Developer Product Briefs
Edit Your SQL Data
Check out the latest Visual Studio third-party add-ons, including one that helps you edit your database's data and properties during a debug session.
ActiveData
ActiveData assists Visual Basic 5/6 developers in their data application development. It helps you see and edit a DAO or ADO recordset's data, connection properties, recordset properties, and field properties in a grid format during a debug session. It also features expanded data, sort, group, filter, and find features. You can recall and execute any SQL statement, build SQL statements, convert SQL to VB code, and generate recordset code. Data Watch lets you browse and edit your data in debug mode; Code Generator converts a SQL Select statement into recordset code; Simple SQL Builder lets you build SQL statements; VB SQL Code to SQL Statement Converter strips non-SQL syntax and variables; and SQL Statement to VB SQL Code Converter changes SQL syntax into VB code. $199.
PlatformDev
Web: www.platformdev.com
ASP.NET Morph Controls
ASP.NET Morph Controls are a set of controls designed to help speed up Web application development by cutting down the number of Web pages needed to create a Web app. Morph controls let you morph a textbox to a label, or a dropdown to a label control, allowing you to have forms that serve more than one purpose. You can use the same code for both data input and summary pages. Contact vendor for pricing.
Author Software
Web: www.authorsoftware.com/softwarelibrary/morphcontrols/
Instant C#
Instant C# converts entire VB.NET projects or code snippets to C#. It also includes numerous sample snippet conversions for reference. You can use Instant C# for full-scale migration from VB.NET to C# or to assist C# developers who have existing code resources in VB.NET. Instant C# handles obscure VB coding styles, and it formats and converts more than 11,000 lines of code per minute (on a 2GHz, 256 MB machine). Instant C# converts methods with optional parameters and VB Case statements with a range of conditions. It also converts all aspects of inheritance and interfaces, ASP.NET code-behind pages, bas modules, static variables, named parameters, multiple statement lines, function names used as temporary variables, type character suffixes, and more. $129.
Tangible Software Solutions
Web: www.instantcsharp.com
PerfectForm
PerfectForm is a VS.NET component that helps you create consistent and stylish WinForms apps with Cascading Style Sheets. You can centralize your style definitions across an application or across the enterprise. You can change the properties of all controls from a style document without needing to recompile. PerfectForm features built-in support for custom controls and third-party controls. It includes a Visual Studio wizard to help you create new WinForms or modify your existing applications. $179.
.net PowerTools
Web: www.dotnetpowertools.com
PocketTerra
PocketTerra is a .NET Compact Framework mapping and GPS component for the Pocket PC. You can synchronize and view user data on top of topographic maps and aerial photos, and you can use SQL Server to automate field data collection with end-to-end links. It integrates with any Pocket PC GPS for precise location, waypoints, and navigation. You can add features to your own custom VB.NET or C# Compact Framework programs, and PocketTerra includes VB.NET and C# documentation and example programs. C# source code is included. $695.
Sylvan Ascent
Phone: 505-758-7712
Web: www.pocketterra.com
Studio Controls
Studio Controls offers 78 .NET Framework and COM-compliant controls for creating Windows XP-style interfaces, appointment and multiresource scheduling, and a snap-in navigation interface. Studio Controls includes appointment scheduling, data edit/input, masked edit, dialogue, animation, general presentation, rules/meters, calendaring, navigation, and list/treeview functionality. .NET sample code is provided in Visual Basic .NET and C#, and COM sample code is provided in Visual Basic 6.0. $649.
DBI Technologies
Phone: 800-670-8045; 204-985-5770
Web: www.dbi-tech.com
tangible architect
tangible architect generates the object-oriented database access layer of an application and its database schema from within Visual Studio .NET. You can state the object model's specification in code with attributed C# interfaces, wizards, or through a UML model. You can modify the object model and database schema through the integrated object model browser, and you can synchronize code changes to the UML model through round-trip engineering. The generated object model realizes a connection-oriented architecture with a pessimistic locking strategy, and it's optimized for data-bound controls. tangible architect is available for Visual Studio 2002 and 2003, and it supports C#, SQL Server 2000, and MSDE 2000. $750.
tangible engineering
Phone: +49-0-711-34559490
Web: www.tangible.de
XtraNavBar Suite
XtraNavBar Suite offers a number of interface options, from the look and feel of Microsoft Office and VS.NET to Windows XP. XtraNavBar helps you simplify how your end users navigate within your application. It features standard sidebar style view, taskbar style view, small and large icon support, a flexible icon view, background image support, drag-and-drop support, advanced alpha blending, 12 unique paint styles, custom-drawn hints, and more. $99 with source code.
