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Empowering .NET Developers: How Afternoon Software Solutions Leverages ComponentOne to Deliver Tailored, High-Performance Applications

Case Study  |  Jan 17, 2025  |  Afternoon Software Solutions bv

Industry Context

Afternoon Software Solutions, a trusted software development and consulting firm based in Belgium, specializes in delivering custom software solutions for clients with unique, often complex requirements across various sectors. Founded in 2014 by Pieter Meeussen, who brings over two decades of experience in software development, the company offers individualized development, advice, and training courses. It has become a dedicated partner for businesses seeking bespoke applications that off-the-shelf solutions cannot achieve.

From personalized software for external reporting and inter-application data exchange to full-featured administrative applications, Afternoon Software Solutions prides itself on its ability to address the diverse needs of its clients, especially in the dynamic and versatile .NET ecosystem. From project inception to delivery, Afternoon Software Solutions ensures that each application is tailored to precisely meet the client’s vision and business needs.

Afternoon Software Solutions

As Afternoon Software’s general manager and senior developer, Pieter proudly explains, “Our strength is that we are not limited by one ‘package,’ but that we create whatever our customers would like to have.”

The Challenge

Custom solutions demand flexibility in design and functionality—something that off-the-shelf frameworks often lack—and for groups like Afternoon Software, who work for clients with vast differences in project requirements, access to an extensive collection of performant controls is crucial. Working with clients spread over an array of sectors, from basic office administration to transport, technicians, and even an NGO providing bicycle-sharing services, each project presents its own unique set of obstacles. Because the companies seeking Afternoon Software’s services do not employ their own developers and typically only include smaller departments of IT personnel, Pieter’s team must not only create the desired applications but must also provide long-term technical support and maintenance.

Upon initial consultation with the client, Pieter often finds that his clients have already been searching the market for existing applications to meet their needs, but they ultimately reach Afternoon Software Solutions because “there is always some special thing in their requirements that’s not available in standard software.” So, after discussing the client’s needs, Pieter and his team set out to provide the exact solution each customer cannot otherwise acquire.

Considering the unpredictability of project requirements, Pieter quickly identified the need for a set of solutions that were uniform in nature but could still be tailored to fit the diverse demands of his customers. Because his team doesn’t merely offer one software or one solution, Pieter’s group developed several distinctive modules that they’re able to implement in multiple different use cases.

This is where ComponentOne, with its extensive suite of UI controls and tools, has become an indispensable asset for Afternoon Software Solutions. With ComponentOne’s Studio Enterprise toolkit, Pieter’s team has streamlined their productivity and successfully completed a broad scope of modules, from transport management and reporting systems to dynamic, interactive document management and administration applications.

“One thing that connects them all,” Pieter describes, “is that I always use MESCIUS components.”

The Solution

Take, for example, a WinForms application to communicate with electronic bicycle locks developed by the Afternoon Software team for a bicycle-sharing platform—a complete solution that facilitates the management and rental of a fleet of shareable bicycles throughout Flanders, Belgium. Immediately visible upon opening the main application window are the C1InputPanel and C1TopicBar controls, in addition to various menu options that, when selected, are loaded into ComponentOne’s DockingTab, allowing users to organize and navigate tabs with ease. Though this application was built for both .NET 6 and .NET 8, the team also utilizes Xamarin to extend the application to end users. Throughout the application, Pieter demonstrates the use of various additional ComponentOne WinForms controls, including filter expressions, a multi-language input control, the C1DropDownControl, ComponentOne’s FlexChart, and FlexGrid.

Smartbikes ride detail
Smartbikes WinForms Application Ride Detail

“In the past, when I started using FlexGrid, the standard grids were just very slow. All that stuff, like adding combo boxes in the grids—adding images—is just so much easier with the FlexGrid than it is with the standard components,” Pieter recalls.

