Simon Phillips

Online MSDN Library - Switch View Feature

Simon Phillips — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:55:00 GMT

I was looking up some documentation on MSDN today I noticed a new button has appeared in the bottom right hand corner named Switch View. (Not sure how long it has been there!)

Clicking on the button give you the option of changing the style of MSDN from Classic to either Lightweight or ScriptFree

As you can see from the examples below changing to one of the other views are much easier on the eyes. They are also much faster in loading.

Classic

Lightweight

ScriptFree

One of the other nice features is around code examples within the library. With the classic view you are sometimes have to trawl through lots of examples for all the different languages.

With the Lightweight view this changes to a tab view that you use to change the language.

The ScriptFree view shows the code as that of the classic view.

As the Lightweight view is in Beta you can send feedback back to MS by clicking on the Feedback button which is next to the Switch View

Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2008 – Free eBook Offer!

Simon Phillips — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:52:27 GMT

Just had the MS Press email land in my email this morning and again there is another free eBook offered this time on SQL Server 2008.

You can find the link half way down the MS Learning: SQL Server -Training Portal under Special Offers. I was asked last week about certification paths for SQL the site also has some information about the courses and exams required to be certified in SQL.

If you are after more eBook for SQL then the guys over at RedGate have a bunch that they are giving away (why not try out their tools as well).

https://www.red-gate.com/dynamic/downloads/downloadform.aspx?download=ebook1

Once you’ve registered you can get hold of:

SQL Server eBook Selection

Protecting SQL Server Data by John Magnabosco
The Art of High Performance SQL by Grant Fritchey
The Art of XSD by Jacob Sebastian
Two Minute SQL Server Stumpers Vol. 5

DBA eBooks bundle

Mastering SQL Server Profiler
Brad's Sure Guide to SQL Server 2008
Brad McGehee's DBA Best Practices
How to Become an Exceptional DBA (2nd edition)
SQL Server Tacklebox

The Best of Simple Talk .NET

The Best of Simple Talk .NET – Jit N’ Run vol.2

Programming for Absolute Beginners

Simon Phillips — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:19:46 GMT

One of the questions I get asked lot is { our kid | son | daughter | parent | granny | dog | add own tag } (* delete appropriately) is wanting to start programming what’s the best place to start this thing called .Net?

I while back I posted about the Ramp Up which are free community-based learning course, but for people with a little background, but wouldn’t it be good if there was a site which started you off from scratch?

In my usual Monday morning blog read, I came across a post from Scott Hanselman about the MSDN Beginner Developer Center. The what I hear you cry! It was new to me, so it might be something that has missed you by as well.

This is an outline of the course contents for the Web Track

Introduction to Visual Web Developer

> Introduction to Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition

> Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Feature Tour

Introduction to Web Development

> Introduction to the Web as a Platform

> Introduction to CSS

> Introduction to JavaScript

Introduction to Programming Languages

> Introduction to the Visual Basic Programming Language

> Introduction to the C# Programming Language

Bits & Bytes

> Bits & Bytes: Lesson 1 Problem Solving in Life and Technology

> Bits & Bytes: Lesson 2 Things, Things, and More Things

> Bits & Bytes: Lesson 3 The Data Game

> Bits & Bytes: Lesson 4 Computer IQ

> Bits & Bytes: Lesson 5 Life before Mice

Introduction to ASP.NET

> Introduction to ASP.NET

> Visual Basic: Beginning Website Development Module 1

> Visual C#: Beginning Website Development Module 1

Absolute Beginner Series in Visual Basic

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 1: Getting Started

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 2: Creating a User Interface

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 3: Events and Postback

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 4: Web application state

Absolute Beginner Series in Visual C#

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 1: Getting Started

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 2: Creating a User Interface

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 3: Events and Postback

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 4: Web application state

ASP.NET

> Visual Basic: Beginning Website Development Module 2

> Visual C#: Beginning Website Development Module 2

Absolute Beginner Series in Visual Basic

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 5: Debugging and Tracing

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 6: Style sheets and Master Pages

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 7: Databinding

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 8: GridView and FormView controls

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 9: Membership and Login controls

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 10: Configuring, Building and Deploying

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lessons 11 – 14: Building a Quiz engine

Absolute Beginner Series in Visual C#

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 5: Debugging and Tracing

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 6: Style sheets and Master Pages

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 7: Databinding

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 8: GridView and FormView controls

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 9: Membership and Login controls

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lesson 10: Configuring, Building and Deploying

> Absolute Beginner's Series Lessons 11 – 14: Building a Quiz engine

If you want more information then pop along to the site, or have a read of Scott’s blog which gives more details.

Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - Programming for Absolute Beginners

SQL Server Synonyms in queries using Linked Servers

Simon Phillips — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:45:18 GMT

OK Synonyms are not new in SQL, they were introduced back with SQL Server 2005, but to date I’ve never got round to using them until now.

A synonym is really just a shortcut reference to a object (Table, View, Stored Procedure or Function) that resides in a database on another server that you have defined as a Linked Server (Note: You can also create them for object in databases on the same server and in the same database).

Where I have used Linked Server quite a bit before my queries become quite long and complicated with the long reference to the tables

SELECT * FROM linked_server.database.schema.table|view

This can be a problem when trying to deploy projects where the Linked Server name might change, as the production environment differs from my development environment, and I will have to re-touch all my code on the production environment (eek).

With using a synonym for each object I call on the Linked Server I can code my queries using the synonym rather than the long reference.

SELECT * FROM [synonym name]

Definition from SQL Server BO:

A synonym is an alternative name for a schema-scoped object. Client applications can use a single-part name to reference a base object by using a synonym instead of using a two-part, three-part, or four-part name to reference the base object.

This means, that when I deploy my code to a different environment, I will have to drop and recreate the Linked Server and any Synonyms but I do not have to touch any other code (jobs-a-good’n).

Note: There is no Alter feature for changing Synonyms (or Linked Servers) but TBH that’s not a biggie!

Note: IN SQL Server 2008 you will loose your IntelliSense, but I think you don’t get it with Linked Servers anyway.

To create a Synonym for a remote object on a linked server you can use the SSMS but it is as easy to script it.

CREATE SYNONYM synonym_schema.synonym_name FOR linked_server.database.schema.table|view

Look for “synonyms [SQL Server]” in SQL Server Books Online for more information.

Free eBook – Mastering PowerShell

Simon Phillips — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:23:40 GMT

Bit late with this one but it’s worth a shout out.

Dr Tobias Weltner (Scripting Guru, PowerShell MVP and inventor of PowerShell Plus!) has released a free eBook entitled “Mastering PowerShell”)

Head over to PowerShell.com and download it now!!!

Problems with WSS Search not crawling local SharePoint sites that use a host header.

Simon Phillips — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:05:19 GMT

I’ve been having an issue recently with a customers search not working for their new WSS sites. For this we have used host headers.

The event log was filling up with the following events:

Event Type:      Warning
Event Source:    Windows SharePoint Services 3 Search
Event Category: Gatherer
Event ID:        2436
Date:            23/07/2009
Time:            12:59:32
User:            N/A
Computer:        #########
Description:
The start address <sts3://<hostheader>/contentdbid={<guid>}> cannot be crawled.

Context: Application 'Search index file on the search server', Catalog 'Search'

Details:
    Access is denied. Check that the Default Content Access Account has access to this content, or add a crawl rule to crawl this content.   (0x80041205)

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

This is due to the same problem that I was having a couple of months ago when I could not access local SharePoint sites that use host headers on the server (Unable to log on to SharePoint web applications from the local web server - Simon Phillips).

Where we assumed that time the problem was due to IE8, the same code is now in updates to Win 2003 / Win 2008. The workaround is the same where you basically create a white-list of host names that the computer will except as resolving to itself.

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0

Right-click MSV1_0, point to New, and then click Multi-String Value.

Type BackConnectionHostNames, and then press ENTER.

Right-click BackConnectionHostNames, and then click Modify.

