Spread for Web Forms

asp:review

Spread for Web Forms

By Michael Riley

Let me cut right to the chase: FarPoint's Spread for WebForms is a component that every serious .NET developer should have in theirtoolbox. What looks to be on the surface as an enhanced grid control isactually a component that can practically encapsulate the functionality of anentire Web site. In fact, one of the many well crafted demos that ships withthe product exemplifies this idea in the form of an online store displayedalmost entirely within its components.

How is this possible? It's because of the boatload offeatures contained in this gem. Besides the usual column sorting and theexpected insert, update, and delete functionality via a standard navigationaltoolbar, Spread for Web Forms can serve as a presentation-layer conduit toextend the data representation of Excel spreadsheets and databases to the Web.It can display hierarchical data, text tips, and custom error messages via itsbuilt-in ability to perform client-side validation, and it can execute morethan 200 predefined functions. You even can tailor the way navigation ishandled to suit your needs.

Spread for Web Forms also supports an unbound data modefor using your own data and custom formatting that spans from font color tocell type. The product ships with a dozen different predefined visual displaystyles as templates to get started. Spread for Web Forms makes accessing thesecapabilities all too easy for VS .NET developers via its built-in wizard anddesigner screens. And, of course, you can embed standard Web Forms controlssuch as checkboxes, radio buttons, images, textboxes, hyperlinked text,listboxes, and combo boxes easily into Spread's cells. The bulk of Spread'sfeatures can be implemented with a couple of mouse clicks and occasionally aline or two of code. Within minutes of installing the product I had severaldifferent data-source presentations being delivered to Apple Safari, LinuxMozilla, and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers all with the same look, feel,and functionality. The speed of delivery from concept to final page was quickand tremendously satisfying.

The product ships with excellent electronic documentation.Those developers uncomfortable with reading multipage PDFs from a screen willneed to print out more 2,000 sheets of paper, with the Assembly Referencemaking up the bulk of the pages. Probably the most critical documentation toread is the 86-page Developer's Guide and 20-page Tutorial. After reading thedocumentation, it's obvious that as much quality care went into the productmanuals as did the product itself.

If you prefer a more audiovisual learning experience,FarPoint has released several excellent training videos (they also do a greatjob selling the product) freely available from its Web site (http://www.fpoint.com/support/videos/videos.html).Other .NET component vendors should adopt this compelling practice. In additionto the videos, FarPoint's Web site is also stocked with live examples of Spreadin action. Not only are there plenty of online demos of the product, but it'seven used for displaying marketing information throughout FarPoint's Web site.

This is a .NET component at its finest.

MikeRiley is a chiefscientist with RR Donnelley, one of North America's largest printers. Heparticipates in the company's emerging technology strategies using a widevariety of distributed network technologies, including Delphi 6. Readers mayreach him at mailto:[email protected].

asp:factfile

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Web Site: http://www.fpoint.com/netproducts/spreadweb/spread.html

Price: $599