Hosam Kamel

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 uses a new feature called the Extension Manager to add, remove, enable, and disable Visual Studio extensions. The Extension manager has a UI similar to that of the Windows Control Panel, and can be opened from the Tools menu in Visual Studio by selecting Extension Manager….

In addition, third party templates may now be installed from the New Project Dialog Box by clicking Search Online Templates… in the Templates pane.

To Enable Online Extensions download and usage, follow the below steps:

• From Visual Studio 2010 go to Options
• Extension Manager
• Check “Load per used extensions when running as administrator”

P.S. if you don’t have this option installed Visual Studio will notify you when selecting “Online Templates” from New Project dialog.

Spec Explorer 2010 is a tool that extends Visual Studio for modeling software behavior, analyzing that behavior by graphical visualization, model checking; and generating standalone test code from models. Behavior is modeled in two ways: by writing rule machines in C# (with dynamic data-defined state spaces) and by defining scenarios as action patterns in a regular-expression style. One of Spec Explorer’s major features is the ability to compose models written in these two styles. This technique enables users to slice out test cases from large state machines by defining relevant scenarios, thus tackling the notorious state-space explosion problem pervasive in model-based testing. Spec Explorer also supports combinatorial interaction testing with a rich set of features.

Watch the Channel 9 video, Spec Explorer: Model-Based Testing Made Practicable

I was trying to install MOSS 2007 on my laptop today while I'm running Windows Server 2008 64-bit edition and i discovered that this will not be a normal installation.

First you have to prepare a new installation folder with the MOSS and WSS service packs extracted in order to be able to run the setup.

For more information about how to install MOSS 2007 on Windows Server 2008 check this post http://mindsharpblogs.com/ben/archive/2007/12/16/3837.aspx

After downloading the necessary updates and preparing the installation folder;I got the below error when the MOSS installation started 

Setup is unable to proceed due to the following error(s):

Internet Information Services is running in 32-bit emulation mode.

Correct the issue(s) listed above and then re-run setup.

To fix this issue:

1. You simply need to run the following command (open command prompt in administrative mode)

   CScript "%SystemDrive%\InetPub\AdminScripts\adsutil.vbs" set w3svc/AppPools/Enable32bitAppOnWin64 0

   Note The value "1" for Enable32bitAppOnWin64 specifies 32-bit mode. The value "0" specifies 64-bit mode.

   http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/905854

2. Restart the IIS by typing iisreset command in the command prompt.

Available Downloads:

• Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate
• Visual Studio 2010 Premium
• Visual Studio 2010 Professional
• Visual Studio 2010 Remote Debugger

Instruction how to download and install the beta:

• How to Download and Install the Beta

Note:

• The installation download the visual studio component from the internet for a direct link to ISO file, Scott Hanselman has posted it “Visual Studio 2010b2 EXPRESS EDITION Direct ISO Link http://bit.ly/2NuaZH (ISO!)”

[Update]***************************************************

ISO files now included http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/dd582936.aspx :)

Pre-register today and get notified when SharePoint 2010 Beta becomes available in November. ​

Find out how this integrated suite of server capabilities can help your organization by providing comprehensive content management and enterprise search, accelerating shared business processes, and facilitating information-sharing across boundaries for better business insight.

Please review the preliminary system requirements to prepare for the beta release. For a comprehensive list of readiness resources and the right steps to take today, check out SharePoint 2010 Get Ready.

This site contains essential getting started information, what's new, and learning resources for developers. The SharePoint 2010 public Beta will be available in November 2009.

SharePoint 2010 (BETA) Developer Center @MSDN

SharePoint 2010: Professional Developer Evaluation Guide and Walkthroughs

[Update] ***********************************************

I have just checked an awesome blog post @SharePoint Team Blog “SharePoint 2010”, man SharePoint 2010 will rock!

According to Microsoft Press Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 and Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Beta 2  are now available for to MSDN subscribers; general availability will follow on Oct. 21.

Microsoft has also simplified the product lineup for Visual Studio 2010 and announced pricing details. In the next version, customers will be able to choose from three main versions of Visual Studio 2010:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate with MSDN. The comprehensive suite of application life-cycle management tools for software teams to help ensure quality results from design to deployment
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Premium with MSDN. A complete toolset to help developers deliver scalable, high-quality applications
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Professional with MSDN. The essential tool for basic development tasks to assist developers in implementing their ideas easily

Beta 2 has really a lot of cool feature, you can check the Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Beta 2 Walkthroughs

Scott Hanselman has published the new Visual Studio 2010 beta 2 splash screen … looks very creative, Thanks Scott.

The Immediate window is used at design time to debug and evaluate expressions, execute statements, print variable values, and so forth. It allows you to enter expressions to be evaluated or executed by the development language during debugging.

Immediate window is one of basics windows that i can’t live without when using Visual Studio for debugging my application, Its even do more functionality in terms of expression evaluation, you can check more details here Immediate Window.

I’m suddenly discovered that I'm missing this window in my Visual Studio 2008 and I don’t know why! I’ve searched the View and Debug menus but no luck to find it.

Vitaly Gorn has posted a workaround about how to enable this window again, Missing Immediate Window in VS2008 Thanks a lot Vitaly!

When working with multiple application pools it’s being difficult while debugging your asp.net web application to identify the worker process (w3wp.exe) you want to attach your debugger to.

To identify your application worker process (w3wp), You have to get the correct worker process ID to do so:

For Window 2008 or Vista (IIS 7.0)

• IIS 7.0 shipped with a new utility called AppCmd which serve as a command line server management utility.
• This tool located in %systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\AppCmd.exe
• To list current worker process Id’s along with its corresponding site use the below command 

  AppCmd.exe list wps

•  
• once you got your application worker process Id, you select the correct worker process from “Attach to Process” dialog on Visual Studio.

For Window 2003 (IIS 6.0)

• Use iisapp.vbs script, a command line tool included in IIS 6.0 is used to list worker processes
• This script located in %SystemRoot%\System32\IIsApp.vbs
• Run it by typing

  cscript IIsApp.vbs

• 
• once you got your application worker process Id, you select the correct worker process from “Attach to Process” dialog on Visual Studio.

Hope it helps.

Microsoft SharedView is a fast, easy way to share documents and screen views with small groups of friends or coworkers; anytime, anywhere. Use SharedView to put your heads together and collaborate - create, convey, and communicate…across physical boundaries, through firewalls, and down to the smallest details.

Some important tips on using SharedView:

1. To start a session using this program, you must sign in using a Windows Live ID (Passport ID). However, you can use any e-mail ID or even a friendly name to join a session. A friendly name is a name of your choice. This is the name that others in the session will use to identify you.
2. If you want to start a session and do not have a Windows Live ID, you can continue installing this program. However, before signing in, you must get a new Windows Live™ ID.
3. If you are already using this program, you will see an upgrade notification that redirects you to the installation site.

You must have a working Internet connection to use this program.

Download

Learn more about Microsoft SharedView