A set of utility libraries for use with COM-capable development environments (VB6, VBA, .Net etc). These have been developed over the years since 2003 to provide a number of useful features that are not possible 'out of the box' with Visual Basic 6. They include:
- a powerful logging facility, based heavily on the Java Logging Framework
- sophisticated mechanisms for using configuration files (typically based on XML, though other providers could be developed)
- clocks that operate in any timezone, and that may use simulated time for re-running historical scenarios. Also functions for converting times between any timezones
- timers for accurate single or periodic notifications
- high-resolution elapsed time measurement
- futures
- parameter collections (name/value pairs)
- sorted dictionary
- state transition engine
- weak references to avoid the circular reference problem
- error handling with stack traces at point of failure
- cooperative multi-tasking to allow long-running activities on the main thread to be interleaved, and without blocking the user interface
- a deferred action mechanism that enables actions to be postponed to a specified later time
- procedure call tracing
- enumerators
- a subclassing framework
- a 'proper' graphics library (including gradient fills, advanced typography etc)
- a number of UI controls that provide advantages over the Microsoft equivalents
To install the TradeWright Common components, use the .msi installer file in the latest Release. As well as the components, this installer also installs some sample programs that use the components. After installation is complete, you can find these sample programs in the Bin subfolder of the installation folder. The source code for these sample programs is included in the repository.
Note that the installation process does not register the components, as the sample programs use registration-free COM which uses manifest files to provide the information that registration includes in the registry.
However if you want to use these components without modification in your own projects, you will need to register them so that your compiler has the information it needs to access them. To do this, open a command prompt as Administrator, and run the registerdlls.bat command file in the installation folder.
If you want to build the components yourself, for example with a view to mdofying them, you'll find information on building this project at How to Build Tradewright Common.
If you make changes that you want to contribute to the official version, create a pull request and I'll evaluate them.
There is a lot more to be said about working with this code, because of the niceties of such things as binary compatibility, but I won't say it now because I doubt anyone will ever need it, but if you do, feel free to contact me or raise an issue.