Web Tech

ASP.NET AJAX client-script intelliSence suppport in Visual Studio 2008

Saqib Ullah — Wed, 28 May 2008 01:32:47 GMT

Lot geeks facing this problem, how to enable intellisence support in Visual Studio 2008 of ASP.NET AJAX client-script. Actually by default only JavaScript native intellisence support is available in Visual Studio 2008. Follow the Following steps to enable ASP.Net AJAX Client-script intellisence.

Steps

1. Create Web Project in Visual Studio 2008.
2. Add Script Manager Control from toolbar on Default.aspx page.
3. Goto Script View and write the following function.

Google Should Take This Service

Saqib Ullah — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:43:18 GMT

Reading articles, news and blogs in their native language should be more understand and productive rather than reading it in English. Translation of pages is already done by Google but with no precise grammar manipulation and checking. Mr. Zeeshan Ahmed, who left their job and started building his own raft two years ago, has come up with brilliant product PakTranslations.com. This is a free text and free website translation service mean that I can simply provide a link from my site make my site more accessible to local readership. This service is still in beta. Now I can reads more articles and news in Urdu language like msdn.com.

Microsoft Sync Framework (MSF)

Saqib Ullah — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:55:46 GMT

Another Microsoft step toward the synchronization of data I think it’s a great technology on Microsoft platform. It’s a comprehensive synchronization platform independent from any data type, any data store and transfer protocol and network topology. Microsoft Sync Framework will be ship with Visual Studio 2008 with other technologies like Language Integrated Query (LINQ), Tools for Microsoft Office and multi supported .Net Framework version.
Microsoft Sync Framework provides a platform that support both online and offline development. According to Microsoft this platform allow developer can build sync ecosystems that integrate any application, with any data from any store using and protocol over any network. The Microsoft Sync Framework includes all of the things required to integrate applications into an offline or collaboration based network, using the pre-created providers or writing new custom providers. Providers enable any data source to participate in data synchronization regardless of network or device type.

An Exception 'System.TypeInitializationExpection' has occurred

Saqib Ullah — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 02:46:26 GMT

Yesterday when one of my team members opens his project in Visual Studios 2005 he is getting very strange exception.

Exception:
An Exception 'System.TypeInitializationExpection' has occurred in XXXXXXXX-X-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Replace X’s with chars and its different on every machine.

Click OK and Visual Studio 2005 is shutdown. Everyone in my team scratch their heads oooooooH! my God what the matter it is. Our project is integrated with Visual Source Safe and every one opens the project from VSS. After checking some files in VSS we found that web.config is updated with the following block of code actually we open tracing in our project

Actual Web.Config file

<system.diagnostics>
<trace autoflush="true" indentsize="2" />
<listners>
<remove name="Default"/>
<add name="TestTrace" type="System.Diagnostics.TextWriterTraceListener, System, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" initializeData="ASHWeb.log" />
</listners>
</system.diagnostics>

There is one bug in the above snippets we actually forget to close <trace autoflush="true"> after </listners>.

Updated Web.Config file:

system.diagnostics>
<trace autoflush="true" indentsize="2">
<listners>
<remove name="Default"/>
<add name="TestTrace" type="System.Diagnostics.TextWriterTraceListener, System, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" initializeData="ASHWeb.log" />
</listners>
</trace>
</system.diagnostics>

Save the web.config file in notepad and open the project in Visual Studio 2005 and this time my project load successfully.

Note:
If you want to test this scenario in your project may be you didn’t get any exception because your project is not integrated with Visual Source Safe this exception occurs only when project integrated with VSS.

DLinq Designer Bug

Saqib Ullah — Fri, 25 May 2007 05:19:12 GMT

In my pervious blog we saw the sqlmetal.exe utility that is use to generate data model class for my LINQ data class. There is another way to generate data model by using a very cool Designing tool called DLinq Designer. By the help DLinq Designer we can easily generate data model class for LINQ, DLINQ by simply drag and drop tables from Server Explorer.

Testing Windows Application

· Choose File->New Project within Visual Studio and navigate to the "LINQ Preview" node in the project-type tree-explorer. Then select the "LINQ Windows Application" project icon and create a new LINQ enabled Windows Application.

· Right Click on the solution and select Add->New Item from the context menu. Select DLinqObjects and give name LINQTest.cs

· Drag and drop sample LINQ database tables from Server Explorer to DLinq Designer.

Fig. 1 Linq Designer

· Save the designer file Visual Studio automatically generate partial classes of respective tables and create their associations automatically.

· Open the Linq.cs from Solution Explorer that is generated by DLinq Designer and see the patient partial class. LINQ, DLINQ maintain the relationship between two entities by the new generic type called EntitySet<T> .and EntityRef<T>

Create RelationShip:

The steps to implement relationships between entity classes are as follows:

1. Add an EntitySet<T> private field in the parent entity class to collect the objects belonging to the child entity class.

