Run existing vb.net functions from simple asp.net page

[ben]

All,

What I have:
I have written a VB.net application that uses Access DBs
and Make 100s of Excel documents from the data.

What I need:
I need a Simple ASP.NET Page that will basically pass a
string into a function of the Existing Windows
Application. The app does not run all the time so when
the user opens the ASP.NET page types in a string and
clicks the button it calls a function of the existing
application. I do not have the time or knowledge to
convert all the functions into ASP code. I am assuming
there is a simple way to have the ASP.NET standby while
my app runs its functions.

What I have done:
I have made a simple asp.net page and I can pass strings
into ASP.Net functions just fine. Next I added the vb
module from my windows app into the ASP.NET project. Now
I pointed the ASP button at the main function in the vb
module. I goes through parts of the code until it trys
to open COM objects (Access 10 library).

Questions:
1) am I suppose to add special code to have these
functions run in an offline mode.
2) What is this process offically called? So I can
research this on my own if needs be.

3)HOW DO I GET AN ASP.NET PAGE TO RUN A FULLY FUNCTIONAL
VB.NET APPLICATION!!

Thanks so much,
Ben
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Dino Chiesa [Microsoft]]

Ben,

3)HOW DO I GET AN ASP.NET PAGE TO RUN A FULLY FUNCTIONAL
VB.NET APPLICATION!!

Normally, you don't!. For many reasons this is generally a bad idea.
Example: ASP.NET is multi-threaded and your app may not be. ASP.NET running
on a server (like WS2003) may not have permissions to open a window and
actually run. The GUI app may assume some things about security (eg the
logged in user may be assumed to have rights; while the ASPNET user does not
have the same rights (on databases and filesystem etc)). Error handling in
the GUI app may require user intervention, while a webservice cannot do
that. And many other reasons.

Not saying it is not possible, just that it is not an optimal architectural
approach. If you have all of the VB.NET code, then what I would suggest is
to package the app into multiple distinct assemblies. Put the business
logic - the bit that creates the Excel files (or whatever it does) - into
one assembly, and put the Windows Forms logic - the part that grabs user
input and paints the screen with pretty pictures - into a separate assembly.
The business logic DLL would be used from both WinForms app and WebForms
app. The WinForms DLL would be used only from the GUI app. likewise the
WebForms logic (aspx files) would be used only from the webforms app.

If this is not possible, then you can launch a process from within ASP.NET.
For example,
private string RunProcess(string cmd) {
System.Diagnostics.Process p;
p= new System.Diagnostics.Process();
p.StartInfo.FileName= cmd;
p.StartInfo.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p.Start();
// must have the readToEnd BEFORE the WaitForExit(), to avoid a deadlock
condition
string output= p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
p.WaitForExit();
return output;
}

But as I said, there are lots and lots of reasons not to use this approach.
-Dino

Thanks so much,
Ben
ben_oates@something something.com

ooooh, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Posting your email address in
plain text is just asking for spam . .