This topic describes how to use Visual Studio 2010 to create and build a new Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application (DevForce) project. The project will create a Silverlight application with built-in navigation feature and MVVM data architecture that targets WCF RIA Services. Similar steps are also applicable for creating the project in WPF platform.

Prerequisites

You need the following components to complete this walkthrough:

• Visual Studio 2010
• Silverlight 4 Tools for Visual Studio 2010
• Intersoft ClientUI 5 or later

Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application (DevForce) Project

A data application (DevForce) project is created by using the Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application (DevForce) project template. Use the following steps to create a new data application project. The steps below are based on Visual C# project, similar steps are expected in using Visual Basic.

To create an Intersoft ClientUI MVVM data application (DevForce) project

1. Start Visual Studio 2010.
2. On the File menu, click New and then Project.
3. The New Project dialog box appears.
4. In the Installed Templates pane, expand the Visual C# node and select Silverlight.
5. In the list of templates, select Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application (DevForce). The following illustration shows an example of the Silverlight project templates.
   
6. Specify a Name and a Location for the application and then click OK.
7. To build the Silverlight application project, in the Build menu, click Build Solution.
8. To debug the Silverlight application project, in the Debug menu, click Start Debugging.
9. To run the Silverlight application project, in the Debug menu, click Start Without Debugging.

Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application Project Files

An Intersoft ClientUI Data Application (DevForce) project contains the following configuration, assembly references, and code files:

• AppManifest.xml
  This is the application manifest file that is required to generate the application package. You must not edit this file.
• AssemblyInfo.cs
  This file contains the name and version metadata that is embedded into the generated assembly.
• .xap file
  This is the Silverlight application package. It is generated when the Silverlight application project is built. An application package is a compressed zip file that has a .xap file extension and contains all the files that you need to start your application.
• The project contains references to the following assemblies:
  • IdeaBlade.Core.SL.dll
  • IdeaBlade.EntityModel.SL.dll
  • IdeaBlade.Linq.SL.dll
  • IdeaBlade.Validation.SL.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.Data.ComponentModel.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.Data.Provider.DevForce
  • Intersoft.Client.Framework.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Aqua.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Aqua.UXCollection.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Aqua.UXDesktop.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Aqua.UXInput.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Controls.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Controls.Interactivity.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Data.dll
  • Intersoft.Client.UI.Navigation.dll
  • mscorlib.dll
  • System.dll
  • System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.dll
  • System.Core.dll
  • System.Data.Services.Client.dll
  • System.Net.dll
  • System.Runtime.Serialization.dll
  • System.ServiceModel.dll
  • System.ServiceModel.DomainServices.Client.dll
  • System.ServiceModel.DomainServices.Client.Web.dll
  • System.ServiceModel.Web.Extensions.dll
  • System.Windows.dll
  • System.Windows.Browser.dll
  • System.Windows.Controls.Navigation.dll
  • System.Windows.Data.dll
  • System.Windows.Interactivity.dll
  • System.Xml.dll
• Assets folder
  This folder contains the images and styles used in the pages in MainPage and Views folder. Static string used by the application is also defined in the resources located in this folder.
• Converters folder
  This folder contains the required converters used in this project. A type converter is to convert values between data types, and to assist property configuration at design time by providing text-to-value conversion or a drop-down list of values to select from. 
  • CategoryConverter.cs
    Used to convert value from category id to category name.
  • CustomGroupConverter.cs
    Used to converted category range.
• MainPage files
  The MainPage class is used as the root visual in the Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data application (DevForce). The MainPage contains UXNavigationBar, UXFrame, and UXItemsControl. UXItemsControl holds the page link which is navigated in the UXFrame.
  
