Create a C# client/server WPF application which uses WCF for connection and VB6 for database connectivity

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Hi
I searched everywhere possible and I could only find how to create a client/server chat application in WPF.

But what I need is the client/server WPF application which uses the WCF feature for connectivity.

Also it should be a MS Access database which should be accessible to client through server and this access should be provided by VB6 client server.

This VB6 client/server also uses the C# connectivity for the data transfer.

If anyone could help me to get this thing started, it would be really helpful for my work. I am screwed if this thing does not work in a week's time.

I just need a start for the connection and rest I can take care of.....

Please someone help......... please.........

Posted 1-Apr-11 7:53am

ankitjoshi24

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[no name] 1-Apr-11 13:57pm

You're screwed anyway, this combination of technologies will make any application unreliable and unmaintainable.

However, any problem can be solved with another layer of indirection

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:11pm

Thank you Mark........ but this is what my company needs. So is there a way you could help me?????

#realJSOP 1-Apr-11 14:28pm

Your only recourse at this point is using Liquid Nitrogen.

Wendelius 1-Apr-11 14:48pm

Shaken, not stirred :)

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Wendelius · Answer 1 · 2011-04-01T08:08:00

Solution 2

To add to SA's answer also reconsider the usage of MS Access. I know there are reasons why it might be a 'desirable' solution but there are alternatives. Especially if you expect that:
- the amount of data is going to grow
- user amounts grow
- (good) security is needed etc.
then for example SQL Server Express edition could be a feasible alternative. Later when the requirements change is much more easier to just upgrade the SQL Server edition than to make modifications to the application to support another database software.

Posted 1-Apr-11 8:08am

Wendelius

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ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:15pm

Hey

The thing is that my company already has data in MS Access. First we had a single computer software which was in VB6. Now using these resources, we have to create a client/server in C# so I have no option but to utilize these resources.

I can do that, rather I have managed to do most of the things but just not able to do the client/server connectivity for the forms. This is because the company needs me to use the WCF services, which I am totally unaware of.

Is there a way to connect the WPF forms using WCF????

Wendelius 1-Apr-11 14:22pm

I'm a bit confused, so the problem is to connect to a WCF service, not to the database? If that's the case I'd suggest that you have a look at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms734712.aspx. However, WCF needs an IIS to run on and this architecture wouldn't be a client-server... If you're having trouble to connect to Access Database then use have a look at OleDbConnection class: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.data.oledb.oledbconnection(v=VS.100).aspx and for the connection string: http://www.connectionstrings.com/access

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:24pm

Hi
I am able to connect to the Access database. I don't need to connect to the WCF server. I need the WCF architecture to be used for connecting the WPF client/server application. Well I will go through the link you have specified and will let you know if that helps.

Just to simplify, my company does not require socket connection for the client/server architecture. So I was wondering if there is any other way and I found that WCF could be useful.

Do you have any idea how to do this in WPF C# ????

Wendelius 1-Apr-11 14:45pm

Could you explain a bit more what you would like to do from WPF using c#. I'm sorry, this is probably a language problem but I didn't quite get the actual issue.

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:53pm

1. MY WPF forms will only display the contents from the database.

2. WCF would be used to connect the client and the server

3. VB6 (ActiveX.exe) would be used to send and receive the database.

I hope that is clear now and I hope that someone could come up with atleast a solution for my 2nd point.

The 1st and the 3rd part are almost done by me.

Wendelius 1-Apr-11 14:58pm

I think that the tutorial included as a link would probably give a good basic info about connecting to WCF services. So, if possible, have a quick look at it and see if it contains the info you need.

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 15:07pm

The link does provide information about WCF and all of it's services. I have tried this before posting the question here. Even this link does not help me much.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 14:28pm

You're absolutely right! 5+++++

I recently read an article where they say, the most used "database" in business is not even Access, but... Excel. Many "business" computer users seriously think Excel is a database; they never knew the database is anything different from spreadshit. I barely faced such "approach", but my son goes to univercity, he says that whole "business" departmens graduate exclusively morons.

See also: I updated my Anser, tryied to convince to get to ADO.NET.

