DataBatcher is a graphical batch-processing application that's written in .NET and
designed to be extensible. The basic license price gets you the DataBatcher framework
and execution engine, a set of five standard modules that demonstrate how the thing
works, and an SDK that can be used to write more modules. The hope here is obviously
that a developer community will spring up offering further modules, and so increase
the utility of the core program.
The key concept in DataBatcher is the FileSet. Unlike batch files, which are basically
oriented towards running commands independently one at a time, DataBatcher jobs
operate on a set of files and folders which are passed along from step to step.
Typically you'll start a job with a File Source module, which simply allows you
to collect a set of files to operate on further down the road. You can also create
arbitrary FileSets within other modules. Other modules in the basic set include
the Files and Folders module, which can perform operations such as copying, touching,
and adjusting attributes, the Image Conversion module, which can convert image files
from one format to another, the Batch File module, which lets DataBatcher tie in
to the existing batch file system, and the File Sink module, which writes a log
of the FileSet that you pass to it.
The developer SDK, included with every DataBatcher install, includes C# and VB source
code for the standard modules as well as design and implementation details for the
necessary interfaces. The average .NET developer should have no trouble building
new DataBatcher modules given this head start.
The application was just released this month, so it's too soon to judge how it will
do building up a community. What's here so far works easily, and the shell is ready
and waiting for people to use it to carry their own functionality. It will be interesting
to see whether it catches on, and what additional modules spring forth to shape
the way that DataBatcher can be used.