Composite Application Block - Is there a suitable replacement available?

Question

I have two very large WinForm applications built on the now dead Composite Application Block ("CAB") from Microsoft Patterns & Practices. I was an earlier adopter and jumped in first to embrace and use CAB. Well, now that it's truly dead I'm starting to think more and more about the future and what framework I can migrate to.

What I like about CAB: * Structure, structure, structure - I lose focus easily and tend to suffer from "analysis paralysis". CAB introduces a "way to do things" and that keeps me on track and developing the application instead of worrying "how to wire up events, or what the best IoC is, etc. * Actually... I think that's about all that I really like about CAB ;0)

I have seen articles about "build your own CAB" but I'm not interested in that. I'd really like to jump ship to a similar framework that is solid and actively supported. My web searches have not turned up anything that seems to serve the same needs as the CAB did. Maybe it's that everyone DOES build their own and that's why there isn't another framework out there.

If you have some guidance or advice I'd really like to hear it.

Answer 1

You can check out the

• Smart Client Software Factory

OR the

• Web Client Software Factory

I am not sure about specific features / patterns that are targeted by especially the SCSF v/s the CAB but i have been using WCSF for a while now and it definitely provides the structure that you like about CAB.

I believe these two do constitute the prescribed guidance from P&P and are definitely being updated.