2. Add the property that encapsulates the access to this private field. Additionally, we have to add the Association decoration to specify some properties, such as the relation name and the keys involved in the relation.

3. Add the initialization of this private field using its two parameter constructor.

4. Add an EntityRef<T> private field in the child entity class to retrieve the instance of the parent entity object.

5. Add the property that encapsulates the access to this private field. Again, we have to add the Association attribute to the property.

Code:

Following codes produced by the DLinq designer tool.

[System.Data.DLinq.Table(Name="Patient")]

public partial class Patient : System.Data.DLinq.INotifyPropertyChanging, System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged

{

private string _Name;

....

private System.Data.DLinq.EntitySet<Patient_Session> _Patient_Sessions;

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]

public Patient() {

this._Patient_Sessions = new System.Data.DLinq.EntitySet<Patient_Session>(

new System.Data.DLinq.Notification<Patient_Session>(this.Attach_Patient_Sessions), new System.Data.DLinq.Notification<Patient_Session>(this.Attach_Patient_Sessions))

;}

{

.... Details Omitted for Brevity

}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]

[System.Data.DLinq.Column(Name="Name", Storage="_Name", DBType="nvarchar")]

public virtual string Name {

get {

return this._Name;

}

set {

if ((this._Name != value)) {

this.OnPropertyChanging("Name");

this._Name = value;

this.OnPropertyChanged("Name");

}

{

.... Details Omitted for Brevity

}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]

private void Attach_Patient_Sessions(Patient_Session entity) {

this.OnPropertyChanging(null);

entity.Patient = this;

this.OnPropertyChanged(null);

}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]

private void Detach_Patient_Sessions(Patient_Session entity) {

this.OnPropertyChanging(null);

entity.Patient = null;

this.OnPropertyChanged(null);

}

Generation Bug:

In the above code you have noticed that EntitySet<Patient_Session> constructor take this.Attach_Patient_Sessions in both parameters which is wrong, so second parameter should be this.Detach_Patient_Sessions. One thing that I want to mention here is EntitySet<T> constructor accept System.Data.DLinq.Notification object.

Solution:

You have to change it manually to pass the Detachdelegate name as the second agrument.

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]

public Patient() {

this._Patient_Sessions = new System.Data.DLinq.EntitySet<Patient_Session>(

new System.Data.DLinq.Notification<Patient_Session>(this.Attach_Patient_Sessions), new System.Data.DLinq.Notification<Patient_Session>(this.Detach_Patient_Sessions))

;}

Can a developer become a software architect?

Saqib Ullah — Wed, 23 May 2007 22:45:37 GMT

Microsoft gives the answer of the above question in the form of new web site that totally focuses on software architects and architecture. According to Microsoft its place where you find the answers of your all questions. This site basically focuses on software architecture design and gives direction to become new architects. Skyscrapr start with the architecture basis and broaden into three major areas solutions, Infrastructure and Enterprise.

· Architecture Basics

· Solutions Architecture

· Infrastructure Architecture

· Enterprise Architecture

http://www.skyscrapr.net

More on LINQ

Saqib Ullah — Wed, 23 May 2007 02:23:12 GMT

In my last blog we saw Microsoft LINQ and its LINQ to Object part and we also saw some small code snippet of LINQ to Object. One thing that I feel if you want to superior command on LINQ so you must have a good understanding of Anonymous types, Extension methods, Lambda expressions and Expression trees all are new feature of C# 3.0. Today I write small code snippet that use LINQ to SQL (formerly Dlinq).

Before LINQ I use pure ADO.Net classes to write code that brings my required data.

// Specify the connection to the MS SQL Express database

SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection("Data Source=SU\\SQLExpress;Initial Catalog=LINQ;Integrated Security=SSPI;");

SqlCommand salesCommand = new SqlCommand("select * from patient",con);

salesCommand.CommandType = CommandType.Text;

con.Open();

SqlDataReader reader = salesCommand.ExecuteReader();

//Read and Print All records

while (reader.Read())

{

Debug.WriteLine(reader[0].ToString() + " " + reader[1].ToString());

}

//Close Reader and Connection objects

reader.Close();

con.Close();

Before I dive into the coding of LINQ one thing that I want to mention here is LINQ to SQL implement IQueryable<T> interface to convert query expressions into Expression trees, which it transforms into SQL statements. Existing ADO.Net 2.0 classes are totally integrated with LINQ to SQL and easily plug with existing program and applications. One thing about which I am worry is LINQ to SQL only support for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and 2005. Still there are no provider frameworks available for other databases.

DataContext:

DataContext provided a bridge between application and database. DataContext class is the heart of DLINQ. The DataContext is the main object through which you retrieve objects from the database and submit changes back. It translates application request into SQL queries.

Data Access Layer:

LINQ require a special data layer that communicate between database and LINQ application and this layer called DLINQ layer. There are three different approaches to create DLINQ layer.

