Darrell Norton's Blog [MVP]

March 2004 - Posts

• A new round of webcasts on BizTalk Server 2004

  From Jim Blizzard’s Blog:  The BizTalk Server team is going to have another round of WebCasts in April.   MSDN Webcast: Adding Business Activity Monitoring your BizTalk Server 2004 Projects - Level 200 April 07, 2004 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time John Ballard, Program Manager, Microsoft Building BAM into your BPM applications provides real-time business level information to your users. Learn how to use the Excel Wizard, Tracking Point Editor, the deployment infrastructure and also the BAM API. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=25939 MSDN Webcast: Real-World BizTalk Server 2004 Editing and Mapping Techniques - Level 200 April 08, 2004 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time John Ballard, Program Manager, Microsoft This session is a deep dive on the BizTalk Server Editor and Mapper. Learn how to model flat-files and EDI-files. Learn how to detail with complex mapping scenarios including embedding your own XSLT, using .NET components in maps, performing cross-referencing and exercising the table extractor functoid. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=25940 MSDN Webcast: Building on BizTalk Server 2004 Human Workflow Services for the Visual Studio .NET developer - Level 200 April 12, 2004 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time Imran Aziz, Program Manager, Microsoft HWS provides an infrastructure for human based workflow built on top of the orchestration technologies. In this session learn how to build actions, use the HWS web service API, combine actions into activity models and finally interface workflow with InfoPath SP1. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=25941 MSDN Webcast: BizTalk Server 2004 EDI with and without the Covast Accelerator - Level 200 April 14, 2004 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time Ravi Vedula, Test Lead, Microsoft and Gijsbert in ‘t Veld, Chief Technology Officer, Covast Corporation Understand the base level support in BizTalk Server 2004 with an example, then understand when to leverage the Covast EDI Accelerator functionality. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=25945 MSDN Webcast: InfoPath SP1 and BizTalk Server - Level 200 April 19, 2004 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time Scott Woodgate, Lead Product Manager, Microsoft InfoPath is to BizTalk Server what Outlook is to Exchange. In this session learn how to interface InfoPath to BizTalk Server for scenarios that include message routing and transformation, orchestration and business rules. Use a variety of transports including file and web-services and take advantage of the HWS integration and Sharepoint integration. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=25947 Posted Mar 31 2004, 06:18 AM by darrell with 4 comment(s)

• Miguel posts Mono Brainshare PowerPoints

  Miguel has posted a full list of the Mono Brainshare PowerPoint slides. Introducing Mono for Developers [ppt]; Advanced Mono Development: Best Practices [ppt]; Mon Developing and Deploying .NET Applications for Linux [ppt]; Mon Rapid GUI Application Development on Linux [ppt]; Developing ASP .NET on Linux with Mono - ainda n?o h? o ppt dispon?vel Using Mono to Develop the Next Version of Novell iFolder [ppt]; Developing with the System.DirectoryServices Namespace API for Mono [ppt]. [via MasterMaq.NET’s .NET Happenings #25] Posted Mar 31 2004, 05:35 AM by darrell with 4 comment(s)

• Use a single AssemblyInfo file for multiple projects

  If you want to have a single AssemblyInfo file for a multi-project solution, the easiest way to do it is: Place the AssemblyVersion attribute in a single source file, for example AssemblyVersionInfo.cs or AssemblyVersionInfo.vb. Share the file across any projects that need to share the same version number within VSS (or CVS, Vault, Subversion, etc.). From chap 5 of the Team Development with Visual Studio .NET and Visual SourceSafe guide. Posted Mar 30 2004, 10:53 AM by darrell with 2 comment(s)

• DefaultButton v2.0 - now supports ImageButtons

  DefaultButton v2.0 has been released.  The code has been updated to work with ImageButtons (though only on Netscape 6+ and IE 5.5+).  Thanks to Matt Pelletier at EastMedia for help figuring it out! The reason Netscape 4 is not supported is that input tags with type=image are not recognized as form elements, thus there is no way to access them.  If you need to use image buttons, use v2.0 of the code.  But if you are going to use regular buttons exclusively, use v1.1 of the code instead since it supports a larger range of browsers. Check out the DefaultButton workspace on GotDotNet to download both 1.1 and 2.0 versions of the DefaultButton code and samples. Posted Mar 30 2004, 09:40 AM by darrell with 1 comment(s)

• Tips on Implementing RosettaNet solutions with BizTalk Server

  Simon Chadwick has some good tips on implementing RosettaNet Solutions with BizTalk Server 2002.>  These are general tips and the architecture is fairly generic (to RosettaNet), so it should work with BTS 2004 as well (not that I have tested it). Implementing a RosettaNet system using the BizTalk Accelerator for RosettaNet A Typical System Architecture using the BizTalk Accelerator for RosettaNet Posted Mar 29 2004, 07:12 AM by darrell with no comments

• TDD in Microsoft.NET book now shipping!

