How can i code a program that works with a front end and some modules?

Question

It will be a desktop application, coded in visual basic (vb.net) or c#.

The idea is to have just one main .exe as front end form. It will load all modules installed and display each in a different tab. This form should have functions to install a new module, update an installed module or delete.

As an example, think about a tabbed pane (with its firts tab as a "Manage Modules" tab) generate new tabs for each module installed. Think about a database aplication and the modules for this app are an Include module, a Delete, an Update and a Select one.

Is that a way to implement such thing easily in .net platform?

Answer 1

What you need is a Composite Application Block:

1. Winforms: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480450.aspx
2. WPF/Silverlight: http://www.codeplex.com/CompositeWPF/

The Winforms version isn't really "easy", but it gets the job done.

Answer 2

I think you would getter milage out of an MDI application that uses a plugin model to load modules that get initialised and enroll themselves in the MDI containers menu.