.NET Development

Loose-Leaf Tea

Florida ASP.NET Developer Blog

dotTrace Profiler 3.1 - Support for Visual Studio 2008, Vista and Windows Server 2008

JetBrains has unbelievable tools. ReSharper, dotTrace, and TeamCity are at the top of their game. They really know how to deliver meaningful software to developers. JetBrains released dotTrace Profiler 3.1 which has a few bug fixes, performance improvements, but most importantly supports Visual Studio 2008, Vista and Windows Server 2008.

CodeRush and Refactor! Pro v3.0.8 Download Available - Visual Studio 2008 Add-Ins

If you are using Developer Express' CodeRush and Refactor! Pro in Visual Studio 2005 or Visual Studio 2008 or any one of the free versions of Refactor! for ASP.NET, C++, or VB.NET, you will definitely want to download v3.0.8 which includes a large number of bug fixes and a few new features.

Download Zune 2.5 Software - Gapless Playback - Smart Playlists - Multiple Device Syncing...

We've updated the Zune software with features our community's been asking for, including gapless playback, smart playlists, new sorting options, multiple-device syncing, and advanced song info editing, including drag-and-drop functionality. If you have Windows Live Messenger running, it'll let your contacts know what you're playing. And when you go to Zune Marketplace, you'll now find over 800 episodes of popular TV shows to download, plus more than two million DRM-free MP3s.

Download XNA Game Developer Studio 3.0 CTP - Zune XBOX 360 Windows

If you want to develop games for Windows, Zune, and the XBOX 360, download the latest XNA Game Developer Studio 3.0 CTP. This release represents the Community Technology Preview of Microsoft XNA Game Studio 3.0, which enables hobbyists, academics, and independent game developers to easily create video games for Windows and the Microsoft Zune digital media player using optimized cross-platform gaming libraries based on .NET.

Expression Web 2 - FTP Explorer to Publish Websites Should be a TreeView

I think Microsoft misses the subtle UI things that make a web designer or web developer's day easier. I am re-evaluating the products in Microsoft Expression Studio 2 this weekend: Expression Web 2, Expression Blend 2, Expression Design 2, Expression Media 2, and Expression Encoder 2.

Expression Design 2 Needs Some Bitmap Graphics Tools like Crop Lasso Magic Wand Marquee

This weekend I put Expression Design 2 through my Adobe Fireworks tests to see if I can move away from my older version of Adobe Fireworks and move to the newer Expression Design 2. The first time I played with Expression Design when it came out in version 1.0 I didn't like it that much. Although I do a decent amount of vector graphics, I also do a heck of a lot of bitmap graphics, too. There are some tools that are traditionally thought of as bitmap tools that are indepensible for day-to-day graphic work: Crop, Lasso, Magic Wand, and Marquee to name a few. Most of the time I need one of those tools and need it bad.

Popfly Game Creator Alpha Released - Online Tool for Creating Web-based Games

Apparently, the PopFly Game Creator has over 15 pre-built game templates for you to try, hundreds of images, animations, backgrounds, and sounds for you to use in the games you create, and a way for you to write code if you reach the limits of what the user interface can do for you.

Coda - Mac Web Design and Web Development Tool

Ever since I bought the MacBook Pro I like to look around for web design and development tools that I can run on a Mac. I am not expecting to find a replacement for Visual Studio 2008, but perhaps various tools on the Mac that could be used in replace of Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Expression Web, Expression Design, etc. I use in Windows. I don't need a web design and development tool on the Mac since I can run these other Windows applications via VMware Fusion, but I would like to start using Mac-native applications for more day-to-day work.

Free VMware Fusion 1.1.2 Update - Better Support for MacBook Air and Time Machine

VMware Fusion is an absolute joy to work with on my MacBook Pro. There is a new VMware Fusion update that has better support for the MacBook Air, Time Machine, as well as a number of bug fixes.

