Category Archives: dotNET

Debugger Visualizer Changes in Beta2

dotNET

Some of the syntax for writing debugger visualizers has changed again with the recent Beta 2 of VS2005. They are minor, but as always, notable.

1) The VisualizerUIType is gone because all Visualizers are Modal.

Before
[assembly: DebuggerVisualizer(typeof(DebuggerVisualizers.DataTableDebugger),VisualizerUIType.Modal, Target = typeof(System.Data.DataTable), Description = “JL DataTable”)]

Beta2
[assembly: DebuggerVisualizer(typeof(DebuggerVisualizers.DataTableDebugger),Target = typeof(System.Data.DataTable), Description = “JL DataTable”)]

2) Rather than implementing the System.Diagnostics.IDebugVisualizer interface, you now will implement the Microsoft.VisualStudio.DebuggerVisualizers.DialogDebuggerVisualizer class 

Before
public class DataTableDebugger : IDebugVisualizer

Beta2
public class DataTableDebugger : DialogDebuggerVisualizer

The signature of the show method has changed as well. It now uses interfaces from the Microsoft.VisualStudio.DebuggerVisualizers namespace and no longer requires a uiType, since that is a given.

Before
public void Show(IServiceProvider windowService, IVisualizerObjectProvider objectProvider, VisualizerUIType uiType)

Beta2
public void Show(IDialogVisualizerService windowService, IVisualizerObjectProvider objectProvider)

Note that in addition to using the System.Diagnostics namespace (which gives us the DebuggerVisualizer class referenced in the assembly attribute, I am also using the Microsoft.VisualStudio.DebuggerVisualizers namespace as well.

http://www.AcehAid.org

Thank you, Juval!!!

dotNET

I have to write what I hope will be my last vs2003 app – just a quickie for a client. Now that I have done so much work with Whidbey, there was something that is painfully missing from .NET 1.1, the backgroundworker class component. This is for easily making asynchronous calls without having to write all the goo yourself. Thanks loads to Juval Lowy for creating a totally compatible v1.1 BackGroundWorker component (CoDe Magazine Mar/Apr 2004 issue and download the code from the www.IDesign.net website). He has written it with the same properties, methods etc so that when 2.0 RTMs, I can easily just update this little app and in the meantime, I get to use the syntax I am now quite familiar with from .NET 2.0,

http://www.AcehAid.org

Software Factories

dotNET

When I was at Microsoft’s Reston office earlier this month, there was a ‘Softie (oh, I just can’t remember his name) who was telling me that the next big thing was going to be Software Factories. He showed me the dev center for them. Said to get to know them, keep my eyes out, etc. Well, I have definitely seen the beginnings of buzz over the last few weeks hither and thither – mostly on the MSDN blogs. Here looks like a good blog to follow for more info…

So, it’s on my list, though I’m still not there quite yet…

http://www.AcehAid.org

Team Foundation Server licenses in the box for small shops

dotNET

Well, wouldyalookatdat?!

MS is going to include 5 seats for Foundation Server with any of the team system skus.

This will make lots of people happy.

However I am scratching my head a little because, if I understand Thom’s explanation correctly the other night at VTdotNET, Foundation Server is aimed at huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge shops with lots and lots and lots of developers.

Anyway, I know a few small companies in Vermont that will be happy to hear this!

http://www.AcehAid.org

Vermont Flash User Group

dotNET

There’s a fairly new u.g. in town – it’s the VTFUG. They meet monthly in Burlington and have been doing so since November 2004. It’s nice to keep some friends with design skills around, y’know? They meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, which is one night after VTdotNET.

There is another Flash/Macromedia group in Brattleboro. They have been around for a while. That is the Northern New England Macromedia User Group, aka NNEMUG. They meet on the 1st Tuesday of the month.

http://www.AcehAid.org