The FlexGrid, however, isn’t the only standout component in this application. Perhaps the most notable feature is its mapping capabilities, which heavily leverage ComponentOne’s C1Map control to provide a highly interactive and visually engaging user experience. The map features custom-created push pins, allowing users to color-coordinate stations from where bicycles can be rented or returned. Smaller circular icons depict the geographic location of the bicycles within a set area. Further, users benefit from a more precise polygon function of the map over the default circular shape when determining regions where bikes should be returned, affording them greater control and specificity over the location they set.

Another standout project is a .NET 8 technical document management application developed for a company that installs utilities, like electricity and heating systems, in larger buildings, like schools and office complexes. This WinForms solution is combined with a Blazor customer portal where clients can approve or decline project proposals. It integrates several key ComponentOne controls, including the C1Accordion control for dynamic content display, FlexGrids for data management, FlexViewer, and FlexReport for generating customized reports. Specifically, Pieter created components where accordion pages are filled with FlexGrids to create as many levels in the menu as desired compared to a previous method where only one level was possible.

Main Application View
TechDoc Manager Main Application View

Demonstrating the flexibility and power of ComponentOne’s toolkit in crafting solutions that meet diverse client needs, Pieter explains, “It takes a bit of time, but afterward, it works like a charm.” He continues, “Now, it’s a main component that I can use in other applications and, with a few lines of code, built this whole structure with multiple pages—multiple levels of actions.”

Diving deeper into this application's document management, Pieter navigates features including XML file viewing in a FlexGrid TreeView, Excel file management using FlexGrid, and docking tabs with various controls like the FlexViewer, C1TextBox, C1PictureBox, and FlexGrid. He details more extensive use of the FlexViewer in this application’s report and export tool, where users can enjoy localization with a multi-language component while creating documents, exporting to Excel with C1Excel, or creating and exporting to CSV.

“It’s always very quick to load even large documents,” Pieter assesses.

XML Viewer
TechDoc Manager’s FlexGrid-based XML Viewer

The Result

As Pieter details the numerous uses he’s discovered for ComponentOne’s controls, he recalls his first experience working with the Listbox and ComboBox controls, which he still uses 20 years later for basic combo tasks. Because of his initial positive experience working with these controls, he felt confident moving forward with ComponentOne’s Studio Enterprise kit. Today, Pieter finds no need to search for additional components.

“Your components are impressive as well, so I never have any reason to move away from using [them],” he reveals. With a wide range of ComponentOne’s controls at their disposal, the team at Afternoon Software Solutions has been able to build a foundation on which to develop each new application so that “we don’t have to start from the beginning each time.”

Whether building desktop solutions or mobile interfaces, Afternoon Software Solutions relies on ComponentOne’s rich set of controls to deliver exceptional, highly customized applications quickly and efficiently. By leveraging the broad capabilities of the Studio Enterprise toolkit, the team can easily pivot to meet their clients' ever-changing demands, ensuring timely delivery without sacrificing quality or functionality.

“I think what’s really important is that it’s easily maintainable for such a long time,” Pieter notes.

This partnership has not only enhanced the team's productivity but has also allowed Afternoon Software Solutions to continually push the boundaries of innovation in their endeavors without experiencing any significant pain points or challenges they couldn’t overcome through ComponentOne’s support and resources.

About ComponentOne

ComponentOne is a complete suite of fast, flexible, and feature-rich .NET UI components and controls, including grids, charts, input, reporting, layout, and more. Written for C# and VB.NET developers, these powerful tools support the entire .NET stack. ComponentOne controls speed up development time with easy-to-use designers, more built-in features, time-saving samples, and rich, flexible APIs. They’ve been developed for over 20 years and are trusted by over 250,000 developers.

About Mescius

From its humble beginnings in the 1950s, MESCIUS has evolved from focusing solely on education to becoming one of the largest providers of enterprise software development products and services worldwide. Committed to providing customers and clients globally with the highest-quality solutions, MESCIUS provides reliable value to anyone who uses their developer tools. Across all its software products and services, MESCIUS focuses on helping customers achieve their goals by thoroughly understanding their business objectives, maintaining a strong emphasis on quality, and adhering to the highest ethical standards.

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