Power Tip: Integrate Silverlight into an Access database

Two questions:

1. Is this compatible with hosting on a SharePoint site as a web app?

2. Is this compatible with Access 64bit and 32bit?

@ Stocken asked about 64 bits? Well, I can't imagine that silver light and the latest bits and parts don't work on both 32 and 64 bit platforms. In fact, one of the great things we see about access 2010 VBA is that we did in fact receive a brand new version of VBA (VBA). This new version of VBA (called VBA 7) has 64 bit support, new 64 bit wide data variable types like longlong and also sports about 7-8 new VBA functions to support 64 bits. It also has support for the windows 64 api. So, without even taking a minute to click on the link, I don't see why it would not work. However, clicking on the link and not even scrolling half a page there is instructions for where the sliver light add in is to be installed on 32 bit Access or 64 bit Access (so, to find your answer, a simple one mouse click on the link gives the answer, and it is of course yes). @ What about doing this on the web? As for running the above example in web? Well the sample not a web database so the sample as is will not work as is. However you can MOST certainly use the web browser control in a web applications and you can most certainly have that URL point to a something that uses Silverlight in that URL. And that URL can display a treeview for sure. So, up to this point, yes, you can display a treeview on a web application using this idea. The problem is you have to park the web page (url) somewhere else then on your computer. And the real issue is not displaying a treeview, but hooking it up to your application data. The real part would be making it respond to you data, that is the hard part that likely would involve a few tricks and perhaps would involve having the add button being placed in the web part you build for SharePoint. I do see this type of approach as being workable however. Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)

Edmonton, Alberta Canada

Albert, Thanks for your response. We are investigating the concept within a web app by connecting to SP data using the Microsoft® SharePoint® 2010 ECMA (JavaScript) Client Object Model or with Silverlight WCF. However, as you suggest, this would require so additional work …

1. Why use this approach, when the mscomctl.ocx works fine? See my demo here www.aadconsulting.com/sprdshb.html. 2. What is lacking is an Outlook-like sidebar control OCX. I solved this by embedding a JavaScript sidebar in an HTML page inside an Access form. Download the demo here www.aadconsulting.com/web2swb.html.

Derrick - FWIW - if you're using Silverlight, I believe you don't need to use ECMAScript model object; you can just use managed client model which exposes the functionality directly into the .NET framework and therefore more directly inside the Silverlight. ECMAScript is great when we need a cross-browser functionality without requiring user to download a piece of software (since every browsers can run javascript).

@ Tony, The Silverlight Treeview was used as an example. Silverlight with the WBC enables an option for custom controls within Access using C# or VB.NET such as a custom data grid, Accordion navigator, or Bing map. I really like what you have done with the Web Browser Control to create the Outlook-like sidebar. Thanks for your feedback. @ Banana, Thanks for the clarification. I just checked the SharePoint 2010 SDK and it appears that the Silverlight client object model would work for Access Web Apps. Right now, we are working on the idea within a client Access database; however, using a Silverlight web part within an Access Web App would be an interesting CodePlex project.

hi

can this tree view read Access data

for example

can you add a treeview itme Zhi Zhang

@Zhi - The sample has an AddItem() scriptable method; however, the method currently only adds a root node. The initial code sample was to show the HtmlBridge plumbing so the Treeview functionality is limited. We are working on exposing more Silverlight control methods such as a more robust AddItem() method. Soon, we will check-in code at desktopWeb.codeplex.com that will enabled cleaner Silverlight calling. I’ll include an improved AddItem() method for you. Calling a Silverlight method will be as simple as {AccessForm}.TreeviewPage.AddItem(value);. An improved AddItem method might be {AccessForm}.TreeviewPage.AddItem(parentKey, tvwChild, value);. I’ll update our What’s New discussion page at desktopweb.codeplex.com/.../View.aspx with our short term plans. Thanks for your question.

As a follow up, the next check-in will show how to Add and Remove Treeview items. * TreeviewPage.AddItem(header) adds a TreeViewItem child item to any selected node. * TreeviewPage.AddRootItem(header) appends a root TreeViewItem. * TreeviewPage.RemoveItem() removes a TreeViewItem item. Also, there will be a reflection tool that auto-generates client-side Silverlight control and Access form code.