Connecting to the Business Objects CMS with .NET

Here is some sample code to connect to the Business Objects CMS (Central Management Server) with .NET

Tip:
Please note that the QueryBuilder SQL will return a maximum of 1000 records even if there are more to be returned. So logic should be included that if 1000 sorted records are returned, you should requery to retrieve missed records or until a recordset with less than 1000 returned records occurs.

This sample is a .NET 3.5 application.

Create a simple project and add references to
CrystalDecisions.Enterprise
CrystalDecisions.Enterprise.Framework
CrystalDecisions.Enterprise.InfoStore

Sample Code:

using System;
using CrystalDecisions.Enterprise;

namespace ConsoleAConnection
{

class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string query = "Select SI_ID,SI_KIND,SI_NAME,SI_PARENT_FOLDER FROM CI_INFOOBJECTS WHERE SI_KIND IN ('Folder','FavoritesFolder')";

InfoObjects infoObjects = getCMCConnection().Query(query);
if (infoObjects.Count > 0)
{
foreach (InfoObject infoObject in infoObjects)
{
string siId = "" + infoObject.Properties["SI_ID"] + ":" + infoObject.Properties.Count;
Console.WriteLine("SI_ID=" + siId);
}
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("No results found for " + query);
}
}

static InfoStore getCMCConnection()
{
SessionMgr sessionMgr = new SessionMgr();
EnterpriseSession enterpriseSession = sessionMgr.Logon("UserName", "Password", "ServerName", "secEnterprise");
EnterpriseService enterpriseService = enterpriseSession.GetService("InfoStore");
InfoStore infoStore = new InfoStore(enterpriseService);
return infoStore;
}
}
}

Software Estimation by Steve McConnell

I just finished "Software Estimation" by Steve McConnell. This is a good book for covering exactly what the title indicates.

Steve McConnell is a well known author of software development books including "Code Complete".

This book starts with the difficulties experienced in software estimation and how hard it is indeed.

He then proceeds to cover approaches to develop more accurate estimates.

Techniques which include:

- counting

- calibration with historical data

- expert judgment

- decomposition and recomposition

- estimatino by analogy

- proxy-based estimates

Coverage of expert judgment in groups, software estimation tools, handling multiple approaches, and standardizing estimating procedures. The latter half of the book covers special issues in estimating.

All in all a good book to provide a thorough covering of software estimation.

ASP .NET 3.5 - Application Architecture and Design

ASP .NET 3.5 - Application Architecture and Design by Vivek Thakur is a great overview of architecture principles in the .NET 3.5 framework.

This book is available at http://www.packtpub.com.

Overview of major issues in application architecture with a perspective in regards to .NET 3.5.

Detailed explanation of the ASP.NET MVC framework!

Lots of screen shots and code samples to document the architecture principles and how to apply them in .NET 3.5. Very straightforward review for anyone looking to get basic architecture principles in the .NET 3.5 framework.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Architecture and Design

Lays out the importance of architecture and design and the associated definitions.Outlining the difference between tiers(physical separation) and layers(logical separation).

Chapter 2: 1-Tier 1-Layer Architecture in ASP.NET

Overview of simplest ASP applications: aspx files with code-behind

Chapter 3: ER Diagrams, Domain Model, and N-Layer Architecture

Review of ER graphical notation for data representationsReview of Domain Model notation with a UML reviewReview of 3 Layer Architecture (Data Access Layer, Business Layer, UI Layer)

Chapter 4: N-Tier Architecture

Reasons for N-Tier(Performance, Scalability, Reusability, Loose Coupling, better Plug and Play)5 Tier approach - Presentation, UI, Business, Data access, and Data tiers

Chapter 5: Model View Controller

Review of the Page Controller Pattern in ASP .NET(old style ASP .NET) and its problemsReview of the MVC Design or Model View Controller Detailed explanation of the ASP.NET MVC framework

Chapter 6: Design Patterns

Some review of useful design patterns as laid out by the "Gang of Four"Singleton, Factory, etc.

Chapter 7:SOA and WCF

Review of Service Oriented Architecture and Windows Communication FoundationSOA: XML, building and consuming Web ServicesWCF: the bundling of everything required for web services including performance gains

Chapter 8: Database Design

Issues with designing, modelling with Visio, and creation of databases

Chapter 9: Localization

Making your .NET application usable in multiple languages