Connecting Systems the Microsoft Way

Just a nice photo

AndyJames — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:40:47 GMT

Thought it might be fun to try the new Live Writer plug-in Polaroid Picture find at http://bit.ly/1mrYyW ...(read more)

More 64 bit Dev fun…

AndyJames — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:39:45 GMT

Sorry, not cracked the problems listed at the end of my last 64 bit dev blog. But added a new one. My BizTalk project required the reading of data from an Excel spreadsheet – don’t ask…. Now previously I have used: the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider. This allows you to treat the spread sheet as any normal data source. See sample below 1: string strConn = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;" + "Data Source=E:\\DEMO\\FileLocs\\Excel\\Data.xls;" + "Extended Properties=Excel...(read more)

Lets go develop on 64 bit!

AndyJames — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:19:00 GMT

Over the last few months I have made the move to 64 bit – Windows 7 RTM on my laptop and Windows 2008 standard server with hyper-v on my dev box. I’m also running 64 bit Office 2010 and a number of other 64 bit goodies. But it is in the area of development I’m really having ‘fun’. So first off it was time to setup a 64 bit dev image: Windows Server 2008 R2 Std (64 bit) SQL Server 2008 (64 bit) Visual Studio 2008 (32 bit only) BizTalk 2009 Developer Edition (64 bit) Windows SharePoint...(read more)

Live Framework CTP to shut down September 8th - ‘Live’ leaves Azure!

AndyJames — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:16:25 GMT

Before we had Azure and the various bits and pieces that became Azure at PDC 2008 Microsoft had a number of disparate groups working on various ‘cloudy’ projects. these included BizTalk Services, Red dog, Mesh and the Live framework to name a few. Then at PDC 2008 with the wave of a marketing teams wand they all be became Azure or Azure Services or Azure platform or …well anyway the over-arching message was that they were all part of Azure!! Furthermore we were presented with the vision below…...(read more)

Microsoft issues SQL Azure, CEP platform previews | ITworld

AndyJames — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:45:33 GMT

IDG News Service — Microsoft on Tuesday released technology previews of SQL Azure, the database for its Azure cloud infrastructure platform, and SQL Server StreamInsight, its entry in the CEP (complex event processing) arena. Microsoft issues SQL Azure, CEP platform previews | ITworld...(read more)

Living with Windows 7: Goodies 2

AndyJames — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:36:17 GMT

As previously mentioned I have lived with Beta and RC before arriving at Release. Downside has been the re-builds. The upside and this is Goodie #2 is the ability to use VHD’s mounted as ‘real’ hard drives has been a saviour! I have setup a number of Virtual drives and when I boot in I re-mount them. I have a Data drive (docs and outlook achieve), Software Installs drive (my downloads drive really), Code drive and finally and iTunes drive. Once a week I copy off each VHD to my NAS at home. So when...(read more)

Living with Windows 7: Goodies 1

AndyJames — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:27:01 GMT

I’ve been living with Windows 7 for sometime – through Beta, RC and now Release (Thanks to MSDN). I have to admit it is a much better option than Vista. Furthermore I’m now running the 64 bit with now driver issues. Now my setup is not your standard run of the mill Dell or HP box..I’m running it on an Apple MacBook Pro 17” laptop under bootcamp and it just works and works well! So Goodies 1: Boot camp 2.1 64 bit, Leopard to run Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit on a MacBook Pro…. del.icio.us Tags: MacBook...(read more)

Microsoft rolls out SQL Azure Database preview

AndyJames — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:21:02 GMT

The community technology preview (CTP) was made available on Tuesday, along with a preview of a SQL Server driver for building PHP applications for the Azure platform. The Azure Services Platform, first announced at a developer conference last year, is Microsoft's move into the rapidly growing cloud-computing market. As with all cloud platforms, the idea is to provide scalable, hosted services on a pay-per-use basis, running remotely in Microsoft's datacentres. SQL Azure Database, a key component...(read more)

BizTalk: Licensing Standard Edition on multi-cpu box

AndyJames — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:18:11 GMT

BizTalk Server 2009 standard edition has a two CPU limit on it so you would think even if it was on a box with four CPU’s you’d only need two licenses. Not so you’d need four!! Read here a quote from the Microsoft BizTalk Server 2009 pricing and licensing FAQ: The BizTalk Server 2009 STD engine can technically use only two processors on the server, even if it consists of more processors. For deployments where BizTalk Server 2009 is used, you need to buy the same number of processor licenses that...(read more)

Reading XPS files using Firefox 3.X

AndyJames — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:44:09 GMT

Microsoft have provided and excellent standards agreed format called XPS. Vista comes ready installed with an XPS viewer for XP you can download it. The issue is if your preferred browser is Firefox you will not be able to view XPS files. The solution is simple: Download the IE tab addin for Firefox Install it Then the clever bit open options Set up a URL thus: /^file:\/\/\/.*\.(xps)$/ Jobs a good ‘un. Now if you click on and XPS file Firefox will open and IE tab and load it!!...(read more)

Oldies but goodies: Default Office formats

AndyJames — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:13:25 GMT

After upgrading to Microsoft® Office 2007 is the default for all documents is the .???x format for example new Word documents now end in .docx instead of .doc. Although the new file type offers many improvements over the old one, it can be troublesome to use if you work with many people that have older versions of Office. There are workarounds available from Microsoft, but it's usually easier just to send them something you know they can open. One way to solve the problem is to simply change the...(read more)

More from PDC 2008

AndyJames — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:26:41 GMT

Microsoft code name “Geneva”, an open platform for simplified user access based on claims. This release consists of three components: Geneva Framework for .NET developers, Geneva Server for IT Pros, and Windows CardSpace Geneva for users. Find out more here...(read more)

Azure!!! Microsoft’s cloud

AndyJames — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:21:11 GMT

So the secret’s out! Microsoft’s Cloud will give us a number of key aspects. First is the foundation or Windows Azure, this can be seen as the cloud OS but is much, much more than that. It is an infinitely scalable Computation, Storage and Management system providing hyper-visor powered virtualization for cloud hosted apps be it web or otherwise. Next we have the application building blocks or Azure services. Here we find the gestation of BizTalk services and SQL data services. We have .Net...(read more)

Azure!!! Microsoft’s cloud

AndyJames — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:19:27 GMT

Windows Azure Resources

AndyJames — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:58:01 GMT

Here are links to a number of resources for Azure… Windows Azure Datasheet Windows Azure Services Platform Datasheet .Net Services datasheet SQL Services datasheet Live Services datasheet...(read more)