I am working on a custom language service. Code files of the language contain both metadata and source code, whereby metadata is stored as a header (at the beginning of the file; this requirement can´t be changed). The language service provides two logical views; one for the code and another one allowing to edit the metadata.
Now, the problem is that I want to hide the metadata from the code editor view - and I thought implementing it using projection is the way to go, but the Visual Studio SDK does neither contain any examples nor a good explanation on how to implement such functionality. Just a short explanation about the concept is given at: Inside the Editor, Projection
I also found a language service project at Codeplex: Python Tools for Visual Studio, which has Django support (in this project projection buffers are used to mix HTML markup and Python code), but this seems to be a different scenario...
This is what I tried...
Within my editor factory, I create an IVsTextLines instance that is used by the code editor view using the following code...
private IVsTextLines GetTextBuffer(IntPtr docDataExisting)
{
if (docDataExisting == IntPtr.Zero)
{
Type t = typeof(IVsTextLines);
Guid clsId = typeof(VsTextBufferClass).GUID;
Guid interfaceId = t.GUID;
IVsTextLines bufferInstance;
if ((bufferInstance = this.Package.CreateInstance(ref clsId, ref interfaceId, t) as IVsTextLines) != null)
{
object oleServiceProvider = this.GetService(typeof(IServiceProvider));
var withSite = (IObjectWithSite)bufferInstance;
withSite.SetSite(oleServiceProvider);
return bufferInstance;
}
}
return null;
}
From what I´ve seen so far is that the IVsTextLines interface is not compatible with IProjectionBuffer, ITextBuffer and so on. I learned from the Python Tools project that I can use a IVsEditorAdaptersFactoryService to get an ITextBuffer instance from the IVsTextLines object; the adapter factory service (as well as some other required service instances) gets injected into my editor factory via MEF...
IVsTextBuffer textBuffer = this.GetTextBuffer(...);
ITextBuffer documentBuffer = this.editorAdaptersFactoryService.GetDocumentBuffer(textBuffer);
The ITextBuffer can be used as a source buffer for projections... my idea is to create an elision buffer having to spans; one for the metadata and one for the code, whereby the metadata span will be elided which makes the code disapear, and use this elision buffer as the projection. This is what I tried...
private ITextBuffer CreateBuffer(
IProjectionEditResolver editResolver,
ITextBuffer documentBuffer)
{
IContentType contentType = this.ContentTypeRegistryService.GetContentType("...");
ITextSnapshot currentSnapshot = documentBuffer.CurrentSnapshot;
string text = currentSnapshot.GetText(0, currentSnapshot.Length);
TextRange textRange = Parser.GetMetadataTextRange(text); // parse code; return a text range representing the code to elide
ITrackingSpan elideSpan = currentSnapshot.CreateTrackingSpan(textRange.Start, textRange.Length, SpanTrackingMode.EdgeExclusive);
int offset = textRange.Start + textRange.Length;
ITrackingSpan expandSpan = currentSnapshot.CreateTrackingSpan(offset, currentSnapshot.Length - offset, SpanTrackingMode.EdgeInclusive);
SnapshotSpan elide = elideSpan.GetSpan(currentSnapshot);
SnapshotSpan expand = expandSpan.GetSpan(currentSnapshot);
var snapshotSpans = new List<SnapshotSpan>
{
elide,
expand
};
var spanCollection = new NormalizedSnapshotSpanCollection(snapshotSpans);
const ElisionBufferOptions BufferOptions = ElisionBufferOptions.FillInMappingMode;
IElisionBuffer buffer = this.ProjectionBufferFactoryService.CreateElisionBuffer(editResolver, spanCollection, BufferOptions, contentType);
buffer.ModifySpans(new NormalizedSpanCollection(elide), new NormalizedSpanCollection(expand));
return buffer;
}
Once the elision buffer is created, I use the SetDataBuffer method to connect it with the editor...
ITextBuffer buffer = this.CreateBuffer(..., documentBuffer);
this.editorAdaptersFactory.SetDataBuffer(textBuffer, buffer);
This works somehome; at least the metadata code disapears from the code editor, but as soon as try to edit the code, I got an InvalidOperationException, which is not the case, if I create the elision buffer with just a single span, or if I don´t hide the elideSpan.
