Problem solve

Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Microsoft tools choices for DevOps

  Alva Powell, CTO at The Center for Autism and Related Disorders, discusses which Microsoft tools his organization uses for DevOps. Continue Reading

• WAPA: What does Microsoft offer now?

  Microsoft's Windows Azure Platform Appliance integrates private, hybrid and public clouds. Continue Reading

• Choosing the best strategy for Silverlight developers

  Learn why many Silverlight developers are trying to figure out the best way to transition their existing Silverlight applications to HTML5. Continue Reading

• Azure trends: PaaS market on the rise

  Microsoft Azure is doing well in the PaaS market as a strong competitor for AWS. Continue Reading

• Pay-as-you-go Windows Azure BizTalk services changes EAI and EDI

  Learn about the pay-as-you-go Windows Azure BizTalk Services that were released at TechEd 2013. Continue Reading

• Native versus JavaScript/HTML5 development for Window 8 apps

  Learn the advantages and disadvantages in using HTML5/JavaScript for deployment.Continue Reading

• Where can I find Visual Basic 6.0 DataEnvironment code samples?

  Get information on the best places to find Visual Basic DataEnvironment 6.0 code samples.Continue Reading

• Testing methods in Visual Studio 2010

  This is the second part in a two part series on unit testing in Visual Studio 2010.Continue Reading

• Unit testing in Visual Studio 2010

  Visual Studio 2010 contains a unit testing framework, and I’ll show you how to use it to automate your own unit tests.Continue Reading

• Understanding the testing tools in Visual Studio 2010

  Get an overview of the testing tools available in Visual Studio. You will learn which testing features are in which Visual Studio edition.Continue Reading

• Navigating your code in Visual Studio 2010

  Once you get a couple pages of code written for a project, you'll want to use the Visual Studio navigation features to move intelligently through your code. Read this tip to learn about Visual Studio features that make moving through your code a ...Continue Reading

• Using the client networking stack in Silverlight

  There are many scenarios where you need to communicate with a webserver from your Silverlight application. For example you might want to lazy load files from your server to your application when the application is idle. Another common situation is ...Continue Reading

• Changing the cursor in WPF

  Expert Walt Ritscher discusses how in Windows Presentation Foundation you can set the mouse pointer for any element using the Cursor property.Continue Reading

• Setting defaults for null values in data sources in WPF

  Dealing with null values in data sources can be tricky. Windows Presentation Foundation has built in support for binding to null data sources.Continue Reading

• Getting a DialogResult

  When interacting with the user, you need to gather information for use later in the application. Dialog windows are a common way to solicit this information.Continue Reading

• Performance tips for Visual Studio 2010

  Find performance tips that may accelerate your experience while using Visual Studio 2010.Continue Reading

• Using TFS to manage distributed teams

  Microsoft Visual Studio the latest version of Team Foundation Service (TFS) is packed with features that facilitate the coordination and management of distributed teams.Continue Reading

• Managing large databases with SQL Server partitioning

  When you're dealing with really large data sets (think in terabytes of data) it's especially important to save time wherever you can. Partitioning, and the resulting partition elimination, can save hours of query time in these huge databases.Continue Reading

• Using search engines effectively in Visual Studio 2010

  Visual Studio provides a number of handy search tools. The most obvious place to use search is in your source code but Microsoft has also made search available in other parts of the IDE like the ToolBox and property grid windows.Continue Reading

• Introduction to Visual Studio’s new Scrum 1.0 template

  Visual Studio’s new Scrum 1.0 template is the perfect process template for agile managers. It combines a simple, flexible, and easy to use interface with powerful reports and work item types to help manage scrum-based projects.Continue Reading

• Tooltips in child elements

  A tooltip is a simple concept. You put a tooltip on a WPF control and whenever the mouse hovers over the control WPF launches the tooltip. This article explores some of these idiosyncrasies in WPF.Continue Reading

• Draw a bounding rectangle during selection

  The bounding rectangle's purpose is to provide feedback to the designer during the selection process. It's a convenient way to show what is currently selected before applying the next operation.Continue Reading

• Using images in tooltips

  The tooltip came from an idea regarding how to show contextual help in the user interface and is now considered an essential part of a UX designer's tool bag.Continue Reading

