Friday, July 09, 2004

Download details: Performance Monitor Wizard

Download details: Performance Monitor Wizard

Very cool...

"The Performance Monitor Wizard simplifies the process of gathering performance monitor logs. It configures the correct counters to collect, sample intervals and log file sizes. This wizard can create logs for troubleshooting operating system or Exchange server performance issues."

I think even my IT guys could figure this out ("Did I say that out-loud?" :P )

JK... Really...

A very short and sweat wizard driven process to configure PerfMon to create a log file. It also creates a HTM file in the folder with the logs to help you view the saved logs.

(via RE: Electronic Mail and Stuff)


pdf writer download - Try pdf writer pdfmachine for free

pdf writer download - Try pdf writer pdfmachine for free

Free PDF Print Driver...

"pdfMachine White is a free version of pdfMachine for producing great quality PDFs.
If an advanced feature is used, e.g. encryption, then a watermark is generated on each page. If you want to use an advanced feature without the watermark being generated then you must purchase and register the software"

There's a "SDK" with the info on how to automate the driver.

I need to download this and see if it's like most of the others (i.e. GhostScript based).

I'd like to replace all my Acrobat installs with something cheaper. Maybe this will do it...

Office Developer Center: Avoiding Excessive Security Warnings when Sending Automated E-mail Messages

Office Developer Center: Avoiding Excessive Security Warnings when Sending Automated E-mail Messages

"Sending e-mail programmatically with Microsoft Office Outlook generates security warnings for the user. Even though these warnings help alert users to possible attacks from malicious programs, some users may get accustomed to acknowledging them and perhaps overlook a real threat. Find out how you can design applications that avoid overuse of these warnings, where appropriate."

Again, something I WILL need sooner than later...

Office Developer Center: Use ASP.NET or Visual Basic.NET to Transform XML to RTF and Display in Word

Office Developer Center: Use ASP.NET or Visual Basic.NET to Transform XML to RTF and Display in Word

"Learn different ways of converting XML data to RTF. XML is a flexible way of organizing and presenting data. RTF is a text-based format that encodes formatted text, document layout, and graphics. Converting XML data to RTF allows you to create useful documents easily and quickly from a wide variety of data sources.

This article demonstrates how to generate Rich Text Format (RTF) from Extensible Markup Language (XML) by using Microsoft Visual Basic .NET. Rich Text Format is a text-based format that encodes formatted text, document layout, and graphics. It is commonly used with word processors such as Microsoft Office Word 2003. Because RTF is text-based, you can easily generate it with code. If you have XML data that you want to display in Word such as a catalog, list or mail-merge document, then transforming your XML data into an RTF stream might be an ideal solution for you. And, in fact, if you are developing a solution where you generate documents on a Web server, then generating those documents using a text-based format, such as HTML or RTF, is preferred over using server-side automation of Word.

This article provides code, with step-by-step instructions, to transform XML into RTF for display in Word by using various approaches:

* Save the RTF to a file and open it in Word.
* Transfer the RTF to Word by using the Windows Clipboard.
* Stream the RTF to Word hosted in Microsoft Internet Explorer from an ASP.NET Web Application using a simple and then a more complex transformation.
"

Oh I can use this...

OT: Paper Airplanes

Office Tips and Hints Blog

Some cool paper airplane links... Even a Paper airplane flight simulator.

Open Workbench - ["Open Source" Project Scheduler]

Open Workbench - Home

Niku has released to "open source" their Project management/scheduling application.

The app, in binary form is free (with registration), but as for the source...

Some snips from the FAQ

"Are there any parts of Workbench that will not be provided to the open source community?
Yes. Some parts of the Open Workbench code base are the intellectual property of RogueWave and Microsoft. Further, Open Workbench’s scheduling algorithms will not be open sourced and will be maintained by Niku. ...

Do developers need any special licenses in order to work with the Open Workbench code?
Open Workbench uses components produced by Microsoft and Rogue Wave. While Niku has the right to distribute these components in binary form, developers in the community cannot work on – or redistribute – Open Workbench without purchasing the appropriate licenses to these components from the manufacturers or their resellers. "

Anyway the app is free, runs on WinTel (but does require JRE), and some/most of the code is available, so I guess all is good. :)

(via projectified)

Thursday, July 08, 2004

Multi-University/Research Lab (MURL) Seminar Series

Multi-University/Research Lab (MURL) Seminar Series

This is officially pretty darn cool!

A bunch of free seminar's on a variety of computer science subjects.

Seminar's from Carnegie-Mellon, MIT, MS Research, Stanford, University of Washington, PARE

They span from June 2004 back to a couple from 1981 (Design and Use of Colossus PT 1 & 2)...

Some are pretty far out there, for me at least, like "Cosmology and Dark Matter" and "Nanometer-Class Structural Actuators - An Oxymoron?"

Some are right on topic for me like, "OSDL: Accelerating The Adoption And Use Of Linux" and "Weblogs and how we can work together" and "Actor-Oriented Design: Concurrent Models as Programs" and "Architecting a Web Repository"

There currently seem to be about 800 available seminars...

(via Early Adopter)

SQL Server Developer Center: Managing a Music Collection Using Visual Basic Express and SQL Server Express

SQL Server Developer Center: Managing a Music Collection Using Visual Basic Express and SQL Server Express

Cool sample, learn to code, etc source sample and walk through. Nice walk-through in using the VS2005/VB2005 Express/SQL 2005 Express tools too...

