Advanced Smart Objects

For the first example, let's assume 3 order "objects".  OrderBase (contains common order info), OrderChild1 & OrderChild2 (both based on OrderBase but with additional extra data).

You can create composite smart objects that will merge the data between OrderBase/OrderChild1 and also OrderBase/OrderChild2.  When using smartobjects in your process/code, use the composite smart objects as your true "classes" that end users & your process would interact with.

Now depending where you're storing the data (SmartBox vs. external DB) will determine how to build your smart objects. 

If storing in SmartBox, you will need to create 5 smart objects:  OrderBase, Order1Base, Order2Base, Order1Composite, Order2Composite.  The *Base objects will contain the distinct data for each type.  The *Composite objects will combine the OrderBase with the "child" order types to create a new "view" of the composite data.

If storing in an external DB, you will only need 2 smart objects.  First you would create ServiceObjects to perform the CRUD operations on your OrderBase & OrderChild* tables.  The 2 smart objects can then be built on top of these service objects, creating the composite object.  SmartObjects created would be Order1Composite and Order2Composite.  Each of these would have multiple actions in the Create, Update, Delete, Load methods.  ex: Create would Create the OrderBase entry and the OrderChild* entry. 

To the end user, these composite objects are nothing more than an object.  The will not know that it's saving off to multiple tables.

For #2, I've seen it done in demos/examples we have internally.  I will let one of our infopath experts give their opinion on the best approach to that scenario.
 

Tim,

I will be honest, you have hit a very broad answer that myself and some others are brainstorming as we speak.  I think the addition of SmartObjects in the Enterprise Architecture is brilliant but I would not let it take over. 

Right now, I believe SmartObjects are the facade to perform CRUD operations across line of business data sources.  Stop there; here is why.  I would not let SmartObjects take over data modeling.  I would start with creating your normalized database as you would for any “enterprise application”.  I would then build your business layer with a full domain model for all your business objects.  There is never a one-to-one mapping a class definition and a table definition unless you are going down an object relational map (and that still is not a guarantee).  Then I would use SmartObjects to start getting data from all the different places and push them into your domain layer.  One thing I immediately see if that you no longer tightly couple your domain layer object to a specific datasource.  It is filled from a SmartObject which handles all of the transactionality.  I think the SmartBox is great for simple solutions but I would invest in writing a truly normalized database with dependencies, triggers, views, stored procedures, etc.

I will get off my high horse.

I really like mattm’s second suggestion of creating composite SmartObject to handle pushing the data down into a custom database.

Now from what I understand you are using SmartObjects to do, you are trying to hook them into InfoPath forms.  Up to now I have typically been hooking them into one or two SmartObjects and they have a simple association to each other (which is further enforce at the database level with a simple primary/foreign key relationship).  Easy enough with the out of the box integration provided with SmartObject and InfoPath.

Now if I had an InfoPath form where the user had to work with large collections of data (repeating nodes) I am not sure if I would go down the path of using direct SmartObject to InfoPath integration.  I will be honest, I wrote about three large paragraphs and I discovered I was ranting J  So I deleted them and I will ask this question – how do you intend the transactions to be managed?  When a user does something with a smartobject in a collection, is the data change committed immediately to the database or does the commit occur when they press the submit button?

Jason

Tim,

I am jammed up at the moment but I really love the SmartObject integration with InfoPath.  If this is a simple POC type of implementation and the data in your IP form is can be mapped a couple logical SmartObjects just go ahead.  The great thing about SmartObjects is that you can re-implement the services later for the SmartObject to not use the SmartBox.  One thing I would do is just try to design your SmartObject such if it were to change, you will not be hosed.

Also, I would not make the SmartObjects your main datasource for the InfoPath form.  That will decouple you a little bit.  I would have a schema for the form and then move all the data in/out using the web methods.  I know it will take time to map everything up but if the SmartObjects change, you may limit the changes to the InfoPath form itself.

J

Tim,

Well I am not Dr. Phil and do not want to be :-)

Really briefly, right now I am visioing SmartObjects as an enabler for SOA.  Gabe and I need to talk soon as we are both thinking the same thing but SmartObjects in my opinion SmartObject do not replace an object relational mapping tool.  The SmartBox is a light-weight ORM for doing quick and easy stuff.  Although, SmartObjects could replaced a true object relational map.  I would highly consider still using them in any architecture, k2 or not, as they force seperation between data persistance UI/business layers.  I personally like them as the enforce a common web service layer to perform CRUD operations over the long run.  The interface is agnostic of the datasource and the methodology to get data in and out.  If you let developers write thier own web services, you are doomed.  I have gone to clients to do SOA assessments in both .net and java platforms and you get a range of things.  Everyone is saying they are implementing thier Gang of Four pattern but they all violoate it to get things done in the way they want.

I personally was able to get some bang for my buck using them espically with IP because I did not have to write the any ado code or nothing.  I was done.  The dynamic sql service on the blackmarket gave me what I needed.

I have a slide deck I did for the K2 User Group in Nov. on SmartObjects.  If you shot me a message with your email address I can sent it to you...

Jason