MSDN Flash - Volume 12, Number 19: September 8, 2008
Volume 12, Number 19: September 8, 2008
Top News
The Big Easy Offer 2.0 - Helping You Find Solutions that Fit Want to get free services and products with qualifying Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 or Microsoft Expression purchases? Check out the Big Easy Offer and find out how you can purchase Microsoft developer and designers tools to rapidly create compelling software applications and receive partner subsidy funds from Microsoft to enrich your solution.
Microsoft F# September 2008 Community Technology Preview
This CTP release includes the F# compiler and tools, as well as Visual Studio 2008 integration for F# development. For more, read Somasegar's Weblog and check out the F# Developer Center.
From the Editor
To help make migrating data easier, the SQL Server team has rolled out SQL Server 2008 Migration Assistants for migrating data from Access, Oracle, and Sybase to SQL Server 2008. These tools aim to streamline the process of moving databases to SQL Server. Download these free Migration Assistants.
Have you heard of Photosynth? The new technology from Microsoft Live Labs is ready to use. It transforms your digital photos of a location or object into a three-dimensional, 360-degree experience. Depending on the size of the location or object, creating a "synth" takes from three to 300 digital photos. Photosynth then analyzes each photo for similarities to the others, and uses that data to estimate where a photo was taken. It then stitches the photos together to recreate the environment and uses that as a canvas on which to display the photos.
Download the free Photosynth technology and we suggest that you read the Photosynth Guide before snapping away. Just take 3-300 photos with overlap between each shot, then download the synther (7 MB), and you are ready to create your synth.
If you are trying out Internet Explorer 8, check out the IE Team Blog for a rundown of the recent security changes that were included in the Beta 2 update. Don't have IE8 Beta 2 yet? Download the Beta.
Finally, we've been excited for some time about the new features in Visual Studio 2008 SP1. So it's gratifying when others notice. Check out this InfoWorld review, "Visual Studio 2008 SP1 Is Icing, and More Cake," which takes a look beyond the bug fixes in Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.
Thanks for reading,
Editor
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Deliver Search Quickly and Easily for Free with Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express
Enterprise Search is now available for you to embed in your application as a search solution add-on for your customers. Access this quick, easy-to-procure, -setup, and -administrate search tool, and help empower your customers to find the information they need today.
• Check out the product overview and many included features.
• Download Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express for free.
• View the redistribution license.
SQL Server 2008 Migration Assistants Now Available for Access, Oracle and Sybase
Migration assistants are now available for download to help make migrating data easier from Access, Oracle, and Sybase to SQL Server 2008. These tools aim to streamline the process of moving databases to SQL Server.
Download the SharePoint Server 2007 SDK (Aug 08 1.4 Refresh)
The August 2008 update of the SharePoint Server 2007 SDK contains documentation for new and improved features in the Infrastructure Update for Microsoft Office Servers and new conceptual, procedural, and reference information. You can also view the August update online.
Download the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SDK (Aug 08 1.4 Refresh)
See the latest additions to the Windows SharePoint Services SDK. Find conceptual overviews, programming tasks, and references for Windows SharePoint Services. View the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SDK online.
Download the Outlook 2007 Auxiliary Reference
Download documentation for twelve sets of APIs, code samples, and a redistributable installer.
View the reference online | Outlook 2007 Auxiliary Reference code samples and redistributable installer
Code Sample: Isolating Microsoft Office Extensions with the COM Shim Wizard Version 2.3.1
Learn about an updated set of Visual Studio 2005 wizards that automate the generation of COM shims for managed shared add-ins, with specific support for the new extensibility interfaces introduced in the 2007 Office system.
Code Sample: Developing Access 2007 Solutions with Native C/C++
These code examples provide detailed information about data access technologies to use when using native C and C++ to develop solutions against the ACE engine.
Government Resources
Developer Webcasts
Learn about the latest Microsoft development tools for public sector developers. And be sure to check out the upcoming webcast schedule. Missed a webcast that you wanted to attend? Check out our on-demand webcasts.
