SoftFluent releases CodeFluent Entities software factory product

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Code generation tools provider SoftFluent, an Alliance level VSIP partner, announced at Visual Studio Live this month a visual tool to help .NET development shops more effectively build applications with its CodeFluent Entities software factory product. The solution enables dev shops to build out applications using a simple model-driven approach, directly integrated into Visual Studio 2010 or 2008.

CodeFluent Entities Modeler Edition lets developers create visual application models inside the Visual Studio environment, and take advantage of built-in Visual Studio functionality like source code control. Developers are able to build their application using entities, properties and methods concepts, by using a drag-and-drop interface to establish relationships and business rules. From this model, ready-to-use components are generated towards any kind of architecture: web, desktop, smart client, Silverlight, SharePoint and more.

The Graphical Modeler provides several features including:

· Modeling of your application,

· Namespace and solar (centered around an entity) views of the model,

· Bidirectional synchronization with underlying XML representation of the model (that can be directly edited),

· Reporting modules giving insight of the model, including metrics,

· Search features to find shapes or any model concept,

· A Model grid view to get a transversal view of all concepts of your application,

· Member Format Expressions to highlight aspects of your model,

· A CFQL editor including IntelliSense technology to easily write your data-oriented methods,

· User interfaces for business rules, producers, patterns and much more!

CodeFluent Entities is available for download and includes a free version for models up to 10 entities. The Core Version which includes the generators is fully released and has been proven for some years. As such, CodeFluent Entities is an interesting real-world solution available today for model-driven development on the Microsoft platform.

The Graphical Modeler available in the Modeler Edition is still in Beta but can already be downloaded and used while the final release should be available later in the fall, around the Visual Studio Live Orlando timeframe in November. Some screenshots of the product can be seen using Silverlight Pivot technology.