DataAccess Application Block for .NET

Yes, its there for long time. But, just for new commers in .NET can read this Data Access Application Block for .NET and use it in their applications as a wrapper class for communicating with SqlServer from ADO.NET absed applications.

Data Access Architecture Guide from Microsoft...

A nice guide for .NET Data Access Architecture. Ivent seen this much of details available in a single page. Its really amazing that these kind of info. are available in MSDN.

ODP.NET Vs Microsoft .NET Data Provider for Oracle - Which one to use ?

Want to use Oracle as your DB for a .NET application, but confused of which one to use for connecting with Oracle DB. Its whether ODP.NET / Microsoft .NET Data Provider for Oracle. The article will clear your doubts. But, my personal experience / sugession is if you've plans to make your .NET application to support multiple DataBase without much change in .NET code, then you can use Microsoft .NET Data Provider for Oracle. If your .NET application is going to use only Oracle as its DB and want to finetune and utilise more of Oracle features, then you need to use ODP.NET provided by Oracle. But, keep in mind, current ODP.NET can be used if your Oracle version is above Oracle 9. If its Oracle 8, then you've to use Microsoft provided one.

Want to check whats there in Edit & Continue in C# ?

Edit & Continue is a new feature available in VS.NET Express Editions and All other Editions. With this feature in the IDE, we can change the code and still see the changes in Runtime. But, we can't change the method parameters / add new methods. Just have a look at the MSDN article about the Edit & Continue feature in C# here.

What is Messaging ? What's MSMQ ? Whats new in MSMQ 3.0 ?

You all might be working in ASP.NET applications day in and day out. But, some Enterprise Applications (though its few in the .NET world. Yes, its very few in ASP.NET. Atleast not like J2EE world) which are under development in ASP.NET might use Message Queue / MSMQ 2.0. But, lot more things are comming in MSMQ 3.0. But, before getting into whats there in MSMQ as of now, just read this article and try the samples. Its a good startup to read this SourceForge.net MSMQ artilce for getting started with MSMQ with .NET. MSMQ 3.0 can also be configured to use HTTPS for messaging. Microsoft has given a document on how to Configuring HTTPS Messaging for Message Queuing (MSMQ) 3.0 You can get more info in MSMQ in the Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Center.

IBM & Microsoft - WebSphere (J2EE) Vs. .NET !

Recently TheServerSide.NET and TheServerSide.COM released a study report on performance and few findings about Web Application's developed using IBM WebSphere J2EE server Vs .NET. Now, IBM came out commenting that their platform is not used properly and Microsoft replied to that stating the authenticity of the study. Ivent tested both, so i can't comment. But read the study and comments about the study. You too can do it. Its here in TheServerSide.com.

Dynamic Validation Controls in ASP.NET

Want to validate in ASP.NET. Yes, you can use Validation Controls. But, how to create dynamically the Validation Controls. Just have a look at this MSDN Article.

Envy about the DetailsView in ASP.NET 2.0 and want one to use in ASP.NET 1.1 itself ?

Envy about the DetailsView in ASP.NET 2.0 and want one to use in ASP.NET 1.1 itself ? Have a look at this MSDN Article.

Data Binding in Avalon !

Its not that much easier like ASP.NET / WinForms databinding in Avalon. I feel so after reading this artilce. What do you think.

Macromedia Flex 1.5 is out there guys !

Oh. Xamel / XAML comes only with Longhorn. ASP.NET / JSP / Java Server Faces / PHP / CGI, what else, dont provide rich UI without much downloading time. Yes, for a Thin Client with Rich UI requirement, go and have a look at Macromedia Flex 1.5. MXML / Flex can have J2EE for its backend processing. But, in the Browser, i.e. IE / Netscape, it will produce the UI in Macromedia Flash. So, you require only Macromedia Flash plug-in, which is available in 98% of the browsers all over the world. Support for .NET in the server side is also planned by Flex guys.

Edit & Continue in VS.NET 2005 C# also !

Yahooooooooo ! Its official now, that Edit and Continue is available for C# also in Visual Studio .NET 2005... But, What yar but ? Its available for WinForms development in both VB.NET and C#, not for ASP.NET. Ohhhhhhhhh ! Wait. ASP.NET team thought that its already processing too much during debugging ASP.NET applications, if you include E&C also in ASP.NET, then, it will be too heavy for the debugger. But, ASP.NET team feels that, E&C may not required for ASP.NET, why because, in ASP.NET 2.0, there wont be any compiled assembly (i.e. dll placed in the /bin directory of the virtual dir.) while you debug / run a web app. in vs.net 2005, its all compiled and placed in the asp.net temp. directory only. So, you can change the code and just press F5 / Refresh in the browser, the changes can be seen in the browser. Oh. Its really cool no. Just read what everyone feels about the C# team lead 'somasegar' announcement about the C# E&C in his weblog.

What to convert a java jar file to .net Assembly / vice versa ?

IKVM is there. Just have a look at here about IKVM. Using this you can convert a java jar file to a .net assembly or convert a .net assembly to a java jar file.