Brevard County Florida Boosts Citizen Satisfaction with Records Management Solution
The Permitting and Enforcement Department of Brevard County, FL was running out of space for its paper records. Electronic storage methods were inconsistent throughout the department. With a solution based on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, staff can now easily manage documents. This Citizen Service Platform solution helps them create more satisfying experiences for citizens, comply with the law, and gain business intelligence.
Palm Beach County Government Easily Archives, Accesses, Restores Terabyte of Messaging Data
Palm Beach County wanted to migrate off Novell GroupWise to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007-but it needed a comprehensive archiving solution as well. That's what it has now with Mimosa NearPoint from Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Mimosa Systems. More than a terabyte of information is readily available to end-users and administrators through simple search, restores are achieved in 15 minutes, and the county has gained a disaster recovery solution as well.
.NET Framework KB Articles
List of fixed issues in the .NET Framework 2.0 Cumulative Update
RSS Feeds
.NET Framework 2.0 | .NET Framework 1.1
Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio 2005, and Visual Studio .NET KB Articles
.NET Application may crash at startup for specific users if user.config file is corrupt
RSS Feeds
Visual Studio 2008 | Visual Studio 2005 | Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition | Visual Studio .NET 2003 | Visual Studio .NET 2002
SQL Server and Data Access KB Articles
RSS Feeds
SQL Server 2005 | SQL Server 2000 | SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services
Team Development, Source Control, and Testing KB Articles
ExpansionsXML.xml Causes Slow Visual Studio IDE Startup
Multiple vsmdi Files after Running Team Test with VSMDI file under Source Control
RSS Feeds
Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition | Visual SourceSafe 2005
Message Queuing KB Articles
RSS Feeds
Message Queuing 3.0 | Message Queuing 2.0
Visual FoxPro | XBase KB Articles
RSS Feeds
Visual FoxPro 9.0 | Visual FoxPro 8.0 | Visual FoxPro 7.0
Web Resources
SQL Server 2008 Admin Fundamentals Web Seminar Series
Available on demand, this five-part Web seminar series will focus on the admin aspects of SQL Server 2008. We will cover the basics of administrating SQL Server databases and then move on to new features of SQL Server 2008 such as policy management.
Silverlight Fundamentals Web Seminar Series
Silverlight 2 is Microsoft's next-generation plug-in technology for building rich Internet applications. In this nine-part Web seminar series we will explore the fundamentals of Silverlight applications. Each on-demand session will cover a different topic, including architecture, user interface creation, custom controls, working with data, and animation.
Developing Access 2007 Solutions with Native C or C++
Learn about the architecture of Access 2007, its new ACE engine and features, and find out what things you should consider when choosing the most optimal native data access API for your new or legacy database solution.
Consolidating Data from Multiple Worksheets into a Summary Worksheet in Excel 2007
MVP Ron de Bruin provides a number of samples to merge data from multiple worksheets into one summary worksheet.
Merging Data from Multiple Workbooks into a Summary Workbook in Excel
MVP Ron de Bruin provides a number of samples and a handy add-in to merge data from multiple workbooks located in one folder into a summary workbook. Applies to Excel 2000, XP, 2003, and 2007.
Isolating Microsoft Office Extensions with the COM Shim Wizard Version 2.3.1
Learn about an updated set of project wizards for Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Studio 2008 that automate the generation of COM shims for managed shared add-ins. Applies to Office 2000, XP, 2003, and 2007.
Creating a Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Custom Field by Using the EntityPicker
Learn to create an advanced custom field for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and use built-in search dialogs in SharePoint to your advantage.
Developing Sequential Workflows for SharePoint Server 2007 Using Visual Studio 2008
Learn to use Visual Studio 2008 to create a SharePoint Server 2007 sequential workflow with associated forms and content types to manage headcount request approvals.
