So as you all know I am a Non-MVP for Commerce Server 2007 however I have worked tirelessly with this server. I know a ton of the in’s and outs of the architecture and have written a good number of scripts and modified others scripts to work. Recently I have had the pleasure of making Commerce Server 2007 run (play nice) with Windows Server 2008r2. This was interesting in many many ways to which I will document down the road. For this post I wanted to share a great little script that helps with your...

This is a very short post. so bear with me. SELECT * FROM Northwind..Orders ORDER BY NEWID()The Magic here is NewID() Flickr Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL BuzzNet Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL Technorati Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL del.icio.us Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL IceRocket Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL LiveJournal Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL 43 Things Tags: NewID(), Random Records in MSSQL...

To those whom love Commerce Server 2007 as much as I do. Here is a little script to help you determine the Service Pack level of each database. use MSCS_Admin select s_PropertyName, s_Value From dbo.resourceProps This will return multiple values. This is helpful in knowing if you have Commerce Server 2007 installed correctly as well as helping you to identify the correct service pack upgrade number per database. SP1 Transaction Database = 7.0 Transaction Config Database = 7.0 Product Catalog Database...

Um so you know its your dream to use windows server 2003/2008 as your desktop Operating system right? So most of you just said no. However for the small amount that might just be curious here is a little script to stop installed server applications built into these server installs. @echo off :start set /p _input="Server? [y/n]" if %_input% equ y ( echo Starting server services… sc start HTTPFilter REM HTTP SSL sc start IISADMIN REM IIS Admin sc start lanmanserver REM Server sc start MSSQLSERVER REM...

So a couple of weeks ago I wrote about how to back up your data on a windows(XP(home and Pro) Vista (all versions)) machine. Some great little apps to backup data to external drives even to a network allocated storage device. Did you however think great I have a way to backup the data and its working however my hard drives are filling up quickly. What do I do now? Well you have options: Backup Less often (this can make things a bit interesting if you are constantly changing files and you may lose...

Being a System Administrator as well as a Web Developer I run into issues with the Mail protocol SMTP. Things hang or people want their email better formatted. Or simply test out you spam messages you are going to blast before you well blast them. Of course you run into issues like is my ports open correctly, is the SMTP server setup to block relaying? Has my domain been blacklisted from spamming? These kind of questions are important. While I can’t fix the blacklisting domain issue the rest is well...

I have been coding using Microsoft technologies for a long while. Recently I was given the chance to do a little bit of web mastering. Due to my system admin background I was most definitely game for this. Learning IIS 6.0 was not a huge leap as I had done a lot of development using IIS5.1(Windows XP Professional); however I had not as yet used Host headers in IIS (IIS 5.1 only allows for one site. I will post about that later.). This was a learning experience (Don’t even get me started on the issue...

Too Many cooks in the kitchen. When is too many developers one project a bad idea? So I had the chance to meet with some friends the other day. Of course they work as developers like me. They work for one of those companies with allot of money to throw at a web site (a == 1). I found it interesting having 20 developers writing code for a web site. They called it Agile programming or Extreme Programming (Developer Humping). The reason I called it this was as they (my friends) described agile as two...

I know what your thinking. Oh crap here he goes again with recommending tools and or services. My question is have I ever steered you wrong? Yes I normally deal in freeware tools. Mostly due to me being cheap and thinking my skills should push me past that latest issue with code. So why recommend a commercial tool? Good question. A friend recommended to me this tool. I had used tools like .net reflector to look into DLL’s to understand the application I am adding. I had heard rumor of NDepend however...

So here is a question why would you want to add your Meta Tags via code? Kinda silly right? Cause if you were a great developer you probably have a whole list of meta tags you have created for your portfolio of web sites right? Well if you are the developer who has those templates you most likely will stop reading here and think this mikedopp character is kinda wierd or is one of those "because you can" type people. I know I am adding much too much fluff to this whole entry and spending too much...

