Hosam Kamel's Blog

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] Visual Studio Achievements

2012-01-20T07:33:05Z

A software engineer's glory so often goes unnoticed. Attention seems to come either when there are bugs or when the final project ships. But rarely is a developer appreciated for all the nuances and subtleties of a piece of code--and all the heroics it took to write it.

Until now.

With the Visual Studio Achievements Extension, various achievements are unlocked based on your activity. When you unlock an achievement, Visual Studio lets you know visually with a pop-up. In addition, your Channel 9 profile is updated with any achievements you earn, recalculating your position on the leaderboard. Now, all that hard work won’t go unnoticed! Download it today!

There are six categories of achievements you can earn, including categories like Unleashing Visual Studio, Power Coder, Don't Try This At Home and more. Some examples of individual achievements include Regional Manager (have more than 10 regions in a single class), Close To The Metal (use 5 preprocessor directives), Stubby (generate method stubs 10 times) or Interrupting Cow(have 10 breakpoints in a file). All in all, there are 32 achievements awaiting to be unlocked.

To see a list of all the achievements, check out this page. You can also see where you and your fellow niners stand on theleaderboard. You can tweet and share your achievements on Facebook. Or, add your list of achievements to your blog. After all, those badges look so shiny and nice!

Note that the Visual Studio Achievements only works for C# and Visual Basic. Progress based achievements can only be incremented once a minute. Achievements marked with Uses FxCop only work on Visual Studio 2010 Premium or Ultimate unless FxCop is installed. Visual Studio Achievements has an API for those interested.

Download it today! Happy coding!

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] Architecture Layers Patterns

2012-01-19T15:45:30Z

Architecture layers patterns toolbox items based on the Microsoft Application Architecture Guide, 2nd Edition for the layer diagram designer of Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate.

The actual release include the following toolbox items:

Architecture Patterns

1. Common Application Pattern
2. Service Architetype Pattern

Architecture Layers

1. Presentation Layer Pattern
2. Business Layer Pattern
3. Data Layer Pattern
4. Service Layer Pattern
5. Cross-Cutting Layer Pattern
6. External Systems Pattern

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] SQL Server Compact Toolbox

2012-01-12T11:21:42Z

SQL Server Compact Toolbox is an add-in for Visual Studio 2010. Supports SQL Server Compact version 3.5 and 4.0.
Adds several features in concert with Server Explorer to help your SQL Server Compact development efforts:
- Lists all SQL Server Compact Data Sources defined in Server Explorer
- Displays object properties in Properties window
- Launch directly from Server Explorer
- Explore all database objects: Tables, Columns, Indexes, Keys, Statistics, Merge Subscriptions
Scripting:
- Script tables, including data, both DDL and DML
- Script entire schema, optionally with data, from SQL Server Compact and SQL Server 2005/2008 databases
- Import to SQL Server Compact from a SQL Server 2005/2008 database or a CSV file
- Migrate from SQL Server Compact to SQL Server and SQL Azure
- Migrate from SQL Server to SQL Server Compact
- Create database diff scripts, compare with a SQL Server Compact or even a SQL Server database
Query editing:
- Basic, free form query execution
- Editor with syntax coloring
- Parse SQL scripts
- Display graphical estimated and actual execution plan
- Check query duration
- Edit table data in a grid, with column sorting, image import/export, quick search and free form query
Code generation:
- Generate an Windows Phone DataContext (.cs or .vb) in the current project, optionally split into a file per table (.cs only)
- Generate an Entity Data Model (EDMX) in the current project for both 3.5 and 4.0 in any applicable project (WPF, WinForms, Class Library) and create configuration for Private Deployment
Documentation creation:
- Add object descriptions to databases, tables and columns
- Generate detailed DGML files for visualizing table columns and relationships (requires VS 2010 Premium or higher to view)
- Generate database documentation in HTML or XML formats, courtesy of DB>doc for Microsoft SQL Server
Other features:
- Rename tables
- File version check (for version 2-4)
- Upgrade version 3.1/3.5 files to version 4.0 via the "Add SQL Server Compact 4.0 Connection" dialog
- Create and manage SQL Server Merge Replication subscriptions
- Data types node with documentation tooltips lists the 18 available data types
- Remove invalid connection definitions from the Toolbox (and Server Explorer)
- About dialog with detailed SQL Server Compact version information

