Expression Blend 3 has code editing built in!  VERY COOL!  You don't always have to go out to Visual Studio to add some code, but you'd never know it by the default options.  Read on for how to change it!

Did you read the latest news?  Expression Blend is source control friendly, just not to SVN, read on for more details.

So you've created a custom class for special information, fantastic!  But now, how to you get your users to input data?  Ya, sure you could create a new data entry form, but is there an easier way?  Read on for a cool tool Visual Studio has in it's toolbox for you!

hhhhmmmm you've just spent four months slaving over Expression Blend and Visual Studio, suffering through XAML, layout managers, routed events, data binding, EF, POCOs, etc, and the first thing people at your sprint demo say is....."eeeeehhhhhhh" that's ugly!  Read on for a 15m quick fix to help make a great first impression!

Do you want to see those cool Images/Bitmaps when you're debugging your code?  Read on to help fill the one gapping hole in Visual Studio's debugger.

Do you use SQL Server Management Studio to right mouse click on a table and just hate it when you're told how many rows you can SELECT or EDIT?  Read on for a quick'n'easy fix!

Do you use Properties?  COOL!  Then you might want to check out Automatic Properties to help save a bit of typing.

This morning a friend of mine (NK) emailed me saying he heard my Dad being talked about on TV last night.  This isn't the first time this has happened, but what was different was the setting.  Read on for an interesting story.

So!  You think you know your scoping rules for C# eh?  Check out this funky little nuance/difference between the CLR and C#!  This surprised me, and it might surprise you too!

Progress update as promised (late, but still as promised).

Do you want to get the most out of your Visual Studio experience?  Read on for over 135 Tips'n'Tricks to become more proficient with the tool you live'n'breath with everyday!

I know learning something new always has it's hiccups, but this is crazy.  Try this on for size, try creating a WPF form and making your already created icon the WPF forms icon.  Try it, I dare you.  Frustrated yet?  Read on for the answer.

Are you getting a cryptic ORA-12154 error saying something like "TNS:could not resolve the connect identifier specified?"  If you are, I potentially have a solution for you, read on.

When you create a new project, do you commonly change the Assembly Information?  If you do, you ever get tired of changing the "Microsoft" in the Company and Copyright?  If you are, then please read on for the quick fix.

Since you were little, you probably knew what the difference between a pen and pencil was right?  But on the computer, what's the diff?  Different tools have different impressions, so what's the diff with Expression Blend?

Secrets in C#?  Ya!  Right, there aren't too many of those!  So how DO you keep strings from being publically exposed to anyone watching?  Read on to find out!

Yesterday, a colleague and I went to Montreal to participate in the Samedi.NET (a Saturday of nothing but Silverlight).  Read on for my review.  Updated: 10-26-2009 14:52

Bold title eh?  Ya, I thought so too but it's true!  If you haven't tried Visual Studio's Debugger Visualizers, you're missing out!  Read on for a gripping intro!

Do you know that F6 is the C# keybinding for building your solution?  What about CTRL+. for SmartTags or that F7 views code from the Designer?  If you don't, then read on for a quick cheat sheet!  If you do, continue as well cause you could find some new key bindings to use!

In your shop, what criteria do you use to decide if you're code's done?  What does "done" actually mean to you?  To QA?  To management?  Read on for just one devs version.

SHA1, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512......four to choose from and then there are four sub-algorithms underneath, OH MY!  Read on for runtime performance analysis (also show MD5 and Rijndael).

What kind of manager are you?  Do you micro-manage ala Steve Jobs or are you a bit more trusting with your people?  Read on for a confession.

I want to humbly thank the ODNC for receiving two awards for last year, please read on for more information.

Ever have a job you hated?  Or maybe you just toiled away at your desk for years out of habit but without a clue as to why?  Read on for some (potential insite).

Today SB and I were talking about how we used to do "Coding Challenges" at work with SG and how we missed them.  They were just quick little code questions to each other to try to stump the other, but nothing wickedly complicated or too long to diagnose.  In that tradition, I submit a doozie for your contemplation.  In other words........ H E L P !!!!!!!!! :> LOL

Today marks an anniversary.  This is the first time I've EVER seen something where the words are more powerful than the pictures.

Finally a true to goodness Windows screen saver (SCR) for the hit TV show Numb3rs from CBS!  Please read for more details.

Today I wanted to do something with a URL but neither Uri nor UriBuilder were able to help me out.  Read on for more details.  If you're doing web dev, you might have run into these very same issues.

Tonight I moved all my source code over to CodePlex.  Read on for details (if you care or if you want to change your source control URL).

Microsoft released details about their lastest Windows 7 release.  Read on for links (and some high level details).

Heard of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) but only know enough to fill a thimble?  Read on for a spoon fed article to give you a leg up!

Tonight I wanted to hit two birds with one stone!  Read on for more details!

Have you ever wanted to use a Dictionary of Dictionaries?  What the heck are you doing with that you might ask?  Read on please! :>

I'm working on a Montreal Canadiens screen saver and thought grabbing a copy of the current web page would be cool, but how to do it and also how can you add "stuff" to it?  Read on for some cool graphic details (haha).

