Hi folks, its been a while since my last post. I guess i have been a bit too busy, but no complains thats the way it goes.
Coming to the point, althought i havent been blogging but i have been busy sorting out podcasts for the DotNetMe (Microsoft.Net Middle East) show. Just to give you a head's up, so far, we have recorded following sesssions:
- Agile Development with Hammad Rajjoub (shameless plug, i know :> )
- Localizing Microsoft Technology Stack for Arabic with Dina Lasheen
- Understanding Micrsoft EPM - Enterprise Project Management with Bilal Okour
We are going to record two more sessions tonight
- Understanding Sharepoint for Developers using C# with Mostafa Arafa
- Inside Sharepoint for Arabs with Ayman el Hattab
We are aiming to go live on MSDN Channel9 15th December with these shows with lots of more shows to follow.
Yes, in the meantime for more 'real-time' updates, do follow us on
- twitter.com/dotnetmepodcast
- twitter.com/hammadrajjoub
- twitter.com/ronaldwidha
I am extremely pleased to announce the very first 'Microsoft.Net focused podcast series in Gulf'. Let me give you a little bit of background first and then we can drill down into the details of who, what, how and when.
History
Having been in Dubai, on and off, for past 4-5 years and being Microsoft MVP all the while has given me an oppurtunity to work with local developer communities here in the Gulf. In terms of dev communities, Kwait (with dotnetboom http://www.dotnetboom.net) and Qatar (with oryx dev http://oryxdev.com/en/default.aspx) have been successful with setting up their user groups. Unfortunately we dont have similar success story for the UAE in particular and the rest of Gulf in general.
The Motivation
This lack of dev community itself is a biggest motivation for trying to bring all the developers on a common platform. Objectives include empowering regional Microsoft developers with relevant technical content on Microsoft Platform, presenting topics in English/Arabic, sharing ideas, learning from each others experiences/mistakes and above all finding an oppurtunity to get in touch with like minded professionals across the region.
The Idea
From years of experience we have learned that its difficult to get developers to come and attend user group events in the emirates. Generally this is attributed to problems related to 'commuting' to and from the event venues as well as lack of well designed event calendar(schedule).
To mitigate these potential issues, myself and Anton (from Microsoft Dubai) agreed on hosting a developer podcast series. The idea was discussed when Somasegar was visiting Microsoft Dubai and hosted local dev community for an informal talk/lunch at Microsoft Dubai office in DIC - Dubai Internet City last month.
The Plan
The plan, as i said, is to host a series of sessions targetting regional developer community. Come up with a clear agenda and share the detailed schedule with the developers so that they can mark their calendars and look forward to the events that they think are most relevant for them. Upload all the podcasts to MSDN Channel 9 so that the content can be downloaded easily (and be listened to while driving on Sheikh Zayed Road ;)).
The Schedule
I will be posting a detailed calendar in next 2-3 weeks but tentatively we have agreed on following dates and topics:-
1- Agile 101 presented by Hammad Rajjoub on 7/8th October 2009
2- Win 7 for Developers by XXXXX on 27/28 October 2009
3- Whats new in WCF 4.0 by XXXXX on 17/18 November 2009
Ofcourse this is an initial draft and we would like to get the feedback from the community and let them choose the content thats most relevant for them.
Whats Next
- Watch out this space for more details as we finalize the plan and confirm the content/date/speaker tuples.
- Follow us on Twitter for instant updates. http://twitter.com/DotNetMEPodcast
- Provide us with your feedback on twitter or this blog post
i was getting the following error:
The path <path> is already mapped in workspace <workspace>
Here's how i solved it.
Theres another way to do it through command line
The Web Platform Installer (Web PI) is a simple tool that installs Microsoft's entire Web Platform, including IIS, Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition, SQL Server 2008 Express Edition and the .NET Framework. Using the Web Platform Installer’s user interface, you can choose to install either specific products or the entire Microsoft Web Platform onto your computer. The Web PI also helps keep your products up to date by always offering the latest additions to the Web Platform.
get it here http://www.microsoft.com/web/channel/products/WebPlatformInstaller.aspx
Get up to date with office development on .net platform with Somasegar's post <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/somasegar/archive/2009/01/10/office-client-developer-enhancements-with-vs-2010.aspx">here</a>
My personal favourite is simplification of .net's integration with COM's OM.
As per the example posted in Somasegar's blog.
Instead of doing the following
object fileName = "Test.docx";
object missing = System.Reflection.Missing.Value;
doc.SaveAs(ref fileName,
ref missing, ref missing, ref missing,
ref missing, ref missing, ref missing,
ref missing, ref missing, ref missing,
ref missing, ref missing, ref missing,
ref missing, ref missing, ref missing);
You can do with VS 2010
object fileName = "Test.docx";
doc.SaveAs(fileName);
If you are (un) lucky like me then you may run into gettin this error on IIS server asp.net web apps/asmx web services. Its a known issue and has a resolution documented in kb article @ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821268.