• Working with ColorDialog in WPF

  In Windows, there is a native ColorDialog window. This dialog is not very friendly to WPF applications however. This tip shows how to force the dialog to give you the color in the correct WPF format.Continue Reading

• WPF: Force a shape to fill area while keeping stroke thickness

  Enlarging a shape in WPF is simple enough. But if you want to auto-expand to fill a space you need to do some work. Using a ViewBox makes the shape expand, but it expands everything including the stroke drawn around the outside of the shape. This ...Continue Reading

• Simulating hand stenciled signs with TextEffect

  With the advent of TrueType fonts on the computer, it's easy to find a stencil font on the Internet. Learn about TextEffect for manipulating text.Continue Reading

• Setting up the XAML editor in Visual Studio 2010

  Nothing stirs up controversy like discussing naming conventions or code styling. Learn some configuration settings for the XAML editor in Visual Studio 2010.Continue Reading

• Panning and zooming in WPF

  Adding panning and zooming to your application is a little more work but it's a nice feature to add to your application. Learn how to show an image to the user in Windows Presentation Foundation.Continue Reading

• Using the UniformGrid panel

  UniformGrid creates a mesh of equally sized cells. It's available in WPF and Silverlight and is very handy for creating game-boards for games like chess.Continue Reading

• Screen capture in a WPF application

  Using a screen capture tool is second nature to most computer users and your customers may expect to find screen capture features in your application. How much work is required to add this feature to a WPF application?Continue Reading

• ASP.NET Ajax tutorial

  This reference introduces developers to Microsoft's ASP.NET Ajax framework with a plethora of tips, tutorials and webcasts.Continue Reading

• Special characters in XAML

  XAML files are a form of XML. As such, they have to follow the rules of XML. There is one XML rule that can cause trouble when working with strings within attributes in XAML, known as special character.Continue Reading

• Working with Keyboard input in WPF

  Learn more about working with Keyboard input in Windows Presentation Foundation with this tip about Keyboard classes.Continue Reading

• Understanding Default values for Dependency Properties

  Understanding Windows Presentation Foundation Dependency Properties is a bit confusing when first learning WPF. Learn how to tap into the power of Dependency Properties.Continue Reading

• Understanding line stroke patterns

  WPF provides a number of useful shapes to use in your UI shapes. Learn how to best utilize line stroke patterns.Continue Reading

• PriorityBinding in WPF

  PriorityBinding derives from Binding and is a variation of MultiBinding, a type of binding where you specify multiple sources in your XAML.Continue Reading

• Simplify your Binding Converter with a Custom Markup Extension

  Value Converters are a useful addition to a WPF. If a value converter is specified in a binding, the source data is funneled to the converter before arriving at the binding destination.Continue Reading

• Static methods are a code smell

  Static methods work best as only utility methods. Learn what constitutes a code smell and how to best avoid these potential issues.Continue Reading

• Use Azure development storage from unit tests

  Learn the two options for your persistent data storage If you're writing an application that's going to use Windows Azure.Continue Reading

• Silverlight tutorial

  Silverlight is Microsoft's framework for building browser- and platform-agnostic Web apps. This resource will help developers see what Silverlight can do for them.Continue Reading

• Use the WPF blur effect to focus attention in your UI

  With WPF 3.5 SP1 Microsoft has rewritten the effects framework and dramatically improved their performance at the same time. Learn how to use the Blur effect to make your UI more effective.Continue Reading

• How to access cross domain Web services from Silverlight without a policy file

  With the release of Silverlight 2 and now version 3 you are provided with rich Web service support. Silverlight provides support to access many types of Web services including POX, REST, and SOAP services.Continue Reading

• How to use jQuery to solve Javascript browser compatibility problems

  Javascript compatibility between Firefox, Internet Explorer and other browsers can make Ajax and Javascript effects a headache. Each browser does things just a bit differently, forcing Web developers to check which browser the user has and branch ...Continue Reading

• How to speed up Visual Studio 2008's slow WPF designer

  Large files can slow down Visual Studio 2008's designer for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) projects. Learn how to tweak VS 2008's settings to speed up its WPF designer in this tip.Continue Reading

