Added Visual Studio 2010 support to Mole Visualizer

An update for the “Mole for Visual Studio – With Editing” project to support Visual Studio 2010 and .NET 4.0.

Project Info

• Original CodeProject article: www.codeproject.com/KB/macros/MoleForVisualStudioEdit.aspx
• Update Project Home: github.com/ngbrown/Mole-For-Visual-Studio

Introduction

From the CodeProject article:

Mole was authored by Karl Shifflett, Josh Smith and Andrew Smith who make up Team Mole. The core development process took the team several weeks. Most of the additional enhancements were implemented by Andrew and Karl, with a lot of testing and feedback provided by Josh.

Updates for Visual Studio 2010

The solution files were each loaded in in Visual Studio 2010, the solutions, projects, and generated files were allowed to update. The target framework was then changed to .NET 4.0. Any references still targeting 2.0 were updated to the 4.0 version. Especially note that the path to Microsoft.VisualStudio.DebuggerVisualizers changed to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\ReferenceAssemblies\v2.0\Microsoft.VisualStudio.DebuggerVisualizers.dll

License

The source code and associated files were licensed by the authors under The Code Project Open License.

The modified source code and compiled binaries are distributed under the rights granted by the license.

Clear QAM channels in Cedar Rapids on Mediacom, updated

Channel Number	Network Name	Std/ HD	Notes	Main  Lineup
11.1	KIINDT (IPTV)	HD		x
11.2	KIINDT2 (IPTV Learns)	SD		x
11.3	KIINDT3 (IPTV World)	SD		x
16.4	KFXA (Fox 28)	SD	HD Available
16.6	KCRG (ABC)	SD	HD Available
16.8	WB20 KWKB	SD	HD Available
16.9	BYU (Mormon)	SD
16.10	KGAN (CBS)	SD	HD Available
16.12	KWWL (NBC)	SD	HD Available
16.16	KFXB (CNT)	SD		x
16.18	KIINDT (IPTV)	SD	HD Available
16.20	MC22 (Mediacom Connections Channel)	SD		x
82.1	QVC	SD
82.3	CSPAN	SD		x
82.5	?	SD	?	x
82.7	WGNAMER	SD		x
82.9	SHOPNBC	SD
82.11	Church Channel	SD		x
82.13	C-SPAN 3	SD		x
82.15	Insp?	SD	?	x
82.17	EWTN (Eternal Work Television Network)	SD		x
82.19	3ABN (3 Angels Broadcasting Network)	SD		x
82.21	C-SPAN 3	SD		x
82.23	Home Shopping Network	SD
94.256	Fox College Sports - Atlantic-Sports	SD		x
96.8	CBS College Sports Network	SD		x
114.1	KWWLDT (NBC)	HD		x
114.2	KWWLDT2 (this)	SD		x
114.3	KWWLDT3 (Retro TV)	SD		x
114.6	KGANDT (CBS)	HD		x
115.2	KCRGDT (ABC)	HD		x
115.4	KFXADT (Fox 28)	HD		x
115.6	KCRGDT2	SD		x
117.1	PUAC018	SD		x
117.3	Kirkwood Channel	SD		x
117.5	Jewelry TV	SD
117.7	UiTV (University of Iowa)	SD		x
119.2	KPXRDT (Ion)	SD		x
119.4	KWKBDT (The CW)	HD		x

Windows 7 RTM LightScribe DVD Label Image

Since Windows 7 RTM has been out for awhile and I notice that my beta versions of the LightScribe were getting hits, I would upload updated ones. This time I included both x86 and 64-bit versions.

Here is a preview of what it will look like:

To use this for your own LightScribe DVD, open the LightScribe Template Labeler, use the blank template, and then import the PNG below into the program as a graphic, then burn. For best results, click through on the image below for the full size image, then save to your computer.

NUnit templates for ASP.NET MVC 2 RC 2

Now with ASP.Net MVC 2 RC 2 out, it's time to have a working NUnit template.

I tried to use the NUnit MVC 2 templates others have made available, however, I had trouble installing them with the batch file. Once I installed it manually, the results didn't compile. I discovered it was because these were altered from the NUnit MVC 1 templates. I decided to start over from the MSTest template, modifying it for NUnit. Starting from the supplied templates will make it easier to stay in sync with the ASP.NET MVC team.

The instructions here were a start, however, I took it a step further and synchronized most of the template code with the MVC 2 template code. This gave me a really good result and is really quite workable.

Try it for yourself. Get started with the following instructions:

Download the zip file: Mvc.NUnit.Testsv2.0.zip

Copy the included "MvcApplication.NUnit.Testsv2.0.cs.zip" to "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE\ProjectTemplates\CSharp\Test".
If on a x64 bit machine, then %ProgramFiles(x86)% normally equals "C:\Program Files (x86)", otherwise, it's the normal location of "C:\Program Files".

Import the correct registry file (NUnit.reg or NUnit64bit.reg) to register the new template with MVC 2.

Open the "Visual Studio 2008 Command Prompt", running as administrator. Then run "devenv /setup". Once that is done, the template should be ready to use.

These templates require NUnit 2.5 or higher. Since I don't use VB.Net, I didn't make a corresponding template, if someone would like to contribute that, please feel free.

