Using custom Microsoft WPF Winforms controls in Gen 8.6

Products

• Gen
• Gen - Workstation Toolset

Issue/Introduction

For Gen GUI Window applications FarPoint and Sheridan controls have been used in the past but they are no longer supported by their vendor(s).
Can custom Microsoft WPF Winforms controls be used within the Gen Window?

1. Can custom Microsoft WPF controls (or WinForms) be embedded/consumed in a Gen window?
   
   
2. What interface specification should a custom control provide for it to work with Gen windows?

Environment

Gen 8.6 Workstation Toolset and GUI Window Design

Resolution

1. You can develop and use your own controls, but since they are not 3rd party products listed on the Gen™ 8.6 > Technical Requirements > Third-Party Software Version page, they would not be officially supported.
   
   
2. For 'C' based clients which are MFC clients, you can take advantage of third party control based on OLE/OCX.
   Gen is only concerned about its external interfaces. These external interfaces are called methods, properties, and events. These controls could be a standard window control such as a Pushbutton, List Box, or Entry Field...or an embedded/linked object such as a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet or Word™ document
   So the interface specification should conform to the OLE/OCX specification.