Running a C# program w/GUI through a web browser

Hi,

I have many thousand lines of C# code that uses System.Windows.*
frequently,
so it has a lot of GUI. This program processes data that is located on the
local machine and displays a graphical representation of this. I wish for
users to be able to use this program through the internet, where the
machine
containing the data is the server.

The code that processes the data and the code that displays the graphical
interface is already written, but as a single program. Is there an easy
way of getting the client-server functionality without splitting the
program
or writing too much code? Eg. executing the program through a web browser.

Thanks,
Magnus Gran-Jansen

Hi Magnus,

Try considering Citrix MetaFrame on the server. So that all the clients who 
wants to use the application will be able to run the application through a b
rowser. But your application will still look alike a Windows application. Tr
y getting more information on how you can setup your server to run Citrix Me
taFrame.

Shiva


quote:
Originally posted by Magnus Gran-Jansen 
Hi,

I have many thousand lines of C# code that uses System.Windows.*
frequently,
so it has a lot of GUI. This program processes data that is located on the
local machine and displays a graphical representation of this. I wish for
users to be able to use this program through the internet, where the
machine
containing the data is the server.

The code that processes the data and the code that displays the graphical
interface is already written, but as a single program. Is there an easy
way of getting the client-server functionality without splitting the
program
or writing too much code? Eg. executing the program through a web browser.

Thanks,
Magnus Gran-Jansen 

> 
>
> Hi Mike, thanks for your answer.
>
> I just found something called Hosting .NET Windows Forms Controls in IE:
> http://www.syncfusion.com/FAQ/Windo.../FAQ_c101c.aspx
> http://www.15seconds.com/issue/030610.htm
>
> That seems to be similar to Java applets. Do you (or anyone else)
> know anything about this and if it would it apply to my situation?
>
> Thanks,
> Magnus Gran-Jansen

The items you listed would apply to your situation, but you would need to
pull your processing out into the web service and access the methods etc.
this way. The application could be hosted on the web page as described. It
would still be changes to your application. Once you pulled your application
appart you could just access the web service directly from the windows forms
app and not need a web browser at all, if you can install the application on
the client.......

You could add a Web Service to your GUI app, thus making it
web-accessible. The service would call the appropriate functions, just
as the UI does now. The GUI could be disabled or minimized when running
in "remote access mode".

Hope this helps,
Aleko

The only thing I can suggest is Citrix Metaframe, or something similar
that allows you to run a virtual copy of Windows on the server and
display the UI remotely on the client. There may be versions that
require nothing more installed on the client than a browser, although
I've never heard of one.

Apart from this, as the other posters have mentioned, you have to
change your application.