Converting a Server to Code-First

Remoting SDK provides an easy option to convert your existing RODL-based server to the Code-First model introduced by version 9. For this purpose, the "Tools|Remoting SDK and Data Abstract" menu has gained a new option, visible only if the current project contains a RODL file.

Simply invoke this “Convert to Code-First Server” option to start the conversion:

When you do, Remoting SDK will do two things:

• It will generate a new code file, named after the RODL file, but with a _RodlTypes suffix. This file will contain all auxiliary types from your RODL – in essence it will be the same as the previous _Intf file, but without all the extra clutter.

• It will remove the .RODL file, as well as the _Intf, _Invk and _Events or _Async files from the project. These files are no longer needed by the Code-First server; they are not deleted, but moved into a __Backup subfolder, in case you ever want to refer back to them.

Remoting SDK confirms once the conversion has completed:

Once done, you can rename the _RodlTypes file to anything you like, or even move the types in it around into different source files (for example into the same file as their related service) as you see fit for the structure of your projects. These are now “your” types. If you need to make changes to them for new versions of your server, you simply change them in code.

With that conversion done, you will still need to manually adjust the service implementations themselves, as discussed in the Converting to Code-First topic.