Giacomo Stelluti Scala's Technical Blog

External HD for all flavors...

2011-09-16T20:51:00.002+02:00

Recently I had to prepare an external 250GB usb hard disk which can be read and written by Ubuntu, Mac OS X and Windows.
After some tests I found that the best result was accomplished creating two partitions using Mac OS X Disk Utility.

Disk Utility

I've formatted the first partition with NTFS and the second with HFS+.

In this way I'm able to access all partitions with Ubuntu (read/write), I can use the first (NTFS) with Windows and run Time Machine against the second one with Mac OS X. With this last operating system I can even read and write the first partition with MacFUSE and NTFS-3G.

Under Mac OS X Lion you may found this article useful, http://blog.laaz.org/tech/2011/07/23/macfuse-and-mac-os-x-lion/.

And sometime under Mac OS X

2011-08-27T19:48:00.000+02:00

In *nix world .NET is called Mono and this awesome open source development platform works excellently under Mac OS X Lion.

Developing with Mono on Mac OS X

Another operating system gains Command Line Parser Library. That's good...

Bye,
Giacomo

CommandLine.dll now developed under Ubuntu Linux/Mono

2011-08-17T23:29:00.002+02:00

Because of laziness I'm still carrying out many NET projects. with Visual Studio Express on Windows platform.

Recently I'm developing my open source parser for the command line using Mono under Ubuntu Linux operating system.

Developing with Mono on Ubuntu

MonoDevelop has not forced me to change project format (I keeped my .sln e .csproj files) and it worked just as before, or I would say better. Integration with NUnit is awesome! Religion wars aside, who more really need Windows?

Good coding!

Command Line Parser Library meets Physics

2011-08-04T08:01:00.002+02:00

In a prototype stage project, I was prompted to write a software (using .NET/C#) able to publish the data read from a mass spectrometer through a TCP/IP socket.

One of the first problems that the design presented was to run the application in a special mode in order to be tested. The use of a configuration file was not sufficient, I thought I could use the command line parser that I wrote and published with open source license.

The use of this library has prevented me from changing the configuration file every time I need to run the application in a different mode with different parameters.

Bye.

CommandLine.dll, Parsing Errors Subsystem

2011-07-19T07:03:00.001+02:00

The 1.8.0.7 version of Command Line Parser Library introduces a new subsystem for reporting parsing errors. I suggest you not to tie the code to this feature because it's at embryonic stage and hence it's subject to change.

The feature is modeled around the actual logic of the parser, that stops itself at the first parsing error, so you'll get just the first error that the parser detects.

Please be patient and wait the upcoming release (maybe 1.8.0.9) in which this subsystem will be completely redesigned.

Thank you for following this project!

Regards.

Command Line Parser Library, 1.8.0.7 Beta.

2011-07-06T16:37:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone,
after a long pause I'm finally back to work at Command Line Parser Library.

If someone tried to contact me about this (or others projects), I ask him to forgive me for not answering; I was very busy with ordinary job (sorry!).

The e-mail address you used for this or other projects, is now changed to: gsscoder@gmail.com so please forget gsscoder@ymail.com.

The project was (for now) released only in source version control, so please check-out it with SVN (or TortoiseSVN which I prefer).

Thank to everyone who use and/or support the project, really!

Greetings!

Data Storage beyond Relational Model.

2010-09-11T12:16:00.002+02:00

It is likely that the relational model still hold out for a long period. Rather probably these never disappear completely. In any case, other types of databases are being forcefully imposed on the scene of data storage technologies. Object oriented databases, OODBMS, are very interesting and offer a valuable alternative to the use of traditional RDBMS technology with mapping layers, ORM.

In any case between NoSQL databases I find extremely interesting the ones oriented to storage of documents.
In my personal opinion one of the most interesting in the open source world is certainly MongoDB.
Soon you'll find here more details on this amazing product and related technologies.

The interesting thing about this type of database is the flexibility in defining the structure of the stored items and a native propensity in archiving of entire files within the database itself. You can think of a database such this as a happy marriage between the relational model and a file system.

Good storage!

HTML User Interface and Scripting Components

2010-03-15T12:44:00.000+01:00

Today various applications show an user interface designed like web sites. If you're a fun of the assertion don't reinvent the wheel, you can check HTMLayout from Terra Informatica.

Another useful feature in a modern application is customization via scripting. If you think so and need an embeddable solution, you can try TIScrirpt from the same company.

Good programming!

Command Line Parser Library, 1.8 Stable.

2010-03-09T12:40:00.001+01:00

The developments of latest beta have been made final in version 1.8 stable. You can download sources (including documentation), binaries and documentation (available also on project home, here) from release home. This version includes also a patch submitted by an user (details here).

Bye.

The Value of Refactoring in Open Source Software.

2009-12-01T18:33:00.006+01:00

Code refactoring is a practice of software engineering that address maintainability. The effect (or the goal - if it is only this one) to produce more readable code is not secondary to increased stability and consistency to a predetermined (or evolving) paradigm.

