Sometimes technical, sometimes not, never a kitty

For a recent client's project, I needed a good looking DotNetNuke skin.  After searching through Snowcovered, I cam across the DotNetNuke skins by DNN Covered.  These skins are amazingly beautiful!  We purchased one, uploaded it, and it worked perfectly.  It's perfect for our site.

Not only are their skins beautiful and affordable, they have great customer support.  The skin page said the PSD files were included in the package, but they were not present in the download.  I put in a help ticket before going to sleep, and when I woke up the next morning, I had a reply with the PSD files from DNN Covered.

DNN Covered definitely has the feel for how DotNetNuke works, and a feel for the DNN community.  Thanks DNN Covered!

Over the coming months, customers and partners can look forward to significant product milestones for SQL Server.  Microsoft is excited to deliver a feature complete CTP during the Heroes Happen Here launch wave and a release candidate (RC) in Q2 calendar year 2008, with final Release to manufacturing (RTM) of SQL Server 2008 expected in Q3.

Full story at http://blogs.technet.com/dataplatforminsider/archive/2008/01/25/microsoft-sql-server-2008-roadmap-clarification.aspx

Uh oh...

The CAPTCHA security system that Yahoo, and many other email service providers adopt to prevent spam, may not be secure, according to Russian security researchers. The researchers claim to have found a way in which the security system can be compromised. This would result in a huge increase in spam coming from yahoo and other email accounts.

Full story at http://internetcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/broadband-mobile/articles/18772-yahoos-captcha-brokenis-spam-tsunami-the-offing.htm

For years, I used FlexWallet on my Treo 700w to keep track of my passwords and such.  Recently, FlexWallet was merged into eWallet, so I had to install new software and remove the old.  Always scary.

Since eWallet's file format is different than FlexWallet, an import was required.  It failed.  So I e-mailed support, and after exchanging a couple e-mails, they sent me a link to an updated eWallet.  The import worked this time, and I've been very happy with eWallet.  Thanks to Kevin for speedy response!  I've updated my Treo 700w must-have list, replacing FlexWallet with eWallet.

Shiny new thing to eat up bandwidth!

I'm a solo developer in a corporate environment, so I'm really on my own to learn new things.  As good as blogs and books are, there's sometimes no substitute for being shown how.  That's why Microsoft highlights so many videos on its asp.net site.  ASP Alliance also has a growing library of videos.

Enter onto this list one more site--DotNetVideos.net.  Right now there are around 100 videos on a great number of topics.  Apparently there are a couple hundred more in the pipeline.  And, if you sign up now, you get 6 months of ASP.NET Pro magazine for free.  That alone is worth the sign-up.  ASP.NET Pro is one of my favorite trade mags (I have an online subscription, and have for several years).

When you're Googling for info on whatever you're working on, don't forget to check out this site, too, and see if someone is showing you how it's done.

Full disclosure: I was asked to say something about the new site, and I usually ignore such requests.  But after checking it it, it's one I'll be spending some time on, and recommending to others.

(edit - fixed links)

Assuming you don't actually have both a DataSource and DataSourceId defined on the same control, this may actually be a bug.  My situation is Visual Studio 2008, compiling an application for .NET 2.0.  I tested this with both Enterprise Library 2.0 and Enterprise Library 3.1.  For me, I'm trying to hydrate a RadioButtonList from a dataset, which is created from a stored procedure call with a parameter passed.  If I hardcode some values in the sproc and don't pass the parameter, it all works fine.  But, if I pass the parameter, I get the error.  I have a workaround in mind, and I'll post it whenI get it done.

I reported this at http://connect.microsoft.com/, with an issue ID = 323454; the title is "Both DataSource and DataSourceID are defined...".  If you're having the same problem, log in and vote for this issue--more votes = higher priority.  The text of my report is below:

I'm using VS 2008 (9.0.21022.8 RTM), compiling for the .NET 2.0 framework.

On a web form, I've added a RadioButtonList, as below:

<asp:RadioButtonList ID="rblShippingPlatform" runat="server" CssClass="FormFieldsAjax" />

In code behind, I call a function in a CBO in the same project to hydrate the values:

cPub.fillShippingPlatforms(rblShippingPlatform, cPublic.Segment.Lane)

The function in the CBO makes a call to the DAL, which is a shared library added as a project reference:

    Public Sub fillShippingPlatforms(ByVal rblPlatforms As RadioButtonList, ByVal sSegment As String)
        With rblPlatforms
            .DataSource = cDb.GetShippingPlatforms(sSegment)
            .DataValueField = "ShippingPlatformID"
            .DataTextField = "ShippingPlatform"
            .DataBind()
        End With
    End Sub

The DAL simply executes a stored procedure and returns a dataset:

    Public Function GetShippingPlatforms(ByVal sSegment As String) As DataSet
        dB = DatabaseFactory.CreateDatabase
        cmd = dB.GetStoredProcCommand("lpGetShippingPlatforms")

        With dB
            .AddInParameter(cmd, "@Segment", DbType.String, sSegment)
            Return .ExecuteDataSet(cmd)
        End With

    End Function

There's nothing fancy here, but when I load the web form, I receive an error stating "Both DataSource and DataSourceID are defined on 'rblShippingPlatform'. Remove one definition. ".

I can hydrate the RadioButtonList if I adjust the stored procedure and remove the parameter handling.

    Public Function GetShippingPlatforms(ByVal sSegment As String) As DataSet
        dB = DatabaseFactory.CreateDatabase
        Return dB.ExecuteDataSet(CommandType.StoredProcedure, "lpGetShippingPlatforms")
    End Function

This issue occurs with both the Jan 2006 and May 2007 versions of the Enterprise Library.

Maybe winter isn't the best time to be ordering from Proflowers.  In this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNYGZHPKQgs), a box is left at the front door on a 7 degree day, and are frozen solid.  Yikes!

Proflowers' advertising is not exactly honest--their claim of "fresh from the fields" is untrue, they've been sued for saying that, and they're supposed to cease and desist.  Sleazy.

Looks like FTD.COM is also getting some unflattering coverage (see video at (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brzya0F3sVw).

More info on Proflowers at http://www.floristdetective.com/wst_page15.aspx.

Registration is now open for the Pittsburgh launch of Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008.  The launch is April 14 at the Westin Convention Center--additional details as they become available.

The date seems to have changed--I recall is being April 4 last week, so make sure you schedule the right day to be out of the office.

Register at http://www.heroshappenhere.com/.