Jonathan Parker

I've signed up fro the SQL Server Data Services (MSSDS) and have started to play around with the API.

It's quite nice and simple. Here's an example of how to get your data in the cloud with MSSDS.

1. Add a Web Reference to any .NET 2.0+ project. I'll be calling it SitkaClient (Sitka is the code name for MSSDS).
   
   
   1. WSDL url is http://data.beta.mssds.com/soap/v1?wsdl but you'll need to sign up to get a username and password.
      
      
2. Optionally change your Web.config/App.config to support SSL by doing the following
   
    
   
    
   
3. Call the web service.

It's that easy.

Here's a few examples of what you can do.

1. Define a few constants
   
   
   
2. Create an Authority
   
   
   
3. Create a Container
   
    
   
4. Create an Entity
   
   

These example use a few extension methods I created for the SitkaSoapServiceClient class.

Here's the code from the Extension class which is specific to a console application because it writes to the console output:

DOWNLOAD (ZIP): SQLServerDataServices.zip

I've been getting into the CodeCampServer project so I thought I'd create a logo and put it out there to see what people thought. I've emailed it to the group and I thought I'd put it up here too as a reference.

I was wondering how I could import an .eps file into Expression Blend.

Well as it turns out you can just rename the .eps file to .ai and as expression can import ai files that's all you need to do.

While I'm on the topic of Expression Design, I've just installed the Expression Suite this week and so have started playing around with Expression Design a bit to see what it's like. I'll probably upload a few images if I make anything decent.

Happy designing!

Well, it's Skype making trouble again. If Skype starts before IIS then it'll hog port 80 and not give it back.

So, how do you fix this. Well, a simple Google search should give you everything you need. But I'm writing this down it case I forget (and hopefully by the process of writing I'll remember more).

To force Skype not to use port 80 follow these steps:

Open Skype, Select Tools -> Options. You should get this if you're running version 3.6.0.

Now select Advanced and then Connection.

Make sure Use port 80 and 443 as alternatives for incoming connections is unchecked.

Also make sure that the number in the Use port text box is not port 80.

That's it. Once you restart Skype port 80 should now be free.

You may not notice this unless you have some people running Vista SP1 and others just running Vista on its own but the .NET 2.0 SP1 has a different version.

Wikipedia shows the list of versions

2.0 SP1 has version 2.0.50727.1433

2.0 SP1 (Server 2008 and Vista SP1) has version 2.0.50727.1434

So if this shows up in your favourite Diff tool then you'll know what's going on.

You'll typically see it in the "Generated by a tool" message.

How to fix the SCC issue? That's another story!