The resolution revolves around fine tuning machine.config parameters.
To improve your asp.net web app performance do read http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms998549.aspx
You can download VS 2008 sp1 and .Net 3.5 sp1 @
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ab99342f-5d1a-413d-8319-81da479ab0d7&DisplayLang=en
This release has major improvements on WCF and WF.
Brief overview avaialble @ download page says:
.NET Framework version 3.5 Service Pack 1 provides the following new features and improvements:
- ASP.NET Dynamic Data, which provides a rich scaffolding framework
that enables rapid data driven development without writing code, and a
new addition to ASP.NET AJAX that provides support for managing browser
history (back button support). For more information, see What’s New in ASP.NET and Web Development.
- Core improvements to the CLR (common language runtime) that include
better layout of .NET Framework native images, opting out of
strong-name verification for fully trusted assemblies, improved
application startup performance, better generated code that improves
end-to-end application execution time, and opting managed code to run
in ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) mode if supported by the
operating system. Additionally, managed applications that are opened
from network shares have the same behavior as native applications by
running with full trust.
- Performance improvements to WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation),
including a faster startup time and improved performance for Bitmap
effects. Additional functionality for WPF includes better support for
line of business applications, native splash screen support, DirectX
pixel shader support, and the new WebBrowser control.
- ClickOnce application publishers can decide to opt out of signing
and hashing as appropriate for their scenarios, developers can
programmatically install ClickOnce applications that display a
customized branding, and ClickOnce error dialog boxes support links to
application-specific support sites on the Web.
- The Entity Framework is an evolution of the existing suite of
ADO.NET data access technologies. The Entity Framework enables
developers to program against relational databases in according to
application-specific domain models instead of the underlying database
models. For more information, see Getting Started with the Entity Framework.
The Entity Framework introduces some additional features, including
support for new SQL Server 2008 types, default graph serialization of
Entities, and the Entity Data Source. This release of the Entity
Framework supports the new date and file stream capabilities in SQL
Server 2008. The graph serialization work helps developers who want to
build Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services that model full
graphs as data contracts. The Entity Data Source provides a traditional
data source experience for ASP.NET Web application builders who want to
work with the Entity Framework.
- LINQ to SQL includes new support for the new date and file stream capabilities in SQL Server 2008.
- The ADO.NET Data Services Framework consists of a combination of
patterns and libraries, which enable data to be exposed as a flexible
REST (Representational State Transfer)-based data service that can be
consumed by Web clients in a corporate network or across the Internet.
The ADO.NET Data Services Framework makes data service creation over
any data source. A conceptual view model of the underlying storage
schema can easily be exposed through rich integration with the ADO.NET
Entity Framework. Services created by using the ADO.NET Data Services
Framework, and also compatible Windows Live (dev.live.com) services,
can be easily accessed from any platform. For client applications that
are running on Microsoft platforms, a set of client libraries are
provided to make interaction with data services simple. For example,
.NET Framework-based clients can use LINQ to query data services and a
simple .NET Framework object layer to update data in the service.
- Windows Communication Foundation now makes the DataContract
Serializer easier to use by providing improved interoperability
support, enhancing the debugging experience in partial trust scenarios,
and extending syndication protocol support for wider usage in Web 2.0
applications.
- The .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server (SqlClient) adds
new support for file stream and sparse column capabilities in SQL
Server 2008.
If you are like me you would like to embed sqlMap.config file for your ibatis project. Although its not provided out of the box but its very simple to implement.
All you have to do is to write your own sqlMapper implementation.The core logic revolves around building DomSqlMapBuilder.
protected static void InitMapper()
{
DomSqlMapBuilder builder = new DomSqlMapBuilder();
XmlDocument sqlMapConfig = Resources.GetEmbeddedResourceAsXmlDocument("YourNamepspace.YourConfigFile.config");
mapper = builder.Configure(sqlMapConfig) as SqlMapper;
}
for more details do check out http://opensource.atlassian.com/confluence/oss/display/IBATIS/How+do+I+use+an+embedded+sqlMap.config+file
When i tried running an ibattis related unit test fixtures in my exsiting test assembly I started getting this wierd error that's a known bug documented at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327131.
Interesting thing is that when i run that fixture in a separate assembly it works fine but as soon as i add it to existing test fixtures it crashes with this error :"The invoked member is not supported in a dynamic assembly".
I think it has to do with how nUnit created dynamic assemblies for test fixtures internally. Unfortunately i cant change that behavior. So for now the work around is to use a separate assembly.
As i posted earlier that i will be presenting @ IASA Singapore's chapter evening. It turned out to be an interesting session and i got the chance to interact with the audience and hear their pain points on composite architecture and enterprise mashups.
