NetAdvantage 2006 to Support Microsoft s Composition Application Block
Infragistics announced that NetAdvantage 2006 Volume 1 will support Microsoft s Composition Application Block (CAB). CAB is a new framework for delivering desktop-based, smart-client applications. It is a non-visual framework that allows UI controls to be composed in application-specific workspaces and smart parts. For details about CAB visit http://www.infragistics.com/resource/Technologies/CAB/. In addition, Infragistics is shipping the first release of NetAdvantage in 2006. Infragistics also announced they are officially retiring their COM/ActiveX controls, but will continue offering them as an unsupported product, UltraSuite.
NetAdvantage 2006 is a toolset for building the presentation layer of commercial-class Windows Forms, ASP.NET, and Tablet PC applications. NetAdvantage 2006 supports Visual Studio 2005, 2003, and 2002. NetAdvantage 2006 is comprised of best-of-breed controls, including grids, scheduling, charting, toolbars, navigation, menus, list bars, trees, tabs, explorer bars, editors, and more. NetAdvantage 2006 is built on a true framework, not a collection of disparate controls. With NetAdvantage 2006 Volume 1, organizations can:
- Deliver scalable, responsive ASP.NET applications with WebGrid (this reduces the HTML footprint) and the AJAX-enabled WebTree (which dynamically loads data without the use of a postback).
- Deploy rich, high fidelity, line-of-business applications using 3D charting controls for Windows Forms and ASP.NET.
- Increase the power of the Visual Studio toolbox with these new controls: ASP.NET: HTML Editor and Spell Checker; Windows Forms: Link Editor and List View.
- Utilize NetAdvantage support for CAB to build enterprise-level user interfaces.
Availability and Pricing. NetAdvantage 2006 with Subscription has an introductory Manufacturer s Suggested Retail Price of US$795; the NetAdvantage 2006 with Subscription and Priority Support has an MSRP of US$995. The subscription includes all updates, upgrades, Infragistics .NET source code, and all new controls added to NetAdvantage 2006 for one year from date of purchase. The Subscription and Priority Support edition includes products, source code, and annual subscription, as well as guaranteed response priority support for one year from date of purchase.
NetAdvantage 2006 Volume 1 is set for release via electronic commerce on February 7, 2006 and as a boxed product on February 13, 2006. NetAdvantage 2006 Volume 1 is available from leading resellers worldwide. Current owners of the NetAdvantage Subscription or Subscription and Priority Support edition will receive NetAdvantage 2006 Volume 1 on February 6, 2006 free, as part of their subscription. For more information on NetAdvantage 2006 visit: http://www.infragistics.com/products/NetAdvantage/default.aspx
Changes in COM
Infragistics also announced changes in the availability and support of NetAdvantage COM controls; they will no longer offer COM controls as part of NetAdvantage. Instead, they will offer UltraSuite 3.0, a package of its best-of-breed ActiveX controls, and make the source code available.
Customers who currently own a NetAdvantage subscription will still have access to the COM controls under the product licensing agreement that was current when they purchased the product. Future NetAdvantage subscription renewals will be renewed under the new license agreement. Concurrently, Infragistics announced the availability of UltraSuite 3.0 for customers wanting access to Infragistics COM controls.
UltraSuite is a best-of-breed suite of COM controls providing developers the ability to create interfaces with the look-and-feel of Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office, Windows Explorer, and Windows XP. UltraSuite source code will be available as a separate purchase in Q2 2006. UltraSuite 3.0 ships with:
- UltraGrid 2.0. This grid-specific software product is optimized for OLE DB technology; it includes ComboBoxEx, HotLink, Spin, DropDownEdit, DateEdit, Currency, and Numeric.
- Data Explorer. Adopt the look and feel of Windows Explorer in your applications. Data Explorer includes Outlook Bar and Resizer.
- ActiveTreeView. Feature-rich tree extends the common TreeView control.
- UltraToolBars 5.0. Create applications that emulate the rich look of Microsoft Office 2000 or XP with quick customization, personalized menus, and dockable flyout toolbars. It includes ActiveTabs, Resizer, Scroll, Splash, Transition, Option, Command, Check, Frame, Panel, Ribbon, and Splitter.
- ScheduleX 9.0. ScheduleX combines six scheduling components, and includes Calendar, WeekView, DayView, TaskPad, DateEdit, and TimeEdit controls.
- ComboBox. This OLE DB-bindable control manages a multi-field list and provides simple, single-item selection. It can be bound or unbound, editable and non-editable.
- ColorCombo. Display colors and optional descriptive text from user selection, with optional custom color selector dialog.
- Dial. This fully customizable scrolling control has a graphical look and feel similar to a stereo dial.
- Font Selector. Display all font families and point sizes available on a machine in a combobox. The Font Selector control returns an instance of the font selected.
- ImageCombo. Display a selection of images and descriptive text.
- Line3D. Choose from various pen styles, 3D effects, orientations, widths, and colors.
- ListBox. OLE DB-bindable ListBox is search- and sort-enabled, with advanced customizable appearance options.
- Marquee. Display text and images in a scrolling view.