If you don't know by now you can reset your web applications and or web sites with a simple change to the web.config. For example you can FTP(if remote or hosted) to your server and edit the web.config by adding a space or removing a space. Basically you want the application your using editing with think something has changed since you touched the document. Save the form after this has happened and IIS will recycle the application / web site. This however can be tedious and just well feel like a...

This has been pooled together from a number of resources: What is ASP.NET? Microsoft ASP.NET is a server side technology that enables programmers to build dynamic Web sites, web applications, and XML Web services. It is a part of the .NET based environment and is built on the Common Language Runtime (CLR) . So programmers can write ASP.NET code using any .NET compatible language. What are the differences between ASP.NET 1.1 and ASP.NET 2.0? A comparison chart containing the differences between ASP.NET...

I am twitterpated with twitter. Ok so that is a bit strong but for some reason I am addicted to twitter. What is twitter? Well think of MSN messenger and AOL messenger mashed up with your favorite forum and walla! So what is so cool with it? Not sure. I mean to the untrained eye it looks like a bunch of people posting about what they are doing as if someone gives a ________ (enter favorite word here). It just happens to be that you invite friends to watch and listen to your tweets! Once again twitter...

I love Yahoo for this and the YUI Install it on your blog today. Yahoo Media Player. Adds audio to your site with one line of HTML Uses simple, easy-to-hack HTML instead of complicated proprietary markup, ushering in the REAL Media Web Magical floating design never gets lost, is available when you need it, gets out of your way when you don't need it Automatically finds all audio links on your page, turning your page into a playlist Plays all your blog entries with a single button click Allows you...

I believe it was Joe Levi who was running into vista vs. Visual Studio 2005 memory issues while compiling our latest build of www.lifetime.com . We both run Vista as our development environment (We watched all the sessions at mix07 and vista looked like it worked fine with Visual Studio 2005 + 2 hours of patches). We did some MSDN surfing and found a way to clear the memory within Windows Vista ( basically it kills all idle running applications). Here is how: Create a shortcut: Add Location of Shortcut:...

Getting back into the swing of things post MIX08. On another note. I have disabled my comments and track backs until further notice. Reason was over 3-4000 spam comments were effecting my database and slowing down my site. So please if you were offended I have been working to stay clear of the crap and deliver less crappy posts. On to the links: How to get Vista Breadcrumbs for Windows XP - Thinktechno.com 403day - An arrogant initiative in defense of the web Captain Obvious Mixtapes Public Domain...

Download Video FeedSync (Project) Astoria Offline (Project) Take Data offline? Alter Remote Offline Data and use FeedSync to update when connected. Reasons: App availability Network Utilization Lower costs Leverage client UI Leverage Service Extend for collaboration Flexible: Write a provider for Service Desktop Devices Protocols extensions Metadata Handles arbitrary topology peer to peer mesh and point to point Layers: End to End Solutions Ado.NET Sync Astoria Offline Protocol and Store Providers...

Atom Syndication Format IETF RFC 4287 XML format Organized in feeds, entries and links Extensible data and metadata Atom Publising Protocol IETF RFC 5023 Protocol for publishing and editing resources Represents over HTTP Simple RESTful interaction model Demo Photos: https://cumulus.services.li... -Authorization via LiveID http://dev.live.com/liveid -Browse and create folders and photos Folders/Photos as Atom feeds and entries Photos are Atom "media link entries" <feed>...

http://www.hanselman.com scotths@microsoft.com New web project type for asp.net More control over your </html> Testable framework Not for everyone Master Cheif GU! .NET 3.5 MVC web application template. Options: Enable testing right out the gate. NVUnit or any Unit. No testing option System.Web.MVC System.Web.Extension System.Web.Routing [Namespace] Controllers Models and Views Controller is a base class Index and about public class's {controller/action} Direct relationship. Flexible Fundamental,...

Using new features in .NET 3.5 Framework. blogs.msdn.com/justinsmith What in .NET 3.5 for services: The New HTTP Programming model: New support JSON Services Syndication in .NET 3.5 Service Stack Evolution -Sockets->HttpListener-&... WCF one stop shop for services Myth:WCF is only for enterprise services Reality:WCF gets around(enterprise and web) .NET 3.5 WCF web-centric upgrades: Make REST a 1st class citizenish Embrace SOAP-less representations JSON messaging capabilities...

