Firoz Ansari's Weblog

Released - TinySQL v2.0 Code Generator

2008-04-05T00:26:00Z

I just released TinySQL code generator v2.0 with few bug fixes and a new feature of using separator tag for loop statement. You can now use {sap}{/sap} tags to place your separators inside loop.

Here is the example of using {sap}{/sap} tags in TinySQL template:
** Generate Data Provider: Update/v2.0 CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_Update$table]{loop} @$field = $sp_type{sap},{/sap}{/loop} AS BEGIN UPDATE dbo.$table WITH (ROWLOCK) SET {loop}$field = @$field{sap},{/sap} {/loop} WHERE --TODO RETURN -1 END

And generated code from above template will be like:
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_UpdateAction] @Id = NUMERIC, @Action = VARCHAR(250), @ProjectId = NUMERIC, @IsNextAction = BIT, @IsWaitingFor = BIT, @WaitingForNotes = VARCHAR(1000), @RemindOn = DATETIME, @IsDefer = BIT, @DeferDate = DATETIME, @IsDone = BIT, @Sequence = INT AS BEGIN UPDATE dbo.Action WITH (ROWLOCK) SET Id = @Id, Action = @Action, ProjectId = @ProjectId, IsNextAction = @IsNextAction, IsWaitingFor = @IsWaitingFor, WaitingForNotes = @WaitingForNotes, RemindOn = @RemindOn, IsDefer = @IsDefer, DeferDate = @DeferDate, IsDone = @IsDone, Sequence = @Sequence WHERE --TODO RETURN -1 END

Download: TinySQL v2.0

You can also read my previous blog to learn more about TinySQL tool.
TinySQL Code Generator

Hope you will find this tool useful.

TinySQL Code Generator

2007-09-13T20:38:00Z

TinySQL is small and handy SQL script which can quickly generate consistent code snippet that you can paste in your project. It basically operates by reading schema of provided table and applying template to each column of table in order to generate code snippet.

With TinySQL, you can create complete or specific portion of business class, business service, or data access layer. You can also generate repetitive code snippet like storing all DataReader columns into respective property of business object, or passing all object properties to SqlParameter in data access layer, or creating stored procedures for a table or creating simple update or insert statement in stored procedure etc.

TinySQL is part of my daily development practice. I am using early version of TinySQL for 2 years now and found myself more productive with this tool. I usually keep SQL Management Studio open (like most Microsoft application developers) all the time with a dedicated query pane for TinySQL. Whenever I need to write any repetitive code based on schema of any table, I simply provide table name, tweak template per my requirement and execute the script. I then copy and paste generated code in my project. Yes, I do require making minor changes sometime in generated code to make it usable in my project but still TinySQL serves its purpose.

TinySQL is definitely not a replacement of sophisticated code generation tools like CodeSmith, TierDeveloper, LLBLGen etc. Those tools are very advance and can generate code for whole project including user interface, business layer, data access layers and even store procedures. TinySQL can only generate basic code snippet that you can use in your existing code or project.

Download Link: TinySQL

Implementation of TinySQL is very simple and straight forward. It reads schema definition of all columns of provided table and template; it then render code by rotating loop for each column. Variable you have to take care in TinySQL are:

@TableName: table name for which you want to generate code
@PrintTableName: how above table name should display in generated code. You may have table “tblCategories” but you want “Category” for class name.
@Template: Template for generated code

Open TinySQL in SQL Management Studio, provide table name and template, press F5 to execute TinySQL and you will have generated code in result pane. Now you just have to copy generated code from result pane and paste in your project.

To make customization of template more flexible, I have used few tags as placeholder for rendering respective entity. These tags are:

$table : Table name $field : Column Name $type : .NET Data Type $default : .NET Default Value $sp_type : SQL Data Type $length : Column Max Length

{loop} : Start Loop {/loop} : End Loop

Suppose I want to generate snippet which has list of all columns of provided table. So value of TinySQL variables will be:

SET @TableName = 'tblCategory' SET @PrintTableName = 'Category' SET @Template = ' ** generate simple column list /v1.0 $table: {loop}$field, {/loop} '

It will generate code something like this:

Category: Id, Language, ParentId, Name, SafeName, Right, Left, IsEnabled, DisplayOrder, Color,

Note: first line of template is comment portion which can be used as template description, author, template version, additional comment etc.

