[Matthew]

A few of us on the forum have posted requests for info about how to get started with Raiser's Edge software development. I know how to use books as reference tools. I'm not looking for code dictionaries, but a road map that gets me to a specific place: being able to develop software solutions to improve use of RE and maximize the investment. Often the advice has been to just do it, which is discouraging and unhelpful.

I have ideas as to what I want to do: create custom data entry screens, for example. But I don't know what the basic outline of "just doing" that entails. such as... you'll need these peices of software... you'll need to use these programming languages... you start by creating a form in visual studio... you access RE classes and methods etc. using..... you figure out how to link your form to your specific database by looking here.... in order for your users to access and use the custom screen from within RE the following things need to happen... these are the things to watch out for.... these are things you simply can't do...

So here's how I've started "justing doing" it....whether I'll get to where I want to be as fast as I need and want to be remains to be seen: I'm taking a class at a local university called .Net Fundamentals. We've started to learn development by using C# in Visual Studio. We're just at the level of understanding the vocabulary and syntax of the language and how it relates to the VS environment. The basic link that I'll eventually need to get is HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO DEVELOPING CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR AN OUT-OF-THE-BOX DBMS?? It's great that I can create whatever I want, but at present, I don't want to create "whatever," I want to create stuff that works with something pre-existing that I didn't design. I want to access, present, and edit data that is already arranged in a specific way... Hopefully the answers to all my questions will be answered implicitly by the general introduction my class is offering, and I can then interpret and apply my knowledge to the specific circumstance of developing RE custom solutions.

This post isn't a rant, it's just an attempt to explain how I'm trying to "jump in the pool," so to speak. maybe it will generate a discussion, maybe it won't.

If anyone has any helpful words of advice about the process of learning to develop RE solutions, type away.

[Peter Gulka]

I am in the same boat. We were all excited about finally buying the API, and then our technical staff got seconded to a project until June



I don't have the time to dedicate to coding

[DavidZ]

I guess that I am one of those that has said just get on and do something in VBA and API and that will help you learn. Sorry for not being more sympathetic

I shall try to give some more practical suggestions then on how you can start with VBA/API.

Firstly in order to work with the VBA module you will need to be able to work with VB (and with that I mean non .NET VB). I am sure that there is a way to work with C# or with VB.NET but in terms of learning I would suggest you stick to VBA. You do not need any extra tools as you can access the VBA environment from the tools menu in RE.

If you do want to work with .NET for the API then you are probably better off working with VB.NET. This is just anecdotal as I have not worked with C# before at all but I hear that there are more issues with C# than with VB.NET. As far as I am concerned however VB6 is the best environment to work with for interacting with the RE API as RE is COM based. There are (or at least have been - I am not sure if they have been fixed) issues with the graphical elements using .NET with RE.

I would suggest that you start in the VBA environment as you do not have to worry about initializing the environment as RE is already set up for you. Try making changes to constituents as they are changed. Start off simply, e.g. changing values on the Bio 1 tab as you save. You can then get more complicated. Try looking to see what constituent code a constituent has and then adding an attribute depending on what they have. Try opening up the constituent's spouse and then adding a gift to their record.

If you practice these data techniques and get an idea as to how they work you will then be able to manipulate other data objects as they all tend to follow a certain pattern.

Once you have done that you will need to be able to open your own records, manipulate them and then save them. Again this can be done in the VBA environment but alternatively you can do it in the the VS environment. You will have to add references to the relevant interops (if working in .NET). You will need to initialize the RE environment so that you have access to the REAPI and SessionContext objects. Without these you are unable to do anything in RE.

Once you can open records, manipulate them and save them you are ready to link custom forms to these objects.

I am not sure if this was what you were after but let me know if there is anything else you need to know.

David