We are developing a product that will be deployed for a number of clients. In an area of this product, we need to execute some formulas. The problem is that this formulas can be different for each client. So we need to have a good architecture that can ‘execute code dynamically’
The application is a web application hosted on sharepoint 2010 (thereby using .net 3.5)
A Simplified example:
I have class MyClassA with two numeric properties PropA and PropB
For one client the formula is PropA + PropB. For the other it is PropA-PropB.
This is just a simplified example as the formula is more complex than this.
I need to have a way that client A we can set PropA+PropB perhaps in an XMl file or database.
I would then load the code dynamically?
Does this make sense? Has anyone implement similar scenario in a production environment please?
I have found that the following article describes a similar situation but I do not know whether it is 100% reliable for a production environment:
http://west-wind.com/presentations/dynamicCode/DynamicCode.htm
I have also found that IronPython can also solve a similar problem but I cannot understand how I would use my ClassA with IronPython.
Any assistance would be greately appreciated.
Update …
Thanks everyone for the detailed feedback. It was a very constructive exercise. I have reviewed the different approaches and it seems very likely that we will go ahead with the nCalc approach. nCalc seems to be a wonderful tool and I am already loving the technology 🙂
Thank you all!!
Look into nCalc.
You could store your calculations in a database field then simply execute them on demand. Pretty simple and powerful. We are using this in a multi-tenant environment to help with similar types of customization.