For support, full source code, a standalone version for 4.0 and feedback, go to:http://sqlcetoolbox.codeplex.com
For users not having Visual Studio 2010 Pro or higher installed, an add-in for 3.5 with similar functionality for the free SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express and also command line versions are available here:http://exportsqlce.codeplex.com
New in version 2.5:
- Selected Database and Table properties displayed in VS properties window
- DGML file (database graph) now also contains object descriptions
- EDMX dialog now allows adding configuration for Private Deployment to app.config
- Added ability to add 3.5 Connections from Toolbox
- Improved VS UI Guidelines compliance: Toolbars, SQL Editor Font, Dialogs (frame, background and buttons)

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] BIDS Helper

2012-01-02T16:04:25Z

A Visual Studio.Net add-in with features that extend and enhance the functionality of the SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008 BI Development Studio (BIDS).

Features

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] PHP Language Support

2011-12-27T17:50:24Z

This extension provides basic editing features for the PHP scripting language. Current editing features include:

Syntax highlighting, including support for HTML code outside PHP tags and within documentation comments
Outlining support for quickly collapsing classes and functions
Dropdown bars listing classes and functions within the current document

This extension has a relatively small feature set, but it's quite fast and usable. It was created as part of an experiment to provide editor features for multiple languages within a single document (PHP, HTML, and formatted documentation comments).

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] Community TFS Build Manager (Alpha)

2011-12-23T18:08:44Z

The Community TFS Build Manager is developed as part of the Community TFS Build Extensions CodePlex project.

The Community TFS Build Manager has been created for two reasons.

An implementation of the Team Foundation Build API which is referenced by the Rangers Build Customization Guidance V2 (available H1 2012)
Provide a solution to a real problem. The Community TFS Build Manager is intended to ease the management of builds in medium to large Team Foundation Server environments, though it does provide a few features which all users may find useful.

Current Feature Set

View and sort Builds and Build Definitions across multiple Build Controllers and Team Projects
Bulk operations on Build Definitions
- Change Build Templates
- Queue
- Enable
- Disable
- Delete
- Set Retention Policies
Clone Build Definitions (includes workspace mapping translation)
Create a DGML image of your Builds and Controllers
Bulk operations on Builds
- Delete
- Open Drop Folders
- Retain Indefinitely

NOTE: A standalone Windows Application is available in the release from CodePlex.

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

Community TFS Build Extensions – December 2011

2011-12-23T18:05:00Z

A new release of the Community TFS Build Extensions has been released, this version includes:

Visual Studio 11 support
Community TFS Build Manager (alpha)
New Activities

Windows Azure Activities
Amazon Web Services Activities
SharePoint and ClickOnce Activities
SSH Activities
Lab Management Activities
Many Workflow Utility Activities

Download this release from CodePlex

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] NuGet Package Manager

2011-12-17T21:31:26Z

NuGet is a free, open source developer focused package management system for the .NET platform intent on simplifying the process of incorporating third party libraries into a .NET application during development.

NuGet is a Visual Studio extension that makes it easy to add, remove, and update libraries and tools in Visual Studio projects that use the .NET Framework. When you add a library or tool, NuGet copies files to your solution and automatically makes whatever changes are needed in your project, such as adding references and changing yourapp.config orweb.config file. When you remove a library, NuGet removes files and reverses whatever changes it made in your project so that no clutter is left.

NuGet provides a quick and easy way to add features to an existing application while ensuring that those features are integrated into source control. After installing a library, you can commit changes to your source control repository, and then another developer can perform a get operation against the repository in order to start working with the new features.

Everything necessary to install a library or tool is bundled into a

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

Security Development Lifecycle

2011-12-17T21:04:58Z

What is the Security Development Lifecycle ?

The Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) is a software development security assurance process consisting of security practices grouped by seven phases: training, requirements, design, implementation, verification, release, and response.

Why Adopt the SDL?

For Developers	For Business Owners
Build more secure software Better align with compliance activities	Reduce total development cost Determine security priorities

Microsoft® Security Development Lifecycle website provide a great resources about the process overall and many tools associated with each phase.

I do recommend the site for anyone concerned about implementing the security in the industry standard way!

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] CSSCop

2011-12-16T15:41:19Z

CSSCop makes it easy to adhere to best practices for writing stylesheets. It catches common errors that affect browser compatibility and much more. You can think of it as FxCop for stylesheets.

