VB.NET and Novell...possible?

Tekk · October 18th, 2004, 07:50 PM

I'd like to build a little email program with VB.NET for a client and just place it on the server for everyone to use through the network. They are currently running Novell as their server and I was wondering if VB.NET would work in a Novell environment?

vass0922 · October 18th, 2004, 08:23 PM

what is the email server they're using? Groupwise? Exchange?
If its groupwise, you maybe able to just send via SMTP, not sure on sending via CDO but you maybe able to.

If they're double clicking on a file that is stored on a network share, its a real PITA to get the security working. If they copy it locally its much easier. If thats the case you're actually running the client on the local machine, not the server so it really doesn't matter what the server is.

This is assuming your network is running on TCP/IP and not IPX/SPX

Tekk · October 18th, 2004, 08:25 PM

well my co-worker wants to use MAPI, not SMTP. That make it more of a pain?

vass0922 · October 18th, 2004, 08:41 PM

You didn't mention what you're using an email server

It also depends on what your client is, win98 may not have some of the .net libraries that > win2k will have.

You'll want to check up on using MAPI with a different server than exchange, I think it works but can't remember.

Just so you know it can be a real pain to keep between teh lines of MAPI and CDO and not drift back and forth. Their object models tend to overlap in some areas, so its tough to figure out which object (with the same name) is goign to return which object. Very frustrating.
I HATE developing for Outlook!
Your mileage may vary

Tekk · October 18th, 2004, 08:52 PM

I dont know which server type they are using

When I asked my co-worker mentioned that it didn't matter because we are just going to go through MAPI.

I've never developed for anything other than SMTP in .NET but hopefully if the client accepts the project it wont be too much of a pain.

Another note - apparently the reason it should reside on the server is maintenance ease. Having a local copy on each computer means more of a pain in updating (but in the grand scheme you are right Vass it definitely makes things easier...I keep trying to reiterate that point but my co-worker doesn't seem to be wanting to hear that). In any case, putting the exe on all the local machines WOULD bring up the issue of OS compatibility. Apparently some workstations are old as all hell (Win95 for some god awful reason) so that would make it difficult if the correct libraries are not on the computer (but cant they be downloaded?) like you said.