Two Methods for Importing Your Zune Playlist into Excel (Part 2 of 2)
Frank Rice shows how to create a simple project in Excel 2007 that allows you to import your Zune music playlist into a worksheet by using XML and XPath.
Performance and Networking Gains with HPC Server 2008
• October 15, 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
• October 16, 7:00 P.M. Pacific Time
Learn about several of the new features and performance enhancements designed to make Windows HPC Server 2008 ideal for the most demanding research, scientific, and engineering environments.
Chapter 14: Authoring Experience Extensibility
This chapter takes the authoring experience a bit further and discusses extensibility options available to SharePoint Server 2007 developers to customize the authoring experience.
Chapter 20: Incorporating ASP.NET 2.0 Applications
This chapter covers techniques and options developers can use to incorporate custom ASP.NET 2.0 applications, when to store data in SharePoint Server 2007 lists compared to a custom database, and how to customize the navigation.
Webcast: Troubleshooting Silverlight Data Access (Level 300)
September 9, 11:30 A.M. Pacific Time
In this demo-driven webcast, we examine the common pitfalls developers face with Web services, syndicated data, and other types of data access within Microsoft Silverlight 2.
Mobile Application Development Webcast: Device Emulator and Cellular Emulator (Level 200)
September 10, 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time
We discuss the new enhancements for Device Emulator 3.0, describe how to configure it to meet your specific device requirements, and explain how to use the Cellular Emulator.
Windows Mobile Application Development Webcast: Dealing with Different Form Factors (Level 300)
September 17, 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Learn how to create a single application that can target different Windows Mobile devices with different form factors.
Webcast: Create an Outlook-like Web Mail Application with Visual WebGui and Silverlight (Level 100)
September 17, 9:30 A.M. Pacific Time
Learn how to create a Web mail application similar to Microsoft Office Outlook in no time using Visual WebGui and Microsoft Silverlight.
geekSpeak Webcast: Dynamic Languages and the DLR with Mike Vincent (Level 200)
September 10, 12:00 noon Pacific Time
Mike Vincent explains how dynamic languages like Iron Python and Iron Ruby running on the DLR give you new options when choosing the best tool for the job.
geekSpeak Webcast: Virtual Earth Development with Tyler Davey (Level 200)
September 17, 12:00 noon Pacific Time
Tyler Davey shows you how to harness the power of Microsoft Virtual Earth and provide mapping or location features in your applications.
Podcast: WCF Extensibility Deep Dive with Jesus Rodriguez (Level 400)
WMA (18MB) | MP3 (15MB)
Learn how custom channels, behaviors, operation invokers, authorization managers, and metadata extensions can be used to extend WCF effectively without affecting the consistency of the programming model, and learn best practices developers should consider to address their specific scenarios when extending WCF.
geekSpeak Podcast: Making SharePoint Not Look Like SharePoint with Paul Stork (Level 200)
WMA (17MB) | MP3 (14MB)
Paul Stork addresses how to change the look and feel of your SharePoint site to match your corporate branding.
Podcast: Bringing Enterprise Data to Life with SharePoint Server and Windows Communication Foundation (Level 300)
WMA (18MB) | MP3 (13MB)
Get an overview of using WCF for application integration with Microsoft Office client and server products. Learn how to develop Web parts that use custom adapters to access business data. Each demonstration in this webcast uses a custom WCF-based JD Edwards EnterpriseOne adapter.
Virtual Lab: Creating ASP.NET Web Applications with C# (Part 1)
Learn how to use specific controls, such as MonthCalendar and NotifyIcon, to create a Windows application using Visual Studio.
Virtual Lab: Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 Working with Schemas
Create a new BizTalk project, create an XML schema by using the BizTalk Editor, promote a schema property, create a flat file schema by using the BizTalk Editor, validate a schema and generate a sample instance message, create a strong name and assign it to an assembly, and build a schema project.
