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web-servicesarchitecturevb6data-integration

Any alternatives to web services when doing a legacy system integration?

Let's say that I have this case:

A legacy visual basic 6 application which can't connect to web services in general (XML soap or restful API) that works as a client application that needs to integrate in some way it's data which practically came from forms inputs, with other systems mostly developed in .net

So far what I have thought about:

  • Sockets connections
  • Transfer files via FTP (implement an adapter to read and parse the information to the other system)
  • Email send (client) / parse (server) - this is not reliable

any other options for this scenario?

Solution

  • .Net WCF isn't just a problem for VB6. WCF has notorious interoperability issues since there is a ton in there that is highly proprietary to .Net's own little world.

    SOAP is slowly dying away, but sadly lingers in .Net shops because of several factors such as hanging back on early .Net versions and a general inertia. Avoid it where possible.

    RESTful and RESTlike APIs aren't really hard to use in VB6. The biggest obstacles are usually HMAC-based authentication techniques, JSON serialization, and so on since Microsoft never bothered to make any VB6 tooling available. There is plenty of support for HTTP and XML though.

    There are also a ton of community created and 3rd party code samples and products out there to use in HTTP-based APIs. The trick is selecting among them and then performing the necessary integration.

    But I get the impression this isn't in the cards for you.

    Don't discard MSMQ too quickly as another possible option.