Configuring SQL Server Instance for Azure Development Storage

If you have not configured Azure Development Storage to use your SQL Server, then while running your application targeted for Azure you will see an error similar to the following.

“Windows Azure Tools: Failed to initialize Development Storage service. Unable to start Development Storage. Failed to start Development Storage: the SQL Server instance ‘localhost\SQLExpress’ could not be found. Please configure the SQL Server instance for Development Storage using the ‘DSInit’ utility in the Windows Azure SDK.”

To overcome this you need to run the DSInit command using Windows Azure SDK Command Prompt.

Step 1 – Start the Windows Azure SDK Command Prompt.

Step 2 – Type DSInit /sqlinstance:. on the prompt and press enter.

The dot (.) at the end denotes the local SQL Server instance running on your machine. DSInit command details are as follows.

Syntax: DSInit [/sqlinstance:<SQL server instance>] [/forceCreate] [/user:<Windows account name>]

Description: Initialize the development store for usage by Reserving http ports for the blob, table and queue services for the current user, and Creating the database needed by the blob and queue services

Options: sqlinstance : the name of the SQL Server instance on the local machine that should be used for Development Storage. The default is SQLExpress. Use "." for unnamed instance. forceCreate : recreate the database even if it already exists. user : user for whom ports are to be reserved. By default it is the current user.

.

After doing the configurations it will display a success screen similar to the following.

Then when you run your Azure ready application the Azure Development Storage and Azure Development Fabric will get started and notify you on your system tray as shown below.

After a while your application will also start without complaining if it is Azure ready.

Saving Table Changes in SQL Server 2008 R2

Have you noticed that with the default settings of SQL Server 2008 R2 you cannot use the design view to edit and save table changes which requires table to be recreated. But if you used earlier SQL Server installations you should remember that this functionality was possible. When you try to save such a table you will see an error similar to the following in SQL Server 2008 R2.

But the good news is that we can enable this functionality by going to SQL Server options.

Click Tools –> Options and expand Designers node and select ‘Table and Database Designers’.

Then uncheck the option ‘Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation’ and press OK.

Now if you try to save the table changes SQL will do the alteration without any complains.

Sorting SharePoint Folder Contents

Recently I needed to sort the contents of a SharePoint folder, in which I used IComparer to get my task done. Following is the code I used. Hope it is helpful.

As you see below I am using the TimeCreated property of SPFile object to do the comparison, other than this you can use any other property of the SPFile object. For a list of available properties refer MSDN.

1. // Comparer Class.
2. public class SPFilesComparer : IComparer
3. {
4.     #region IComparer Members
5.     public int Compare(object object1, object object2)
6.     {
7.         return new CaseInsensitiveComparer().Compare(((SPFile)object1).TimeCreated, ((SPFile)object2).TimeCreated);
8.     }
9.     #endregion
10. }

1. ArrayList fileList = new ArrayList(attachFiles);
2. IComparer compFiles = new SPFilesComparer();
3. // Do the sorting based on the SPFilesComparer.
4. fileList.Sort(compFiles);
6. foreach (SPFile attachFile in fileList)
7. {
8.     // Use the sorted list.
9. }

Piano + Guitar = Harpejji

Are you interested in musical instruments? If so have you seen an instrument which combines the Piano and the Guitar? It is manufactured by a company named Marcodi and is named as Harpejji. The sounds from it is truly fascinating, experience the sounds for you self by visiting their site. For people who would like to buy it the pricing and ordering details are also there in the site.

Click this link to see the event of presenting Harpejji first time to the great musician A. R. Rahman.

MaxLength property not Working in TextBox

If you are involved in coding using .Net sooner or later you will notice that when the TextMode of a TextBox is changed to MultiLine the MaxLength property will stop working. What this means is in the textbox users will be able to type as many character as they want.

When searching the web for a fix for this I found several ideas to solve this. Following is the code which I modified for my requirement. Hope this helps.

