Are you getting a blank page in IE when you TRY to start using OData?  I think I can help!

If you’re just getting into OData, like I am now, no, I mean REALLY getting into OData, like making an app consuming OData, then chances are you’re probably trying out a few OData links in  your browser.  If you’re like me you’re using IE…ok, ok, hold off on the judgmental banter, it’s just a browser.  Anyways, if you’re like me, and you try it in the default configuration of IE, you’re probably going to get a whole lot of NOTHING.  At least nothing useful IMHO.  There IS one glimmer of hope those, that Displaying 38 of 38 is a ray of light!

HHHMMMMMM…I think I should be seeing 38 rows OF SOMETHING, but what?  Where is the data?

Well, MANY thanks to Jean-Rene Roy, lucky for the Ottawa area, a local SQL Server MVP, had the TRICK for me, well, US!  The “trick” is to turn off RSS reading in IE.  Hey, if you’re reading RSS Feeds, chances are you’re using your own specialized program, this shouldn’t be a big deal.

In IE, goto the Tools menu, select Internet Options, then on the Content tab click the Settings button.

 

Now, the “secret sauce” is to uncheck the Turn on feed reading view and OK.

Once you do that, try going to your OData feed again.  This time, I hope you’re going to be as pleasantly surprised as I was!  Now THAT is what I was expecting the first time!  BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!

Now that you know how to START playing with OData, I hope to get VS to read this in my C# code, but that’s another blog.  Now that we can read an OData feed, it’s time to grab a coffee and get coding!

 

 

Resources

DevTeach OData: http://www.devteach.com/odata/odataservice.svc/

DevTeach Speakers OData Feed: http://www.devteach.com/odata/odataservice.svc/VSpeakers

Jean-Rene Roy,SoftDesign Technologies, MVP: http://www.softdesign.ca/Blog/

Open Data Protocol: http://www.odata.org/