Start working with LightSwitch in VS 2010

LightSwitch has been launched and Microsoft only offering a Trial Version well one only has to check out the features it offers to understand that. Lets learn how to install and develop simple Application using LightSwitch.

LightSwitch - Start up:

LightSwitch has been launched and I wondered why Microsoft are only offering a Trial Version well one only has to check out the features it offers to understand that developing Business Applications has never been this easy.

Honestly one does not need to be a developer to start building Buiness Application now. Thanks to LightSwitch.

Enough of Talking. Let me give some Demo now.

Step 1 :

Install LightSwitch Trial 2011 .This is a 90 days Trial Version. Download it from the path given below :

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=26830

On running the small exe the Light Switch setup would start as shown below :







Developing a Simple Application using LightSwitch :

Lets create a new LightSwitch Project - C# and name it LightSwitchDemo.



The LightSwitch designer opens up.





The Attach Data Source Wizard opens up. Lets select Database and hit Ok.



Lets Setup the Connection.



Select the Tables and Hit Finish.



The Solution should now look as below :







The Add New Screen window opens up. Select any of the Screen Template. Lets say List and Details Template.





Also Select the Screen Data. Let choose Article Table.



Now we are set to give our application a first Build. Lets hit F6. Should Build Fine.

Lets hit a F5 to run our application. By Default it would run as a Desktop Application.

The application opens up.



Lets Check out the default design offered to us by LightSwitch.



Lets check out one by one.

Menu :



Add Button :



Clicking on the Add Button opens up a Add article Dialog Box for us.



Simple add a new Article.



Lets hit Ok and see what happens. The new article is added to the List as shown below. That was not too difficult was it.



Edit Button :



Clicking on the Edit Button. Edit article dialog pops up. Just edit say the Body field and click ok.



The change gets Reflected.



Delete Button :





The article gets marked for deletion as shown below.



Save or Discard the changes :

Did you notice the below Save and refresh Button :

You can easily save the changes made to the Database or discard them.



Click on Save Button.



The article which was marked for deletion is deleted now.



Export Option :



Clicking on the Export Button the data gets exported to Excel.

Cool Search :

Does offer a really simple and cool search option.

The search pulls up the record and displays as shown below :



Conclusion:

In this article I have only given an introduction to what is Lightswitch. We have not really not seen the features that LightSwitch offers. I am planning to cover most of LightSwitch in my future articles. Till then Happy Coding or No Coding.