The following error is reported to the ActivityLog:
System.InvalidOperationException: Shim buffer length mismatch. Document=11594 Surface=11577 Difference at 0
at
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editor.Implementation.VsTextBufferAdapter.OnTextBufferChanged(Object sender, TextContentChangedEventArgs e)
at
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text.Utilities.GuardedOperations.RaiseEvent[TArgs](Object sender, EventHandler`1 eventHandlers, TArgs args)
I think I am quite close to the final solution; so what I am doing wrong?
Related
I want to create a custom Kofax module. When it comes to the batch processing the scanned documents get converted to PDF files. I want to fetch these PDF files, manipulate them (add a custom footer to the PDF document) and hand them back to Kofax.
So what I know so far:
create Kofax export scripts
add a custom module to Kofax
I have the APIRef.chm (Kofax.Capture.SDK.CustomModule) and the CMSplit as an example project. Unfortunately I struggle getting into it. Are there any resources out there showing step by step how to get into custom module development?
So I know that the IBatch interface represents one selected batch and the IBatchCollection represents the collection of all batches.
I would just like to know how to setup a "Hello World" example and could add my code to it and I think I don't even need a WinForms application because I only need to manipulate the PDF files and that's it...
Since I realized that your question was rather about how to create a custom module in general, allow me to add another answer. Start with a C# Console Application.
Add Required Assemblies
Below assemblies are required by a custom module. All of them reside in the KC's binaries folder (by default C:\Program Files (x86)\Kofax\CaptureSS\ServLib\Bin on a server).
Setup Part
Add a new User Control and Windows Form for setup. This is purely optional - a CM might not even have a setup form, but I'd recommend adding it regardless. The user control is the most important part, here - it will add the menu entry in KC Administration, and initialize the form itself:
[InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIDispatch)]
public interface ISetupForm
{
[DispId(1)]
AdminApplication Application { set; }
[DispId(2)]
void ActionEvent(int EventNumber, object Argument, out int Cancel);
}
[ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.None)]
[ProgId("Quipu.KC.CM.Setup")]
public class SetupUserControl : UserControl, ISetupForm
{
private AdminApplication adminApplication;
public AdminApplication Application
{
set
{
value.AddMenu("Quipu.KC.CM.Setup", "Quipu.KC.CM - Setup", "BatchClass");
adminApplication = value;
}
}
public void ActionEvent(int EventNumber, object Argument, out int Cancel)
{
Cancel = 0;
if ((KfxOcxEvent)EventNumber == KfxOcxEvent.KfxOcxEventMenuClicked && (string)Argument == "Quipu.KC.CM.Setup")
{
SetupForm form = new SetupForm();
form.ShowDialog(adminApplication.ActiveBatchClass);
}
}
}
Runtime Part
Since I started with a console application, I could go ahead and put all the logic into Program.cs. Note that is for demo-purposes only, and I would recommend adding specific classes and forms later on. The example below logs into Kofax Capture, grabs the next available batch, and just outputs its name.
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += (sender, eventArgs) => KcAssemblyResolver.Resolve(eventArgs);
Run(args);
return;
}
static void Run(string[] args)
{
// start processing here
// todo encapsulate this to a separate class!
// login to KC
var login = new Login();
login.EnableSecurityBoost = true;
login.Login();
login.ApplicationName = "Quipu.KC.CM";
login.Version = "1.0";
login.ValidateUser("Quipu.KC.CM.exe", false, "", "");
var session = login.RuntimeSession;
// todo add timer-based polling here (note: mutex!)
var activeBatch = session.NextBatchGet(login.ProcessID);
Console.WriteLine(activeBatch.Name);
activeBatch.BatchClose(
KfxDbState.KfxDbBatchReady,
KfxDbQueue.KfxDbQueueNext,
0,
"");
session.Dispose();
login.Logout();
}
}
Registering, COM-Visibility, and more
Registering a Custom Module is done via RegAsm.exe and ideally with the help of an AEX file. Here's an example - please refer to the documentation for more details and all available settings.
