Smart Bar XP

Got this link from mr. bolton.

If you just can't wait until Longhorn comes out to get the sidebar, here is an app that looks and acts very much like the sidebar in Longhorn.  It is freeware.

http://www.smartbarxp.com/cgi-bin/cws/home.php?page=dl_sbxp


nAnt

As part of the move toward extreme programming, I have been working over the last several weeks to finalize the automated builds for Fuzion.  I am using nAnt to do my builds and I have to say that it is a very powerful little program.  I have the build scripts compiling all of the Fuzion projects (8 in all), creating all of the database scripts from the sql scripts stored in CVS, creating a test database using the db scripts created, running all of our nUnit test, and then creating a zip file for distribution.

 


A better toilet

Found this in one of the blogs that I monitor.  The video that is linked near the bottom of the page is pretty funny.  So for folks like d1 who hate those low flow toilets and wish for a better toilet, here you go.

http://www.americanstandard-us.com/planDesign/performance/BestFlush/best_flush.asp


MS Build Bloggers and Resources

For all of you out there that are looking for links to MSBuild information, this site seems to be the place.  It has links to quick starts, bloggers, presentations, chats,etc..

http://www.flexwiki.com/default.aspx/FlexWiki.MSBuildBloggersAndResources

Here are a couple of good links off the site, just in case they disappear.

  • MSBuild Reference on MSDN2 - http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/0k6kkbsd.aspx
  • MSBuild Quick Starts - http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/4/0/d401e5cd-04c7-4b72-b644-a00ae3fd5681/msbuildqs.msi

  • Port Reporter and Port Reporter Parser

    Tools sounds pretty cool if you want to know what network traffic is coming in and out of your machine.

    Port Reporter and Port Reporter Parser

    You may have heard of a tool called Port Reporter that logs TCP and UDP activity on a Windows 2000, XP or 2003 machine. On XP and 2003 it also captures more data about the user and process that opened the port. (Data that is also available with the -o flag on netstat). You can get the tool here. Well there is now a nice little gui tool called Port Reporter Parser to help you sort through the data.


    CSS Reference

    Looks like a decent CSS Reference.

    http://www.webucator.com/resources/css/reference.html


    SQL Function Reference: Oracle vs. SQL

    Thanx to Dan McCulley for sending me this link.  For all of you out there have to interact with both Oracle and SQL this is a handy reference.

    http://www.webucator.com/resources/sql/reference.html

    *same for both databases
    Math Functions
    FunctionOracleSQL Server
    Absolute valueABSABS
    Arc cosineACOSACOS
    Arc sineASINASIN
    Arc tangent of nATANATAN
    Arc tangent of n and mATAN2ATN2
    Smallest integer >= valueCEILCEILING
    CosineCOSCOS
    Hyperbolic cosineCOSHCOT
    Exponential valueEXPEXP
    Round down to nearest integerFLOORFLOOR
    Natural logarithmLNLOG
    Logarithm, any baseLOG(N)N/A
    Logarithm, base 10LOG(10)LOG10
    Modulus (remainder)MODUSE MODULO (%) OPERATOR
    PowerPOWERPOWER
    Random numberN/ARAND
    RoundROUNDROUND
    Sign of numberSIGNSIGN
    SineSINSIN
    Hyperbolic sineSINHN/A
    Square rootSQRTSQRT
    TangentTANTAN
    Hyperbolic tangentTANHN/A
    TruncateTRUNCN/A
    Highest number in listGREATESTN/A
    Lowest number in listLEASTN/A
    Convert number if NULLNVLISNULL

     

    String Functions
    FunctionOracleSQL Server
    Convert character to ASCIIASCIIASCII
    String concatenateCONCAT(expression + expression)
    Convert ASCII to characterCHRCHAR
    Return starting point of character in character string (from left)INSTRCHARINDEX
    Convert characters to lowercaseLOWERLOWER
    Convert characters to uppercaseUPPERUPPER
    Pad left side of character stringLPADN/A
    Remove leading blank spacesLTRIMLTRIM
    Remove trailing blank spacesRTRIMRTRIM
    Starting point of pattern in character stringINSTRPATINDEX
    Repeat character string multiple timesRPADREPLICATE
    Phonetic representation of character stringSOUNDEXSOUNDEX
    String of repeated spacesRPADSPACE
    Character data converted from numeric dataTO_CHARSTR
    SubstringSUBSTRSUBSTRING
    Replace charactersREPLACESTUFF
    Capitalize first letter of each word in stringINITCAPN/A
    Translate character stringTRANSLATEN/A
    Length of character stringLENGTHDATALENGTH or LEN
    Greatest character string in listGREATESTN/A
    Least character string in listLEASTN/A
    Convert string if NULLNVLISNULL

     

    Date Functions
    FunctionOracleSQL Server
    Date addition(use +)DATEADD
    Date subtraction(use -)DATEDIFF
    Last day of monthLAST_DAYN/A
    Time zone conversionNEW_TIMEN/A
    First weekday after dateNEXT_DAYN/A
    Convert date to stringTO_CHARDATENAME
    Convert date to numberTO_NUMBER(TO_CHAR())DATEPART
    Convert string to dateTO_DATECAST
    Get current date and timeSYSDATEGETDATE()

     


    nbsp in XSLT files

    It is not predefined. Only < > & " ' are predefined.
    You can either use   or  , or you can define an entity like nbsp
    for the same.

    Try:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <!DOCTYPE xsl:stylesheet [ <!ENTITY nbsp "&#160;"> ]>
    <xsl:stylesheet xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"; version="1.0">
      <xsl:template match="article/b2/tekst">
        <tr>
          <td>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
          <td>
            <xsl:value-of select="./@author"/>
          </td>
          <td>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
        </tr>
      </xsl:template>
    </xsl:stylesheet>

    Misc SQL Stuff

    While researching running dts package during my nant builds I ran across some intersting sql articles/code.

    Cookbook for using SQL Server DTS 2000 with .NET - Tells you how to execute a dts package in .NET Code

    ScriptJobs - ScriptJobs is a vbscrpit that uses SQL-DMO to script out all sql jobs or a single job at the time, identified by name or ID.

    Save DTS Package to File -SQL Utility that comes with SQL2k that can be used to store a dts package to a file.

    Execute DTS Package using VB.NET/C#/C++

    Good list of MS SQL Information

    Programatically Save DTS Packages to Files using DTSRUN

    Save all DTS Packages to Files using T-SQL and sp_OA

    Load DTS File to SQL Server

    DTS and C#

    DTS Package2 Hierarchy

    After much search I found that to delete a DTS package from SQL you can use the dtsrun command and the /!D option.


    F Lock Key on Microsoft Keyboards

    One of the things I hate most about my MS keyboards is the f lock key.  I am constantly having to turn this on and off depending on it I want to use the shortcut to maximize or restore my remote control desktop or not.  Today I ran across a page that tells you how to fix this problem. http://www.mvps.org/jtsang/flock.html  If requires registry hacks, so use them at your own risks.