redirection is forward only
9.1 -> 9.2
Sp1 -> sp2
Must ensure end-users have a compatible
version
ArcGIS 9.2 .NET changes
Type libraries/assemblies
esriControlsCommands -> esriControls (all controls)
esri3DAnalyst -> esriAnimation
ESRI.ArcGIS.Utility.dll has been deprecated
ESRI.ArcGIS.Utility.dll -> ESRI.ArcGIS.ADF.dll
CATIDs, BaseCommand and BaseTool have been
duplicated
Only results in compiler warnings not errors
New assemblies added
ESRI.ArcGIS.ADF.Web.xxx.dll
Forward compatibility
How do you know if your application is
forward compatible?
1. Check the migration documentation
2. Recompile your application on an ArcGIS 9.2
system with the .NET 2.0 framework
If there are no errors, the policy files will working
If there are errors, replace import statements and
references
3. Run the code converter in the IDE integration
Deploying ArcGIS 9.2 .NET applications
Target machine requirements
.NET 2.0 runtime
ArcGIS 9.2 with .NET support option installed
Correct ArcGIS Service Pack (now distributable!)
Use the VS setup project wizard
Reference existing project
Remove ESRI references
Add installer classes for category registration
Summary
ArcGIS 9.2 Desktop, Engine and Server have
strong support for .NET 2.0
VS IDE integration will significantly improve
ArcGIS application development and
productivity
Project templates and wizards
New base classes
Policy files and code converter make forward
deployment easier
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