[Modules]
Minimal CM
[Minimal CM]
RuntimeProgram=Quipu/CM/Quipu.KC.CM/Quipu.KC.CM.exe
ModuleID=Quipu.KC.CM.exe
Description=Minimal Template for a Custom Module in C#
Version=1.0
SupportsTableFields=True
SupportsNonImageFiles=True
SetupProgram=Minimal CM Setup
[Setup Programs]
Minimal CM Setup
[Minimal CM Setup]
Visible=0
OCXFile=Quipu/CM/Quipu.KC.CM/Quipu.KC.CM.exe
ProgID=Quipu.KC.CM.Setup
Last but not least, make sure your assemblies are COM-visible:
I put up the entire code on GitHub, feel free to fork it. Hope it helps.
Kofax exposes a batch as an XML, and DBLite is basically a wrapper for said XML. The structure is explained in AcBatch.htm and AcDocs.htm (to be found under the CaptureSV directory). Here's the basic idea (just documents are shown):
AscentCaptureRuntime
Batch
Documents
Document
A single document has child elements itself such as pages, and multiple properties such as Confidence, FormTypeName, and PDFGenerationFileName. This is what you want. Here's how you would navigate down the document collection, storing the filename in a variable named pdfFileName:
IACDataElement runtime = activeBatch.ExtractRuntimeACDataElement(0);
IACDataElement batch = runtime.FindChildElementByName("Batch");
var documents = batch.FindChildElementByName("Documents").FindChildElementsByName("Document");
for (int i = 0; i < documents.Count; i++)
{
// 1-based index in kofax
var pdfFileName = documents[i + 1]["PDFGenerationFileName"];
}
Personally, I don't like this structure, so I created my own wrapper for their wrapper, but that's up to you.
With regard to the custom module itself, the sample shipped is already a decent start. Basically, you would have a basic form that shows up if the user launches the module manually - which is entirely optional if work happens in the back, preferably as Windows Service. I like to start with a console application, adding forms only when needed. Here, I would launch the form as follows, or start the service. Note that I have different branches in case the user wants to install my Custom Module as service:
else if (Environment.UserInteractive)
{
// run as module
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
Application.Run(new RuntimeForm(args));
}
else
{
// run as service
ServiceBase.Run(new CustomModuleService());
}
}
The runtime for itself just logs you into Kofax Capture, registers event handlers, and processes batch by batch:
// login to KC
cm = new CustomModule();
cm.Login("", "");
// add progress event handlers
cm.BatchOpened += Cm_BatchOpened;
cm.BatchClosed += Cm_BatchClosed;
cm.DocumentOpened += Cm_DocumentOpened;
cm.DocumentClosed += Cm_DocumentClosed;
cm.ErrorOccured += Cm_ErrorOccured;
// process in background thread so that the form does not freeze
worker = new BackgroundWorker();
worker.DoWork += (s, a) => Process();
worker.RunWorkerAsync();
Then, your CM fetches the next batch. This can either make use of Kofax' Batch Notification Service, or be based on a timer. For the former, just handle the BatchAvailable event of the session object:
session.BatchAvailable += Session_BatchAvailable;
For the latter, define a timer - preferrably with a configurable polling interval:
pollTimer.Interval = pollIntervalSeconds * 1000;
pollTimer.Elapsed += PollTimer_Elapsed;
pollTimer.Enabled = true;
When the timer elapses, you could do the following:
private void PollTimer_Elapsed(object sender, System.Timers.ElapsedEventArgs e)
{
mutex.WaitOne();
ProcessBatches();
mutex.ReleaseMutex();
}
I'm trying to Weld my custom ContentPart SitesPart containing a ContentField of type TaxonomyField but it is not working for me. When i attach this part from UI it works perfectly fine and i see the TaxonomyField in edit mode as well as in display mode.
Following is the Activating method of my ContentHandler.
protected override void Activating(ActivatingContentContext context)
{
if (context.ContentType == "Page")
{
context.Builder.Weld<SitesPart>();
}
}
I tried to go deep into the Weld function and found out that it is not able to find correct typePartDefinition. It goes inside the condition if (typePartDefinition == null) which creates an empty typePartDefinition with no existing ContentFields etc.