You can play with TinySQL to explorer more about this tool.

Ok, so here are some practical examples of templates which explain the basic usage of TinySQL:

1. Listing all fields of provided table.

$table Fields: {loop}$field, {/loop}

This template will generate list of field in separate lines.

2. Creating Simple SELECT statement:

SELECT {loop}$field, {/loop} FROM $table

As I mentioned before, you may require minor modification sometime in generated code to use it in your project. Like in above case, you have to manual remove last comma from SELECT.

3. Creating UPDATE statement

UPDATE $table SET {loop}$field = @$field, {/loop}

Again, you require removing last comma from generated code.

4. Creating Update Stored Procedure:

** generate Data Provider: Update/v1.0 CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_Update$table]{loop} @$field = $sp_type,{/loop} AS BEGIN

UPDATE dbo.$table WITH (ROWLOCK) SET {loop} $field = @$field,{/loop} WHERE --TODO

RETURN -1 END

5. Creating simple insert statement:

** generate simple insert statement/v1.0 INSERT INTO $table ({loop}[$field],{/loop} VALUES ({loop}@$field,{/loop}

6. Now, let’s use TinySQL to generate code snippet in C# (or VB.NET) which assign entity values to respective parameters of stored procedure.

** generate Data Provider: Update Function/v1.0 SqlDatabase database = new SqlDatabase(this._connectionString); DbCommand commandWrapper = StoredProcedureProvider.GetCommandWrapper(database, "dbo.$table_Update", _useStoredProcedure); {loop}database.AddInParameter(commandWrapper, "@$field", DbType.$type, entity.$field ); {/loop}

7. And as last example, here is template to generate business entity in C#.

** generate basic business entity/v1.0<br>
#region Using Directives</p>
<p>using System;<br>
using System.ComponentModel;<br>
using System.Collections;<br>
using System.Xml.Serialization;<br>
using System.Runtime.Serialization;</p>

<p>#endregion</p>

<p>namespace MyNameSpace.Entities<br>
{<br>
    ///<summary><br>
    /// An object representation of the “$table” table.<br>
    ///</summary><br>
    [Serializable, DataObject]<br>
    public class $table<br>
    {<br>
        #region Variable Declarations<br>
        {loop}<br>
        private $type _$field;{/loop}</p>

<p>        #endregion Variable Declarations</p>

<p>        #region Constructors</p>

<p>        public $table()<br>
        {<br>
         {loop}_$field = $default;<br>
        {/loop}<br>
        }</p>

<p>        #endregion</p>

<p>        #region Properties<br>
        {loop}<br>
        public $type $field<br>
        {<br>
            get<br>
            {<br>
                return this._$field;<br>
            }<br>
            set<br>
            {<br>
                this._$field = value;<br>
            }<br>
        }<br>
        {/loop}<br>
        #endregion<br>
    }<br>
}

Like last example, you can even create complete business service or data access layer using TinySQL.

I hope you will find this tool useful. Please post your comment and feedback here.

Launch Announcement: DOTENET (Digg Clone)

2007-03-18T06:46:00Z

Its give me immense pleasure to announcement .NET portal - DOTENET (URL: www.dotenet.com). It’s "Digg" style web application dedicated to .NET and relative technologies. This portal will serve as central hub to share articles, tutorials, blog post etc.

When I was planning to create this portal two months back, I was sure that first release of this project will have minimum "must to have" features and later I will add features which are "good to have". And that’s why you will notice many blank pages on this portal. These blank pages are place-holder for features which I will add in coming weeks (depending upon available bandwidth).

