EntitySpaces 2007.1.1210.0 and MyGeneration 1.3.0.3
For the past several weeks, we have been testing side-by-side installations of MyGeneration 1.2.0.7/1.3.0.3 and EntitySpaces Developer 2007.1.1210.0 release/beta 13 versions. To date, these tests have been for the out-of-the-box experience when using MyGeneration 1.3.0.3 with EntitySpaces. As such, we have not spent much time with the many new features available in this release of MyGeneration. Nor, have we done much template development, yet.
Our primary focus has been to make sure that our users would be able to generate/regenerate EntitySpaces templates, and use the generated business objects, just as described in the "Getting Started" PDF, and our other documentation.
Bottom Line: Except for the extra step needed for VistaDB 3.x (described below), all EntitySpaces templates and projects execute flawlessly under MyGeneration 1.3.0.3, all C# and VB tests pass, and the EntitySpaces Demo files generate, compile, and run cleanly. We are very impressed with the MyGeneration open source team's ability to produce a product with many new features, and a brand new look, while maintaining backwards compatibility and usability.
EDIT: 2008-01-15 - There still appear to be some issues with MySQL 5.0. None of the foreign keys appear in MyMeta Browser, consequently the EntitySpaces hierarchical methods are not generated.
Below are detailed notes on our experience:
· Installation
o The MyGeneration installer available from the MyGeneration site, or directly from Downloads.com, is for the new 1.3.x version.
o For those still running older, or production, versions of EntitySpaces, we are maintaining a link to the MyGeneration 1.2.0.7 installer from our Home page.
o By default, MyGeneration 1.2 is installed in "C:\Program Files\MyGeneration".
o By default, MyGeneration 1.3 is installed in "C:\Program Files\MyGeneration13".
o By default, both the release and 1.3 Beta versions of ES 2007.1.1210.0 Trial and Developer are installed to "C:\Program Files\EntitySpaces".
§ There are no differences between the EntitySpaces program files (including the runtimes/redistributables), or the templates.
§ The EntitySpaces esPlugIn.dll has been re-compiled to run under MyGeneration 1.3
§ The ES 1.3 Beta installers are designed to look for the MyGeneration 1.3 registry entries, so they know where to install:
· esPlugIn.dll
· esPluginSettings.xml
· The EntitySpaces templates
§ The ES 1.3 Beta installers will over-write the files in the EntitySpaces Program Folder.
· Since the files and folders are identical to the release version, this should not be a problem, unless you have modified connections strings, or otherwise modified the demos within the folder.
· You may want to make a backup copy of the EntitySpaces Program Folder, if you have changes in it that you would like to keep.
· Un-installing:
o If you have installed both the release version and the MyGeneration 1.3 Beta version of EntitySpaces Developer or Trial, there will be two un-install links under the EntitySpaces Start Menu folder.
o Running either un-install entry will remove everything from the EntitySpaces Program folder.
o You cannot un-install just one. You must un-install both, and re-install the one you want to keep.
· Copying MyGeneration Saved Default Settings (optional)
o This is optional, and only meant for those who have a lot of MyGeneration saved Default Settings already set up in 1.2, and are looking for a quick and dirty way not to have to set them all up again in 1.3.
o Be sure to back up your DefaultSettings.xml file.
o Make sure both versions of MyGeneration are closed.
o By opening DefaultSettings.xml from the \Settings folder of both MyGeneration 1.2 and MyGeneration 1.3, you can copy your saved connection settings from one to the other.
§ Each will be on one line, and start with something like:
<SavedSettings name="The Name You Gave" … />
§ They may be mixed in with other settings lines, and spread throughout the old file, but line order does not seem to be important, as you can copy/paste them into the new file.
· VistaDB 3.x
o Since VistaDB 3.x is a commercial database, and the latest driver is not available to the MyGeneration developers, VistaDB 3.x users will have to compile their own MyGeneration MyMeta plugin for VistaDB.
o VistaDB 3.2.1.43 would not connect in default settings. "VistaDB 3.x" was not even one of the listed options in the "Driver" dropdown.
o Closed MyGeneration 1.3
o Opened MyGeneration SVN \trunk\plugins\MyMetaPlugins.sln
o Expanded MyMetaVistaDB3xPlugin project
o Expanded References
o Highlighted VistaDB.NET20 (which had a yellow "unresolved" icon)
o Changed "Specific Version" to false
§ Note: This is a compile time option, not a run time option.
§ It makes it easy to open and recompile a project after upgrading VistaDB to a new version.
§ Since there is no MyGeneration.exe.config file to support assembly redirection, the DLL found in the MyGeneration program folder must reference the matching, installed VistaDB provider.
§ That means the MyGeneration VistaDB plugin must be recompiled, and copied, with each VistaDB upgrade.
o The reference immediately resolved to the version installed
o Rebuilt the plugin solution
o Copied \trunk\plugins\MyMetaVistaDB3xPlugin\bin\Debug\MyMeta.Plugins.VistaDB3x.dll to the MyGeneration13 folder
· MySQL
o MySql.Data.dll is installed to the MyGeneration13 folder.
o It is no longer necessary to copy it.
EDIT: 2008-01-15 - There appears to be some issues with foreign keys not being recognized by MyMeta. EntitySpaces hierarchical methods are not generated. You will need to stick with MyGeneration 1.2.0.7.
· PostgreSQL 8.2
o The "C#" mappings required for EntitySpaces ship with MyGeneration13.
o The EntitySpaces one-time special instructions for PostgreSQL are not necessary.
· EntitySpaces Test Scenario
o MyGeneration 1.2.0.7 and EntitySpaces Developer 2007.1.1210.0 had already been installed, all test databases regenned, and all NUnit tests passed.
o Installed MyGeneration 1.3.0.3, side-by-side, using the default location.
§ Set up a connection to SQL Server in Default Settings, Saved, and Closed.
o Installed EntitySpaces Developer 2007.1.1210.0 Beta for MyGeneration 1.3.
o Followed the optional steps above to copy over all saved default settings to DefaultSettings.xml.
§ Opened MyGeneration 1.3 Default Settings dialog.
§ Loaded and ran "Test Connection" for each one to a pass.
§ In order to do that, the VistaDB 3.x steps above had to be followed, first, before those saved settings would pass.
§ All other connections passed without modification.
o Opened the EntitySpacesTests MyGeneration Project and ran it.
§ It completed successfully.
§ This is a complex MyGeneration project originally put together in 1.2.
§ It has multiple nested Modules, with cached settings from different database default settings, and many template instances using EntitySpaces Generated Masters, MetadataMaps, and Set esPlugin Settings.
§ This one project generates all Business Objects required for regression testing, in both C# and VB, and from all supported databases.
o All NUnit tests passed.
§ This is actually a suite of tests testing standard, binding, and hierarchical features for both VB and C#.
§ In addition to the tests automated through NUnit, there is a checklist of manual tests, particularly for binding, and testing the EntitySpacesDemo.
o EntitySpaces Demo
§ There is a separate MyGeneration project for the Demo that generates the tables, views, and metadata maps from Northwind for the four supported databases.
§ The project open and ran successfully in MyGeneration 1.3.0.3.
§ Both the C# and VB versions of the Demo compiled and ran successfully after regeneration