// obtain the type definition for the part
var typePartDefinition = _definition.Parts.FirstOrDefault(p => p.PartDefinition.Name == partName);
if (typePartDefinition == null) {
// If the content item's type definition does not define the part; use an empty type definition.
typePartDefinition =
new ContentTypePartDefinition(
new ContentPartDefinition(partName),
new SettingsDictionary());
}
I would be highly thankful for any guidance.
Oh, you are totally right, the part is welded but if there are some content fields, they are not welded. The ContentItemBuilder try to retrieve the part definition through the content type definition on which we want to add the part. So, because it's not possible, a new content part is created but with an empty collection of ContentPartFieldDefinition...
I think that the ContentItemBuilder would need to inject in its constructor and use a ContentPartDefinition or more generally an IContentDefinitionManager... But, for a quick workaround I've tried the following that works
In ContentItemBuilder.cs, replace this
public ContentItemBuilder Weld<TPart>()...
With
public ContentItemBuilder Weld<TPart>(ContentPartDefinition contentPartDefinition = null)...
And this
new ContentPartDefinition(partName),
With
contentPartDefinition ?? new ContentPartDefinition(partName),
And in you part handler, inject an IContentDefinitionManager and use this
protected override void Activating(ActivatingContentContext context) {
if (context.ContentType == "TypeTest") {
var contentPartDefinition = _contentDefinitionManager.GetPartDefinition(typeof(FruitPart).Name);
context.Builder.Weld<FruitPart>(contentPartDefinition);
}
}
Best
To attach a content part to a content type on the fly, you can use this in your handler
Filters.Add(new ActivatingFilter<YourContentPart>("YourContentType"));
There are many examples in the source code
Best
Lets say I want a different main image for each page, situated above the page title. Also, I need to place page specific images in the left bar, and page specific text in the right bar. In the right and left bars, I also want layer specific content.
I can't see how I can achieve this without creating a layer for each and every page in the site, but then I end up with a glut of layers that only serve one page which seems too complex.
What am I missing?
If there is a way of doing this using Content parts, it would be great if you can point me at tutorials, blogs, videos to help get my head round the issue.
NOTE:
Sitefinity does this sort of thing well, but I find Orchard much simpler for creating module, as well as the fact that it is MVC which I find much easier.
Orchard is free, I understand (and appreciate) that. Just hoping that as the product evolves this kind of thing will be easier?
In other words, I'm hoping for the best of all worlds...
There is a feature in the works for 1.5 to make that easier, but in the meantime, you can already get this to work quite easily with just a little bit of code. You should first add the fields that you need to your content type. Then, you are going to send them to top-level layout zones using placement. Out of the box, placement only targets local content zones, but this is what we can work around with a bit of code by Pete Hurst, a.k.a. randompete. Here's the code:
ZoneProxyBehavior.cs:
=====================
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using ClaySharp;
using ClaySharp.Behaviors;
using Orchard.Environment.Extensions;
namespace Downplay.Origami.ZoneProxy.Shapes {
[OrchardFeature("Downplay.Origami.ZoneProxy")]
public class ZoneProxyBehavior : ClayBehavior {
public IDictionary<string, Func<dynamic>> Proxies { get; set; }
public ZoneProxyBehavior(IDictionary<string, Func<dynamic>> proxies) {
Proxies = proxies;
}
public override object GetMember(Func<object> proceed, object self, string name) {
if (name == "Zones") {
return ClayActivator.CreateInstance(new IClayBehavior[] {
new InterfaceProxyBehavior(),
new ZonesProxyBehavior(()=>proceed(), Proxies, self)
});
}
// Otherwise proceed to other behaviours, including the original ZoneHoldingBehavior
return proceed();
}
public class ZonesProxyBehavior : ClayBehavior {
private readonly Func<dynamic> _zonesActivator;
private readonly IDictionary<string, Func<dynamic>> _proxies;
private object _parent;
public ZonesProxyBehavior(Func<dynamic> zonesActivator, IDictionary<string, Func<dynamic>> proxies, object self) {
_zonesActivator = zonesActivator;
_proxies = proxies;
_parent = self;
}
public override object GetIndex(Func<object> proceed, object self, IEnumerable<object> keys) {
var keyList = keys.ToList();
var count = keyList.Count();
if (count == 1) {
// Here's the new bit
var key = System.Convert.ToString(keyList.Single());
// Check for the proxy symbol
if (key.Contains("#")) {
// Find the proxy!
