Module custom "special" provider

Hi,

I need some advices for a special module architecture.

I must do a custom module,  but i need to connect to an other database . I must use providers, but their is a problem: its interbase with odbc connectors. So i presume i cant use standard openaccess stuff (like entity framework : not support of odbc).

 My first idea was to write a "custom provider", in which i ll populate my models form dataset via linq.I think to implements provider's abstract methods (GetModuleItem; IQueryable<ModuleItem> GetModuleItems() etc)  with classic odbc code.

My goal is to keep a standard sitefinity module architecture, and have same use of a standard module  in others steps of developpement (widgets frontend/backend etc).

 Is my approach correct? Should i do this directly on services, and skip the provider? or an completely different approach?

My very first problem is:  what is the "proper" way to implement this?

Required :

• Custom module with standard architecture
  • implement data model
  • use of sitefinity services
  • use default sitefinity list /create update views
• Connect external DB for module datas
• Use ODBC connector

Thanks

Nobody can help?

Hello ​Stéphane,

Yes, this is the correct approach. You have to create a custom data provider. In this documentation article you can find tutorials how to create different custom modules, implement the data model, implement the frontends and backend views.

Moreover you can use Sitefinity Thunder to create a custom module. Thunder provides an option to choose data access layer for the custom module between OpenAccess and Entity Framework. So you can investigate how the provider is implemented. 

Regards,
Nadezhda Petrova
Telerik