Bojanv's development blog

My girlfriend becomes an aunt

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:59:00 GMT

Sure, this is a development blog, but this is an event, worth writing about. My Girlfriend Sandra (nickname from Aleksandra) has become an aunt. Her sister Romana has given a birth to a little angel (baby girl Nika), named by Veronika or Nikita, russian name (that means Victorius people). Sure, she is a winner. Among so much swimmers, whe was the only that survived. Go Nika, go...

Its interesting, when you search trought internet about your name, cousine, father etc.

My name is Bojan, what means battle. That's true, i'm a fighter. So, dont mess with me

Here is also a picture of her (similiar post is on my private server):

The Power is released - ReSharper 4.0

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:54:00 GMT

It has been quite a while, i wrote something usefull here. Main reason is, that i simply dont find time to write blog. I try it, but there is allways something to do. But, this is worth for breaking the stride.

ReSharper 4.0 Release Version is out. JetBrains developed a great product. They waited quite a while, to released new power to the marked. Guess, mainly because they really tested the software to be perfect in use for new .NET frameworks.

It nice to see, my Visual Studio sidebar is not red anymore.

The functionality is listed here (on the fly error analysis, removing code redundancies and more). Shortly, i will write about increasing productivity with ReSharper in Visual Studio. So, stay tuned.

Till then, try it, use it, love it.

Download link

Student is King (Študent je car) - code and presentation with short LinqPad description

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:41:00 GMT

It has been a while, since i wrote something usefull here. Guess, work and lectures are really cutting my free time down. At night i'm to tired to write something, i found out during day period. I have lectured a couple weeks ago at slovenian student event Student is King (Študent je car) about C# 3.0 new features. It was fun playing around, discovering new technology gems and also new tools, really handy programms.

I would really recommend a tool, named LinqPad, for playing with LINQ. Joseph Albahari really build a great learning toolset. Best one, i tryed lately. It has over 200 examples about LINQ to objects, XML and SQL. You could use it as query tool as SQL Query Analyzer. No more SQL plain statments, just LINQ as your primary query language. :)

Its free, lightweight (2mb), auto update-able, simple to use.

Check it out, i REALLY recommend it.

Simple snapshot of this program, click to see bigger picture.

You can find presentation and code samples from ŠJC event here (they are in Slovenian language). Other presentation are also avaible at Slovenian Student Community Portal under tab Downloads (Gradiva).

My passion is more and more web technology, so i'm currently playing around with telerik controls, so be prepared to read more about this wonderfull web controls.

Win The Web contest 2008

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:26:00 GMT

Collegue points me to this web site, 'cause i like web development. Microsoft Germany is organizing a Central-Eastern Europe-wide 24h web application development contest for students and companies.

Idea is:

have a team of 3 developers
go to the physical locations, provided by your country
develop one main app and 3 small task, which you receive that day
use ASP.NET or SilverLight or Windows Live Services (not mandatory) - i didnt read anywhere, which technology is mandatory...
programm like hell for 24 hours

Conditions:

you must be at least 18 years old
you're not employee of Microsoft or related to him or the agency, that builds this contest
you must bring a personal computer with you, network (books, samples, coffeeeee) will be provided by Microsoft
you must be at location for 24 hours
must build main app, small task are optinal
for signup you must build a mini app and send it to the contest site. Theme are listed here.
limit is also 30 teams per country
start is 10-11 may 2008, parallel for other countries
registration will be open at march (10.3.2008 or for en-US 3/10/3008)

I like this idea. I will certainly signup, if Slovenia will be in country list. I think, that this contest is a challenge, to show, what you got under the hood. Prizes are not shown yet, but they promise, that this will be worth to participate.

More info on this site, rules listed here.

Lone Server Story - why is Server 2003 miserable?

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 08:57:00 GMT

I stummbled on this funny video today (its marketing, but still interesting) ...you will find out what happened to Windows Server 2000 and Windows ME :)

Check it out....

Found via Sahil Malik blog.