var split = key.Split('#');
// Access the proxy shape
return _proxies[split[0]]()
// Find the right zone on it
.Zones[split[1]];
}
// Otherwise, defer to the ZonesBehavior activator, which we made available
// This will always return a ZoneOnDemandBehavior for the local shape
return _zonesActivator()[key];
}
return proceed();
}
public override object GetMember(Func<object> proceed, object self, string name) {
// This is rarely called (shape.Zones.ZoneName - normally you'd just use shape.ZoneName)
// But we can handle it easily also by deference to the ZonesBehavior activator
return _zonesActivator()[name];
}
}
}
}
And:
ZoneShapes.cs:
==============
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Orchard.DisplayManagement.Descriptors;
using Orchard;
using Orchard.Environment.Extensions;
namespace Downplay.Origami.ZoneProxy.Shapes {
[OrchardFeature("Downplay.Origami.ZoneProxy")]
public class ZoneShapes : IShapeTableProvider {
private readonly IWorkContextAccessor _workContextAccessor;
public ZoneShapes(IWorkContextAccessor workContextAccessor) {
_workContextAccessor = workContextAccessor;
}
public void Discover(ShapeTableBuilder builder) {
builder.Describe("Content")
.OnCreating(creating => creating.Behaviors.Add(
new ZoneProxyBehavior(
new Dictionary<string, Func<dynamic>> { { "Layout", () => _workContextAccessor.GetContext().Layout } })));
}
}
}
With this, you will be able to address top-level layout zones using Layout# in front of the zone name you want to address, for example Layout#BeforeContent:1.
ADDENDUM:
I have used Bertrand Le Roy's code (make that Pete Hurst's code) and created a module with it, then added 3 content parts that are all copies of the bodypart in Core/Common.
In the same module I have created a ContentType and added my three custom ContentParts to it, plus autoroute and bodypart and tags, etc, everything to make it just like the Orchard Pages ContentType, only with more Parts, each with their own shape.
I have called my ContentType a View.
So you can now create pages for your site using Views. You then use the ZoneProxy to shunt the custom ContentPart shapes (Parts_MainImage, Parts_RightContent, Parts_LeftContent) into whatever Zones I need them in. And job done.
Not quite Sitefinity, but as Bill would say, Good enough.
The reason you have to create your own ContentParts that copy BodyPart instead of just using a TextField, is that all TextFields have the same Shape, so if you use ZoneProxy to place them, they all end up in the same Zone. Ie, you build the custom ContentParts JUST so that you get the Shapes. Cos it is the shapes that you place with the ZoneProxy code.
Once I have tested this, I will upload it as a module onto the Orchard Gallery. It will be called Wingspan.Views.
I am away on holiday until 12th June 2012, so don't expect it before the end of the month.
But essentially, with Pete Hurst's code, that is how I have solved my problem.
EDIT:
I could have got the same results by just creating the three content parts (LeftContent, RightContent, MainImage, etc), or whatever content parts are needed, and then adding them to the Page content type.
That way, you only add what is needed.
However, there is some advantage in having a standard ContentType that can be just used out of the box.
Using placement (Placement.info file) you could use the MainImage content part for a footer, for example. Ie, the names should probably be part 1, part 2, etc.
None of this would be necessary if there was a way of giving the shape produced by the TextField a custom name. That way, you could add as may TextFields as you liked, and then place them using the ZoneProxy code. I'm not sure if this would be possible.
Here's another one for releasing objects created by reflection:
We're working with a reporting tool (Active Reports 6) which creates a dll for each report.
We have lots of clients that use similar but still unique reports.
Reports are read through a web interface.