Last week I need to order a list of files and directories.  My problem was I was adding multiple files implementing the IComparer interface.  That's good'n'all, but there had to be a better way than one more file for one more sort order?  But how?!  SG to the rescue!

How do you effectively disable the windows control box close button?  You know, the bit "X" on the top right hand side of every WinForm, how do you get rid of it/disable it?

Progress update as promised (late, but still as promised).

Do you have your own server?  Are you running IIS and have one ASP or ASP.NET application?  Want to run more but can't seem to figure it out?  Read on for some help!

You could be running Apache/Tomcat/WebLogic or other J2EE servers and you might learn a bit, but it's up to you to make the leaps of logical faith to make it run (the theory is tranlatable if not the screen shots and dialogs).  Here's how you do it!

Do you use the DISTINCT clause in your SQL queries a lot?  If you do, can I have a word with you please?  If you don't, maybe check this out for a "feel good" kind of moment. HAHA!

Running short on HD space?  Or maybe you're just poking around Windows and found a Prefetch directory.  What's that all about?  Can you delete it's contents?  Only if you want to slow things down you can!  DOH!  Read on.

Do you have a process you KNOW SHOULD be in a Windows Service but think they're just too complicated?  You think they're for Windows Servers only or you've had/heard of administrative problems in the past?  Well, read on for a detailed set of directions to take you from where you are now to a completed and working Windows Service!

Believe it or not (cause I can't!) I have a project at work where I can some how get VS08 to show a private constructor via code intellisense.  Don't believe me, check it out!

This week at our study group we had a discussion about passing values around by val and by ref.  How so?  Please read on for further details.

Today I realized the current way I was using Log4net was, well....suboptimal.  Read on for what the problem was and how I fixed it!

Have you ever noticed QuickWatch is dumb?  Please read on for my rant on why QuickWatch needs just one little, itty, bitty tweak to make PERFECT!

Are you a recently laid off hi-tech programmer/IT worker in the Ottawa, ON area?  If yes, please read on for a FANTASTIC free training opportunity with CTE Solutions!

Are you still doing your logging using Windows Event Viewer?  How 2000-ish!  What are you doing?  Get into the next decade and start using Log4net!

Have you tried out Windows 7 and love it except for that darn bird on the Logon background screen?  Read on for how to change it, it's not that hard!

If you're new to source control, you might find the concept of "ignoring certain files" a bit disconcerting, but that's ok.  It's one of many source control's "best practises."  The only "trick" is picking which files to ignore.  Read on for some insight's on picking some and a sample SVN ignore list.

Last weekend I bit the bullet and installed Windows 7 on two, yup, you read that right, TWO computers!  Read on for my experiences.

No, I don't mean to gloat, quite the opposite, I actually helped CodePlex become juuuuuuuust a little bit better today!

When you try to rename a directory or do an F5/refresh and find your Windows Explorer goes off on a ride for ten minutes unexplicably?  Are you using SVN/TortoiseSVN?  If you said yes to both, I have a solution, please read on!

IMHO the OCC 2009 event was a great success for the Microsoft tech heads in the Ottawa/Gatineau area!  Read on for some highlights!

Have you ever emailed/phoned a software manufacturer?  How long did it take?  Read on for a very cool story about CodePlex!  Find out why I'm pleasantly suprised!

If you are a .NET/C#/VB.NET code head living in the Ottawa, ON area, then you might be interested in the Ottawa Code Camp going on this weekend!  Read on for further details!

Have you ever wanted to write a piece of code JUUUUUUUST for debugging purposes?  Ever been burnt with leaving it in for a Release build?  Read on for a really quick'n' easy way to avoid this in the future!

Have you ever been given a document or asked to do something for which you do not have access to the right tool?  If that's happened to you before, read on for a possible solution.

Ever try to use the RegEx option in Visual Studio's Search and Replace dialog box?  RegEx is hard enough as it is without having to throw in Visual Studio's own little nuances, well read on for a bit of help.

As you're developing code/sql, do you tend to "fart around" with your t-sql in Managment Studio?  If you do, I'm sure you've ruined some classic/prestine data, right?  Read on for a quick trick to stop that from happening again!

Do you create multi-lingual applications?  Here's a blog from MS which could help make your translation juuuuust a bit cheaper AND give you a leg up on the actual translations themselves!

Ever heard the term SWAG or Chachkas before but never knew what they meant?  Read on to find out!

Are you part of the ODNC?  Are you interested in the first step to getting a .NET certification?  Read on for a great study group given by the ODNC!

Are you planning on going to a technical conference this year?  Chances are your company's on a tight budget, so how are you going to decide on what's the "right' conference for you?  Read on for some of my thoughts!

Last Friday I got a new tool and so far I'm loving it!  Read on for further details!

Need a quick'n'dirty way to do something to ALL the tables in your db?  Read on for a SQL Server undocumented proc you might be able to use.

Last week I was invited to presentation on how to give a good technical presentation.  Read on for some cool'n'useful tidbits!

Microsoft Certification is rumoured to be removing the Framework exam (MCTS 70-536) from the exam stack.  WTF?  Read on why I'm cheesed off at this announement.