Microsoft Data Platform Rich data services from SQL Server Using of course SOAP REST and APP within SQL Server SSDS. Live contacts has ADO.NET Connections... SYNC Framework synchronize contacts between endpoints. pulling or GET from url into xml or web service. Metadata file with Vcard info. No invoke needed within browser just service on box? SQL Server Data Services: Application Agility Scales without limits Business Ready SLA Scalable or downgradable to 2005 or 2000? SQL Server Data Services Layers:...

I have a ton of video from the keynote. However it is all grainy and well even Microsoft expressions is have a hard time with it. So I will try to get some better pictures. A couple of great apps that have been discovered: cetwit- windows mobile twitter application feedslide - One click application for turning rss feeds into jpegs for zune or ipod. Images from the Luxor. Had to add Yesterdays lunch. Yes I twitter. Maybe too much. Technorati Tags: Mix08,MIX,mikedopp.com,micr... technologies,silverlight,si...

I am a huge fan of Pablo Castro(the presenter). Astoria has become ADO.NET Data Services Framework. Data in the web: Ajax applications Silverlight applications Online Services Mashups Restful Interface for Data: Just Http Data as resources, HTTP methods to act on it. Uniform URL syntax Every piece of info is addressable Multiple representation Use regular HTTP content-type negotiation Atom, JSON, Plain XML Book: Restful Web Services Drill down data using Astoria(http request or get) Model and Operation...

Long name good times. Topics: Delivery mechanisms Hands on encoding Best practices Goals: Deliver content(compelling) Maximize ROI for encoding. Two most common audio/video delivery Progressive download Streaming real time without caching Progessive download: Pros: Easy management and config Lower server resource usage Supports Secure sockets Layer(SSL) Firewalls Cons: No Live No advanced No buffer Streaming Download: Pros: Basic and advanced media features Bandwidth optimization Enables Live broadcasting...

So I have extra batteries on hand. Ready for the love of Silverlight2. Getting Video and trying to encode as fast as I can for the streaming. Woooh! Mix08. See the twitter feed for instant updates. www.twitter.com/mikedopp. Ray Ozzie Main points in keynote:Content, Commerce, Community. Making cracks about the yahoo purchase or working on purchase. Media Zune, PC, Xbox360 working better together. Xbox360 might finally get a the web? Microsoft going google docs with word excel and such Office Live...

So breakfast was good. Microsoft really finds great catering. Plenty of meat and well I am praying that was yogurt. Anyway working up an appetite for a keynote I will post as the goodness arrives. I am hoping silverlight 2 is all that it is billed up to. Ladies and Gentlemen by Saliva Anyway Mix it up! Technorati Tags: Mix08,MIX,mikedopp.com,micr... gu,web technologies,silverlight,si... LiveJournal Tags: Mix08,MIX,mikedopp.com,micr... gu,web technologies,silverlight,si...

Man my feet are killing me. Walked all over vegas(ok only about 3 blocks) gathering images for the silverlight contest that Wintellect threw for our first day here at mix08. Here is some of the killer stuff give at the event. Seen here was the silverlight "faucet" Seen here was joe levi with the silverlight "flame" Seen here was the Silverlight "quicksilver" Seen here was the Silverlight "Slot Machine" Seen here Silverlight! The silver Christopher Columbus? Ah silver water... Making bronze into silver....

Simple and Pretty Cool. Originally Posted on mikedopp.net <a id="login-link" href="javascript:showLogin(... <div id="login-panel" style="visibility: hidden;"> <fieldset onkeydown="checkForEnter();... <label> UserName: <input type="text" id="userName" /></label> <label> Password:<input type="password" id="password" /></label> <label class="checkbox" for="rememberMe"> <input type="checkbox" id="rememberMe" checked="checked"...