We run multiple sites, one for each client.
Our choices are:
1) Put all the reports in one big project which will be called by all the sites.
Cost: It will need to be recompiled every time we make a small change to any one report, potentially creating problems for all sites.
2) Create a whole bunch of similar little projects, with one for each site - let's say for sake of space that this creates problems, too.
3) Create a "Report Factory" which will use reflection to wire-up report dlls as needed.
We chose "3".
Problem: The final product works fine except for one thing: It won't release the report dll when done.
There is not currently a problem with the operation within a test environment, but if you try to do anything in the folder with the report dlls, you get the following error message: "This action can't be completed because the folder or a file in it is open in another program"
After research on this site and others, we realized that we needed an AppDomain for each call which can be cleanly unloaded.
After still having problems, we realized that the AppDomainSetup object needed to have a setting that allowed it to optimize for multiple users (LoaderOptimization.MultiDomain)
That didn't work.
Unfortunately, the base object (Active 6 report) can not be serialized, so we can't make a deep copy and chuck the original object.
After doing all of this, we're still experiencing problems.
Here is the code (C#):
private object WireUpReport(ReportArgs args)
{
//The parameter 'args' is a custom type (ReportArgs) which merely contains a
name/value pair collection.
object myReport = null;
string sPath = String.Empty;
string sFriendlyName = String.Empty;
sFriendlyName = System.Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
Assembly asmReport = null;
AppDomainSetup ads = null;
AppDomain adWireUp = null;
ConstructorInfo ci = null;
Type myReportType = null;
Type[] parametypes = null;
object[] paramarray = null;
object retObject = null;
try
{
//Get Report Object
sPath = GetWireUpPath(args); //Gets the path to the required dll; kept in a config file
//This parameter is used in an overloaded constructor further down
ads = new AppDomainSetup();
ads.ApplicationBase = Path.GetDirectoryName(sPath);
ads.LoaderOptimization = LoaderOptimization.MultiDomain;
adWireUp = AppDomain.CreateDomain(sFriendlyName, AppDomain.CurrentDomain.Evidence, ads);
asmReport = adWireUp.GetAssemblies()[0];
asmReport = Assembly.LoadFrom(sPath);
//Create parameters for wireup
myReportType = asmReport.GetExportedTypes()[0];
parametypes = new Type[1];
parametypes[0] = typeof(ReportArgs);
ci = myReportType.GetConstructor(parametypes);
paramarray = new object[1];
paramarray[0] = args;
//Instantiate object
myReport = ci.Invoke(paramarray);
return myReport;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
throw ex;
}
finally
{
//Make sure Assembly object is released.
if (adWireUp != null)
{
AppDomain.Unload(adWireUp);
}
if (asmReport != null)
{
asmReport = null;
}
if (ads != null)
{
ads = null;
}
if (adWireUp != null)
{
adWireUp = null;
}
if (ci != null)
{
ci = null;
}
if (myReportType != null)
{
myReportType = null;
}
if (parametypes != null)
{
parametypes = null;
}
if (paramarray != null)
{
paramarray = null;
}
}
}
The object which is returned from this code is cast as type ActiveReports and then passed around our application.
Any help would be deeply appreciated. Thanks
Your code looks like you are seriously misunderstanding how to interact with a separate AppDomain.
Think of communicating with an AppDomain like talking to someone who's currently in another country. You know where they are, but you can't just walk over and talk to them. If you want them to do something for you, you have to open up a line of communication and tell them what you need.
The way that you open that line of communication is by defining a proxy object that can be created inside the other AppDomain and then cross the boundary back to your current AppDomain. Being able to cross the boundary requires that your object either be marked as [Serializable] or inherit from MarshalByRefObject. Because we actually want to talk to a reference in the other AppDomain and not just have a copy of it, we need the proxy to do the latter.
private class CrossDomainQuery : MarshalByRefObject
{
public void LoadDataFromAssembly(string assemblyPath)
{
var assembly = Assembly.LoadFrom(assemblyPath);
//TODO: Do something with your assembly
}
}
There is a method on the AppDomain called CreateInstanceAndUnwrap() that will create an instance of that communication object inside the other AppDomain and then hand you back a __TransparentProxy object that can be cast to the proxy type.
var crossDomainQuery = (CrossDomainQuery)adWireUp.CreateInstanceAndUnwrap(
typeof(CrossDomainQuery).Assembly.FullName,
typeof(CrossDomainQuery).FullName);
Once you have that proxy object, you can call methods on it and they will be invoked in the other AppDomain.
crossDomainQuery.LoadDataFromAssembly(assemblyPath);
So how is this different from what your current example code is doing?