Microsoft Expression Studio 2 Released

Microsoft released Expression Studio 2 today, which is a combination of Expression Web 2, Expression Blend 2, Expression Design 2, Expression Media 2, and Expression Encoder 2.

Composite ASP.NET MVC Applications WCSF, SCSF, and Prism Style

I put together a wholesale e-commerce site for a client using the ASP.NET MVC Framework instead of the usual ASP.NET Webforms. If using ASP.NET webforms, I probably would have used the Web Client Software Factory because the website itself is a classic composite web application. Daring to be bold, however, this website was also a perfect candidate for the ASP.NET MVC Framework and I really like the simplicity of MVC and the ability to create your own ControllerFactory and then use your favorite IoC Tool to inject dependencies into those controllers.

Apple iWork '08 Keynotes for Presentations - Simply Stunning

Keynotes actually made putting together a presentation enjoyable! I always hated using Powerpoint. Always. I am not sure what is different, but Keynotes just made it fun. Maybe it is because the interface is simple and more intutive to use. Maybe it is because the templates, assets, and tools just deliver nicer results more easily. Maybe it is because I just feel a bit more creative now that I have a Mac. I don't have a clue, but what I can tell you is that for the first time I felt really proud of my presentation slides. There weren't a lot of slides as no developer, especially myself, wants to be in Keynotes when he can be playing in Visual Studio. However, those slides that were there looked really, really good if I do say myself.

New iMac from Apple - Now up to 3.06 Ghz - New Intel Chipsets

Just when you thought iMac had everything, now there's even more. More powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processors. And more memory standard. Combine this with Mac OS X Leopard and iLife '08, and it's more all-in-one than ever. iMac packs amazing performance into a stunningly slim space. The latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors run at speeds up to 3.06GHz with advanced 45-nm process technology and 6MB of shared L2 cache. Translation: iMac runs your applications faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Smart Client Software Factory for VS 2008 Released

If you are interested in the Smart Client Software Factory, Microsoft Patterns & Practices just released a new version that supports Visual Studio 2008 and includes a few bug fixes. You can download the guidance package, source code, and documentation.

NHibernate and Castle ActiveRecord Tutorial for the Uninitiated

The Castle ActiveRecord project is an implementation of the ActiveRecord pattern for .NET. The ActiveRecord pattern consists on instance properties representing a record in the database, instance methods acting on that specific record and static methods acting on all records. Castle ActiveRecord is built on top of NHibernate, but its attribute-based mapping free the developer of writing XML for database-to-object mapping, which is needed when using NHibernate directly.

Retina.net O/R Mapper for the .NET Framework - Data Access Layer Generation

Retina.net supports for all kinds of relationship multiplicity (1-1, 1-n, n-m), support for all three types of inheritance mapping, supports all major database engines, supports all kinds of primary keys (autogenerated in the db, compound, etc), supports a RQL (Retina Query Language) and Criteria objects for queries, supports lazy loading of child collections and entities (using dynamic proxies), paging and sorting in results, support for stored procedures, very easy to use with no complex XML config files, and many more.

Windows XP SP3 Released to MSDN Subscribers - Soon the World!

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers' experience with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.

Apple Reports Record Second Quarter Results

Apple shipped 2,289,000 Mac computers (representing 51 percent unit growth and 54 percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter), sold 10,644,000 iPods, and reported quarterly iPhone sales of 1,703,000.

Airport Extreme from Apple is Pricey But Works Well and Easy to Set-Up

I just bought the Airport Extreme Base Station ( Wireless Network Router ) to replace my 4 year old Netgear router which was still plugging along, but sadly lagging behind the new standards that increase the throughput and security of a wireless network. Although there are plenty of well-performing, secure, and respected network routers on the market for 1/3 the price, I went ahead and bought the Airport Extreme just to complement the MacBook Pro I recently purchased for Visual Studio 2008 Development.