In the Value data box, type the host name or the host names for the sites that are on the local computer, and then click OK.

Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.

Reference(s):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971382

When can we get our grubby little hands on Windows 7 RTM?

Simon Phillips — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:34:31 GMT

Yesterday Windows 7 was released to manufacturing (RTM), but when can you expect to get your hands on it?

According to the Windows Team Blog will be available to the general public in 3 months time (22nd October) but there there are other ways of getting it sooner.

(edited from Windows Team Blog: When will you get Windows 7 RTM?)

For Partners & OEMs:

ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th.

Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified Members will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English through the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) Portal on August 16th. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.

Microsoft Action Pack Subscribers will be about to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 23rd. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.

OEMs will receive Windows 7 RTM software images around 24th July.

For Business Customers:

If you are a Volume License (VL) customer with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license you will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 7th via the Volume License Service Centre (VLSC). The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks after that.

Volume License customers without a SA license will be able to purchase Windows 7 through Volume Licensing on September 1st.

For IT Professionals:

IT Professionals with TechNet Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.

For Developers:

Developers with MSDN Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.

Are you new to developing in .Net and looking for Free Training?

Simon Phillips — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:47:36 GMT

Microsoft has posted some free online training course for developers as part of their Ramp Up series.

I came across this a while ago but there has been some new content released.

Ramp Up is a free, online, community-based learning program that will help you build professional development skills. Join Ramp Up (it's free!) and help advance your career.

Currently there are 11 courses

Web Development with ASP.NET
Move from PHP to ASP.NET
Move from ASP to ASP.NET
Develop Windows Mobile 6 Applications
SharePoint for Developers - Part 1
SharePoint for Developers - Part 2
Visual Studio 2008
For the VS 2002/2003 Developer: Learn VS 2005
For the VB 6.0 Developer: Learn VB 2005
For the Java Developer: Learn .NET
Developer Basics

Ramp Up home page.

Nice Feature of Windows Media Player and Windows 7

Simon Phillips — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:58:57 GMT

This made me smile today… It looks like there are certain applications that have an enhanced taskbar thumbnail (not sure what the real name is for it). When you hover over Media Player icon in the taskbar the thumbnail appears, at the bottom of the thumbnail you’ve got simple controls for previous, play | pause and next.

I’ll have to have a look how to create these for my apps, that and jump menus. Maybe a topic for a NIMTUG night ;)

Has anyone else come across any other applications with similar features?

Unable to log on to SharePoint web applications from the local web server

Simon Phillips — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:01:51 GMT

I’ve just been dealing with this funny on my newly created virtual MOSS environment. I was not able to log on to any of my created SharePoint web applications from the server which was hosting SharePoint. However I was able to connect with the same users from other machines within my environment.

The Michael Hofer over on sharepointblogs.com has been finding out that this issue can be is introduced with installing IE8 on the server (This is my dev environment, so no comments pls ;)) or service packs to the .Net Framework.

Read the links below to find out more details but the fix that I applied (remember this is my dev environment) was to add a registry entry

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0
Right-click MSV1_0, point to New, and then click Multi-String Value.
Type BackConnectionHostNames, and then press ENTER.
Right-click BackConnectionHostNames, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type the host name or the host names for the sites that are on the local computer, and then click OK.
Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.

References

Service Pack 2 for Office 2007, SharePoint (WSS and MOSS 2007) et al released!

Simon Phillips — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:18:16 GMT

A couple of days late, but if you did not already know the Service Pack 2 for the Office 2007 suite (desktop and server applications) has been released.

Instead of listing all the individual downloads you can get a list of them all in KB968170.

Keeping in contact with NIMTUG

Simon Phillips — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:19:26 GMT

We’ve got lots of way for everyone to keep track of what is happening in and around NIMTUG. I thought that I would list them here.

Blogs + RSS Feeds

There are a number of different blogs hosted at NIMTUG. All the NIMTUG events and other events of interests will be announced on the Event Blog. As well as the event blog some of the members have their own blog hosted by NIMTUG.

You can view all the blogs from the aggregated Blog page () .