Developer Express
Phone: 702-262-0609
Web: www.devexpress.com
XtraTreeList Suite
XtraTreeList is a multipurpose data visualization system that can display information as a tree, a grid, or a combination of both, in either data-bound or unbound mode. XtraTreeList Suite was built in C# and takes full advantage of the .NET Framework. It features XP theme support, dynamic data loading, and summary and customization capabilities. Its data source can use any class that implements an IList interface, and it does not cache any data, so it has a small memory footprint and performs data operations quickly. $299.99 with source code.
Developer Express
Phone: 702-262-0609
Web: www.devexpress.com
Updates:
DevTrack 5.6
DevTrack is a Web-based defect- and project-tracking tool that tracks and manages defects, change requests, feature enhancements, and other development issues. DevTrack provides workflow and process automation features, detailed searching, and reporting. DevTrack 5.6 features an improved Web interface that lets users customize the application's look and feel. You can define Web stylesheet themes in DevTrack Admin, and each project can have a default theme. DevTrack 5.6 also introduces the DevTrack Offline Edition, the portable version of DevTrack for those who don't have access to the live central DevTrack database. Users who don't have connectivity to the live DevTrack database can create new issues or update existing issues while they're offline and then update the live database when they have network access. Contact vendor for pricing.
TechExcel
Phone: 800-439-7782; 925-871-3900
Web: www.techexcel.com
List & Label 10
List & Label is a database-independent development tool for reports, label and form printing functions, and Web reporting. Its new features include a revised PDF export that lets you encrypt files and embed fonts; the ability to export directly from the Preview to various export formats, such as PDF, picture, and text formats; a VCL component you can integrate into your own programs; an in-place RTF editor; and an in-place preview control. You can now insert your own objects, such as statistical features, calculations of interest, graphic controls, or special diagram types. List & Label 10 also features a Datamatrix barcode that codes all characters and saves a maximum of information on little space with high-defect tolerance. Contact vendor for pricing.
combit
Phone: +49-0-7531-9060-13
Web: www.combit.net
OmniView 2.0
OmniView 2.0 is a data editing and querying tool for Microsoft SQL Server 7/2000.
OmniView allows you to examine and change data rapidly. You can examine data from any table or view as you do with a spreadsheet. You can add, change, or delete data without writing any SQL queries, and you can create queries against data using a point-and-click interface. You can build expressions by selecting fields, operators, and values from dropdown lists. OmniView transforms your behind-the-scenes work into the appropriate SQL and performs the query for you. You can create SQL scripts from scratch using OmniView's SQL editor, which includes autocompletion features that provide dropdown lists for database tables, SQL functions, and global variables. $49 Standard; $59 Professional.
Krell Software
Web: www.krell-software.com
ORM.NET 1.6
ORM.NET is an object-relational mapping and code-generation tool that generates a set of class templates that model a normalized relational database. The generated class files are compiled as a .NET assembly (DLL) that acts as a data access layer (DAL) and extends the functionality of ADO.NET. You can use the built-in DataManager object to retrieve data from multiple tables based on complex criteria without using stored procedures or embedded SQL code. You can also save data updates, inserts, and deletes to the database with one call. $495.
Olero Software
Phone: 888-836-3298
Web: www.olero.com
SQL Comparison and Synchronization Toolkit 3
SQL Comparison and Synchronization Toolkit helps you create automated programs for comparing and synchronizing SQL Server databases, and it gives you access to the APIs in Red Gate's SQL Compare 3.1 and Data Compare 3.3 tools. You can use the SQL Comparison and Synchronization Toolkit to automate routine comparison and synchronization tasks to occur at selected times; install and maintain programs for customers; replicate databases and verify replications without redesigning databases; and automate database migration within the development environment. The new version provides help files with a full object model, sample applications, code samples, and explanation of how you can use the program. $890.
Red Gate Software
Phone: 866-733-4283
Web: www.red-gate.com
About the Author
Written/compiled by the editors of Visual Studio Magazine.