ASPX

1. <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
2. <head runat="server">
3. <script type="text/javascript">
4.     function RestrictLength(textBox) {
5.         /* Get the Max Length attribute's value. */
6.         var allowedLength = textBox.getAttribute('MaximumLength');
7.         /* Check for the number of characters typed in by the user. */
8.         if (textBox.value.length > allowedLength) {
9.             /* If it is more than the allowed limit remove the additional text. */
10.             textBox.value = textBox.value.substring(0, allowedLength);
11.             /*  Show a message to user with the tooltip used for the textbox. */
12.             alert("Maximum characters allowed for '" + textBox.title +"' is " + allowedLength + ".");
13.         }
14.     }
15. </script>
16.     <title></title>
17. </head>
18. <body>
19.     <form id="form1" runat="server" style="vertical-align:top;">
20.     <!-- I am binding my java script to the onkeyup event of the textbox. So each time a key
21.     is pressed it will fire my javascript. -->
22.     Address <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server" MaxLength="10"
23.         onkeyup="RestrictLength(this);" Height="58px" TextMode="MultiLine"></asp:TextBox>
24.     </form>
25.     </body>
26. </html>
27. 
    

 

ASPX.CS

1. protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
2. {
3.     // Adding the attribute to the TextBox1.
4.     // Note that this is different to the MaxLength property.
5.     // Also this is not case sensitive.
6.     TextBox1.Attributes.Add("maximumlength", "10");
7.     // Adding a tooltip which is used in the message.
8.     TextBox1.ToolTip = "User Address";
9. }
10. 
    

The output will me something similar to the following.

Repairing a Corrupted Database

When we are regularly using databases, sometimes those will get corrupted. This happened to one of my applications, it was a Windows Mobile application with SQL Server CE database. Since it is running in a mobile it is bit difficult for us to fix the database using the desktop machine. I used the following .Net Compact framework code to fix the corrupted database while the database is in the mobile.

1. private void btnRepair_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
2. {
3.     Cursor.Current = Cursors.WaitCursor;
4.     Cursor.Show();
6.     // txtDBPath will contain the path to the database.
7.     engine = new SqlCeEngine(@"Data Source=" + txtDBPath.Text + ";Password=DBPassword");
8.     try
9.     {
10.         if (!engine.Verify())
11.         {
12.             Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default;
13.             Cursor.Hide();
15.             DialogResult result = MessageBox.Show("Database is corrupted. Do you want to repair?", "My App", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question, MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1);
16.             if (result == DialogResult.Yes)
17.             {
18.                 Cursor.Current = Cursors.WaitCursor;
19.                 Cursor.Show();
21.                 // You can also use RepairOption.DeleteCorruptedRows.
22.                 engine.Repair(null, RepairOption.RecoverCorruptedRows);
24.                 Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default;
25.                 Cursor.Hide();
27.                 MessageBox.Show("Database repaired successfully.", "My App");
28.             }
29.         }
30.         else
31.         {
32.             Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default;
33.             Cursor.Hide();
34.             MessageBox.Show("Database is not corrupted.", "My App");
35.         }
36.     }
37.     catch (Exception ex)
38.     {
39.         Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default;
40.         Cursor.Hide();
41.         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Error!");
42.     }
43. }

Next time you get a corrupted SQL CE database try it out.

Cannot connect to YouTube using iPhone

Do you guys also get the ”Cannot connect to YouTube” error on your iPhone when using the provided YouTube application?

If yes follow the steps below to get it fixed.

1. Open Cydia from your spring board.

2. Press on the Manage tab in the bottom.

3. Press on Sources, then on Edit and press again on Add to add a new source.

4. Type the URL http://apt.iphonemodding.com and press on Add Source button.

5. Now find the iPhoneModding item and press on the triangle ‘>’.

6. Scroll down and find the “Push Fix” item and press on it.

7. Press Install to get Push Fix installed on your iPhone.

8. After pressing confirm on the confirmation screen the application will get installed on your iPhone.

 

9. After a complete restart you will be able to use YouTube application within your iPhone.