Change the internal structure of a well-identified portion of code may not affect the functionality of it. If the modification is not explicitly evolutionary, your gain is (as said before) maintainability / readability: this should not be underestimated because it means that this piece of code will be more inclined to change and extensibility.

All this can be done without the worry of worsening the code or allow the resurface of solved issues if there is a good unit tests coverage.

Refactoring is essential in any software, but in an open source project the high complexity of the code, the one regarding the neglect of the objective of legibility, will keep away potential contributors. Nevertheless, if your project is targeted primarily to developers: complex code (or code indecipherable unless interspersed with many lines of comments) will prevent the adoption by the latter.

For example you might notice how the refactoring has evolved a core part of a open source project of my creation (the one when I can spend more time at the moment): Command Line Parser Library.
Who loves to study things in detail (like me) can analyze the evolution of the following types from version 1.7.0.1 alfa to version 1.7.10.5 beta.

ArgumentParser (Core/ArgumentParser.cs) [View 1.7.0.1 alfa] [View 1.7.10.5.beta]

LongOptionParser (Core/LongOptionParser.cs) [View 1.7.0.1 alfa] [View 1.7.10.5.beta]

OptionGroupParser (Core/OptionGroupParser.cs) [View 1.7.0.1 alfa] [View 1.7.10.5 beta]

If you have time to examine these sources, I'm very interested in your opinion.

I'll return to this argument as soon as possible to investigate further. We could devote an entire blog... Don't forget that there are several books and a lot of material on the web about this topic.

Bye.

CommandLine.dll 1.7.0.1 alfa.

2009-11-22T15:55:00.001+01:00

Command Line Parser Library enters the 1.7.x branch. This new alfa introduces changes into parser core.

Using the new OptionArray attribute you can store multiple values into a field array. See the release home for details. Download sources from this page or from source code control repository.

Obviously there are other improvements as the ones made to CommandLine.Text.HelpText type: word wrap and more control on options text block.

Please also check the progress in documentation section.

Good command line parsing!

Again... CommandLine.dll - News

2009-11-12T12:03:00.001+01:00

You can get 1.6.0.77 beta from Downloads section or following this link.

But if you really want the latest version, you must check the source code control repository. At this moment the last downloadable version (e.g. with SVN client) is 1.6.9.95 beta.

This is the first version that has a real contribution by another developer: Steven Evans. He has provided to HelpText type the ability to word wrap when emitting text.

Thank you, Steven!

Bye.

CommandLine.dll, more documentation and a new minor update - 1.6.0.5 Stable

2009-11-03T12:12:00.001+01:00

Read the home of the new release for understand changes of this minor update: 1.6.0.5 stable.

I'm taking advantage of new documentation section of projects hosted on CodePlex. The work is under construction, but a complete Quickstart Guide is available.

As always comments are well appreciated.

Good reading!

Command Line Library 1.6 Stable, available.

2009-09-17T09:32:00.000+02:00

I've finally released the new stable version of Command Line Parser Library, 1.6. This release makes final features introduced with latest two beta.

Here the most interesting:

mutually exclusive options (full explanation on 1.5 beta 2 home)

control on case's comparison

various fixes

various user requests satisfied

Enjoy it!

Testing upcoming CommandLine.dll on linux platform.

2009-09-13T17:29:00.002+02:00

These days I'm working on upcoming version 1.6 of Command Line Parser Library (during spare time!). Expect soon the publication on Codeplex web site.

As you can see in the picture, a stable version is tested also on Linux platform with Mono.
The tests performed on Linux includes building the project with NAnt, running NUnit tests and executing the sample application.

Bye!

Oslo, code name for future Microsoft modeling technologies.

2009-09-08T14:31:00.009+02:00

Oslo, is the code name of the next generation of Microsoft modeling technologies. You can download and install May 2009 CTP version. I suggest you to experiment preview releases using virtualization software.

Oslo innovates application lifecycle management introducing model driven development (MDD), hence the practical application of concepts from model driven architecture (MDA) and model driven engineering (MDE).

In a nutshell Oslo gives you tools to define application domain's entities and logic (the model). This metadata will be stored in a repository (SQL Server) and used to generate your application.

With this new technology Microsoft gives birth to Quadrant, a visual modeling tool, Intellipad, a textual utility oriented to MDD an M, a new language, underlying the model's definition.

So, if you work with Microsoft's technologies, you've a lot of thing to learn...

Happy studying!

Install OpenOffice 3.1 on Ubuntu 8.04.

2009-08-30T20:39:00.002+02:00

If you want to install latest OpenOffice (at the moment of writing 3.1) on Ubuntu 8.04, you'll notice that is still not supported in standard repositories.

I used this instructions, but you can find other ways and other instructions for other Ubuntu's versions (and other Debian based Linux OSes).

Happy open source to everyone!

Build Mono 2.4 on Ubuntu.

2009-08-28T20:25:00.000+02:00

I've recently found two interesting posts about installing Mono 2.4 from sources.
Follow these links:
[1] http://blog.ruski.co.za/page/Install-Mono-on-Ubuntu.aspx
[2] http://www.centriment.com/2009/04/01/building-mono-24-from-source-on-ubuntu-810/

The second link (reference [2]) will help you keep Mono 2.4 with you current Mono installation.

