Virtual CD/DVD-ROM Emulator

Daemon Tools offers a virtual CD/DVD-ROM emulator that is able to emulate nearly all known copy protections on the market today. The product can be downloaded from http://www.disc-tools.com/download/daemon

After installing the emulator, simply access the .ISO image of the CD/DVD, and you're done. This is especially useful when doing a remote software install. Although there are other similar products on the market, also free of charge, the advantages of Daemon tools are :

1. Small footprint on the HD
2. Easy to use
3. Less problematic than other products.

ComponentOne 10% Discount

ComponentOne is offering a special summer promotion for the C#/VB.Net SIG members. For those interested, a 10% discount is available off of any ComponentOne Development tools. The Promo code for this offer is "devten". This Promo is valid up until September 30, 2005. For more information, please feel free to e-mail Karen Dansak (karend@componentone.com).

What is Vista?

"Vista" is the official name for Microsoft's new client operating system, formerly known as Longhorn. Currently Beta 1 is scheduled for release on August 3, 2005, with the production release due in 2006. Why the name change? Microsoft has not yet officially stated the reason for the name change. However, some think it's a marketing strategy that will allow Microsoft to distance itself from the "Longhorn" name and the delays associated with it.

Although not much has been said by the software maker, 2 links can be found on Microsoft's web site.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jul05/07-22LHMA.mspx

Visual Studio .NET IDE for Linux!

It's true...well sort of! A new product from Mainsoft allows applications to be built using Microsoft's Visual Studio.Net to run in the Linux environment. Listed below is the link with more information and a free 30-day evaluation download.

http://dev.mainsoft.com/Default.aspx?tabid=45

Debugging is not supported under current trust level settings.

If you're attempting to debug a web application/service and you encounter the following error:

Debugging is not supported under current trust level settings.

What can you do to resolve it? Simply increase the trust level by placing the following line (in XML format) in the web.config file of the application:

trust level="Full" originUrl=""

This line should be inserted inside the system.web tags. This will increase the trust level of the app and allow interactive debugging.

What is a Four-part name in SQL Server?

When accessing a linked server in SQL Server, a four-part name should be used. This naming convention requires the 4 fields (linkserver, catalog, schema, and table) to be specified in a hierarchal format, such as:

SELECT *
FROM LINKSERVER_NAME.CATALOG_NAME.SCHEMA_NAME.TABLE_NAME

Please note the field names should be specified in UPPERCASE, especially when accessing a DB2 Database, otherwise the following error will occur:

Server: Msg 7314, Level 16, State 1, Line 1OLE DB provider 'LINKSERVER_NAME' does not contain table '"CATALOG_NAME"."SCHEMA_NAME"."TABLE_NAME"'. The table either does not exist or the current user does not have permissions on that table.OLE DB error trace [Non-interface error: OLE DB provider does not contain the table: ProviderName='LINKSERVER_NAME', TableName='"CATALOG_NAME"."SCHEMA_NAME"."TABLE_NAME"'].

Visual Studio Keyboard Shortcuts

[SHIFT ]+ [ALT] + [ENTER] = Toggle Full Screen Mode; I'm sure this works in all versions, but I haven't tested it, as I'm running the 1.1 framework. I'm told it also continues to work in Whidbey.

[CTRL]+[i] = Incremental Search. I've stopped using [CTRL]+[F] to find. Incremental search works without a dialog box, and searches as you type. So you're in a class, and you want to find the word public.

[CTRL]+[i] puts you into Incremental Search Mode, now just start typing. When you've found what you're looking for press [ESC] to get out of incremental search mode. Remember the famous [F3] is find again, and works with this incremental search also.

[CTRL] + [-] = Move cursor back to it's last position. This works great when working with large pages. I commonly will [CTRL]+[Home] to enter a Using statement, then [CTRL]+[-] brings me rights back to my previous edit point.

[CTRL] + [}] = Toggle to Open/Close { }. This is great. If you're working with nested code (who doesn't) then you'll use this constantly. Place your cursor on any { or } and press [CTRL] + [}] and your cursor will jump to the opposite end of your code block.

