FAQs

The Express edition is free. All the other editions are for sale.

Yes. You need to register/activate WinFormsGen Professional Plus before use. You will need an internet connection to activate it. Registration and activation is done through the software interface. You don't need to activate the Express Edition.

No. You just need internet connection when you first activate the product and everytime you want to check for updates.

No catch at all. You can download it for free. You can give copies to your friends. You don't have to register. There's no trial date end (because it's not a trial). There's no pop-ups reminding you to buy the Professional Plus Edition. No Activation required. Absolutely no catch. Oh yeah, you cannot profit from it by selling it, etc.

Professional Plus is for sale, Express is free. Express generates just one type of MVC view; the Unbound View. Unbound views are views not bound to the database. The Data-Tier/Data Layer does not have code that connects to the database, you will need to manually add these code yourself. For a more complete list of the differences, please see the Product Edition Comparison found on the side menu. And of course the price.

No it's not a component. It is a tool/application (.exe) that generates MVC Views/classes based on your MS SQL Server 2000/2005/2008/2012/2014 database or an attached SQL Express.

You need an MS SQL 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012, or 2014 database or an attached SQL Express, or SQL 2012 Express, and the .NET Framework 4.5.1 installed in your pc.

With Visual Studio 2013 or later, yes. It's specifically made for the .NET 4.5.1 Framework. With older Visual Studio editions, no, because it will not compile .NET 4.5.1 classes. You can also use other IDEs if you like, the generated MVC Views/classes are not tied to a specific IDE.

WinFormsGen is created using .NET Framework 4.5.1.

WinFormsGen is super easy to use. As a matter of fact, there's just One main interface, and One main button to click. WinFormsGen was created for C# or VB.NET programmers, therefore you need to know either one. There's also the understanding that you already know MS SQL 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012, or 2014, since you need a database for WinFormsGen to look at to be able to generate the code.

Yes. You have two (2) options; Ad-Hoc/Dynamic SQL or Stored Procedures. When you choose Stored Procedures, WinFormsGen will generate Stored Procedures, otherwise, it will generate Ad-Hoc/Dynamic SQL.

No. WinFormsGen only supports Microsoft SQL 2000, 2005, 2008, or 2012 (and later).

Yes. You need to attach your SQL Express database to an MS SQL 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014 database to do this. Or you can use SQL Server 2012 Express.

Yes if the generated code's path is the same as your current project's path/directory. Note: Some files like the Business Object classes and the Data Layer classes are only generated once, they are not overwritten. Make sure to use a path/directory other than your project path/directory, then just copy the code you need into your windows forms project. E.g. if your website path is: C:\User\YourApp, then choose a different path for your generated code, e.g. use C:\GeneratedCode instead.

This means that you don't have access to the path/directory where you are trying to put the generated code. Make sure to choose a path/directory you have write access to.

You need admin rights on this MS SQL 2000/2005/2008/2012/2014 database. If you already have admin rights to the database, then make sure that your username and password are correct. A blank password will not work.

Yes. We may give discounts when you buy more than one (quantity) product. Please contact our sales team (products team) to discuss your purchasing needs.

No. Please download WinFormsGen Express, this is our free product.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

You can choose either C# or VB.NET.

You can generate code for .NET Frameworks 4.5.1

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Bottom line: You can use the generated code with any client that uses C# or VB.Net (.NET Framework 4.5.1).

Yes. Add your code or override a function/method in the BusinessObject and DataLayer classes. These classes are only generated once and are not overwritten.

No. All generated stored procedures will be overwritten. Instead add your own stored procedure, then add the respective middle-tier code in the BusinessObject class and the data-tier code in the DataLayer class. *You can use the BusinessObjectBase and DataLayerBase classes as guide.

All our products are delivered digitally via download.

WinFormsGen Professional Plus can only be downloaded once. Once you download it, make sure to keep it in a safe place. Our Express line of products may be downloaded as many times as you like.

Yes, please see the notes page. At first use you will need to fill a few required fields to start generating code such as:

- Server (database, it defaults to localhost)
- Name (database)
- User Name (database)
- Password (database)
- Check whether you want Linq-to-Entities, Stored Procedures, or Ad-Hoc SQL
- Web Application Name you want generated
- Directory where you want the Web Application to be generated in
- Business Layer and Data Layer Project Name
- Check whether you want to use a Web API, then enter the Web API Project Name
- Check the (type of) MVC Views you want generated (by default they are all checked)

Once these are filled, the next time you generate code from the same database, all you really have to do is click the "Generate Code..." button. This is very useful because as developers, we would add new tables, or even new fields to an existing table in our database, and these additions and updates can go on forever while we're developing code for the same application. Being able to click just One button to generate code over and over again is very convenient and does not take away our focus on the current application we're developing for.

This same principle also applies when generating code for Database Views.