Enteprisewise initiatives, sharing data across services/apps and need for top quality tools came out as the most crucial elements to the success of composite architecture. I also heard some interesting remarks from the audience. One of the gentlement mentioned that there is nothing that composite arch/enterprise mashup offers that couldnt be done with traditional apps/services. I'd say lets look at this analogy:
"if you are travel from point x to y, you could either walk, run, ride a horse, drive, commute through train, or fly in a plane. Ofcourse it will depend on the distance b/w x and y. Among other things it will also depend on your mind set and approach. if you want to cover the distance in excess of hundreds of kilometers by riding a horse then God speed. Surely you will get there but the question is how much will it cost you in terms of time and effort"
I strongly believe in composite arhictecture and enterprise mashups. This truly leads to realization of potential promised by SOA.
when you are getting subject titled error in Visual Studio (this happens when you try to add a web reference), try using following command on vs command prompt:
devenv /resetskippkgs
This CodePlex Preview 4 release introduces new features as well as changes to the default project template. The changes to the default project template are intended to help jumpstart the most common application-building scenarios. Many of the new features focus around simple AJAX scenarios.
http://www.codeplex.com/aspnet/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=15389
If you think
- you take our tea/coffee seriously
- you have lots of sugar (its indeed our fuel)
- you like to have it on your desk
Then you are not much different from earlier species of computer programmers who used to work with John Von Nuemann. Check out this interesting read
http://skysigal.xact-solutions.com/Blog/tabid/427/EntryID/387/Default.aspx
I will be talking about Composite Architecture @ IASA Singapore's monthly chapter evening. I will discuss how the software architecture paradigm is shifting in response to agile
enterprises. This talk will intend to de-mystify composite architecture
and then in the end present available tools and technologies that can
be used to build applications and services that are based on composite
architecture.If you are in or around Singapore on 17th of July 2008 then feel free to join us.
Venue is :9 Temasek Boulevard | #35-03 Suntec Tower Two | Singapore 038989
For directions click here
During OSLO SDRs i got to know, meet and share thoughts with greatest minds in CSD today. Its a big list but i will like to share a few names and they go like, Don Box, Juval Lowy, Sam Gentile, Brian Loesgen, Michele Leroux Bustamante, Roman Kiss and Chris Sells. A noted omission from the attendees was Clemens Vesters.
I am back from MVP Summit 2008 that took place in Seattle last week. It was an absolutely amazing experience and I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information that was offered during the summit. From the Toby's welcome note to speech by Sean O Driscoll to the break out sessions that took place in Building # 43 @ Redmond Campus to the key notes by Ray Ozzie and Steve Balmer, it was an enlightening experience.
I would like to point out to a news article posted by Seattle times here. I will be looking forward to attend next years summit that is scheduled for March 1-4th, 2009.
I will blog shortly about Connected System SDRs.
Hey all.. I am at the WSTC and waiting for the Welcome note and hence the official start of this years summit here @ Seattle, Washington. I reached Seattle yesterday morning and will be heading back to Singapore on Friday 18th of April. I will be blogging about this event for next few days and keep you all posted on the most exciting and the best of things experienced @ this years summit.
Now, a little bit of update on weather in Seattle. It was rather cold and wet in Seattle yesterday but today is one of those bright sunny days (well, so far atleast) you wish you would have every day.
<dotNetBulls/> hosted their first technical event on 11th of March, 2008. Topic for this event was "Web 2.0 in Enterprise" and it was hosted by Linda Chong, from Microsoft. Linda Chong works for Microsoft in the capacity of Architect Evangelist and she has 12 years of extensive experience on management, consulting, evangelism, architecture design/review, pre-sales engagement and systems integration in the areas of SOA, Web 2.0, e-business/e-commerce and enterprise application integration (EAI). Event started with Hammad Rajjoub introducing <dotNetBulls/> and speaker.
Linda started off with talking about Software + Services and Web 2.0 and where it stands today and then moved towards Microsoft's Silverlight and its applications in local/international market. It was a successful event that saw a conference room filled with geeks, snacks (thanks to SDC) and guest speaker engaged in technical dialogue for more than an hour.
<dotNetBulls/> hosted their second technical event on 27th of March, 2008. This was a special event that saw two top speakers from Microsoft Corporation hosting a tech-talk on Application Life Cycle Management, Agile Tools and Visual Studio Team System. Both the speakers were visiting Singapore for "Heroes Happen Here" event that marks the launch of Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Exchange 2008.
Norman Guadagno, Director of Product Marketing for Visual Studio Team System talked about application development life cycle management and how VSTS allows integrated, extensible and end-to-end ALM (Application Lifecycle Management).
Stephanie Saad, Group Manager in Visual Studio Team System at Microsoft, talked about how agile development tools in VSTS can be used to deliver Agile Solutions.
Event was a success amongst its participants who were delighted and enlightened to hear from top experts on the topic that's very important and extremely relevant to their professional work. Stephanie showed some cool demoes on VSTS and audience absolutely liked it. After the demoes there was an open QnA session where audience asked various questions on the use of code metrics, automated builds, annotations etc.
I will be presenting at ITARC conference organized by IASA in KL. I will be presenting a break out session on "Composite Architecture". I will share the slides with all of you shortly.
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