Tech Ed 2006

Attended Tech Ed hear in Sri Lanka, met many old friends, it was a good time but I think Microsoft should have emphasized more on technical side.

Free Computer Education

We are planning to start a free Computer Training Centre based in my temple (Maithree Dharamayathanaya, Jayawadanagama Battaramulla) to educate the less previledged. On this matter the Rotary Club is helping us. So if you are interested in helping us please contact me.

Getting a Crystal Report Parameter value in VB.NET

After setting a parameter value of a crystal report there is no easy way of getting the value. So I found this to get the parameter value.


CType(CType (CType (CType (CType (CType (rpt.Parameter_paraArea, CrystalDecisions.Shared.IParameterField), CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.ParameterFieldDefinition).CurrentValues, CrystalDecisions.Shared.ParameterValues).Item(0), CrystalDecisions.Shared.ParameterValue), CrystalDecisions.Shared.ParameterDiscreteValue).Value, Object)

rpt is the Crystal Report, paraArea is my parameter name which I needed to get the value of.

Hope this helps.

Playing Media Files in .Net Compact Framework 2.0

I have seen many people asking how to play media files in device applications. Here I am playing media files using Windows Media Player.

This is the ProcessHandler class which imports Coredll Dll and uses it's CreateProcess to create a seperate process with the required application.


This is the main form which has a button to start the Player, then it will ask the user to browse for a media file to play.


The ProcessHandler.CreateProcess function can be used to start any application which is installed in the device by simply replacing the 'WMPlayer' by the required application qualified name (IExplorer).