Also nice example on how to play MP3's from VB.Net (via DirectX), accessing the MP3 ID3 tags.

I dig the author's choice of music... my kind of music library. :)

Visual Basic Power Pack: Releases (Installer and VS2002 version)

Visual Basic Power Pack: Releases

A couple updates for the cool VB Power Pack controls

"Visual Basic Power Pack for VS 2002

This is V1.0 of the VB Power Pack for VS 2002.

Visual Basic Power Pack Installer

This is simply an installation for the VB Power Pack controls. It installs the assembly and a couple of the documentation files. It will also automatically add the VbPowerPack controls to the "Customize Toolbox" dialog so you do not have to browse for the assembly, simply select the controls you would like to add to your toolbox. "

Download details: Security Guidance Kit v1.0, English

Download details: Security Guidance Kit v1.0, English

"Welcome to the Microsoft Security Guidance Kit

What is the Security Guidance Kit?

The Security Guidance Kit is a collection of how-to information, software tools, and detailed prescriptive guidance within a small 'viewer' application. The materials within the Kit are all designed to help you implement security measures in your environment. The topics covered include patch management, anti-virus measures, securing remote access, and blocking unsafe email attachments.

What is in the Security Guidance Kit?

The Security Guidance Kit contains documentation files along with a viewer application to allow you to navigate the documentation. It also contains free software tools from Microsoft, which you can optionally install or copy to other computers in your network.

Who is the Security Guidance Kit for?

The Security Guidance Kit is for the information technology implementor in any small, medium, or large organization. The Kit is not intended for use by the home pc user or by the application developer...."

I missed this. Might need this when I wear my IT Admin hat...

At 149MB it's not a small download


(via Ohad's WebLog)

Wednesday, July 07, 2004

Character Disassembler

Character Disassembler

I find myself needing something like this enough times that I need to remember this. :)

"Every so often I need to convert one or more characters to their numeric equivalents. This can be especially painful when dealing with Unicode characters. So I wrote a little tool called the Character Disassembler to help out.

...Given a string as input it will list each character and its respective numeric value..."

Bloglines | Free, Web-Based News Aggregator [Updated with new look]

Bloglines | Free, Web-Based News Aggregator

My current fav RSS reader has been updated with a new look and feel and new features (It now hosts blogs too).

Not sure how I feel about the new look... It seems nice, but the old one seemed simpler and less cluttered.

Hey, not that I'm complaining given the price. :)

The Saved Items now being called Clippings and having it's own interface does make good sense. The searching is pretty cool too.

This is still my fav RSS reader. Simple, easy, and location transparent (and free).

Tuesday, July 06, 2004

MSR Data Visualization Components

MSR Data Visualization Components

"The Community Technologies team at Microsoft Research has developed a set of components for displaying data in .NET applications. Although the components were originally created for Usenet Views, a Windows Forms program for viewing and analyzing Usenet statistics, they are generic in nature and can be used in a wide range of applications to show a variety of data."

Some nice controls from MS Research.

Help/CHM's are included, but no code samples and no source for the controls. Also they've been released under "Microsoft Research Shared Source license agreement (MSR-SSLA)", and so can't use it in commercial apps ("...You may not use or distribute this Software or any derivative works in any form for
commercial purposes..." snip makes it pretty clear).

Too bad because they sure look cool and something I really could use here at work.

eMachineShop - Online Machine Shop - with FREE CAD Software

eMachineShop - Online Machine Shop - with FREE CAD Software

Now this is COOL...

Download the free CAD package, design your part, then submit it via the web for automated manufacturing and get the actual part back in the mail...

"eMachineShop is the remarkable new way to get the custom parts you need. Download our free software, draw your part, and click to order - it's that easy! Your part will be machined and delivered. Even better, your cost is low due to the Internet, software, and automated machines."

Man I want to build something just so I can say I did it... :)

(via Lockergnome)

ADVIS Sharepoint > Web Parts

ADVIS Sharepoint > Web Parts

Some free, trial and commerical WSS webparts.
A couple cool Site and Area nav parts.

Web site states that source is available (key word "available").

The free Page Header contol looks interesting (that's one of the most requested changes I get from new WSS admin's...)

(Via Patrick Tisseghem's Blog)

Sunday, July 04, 2004

Syndication Generator for Windows® SharePoint® Services

Syndication Generator for Windows® SharePoint® Services

"The Syndication Generator for Windows® SharePoint® Services is a web part based RSS generator. The web part is highly configurable and requires no access to the server once it has been installed. This is the main advantage of the tool when compared to existing RSS feed generators.

Creating an RSS feed for your SharePoint server has never been easier. Drag/drop the web part onto your page, pick the list you wish to syndicate, and ... tada! Your feed is up and running in no time flat."

Interesting...

I'd like to start pushing RSS usage for my internal WSS sites, but there's currently little interest in RSS feeds from it (and actually little general interest in RSS feeds at all...). When I've got a few spare cycles, I'll have to setup some feeds up and push it out to my early adopters and see how it flies.

I'm so sold on corporate RSS usage it's not really funny, but others at my company... well, no comment. :)

The one thing holding me back is a good (and free) RSS reader for Outlook (and is not web hosted, since all my corp feeds would be internal, etc). I don't want my users to have to run another app to get the feeds. I've seen all the posts for NewsGator and intraViews, but would really like to get my hands on a free product (with source of course, might have to write one myself... darn :)

(via Jan Tielens' Bloggings)