It is tax time again. Barring a Tax audit. It means tax returns for most of us hard working Americans. The question is how much are you going to pay to have your tax forms filled out for you? Because lets face it. Who has time and the energy to do it themselves? Yes your CPA and or H and R block but they typically charge you. Then there is Turbotax but who wants to pay 30 dollars without support? Why not go free and no support. That's the true D.I.Y. way. A brilliant excel guru (I want to say developer)...

So long ago and many many times infinity(2nd grade reference there). I downloaded the Internet. Any cool app I found. Some I wish I had kept. I then found myself in a pickle when the downloaded software had been updated or duplicated in another folder so I had multiple copies of different versions (good or bad) and no way to keep track of any of them. So I found Dupelocater.exe. Drag folders from Windows Explorer into the DupeLocater.exe window and press Search. When finished, drag the report duplicates...

To help clear up confusion on how to write against the Paypal SDK: Update to the PayFlowPro issues with Paypal. First and foremost Paypal support is awesome. Second the PayPal Developer Community needs some work from my perspective. While Admin_ToddS was right. It was like pulling teeth to get info. Also they seriously need to rebuild the SDK with better documentation. Perhaps I will take it upon myself to push a better SDK out next post. Here is the code I ended up using as you will see it was much...

A long time ago in a remote windows 95 machine I had a cool little game called Scorched Earth. Scorched Earth is one of many games in the loose genre of "turn-based artillery games". Such games are among the earliest computer games, with versions existing for mainframes with only teletype output. Scorched Earth, with a plethora of weapon types and power-ups, is considered the modern archetype of its format, on which the popular Worms, Hogs of War and GunBound games are based. Its slogan, "The Mother...

Joe Beat me to the post. I am going to be in Las Vegas Nevada for MIX08 This year listening to Steve Balmer. I will be pulling my hair out getting all 5 projects in test before I step on the plane however It will be awesome. Thanks, Steve and John mix•ti•fy [micks-tuh-fahy] — verb (used with object), -fied, -fy•ing. 1. to share with everyone you know the coolness that is MIX08! 2. to download the latest and greatest MIX stuff by checking back here often! — Related forms mix•ti•fi•ca•tion, noun mix•ti•fied•ly,...

The Question is why and the answer is: Please be better than Vista! Notice how much it still looks like Vista however you would have to expect that. Start Menu PowerShell Display Properties Control Panel Desktop Welcome Center System Tray. LiveJournal Tags: Windows 7, Windows Milestone1, mikedopp, mikedopp.com, Leaked, Screenshots, happiness, Windows, Vista BuzzNet Tags: Windows 7, Windows Milestone1, mikedopp, mikedopp.com, Leaked, Screenshots, happiness, Windows, Vista Flickr Tags: Windows 7, Windows...

So I was surfing Youtube for my latest and greatest music videos when I got the urge to see if anyone had posted some interesting videos on Rockband. Rock Band Drums on the PC. To my suprise I found this dude had put together an app to use your drums that are included with the Rockband game on you pc. This is so cool. I can now play the drums record my session and share it with the world via Youtube or your favorite video site. Another great how to get windows xp to recognize your usb drumset head...

Remember when I talked about a free game will be given out for lack of network performance from Microsoft? Well without much fanfare Microsoft decided the game: "Undertow" would be the freebie. I understand that the game will only be available until tomorrow **unconfirmed**. So get it fast before its not free. del.icio.us Tags: Undertow,Xbox360,Xbox 360,mikedopp.com,mikedopp,h... Live,Interesting Technorati Tags: Undertow,Xbox360,Xbox 360,mikedopp.com,mikedopp,h...

I was pondering late last night how can I get along with the new Zune software. No more name calling and bashing the moderators at Zune.net forums. I needed to be a responsible Zunian(no I am not an alien. Just of Zune citizenship) and do more investigating. Here is how the XML is laid out for both the Windows media playlist file and the Zune Media Playlist file. Here is what I found: Windows Media Playlist or WPL <?wpl version="1.0"?> <smil> <head> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft...