• How to list fonts in WPF using markup extensions and data templates

  Learn how to pull static data into WPF with XAML's x:Static markup extension. In this tip, we'll show you how to list font families, with each font's name in its own font, in WPF. This method uses markup extensions and data templates.Continue Reading

• Silverlight 3 beta SDK download lets developers try new RIA features

  Developers who want to get a head start with the upcoming Silverlight can download the beta SDK, complete with code samples and documentation. Microsoft showed off some of Silverlight 3's new features at MIX 09.Continue Reading

• Microsoft's Oslo modeling platform, the M language and .NET

  Microsoft's Oslo modeling platform aims to shift development practices away from low-level implementation and toward business' data. The relationship between Oslo and the .NET Framework isn't fully clear yet, but some hints are out.Continue Reading

• Introduction to ASP.NET's Model View Controller (MVC) Design Pattern

  Microsoft is working on an MVC framework, which will let ASP.NET developers decouple their data, events and views and enable a more flexible application architecture.Continue Reading

• Free book from Microsoft brings patterns and practices to .NET

  The 400-page book on application architecture -- available free on codeplex -- is a good read that brings a long line of patterns and practices concepts to the .NET framework.Continue Reading

• User Account Control (UAC): How to develop code for standard users

  One of the most annoying features of Vista is the dreaded UAC prompt, but it's actually there for security reasons. Instead of telling users to work with UAC turned off, learn the top 3 tips for how to develop code that works in UAC's standard user ...Continue Reading

• How to elevate programs' privileges correctly using Vista's UAC

  The UAC prompt that Vista introduced gives programs privileged access to the operating system, but you need to ask for those permissions correctly if you don't want to annoy users. Read three ways you can use UAC to ask Vista for elevated privileges.Continue Reading

• Introduction to Vista's user account control (UAC) for developers

  Vista's new security model includes the user account control (UAC) prompt, which users know as the confirmation dialog box that pops up before applications can gain privileged access to the operating system. Learn what UAC is, why Microsoft included...Continue Reading

• Visual Studio's IntelliSense for jQuery doesn't autocomplete correctly

  Microsoft announced at PDC that Visual Studio's IntelliSense now supports jQuery, a powerful Ajax library. But it turns out it doesn't autocomplete all of jQuery's commands correctly. This tip explains what's broken - and what you need to do to use ...Continue Reading

• Visual Studio 2008 code metrics tools will help keep code clean

  Writing maintainable code isn't always easy, but Visual Studio 2008 code metrics may help. The new tools will help programmers see their code's maintainability, complexity and class dependencies, among other important characteristics.Continue Reading

• Use PHP with Visual Studio to create Web sites

  PHP developers can use PHP preview engines from within Visual Studio in order to access a Model View Controller. It is also possile to do simultaneous, interactive debugging of both server side and client side code using a tool known as VS.Php.Continue Reading

• Scrum and Visual Studio Team System Add-ins

  This tip helps you to get a better understanding of what Scrum is, how it works, and how two of its add-ins work together to bring Scrum into the Visual Studio environment.Continue Reading

• Check the MSDN Virtual Labs for regular, compelling new content

  Microsoft Developer Network offers a great resource to the development community through its Virtual Labs. These labs are updated monthly and will help you to stay abreast of upcoming happenings in the MSDN world.Continue Reading

• Visual Basic 2008 -- book excerpt

  Visual Basic coding is not rocket science, yet a lot of new programmers are intimidated by it. It is possible to be self taught, really.Continue Reading

• Windows XP SP3 pack includes new XML parser, enhanced IP security

  The latest XP update includes developer goodies including a new internal XML parsing engine, better IP security policy support, and a new management console.Continue Reading

• Designing Windows Communication Foundation service contracts

  Michele Leroux Bustamante describes the different types of contracts used with WCF services inlcuding ServiceContracts and DataContracts. She also shows the two approaches to developing contracts, Code-First and Contract-First.Continue Reading

• Using the Visual Studio 2005 DataSet Designer to build a data access layer

  In this article Brian Noyes shows how to use the new features in the Visual Studio 2005 DataSet Designer to create Typed DataSets and Adapters to provide a data access layer for your applications. He then demonstrates how to extend the generated ...Continue Reading