SQL Server and a Domain Service account

In my last post I described setting up a new server. Well, I also wanted to try learning ASP.Net with IIS and with SQL Server 2008 express. The SQL Server 2008 install documents recommend using a domain user, in fact they require it if installing on a Domain Controller. It took me a couple tries to get an account with the correct privileges to run the SQL Server service. I used the Group Policy Management tool to edit the Group Policy Objects (GPOs) of the domain.

The Web Install wouldn't work, so I downloaded the large file. I then failed the first install, tried to repair, then uninstalled and started over. I messed up the user account and permissions the first time and managed to get them correct the second time. The following two pages help explain what permissions the user (or group the user belongs in) needs.

• Selecting an Account for the SQL Server Agent Service
• Setting Up Windows Service Accounts

Finally I had to enable TCP and open the firewall so I could access it from my other computer. As explained in Configuring the Windows Firewall to Allow SQL Server Access.

Windows Server 2008 on old hardware

I thought I would use a computer from 1999 for a server at home. It was a Dell workstation designed for two CPUs. I bought it with just one and a few years later added a second CPU and more memory, later I added a second hard drive. I managed to have one of the fastest computers on my floor in college for at least two or three years.

Now with two 450 MHz Pentium III processors and only 512MB of memory, I decided that the minimums for Windows Server 2008 didn't matter and I would try it on this computer. I wanted to learn more about managing a server. I also wanted to move my other computers at home to a domain so inter-computer sharing would be better managed.

I experience using roaming profiles at work and thought it might help with using multiple computers here at home (my desktop and my laptop).

Here are some websites that I found helpful in this endeavor:

• Automatic creation of user folders for home, roaming profile and redirected folders
• How to dynamically create security-enhanced redirected folders by using folder redirection in Windows 2000 and in Windows Server 2003
• Access Based Enumeration (ABE)

The reason for the middle one is that it seemed to a more correct listing of the security settings for the redirected folders share.

Shows series that I watch

Here is a snapshot of the shows that I record on an ongoing basis.

1. Nova scienceNOW, HD Preferred, New & rerun, anytime, keep up to 6 recordings until I watch.
2. Smallville, 119.4 only, New, anytime, keep as many as possible until I delete
3. The New Red Green Show, 89.4, New & rerun
   
4. The Mentalist, Any, New & rerun
   
5. House, 115.4, New
   
6. Sesame Street, 89.4 only, New & rerun, anytime, keep up to 3 recordings until space needed
7. Aurthur, 89.4 only, New & rerun, anytime, keep up to 3 recordings until space needed
8. Curious George, 89.4 only, New & rerun, anytime, keep up to 3 recordings until space needed

Clear QAM channels on Mediacom

I have posted an updated version of this table.

Channel Number	Network Name	Std/HD
82.1	QVC	SD
82.3	CSPAN	SD
82.7	WGNAMER	SD
82.9	SHOPNBC	SD
82.19	3ABN (3 Angels Broadcasting Network)	SD
82.23	HSN	SD
89.4	KIINDT (IPTV)	HD
89.8	KIINDT2 (IPTV Learns)
89.10	KIINDT3 (IPTV World)
99.4	KFXADT2 (Fox 28)	SD
99.6	KCRG (ABC)	SD
99.8	KWKB (The CW)	SD
99.9	BYU (Mormon)	SD
99.10	KGAN (CBS)	SD
99.12	KWWL (NBC)	SD
99.16	KFXB (CNT)	SD
99.20	MC22 (Mediacom Connections Channel)	SD
114.1	KWWLDT (NBC)	HD
114.2	KWWLDT2 (this)	SD
114.3	KWWLDT3 (Retro TV)	SD
114.6	KGANDT (CBS)	HD
115.2	KCRGDT (ABC)	HD
115.4	KFXADT (Fox 28)	HD
117.1	PUAC018	SD
119.2	KPXRDT (Ion)	SD
119.4	KWKBDT (The CW)	HD

Using NHibernate ActiveRecord and LINQ

I'm trying to learn NHibernate ActiveRecord and LINQ all in the same day. I ran into the following exception:

Session is closed!
Object name: 'ISession'.

When trying to execute the following code:

      public static User FindByUserName(string username)
      {
          // Note that we use the property name, _not_ the column name
          return (from p in User.Queryable
                  where p.Username == username
                  select p).First();
      }

It took me a couple hours to get by this one, so I thought I would post it. I had to wrap it in a using (new SessionScope()) statement. Like this:

       public static User FindByUserName(string username)
       {
           using (new SessionScope())
           {
               // Note that we use the property name, _not_ the column name
               return (from p in User.Queryable
                       where p.Username == username
                       select p).First();
           }
       }

Happy Coding.

Riddle

Here's a riddle that I though was pretty good:

It's present everywhere, but occupies no space.
We can measure it, but we can't see it, touch it,
get rid of it, or put it in a container.
Everyone knows what it is and uses it every day,
but no one has been able to define it.
We can spend it, save it, waste it, or kill it,
but we can't destroy it or even change it,
and there's never any more or less of it.
—Jespersen and Fitz-Randolph