designing an online & offline application... what methodology to use?

Hello,

I am at a stage where I want to develop and application that will work the same whether if you are online or offline.

I can always write an application that hooks up to a server while online (connected to a network) and queries a db for the interactions bewteen the user and the app. Then when offline have another app that looks at the local database...

but i don't want to write two apps... I want to build an app like outlook where its just the one app that lets you work online or offline... what is the best method

someone said to me use xml to store data localy and pool that so often from the server. The application should always use the local xml data... but xml files aren't secure are they

someone else said use the same method as outlook, using the jet databases...

I don't want the user to install ant databases localy...... i want to try and avoid this

I just want a direction which i can investigate... any help

Vik

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designing an online & offline application... what methodology to use?

D3lta

i dunt know what an msm is.... any links you can point towards

thanks for your help by the way.. i do appreciate it.....
Robert Nguyen

its a merge module. . . http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/merge_modules.asp

you can wrap up msde in a merge module. . you may be able to wrap SQL Express, too.

you can also silently kick off another setup with a setup.ini using the setup project in VS.

Dont let the idea of having to install another application stop you. use the robust technology that is available to develop your system. . .when you get to the point of distribution this issue can and will me easily be resolved.
Marc Moore

Hello Vik,

You may want to take a look at the Smart Client Offline Application Block

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp url=/library/en-us/dnpag/html/offline-ch02.asp

Arnon
Vhii

yes i understand that can be done, but that means if i have customers o/s around the world.. they need to download and install sql express.... i want to avoid that

does anyone know how outlook works what database does it use i know it caches messages in a pst file.. but there must be some sort of sql-in used... someone said it was the jet engine... any links on that

or any other ways i only want the user to install the main app... and thats it... no need to install anything else... is it possible
mcneil_eric

Hi Vik,

Arnon is right, do take a look at the link by Arnon for Composite Application Block, given by him above.

It does addresses all the issues that you are raising, on top of giving u a ready made framework to work on...
rfinlay

you are going to distribute an MSI right do you know what an MSM is
DrTrueline

yes to both questions.

I think those questions should be addressed in the sql server forum.

but again. . . dont let them stop you from working on the system. . . it will work!!!

I'm always looking for side jobs if you are bringing people aboard!
nojetlag

sounds fair...

question for you though..

if my sql server db is quite comprehesive with many tables...

but the clients only need a few tables.....

can the replication set up so that only a few tables are replicated

also to replicate obviously i need to give users authentication to access the server..

oh so many questions :) sorry

i just wanna build an app that is so easy for the end user......
Paul Woodgate
take a look at replication using sql server for the online db and sql express for the offline. all clients have a local sql express with replication set up to the main server.
Augustin Calin

ok lets go a bit deeper..

i want to build my application as a web app..... most likel;y written in asp.net

whats the best way to distribute

as to run .net clients would need iis configured can this all be done through an installation package

I'm only asking as I have only done custom software for clients where I have configured the iis on the clients site as they only required online access
Mahoura

Vik B wrote:

ok lets go a bit deeper..

i want to build my application as a web app..... most likel;y written in asp.net

I kinda lost you here - do you intend to install IIS on each client and if so wouldn't using winforms be easier (and give you a richer UI)

If you are not talking about that, how would you work offline if you can't access the IIS server !

Arnon
Scott Fisher

yeah i think your right... thanks for the link Arnon...

Its funny I went to a visual conf they had in melb last week.. and they actually started talking about smart clients.. which is what i wanna do...

much appreciated for all the help all

thanks
designing an online & offline application... what methodology to use?

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