Bridging Traditional Development using XAF and AI: Training Sessions in Cairo

Bridging Traditional Development using XAF and AI: Training Sessions in Cairo

by | Feb 7, 2025 | Uncategorized

I recently had the privilege of conducting a training session in Cairo, Egypt, focusing on modern application development approaches. The session covered two key areas that are transforming how we build business applications: application frameworks and AI integration.

Streamlining Development with Application Frameworks

One of the highlights was demonstrating DevExpress’s eXpressApp Framework (XAF). The students were particularly impressed by how quickly we could build fully-functional Line of Business (LOB) applications. XAF’s approach eliminates much of the repetitive coding typically associated with business application development:

  • Automatic CRUD operations
  • Built-in security system
  • Consistent UI across different platforms
  • Rapid prototyping capabilities

Seamless Integration: XAF Meets Microsoft Semantic Kernel

What made this training unique was demonstrating how XAF’s capabilities extend into AI territory. We built the entire AI interface using XAF itself, showcasing how a traditional LOB framework can seamlessly incorporate advanced AI features. The audience, coming primarily from JavaScript backgrounds with Angular and React experience, was particularly impressed by how this approach simplified the integration of AI into business applications.

During the demonstrations, we explored practical implementations using Microsoft Semantic Kernel. The students were fascinated by practical demonstrations of:

  • Natural language processing for document analysis
  • Automated content generation for business documentation
  • Intelligent decision support systems
  • Context-aware data processing

Student Engagement and Outcomes

The response from the students, most of whom came from JavaScript development backgrounds, was overwhelmingly positive. As experienced frontend developers using Angular and React, they were initially skeptical about a different approach to application development. However, their enthusiasm peaked when they saw how these technologies could solve real business challenges they face daily. The combination of XAF’s rapid development capabilities and Semantic Kernel’s AI features, all integrated into a cohesive development experience, opened their eyes to new possibilities in application development.

Looking Forward

This training session in Cairo demonstrated the growing appetite for modern development approaches in the region. The intersection of efficient application frameworks and AI capabilities is proving to be a powerful combination for next-generation business applications.

And last, but not least, some pictures )))

 

 

XAF javascript callback made easy

by | Feb 18, 2019 | Web, XAF

Sometimes we need to have clientside events and handle them on the server side code behind, that in a simple asp.net web page is really easy, you just have to execute a javascript that executes an HTTP request to the server. Now the question is, how do we do that in XAF?

Well, the concept is basically the same but you need to know XAF architecture the problem is that most of the code needed is not documented, but after a while, I manage to figure it out, so let’s get started.

1)  Create a XAF web application

2) On your web module add a view controller

3) Implement the interface IXafCallbackHandler on the controller you just added in step 2, this is the method that will be called as a callback from javascript. This interface is not documented on the DevExpress website

4) In your view controller add a property to access XafCallbackManager

5) Override the OnViewControlsCreated method and register your callback, in this example, the name of the callback is “MyScript”

6) Now add a simple action and wire the execute event, on the execute event cast the frame as a web window and register a startup script. The code surrounded with the blue line is the javascript that triggers the callback in the callback manager, the code surrounded with red is the id if the script that we are listening for, it should match the name of the script registered on the handler in the previous step.

To execute the callback somewhere in your javascript you have to execute the following function RaiseXafCallback, this function is not documented on the DevExpress website

RaiseXafCallback(globalCallbackControl, 'TheIdOfYourHandler', 'AnyStringThatRepresentsTheValuesYouWantToPassToTheCallBack', '', false);

7) Run your application and execute the simple action added in step 6, when the javascript finish executing, the method you implemented on step 3 will be executed.

 

The code for this article is here  the full example is in GitHub