The desired goal of creating a community portal cannot be achieved without your active participation. Please register yourself to this portal and share any article or post which you think useful to .NET community. If you find any existing link useful in DOTNET portal, please vote for that link so that link can be push to popular segment.

As you continue participating in this portal, please keep in mind that this community portal needs your feedback to remain alive. Please provide your feedback/opinion/suggestion to my blog (URL: Announcement: DOTENET)

URL: Home Page

URL: Registration Page

Vulnerable JavaScript Comments

2006-05-26T12:10:00Z

Today while checking balance in my banker’s web portal, which is self acclaimed as one of the most secured online banking portal of India, I curiously thought of inspecting their HTML content using View Source. But I really shocked (and I almost got heart attack) to see whole bunch of JavaScript comment placed all over their pages. Most interesting thing was that these JavaScript snippets not only tell you bug numbers, who have done those modifications, on which date, but also what was the actual issue and how they have resolved that issue.

The most interesting part was:
<script language="JavaScript1.2"> function alert_keycode(){ /* Abhilash.


This script was added bcze on pressing enter key on pwd field used to get Submittted but since the Command Action invoked was diff one that of OK button, it was not producing desired results. The solution was create a temp hidden field and changing Pwd field name to that of Ok button dynamically, assigning tmp-hidden field name/value with original Pwd Field name/value. 
And submit is invoked
*/

frm = document.confirmFrm; if(event.keyCode==13) { blah blah blah

I love this “detailed” and technically well explained comment provided by developer in HTML code.

On serious note, I never prefer to put these JavaScript comments in my code as you can realize from comments like these, it might give lead to reveal any vulnerability or security hole in application. Even if you don’t want to consider the increase of payload of page because of these JavaScript comment but still putting comments with all kind technical or business explanations is major security risk to your application. Don’t do that!

IMO, these code comments are for developer and not for user. My suggestion to all web developers to use server side comments instead of any client side comment specially if you are developing application for financial institutions etc.

What is your opinion if I modify above code like this:
<script language="JavaScript1.2"> function alert_keycode(){ <% /*Abhilash.

This script was added bcze on pressing enter key on pwd field used to get Submittted but since the Command Action invoked was diff one that of OK button, it was not producing desired results. The solution was create a temp hidden field and changing Pwd field name to that of Ok button dynamically, assigning tmp-hidden field name/value with original Pwd Field name/value. And submit is invoked */ %> frm = document.confirmFrm; if(event.keyCode==13) { blah blah blah </script>

I guess later one is more secured than the original one. Do you agree with me??

Please provide your comment here:

http://www.firoz.name/2006/05/26/vulnerable-javascript-comments/

Great collection of ASP.NET/C# Posters!

2006-05-15T17:45:00Z

Barone, Budge & Dominick has great collection of posters relating to ASP.NET, C#, Design Patterns, Software Process etc. Here is the link to these postors. Just check out this first:

Great collection of ASP.NET/C# Posters!

Google Trends - .NET, ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET

2006-05-14T10:45:00Z

I was just exploring Google Trends and I have found a very interesting search pattern for .NET, ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET.

Google Trends - .NET, ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET

Murphy’s Laws of .NET

2006-05-07T16:52:00Z

Here is the Murphy’s Laws of .NET. Its based on my previous experience with .NET. I am sure most of the .Net developers will identify themselves somewhere in these laws.

Murphy’s Laws of .NET

Actually, it should be Firoz’s Laws of .NET. :)

Color in Motion

2006-01-16T13:54:00Z

Do you know each color has its own personality and attitude? Like, blue color is known for its authority, calmness and confidence and can easily complemented with orange color. Or, red color which is known for it’s ambitious, alert and impatient. Or, yellow color which is known more for aspiration, forgiveness and happiness. Claudia Cortés has created a great movie “Color In Motion” starring some major colors. Very nice approach of depicting nature of each colors its communication and symbolism. And what a storyline of this movie!

