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Chris
1460
Challenge for Infragistics
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I've been told for numerous releases that Infragistics was going to beef up their documentation (as it used to be for releases years ago) and it has yet to be changed.  I've provided samples over and over of things that should be easy to do (and are once you figure out the magical method that isn't documented)  but aren't listed in the help file because it's automatically generated using a tool that only lists classes without examples, or decent usage examples, or even context for usage. 

I'd like to challenge Infragistics to either live up to their word on the documentation OR hire a developer that has never used their controls before and have that developer try to create a robust site with both server-side and client-side code, using their controls AND only able to get information from the documenation/help file. 

I don't think it can be done, or easily done at the very least.  Not without having to constantly turn to the forums, or simply pulling one's hair out.

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  • 1460
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    For hte most part videos are absolutely worthless for me.  I've been coding for over 15 years, I want to be able to quickly look up what I'm looking for, not spend time scrolling through a video hoping for that one nugget of information I need - which in most cases if there at all, is just shown as text in someone else's instance of Visual Studio in the video and which I can't even copy code from but have to type it out.  Videos are good for novices.

    Also, the very few examples that Infragistics has now, seem dominated by techniques of declarative  binding in the aspx/presentation layer versus programmatically in the code-behind.  Really?  How many enterprise applications can get away with that?  Are the majority of users that paid in excess of $1000 for an Infragisitics license going to be coding on mom's website or rather enterprise developers?

    Some things that would be great to have...

    1. A decent client-side reference, not the auto-generated CSOM as it is now in the documentation - which is utterly worthless.  I want to be able to easily find things like AfterSelectChangeHandler, and not just an auto-generated definition.  In earlier versions of Infragistics controls, you could easily find the client-side events, how to assign them ALL, javascript sample functions for ALL of them.  Now it's a pain to even figure out what parameters are passed when they're called.
    2. Same as above for the server-side help.  Aside from being incredibly sparse, if you go to \Developer's Guide\ASP.NET AJAX Controls\WebDataGrid  the only binding example is binding to a SQL Data Source - and that even just using the GUI to do it.  Seriously, is that how Infragistics believes its controls are being used? 
    3. A section on transitioning from the old controls to the new controls.  You guys just completely hung us out to dry on this.  I can't tell you how annoying it has been transitioning from UltraWebGrid to WebDataGrid - and not just for the missing checkbox/radiobutton/other column types.  There's literally no place to turn to get this information aside from trying to use the WebDataGrid and flying blind, turning to the forums or giving up.
    4. There are occasionally either hidden or orphaned jewels included in the help file which can seemingly only be found by searching.  You can search for a specific method and occasionally turn up something useful, but it's not linked to the Table of Contents so I can't find this magic section again in case there's something else I want from it.  I've found a few, but have never been able to get to them via the TOC, ever.  When you look at the sparse information under WebDataGrid or any control for that matter, you'll see why.
    5. Utility function lists.  If they don't exist, then their replacements or how to achieve the same thing.  Previously with UltraWebGrid we could call igtbl_getGridById or igtbl_getRowById(rowId).  I realize that we now use the $find method, but where is that in the help file???

    Some other issues I've had include trying to find include:

    1. Trying to simply select a row client-side.  Aside from how incredibly intuitive "this.get_behaviors().get_selection().get_selectedRows().add(row)" is, where exactly should I have been able to find that in the help file?
    2. Trying to just get a row client-side by its ID value.  There's nothing in the Help file, at least not easily accessible via the TOC. UltraWebGrid used igtbl_getRowById(rowId)  but now I have to do something like: var keys = new Array(rowId); var row = grid.get_rows().get_rowFromKey(keys);  Where is that in the help file? And can you get there using the table fo contents???

    Honestly, by just generating the help file it's become nearly worthless.  It almost needs to be scrapped and have a dedicated team just go through each control and write a help/usage file.  Heck, start it and just release them by control and call them 'enhanced help' or something.  Please just do something and do it soon!

    ~Chris

     

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