How can I integrate/embed MVC app into the Sitecore desktop?

Question

I've got a third party MVC app that I would like to integrate into the Sitecore 7.2 desktop so that users logging into Sitecore can use it. I've seen the answers for using compiled DLLs as renderings and adding apps to the desktop using Sitecore 8 and Webforms but neither is the right fit. I've gone into the Core DB and added a new application, linking it to the app's controller with the /api/sitecore/{controller}/{action} url format, but all I get out is an error that

The controller can either not be found or it doesn't implement IController

When run by itself the web app works just fine. I've removed the elements that would conflict with my Sitecore app's web frontend, like App_Start and Global.asax. Any ideas?

Note: I'm not asking, how to code Sitecore using MVC, I just have a different project in the solution that I'd like to run in a window in the client.

Answer 1

Application in Sitecore backend works in a same way as Sitecore pages.

You need to:

• Create Layout(under /sitecore/layout/Layouts) in core database (as path for layout you can put address of you app. Make sure that you are able to access that path in browser.)
• Create Application item(under /sitecore/content/Applications) in core database and set layout on this item from previous step
• Create shortcut for your app to display it either in Sitecore menu(under /sitecore/content/Documents and settings) or in LaunchPad (under /sitecore/Client/Applications/LaunchPad)