New Stuff

Resources for Your Developer Toolbox

Theresa W. Carey

Contents

Object Relational Mapping
Side-by-side File Comparison
Monitor Web Site Traffic
Encryption Toolkit
Compare and Synch SQL Databases
Defect Tracking and Squashing
Validate Links
Keep Up with Changing Web Standards
Defect Tracking, Server Balancing, and Beta Management
Build Management
WSDL Editor
The Bookshelf

Object Relational Mapping

Olero Software Inc. has announced the release of ORM.NET 1.2, an object relational mapping tool designed for developers using the Microsoft® .NET Framework. ORM.NET auto-generates a complete data layer object model based on your SQL database schema. The generated data layer is compiled as a run-time component and exposes all tables as classes and all columns as properties.

Using the built-in DataManager object, users can retrieve data from multiple tables based on complex criteria without using stored procedures or embedded SQL code. In addition, data updates, inserts, and deletes can be saved to the database with one call.

All SQL code is automatically implemented, making retrievals, updates, and modifying even complex relational joins easier. The resulting data layer can be used with every method and property accessible using the IntelliSense® feature that's part of Visual Studio® .NET. ORM.NET allows you to model your application using a flexible object-oriented methodology while keeping your data in a normalized relational data store.

Side-by-side File Comparison

PrestoSoft has released ExamDiff Pro 3.0, a visual file and directory comparison tool, offering visual binary file comparison, word wrap, regular expression filters, named sessions, word- and character-level diffs, and file editing. Other features include print and print preview, directory snapshots for later comparison, and plug-ins that allow the preprocessing of files before comparing them.

ExamDiff Pro also includes recursive comparisons, custom reports, file management support, drag and drop support, search and replace (with regular expression support), shell extension support, internal file editing and synchronizing, and custom color and font settings.

The program uses a double-pane view that allows for side-by-side comparisons with color-coded line numbers, indicating whether each line is added, deleted, or changed.

Monitor Web Site Traffic

LastBit Software has released TrafMeter 3.40, its Web site traffic reporting and monitoring utility. TrafMeter lets you set up an unlimited number of filters for the captured traffic, defining the network packets that are used for tracking and reporting purposes. Different rule sets can be used for single hosts, subnets, or specific groups of hosts such as for all hosts that are in your LAN or for all hosts not in your LAN.

TrafMeter also supports counting of custom IP packets with a flexible filter engine by any IP protocol or by any TCP/UDP port. TrafMeter provides real-time visual presentation of traffic activity via charts, with different colored lines representing different filters. The bandwidth of the filtered packets can also be displayed. TrafMeter can also be used as a troubleshooting tool for local networks. In addition, you can include MAC addresses from Ethernet headers and TOS field from IP headers in your traces.

TrafMeter can generate XML traffic reports for immediate viewing or store the traffic counters in a database. TrafMeter is compatible with most popular databases and allows you to exchange data between them using an ADO interface. Since the traffic reports are generated in XML, you can create reports based on traffic counters by using your custom XML stylesheets.

Encryption Toolkit

Nickellie LLC recently announced the introduction of the Nickellie Encryption Toolkit 2003, an encryption library for developers using Windows® and Pocket PC software. It includes tools needed to encrypt and decrypt data and files from within applications. The toolkit also includes COM objects with a standard interface for both the Pocket PC and Windows desktop platforms. This enables you to use the same source code on both platforms and encrypt files and data to be transmitted between Pocket PC devices, between desktop computers or servers, or between a Pocket PC and a desktop computer or server. The toolkit can be used for standalone Windows or Pocket PC applications and client/server applications.

The toolkit supports both 40-bit and 128-bit symmetric key encryption via the Microsoft Base and Enhanced Cryptographic Providers. The COM interface enables encryption from Visual Basic®, eMbedded Visual Basic, Visual C++®, and eMbedded Visual C++.

The Nickellie Encryption Toolkit includes documentation, sample code, and technical support, and is available in three editions: Trial, Business, and Unlimited.

Compare and Synch SQL Databases

Adept SQL Tools has released AdeptSQL Diff, which allows users to visually compare two Microsoft SQL Server™ databases, then produce and execute synchronization SQL scripts for a selected portion or for the whole schema. The program scans both databases and displays the combined schema tree view, with all differences marked in color. Navigating through the database schema tree, you can see SQL definitions for individual objects (tables, view, stored procedures, and so on) compared side-by-side in the larger panel to the right of the schema tree.

The schema matching engine generates effective update SQL for any schema difference you need to synchronize, trying to preserve the table data whenever possible. The generated scripts are displayed in a separate debugger-style popup window where you can edit them, execute them either uninterrupted or step-by-step, set breakpoints, turn on transactions, and roll back on errors. With a single database, you can use AdeptSQL Diff to reverse-engineer your database schema.

Defect Tracking and Squashing

MCPCentral.com is shipping OnTime Defect Tracker and Feature Management 2.0, its testing and development tool. OnTime is a .NET and SQL-based multiuser defect tracking and feature management system designed for small to mid-sized development and test teams of 5 to 100 users. The new version includes features such as role-based security, file and image attachments, additional reporting, and faster performance over the network.

With role-based security, users can be grouped according to job title, allowing for different security permissions with granular control to features such as add, edit, and delete of projects, defects, features, and users. Screenshot images and other related files can be attached to a defect or feature. OnTime can store the path to a file or it can store the entire file in the SQL Server database, making the file retrievable by any user.