It uses the widely used CSS Lint tool behind the scenes. CSS Lint is THE best CSS linting tool on the market and CSSCop brings it directly into Visual Studio in an easy and convenient way.

To run CSSCop, simply right-click any CSS file, folder or project in Solution Explorer. That kicks of the rules engine and a list of warnings is added to the Error List.

The first time CSSCop is running, it will create a settings file (csslint.xml) in the root of your website. You can modify this file to turn rules on and off as you see fit. You can also specify whether or not the warnings should be treated as errors and be shown as such in the Error List.

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

When MSSCCI Plays its magic :) Adobe® RoboHelp® Integration

2011-12-15T09:49:07Z

The Microsoft® Source Code Control Interface (MSSCCI) provider is used to provide an integrated version control user experience with products that do not support the Microsoft Visual Studio® Team Explorer. For example, if you use Visual Studio 6.0, you can use the MSSCCI client or command line to interact with Microsoft Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) Team Foundation Version Control.

The following clients can work directly with Team Foundation Version Control by using the MSSCCI provider:

Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003
Microsoft Visual C++® 6 Service Pack 6 (SP6)
Microsoft Visual Basic® 6.0 SP6
Microsoft Visual FoxPro® 9.0 SP1
Microsoft Access 2003 SP2
Microsoft SQL Server™ Management Studio
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect 6.1
Sybase PowerBuilder 105
Toad for SQL Server 2.0
Adobe® RoboHelp®

Version (3.3) includes:

Updated provider to link against VS 2010 RTM TFS assemblies
Improved functionality and performance when used inside PowerBuilder
Improved handling of branched solutions in SQL Server Management Studio
Decreased number of server prompts
Improved error reporting

Adobe® RoboHelp®

Shai Raiten published a new post on how to integrate TFS with Adobe® RoboHelp® 9 here Integrating RoboHelp with TFS Source Control

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Visual Studio Extension Of The Day] Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework Sample Browser

2011-12-14T06:49:57Z

The Microsoft All-In-One Code Framework is a free, centralized code sample library driven by developers' needs. Our goal is to provide typical code samples for all Microsoft development technologies, and reduce developers' efforts in solving typical programming tasks.
Our team listens to developers’ pains in MSDN forums, social media and various developer communities. We write code samples based on developers’ frequently asked programming tasks, and allow developers to download them with a short code sample publishing cycle. Additionally, our team offers a free code sample request service. This service is a proactive way for our developer community to obtain code samples for certain programming tasks directly from Microsoft.

Download it from Visual Studio Extension Manager

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

[Tip] Team Explore Window in Eclipse

2011-12-12T10:57:41Z

Today I spent more than 5 minutes searching for Team Explore Windows in Eclipse after installing VISUAL STUDIO TEAM EXPLORER EVERYWHERE 2010, I thought by default the window will be visible normally like Visual Studio but it have to be enable manually.

To Show the Team Explore Window

From Windows –> Show View –> Others…

2. Select Team Foundation Server –> Team Explorer

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

“Learn Windows Azure” Event by Scott Guthrie, Dave Campbell, and Mark Russinovich!

2011-12-08T10:08:48Z

Next Tuesday, Dec 13th we’ll be holding a special Learn Windows Azure training event for developers. It will provide a great way to learn Windows Azure and what it provides. You can attend the event either by watching it streamed LIVE online, or by attending in person (on the Microsoft Redmond Campus). Both options are completely free.

Scott Guthrie blogged about the event Learn Windows Azure Next Tuesday (Dec 13th)

The event agenda is really attractive, it’s a must attend event for Windows Azure fans

Register now! http://www.learnwindowsazureevent.com/

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"

ALM SUMMIT 2011 Videos are Available NOW

2011-12-08T04:39:42Z

ALM SUMMIT 2011 is a conference for development team members and leaders sponsored by Microsoft to gain deeper insight into your application lifecycle, discover best practices that address additional development challenges in the industry, and learn how Microsoft's ALM solutions enable and support those best practices. You’ll come away from this event with new tools for making better decisions about design, implementation, and technology selection.

The session recording are available now on Channel9

Enjoy watching

Originally posted at "Hosam Kamel| Developer & Platform Evangelist"