ReSharper vs. CodeRush and Refactor! Pro Is Always an Interesting Discussion

I have been a huge fan of ReSharper for some time and enjoy the code analysis, unit test runner, deep refactorings, and the code generation via templates. However, as you know, I am also a big fan of CodeRush and Refactor! Pro. Their UI is much better than ReSharper and their code generation through templates is much better. Period. Their refactorings and code analysis are not as good as ReSharper, however, and those were too important to me to make the complete switch to CodeRush and Refactor! Pro.

ASP.NET Dynamic Data Routing and Registering the LINQ To SQL DataContext Model

A couple of other interesting changes to the ASP.NET Dynamic Data Websites Framework found in the latest Dynamic Data Preview on Code Gallery that differs from the previous drop that I presentated to the Sarasota .NET Developer Group.

Silverlight Code Camp Starter Template on CodePlex

If you are looking for a Code Camp Web Application for your next Code Camp, there is a pretty cool Silverlight Code Camp Starter Template on CodePlex. I wish it had a little bit better functionality with regard to the scroll bars, but overall it looks pretty darn nice.

ASP.NET Dynamic Data Wizard - Generating LINQ To SQL Data Model and Custom Pages

The new ASP.NET Dynamic Data Preview includes a new ASP.NET Dynamic Data Website Wizard that guides you through creating a LINQ To SQL Data Model and customizing pages. Now when you create a new website project you are introduced to a new project template, called Dynamic Data Website Wizard.

ActionResult and MapRoute in ASP.NET MVC Framework Source Code Updated

Action methods on Controllers now by default return an ActionResult object (instead of void). This ActionResult object indicates the result from an action (a view to render, a URL to redirect to, another action/route to execute, etc).

Still Loving FinalBuilder - Automating the Build Process for .NET Development

I just upgraded to FinalBuilder 6.0 and was reminded how I discovered FinalBuilder in 2006 and am still using it to automate my build process in 2008. I know a lot of other .NET developers use NAnt, and I do, too, but I definitely prefer creating my build files with the wonderful Visual GUI of FinalBuilder than a text editor for NAnt files. Not only are the FinalBuilder build files easier to create IMHO, but I feel more confident creating them.

MacBook Pro running Visual Studio 2008 using vmware Fusion

For those of you wondering if one can successfully develop on a MacBook Pro using Visual Studio 2008 in a virtual environment, I am happy to report you can. vmware Fusion makes it incredibly easy to install and run Windows applications in a virtual environment.

50 CSS Tips and Tools for Customizing Your Website

A list of various CSS tips and tools for customizing your website. I am bookmarking these CSS Techniques for myself as I always need tips on using CSS in my websites.

Visual WebGui - AJAX Framework for Creating Enterprise AJAX Web Applications

Visual WebGui is an AJAX Framework for creating enterprise AJAX web applications. It looks to be bringing drag-and-drop desktop development to web applications.

LINQ To CSV Library - Use LINQ To Query / Read CSV Files

I haven't used the LINQ To CSV library, but the idea of using LINQ to query CSV Files is a pretty cool idea.

Entity Framework & ADO.NET Data Services Shipping with VS 2008 SP1

The ADO.NET Team blog mentions that the ADO.NET Entity Framework and ADO.NET Data Services will be shipping with Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1.

Free Training on ASP.NET MVC - ASP.NET Dynamic Data - Entity Framework - ADO.NET Data Services

Free training kit from Microsoft that you can download to learn more about the ASP.NET MVC Framework, ASP.NET Dynamic Data, Entity Framework, ADO.NET Data Services, and more.

Presenting ASP.NET MVC Framework - Unity IoC - Data Access Tips to Sarasota .NET Developer Group

I will be presenting the ASP.NET MVC Framework, Unity IoC, and Data Access Tips & Techniques at the Sarasota .NET Developer Group this evening ( Thursday April 10th ).

ASP.NET Dynamic Data Preview Released on Code Gallery

A new preview of ASP.NET Dynamic can be downloaded from Code Gallery. If you checked out David Ebbo's MIX 08 Video, this ASP.NET Dynamic Data Framework is probably more inline with what was presented at MIX 08.