SloDug meeting

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Last wendsday, 16.1.2008, our Slovenian .NET group had a meeting. 2 topics were introduced. NHibernate and Biometrics (fingerprints). I like this kind of meeting, where other developers show interesting topic "Developer to Developer" way (problems, they encountered, advantages, disadvantages, etc.). On the end there is also pizza's and beer after meeting. Its better to discuss about problem with full stomack. For refreshments purpose only, not for getting drunk :)

Gallery is avaiable here.

Weird Message Notice - Copying folder in Windows Vista

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:57:00 GMT

Lately i'm getting some weird Messages, when using Windows Vista. First thing, i thought on, was: "I'm having a Virus or a Worm". But after checking my Notes with 4 different Antivirus software (NOD32, AVG, Kaspersky, Norton) and using tools for removing strange worms, i'm not sure, if i'm having a Virus or a Worm.

All i did, i started copying a folder from my hard disk to a external disk. Then message appear, 44326 day and 14 hours remaining. It was a releaf, that i have (after so many days) still 14 Hours to copy 1.5 GB files on my external disk.

Well, i canceled the copying, restart Computer and try again. Now, only 3h and 28 Minutes are expected. Well, guess i should wait or just do the last final thing. Install new copy of Vista on my PC. Guess, Vista wish to tell me, get rid of me and install a fresh copy of me on your pc. And i will work better in you service.

Man ask himself: "Is Vista serving me or am i serving her?"

SubSonic - YACGT?

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 20:47:00 GMT

Before you read more of this blog, YACGT is word (inspired by WYSIWYG), invented in my mixed up head for Yet Another Code Generation Tool. It is not YACHT btw.

I'm having a course on C# and ASP.NET for begginers and advanced users (description is in slovene) whole winter semester. I decided to make something usefull this time for the students. Like a simple support portal for my course.

Why support? Well, they need practice, workshop materials, assigments, presentations in one place, not scaterded around different portals and platforms. One of the idea is also comments for each lecture type, we done, and general feedback on Solutions provided. Alot of features to code. I'm a little bit tired to do DAL (Data Access Layer) over and over again, because it is similiar and quite honestly, I allways trying to find another way to improve my life, especially because i dont have time, to play around with a new DAL class. I could write my own generic library, but one the end, i done some experiments and I was allways some special situation, so i stop trying. I had base implementation allmost ended, but dont have time to correctly finish it. Then testing must be performed, etc.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures" (by famousquotes.com)

I allways prefer to write my own code, because i allways know, which code and how it is executed. But, now i have a little time left to make a portal and fix all other problems, that accured on portals, i worked for another company ( this course i'm having for free for students ).
Friend of mine introduced me SubSonic, a code generation tool. I watch the video and it meet all my needs for DAL.

Database is small (few tables), portal is tiny (couple of pages and controls) and time budget is negative. :)

After installing it, and referenced to your app, all you must do, is to do a little magic in config file (web.config, if in ASP.NET, App.config, if in class library (or windows forms) or you can do a bat file call).

Then you have 2 choices:
1.) create DAL on the fly with abp file
2.) create class structure directly in your app or assembly

I picked the second one,cause I was anxious, how my classes will be generated.

So, here are my first overlook:
1.) it uses generics for base types.Expected, but cool :) They are all strong typed...
2.) it creates 2 class for one table
    -- class with name of the table (and properties with field names)
    -- class as Controller (basic options for query support: delete, select (fetch), insert, update)
3.) all this classes has ObjectDataSource support
4.) you have support for custom querying - Dynamic Query Tool ( I thought on writing my own, but this one is so cool )
5.) classes are marked as partial ( for your own implementation )
6.) it has also wrapper for stored procedures (calling a stored proc is so easy)
7.) it uses parameters for all sql statments

I really loved this tool. I never used ORM tools before, but this one change my way of thinking. Expect more posts on SubSonic project from me.

Use SubSonic page for future notice :) They have video tutorials prepared, api overview and there is also Sugar library, worth looking into.

Download avaible here, source avaible here (with instructions).

