March 2005 - Posts
Sharepoint web templates are available for VS.NET 2003 to develop Sharepoint webparts using ASP.NET. Though these templates provides framework for developing web parts, it didnt provide any support for developing user interface. This approach is similar to developing custom server control. i.e. if you want to place any controls inside the web part, You cant drag and drop controls from toolbox as you do in user control. You need to programmatically declare that control inside the template, everything needs to be done at runtime.
This problem can be solved by using SmartPart web part. This allows you to host any user control inside the web part. So you need not spend time in developing web part using web template. You can use the existing user controls in your application or you can develop new user control and place it inside this web part. Developing user control is much simpler than developing webpart using web part template.
This article explains how to use SmartPart webpart to host the user control,
http://www.microsoft.com/belux/nl/msdn/community/columns/u2u/smartpart.mspx
This control will surely reduce your web part development.
In ASP.NET 2.0, this feature is supported out of the box. GenericWebPart control in ASP.NET 2.0 takes care of this plumbing work. To know about ASP.NET 2.0 web parts framework, read this article
Did you come across a situation where you need to uninstall a software without using Add Remove Program tool. I came across that situation last week when i tried to uninstall Nov CTP of VS.NET 2005. Uninstallation of VS.NET 2005 went through smoothly, but when i tried to install newer build of VS.NET 2005. It gave an error saying
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 ***: Another version of this product is already installed. Installation of this version cannot continue.
When I checked add remove programs, .NET framework 2.0 was not included in that list. Then i checked .NET framework folder (C:\window\microsoft.net\framework\...), .NET Framework 2.0 folder was there.. It didnt uninstall properly. But this product is not listed in Add Remove Program.. To continue my installation, i need to unistall it...
Then I searched in google for sometime.. then i found the following ways to uninstall it any software without using add remove programs..
There are two ways to uninstall the software without using add remove programs.
1. Using Installer Folder
- Go to Installer folder. (Windows Start --> Run --> Installer or directly c:\windows\installer). This is the folder where are all installer presents.
- This folder doesnt give any information about the installer. Include comments and Author column in this folder.. (right click column header and choose required columns)
- Comments column will give information regarding that installer..
- Right click the installer and choose uninstall...
2. Using Registry Key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion)
- Go to registry and open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion key
- Under this section, all the installed software information will be there..
- For.NET Framework 2.0, go to that section under which installstring or installpath key will be there..
- It will point to the folder where installer for that software is there.. You can uninstall using that
I went with first option to unistall the .NET Framework 2.0 Nov CTP...
If you are working in beta/CTP products of .NET Framework 2.0. Then you should check this page for sure.
.NET Framework 2.0 Beta 2 Obsolete APIs
This Kit, list downs the API's that are added since V1.1, but are marked obsolete in Beta2. These API's will be removed from final release (V2.0).
Much awaited Visual Studio Team System Pricing is announced today...
Microsoft Details Pricing and Licensing for Visual Studio 2005 and Simplifies Microsoft Developer Network Subscriptions
Summary
Microsoft Corp. today detailed pricing and licensing terms for Visual Studio® 2005, its comprehensive application development tool set, as well as simplification of its Microsoft® Developer Network (MSDN®) subscriptions, the primary vehicle through which most developers obtain Visual Studio. Microsoft will reduce the estimated retail price of Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition while offering special pricing to existing MSDN subscribers for Visual Studio 2005 Team System, the expansion of the Visual Studio product line to include integrated software life-cycle tools. In addition, current Visual Studio users will be eligible for promotional pricing to acquire MSDN subscriptions now, in preparation for Visual Studio 2005, expected in the second half of calendar year 2005. This will enable more developers to take advantage of the productivity, security enhancements and improved deployment capabilities of the .NET Framework..
New subscription and renewal estimated retail pricing for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional and Standard editions follow:
- Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition: $799 (upgrade: $549)
- Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System: $799 (upgrade: $549)
- Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition: $299 (upgrade: $199)
- Visual Studio 2005 Express editions will be $49.
Microsoft will offer an MSDN subscription with Visual Studio Professional Edition products to afford small businesses the same subscription benefits as large enterprises:
- Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition with MSDN Premium subscription: $2,499 (renewal: $1,999)
- Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition with MSDN Professional subscription: $1,199 (renewal: $799)
- MSDN Operating Systems subscription: $699 (renewal: $499)
- MSDN Library subscription: $199 (renewal: $99)
Update on 22/3/05:
Frequently asked question regarding VSTS Pricing and MSDN Subscription.
Latest articles on ExtremeExperts,
Code Snippets in VS.NET 2005.
During application development, you might come across a situation where you need to write the same code repeatedly with just a few changes. VS.NET 2005 is coming up with a new feature called code snippets, which will help developers to insert code snippets from a snippet store into the program with just a few key strokes.
Part 1, Part 2
Configuration Management in ASP.NET 2.0.
One new, important feature in ASP.NET 2.0 is the ability to read/edit the configuration files in local machine or remote machine. In ASP.NET 1.x, editing of the configuration files was not supported. However, in ASP.NET 2.0 you have strongly typed APIs to read/edit the configuration files.This article series describes the various options available in ASP.NET 2.0 to read/edit the configuration files.
Part 1, Part 2
Your feebacks and comments are most welcome...
ASP.NET 2.0 is coming with a framework for developing web parts. Its pretty neat feature. It supports almost all the features supported by sharepoint web parts. To learn about ASP.NET 2.0, check out this article.
First question that comes to our mind when we start reading about ASP.NET 2.0 web part is, whether ASP.NET 2.0 web parts can be hosted in Share point services (WSS)?...
Answer is No, till Sharepoint Services(WSS) Service pack V 2.0 is released. You cant even host ASP.NET 2.0 and SharePoint Services in same machine now. Release date of WSS SP V2.0 is not yet known. These details are not documented officially anywhere.. but it is posted in one of the Microsoft Sharepoint Evangelist blog...
Note: In one of development server, we have installed both ASP.NET 2.0 and Share point services in same machine. But Share Point Services site is running under ASP.NET v1.1. Its running without any issues. But we cant install in production server as it is not supported by Microsoft.
Also, he mentions that next version of Sharepoint services V3.0 will be developed using ASP.NET 2.0 web parts. But existing sharepoint applications web parts which is developed using ASP.NET 1.1 will run smoothly in Sharepoint Services v 3.0.
My webchat transcript on ASP.NET Caching features is available in MSDN India Community Chat Site.
The chat went very well. Around 70 people attended this chat and around 50 questions were answered. Altogether, it was a different experience to host a web chat.
Today I am going to host a webchat on ASP.NET Caching. Here are the details about this chat,
ASP.NET Caching Features
March 2, 2005
5.00 pm IST
One of the important factors to improve web application performance and scalability is by using caching feature. Caching is the process of storing frequently used data, usually data that is costly to generate, for reuse. ASP.NET 1.1 comes with different types of caching like output caching, partial caching and data caching.
Join this chat to understand how caching features in ASP.NET can improve the performance in web applications. In this chat, we will also discuss about some of the caching enhancements in ASP.NET 2.0.
Enter chat room from here
Add to your outlook calender
If you are free around that time, come and join this chat.