Google Advanced Operators (Cheat Sheet)

2006-01-16T04:20:00Z

In continuation of my previous blog, here is another useful cheat sheet.

Google Advanced Operators (Cheat Sheet)

Take a print out and mount it at your workstation.

Web Development Cheat Sheets

2006-01-15T09:25:00Z

Dave Child has written some great cheat sheets which really a good reference for me as ASP.NET developer.

Here is the list of some cheat sheets:

JavaScript Cheat Sheet
CSS Cheat Sheet
HTML Character Entities Cheat Sheet
MySQL Cheat Sheet

It’s really helpful to me.

10 Big Myths about copyright explained

2006-01-14T09:38:00Z

Brad Templeton has written an excellent FAQ on some of the common myths regarding copyright.

Visit @ 10 Big Myths about copyright explained

Window Live Mail - Usability Issues!!

2005-12-10T07:33:00Z

I got invitation to use Live Mail (beta) last week. And after playing with its UI and exploring all of the new features, I have discovered lot of usability issue with UI. Its seems to me that Microsoft developers is more interested in showcasing latest mechanism (or technology) like AJAX to display content on page and they just wanted to forget that user sitting at other end and struggling to read/manage his mail.

There is lot of scroll bars in mail page now. Scroll bar for mail listing panel, scroll bar (count two here) for actual mail content panel and there is a scroll bar for main page.

And because of these scroll bars, there is very limited space for actual content. Notice the small “window” for mail listing panel. And notice the small “window” for your actual mail content. Even for reading smaller mail you really have to scroll many times. Only 50% of the space has been utilized in the page and rest of the space is full of margin and scroll bars. And some time I feel like I have opened text documents in two PDAs placed next to each other. Very very limited space to work!!

If Live developer, really wanted to get out of these scroll full page then they have to remove those bottom margins, right margin and also top margin of the page. May be they are placeholder for advertisement content..but bottom margin??? And also I think they have to remove the scroll bar of main page. Its really leads to confusion for average user who wanted to use scroll wheel to scroll mail.

I still like the distribution of panels in Outlook Web Access then this Live Mail, if you wanted to show mail listing and mail content in the same page.

Using TextPad to view source in IE!

2005-11-29T04:27:00Z

This IE tweak is based on the bug reported by Ravikanth. I thought I can use this bug for more productive feature. I always wanted to use TextPad to view source of the site. So now I can do that J

Here are the steps:

1. Create a shortcut of TextPad in your Desktop with name “NotePad”.

2. Open any site in IE.

3. View the source code of the page (View > Source).

Yes, sometime bugs are also a kind of feature!!!

Test Post!

2005-11-27T11:59:00Z

Test post from RSS Feeder

PowerMenu – Minimizing application to system tray

2005-06-13T15:47:00Z

I would like to share one of my favorite utility tools with you. PowerMenu is the collection of extensions to the window menu which really save me when I am working with lot of application at a time. Following are the listing of those extensions:

Priority > Changes the priority of the window's parent process
Transparency > Changes the transparency level of the window (Windows 2K/XP only)
Always On Top > Makes the window sit on top of other windows even if it doesn't have focus.
Minimize To Tray > Remove the window from the task-list and places the window's on the system tray.

Most of the time my task bar is filled with some of the applications every time. These applications like CVS, Explorer, TextPad, Browser (IE2) and some word documents etc. Even though I need CVS once in a hour, but I prefer to keep open every time. It’s my habit!!! :) Same goes to utilities TextPad (with very small size and always on top mode) and IE2 as well. This results with lot of application taking my “precious” place in task bar. So PowerMenu utility comes handy to move some of the “required” application to system bar to make task bar more cleaner.

You can download it from following URL:

http://www.veridicus.com/tummy/programming/powermenu/

I have created a small batch file and placed it into the Startup folder so that I don’t need to run every time. Batch file contains following command:

PowerMenu.BAT

"E:\Utilities\PowerMenu\PowerMenu.exe" -hideself on

Thanks Thong Nguyen for this handy utility!!