[CTRL] + [C] = Copy.[CTRL] + [V] = Paste. Of course we all know that combination, but here's the trick. Copy two items in succession. You might know that these items are placed on a "Clipboard Ring" You can access them from the UI but that entails thinking, and clicking and dragging. [CTRL]+[SHIFT]+[V] = Paste whatever is on top of the "Clipboard Ring". If you press [CTRL]+[SHIFT]+[V] again, since your pasted code is still highlighted, it will be replaced with the second item, and again, will be the third, etc. How many times do you have to copy two or three items from one page to another (none if you're refactoring; right)?

[CTRL]+[ALT]+[P] = Show Processes. This is a great, fast way to open the processes window. Why do that? Use it daily to attach to the ASP.net worker process. This let's you dive 15 pages deep into a web application, and attach to the process, so you don't have to run through the 15 pages every time you debug.

[CTRL]+[ALT]+[R] = Launch MSDN Home Page

The full article can be found at http://scottcate.mykb.com/Article_9BB34.aspx

Official Microsoft Release Dates

It's official, Monday, November 7, 2005 is the day when the much talked about Whidbey and Yukon will become production versions and available for sale.

http://www.computerworld.com/softwaretopics/software/story/0,10801,102962,00.html?source=NLT_PM&nid=102962

Future of VB.Net

For some reason VB.Net seems to be surrounded by many myths. The latest rumor is that its days are numbered and will soon be gone after VS.Net 2.0 is released. Nothing could be further from the truth! For years Microsoft has been supporting VB as a RAD (Rapid Application Development) Tool, and this is still true.

My experience from attending Microsoft training seminars and talking to other professionals in the field is that VB is here to stay and will not be replaced by C#. The only speculations I have heard were on blogs, but nothing official from Microsoft. Besides, both C# and VB.Net are very similar in most aspects with very few differences. In Whidbey, these differences are even less. It is true that more companies are looking for C# experience over VB by 60/40 margin. This is not to say that VB is dying. To further make my case, I went straight to the source for confirmation. Listed below is an email from Rick Brewis, a Microsoft employee, and previous speaker at the last SIG meeting.


Sam,

I had a chance to speak with one of our Developer Evangelists about VB.NET. He emphasized that VB.Net is here for the long haul and Microsoft continues to invest in enhancing the product. In fact, Microsoft is 100% committed to VB.NET going forward. To emphasize the fact that VB.NET has a strong future, please see the article referenced below discussing the great language enhancements for VB.NET in VS2005.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnvs05/html/LanguageEnhancements.asp

Also, here’s a link to 2 free MS Press books on VB.NET development in VS2005 that you can share with the SIG:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/whidbey/introto2005/
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbrun/staythepath/additionalresources/upgradingvb6/

I hope you find this information helpful. Let me know if you need anything else.

Regards,

Rick
Rick Brewis
Microsoft


Like I always say: when in doubt, go straight to the source!

TechEd 2005

For those that missed TechEd 2005, here's the next best thing to being there (http://microsoft.sitestream.com/teched2005/). You can select the specific track and speaker, then just back and watch. PowerPoint files are also available for download free of charge.

.Net Events for June 2005

• June 9: Ohio North SQL Server SIG: Yukon Install-Fest, contact jhmiller@microsoft.com for info

• June 14: MSDN Event in Akron, OH (http://www.msdnevents.com)

• June 16: SQL Server SIG: "SQL Server 2005 from a Developer's standpoint", http://www.gcpcug.org/sigdetail.php?pick_sig=27

• June 28: C#/VB.Net SIG: Yukon Beta 3 Reporting Services (http://www.ClevelandDotNet.Info).

File Extensions

For a comprehensive list of file extensions and their representation, visit http://www.filext.com. The site contains more extensions then you shake a mouse at!

Upcoming .Net Events

Listed below are a few upcoming .Net events in Cleveland:

• May 12: MSDN Event (http://www.msdnevents.com/)
• May 17: Microsoft SQL Server Summit (http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/eventdetail.aspx?culture=en-US&eventid=1032271939)
• May 19: SQL Server SIG (using XML in SQL Server; http://www.gcpcug.org/sigdetail.php?pick_sig=27 )