Create class that extended DataContext class
Use DLINQ Visual Designer
Use command line utility called sqlmetal.exe

Object Model:
There are two ways to create object model that maps to the relation data.

· Create classes with mapping attributes that tell where and how should it store database. This is refer to attributes base mapping

· It is also possible for you to specify the mapping using an extenal XML file

You can use any approach for object model, both approaches has same performance effects.

Sqlmetal Utility

LINQ to SQL provide us a command line utility called Sqlmetal.exe and you find sqlmetal utility in the “Drive_Name\Program Files\LINQ Preview\Bin” folder. By the help of sqlmetal you generate entity classes, properties and their association. One important thing that I should mention is sqlmetal.exe utility generate object model both in class file and in xml file.

Sqlmetal.exe /server:su\SQLExpress /database:LINQ /code:LINQ.cs

generate mapping class file name LINQ.cs

Sqlmetal.exe /server:su\SQLExpress /database:LINQ /xml.LINQMeta.xml

generate mapping XML file name LINQMeta.xml

Fig 1. LINQ Database diagram.

LINQTestPage

public partial class LINQTestPage : System.Web.UI.Page

{

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

This code snippet fetches records that lay in department “Cardio” or 3. Here GetQueryText method is used for print the SQL statement that sends by the LINQ to database.

// Specify the connection to the MS SQL Express database

string conn = "Data Source=Saqib\\SQLExpress;Initial Catalog=LINQ;Integrated Security=SSPI;";

LINQ obj = new LINQ(conn);

var q = from d in obj.Doctor

where d.Departmet_Id == 3

orderby d.Id descending

select d;

// Print the SQL send to database

Debug.WriteLine(obj.GetQueryText(q));

Debug.WriteLine("++++++Doctor++++++");

foreach(var c in q)

{

// Print all records

Debug.WriteLine(c.Name.Trim() + " " + c.Department.Name.ToString()

+ " " + c.Gender.Trim());

}

The following code snippet add a record in doctor table. For this first I create object of Doctor class and set its properties and pass the doc object to the Add method of Doctor entity and call the SubmitChanges() of DataContext. Here SubmitChanges() method will contact the database and will execute the SQL statement.

//Add New Record

Doctor doc = new Doctor();

doc.DepartmentId = 2;

doc.Name = "Saqib Ullah";

doc.Gender = "Male";

obj.Doctor.Add(doc);

obj.SubmitChanges();

The following code snippent update existing record in patient table. Here we use Lamda expression in Single method that fetch single record.

//Modify the Record

var patient = obj.Patient.Single(p => p.Id == 1);

patient.Name = "Azhar";

obj.SubmitChanges();

The following code snippent remove record from patient table.

//Remove Patient Record

Patient pp = new Patient();

pp.Id = 4;

obj.Patient.Remove(pp);

obj.SubmitChanges();

}

In above code snippets we have seen add, update and remove operations on doctor and patient tables. Actually LINQ DataContext makes our job easier and act like a Unit of Work.

I am move to Mac platform thanx Microsoft

Saqib Ullah — Thu, 03 May 2007 01:03:31 GMT

I am continue from my last blog about new Microsoft platform Yes I am talking about Sliverlight.

What's clear is that Silverlight is not simply a media play. Instead, Microsoft is aiming to take its managed code environment to the broader Internet. With Silverlight as a target, .NET developers can use the same skills (and much of the same code) that they employ to build Windows applications to build rich Internet applications. Also announced was the Microsoft Silverlight Streaming service, a free online hosting service that will allow developers to serve their Silverlight content off Microsoft servers at no charge. Obviously, the service is an effort to nudge Silverlight out of its cage and get it into the wild. In short Microsoft developers use the same capability to program against Silverlight for both Windows and Mac environments.

According to Mr. C.S.A Ray Ozzie Sliverlight will be integrated into .Net framework. One more thing according to him I want to mention here.

"Microsoft new language querying capabilities yes LINQ is also integrated with Sliverlight."

JavaScript In Orcas

Saqib Ullah — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 04:14:21 GMT

Hello folks I want to share my new experience of development. Microsoft again come with great Integrated Development Environment (IDE), yes I am talking about the new release of March CTP of Visual Studio Orcas. One good feature that I found in Orcas is support of JScript debugging that improve the development time. New vanilla feature of coding is available in Orcas.

Fig 1. Declare JavaScript function in Orcas.

Fig 2. Debugging in Orcas

We can now write code more easily with asp files, html files and even with the external JavaScript files in Visual Studio Orcas with the full support of Intellisense. Documentation of methods is also available now. I want to add one last thing and i.e. Intellisence support is also now available for JavaScript which was not supported earlier.

Inbox Pakistan To Build Laptops

Saqib Ullah — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:39:13 GMT

Blogger Mohtashim has reported that Inbox Pakistan will build laptops for AIOU.