- MaskEdit. Edit text strings according to a predefined format.
- Multibutton. Present the user with options for scrolling a region.
- Picture. Display graphical images, such as bitmaps, icons, and metafiles, featuring hotspot capabilities.
- ProgressBar. Display task completion status or any data requiring a percentage to be displayed.
- PropertyBrowser. Browse properties (or information in general) in any application. Supports different editors based on the type of property being edited.
- ScreenPrinter. Add screen printing capabilities to an application. The ScreenPrinter control can be configured to capture a single dialog or the entire screen, with optional print preview.
- Shape3D. Draw a variety of geometric shapes with a selection of colors and 3D effects.
- Text3D. Developer-controlled text display can be set to appear inside a control window or on the border of a control window.
Availability and Pricing. UltraSuite 3.0 has an introductory Manufacturer s Suggested Retail Price of US$495; UltraSuite source code has an MSRP of US$1,995. UltraSuite 3.0 is set for release via electronic commerce on February 7, 2006 and as a boxed product on February 13, 2006. UltraSuite 3.0 is available from leading resellers worldwide.
CAB Update
With the release of Visual Studio 2005, the Microsoft Patterns and Practices Team delivered a new framework for developing desktop-based, smart-client applications. Called the Composite User Interface Application Block (CAB), it is composed of a standardized architecture and component communication services that simplify the construction of smart clients. The framework does not provide user interface controls. It is a non-visual framework that allows UI controls to be composed into application-specific workspaces and smart parts. CAB also includes services that simplify workspaces and smart-part communication. The power of CAB lies within its ability to simplify UI component composition, decouple UI layer communication, and facilitate smart-part reuse. NetAdvantage with CAB and Visual Studio 2005 provide:
- Enterprise-class UI. NetAdvantage provides the complete UI toolset necessary for enterprise-class smart-client development, including enterprise-class grid, multi-column tree, navigation bars, and charting controls.
- Rich UI Styling. NetAdvantage provides fine-grained styling via predefined look and feels, presets, and appearance settings.
- Seamless Interoperation. Easily build sophisticated smart-client applications with NetAdvantage, the CAB framework, and Visual Studio 2005.
The NetAdvantage CAB Extensibility Kit, provided as part of a NetAdvantage subscription, extends NetAdvantage to provide seamless interoperation with CAB. It enables development teams to compose effective, customizable user interfaces with a complete set of enterprise-class frameworks and tools. The NetAdvantage CAB Extensibility Kit includes:
- UIElementManagers for NetAdvantage. Manage NetAdvantage-based UIElement within the CAB framework.
- CAB Workspaces for NetAdvantage. Many of the NetAdvantage UI metaphors are provided, including Docking, Explorer Bar, Task Pane, Toolbars, MDI Tab, and Tab.
The NetAdvantage CAB Extensibility Kit is provided to all NetAdvantage customers as an additional subscription benefit. The kit installs a Visual Studio 2005 source code solution, documentation, and sample projects, which make it easy for developers to get started with NetAdvantage and CAB.
The NetAdvantage CAB Extensibility Kit provides seamless integration of NetAdvantage for Windows Forms with the CAB framework. The kit includes NetAdvantage-specific CAB Workspaces and UIElementManagers.
Workspaces. A consistent way of showing and hiding controls. A workspace is a shell that a developer can use to introduce visual effects, layout strategies, or other behaviors consistently without affecting business logic components. NetAdvantage-specific workspaces include:
- DockWorkspace. Based on the NetAdvantage DockManager, this workspace provides docking support for smart parts. The associated DockSmartPartInfo can be used to provide hints about the preferred group to which the pane will be added, as well as the default location and pane style of the group if the preferred group does not exist.
- ExplorerBarWorkspace. This workspace is based on the NetAdvantage ExplorerBar and provides support for displaying smart parts within controlcontainer style groups. The associated smart part type is ExplorerBarSmartPartInfo, but no specific properties other than the header image are currently exposed.
- MdiTabWorkspace. Based on the NetAdvantage TabbedMdiManager, this workspace provides support for displaying smart parts within MDI children that are shown using a tabbed document interface. The associated MdiTabSmartPartInfo class can be used to provide hints about the name of the group to which the MDI child should be associated.
- TabWorkspace. The NetAdvantage TabControl-based workspace provides support for displaying smart parts within tabs. The associated TabSmartPartInfo allows you to choose the image to be displayed within the tab, as well as whether or not the tab should be automatically activated when shown.
- ToolbarsManagerWorkspace. This workspace is based on the NetAdvantage ToolbarsManager and provides support for displaying smart parts within task panes in the ToolbarsManager. The associated ToolbarsSmartPartInfo can be used to provide hints about the preferred task-pane toolbar. such as where the task pane will be displayed, as well as the default docked position for the task-pane toolbar if the preferred toolbar does not exist.
UIElementManager. A common method of adding to, and using UIElements (e.g., menu items or status bars) in the shell, such that the developer of an individual piece of business logic does not need to know how or where that element will be shown. NetAdvantage-specific UIElementManagers include:
- ToolbarsManager
- TreeView
- ExplorerBar
- StatusBar
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