Executing an arbitrary method or long-running process on the LightSwitch server: 1. Overview.

In the business world that we try to model into bits and bytes, not everything is considered CRUD.  Although LightSwitch excels at creating CRUD-based applications or data services, the need to call an arbitrary method  or long-running process on the server couldn’t really be satisfied without hacks or workarounds…

Until now.

This sample explores the simple but (for unknown reasons) long-running business process of “inviting a friend to check out an application”.  The sample in itself has no other functionality than the ability to invite more users, who would not want to check this out?

Besides the actual source code, there will be a couple of blog posts over the next few weeks that explain the sample in great detail:

1. Overview – This page.
2. Grab the code – In case you want to see it all before the blog post series is finished.
3. Permissions elevation: creating a new user.
4. Adding a SilverLight compatible WCF (SOAP) service to a LightSwitch application.
5. Working with the ServerDataContext.
6. The ABC of WCF: where, how, what?
7. To channel or not to channel: ChannelFactory vs Add New Service Reference…
8. Modal, modal, modal: three ways to show a modal window on the SilverLight client.
9. In summary…

Hope you enjoy, and as always, don’t be afraid to leave a message in the comment section below!

Keep rocking LS!