Virtual Lab: ASP.NET AJAX (Part 1 of 4), Using the Update Panel Control
Gain a better understanding of how to use UpdatePanel controls to eliminate flashing and flickering in Web pages. Become more familiar with how to use AsyncPostBackTriggers to force controls outside an UpdatePanel to trigger updates, and learn how to use UpdateProgress controls to indicate that an update is in progress.
Security for Developers
SDL and the XSS Filter
What does XSS Filter have to do with the SDL? For almost nine years, since XSS was first discovered at Microsoft, we've been trying to figure out effective ways to reduce vulnerability to XSS attacks.
Deep Fried Bytes: Talking Security with Microsoft’s Misfit Geek Joe Stagner
IE8 Security Part VI: Beta 2 Update
Trustworthy Browsing with IE8: Summary
Using RSACryptoServiceProvider for RSA-SHA256 signatures
Meter This: Practical Application of Power Drain Attack
Training
Join MSDN Ramp Up and Summit Your Career
Learn new development skills with free step-by-step training plans and premium technical content, and get valuable discounts on select certification exams and Microsoft Press training kits.
Get Trained and Certified on Microsoft Virtualization Now
There's a lot to know about virtualization. Microsoft Learning has the resources you'll need to be ahead of the game, no matter which technology you're working with.
Get Another Chance to Pass Your Certification Exam
Worried about your certification exam? Don't sweat it. If you don't pass the first time, Microsoft is giving you a second chance, free.
Learn SQL Server 2008 Online
Discover new and enhanced features in SQL Server 2008, including new data types and data management features. Register for e-learning Collection 6187, free for a limited time.
Sign Up for an ASP.NET 3.5/Visual Studio 2008 Class Today
Intensive, expert-taught, custom, hands-on classes in ASP.NET & SQL Server Reporting Services at your organization. Plus, get a 40% discount on our SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services DVD- or CD-based training courseware.
Case Studies
FedEx Enhances Access for Customers with Software Plus Services Approach
Using a software-plus-services approach and tools such as Visual Studio 2005, FedEx integrated its services with its customers' business applications by developing applications for the 2007 Microsoft Office system.
Retailer Moves from Linux/IBM to Microsoft Web and Data Solutions to Ease Management
Grocery retailer Bashas’ moved from Linux and DB2 to Windows Server 2003 and SQL Server 2005, simplifying management, reducing TCO, achieving high availability and reliability, and increasing performance of some tasks by 400 percent.
Recycling Firm's Operating Costs 20% Lower Than Competitors Due to Web System
Built on the .NET Framework and ASP.NET AJAX, First Mile's Web-hosted, low-cost operating system links customers, suppliers, operations, finance, customer service, and sales, with overheads 50% lower than its competitors.
Partner News
Crystal Reports Viewer 2008 - Free Download
This free standalone .rpt file viewer enables you to open, view, save, and explore interactive Crystal reports right from your desktop.
Create Data-Entry Forms in Minutes Using ComponentOne InputPanel
This tutorial demonstrates how to create a .NET data-entry form using ComponentOne InputPanel for WinForms.
FarPoint Releases Spread for ASP.NET 4
Spreadsheet for ASP.NET adds Excel 2007 import/export support, export to PDF, speed enhancements, and more. Download free 30-day evaluation.
Create an Outlook-like Web Mail Application in No Time
Register for this MSDN Webcast on September 17 and learn how simple creating full DHTML & Silverlight Web applications with Visual WebGui can be.
Create Your Own Silverlight Theme with Visual WebGui
Learn about the simplicity & flexibility of developing Silverlight with Visual WebGui. Download Visual WebGui for free and start developing Silverlight applications in minutes.
Free Agile Project Management Tool
Stop using spreadsheets to manage software projects. V1: Agile Team is easier and more powerful. Limited time, unlimited users - get free software.
Growing Project Needs? Grow the CMS
Sitefinity is a powerful and scalable CMS that can be heavily customized and extended through traditional .NET methods.