Firefox burned my RAM

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:03:00 GMT

I like Firefox. I think, that Firefox is one of the best browsers, i ever used. As web programmer, i used it alot. Well, after researching SubSonic project, Vista starting to work very slow. After fighting my way to the Task manager, i allmost fall from my chair. Firefox used 1.4GB of RAM. WTF? I was so suprised, i allmost spilled my drink. I thought, that ammount of memory is controlled (both Vista and Firefox). The same thing happend with ReSharper, but R# dont go over 0.5 GB speed limit. I had no choice left. I killed the Process.

I had only one Problem with Firefox on Windows Vista, when it flickerd. Then after a while ( and alot of headack ), i find out, that one bookmark must be in toolbar, and everything was back to normal.

Guess, it was just a bug, that i will report to the Firefox and Vista team. They will know, what to do with the Information.

Picture:

Win free software with your knowledge on SqlTeam.com

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:04:00 GMT

SqlTeam.com portal is preparing a contest in the forum for awarding people for there participation. I find this idea very cool, because people are cutting down their time to help others. It's nice, that other notice that and give them something back.

Thank you is great,but to get a gift is better :) You know that other appriciate your knowledge and Will to help.

Found via Spirit1 blog. Details about Contest can be found here.

You can win Apex's Sql Developer Studio.

Microsoft Tech ED Europe 2007, Barcelona - Spain

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:30:00 GMT

Tech Ed is coming. This year I have the Chance ( again :) ) to attend this Event and I'm very curious about lectures, especially about web development.

Hope, sorry, I know, it would be worth seeing.

There are 2 types of Tech Ed:

TechEd-Developers (for developers)
TechEd-Forums (too bad, that is allready sold out :( ) - for IT professionals

So, see you there.

For all slovenian attenders hope to see you at Welcome Reception and Country Drinks :)

IE7Pro - great addin for IE7

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:27:00 GMT

I use IE7, but prefer Firefox. Reason for that is addins. Firefox has alot of them out there, developed by users. Mouse Gestures, Tab opening, Crash Recovery, etc. I miss that in IE7.

After reading some of my favorite blogs I stummbled upon this addin: IE7Pro. Free, easy to install, works both in IE6 and IE7.

Features I liked:

mouse gestures --> at first they dont look so usefull ( honestly i thought, yet another fancy unusefull stuff ), but if you set the shortcuts right, they come very handy
Crash Recovery --> dont you hate, if some error occured when browsing (a nice message popup: Close all tabs?), and you want re-open your current pages and nothing is there?
Add blocker --> I know, that people are addicted from adds, but still, i prefer not to watch them, when I search for some technical stuff. Similiar to Add Block Plus
Save an image of a web page --> very usefull tool..especially, when something goes wrong, people send screenshots..they use print screen and paint...why?
Super Drag & Drop --> why clicking on the link, if only drag it a little and it opens in new tab..(set preferences for that)
User scripts --> write the script, include and use it :)

There is also flash animations and tutorials for each of features on this link.

Great jobs, guys. Sorry Firefox, IE7 is now my primary browser.

Google increased inbox quota

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:55:00 GMT

I was very suprised, when David writes about Google increasing account quota. I have never checked how much space was available. When I had received the mail from google (your inboy is full), I just deleted all junk files sent from my friends. But now I must see for myself, if the rumours are true.

Jup, my inbox increased for 1GB. Now I have 3168MB place to spend. You must just love Gmail.

Guess, I'm not the only one..

But on other hand, my other alternative offers me 5GB place. Hard to decide, which one to use....

Thnx David for finding this out. It's so great to read blogs.

GhostDoc - really good addin

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:50:00 GMT

I love add-ins, who helped me shorten my time to programm. Especially, if i must write stuff, that i have allready written about 5 times in same project. Well, one of this "reiteration" are comments.

I write them in interface declaration, abstract class or base class declaration, and when i implement them, i must either copy them or write them again. Waste of time, if you ask me.

So, after reading some usefull links on my one of favorite blog, i tryed GhostDoc, developed from Roland Weigelt. It has exactly what i need, even more. One of very usefull thing is import / export. Create rules, configure it one time, export settings and then just import then anywhere you use Microsoft Visual Studio .NET.

I didnt try this on Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 version, but in 2005 and 2008 works just fine. Bravo Ronald, nice work.

For usage, i recommend this blog on O'Reilly's page.