Want to make your WinForms application look just a bit more professional?  Read on for one quick'n'easy thing you can do to bran your newly created (or in maintenance) WinForm with your company logo!

When you give presentations, do you sometimes lose track of time?  Do you sometimes get caught up on a question that takes you away from your well practised presentation?  Do you sometimes lose track of time (and repeat yourself cause you're not aware of your own presentation? DOH!)?  Read on for a GREAT feature in Microsoft PowerPoint to help you give keep track of your presentations.

How do you record your meetings?  Do you use Microsoft Office Live Meeting?  If you do, how do you share your meetings with others?  Read on for a great tool to help you out!

Microsoft TechDays have been finalized for 2009.  Read on for more details.

AAAAHHHH Beating a config file into submission!  There's a few things in life more pleasureful, but not many!  If you're using DNN + SyntaxHighlighter2 + code highlighting plugin for FCKEditor, you'll want to read on for vital configuration information/gotchas/fixes.

Have you ever wanted to take down your website quickly but weren't quite sure how?  Ever been hit with a bad virus/hacker and want to immediately shut things down?  Have you ever wanted to do an upgrade to your website but would like to spare your users bad error messages or confusing them by seeing wonky screens of half upgrades pages?  Read on about a cool file IIS uses if it's present to take a site offline.

Have you ever wanted to use t-sql to find out the specific version of SQL Server you were running on?  If you're writing version specific t-sql, this information will be invaluable, continue reading for a quick way to figure it out.

Stored procs are great, especially the ones from SQL Server, but the problem is using them in another query.  How do you do it?  Continue reading for insight! :>

I can never remember the t-sql syntax for cursors, so here's my blog to help remind me (and hopefully serve as  future reference for you too! :>).

In writing up another blog about Exception handling I was getting some VERY strange results from a path throuhg my code which should be well behaved.  Turns out I was getting IOExcpetions where I wasn't expecting them!  And why was Path.GetTempFileName() returning an empty string for a temp filename?  Read on for a very freaky reason why!

Exceptions are by their very nature, very exceptional (haha pun intentional)! :>  There are quite a few different ways of throwing and catching them.  I hope you enjoy this short series on exception handling (this is part 3 of 3).

Exceptions are by their very nature, very exceptional (haha pun intentional)! :>  There are quite a few different ways of throwing and catching them.  I hope you enjoy this short series on exception handling (this is part 2 of 3).

Exceptions are by their very nature, very exceptional (haha pun intentional)! :>  There are quite a few different ways of throwing and catching them.  I hope you enjoy this short series on exception handling (this is part 1 of 3).

20 years ago, it was common to have a DOS vs OS/2 debate over beers'n'wings!  Today it's pretty much a forgone conclusion who the winner is.  For the past 10 or so years, IBM and Microsoft have been relatively quiet on the war front.  That could change soon.  Please read for a brief look back at past "debates."

Updated 2009-04-06

You've all heard you can embed a browser into your application, but have you tried it out?  Have you seen it in action?  Have you whipped up some code to try it out?  Well now's your chance, continue reading to see this awesome control in action!

Late breaking news, Microsoft buys Sun Microsystems!  Continue reading for more exciting news about this earth shattering event!

In August I wrote a blog about MS Word shortcuts.  Turns out there are a few other one's I've been using quite a bit.  Read on for a table you can print out and tape beside your monitor to help you out.

I've recently written one of the MCTS exam, please read for a small suggestion that might help you write your next certification exam.

If you are creating a project on CodePlex, good for you!  But make sure you get the URL right the first time cause you get ONE shot to set it up!  Read on for more information.

I bit the bullet today and installed MS SQL Server 2008 today, read on for some interesting things I found out.

What would happen to your sanity if you lost, yes I said LOST your digital photo album tomorrow?  Read on for some archival strategies to keep your precious memories your's forever.

Confused by the title?  Read on about a commercial I saw tonight from Swiffer.

Have you ever wanted to extract a path or directory name from a field in SQL Server?  I found myself looking at that today and I found a cool and nifty trick.  Read on for more information.

The preliminary agenda for Ottawa Code Camp 2009 has been posted!  Read further for more information.

This week at work, I noticed a piece of code setting the Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture to a specific culture.  No big deal right?  Except shouldn't that be CurrentUICulture?  hhhhhmmmm  Good question!  What's the difference between them?  Please read on for a bit of a descriptive and some code.

Progress update as promised (late, but still as promised).

Do you code to the "lowest common denominator" on your team or do you code to another standard?  Read on for something to make you go hhhhmmmmm....

Interfaces are like vegetables, you know you're supposed to eat/use them more, but yaaaaaaaaaa know, life just gets in the way sometimes right?  Read on for a cool idea to help your consumers use your interfaces better.

Are you using proper CSS in your web pages?  If you are, good for you!  If not, then here's a couple invaluable links, please read on.

This is a VERY cool read about the different types of cables out there.  Read on!

Of course YOU'VE never done this before, where you write two constructors, but instead of having one calling the other, it calls itself.......hhhhmm what would happen?  Read on for more details.