CSLA .NET 3.5 Released - Application Development Framework

Rocky Lhotka released version 3.5 of his CSLA .NET Application Development Framework. The framework enables developers to leverage the power of object-oriented design as the basis for creating powerful applications. Business objects based on CSLA automatically gain many advanced features that simplify the creation of Windows Forms, Web Forms, WPF, WCF, WF and Web Services interfaces.

LINQ to SQL Visual LINQ Query Builder - Visual Studio 2008 Add-In

The Visual LINQ Query Builder is a Visual Studio 2008 Add-In and designer that helps you create LINQ to SQL Queries in your application.

Converting Composite Web Application Block to Unity - WCSF

Michael Puleio is writing a series of articles on converting the CWAB in WCSF to Unity. This should be an interesting series for those of you interested in wanting the Web Client Software Factory to work with Unity.

Unity 1.0 Released - Patterns & Practices IoC Container

Microsoft Patterns & Practices Released Unity 1.0 today. Unity is an Inversion of Control ( IoC ) Container and Dependency Injection Tool from Microsoft Patterns & Practices that uses ObjectBuilder 2.0 as its dependency injection engine.

SubSonic 2.1 - Repository Pattern LINQ To Subsonic SubStage - Data Access Layer Generation

SubSonic is a cool code generation tool and O/R Mapper that helps you generate a data access layer for your ASP.NET and Winform .NET Applications. A new version of SubSonic, 2.1 Beta, includes a number of bug fixes as well as a new Repository Base Class for those who don't appreciate ActiveRecord and would prefer business classes void of data access code similar to the Repository Pattern in Domain-Driven Design. SubSonic has a new Query Tool as well as a feature called SubStage. There is also some talk of LINQ To SubSonic as well.

Enterprise Library 4.0 Download of March 2008 CTP Available

Enterprise Library 4.0 Download is available for the March 2008 CTP. This is the first and possibly only CTP for Enterprise Library 4.0. It includes support for Partially Trusted Callers which is great news when you are building ASP.NET Web Applications on a shared host provider using Partial Trust. There are also apparently numerous enahancements to a number of the Enterprise Library 4.0 Application Blocks, including the Caching Application Block, Exception Handling Application Block, Logging Application Block, and Validation Application Block.

Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 Training Kit - Labs Tutorials Powerpoint Presentation Demos

If you are looking for hands-on-labs, tutorials, examples, Powerpoint Presentation Slides, and demos on the new features of Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET 3.5 Framework, the Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 Training Kit may be what you are looking for.

Unity IoC Examples in Composite WPF Guidance Package ( Prism ) on CodePlex

Unity IoC Container by Microsoft Patterns & Practices is scheduled to be released early April. If you are looking for some tutorials and examples on Unity in a WPF Application, check out the Prism Reference Implementation, which is now using Unity for Inversion of Control and Dependency Injection.

IIS7 Admin Modules - Log Reports and Database Management in IIS 7 Admin Pack

Microsoft just released an IIS Admin Pack Technical Preview 1 that includes a number of really cool admin modules for IIS 7: Database Manager, Log Reports, Configuration Editor, Request Filtering UI, .NET Authorization, and FastCGI UI.

Unity Dependency Injection and Open Generic Types

For those of you unfamiliar with Unity, the Unity Application Block (Unity) is a lightweight extensible dependency injection container with support for constructor, property, and method call injection from Microsoft Patterns & Practices. One of the new features in this recent drop of Unity is the support for open Generic Types.

ActionFilterAttribute Examples for ASP.NET MVC Framework Preview 2

As the name ActionFilterAttribute implies, this is a way to perhaps filter incoming requests to a Controller Action in the ASP.NET MVC Framework. It actually can do much more. The ActionFilterAttribute has an OnActionExecuting Method that gets fired before a Controller Action gets executed and an OnActionExecuted method that gets called after a Controller Action gets executed. You can create your own ActionFilterAttribute and choose to override one or more of these methods.

