Yesterday I installed VS "Orcas" January CTP on my machine in order to take deeper look at things that are comming.

I was a bit surprised I could not find VS LINQ project templates and compiler throws compile error on correct linq statement.

This was kind of strange - The VS version that introduces LINQ return compile error on correct LINQ statement ???!?!?!?

The problem was only in referenced  assemblies as this post says.

So to have LINQ syntax in your VS "Orcas" you have to:

• Add reference to LINQ assemblies located in C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5.*. You can reference them all or only those you need (The important ones are System.Core.dll, System.Data.Entity.dll, System.Data.Linq.dll and System.Xml.Linq.dll
  The core is for the standard linq queries, where Data.Linq and Xml.Linq are what the old DLinq and XLinq were. )
  
• Add using clauses at the top of source files.
  using System.Linq;
  using System.Data.DLinq;
  using System.Xml.Linq

Recently I found there is Visual Studio Code Name "Orcas" installable CTP.

AFAIK up to now it has been only in VirtualPC image (which is not bad) but I prefer to insall it on my personal machine instead of kill it with hude VPC image.

You can download Visual Studio Code Name "Orcas"  January CTP from here.

ScottGu wrote today that Microsoft released Server and Client Source code for ASP.NET AJAX 1.0.

You can download it from here

Have you seen new Skype 3.0? Although it becomes more colorful it has too many new features.

The new Skype Web Toolbar for Internet Explorer is fascinating.

The Skype Web Toolbar recognizes phone numbers and Skype Names on web pages, so that you can call with one click, through Skype.

But how do they do it?

Is it some ActiveX? Something else? Should I go back to C++ in order to create something similar?

Not really!

This is (simple) HTML and JavaScript. Well... probably not that simple but still not ActiveX.

But why I do not see it when I am viewing Page’s Source?

This is tricky part – you are not able to see this additional code because it is added after browser complete downloading page from the site.

And how I can create something similar?

You don’t have to write it in C++. But still you will have to know how to create COM object that is attached to IE or Browser Helper Object (BHO). Fortunately there are some sites that explain that like:

·         Good Steven M. Cohn's  post  - IE Browser Helper Objects

·         AutoSig: A browser helper object that automatically adds a different signature when you post a message to a CP forum – I deeply suggest you to explore this article and demo code in it.

You will see similar code in articles above:

browser.DocumentComplete += new DWebBrowserEvents2_DocumentCompleteEventHandler(this.OnDocumentComplete);

With this code you get control when browser completes downloading the page. And in this handler you have access to the page with:

IHTMLDocument2 document = (IHTMLDocument2)webBrowser.Document;

And having access to document you are able to modify page’s source. Thus you can put what you want where you want. The limit is your imagination J (and web design skills)

Ooh… I almost forgot: you can add additional script tags and images in web page. This is not big deal as you can reference them in client’s computer (that’s right this is not pure web development).

This is fact finally. Microsoft released great library that will simplify development of Rich Web Applications. And there are some new controls in new release of ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit.

And as can be seen fro this image it works fine on Opera.

Check Scott's blog, official website and toolkit for more info.

I suppose most of you are pleased when some new cool add-in is released and it adds new feature to your favorite tool/utility. Most of us - developers - know about Reflector and it's ecosystem of useful add-ins.

Have you ever wanted to be able to create such applications without having to code by hand all these add-in infrastructure classes?!

Guess what?! New System.Addin namespace is coming with VS "Orcas" to facilitates you.

Here are components that allow creating gadgets for SideShow with our favorite c#.

Microsoft called it Windows SideShow .NET Framework Components 1.0 (link) and...  unfortunately ... must be deployed to the client. But still this is very cool

Here short description from MS:

The Windows SideShow .NET Framework Components installs the runtime and development components that are required to build and run gadgets for Windows SideShow using the .NET Framework version 2.0. This download facilitates gadget development and enables developers to build compelling applications to support Windows SideShow-compatible devices. Users are required to install this component in order to run gadgets that have been built using the component.

Developer documentation can be found in the Windows SDK.

UPDATE: I just found that this is creating of great Jeffrey Richter

Here you can find how to use these APIs (http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/07/01/SideShow/default.aspx)

There was a lot noise about new Office 2007 User Interface and the Ribbon. Many people had difficulties getting used to new ribbon although after initial confusing it is quite easy to use.

For people who learned Word 2003 and feel in calm waters when see menubar we decided to start new project. This project is in its CTP and we haven't decided if we want to finish it yet.

The project utilizes Riboon to create good old menus in Word 2007. It would look like this:

We have some functionality implemented in menus already :).

I will be glad if you vote For or Against such initiative (By clicking on comments[x] link below ).

Thank you in advance

As a typical geek I am spending my vacation playing with new technologies. Today I discovered something very interesting: Skypecast(https://skypecasts.skype.com/skypecasts/home ). This is like conference call but it is public (with option to be hidden). I think this is nice idea and could be next extension of our virtual world.

I decided to create new room where .Net geeks can freely discuss … well.. whatever they want J. I think this way we can easily help each other in solving tough problems we meet all the time in our job.

You can join by calling +99001110022186965 from skype or press here(skype:+99001110022186965). And the fun doesn’t stop here. You can add this number as contact in your list and easy dial it whenever you want to enter in room J

I will be glad if we expand this room.

Note: You will need Skype 3.0 to join

The SP1 for Visual Studio 2005 with over 2200 bug fixes (yay) is here, however, don't just go installing without checking out the release notes file first. It includes warnings like: the install takes a loooooooooong time, requires a lot of hard drive space and has a lot of “features” that might be a little confusing. Here are some of the points from the Release Notes, but definitely read through the entire thing  in advance of installing or like many others who just got so excited and clicked the install button only to get very frustrated, you might find yourself dragging your sorry butt to the local watering hole to ease the pain.

Quoting from the Release notes:

Service pack installation takes longer than the original product installation:
Installing Visual Studio 2005 SP1 takes longer than installing the original release version because the SP1 installation is much like a product installation, but with additional installation tasks. Installation time depends on which product is installed and the computer’s configuration.

Installation requires significant disk space:
Disk space equal to that taken by the original product installation may be needed to install a service pack. If you have more than one Visual Studio product installed, you will need disk space for each service pack installation. You can find an estimate of the required disk space on the download page for the service pack.

Visual Studio 2005 SP1 tries to install multiple times:
The service pack will run multiple times if you have multiple Visual Studio products installed on your computer. Do not start the installation more than once.

Dialog boxes are partially hidden during installation:
This problem occurs if you move the Configuring … dialog box away from the center of the screen. Subsequent dialog boxes are centered on the Configuring … dialog box. If the Configuring … dialog box is near the corner of the screen, larger dialog boxes that display later may be partially off the screen.

Visual Studio 2005 SP1 will not install immediately after a Visual Studio compilation:
You cannot install Visual Studio 2005 SP1 until the debugger service closes.
To resolve this issue, do one of the following:
• Finish compilations that are in progress and wait for the debugger service to close. This could take up to ten minutes.
• Use the Task Manager to end all instances of the mspdbsrv.exe service.

Team Foundation Server prerequisites:
You must install the update from KB article 919156 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919156) before you install Visual Studio 2005 SP1. This update makes sure that the server does not process client requests during the installation of SP1.

Uninstallation of Visual Studio 2005 Web Application Projects required:
Follow these steps to install Visual Studio 2005 SP1 if you have Visual Studio 2005 Web Application Projects installed:
1. Uninstall the Visual Studio 2005 Web Application Projects (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/asp.net/aa336618.aspx) add-in.
2. Install Visual Studio 2005 SP1.