- We design and build extraordinary applications for companies looking to make the next great idea a reality.
- learn more
LINQ to My Domain
I've begun my foray into the world of LINQ, and in my investigation I've seen a lot of work based on the LINQ to SQL "design surface" available in Visual Studio 2008. It's a neat tool. I point it to my database, drag some tables over, and it infers my domain structure and relationships from the databases fields and keys. That's all well and good for a simple domain model that is directly related to the database schema. I could see using this for a quick prototype, or a really small application. I see three files created by the designer:
MyClasses.dbml - This looks like any ORM frameworks mapping file. It associates classes with tables, maps fields to object properties, and defines relationships.
<Table Name="dbo.Balloons" Member="Balloons"> <Type Name="Balloon"> <Column Name="BalloonId" Type="System.Int32" DbType="Int NOT NULL IDENTITY" IsPrimaryKey="true" IsDbGenerated="true" CanBeNull="false" /> <Column Name="Color" Type="System.String" DbType="NChar(20)" CanBeNull="true" /> <Association Name="Balloon_Kid" Member="Kid" OtherKey="KidId" Type="Kid" /> </Type> </Table>
MyClasses.dbml.layout - This looks to be specific to the layout of the design surface and appears to serve no purpose outside of this design.
MyClasses.designer.cs - This is the beast that I'm looking to replace. It contains the class definitions and attribute based mappings to bring my database schema into my application, and ready it for use by LINQ.
So this leaves me with a couple questions. One, why are attributes used to specify mappings? Can this be done strictly via XML? More importantly two, can I use my own domain model, and if so how do I map it to the database?
My goal would be to design a layered system, separating the underlying data store from the repositories required to push and pull my domain objects from these data stores. This would allow in memory implementations of the data store, and would make unit testing (and developing) a whole lot easier. I will be digging into this in the coming days and will report back soon. Stay tuned!
JSTM for GWT: An Interesting Solution for Object Replication and Synchronization
Didier Girard, the peripatetic publisher of onGWT, read my post yesterday and pointed me toward XSTM, the open source OO distributed object cache. It has Java, .NET and GWT implementations that can interoperate.
Getting semantic and DRY with microformats and Radiant CMS

I can now cross Microformats off my list of "technologies whose value I recognize even though I've never had the chance to use them in real life." Last week I created three hcards for the new Pathfinder website, one each for our Chicago headquarters, our New York office, and our head of sales. Now, if you've got a browser plug-in that can parse microformats, you can import our contact information directly into Outlook, Apple's Address Book or your PIM of choice.
A little background
Microformats, for those who don't immerse themselves in grassroots front-end technologies, are at the core of what's become known as the "semantic web." The basic idea is that by adopting a set of standardized markup patterns, we can create websites that are more easily parsable by both humans and machines. More from the "About microformats" page:
Designed for humans first and machines second, microformats are a set of simple, open data formats built upon existing and widely adopted standards. Instead of throwing away what works today, microformats intend to solve simpler problems first by adapting to current behaviors and usage patterns (e.g. XHTML, blogging).
The most popular and best-known microformat is the hcard, an HTML implementation of the standard vCard format used to store and exchange address and personal information in a wide variety of software applications. If vCards are basically electronic business cards that can be imported to or exported from your contacts manager, then hcards provide the same functionality in the browser.
Topics: .NET, Firefox, Firefox Extensions, Microformats, Radiant CMS, Semantic web
Microsoft Eats Its Young: AjaxPro is no more

Back when .NET didn't have an Ajax pot to piss in, I voraciously read Michael Schwarz's blog and followed his Ajax.NET framework. He eventually released a companion "Pro" version. Now, several Microsoft MVP awards later, he is packing it in. I, for one, will miss the competition in the .NET world. That leaves two major alternatives that I'm aware of:
Since the concepts around how Ajax apps should be built are still in flux, it would be nice to have a few alternatives in the .NET world (especially ones that don't produce the XHR salad that ASP.NET Ajax does).
Technorati Tags: ajax, .net, ajaxpro.net, gaia widgets, anthem.net
Topics: .NET, Ajax Frameworks, ASP.NET, C#, Microsoft
About Pathfinder
Recent
- Making GWT JSON not Quite so Painful
- IDEA - preconference workshop 06 Oct 08
- HTML5, Ajax history management, and The Ajax Experience 2008 Boston
- A Look Back At Past Posts
- Flash Player on iPhone gossip
- Microsoft to Jump on Board EC2
- TAE Boston 2008: The Unsexy Presentations
- The Ajax Experience 2008: Hope to see you in Beantown
- TankEngine: New plugin for Rails iPhone Development
- Symphony of Ruby on Rails and Flex through RubyAMF
Archives
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006

