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Class Libraries on Application Diagrams and System Diagrams with VSTS Architecture Edition Power Tools

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I'm doing a lot of demos at the moment and most of the time I'm using VPCs since I can tee things up beforehand, do my demo and discard any changes at the end. Another advantage of this situation is that I can try out combinations of betas / CTPs quickly and easily, and remove any trace when I'm done, knowing that I can head into my next demo with a fully working demo setup with baseline out-of-the-box VS2008 functionality. For example, in no time at all today I was able to try out the August 2007 CTP of Team Architect Power Tools, which requires VS2008 Beta 2.

 

What the CTP gives you is the ability to use class libraries on Application and System diagrams, so once you've installed the CTP your toolbox includes a ClassLibrary type as shown below in red:

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You can drag a ClassLibrary onto the Application Diagram (either an existing one or create a new one e.g. "BL" below) and start creating references to the class library as connections on the AD. For example, below I've hooked up my SearchService web service to the CreditCardValidation class library.

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At this point you can set properties on your class libraries (much as you have done in previous versions for web apps, web services, databases etc.), for example the language (C# in my case below), .NET Framework version (note the 2.0/3.0/3.5 choice, we're in Orcas beta 2 here remember) and when you're done just right click your class library and select Implement Application to have a new project added to your solution. If you've done any work with ADs and SDs before then you'll know intuitively how to use the CTP features.

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Now the call to action - ask not what the power tools can do for you, but what you can do for the power tools - if you have any feedback, you can do so via the A&D forums.

Technorati Tags: Visual Studio 2008

Technorati Tags: Microsoft, Developer, Team System, VSTS, Architecture Edition, Application Diagrams, Team Edition for Architects, C#, Modelling, SOA