Sueetie Developer Package: Atomo

Introducing Atomo, The Sueetie Developer Package¶

One of the guiding principles of Sueetie is that no Community Framework meets everyone's needs, even one as full-featured as Sueetie. Each community has unique needs. Each community leader has a unique vision for his or her community. Atomo gives you the ability to meet those unique needs and realize that vision.

The Atomo Solution¶

Let's look at the Atomo Solution. It includes the entire Sueetie Framework source code base, which you are free to customize as needed. Each application's WebApplication project (or Website project in the case of BlogEngine.NET) contains all web source with references to the application's class library binaries.

A Single Development Solution¶

To understand and appreciate the economy of the Atomo Solution, let's look at a typical Sueetie Solution used in creating the framework itself. The Sueetie Communiity Framework is a collection of several Visual Studio Solutions, one VS Solution for each application with references to the Sueetie Framework class projects. Here's what a typical Sueetie Solution looks like, using Gallery Server Pro as an example. All GSP souce projects are included as well as Sueetie Framework class projects of Sueetie.Core, Sueetie.Controls and Sueetie.Media. Similar solutions exist for ScrewTurn Wiki, BlogEngine.NET, YetAnotherForum.NET and the Root WebApplication.



If we were to extend that structure across all applications and include all application projects, our Sueetie Solution would have over fifty class projects and be completely unworkable. We approached Atomo instead as a lightweight Solution that gives you all of the source you will need to full customize any of your community applications.

What If I Need To Change Application Source Code?¶

All Sueetie Applications are Open Source as you well know and freely available at each application's home community site. Sueetie's philosophy is to promote the apps and push traffic and statistics to the home communities. Below are descriptions and links to the specific version of the source library used in the current Sueetie Atomo Release, Version 1.3.

If you wanted to modify code in, say, BlogEngine.Core, you would obtain the BlogEngine.NET 1.6 Source Library, add it to your Atomo solution and reference it from BlogEngine rather than the /bin/BlogEngine.Core.DLL.

If you need to walk through the source code of individual applications you wouldn't even need to go through the process of downloading the source package but simply use a tool like Red Gate's Reflector which gives you full debugging support on all Sueetie Application assemblies.

How Do I Get the Application Source Modified by Sueetie?¶

Okay, so you're thinking you want to make changes to application source code, so you download the source from the application community's site and then ask, "what about any changes made by the Sueetie Framework to those assemblies?" That's good thinking, and all taken care of. Atomo includes a Zip of all assembly DIFFs, though it's a very small DIFF. The Sueetie Framework touches application assemblies only when absolutely necessary. If you did happen to modify an application source class library project that was modified by Sueetie, you would simply add the project to the Atomo Solution, copy that app's DIFFs over the class project and compile normally.

Here is a screenshot of the Atomo DIFF files. As you can see there are very few native application files modified by the Sueetie Framework. The important thing to remember is that any modifications are available in Atomo, and all application source code is available from the application's home distribution location. With the Atomo Solution, you have access to EVERYTHING, in other words.

Application Source Versions and Locations for Sueetie Release Version 1.3¶

1. YetAnotherForum.NET Version: 1.9.4 RC2. Available in the SourceForge YetAnotherForum.NET repository as a tagged SVN.
2. BlogEngine.NET Version 1.6. Available on BlogEngine.NET's CodePlex Downloads Page. BlogEngine.NET 1.6 (Source)
3. ScrewTurn Wiki Version 3.0.2.500. Other than the nightly builds, the most recent versioned source download on the ScrewTurn Wiki Downloads page is 3.0.2.509. There should be no conflicts using that build, but if you're a purist (ike me), point your Tortoise to svn://svn.screwturn.eu/STW/Tags/ for 3.0.2.500.
4. Gallery Server Pro Version 2.3.3750 on Roger Martin's GSP Download page. Source release date April 8, 2010.
   

A Working Atomo Solution¶

Below you see a screenshot of an Atomo solution for one of my clients. As you can see I've added source library class libraries of Sueetie applications. In each case I simply removed the .DLL from the web application's \bin folder, referenced the added class library, and applied the Atomo DIFF file for that class project, if it exists.

You'll notice I didn't need to add every class library for the application, only the code I needed to change or study. I added the BlogEngine.Core library, the ScrewTurn Wiki "Core" class library, and several YetAnotherForum.NET core class libraries.

One more thing, what's the deal with "Atomo?"¶

Members of the Sueetie Community agreed with me that the Sueetie Developer Package should have a name, like Gummy Bear for our Web Package. In thinking about something sweet I thought about the candy I ate more than any other throughout the decades. The Atomic Fire Ball. It conveyed the hotness of the developer package and contrasted Gummy Bear nicely, but "Atomic Fire Ball" or just "Fire Ball" or "Atomic" didn't do it.

There's a wonderful 1999 animated movie named Iron Giant set in the late 50's. In one scene, Hogarth Hughes and the Iron Giant were reading comic books when the Iron Giant spotted a metal robot on the cover. Hogarth said, "Oh, that's Atomo, the metal menace. He's not a hero, he's a villain. But you're not like him. You're a good guy, like Superman."

It would have been nice if Atomo were one of the good guys, but he's still a fun character and ties nicely with Atomic Fire Balls on the sweet side. So there it is.