The new Stamp feature inserts the date and name of the person who enters or edits an entry. The Project Summary report outlines the current state of each project. Smart client-side data caching enhancements have been added to reduce round-trips to the SQL database server. Using the optional OnTime .NET Web Services SDK, software developers can incorporate defect tracking and reporting into existing applications.

Validate Links

REL Software recently announced the availability of Web Link Validator 3.1, its management software for Webmasters and corporate IT professionals. The product is compatible with Windows 9x, Windows NT®, and Windows XP. Web Link Validator performs a thorough analysis of Web sites, including link integrity testing and analysis of slow-loading, deep, outdated, and small pages. The current version can handle Web sites containing over 100,000 links—the total number of links is limited only by available system resources.

Web Link Validator 3.1 can access secure Web sites (via HTTPS) and password-protected pages, and supports a variety of proxy servers. Reports about the checked pages can be viewed on-screen and then saved in a variety of industry-standard formats. The program's filters enable research of any occurring problems. Web Link Validator also includes the ability to check the local copies of Web sites, individual settings for each site, and its customizable interface.

Web Link Validator 3.1 can perform thorough orphan analysis, helping to find files that are not linked from any Web page and just take up disk space. The new version can handle all kinds of hyperlinks, including dynamically created ones and those coded with JavaScript and Macromedia Flash. Other features of the new version include the ability to perform form-based authentication, new reports, filters, and profile settings, and better recognition of links embedded inside all kinds of image maps, scripts, applets, and forms.

Keep Up with Changing Web Standards

Bradbury Software LLC has released TopStyle Pro 3.1, a Windows HTML, XHTML, and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) editor that allows Webmasters to comply with changing Web standards. TopStyle Pro was developed around the HTML 4.01, XHTML, and CSS standards. With its emphasis on ease of maintenance, TopStyle Pro offers support of CSS.

Using CSS, Webmasters can separate a site's design from its content, enabling them to change an entire site's colors, fonts, and other layout information by modifying a single style sheet. The program includes a Style Upgrade tool which upgrades outdated HTML, including FONT tags, to CSS. TopStyle Pro also converts HTML to XHTML. TopStyle Pro integrates with Watchfire's Bobby and with the W3C's HTML and CSS Validation Services, enabling Web authors to check their site for W3C compliance without leaving TopStyle Pro's editor.

In addition, TopStyle Pro integrates with many existing HTML editors, including Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX and HomeSite. Dreamweaver MX automatically detects the presence of TopStyle Pro and makes it the default external CSS editor.

TopStyle Pro helps you create cross-browser Web sites by including a split-screen preview which displays the same page in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Gecko (Mozilla). TopStyle Pro's Style Checker examines style sheets for cross-browser errors and identifies browser bugs that may affect their display.

Defect Tracking, Server Balancing, and Beta Management

TechExcel Inc. is shipping DevTrack 5.1, a Web-based defect- and project-tracking tool for large, distributed software development teams. DevTrack tracks and manages defects, change requests, feature enhancements, and provides workflow and process automation features, detailed searching, and reporting. This release includes a new Web portal for beta customers, support for Web server load-balancing, and automated installations and upgrades.

DevTrack 5.1's Web portal for Beta customers provides a secure and personalized Web interface to participate in the product development process. Beta customers can use the Web portal to submit and update issues, check the status of their issues, and communicate with the development and quality assurance teams.

DevTrack 5.1's multiple Web server support capability enables customers to deploy multiple Web servers, connected to the same DevTrack application server and database server, supporting hundreds of concurrent users.

Build Management

Kinook Software has released Visual Build Professional 5.0, which allows developers to create an automated, repeatable process for building and deploying software. Version 5.0 adds support for Borland Delphi and JBuilder, Perforce, SQL Server, Zip and Unzip files, generation of HTML log reports, integration with the Windows Task Scheduler and event log, script for build events, user creation of custom action screens and components, support for Unicode, as well as other new features and enhancements. Visual Build Professional runs on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.

WSDL Editor

Cape Clear Software Inc. has released a new version of its WSDL Editor. The WSDL Editor provides a graphical environment for creating and editing Web Services Description Language (WSDL), a building block of Web Services. The editor has been designed for both experienced and novice Web Services developers and works with the .NET Framework, Java, J2EE, and CORBA. This latest release adds support for building Web Services from large XML Schema.

The Bookshelf

Addison-Wesley has released a series of books intended to help programmers upgrade their skills to Visual Studio .NET 2003. Database Access with Visual Basic .NET, Third Edition by Jeffrey P. McManus and Jackie Goldstein is a guide to developing database applications using Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET. It offers real-world solutions to the data access issues developers using Visual Basic .NET face every day. Also included are in-depth explanations and numerous examples. Essential ASP.NET with Examples in C# and Essential ASP.NET with Examples in Visual Basic .NET by Fritz Onion teach developers how to most effectively use the features of ASP.NET. The books include working examples of how Web applications are built today. Also part of the series is .NET Web Services: Architecture and Implementation by Keith Ballinger. For more information about Addison-Wesley titles for programmers, visit https://www.awprofessional.com.

Send your New Stuff to Theresa at newstuff@microsoft.com.

Theresa W. Careyis a freelance writer who lives in California. Her byline has appeared in Barron's and PC World.