--SA

Wendelius 1-Apr-11 14:48pm

Yeah, and it's... sad. As I'm a db person I don't consider even Access as a database, it's merely a flat-file (for several different reasons).

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:51pm

Well Access is a flat file which is used as a database. If an option was given to me, I would have used SQL as the database.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 15:35pm

This is not the first time you mentioned that this or that is because the company is forcing you to do things in certain way, because thay don't give you another options, etc.

Let me tell you. First, CodeProject members are not interested in inter-personal problems in the company. You're are asking, not your company. By asking the question you take some responsibilty (otherwise you would ask your technical leader, wouldn't you).

Second, most important: it is the most important and most difficult skill of a software developer (or any other engineer): to opposet decicions which you think are not correct. Can you invite some trouble if you say "I cannot agree with that. Can we take a better way..."? Yes. But if you don't say that and anything goes wrong, guess who will be blamed? You! And for a good reasong. You're actually supposed to speak up and help company to avoid wrong decision.

Think about it, for your own good.

--SA

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 15:45pm

Hey

I am not trying to oppose someone. I have already talked to the company about the problem this software would have, but unfortunately, it has gone to deaf ears. The thing is that I am just a bit stressed and tensed with this thing. I needed some help and I agree people are trying to help me with this thing. Respect to everyone who has tried to help me with their solutions. I am reading the links provided by a few of them and I am also trying to find different ways to overcome the problem

And talking about responsibility, yes I am trying to do this myself, I would not like to directly go and talk to my technical leader before I think of something solid. The thing is I have come to this level and now I don't want to give it to them to complete this stuff.

Thank you for you replies and support.

--
AJ

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 16:13pm

This is your problem. You don't have to oppose "someone" of course. (Right now, you're opposing me, so what?). You're opposing to decision; this is a big different. Your reason about "something solid" is valid of course (and this is against VB, there are no serious developers who consider VB as anything serious, but I'm giving your more ratonal reasons).

So, it's all your problems. I warned you about VB6 concequences, you deel with the situation.

By the way, how about my question about the voting?

--SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 15:27pm

Quite sad and still true. Ugly truth of life...

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 14:30pm

Mika, on fun side:

I guess you did not see my 1st of April post.
See this (of course, with my "Answer"):
http://www.codeproject.com/Answers/175616/WARNING-Black-Line-of-Death-in-windows-phone-7.aspx

Have 1st of April fun!
Cheers! :-)
--SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov · Answer 2 · 2011-04-01T07:56:00

Solution 1

To save your project from infinite disaster, exclude VB6.

By the way, using VB6 in .NET is practically impossible, unless you make an ActiveX project, but ActiveX is also best avoided, especially with VB6. This technology is dying out. Don't waste your time.
Here is why. .NET provided comprehensive ADO.NET with direct mapping of all major databases. And all decent databases provide ADO.NET binding, and it has nothing to do with COM. For starters, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADO.NET[^] and the references from this document. Start from here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/h43ks021(v=vs.71).aspx[^].

No, don't waste your time. A measurable code "reuse" you think you gain with your legacy VB6 stuff will turn out to be a support nightmare — at best.

—SA

Posted 1-Apr-11 7:56am

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov

Updated 1-Apr-11 8:23am

v2

Comments

Wendelius 1-Apr-11 14:09pm

So true. My 5.

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:12pm

I have included the VB6 ActiveX.exe file by referring it in C#. So it is possible to include VB6 in .NET framework. Now if you could just help me to connect the WPF client/server using WCF services, it would be really helpful. I can manage the database part.......

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 14:16pm

Oh, sure, in this sense you're right. OK, avoid ActiveX as well, even though it is less fatal than VB. Sorry for the confusion...
--SA

ankitjoshi24 1-Apr-11 14:17pm

I cannot avoid ActiveX.... Company requires me to use it..... Now is there any solution????

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 14:24pm

OK, see my update. This is a real solution: ADO.NET, forget anything else, for your own sake.
--SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Apr-11 15:59pm

I'm just curious: do you vote "2" (because you still think you don't have the solution)?
--SA