Nat Thompson

Executing SQL Scripts via MSBuild Extensions Pack

Nat Thompson — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:03:12 +0000

MSBuild is a powerful tool right out of the box. With the ability to manipulate files and execute external commands there is a lot of mileage a creative Build Team can squeeze from it. However, this barely scratches the surface of what it can do. When you add on the MSBuild Extensions Pack you open …

Team Foundation Server Usability Tip – Better Query Views

Nat Thompson — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:17:58 +0000

Work item queries in Team Foundation Server allow simplified management views of those items. However, the default view splits the results from the details of the work item in a horizontal split. This makes it somewhat difficult to view the full detail of the work item. A better view is to use the vertical split. …

Good Learning Resource on MSBuild

Nat Thompson — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:26:39 +0000

This book has been a great source of information about MSBuild and configuring projects for automated deployment. By the end of the book I could read MSBuild files without any trouble and could successfully configure automated deployments utilizing Build Server.

Creating a backup of a Web Site using MSDeploy/Web Deploy

Nat Thompson — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:08:56 +0000

One of the most essential steps in managing web application updates is the ability to recover to a point in time prior to the update should the deployment of updates be unsuccessful. MSDeploy simplifies this step and can even be incorporated into build definitions to create automated backups when a deployment build is executed. To …

Ten Things I Love about the WordPress Graphene Theme

Nat Thompson — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:02:11 +0000

I’ve started using the Graphene theme for WordPress almost exclusively across my blogs. It has plenty of positives in its favor but I’ll list the top ten here that make it my default choice. 1. Out of the box Social media buttons. Right away, by simply filling in a couple of text boxes you can connect …

Adventures in WordPress and Web Hosting

Nat Thompson — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 02:33:26 +0000

So, I’ve had two other WordPress based sites that have been out of commission for several days. Afterburn SF and Tuskaloosan are two blogs that I operate. Starting mid-week last week they started reporting 500 errors. This meant there was a problem on my web hosting server. The odd thing was that this site, NatThompson.com, and …

Adding Google+ Profile Button to WordPress

Nat Thompson — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 14:09:02 +0000

Finding the Google+ profile button generator took far longer than I expected. Apparently my Google Fu was weak this morning. I finally found it though and now my site sports a snazzy new social media badge. Thanks to Sarah Gooding and her post “How to Display a Link to Your Google+ Profile on Your WordPress …

Web Hosting Plan Upgrade in the Works

Nat Thompson — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 06:31:24 +0000

I use GoDaddy.com for my web hosting. They are affordable and have been a reliable hosting provider. Recently though, I’ve been working with .Net 4 and MVC 3 and until now I could not get support for it on my hosting plan. Tonight that is changing. I’ve upgraded my hosting plan to the “4GH” plan …

Virgin Mobile Service Update

Nat Thompson — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:08:32 +0000

So… Apparently I talk WAAAY more on my cell phone than I thought. When I signed up for Virgin Mobile on July 14th I thought 300 minutes would be plenty. Not so. As of yesterday I had nine minutes left. Nine! With eleven days left on my first month I knew I was in trouble. …

LG Optimus V Android Phone with Unlimited Data – $25 a Month

Nat Thompson — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:54:14 +0000

After almost two years of service from my Motorola Droid it lost its edge in terms of performance and the frequency of reboots due to system hangs was driving me crazy. That was when I started looking for a replacement. I shopped the alternatives, including iPhone but I just couldn’t justify the expense. In the …