• Evaluating .NET smart client communications technology

  In this article, IDesign's Brian Noyes presents the different technologies available for communication in a Smart Client application and how to choose between the options based on your application's needs. He covers performance characteristics of ...Continue Reading

• Security interoperability with .NET/WSE and WebLogic Workshop 8.1

  In this article, Michele Leroux Bustamante shows how to create interoperable applications in .NET with WSE and WebLogic Workshop using web services that implement the WS-Security specification. In particular, she shows how to use UsernameTokens in a...Continue Reading

• Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) and the .NET Framework

  The article explores the details of utilizing the intrinsic features of the .NET Framework to implement an aspect-oriented programming model.Continue Reading

• ClickOnce: Automated smart client deployment

  In this article, Brian Noyes presents the options currently available for smart client deployment and how to choose among them. He then goes into detail about the new .NET 2.0 feature called ClickOnce for deploying smart client applications.Continue Reading

• The Software Factory: Making the most of software reuse

  Problems inherent in software development are addressed by Software Factory architecture using design models, patterns and domain-specific languages.Continue Reading

• The CTE, the hierarchical query and SQL Server 2005

  Dan Sullivan shows how to use Common Table Expressions to query hierarchical data in SQL Server 2005. Hierarchical queries combine recursive SELECT commands to provide the functionality to query self-referencing data.Continue Reading

• SQL Server 2005 recursive functions and the CTE

  Dan Sullivan shows how to use SQL Server 2005's new Common Table Expressions to write recursive functions. Starting with a C# implementation he then goes on to demonstrate how to build the same recursion in a T-SQL function.Continue Reading

• Update desktops automatically using the AppUpdater component

  Using the AppUpdater available through WinForms is quite simple. You add it to your client application's main form. When your application runs, the AppUpdater queries a configured Web site for updated versions of any of the assemblies that are part ...Continue Reading

• Localization practices for .NET 2.0: It's still about the architecture

  Michele Leroux Bustamante shows you how to architect an application in the .NET Framework 2.0 to allow for localization of resources and text. The article discusses how to make use of external resources and satellite assemblies as well as the affect...Continue Reading

• Creating custom ASP.NET 2.0 profile providers

  In this article, Shawn Wildermuth shows how profile providers are used to enable ASP.NET 2.0 applications to maintain user profile information on web site visitors as well as how to implement your own searchable custom profile provider.Continue Reading

• Choose the right .NET data provider, optimize application performance

  In this article, John Goodson discusses the choices a .NET developer faces in using the ADO.NET/System.Data elements of the Framework Class Library. He discusses how to choose between a DataSet and a DataReader, what's wrong with the CommandBuilder,...Continue Reading

• The fallacy of the data layer -- or, a new architectural model for software designs

  Most data sources are not exclusive to a specific application. They are shared by numerous applications. Thus, advanced architects will challenge the traditional three-layer/three-tier view of applications and consider a new architectural model for ...Continue Reading

• How to avoid regression bugs while adding new features

  MS MVP Patrick Smacchia uses his own dog food to efficiently review changes in versions of NDepend code analysis tool, for which he is the lead developer. The software pinpoints places in programs where changes were made, in turn speeding regression...Continue Reading

• Ten ways to unit test your .NET code

  Verifiable code is less likely to cause problems during development and after delivery; however, it can often be difficult to write an adequate unit test, due to the way your production code is architected. In this column, Justin Gehtland looks at ...Continue Reading

• On migrating from VBA to VSTO

  The release of Visual Studio 2008 provides further compulsion to migrate applications from VBA to VSTO. Microsoft addressed some best practices for these types of migrations at DevConnections Las Vegas.Continue Reading

• Assembly versioning in the .NET Framework 2.0

  Assembly-resolution mechanisms for the .NET Framework 2.0 provide a view into the CLR, focusing on versioning and safe execution of assemblies sitting side-by-side.Continue Reading

• Manage application processes with Windows Workflow Foundation

  Windows Workflow Foundation is part of the .NET 3.0 Framework. Using it, you can build portions of your application that orchestrate, or manage, the process flow for the use cases your application supports.Continue Reading

• On Extension Methods in C# and .NET Framework 3.5

  Blogger Alex Hoffman's "Adventures in .NET 3.5" offers quite a bit of advice for the C# architect on working with Extensions Methods.Continue Reading