  Test Driven Development in Microsoft Net by James W. Newkirk and Alexei A. Vorontsov is now shipping! Posted Mar 28 2004, 09:37 AM by darrell with no comments

• URLScan Watcher - find out when the URLScan log file changes

  After getting burned by URLScan one too many times, I wrote a quick little app called URLScan Watcher.  It records whenever the current URLScan log file changes (using the handy .NET FileSystemWatcher).  You can minimize it to the system tray so it’s out of the way.  Soon I’ll add Messenger-style balloon popups to notify of changes.  It’s not polished (read, no error handling), but I haven’t run into any problems yet. Download it from the URLScan Watcher workspace. Posted Mar 26 2004, 06:52 AM by darrell with 6 comment(s)

• Miguel de Icaza predicts the future of open source development

  Miguel de Icaza posted On Fragmentation in response to a Linux open source developer.>  In it, Miguel hints at the path I believe Mono is going to take in the future.>  Essentially, he argues that applications should have a large “core” of code that works on all platforms, and then has platform-specific code to ensure the best performance and appearance on each supported operating system. Java approaches the issue with making the entire code base cross-platform.>  But as Miguel points out, “[Y]ou always end up with an alien application: either the look, or the integration into the platform is substandard.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, Microsoft promotes the all-MS platform, opening up only to standards-based transport protocols, such as SOAP, TCP/IP, etc.>  In response to wrapping Longhorn in order to stick to the Java approach, Miguel said, “No ISV will pick a layer on top of the Longhorn layer on Windows today or tomorrow: .NET is simple, easy to use as opposed to older APIs. ISVs will demand native support for them.”>  Amazing business sense for a techie; no wonder Don Box wants him to work for Microsoft. Miguel’s conclusion is: “The botttom line is: no technology today gives you transparent portability. The best bet today is to share as much as possible on your "engine" and redo the OS integration components for each OS you support.” Thanks to Ken Brubaker for pointing out Miguel’s blog post here. Posted Mar 26 2004, 05:41 AM by darrell with no comments

• I'll just take Grant's license plate idea first

  Grant, is this what you wanted?  (This was not Photoshop-ed.  You can try out VA license plates online here) Posted Mar 25 2004, 09:50 AM by darrell with 7 comment(s)

• Got IIS Problems? Check the URLScan logs

  We all run IISLockdown on our computers, because we are security-conscious developers, right? If you have and you are having any sort of IIS problems, make sure to check the URLScan logs.  You can find them at %WINDOWS%\system32\inetsrv\urlscan.  If any requests are being rejected due to URLScan filters, the log file will show the reason why a request was rejected. I spent half-an-hour trying to figure out why the computer couldn’t find my BizTalkServerRepository.  Aaargh! Posted Mar 24 2004, 01:23 PM by darrell with 10 comment(s)

• Preventing connection timeouts in SQL Server Enterprise Manager

  Sometimes in SQL Server Enterprise Manager, when I right-click on a SQL Server to “start” it, I get this error message: A connection could not be established to (local). Reason: Timeout expired. Please verify SQL Server is running and check your SQL Server registration properties (by right-clicking on the (local) node) and try again. But after I click “Ok”, the SQL Server actually is started even though the error message says it’s not. The solution is simple.  In SQL Server Enterprise Manager, click the Tools menu and select Options..  In the “SQL Server Enterprise Manager Properties” window that shows up, click the Advanced tab.  Change the “Login time-out (seconds):” default from 4 to 8.  Then click OK. Posted Mar 24 2004, 07:56 AM by darrell with 8 comment(s) Filed under: SQL Server

• Announcing the BizTalk Overview

  Lucky me, I'm working with BizTalk Server on a major B2B project.  There isn't too much information about BizTalk Server on the web compared to the amount of .NET information out there.  So I collected what I could find and posted it as another overview (along with Scrum, XP, Lean Software Development, and .NET Test Driven Development).  If you work with BizTalk Server, let me know what you think, what to add, etc. Check out the BizTalk Overview. Posted Mar 23 2004, 08:13 AM by darrell with 5 comment(s)

• TheServerSide.NET reviews the Enterprise Development book I want

  TheServerSide.NET is going to publicly review the book I said I wanted yesterday, Enterprise Development with VS.NET, UML, MSF.  They have even posted 2 sample chapters, Planning a VB.NET or C# Project and Hands On: Time Sheet Project (Internal).  Definitely worth a look. Posted Mar 23 2004, 06:07 AM by darrell with 2 comment(s)

• Interesting new book: Enterprise Development with VS, UML, and MSF

  I stumbled on an interesting new book coming out in May from APress.  It’s called Enterprise Development With Visual Studio .NET, UML and MSF by Carsten Thomsen and John Eric Hansen.  It’s quite a monster too, weighing in at 888 pages.  I've been working with UML (even got certified) and software development processes (Scrum, XP, Lean) for some time now.  I would like to see this book integrate both of those with actual programming and code. The book description on Amazon: “Enterprise Development with Visual Studio .NET, UML, and MSF” is for programmers dealing with or those that have an interest in developing Enterprise .NET solutions. It will guide readers through all aspects of Enterprise modeling, from design considerations and project management design processes to modeling a .NET solution using UML. In today's IT world the need for complex solutions designed the right way and delivered on time is a success factor for the entire Enterprise. "Enterprise Development with Visual Studio .NET, UML, and MSF" will help readers succeed by providing them with guides and examples that they can use in their own .NET projects. It will cover the Microsoft Solutions Framework and how to benefit from this process when designing. Programmers can also use this book as a reference or as a step-by-step guide for creating Enterprise solutions the right way with design processes, UML, .NET Framework, and C# and VB .NET. I have high hopes for this book and can’t wait to read it to see if it delivers! Posted Mar 22 2004, 06:23 AM by darrell with 2 comment(s)

• Even Microsoft loves March Madness, Baby!

  From Microsoft downloads: Excel 2003 Sample: NCAA Results Tracker This download contains Excel spreadsheets that you can use to track predictions of winners and losers for each NCAA college basketball 2004 men's and women’s Division I championship playoff games. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=61133081-965d-4c62-8b4e-b7bd13a1db37&displaylang=en Posted Mar 19 2004, 08:01 AM by darrell with no comments