IN VFP, we've got Visual MaxFrame, West Wind Connect, FoxExpress, Codebook/COMCodebook, Mere Mortals, etc, etc.

Where are the equivalent frameworks in .NET?

I know it's called the .NET framework, but that's mostly about class hierarchy and the way you build components.

We're using the IBuySpy UI framework as a structure for the UI side but the data access for the UI metadata is very simplistic and uses stored procedures in SQL Server.

In our applications we have to have a data abstraction layer (which is what we use the DBC for) that isolates the business layer from the type of database being used. We deploy/implement against a VFP database and then upsize to SQL Server or Oracle based on the clients database of choice. No stored procedures and all the business rules exist as domain entities stored in VCX classes excluded from the COM DLL. This way, the business intelligence is accessible outside of a compiled component.

IOW, where's the framework to hook the n-tiered components into? Where's the place for the business rules "layer"?

And speaking of business rules, how can I create a domain structure for entity objects that won't require a recompile every time the client wants to change business rules. I saw (but have not had time to read) Rick Strahl's article about an EVAL() capability in .NET but I'm not sure it's going to give me what I'm looking for.

Where's the outrage? <bg>

Give me a good old Resource Manager (COMCodebook) or a wwBusiness class (WWWC) and then we're in business.

We can debate on the pros and cons of vb.net this or C# that and the VFP toolkit functions, but until we get some viable application frameworks I think we're just piddling around...

Finally the new frameworks should be extended to better support the migration of components into a web services/remote method invocation approach.


Thoughts?