GettingStarted.txt

Note: This tutorial does not work yet. Still under construction.

Step 1: Define a model: 

	<!DOCTYPE CbXdl_V1>
	#|Class    |Property     |Attribute    |Value                   |NotUsed| Comment	
	+|         |             |Include      |../DotNet/DotNet.xdl    |       | Include definitions for .NET Framework
	+|         |             |Include      |../Sys/Sys.xdl			|       | Include definitions for Entity-System
	+|         |             |ModelName    |MyCbOrmApp              |       | Define the name of the model.
	+|         |             |Namespace    |MyCbOrmApp              |       | Define the namespace for the model'S generated source code.
	+|MyParent |             |Base         |CEntityObject           |       | Define class    'MyParent'   of basetype    'EntityObject'
	+|MyParent |MyString     |Typ          |String                  |       | Define property 'MyString'   of type        'String'  in class 'MyParent'
	+|MyParent |MyChildren   |Typ          |MyChild                 |       | Define property 'MyChildren' of type        'MyChild' in class 'MyParent'
	+|MyParent |MyChild      |Typ          |MyChild                 |       | Define property 'MyChild'    of type        'MyChild' in class 'MyParent'
	+|MyParent |MyChild      |Cardinality  |11C                     |       | Define property 'MyChild'    of cardinality '1:1'
	+|MyChild  |             |Base         |CEntityObject           |       | Define class    'MyChild'    of basetype    'EntityObject'
	+|MyChild  |MyProperty   |Typ          |Boolean                 |       | Define property 'MyBoolean'  of typ         'Boolean'

	Some words about this Model definition language (MDL):

	You see, the mdl constists of rows and columns, separated by a pipe character '|'. 
	Actually it's a csv format - the mother of all file formats ;-)
	Thus It can be easily stored in a database or converted into a small binary file by indexing the identifier strings.
	By defining columns class, Property, Attribute (MetaProperty) and value it is object oriented and extensible and refers directly to a object model with custom reflection info.
	The NotUsed column i used for datamapping in another project. However this column is not used in this project but i reserved it.
	The last column includes a comment and is not processed.
	Either if the row stars with #| the rest of the row will be ignored. This is inteded to be used for comments
	Either if the row starts with a -| the rest of the row is ignored. This is intendend to deactivate interpretation of valid row definitions.

	I did it like i did it because it is very compact. My model at office consists of about 10k-20k of such rows. 
	If i would have keywords or xml tag names in between i would get mad typing all those keywords again and again.
	I use excel to edit the rows and like this i can easily handle large object models with about 6k-12k fields.
	And i only need to type what is really necessary - the identifiers.

	But now let's continue to get the sample app to work:

Step 2: Save the model definition in folder CbOrm\App\MyCbOrmApp\GeneratorInput\MyCbOrmApp.xdl

Step 3: Run the cb_orm.exe. It will generate the code in CbOrm\App\MyCbOrmApp\GeneratorOutput

	- Either from the development environment: Just run the exe through the VS-IDE
	- Or     from commandline: 
		cb_orm.exe Command="GenerateOrm" ModelInputFile="App\MyCbOrmApp\GeneratorInput\MyCbOrmApp.xdl"

Step 4: Write some test code to work with the generated code.

	// c# Code:
	using CbOrm.FileSys;
	using MyCbOrmApp;
	using System.IO;

	class Program
	{
		static void main()
		{
			var aDirectoryInfo = new DirectoryInfo(@"C:\Temp\MyAppStorage");
			var aTestString = "Hello world";
			var aTestBool1 = true;
			var aTestBool2 = false;

			{ // Create some persistent objects 
				var aObjectStorage = new CFileSystemStorage(MyCbOrmAppSchema.Singleton, aDirectoryInfo);
				aObjectStorage.Connect();
				aObjectStorage.Clear();
				var aMyParent = aObjectStorage.CreateObject<MyParent>();
				aMyParent.MyString = aTestString;
				aMyParent.MyChild.MyBoolean = aTestBool1;
				var aMyChildItem = aMyParent.MyChildren.Add();	
				aMYChildItem.TestBoolean = aTestBool2;
				aObjectStorage.Save();
			}

			{ // Load objects and check the data
				var aObjectStorage = new CFileSystemStorage(MyCbOrmAppSchema.Singleton, aDirectoryInfo);
				var aMyParent = aObjectStorage.LoadObjects<MyParent>().Single();
				Assert(aMyParent.MyString == aTestString);
				Assert(aMyParent.MyChild.MyBoolean1 = aTestBool1);
				Assert(aMyParent.MyChildren.Single().MyBoolean == aTestBool2);
			}
			
			{ // Delete the objects.
				var aObjectStorage = new CFileSystemStorage(MyCbOrmAppSchema.Singleton, aDirectoryInfo);
				var aMyParent = aObjectStorage.LoadObjects<MyParent>().Single();
				aMyParent.Delete();
				aObjectStorage.Save();
				Assert(aObjectStorage.LoadObjects<CEntityObject>().Count() == 0);			
			}
		}
	 }