Two of our community champions François Tanguay and Stephen Phillips just pushed out a new release of EntLibContrib. This is the final round-up of all of the user contributions built around the Enterprise Library v3.1 core. They are now working on the upgrade to the EntLib v4.1 core.

The latest release of EntLibContrib contains the following functionality:

• Common Block extensions
  • TypeConfigurationElement<T>, AnonymousConfigurationElement
• Data Access Application Block extensions
  • MySql, SQLite and SqlEx providers
• Exception Handling Application Block extensions
  • SqlException Wrap Handler
• Logging Application Block extensions
  • LogParser, TimeStampParser
• Policy Injection Application Block extensions
  • PostSharp4EntLib
  • New matching rules: And, Or and Not
  • New call handlers: CursorCallHandler, OneWayCallHandler, SynchronizedCallHandler, ThreadSafeCallHandler, TransactionScopeCallHandler
• Resource Application Block 3.1
  • Configurable providers for Globalization and Localization
  • Full application block complete with support for the console, instrumentation and group policies
• Validation Application Block extensions
  • New validators: CollectionCountValidator, CompositeRulesetValidator, TypeValidator<T>, ObjectValidator<T>, EnumDefinedValidator
  • Designtime enhancements: Lightweight type picker, Test command
  • Other extensions: Default validators, Argument Validation, ExternallyConfigurableObjectValidator

The Enterprise Library Contribution Project is to be revamped and upgraded to work from the Entlib v4.1 core - This will also include VS2008 solutions and projects and be built using .NET framework v3.5 SP1. To start the ball rolling the Resource Application Block has been upgraded to v4.1 and a new Query Application Block v4.1 has been added to provide the next level of integration for data storage. With the DAAB you got separation from the Database vendor with QAB you get separation from the data storage type with providers for the DAAB, Xml files and Web Services.

Other separate releases hosted on the EntLibContrib site are:

• Standalone Validation Application Block 1.2: adds deep WPF automatic object validating data-binding via a new ValidationBinding markup extension.
• Extended SQL Data Access Block 3.1.1: Now integrated into the main EntLibContrib release.

Other contributions in the source code but not in the latest release:

• Query Application Block 4.1 New - Next level of integration up from the DAAB providing a common interface for data stored in a DB, XML file or Web/WCF service
• Resource Application Block 4.1 New - Upgraded to include Unity integration and to work with EntLib4.1 core and VS2008
• The Application Block Software Factory (needs GAX)
• The Strong-Naming Guidance Package (needs GAX)

Kudos to Stephen and François! Great job, community! It’s good to see passion around improving and extending the EntLib. I would like to acknowledge the following contributions and contributors in particular:

• MySQL Data provider = Wesley Hobbie
• SQLite Data Provider = Kenneth Scott
• Extended SQL Data Provider = Chris Dufour
• SQL Exception Wrap Handler = Tom Hollander
• LogParser = Alois Kraus, Randy E. and Mark Seemann
• PostSharp4EntLib = Gael Fraiteur
• Policy Injection Extensions = Olaf Conijn and François Tanguay
• Resource Application Block = Steve Phillips
• Validation Application Block extensions = Tom Hollander, Olaf Conijn, Martin Lapierre, Martin Bennedik and François Tanguay
• Standalone VAB = Daniel Cazzulino
• Common Extensions = Francois Tanguay

Look forward to the next EntLibContrib release!