What to know whoose blog to watch than mine to get latest info about Microsoft guys ?

What to know whoose blog to watch than mine to get latest info about Microsoft guys ? Just follow this link. You can see M$ guys blog links who are behind Microsoft tools/software are under development / about to release / beta software.

ASP.NET 2.0 QuickStart !

Are you getting bored to read articles about ASP.NET 2.0 / .NET 2.0, want to run some samples and see code. Its here. Just have a look at the ASP.NET 2.0 QuickStart. QuickStart Home is here.

How cool if Google can search your Desktop ?

Yes, Its out in Beta now. Download and install the tiny software. It'll start indexing your HardDisk for 4 to 5 hrs. when your system is idle and then, Happy Searching your HardDisk with Google Desktop.

ASP.NET Web Casts !

M$ has launched a website for viewing the WebCasts at all levels of ASP.NET developers. Just register and get more details about ASP.NET

A Data mapping tool for .NET - iBATIS.NET 1.0 Data Mapping Tool !

This article gives a brief idea about the iBATIS.NET 1.0 Data Mapping Tool which has been released recently. Have a look on it. But, its similar to the one which M$ is about to launch in .NET 2.0 ver, which is called as ObjectSpaces, I believe. But, i doubt, whether this ObjectSpaces will be released, cos, there is no information in this TechEd 2004 or neither in ASP.NET / MSDN websites. Lets see. For, J2EE folks, its just similar to Oracle 9i TopLink, which Oracle recently acquired to add it in its Oracle 9i stack one year back.

Few new features in ASMX 2

Some of the new features in ASMX 2 are discussed in this blog post.

C# Compiler Optimizations in Visual Studio .NET 2005

Have a look at this article in TheServerSide.NET which talks about the C# Compiler Optimizations in Visual Studio .NET 2005.

Want to communicate with Mainframe from .NET ?

There is an easy way with GT Software tool Ivory which is a Server bundled with a development studio thru which you can communicate with Mainframe systems using WebServices. It can be used to connect from .NET / J2EE and get data from Mainframe systems.

What is good and What is bad about ASMX 1 Vs. ASMX 2 ?

The article gives a glimpse about what is good and what is lacking in ASMX 1 Vs. ASMX 2.

Canonical Naming. Whats it ? But, it creates some security Issues in ASP.NET !

A security vulnerability in ASP.NET has been identified that could allow an attacker to gain access to secured content. This issue centers around how ASP.NET locates files based on file names sent as part of a server request. Microsoft has issued a recommendation to add a check for this attack to your Global.asax file.

What is canonicalization?
Canonicalization is the process by which various equivalent forms of a name can be resolved to a single standard name, or the "canonical" name. For example, on a specific computer, the names c:\dir\test.dat, test.dat, and ..\..\test.dat might all refer to the same file. Canonicalization is the process by which such names are mapped to a name that is similar to c:\dir\test.dat.

To resolve this issue, Microsoft recommends that ASP.NET web developers implement the following code snippet within the Global.asax file.

For VB.NET, add the below code in script runat=server.
Global.asax code sample (Visual Basic .NET)

Sub Application_BeginRequest(Sender as Object, E as EventArgs)
If (Request.Path.IndexOf(chr(92)) >= 0 OR _
System.IO.Path.GetFullPath(Request.PhysicalPath) <> Request.PhysicalPath) then
Throw New HttpException(404, "Not Found")
End If
End Sub

For C#, add the below code in script runat=server.
Global.asax code sample ( C#)

void Application_BeginRequest(object source, EventArgs e)
{
if (Request.Path.IndexOf('\\') >= 0 ||
System.IO.Path.GetFullPath(Request.PhysicalPath) != Request.PhysicalPath)
{
throw new HttpException(404, "not found");
}
}

Get more details here.

New Features for Web Services in .NET 2.0

Have a look at the New Features in the Web Service Developers in Beta 1 of the .NET Framework 2.0.

Debate on O/R Mapping or Code Generation !

An Interesting debate on 'O/R Mapping or Code Generation', all who are in .NET developing something using DB should read and comment it. Do visit this Debate's Author Wilson's Blog.

Is it possible to communicate with Mainframes from .NET ?

Yes, it's certainly possible now with M$ release of Host Integration Server (HIS) 2004. Visual Studio .NET support and .NET Data Provider for DB2 comes with HIS 2004 and lot more features, for which you can go thru this article and you can download the HIS 2004 Product Guide here for integrating Mainframes with .NET based applications.

Web Services Interoperability Guidance for consuming Web Services from WebLogic / WebSphere / Sun's WSAD !

A new website has been devoted by M$ for .NET guys who were struggling with Interoperability issues with regard to consuming Web Services which are available in WebLogic / WebSphere / Sun's WSAD. There were

Pirated Windows Vs. Linux !

An interesting debate here about Pirated Windows ver. were installed and used in the systems where HP / IBM / other biggies who want to promote Linux. Have a look at what Gartner says.