ASP.NET MVC Source Code Available for Download

Scott Guthrie mentions that the ASP.NET MVC Source Code is now available for download from CodePlex, and the Unit Tests for the MVC Framework will soon follow.

Visual Studio 2008 Add-In Sticky Notes

There is a Visual Studio 2008 Add-In that I have been using for a few weeks for kicks to scribble little notes on about Visual Studio 2008 Projects and Classes. It is called Sticky Notes and you simply install it as a Visual Studio 2008 Add-In and type in little notes associated with projects and classes that get saved as part of the Visual Studio 2008 Project File.

Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Database Edition Power Tools

This release updates the Power Tools for the Database Edition to work with Visual Studio 2008 and provides several new features. The new features include two custom unit test conditions, a new Data Generation Wizard, and new MSBuild tasks to support running TSQL Static Code Analysis from the command line. The updated features include 5 refactoring types, a dependency viewer, additional data generators and editors, 2 MSBuild tasks for Schema and Data Compare and the TSQL Static Code Analysis feature.

xUnit.net 1.0 RC2 Released - Unit Testing for .NET

Brad Wilson and James Newkirk released xUnit.net 1.0 RC2.

Sarasota .NET Developer Group - Presenting ASP.NET MVC Framework and Data Access Tips and Techniques

Soon after the Orlando Code Camp, I will be giving 2 presentations to the Sarasota .NET Developer Group at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 10, 2008: Introduction to the ASP.NET MVC Framework and Data Access Tips & Techniques.

Orlando Code Camp Presentations - WCSF and SQL Server Data Access Tips and Techniques

The Orlando Code Camp is next Saturday, March 22, 2008. I'll be giving two presentations: Introduction to the Web Client Software Factory ( WCSF ) v2.0 and SQL Server Data Access Tips and Techniques.

New Unity IoC Screencast - Includes Unity Tutorials on Common Tasks

I uploaded a brand new Unity IoC Screencast this weekend that reflects a number of the Unity API Changes as well as the ASP.NET MVC Framework Preview 2. Given that Unity should be released sooner than later, the screencast starts off with a few Unity Tutorials that show how to use the Unity API.

Unity IoC - March 12 Weekly Drop - New Installer and Dependency Injection Configuration API

Microsoft Patterns & Practices came out with another weekly drop of Unity yesterday. This new drop of Unity has an installer, which worked just fine for me this morning. It also has some changes to the API for configuring injection that allows you to get away from using the various attributes on classes to specify constructor, property, and method injection.

Introducing SQL Server Data Services ( SSDS ) by Nigel Ellis - Mix08 Video Download of Presentation

SQL Server Data Services is a web facing data storage and processing utility to be launched by Microsoft during the first-half of 2009. It uses REST and a very simple and flexible entity model for describing items in your data container.

Prism - WPF Guidance Reference Implementation from Microsoft Patterns & Practices

Microsoft Patterns & Practices released their reference implementation of Prism describing their thoughts, various guidance and design patterns when building Composite WPF Applications.

Using Microsoft Sync Framework and FeedSync with Neil PadGett - Mix08 Video Download

After hearing about the Microsoft Sync Framework in Pablo Castro's presentation on ADO.NET Data Services, ADO.NET Data Services with Pablo Castro - MIX08 Session Video, I couldn't resist watching Neil Padgett's Presentation, Using Microsoft Sync Framework and FeedSync.

Microsoft Sync Framework CTP2 Available for Download - FeedSync and SyncToy Too

I watched the MIX08 Session Video, Using Microsoft Sync Framework and FeedSync, and was impressed with the potential of the Microsoft Sync Framework. I completely missed the Microsoft Sync Framework CTP1 only to realize that the Microsoft Sync Framework CTP2 is now available for download.

MIX08 Announcement: SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) - Amazon SimpleDB Concept

SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) are highly scalable, on-demand data storage and query processing utility services. Built on robust SQL Server database and Windows Server technologies, these services provide high availability, security and support standards-based web interfaces for easy programming and quick provisioning.