Whats the direction for providing an application that enables hosted scripting and bebugging of the script etc.
Is there an integrated commercial grade (or close) VBA replacement in managed code that supports debug, breakpoints single step etc, and can use VB.NET or C# as the language.
Does anyone know of a simple control that would be close?
Andy
I have done some intensive research on following issue. Here’s my update.
Based on my understanding, our buddy wants to build a script engine in .NET. It’s really a cool idea. In .NET, we can follow this way:
1. CodeDom is always my preference. J It takes full advantages of .NET framework, include the dynamical compilation. It provides types that represent many common types of source code elements. We can design a program that builds a source code model using CodeDOM elements to assemble an object graph. This object graph can be rendered as source code using a CodeDOM code generator for a supported programming language (VB.NET, C#...). The CodeDOM can also be used to compile source code into a binary assembly either in memory or on file system. Please refer to following article on Microsoft site:
System.CodeDom Namespace
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfSystemCodeDom.asp?frame=true
System.CodeDom.Compiler Namespace
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfSystemCodeDomCompiler.asp?frame=true
How To Programmatically Compile Code Using C# Compiler
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304655
We can have some 3rd party source code, but it’s just for your reference:
NScript - A script host for C#/VB.NET/JScript.NET
http://www.codeproject.com/dotnet/nscript.asp?df=100&forumid=13540&exp=0&select=699571
C# Script (missing puzzle piece)
http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/cs-script_for_CP.asp
We can also leverage System.Diagnostics.Debugger to debug a running .NET application. Please refer to following article:
Diagnosing and Debugging with the System.Diagnostics Namespace
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnvsdev05/html/vs05e1.asp
Improve Your Understanding of .NET Internals by Building a Debugger for Managed Code
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/11/CLRDebugging/default.aspx
2. We have some optional ways other than CodeDom. Here’s another 3rd party source code for your reference:
Script Engine: Allow end users to extend your app using VB
http://planet-source-code.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=8451&lngWId=1
In this application, we leverage “Microsoft Script Control 1.0” component.
Please have a try. If you have any further questions regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know. Thanks.
-brenda (ISV Buddy)
