Any tutorial for GAT?

Question

I am wondering if there is any good tutorial available anywhere that would describe how to implement typical guidance scenarios  in guidance packages from the beginning to the end? Materials that I found so far are not satisfactory for the following reasons:

1. The latest Hand-on Lab seems to be created for the Dec 2005 version of GAT and cannot be registered with Jun 2006 version;

2. Most articles either describe the theory without specific examples or give specific examples of small tasks without describing a big picture;

What I am looking for is a specific roadmap from A to Z starting from generating a stub for a guidance package and continuing with specific steps required to implement a scenario until the package is successfully built and registered. Sort of Hands-on Lab, but a working one!

Thank you.

Answer 1

I'll second that request.

The lack of any practical "how to" documentation is a bit frustrating.  And I can't seem to find reference docs for the Microsoft.Practices.Library.* namespaces (ie what do all the actions do?).

A nice example would be a recipe to add a button to an existing web page or user control that updates the aspx/ascx file and also adds an onclick event handler to the codebehind as well.

Answer 2

I agree with you both that there is no much sample stuff out there on how to use GAX/GAT.

There is a companion toolkit including sample packages doing common stuff that is going to be released during Novemeber by Clarius.

If you have any particular scenarios you would like to be addressed (as the one pointed out by Richard) please don't hesitate to let me know about them and I'll send them in for consideration.

thanks,
-Victor.

Answer 3

Yes, a tutorial would be really helpful for all the new users of GAT.

A very basic tutorial that shows how to add a button to a project thus explaining the very basics of GAT(recipe,template,wizard) would be excellent.

Hope somebody does this sooner rather than later.

Thank you,

Answer 4

Thanks.

Although I can't promise anything, I'll make sure these requests are heard by the GAT team. And you can expect samples/tutorials in the Clarius toolkit too.

Everyone, keep the feedback coming :-)

 

thanks,
-Victor.

Answer 5

All of the released software factories have source, if you go and download them you can use them as examples.  Its not exactly a tutorial but can give you an idea of how to do something if you see it demonstrated in one of the factories.  In addition to that there are some reusable actions and references for building out your factories.  You can also get an idea on how factor and organize your projects by looking at these.

 

Web Service Factory
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnpag2/html/ServiceFactory.asp?frame=true

Smart Client
http://msdn.microsoft.com/practices/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnpag2/html/scsflp.asp

Answer 6

Some of the feedback we've got is that -although they contains very useful source code, etc- they're a bit "intimidating" for people beginning using GAX/GAT. No doubts, something more oriented towards a tutorial should be of better help for people starting to learn GAX/GAT.

thanks,
-Victor.

Answer 7

I agree with that - the factories are big, complete systems and represent the finished result of a great deal of effort.  I don't want to make something that big or complex (at least not right now) and looking through the source it's hard to know where to start or what the reasons are behind the way some of the things are done.

The source code shows the "what" of GAT/GAX but not the "how" or the "why" questions that get answered by tutorials.  Answers that are needed in order to understand the principles and methods of the construction process.

Answer 8

I agree completely that the source code that is available is very "intimidating".

It would be great if we could have a simple tutorial or a webcast which showed some very basic operations / capabilities of the GAT.

This would then enable developers to understand how it works and then explore more in depth.

Answer 9

Feedback taken, thanks!

Answer 10

I agree...  they are no tutorial and are very complex... I am just happy the source was released and wanted to point out to folks that there is examples out there they can learn from.

Shannon

Answer 11

http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/06/26/GAS01IntroductionToTheGuidanceAutomationJune2006CTP.aspx
http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/06/26/GAS02CreatingAGuidancePackage.aspx
http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/06/27/GAS03GeneratingACProject.aspx
http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/06/28/GAS04AddingProjectReferences.aspx
http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/06/29/GAS05TuningTheCProjects.aspx
http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/07/03/GAS06GeneratingClasses.aspx
http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/09/18/GAS07RenamingTheSolutionSigningProjectsAndShowingDocumentation.aspx


Wayne

Answer 12

Hi!

is there any NEW tutorial / video / webcast / screencast available for the newest version of GAT?
Expect the stuff from Jelle Druyts.


Regards

Answer 13

Hi Pawel,

 

The newest GAX version (July 2007 CTP) is just a minor version upgrade with no big new features except support for registering guidance packages in the experimental hive. There is no tutorial/video/etc about this specific version but we can try answering your questions about it here in this forum. If you have any specific ones please let me know.

 

thanks,

-Victor.

 

 

Answer 14

All,

 

I have been working on a tutorial series that focuses on Software Factory Development using GAX/GAT. If you would give me some ideas on the type of things you would like to see, I'd be happy to put together several simple webcasts on how to use GAX/GAT for them. What I have up to now, is probably not the type of thing you are looking for.

 

Once I get some suggestions, I'll start posting them to my blog at http://www.geekswithblogs.net/jlavin

 

L8R

Jim Lavin

Answer 15

Hi Jim,

One Idea that i can give is aspx page markup generation. basically that would write the generic html markup which usually every page of a web application renders. This would be powered by wizards that would ask what special user controls / 3rd party controls they wanna add to the page. Selecting on some speical controls may trigger further configurations as how many sub items for the selected controls they require.

As a result, a new aspx with all the layout, the specified (or default) Masterpage, tables and the controls like submit button, flyout action menu and sub items, status bar etc (all 3rd party controls just for example) gets rendered.

The page's code behind may have the bindgrid method and all the regions defined. How is that. Is GAT good for something like this. THis would resolve the redundant markup writing, manual naming convention for each control, blaah blaah and the same bindgrid method. All pages then would be wizard generated. Kindly do reply

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maqk loves to code

Answer 16

Hi Jim,

This post is too old so I am not sure if anyone is still looking at it but just in case. I am trying to build a solution template using GAT. I am stuck at adding project references. When I follow the steps given in http://jelle.druyts.net/2006/06/28/GAS04AddingProjectReferences.aspx I get Action AddProjectReference failed...object reference not set. Can you provide me some steps on adding a project reference using GAT? If I see a reply I can provide more details.

Thanks

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PD