There is a Blog roll (opml) file here which lists all the Bloggers on the site. If you are a member and want to Blog on NIMTUG then drop us an email.

Twitter

If reading blogs isn’t your thing then you can follow our twitter feed.

LinkedIn

Mathew O’Hare one of our members had the foresight to create a LinkedIn group. This is a great way for members to keep in contact, especially between meetings ;).

NIMTUG LinkedIn Group

Email

Of cause we will still be sending out emails to the members about events.

Have you got any comments and/or suggestions on how we use these formats or are there any other ones we should be using?

Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog : SharePoint Designer available as a free download

Simon Phillips — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:44:56 GMT

This came out around the 1st of April so initially I thought it might be April Fools but no, it’s all kosher.

From this month you can all download SharePoint Designer 2007 for free.

Here is the announcement on the SharePoint Team Blog.

Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog : SharePoint Designer available as a free download

Those people who had bought Designer (with Software Assurance) will receive upgrade rights to Expression Web for the lifetime of their SA agreement.

You can download SPD here

Now please don’t break anything! Or if you do then give me a shout ;)

Microsoft TechNet Events Today and Tomorrow!!!

Simon Phillips — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:22:52 GMT

Just a reminder that there are a few Microsoft events being run over the next couple of days.

‘Tech Days’ are a collaborative effort between Microsoft and the IT Pro Community to re-deliver the highlights of Tech Ed Conference to IT Pros across Ireland. Most of the sessions will be delivered by a combination of Microsoft and Community technical presenters and will involve as much time spent demo’ing the technology as possible. The content delivered will be technical level 300. March will see the four-city tour stop for evening events in Galway and Cork, and full-day events in Dublin and Belfast.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to get up-to speed on the latest Microsoft technology at no cost!

All the events are going to be held in the Hilton Hotel in Belfast

The Hilton Hotel

4 Lanyon Place
Belfast BT1 3LP
Ireland

I’ve been told there are still spaces available at the following 3 events so I you’re free then pop along.

Microsoft @ Home Evening for IT Professionals

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

This session will be an overview of the connected technologies of Windows 7, Windows Home Server and Xbox to provide a secure, shared and media rich home computing experience. We will demonstrate parental controls, media tagging, shared media, centralized backup and the extensibility of Home Server and the community that surrounds this product. We will also look at how the web plays a part in this experience through remote web access and a personalized website address for sharing photos and home videos in home server.

Agenda:

Digital Photography

Home Server & XBox 360 Media Extender

Securing Your Home Network

Microsoft Community Tech Days - Belfast Core Infrastructure Stream

Thursday, March 26, 2009 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Event Overview

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to get up-to speed on the latest Microsoft technology at no cost!

Audience: IT Professionals

Technical Level 300

Agenda:

Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 working Great Together and WS 2008 R2 Virtualization (Live Migration is here!)

An Introduction to Windows 7 and Brief Overview of Client Deployment Tools

Virtualising Windows Essential Server Solutions (SBS &EBS)

Microsoft Community Tech Days - Belfast Business Intelligence Stream

Thursday, March 26, 2009 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Event Overview

Audience: IT Professionals

Technical Level 300

Agenda:

The Accidental DBA

SQL Server Reporting Services

Integrated BI Solutions with SQL Server 2008, SharePoint Server 2007 (including scorecarding, dashboarding and analytics) & Excel 2007

Competition: What’s missing from this picture?

Simon Phillips — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:55:06 GMT

legal statement: Not really a competition, no prizes and defiantly no purchases necessary!!

That’s right you eagle eyed gamers I’m missing the Xbox 360 :S, that’s because the nice people at Microsoft have ask for it back so they can give it a bit of a spit and a polish and to take the nasty red lights that started to appear on Sunday night.

This is the second time I’ve been affected by the RROD problems. As you usually get back a reconditioned console it might be time to buy a new console, however there is suppose to be a new configuration of Xboxes that are hitting the stores at the moment and a new slim-line version due out later this year (Though this is hard to get confirmed)??

Updates to follow..