• Models folder
  This folder contains the required models used in this project.
  • ModelBase.cs
    Default abstract Model class which implements INotifyPropertyChanged and IDataErrorInfo interface. Model classes in this folder should inherit this class.
  • NorthwindModel.IB.Designer.cs
• ModelServices folder
  This folder contains the model services such as repositories that are used as samples in this project.
  • CategoriesRepository.cs
    Represents the categories repository class that used to get or set the categories and add a validation for editing purpose.
  • ProductsRepository.cs
    Represents the products repository class that used to get or set the products and add a validation for editing purpose.
  • RepositoryManager.cs
    A static class to create a new context.
• ModelServices.Infrastructure folder
  This folder contains the model services that serves as the base infrastructure for the new data application.
  • DataRepositoryGeneric.cs
    A generic data repository class that provides read-only data access.
  • EditableDataRepositoryGeneric.cs
    A generic data repository that provides data access and transaction functionality.
  • IDataRepository.cs
    An interface that defines the methods to support a data repository implementation.
  • IEditableDataRepository.cs
    An interface that defines the methods to support the editable data repository implementation.
  • IEditableDataRepositoryGeneric.cs
    An interface that defines the methods to support the editable data repository implementation. 
• ViewModels folder
  This folder contains the required ViewModel used in this project.
  • ProductsViewModel.cs
• ViewModels.Infrastructure folder
  This folder contains the helper and base classes to support MVVM pattern development.
  • DialogBoxServiceProvider.cs
    Helper class which encapsulates basic methods to show a dialog box.
  • EditableGridViewModelBase.cs
    The EditableGridViewModelBase class encapsulates the common editing properties and exposes the required coommand properties that you can bind to the View elements that support MVVM data editing such as UXGridView.
  • EditableGridViewModelGenericBase.cs
    A generic ViewModel base class that supports server-side data access, data validation and data editing in WCF RIA Services using QueryDescriptor.
  • GridViewModelBase.cs
    A ViewModel base class that supports server-side data access to WCF RIA Services using QueryDescriptor.
  • GridViewModelGenericBase.cs
    A generic ViewModel base class that supports server-side data access to WCF RIA Services using QueryDescriptor.
  • MessageBoxServiceProvider.cs
    Helper class which encapsulate basic methods to show a message box.
  • MessagePresenter.cs
    Helper class which encapsulate basic methods to show a message box.
  • NavigationServiceProvider.cs
    Helper class which encapsulate method for navigating.
  • ValidationViewModelBase.cs
    Abstract ViewModel class which implements INotifyPropertyChanged and IDataErrorInfo interface, implemented by ViewModel classes which require validation.
  • ViewModelBase.cs
    Abstract ViewModel class which implements INotifyPropertyChanged interface.
• Views folder
  This folder contains the pages linked from UXItemControl in MainPage.
  • About file
    The About class derives from UXPage.
    
  • Customers file
    The About class derives from UXPage.
     
  • Home file
    The Home class derives from UXPage. This page is shown on application initial load.
    
  • Product file
    The Product class derives from UXPage.
    
  • Reports file
    The Reports class derives from UXPage.
     
  • Settings file
    The Settings class derives from UXPage.
     
• ErrorPage files
  The ErrorPage is used as the default error page when an exception is thrown in the application.
• SAFMetadata file
  This file is used to define the ApplicationPackage for this project.
• App files
  The App class is required by a Silverlight application to display the application user interface. The App class is implemented by using App.xaml and App.xaml.cs. The App class is instantiated by the Silverlight plug-in after the application package (.xap file) is created.

Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application (DevForce) Project Domain Model Files

The Domain Model contains the following files:

• App.Config
  Used to configure the connection string and provider name for database that been used for this template.
• NorthwindModel.edmx
  An .edmx file is an XML file that defines a conceptual model, a storage model, and the mapping between these models. An .edmx file also contains information that is used by the ADO.NET Entity Data Model Designer (Entity Designer) to render a model graphically.
• NorthwindModel.edmx.tt

Intersoft ClientUI MVVM Data Application (DevForce) Project Web Site Files

The Web site contains the following files:

• Silverlight.js
  A JavaScript helper file that contains functions to initialize Silverlight plug-in instances and functions for determining the client's installed version of the plug-in.
• HTML file
  An HTML file that is used to configure and instantiate the Silverlight plug-in, which downloads and runs the Silverlight application. The name of this file is a concatenation of the name of the Silverlight application project and the text "TestPage.html".
• .aspx file
  A .aspx file that is the default startup Web page. The name of this file is a concatenation of the name of the Silverlight application project and the text "TestPage.aspx".
• Web.config
  A Web site configuration file.
• App_Data folder
  This folder contains a database file used for this template.
• Global.asax
  Perform application start activities.