The latest and greatest MOSS SDK release just went LIVE with an exciting new tool: The BDC Application Definition Editor! This tool abstracts the way you create entities in the Application Definition File by giving you an easy to use UI.

Features include:

  • Underlying XML is abstracted by the design surface and properties window
  • Drag and drop web methods, tables, or views to create line of business (LOB) connections.
  • Entities and methods are created automatically from database metadata and WSDLs.
  • Additional method instances can be added to further enhance the DB or WS connection.
  • Method instances can be tested from within the tool, enabling incremental development of LOB connections

BDC Editor

Currently, writing an application definition to connect the BDC to a LOB system is a manual process.  This requires an understanding of both how the LOB system is configured and what must be included in the XML to satisfy the BDC. Having a tool to simplify this process not only lowers the initial knowledge threshold for administering the BDC, it also lessens the required work of the user (such as testing, making modifications, etc.). 

The tool has been designed to assist in the lifecycle management for Application Definition files.  It enables searching over databases and web service-based repositories, as well as the connection for BDC web parts in MOSS. 

Highlights:

  • Tool supports Databases (SQL, Oracle, OLEDB, and ODBC) and Web Services
  • Drag and drop design surface for selecting DB tables or web methods
  • Metadata is automatically extracted from Databases by dragging and dropping tables
  • Web Services require a few additional steps to completely configure the connection
  • Users can import and export Application Definition XML files
  • Users are able to test method instances incrementally from within the tool
  • The tool is not required to run on a Web Front-End
  • Associations are created automatically when foreign keys are selected; they can also be created easily for web services by adding an Association method instance

What else is included in the SDK?

New Tools Included with the MOSS SDK:

We rounded out our tool set in this release to include developer tools and samples for the following areas of MOSS development.  New tools and samples are in bold.

Business Data Catalog Samples and Utilities:

Microsoft Business Data Catalog Definition Editor

Sample Pluggable SSO Provider

WSHelloWorld Web Service

WSOrders Web Service

Excel Services User Defined Function Sample

WSOrders Custom Proxy Sample

Amazon Web Service Sample

AdventureWorks Metadata Samples

SAP Sample

Document Management and Content Processing Samples:

Comment Scrub Document Converter

Term Replacement Document Inspector

Search Samples:

Sample Protocol Handler

Custom Content Source

Records Management and Policy Samples:

De-Duplication Router

Document Integrity Verifier

Records Center Web Service Console Application

Search, Collect, and Hold Tool

Sample Custom Barcode Generator

IRM Document Protector

Workflow Samples:

Custom Workflow Report Query Generator

Custom Workflow Report XLSX Injector

Visual Studio Workflow Templates

Enterprise Content Management Workflow Activities

List Item Activities

Hello World Sequential Workflow

State Based Approval Workflow

Modification Workflow

Replication and Contact Selector Workflow

Intersystem Purchase Order

Confidential Approval Workflow

Group Approval Workflow

Approval Workflow Sample

Multi-Stage Workflow

Server-side Collect Signatures Workflow