Your current code does not actually execute anything useful inside the other AppDomain.
adWireUp = AppDomain.CreateDomain(sFriendlyName, AppDomain.CurrentDomain.Evidence, ads);
asmReport = adWireUp.GetAssemblies()[0];
asmReport = Assembly.LoadFrom(sPath);
This creates a new AppDomain, but then it loads all of the assemblies from that AppDomain into your current AppDomain. Additionally, it explicitly loads your report assembly into your current AppDomain.
Creating an AppDomain and calling methods on it doesn't mean that your code is executing inside of it any more than reading about another country means that you're now talking to someone inside it.
Even if you do create a proxy object and execute code inside that other AppDomain, there are a few things to be aware of.
1) Both AppDomains must be able to see the type used for the proxy, and you may have to handle AssemblyResolve events for either AppDomain manually (at least temporarily) to help resolve that.
2) AppDomains are fairly expensive to create. Generally, they are not used in situations where you need to spin something up really quickly, take some action and disappear. You should plan on either keeping them around as long as you can or be prepared to take the performance hit on every call.
3) You've said that the report type that you're instantiating is not serializable, and being able to serialize the object is a requirement for passing that type back from the other AppDomain. Defining a serializable class that can transport relevant data across the boundary and using that to pass the report data might be an option, but you'll have to determine if that works for your particular situation.
Also, as an aside, unless you have logic that depends on variables being set to null, setting everything to null in your finally does nothing useful and complicates your code.
I'm trying to use:
var viewEngineResult = ViewEngines.Engines.FindView(ControllerContext, myViewName, null);
as part of a process to render the contents of a view to send nice formatted emails. I'm using it inside an Orchard Controller. I have used similar code outside of Orchard in an MVC project and it works fine.
However in Orchard running this code fails to find the view I'm looking for and returns a view engine result that has searched 0 locations.
viewEngineResult has the following values after it is called:
SearchedLocations: Count = 0,
View: null,
ViewEngine: null
Is there a reason this doesn't work in Orchard and is there a way to make it work?
This answer is based on the advise given me by Bertrand, but I wanted to bring it together with what I'd discovered.
To be able to use FindPartialView I needed to inject an instance of IViewEngineProvider into my controller.
I then used the following code to resolve and render a view:
private String RenderView(String viewName, object model)
{
var paths = new List<string>(); // This can just be an empty list and it still finds it.
var viewEngine = _viewEngineProvider.CreateModulesViewEngine(new CreateModulesViewEngineParams {VirtualPaths = paths});
var viewResult = viewEngine.FindPartialView(ControllerContext, viewName, false);
if (viewResult.View == null) {
throw new Exception("Couldn't find view " + viewName);
}
var viewData = new ViewDataDictionary {Model = model};
using (var sw = new StringWriter())
{
var viewContext = new ViewContext(ControllerContext, viewResult.View, viewData, TempData, sw);
viewResult.View.Render(viewContext, sw);
return sw.GetStringBuilder().ToString();
}
}
I think you'll want to take a close look at Orchard.Framework/Mvc/ViewEngines, in particular IViewEngineProvider and ThemeAwareViewEngine. There's a lot more going on when in Orchard, such as themes, multi-tenancy, and a richer environment in general that may be needed to make this work.
What's likely happening here is that the view engines don't have enough information to resolve a view and thus opt out of the chain. You might want to put a breakpoint into ThemeAwareViewEngine.FindView, and then inspect the private dependency fields of that class. I wouldn't be surprised if they were null, because getting to FindView through statics will probably not allow dependency injection to do its stuff properly.
Then again I'm just guessing.