So I get this email. I forgot/lost the sa password. What to do? So I scrub the google database. Looking for an answer: Source Forgot or lost your sa password? Don't worry, there is a way out. Login to the SQL Server computer as the Administrator of that computer. Open Query Analyzer and connect to SQL Server using Windows NT authentication. Run sp_password as show below to reset the sa password: sp_password @new = 'will_never_forget_again', @loginame = 'sa' Technorati Tags: SQL 2000, MSSQL, Microsoft,...

I was going through all my old backups and laughing at some of the old software I thought was important. I noticed allot of cool stuff I had long past forgotten. So to define Retro would be "its old to me" so that makes it retro. I hope you guys enjoy this I will make a feed of it and post hopefully every Wednesday. Some of this software may or may not work on your pc. I hardly remember the system requirements but I will do my best to give detailed info on how to run it. Enjoy! This Week we start...

When your ASP.net App has been deployed make sure you turn off debugging. Flip the bit from: <compilation debug="true"> to: <compilation debug="false"> A little speed and performance enhancement. Enjoy

So I finally convinced the rest of the developers and database admins to use subsonic and all the fast sweet love that comes with it. However I ran into a snag when trying to setup multiple databases using subsonic. Maybe I should clarify: <SubSonicService Default""> <providers> <clear/> <add name="DefaultDB" type="SubSonic.SqlDataProvi... SubSonic" connectionStringName="Conne... generatedNamespace="Default... <add name="DefaultDB2" type="SubSonic.SqlDataProvi...

So I was looking at woot a while back and I got a two for tuesday.I was excited to get the packages. I opened them up with great anticipation.Read the instructions and grabbed the driver cd and lo and behold it was blank? Surely this cant be on both products right? Sure enough both were blank cd's. So I went to adaptec's support site and there was no drivers ugh. So I googled. I could not find these drivers anywhere. I did however find these on a ftp site that I have lost the link to. Have a look...

So I have been a System Admin and Web Master and Web Developer for well over 10years and I am always looking for a better way of doing things. Mostly it means modding whatever software or hardware to follow my rules. Some of the greater issues especially when you are a windows system admin you run into heavy uses on servers and cleaning up orphaned processes and or memory leaks caused by buggy code. I guess what I am getting at is I have been using a little tool that helps me automate those pesky...

Here is a list of ping servers for your blog: Special thanks to joelevi for most of these. Let me know if you have more... http://www.joelevi.com http://www.technorati.com http://www.digg.com http://rpc.technorati.com/r... http://rpc.pingomatic.com/ http://api.feedster.com/ping http://api.moreover.com/RPC2 http://api.my.yahoo.com/RPC2 http://xping.pubsub.com/ping/ http://ping.blo.gs/ http://ping.feedburner.com http://ping.syndic8.com/xml... http://ping.weblogalot.com/... http://rpc.blogrolling.com/...

Random collection of FUN programming language costumes Desktop app for your twitter make me your friend "mikedopp" Wordpress customizer LinkedIn a box Add This functionality for your web site(digg, Reddit etc...) Online web 2.0 Generators T-shirt wifi detector we feel fine Blog o' the day and the shameless plug of the week: Buylifetime.com/resinshed.aspx if you would like a shameless plug of the week. Please send me the link. ~Mike...

FUN HALO3 Love Kill the Blue Bunnies If Yall want to update your Windows XP! Like Alternative music? Try Radio From HELL! <!--Direct link to online streaming radio Need to open a port find out which one! FTP Love NOT! Create a Gravatar Best Vista Skin for Firefox Free mind mapping as if you really wanted to pay for it. Where have you worked or work? Fun little extra media player visuals. .NET/Web Design Man in Blue <--Excellent Javascript Guru Create a ASP.net Blog PageComments ASP.nEt Create...

I know, I know I love google too. However I am also a microsoft junkie. Never did like msn search much. I do however love Tafiti.com maybe cause it reminds me of tahiti somehow. Anyway the coolest looking search engine tafiti has gone halo 3 check it out and the screenshots...