Enjoy .NET on Linux!

Future of CSharp.

2009-08-27T20:25:00.003+02:00

I think that initial idea of C#'s engineers is to design a language derived from C++ and without all complex features. I think this was true till C# 2.0/NET 2.0. For example generics are a good downgrade of C++'s template, in line with C#'s initial philosophy... But some C# 3.0 features are bloating the language, removing simplicity and turning it in something very different from initial design (making it similar to a Python with braces).

I'm the last guy that dislike progress in computer languages... but one thing is Python (that I like in its native incarnation and .NET version too) and another is C#. Am I wrong?

And what's new with C# 4.0? Even more features! I hope features confirmed in stable version will be in C#'s style as more as possible.

Good programming!

New Mac OS X is amazing!

2009-08-25T17:26:00.005+02:00

Check out latest Apple engineers efforts on Mac OS X, called Snow Leopard.
It contains from cool user interface/user interaction improvements to core system innovations to make everything perform better and faster!

It will be available August 28.

Nothing more to say, follow the previous link and see with your eyes.

Good browsing!

Use CSharp's features wisely.

2009-08-24T12:07:00.025+02:00

As you know, C# source code (and other .NET languages) are compiled to a binary format (CIL - formerly called MSIL) executed by a virtual machine or gradually turned into local architecture (x86, x86-64, ARM, s39, PowerPC, etc) executable format by the JITter (just-in-time compilation).

New .NET Framework's versions aren't necessarily tied with compilers versions.

If you use MS Visual Studio 2008 EE (or matching commercial edition / or latest open source build tools) you'll notice that project's properties page allows you to change the target framework.

This allow you to, for example, to use a subset of C# 3.0 compiler with .NET Framework 2.0. For use all features of C# 3.0 you must reference System.Core.dll assembly and change the target framework to .NET Framework 3.5. To further discuss this issue read this blog post from Daniel Moth.
When a .NET Framework version evolves, CIL byte code gains new instructions; but when C# compiler evolves and gains new instructions, it compiles these new grammar's constructs with old CIL instructions - this is called syntactic sugar - (this does not mean that the compiler can't emit new CIL byte code!).

I think it is appropriate to use the new features when they become useful for a project and not just because they become available. This way you can do the best to remain compatible with non-Microsoft .NET implementations.

In another post I will talk about the evolution of C#.

Bye!

Command Line Library 1.5 Beta 2 is here!

2009-08-23T07:01:00.003+02:00

Before a month is now available Beta 2 of Command Line Parser Library 1.5 (release 1.5.96.199 beta 2). Navigate to release page, download and test it.
This release contains reported bug fixes and various user requests fulfilled.

As always testing results, bug reports and enhancement requests are always welcome.

Good download!

Superior Backup Tool for Linux

2009-08-21T19:46:00.015+02:00

If you use a Debian or Ubuntu derived distribution, you can take advantage of a great backup tool: remastersys. This tool is able to create a complete backup of your system or (and this is the very interesting thing!) live/installable dvd.

In the web site's tool you can get instructions to install this wonderful software. The use is very straightforward; for create a complete backup (system+data):

sudo remastersys backup full_system.iso

If you want create a live/installable dvd (system), just type at your shell prompt:

sudo remastersys dist core_system.iso

As you can see the program create an iso image: this file is good for burning a dvd, but can also be used with virtualization software (changing the virtual optical device with the iso image file).

Try it, you'll love it! Thank you Tony Brijeski, you've done a great software.

Good DVD burning!

.NET and Caching Services

2009-08-19T23:20:00.015+02:00

The first time I found Shared Cache on CodePlex, I immediately thought it would be interesting to try it with Mono on Linux.
Since the version downloaded that time (December, 2008) was not executed on Mono/Linux platform, I decided to create a new software derived from Shared Cache (fork) able to run on that environment: Cache Reloaded.
However I'm now working with the staff of Shared Cache, in order to enable it to run on Linux (without forking a new project!).

The person with whom I'm working is the main author of this software: Roni Schuetz (blog | web site). He, because of our collaboration, added me to the staff of Shared Cache (project home -> people; codeplex id = gsscoder).

I don't know what future will have Cache Reloaded, probably will be the starting point for porting Shared Cache to Linux... You can read an article about it.

Have fun with caching!

See you.

Do you use Command Line Parser Library?

2009-08-13T07:30:00.001+02:00

Erik Ejlskov Jensen, the author of SQL Compact Command Line, does it. As you can see in the last change set (at the moment of writing this blog post) via Source Code tab, the author preferred merging the Command Line Parser source tree with its own.

SqlCeCmd is a very useful application, as you can read from its project's home page: "Administer SQL Compact databases directly from the command line, without having Visual Studio or SQL Server Management Studio installed. [...]".

From now every project using Command Line Parser Library will be listed in the project's home page and in Related Projects section, if the project is hosted on CodePlex.

So, don't be shy :-), write me and tell me if you use my project...

Good coding to everyone!