• Visual Basic 2008 and closures

  In Visual Basic 2008, closures let programmers access an environment from more than one function. The VB team recently blogged about closures and how they work.Continue Reading

• How to build an Enterprise Service Bus

  Do Not Publish. This is a test. Has issues.Continue Reading

• Beginning .NET mobile application development

  Two tutorials from Thom Robbins offer insight into mobile application development for the .NET Framework.Continue Reading

• Beginning Windows Workflow Foundation development, Part 2

  This tip reexamines Windows Workflow Foundation with a closer look at tracking services, setting rules and conditions and making the most of the runtime's Base Class Library.Continue Reading

• New version of Dundas Gauge for .NET available

  Dundas Gauge is one of Ed Tittel's favorite tools. The latest version supports Ajax events, 3D styles and the .NET Framework 3.0.Continue Reading

• Letting WinForms and WPF controls coexist

  It is possible to leave WinForms applications intact and still add the eye candy of WPF, Brian Noyes of IDesign explained at Tech Ed 2007.Continue Reading

• Generate RSA public and private keys, export to XML

  This tip shows how RSA keys can be saved to disk as an XML file. The XML files can then be used to make an RSA secure channelContinue Reading

• The Daylight Savings Time change and the .NET Framework

  The Daylight Savings Time switch earlier this year did more than throw off Outlook calendars. The .NET Framework needed a bit of a tweak to accommodate the change.Continue Reading

• The Orcas are coming! Visual Studio Orcas, that is

  Visual Studio Orcas promises productivity enhancements and a beefed up version of the .NET Framework. This tip reviews what developers can play with now that Orcas is in beta.Continue Reading

• Need Web services security? Dig into WSE 3.0 for Microsoft .NET

  Web Services Enhancements 3.0 lets developers add digital signatures, policy-driven security and bulk binary data transfers for Web services built atop the .NET Framework.Continue Reading

• Put VB.NET events in the hands of AddHandler

  This technical tip for intermediate VB.NET developers offers a look back at the AddHandler feature and how it addresses scenarios when there is no object variable to manipulate.Continue Reading

• DevPartner SecurityChecker 2.5 does just that for ASP.NET sites

  Ed Tittel reviews Compuware's tool for scanning ASP.NET application source code and finding known security problems.Continue Reading

• Here comes .NET Framework 3.0

  With Windows Vista now officially in sight, Ed Tittel takes a look at the major components of .NET 3.0.Continue Reading

• Migrating add-ins from VBA to VSTO

  Many enterprises have stuck with VBA solutions because of legacy applications. A recent MSDN tip shows what developers can gain by migrating to Visual Studio Tools for Office.Continue Reading

• Hashing strings with any algorithm

  Cryptographic hash functions ensure than a message was not altered when it was sent over an insecure channel. This C# function generates the hash of a string based on your favorite algorithm.Continue Reading

• Best Practice: Enforcing password complexity

  Rather than embed code in an app to address password complexity, Ed Tittel suggests that developers create a component that's used whenever and wherever passwords are needed. This also keeps all password logic in one place.Continue Reading

• Beginning Windows Workflow Foundation development, Part 1

  Here we look at Windows Workflow Foundation, Microsoft's framework for building workflow-enabled applications, and examine a debate over whether WF is too complex.Continue Reading

• Finding files in Visual Studio 2005

  Is searching for VS 2005 files worse than locating a needle in a haystack? Here we look at five Visual Studio add-ins that make this process much easier.Continue Reading

• Debugging apps that use Visual Basic 6 and VB.NET

  It's easy to create applications with bits and pieces of Visual Basic 6 and Visual Basic .NET. Maintaining code for these "hybrid" apps, though, requires a bit of extra care.Continue Reading

• Hints for troubleshooting .NET applications

  When an application stops working as expected, figuring out where to start is often the hardest task. This tip provides troubleshooting hints to get your app up and running again.Continue Reading

• Code and test a WinForms app: Chapter 3 of Murach's C# 2005

  In addition to demonstrating how to code, test and debug a C# 2005 application, this chapter download introduces new C# time savers like code snippets and refactoring.Continue Reading