MapGuide RFC 68 - Refactoring Web .NET API into Common DLLs

This page contains an change request (RFC) for the MapGuide Open Source project. More MapGuide RFCs can be found on the RFCs page.

Status

RFC Template Version	(1.0)
Submission Date	June 23, 2009
Last Modified	Leaf Li Timestamp
Author	Leaf Li
RFC Status	draft
Implementation Status	under development
Proposed Milestone	2.2
Assigned PSC guide(s)	Bruce Dechant
Voting History	(vote date)
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Overview

This proposal is to refactor MapGuide Web .NET API to some common dlls.

Motivation

Currently all MapGuide Web .NET API is in one single dll MapGuieDotNetApi.dll, which includes Foundation, Geometry, PlatformBase, MapGuideCommon, WebApp and HttpHandler components. It is nearly impossible for users to reuse some of functionality outside of MapGuide because MapGuide .NET Web API depends on MapGuide enviroment. For example, users can't use coordinate system transformation functionality outside MapGuide. So the key motivation of this RFC is to make MapGuide Web .NET API more reusable so that more projects or products can get benifits from MapGuide.

Proposed Solution

In order to make backward compatible with the existing MapGuide applications, MapGuieDotNetApi.dll still exists. However, it becomes an assembly with multiple files. The primary idea is single compiling and muliple linking.

(a) Create the following netmodule files.

• OSGeo.MapGuide.Foundation.netmodule
• OSGeo.MapGuide.Geometry.netmodule
• OSGeo.MapGuide.PlatformBase.netmodule
• OSGeo.MapGuide.MapGuideCommon.netmodule
• OSGeo.MapGuide.Web.netmodule

(b) Create an assembly for each netmodule file in step (a). Then the following files will be created.

• OSGeo.MapGuide.Foundation.dll: contains API in Foundation component.
• OSGeo.MapGuide.Geometry.dll: contains API in Geometry compoent.
• OSGeo.MapGuide.PlatformBase.dll: contains API in PlatformBase component.
• OSGeo.MapGuide.MapGuideCommon.dll: contains API in MapGuideCommon compoent.
• OSGeo.MapGuide.Web.dll: contains API in WebApp and HttpHandler components.

(c) Create an assembly for all netmodule files in step (a). The following file will be created.

• MapGuideDotNetApi.dll

Implications

Currently, there is no enough resources and funding to refator PHP and Java API. They may be implemented if resources and funding can be obtained in the future.

Test Plan

Run the existing unit tests. No need to add new unit tests.

Funding/Resources

Supplied by Autodesk.