Publish To [Bunch of Places] – Getting your Live Wave 3 Photo Gallery and Movie Maker stuff onto different, non-MS, services

Windows Live Wire - Plug-ins for publishing photos and movies

“Windows Live wants to make it easier than ever to connect from your PC to the web and we give you all the pieces. But sometimes, we realize that you might have accounts with other companies, so Windows Live is making it really easy to connect with other websites, too. 

For example, in the coming weeks, as changes to Windows Live are released, you’ll be able to see updates from services like Twitter and Flickr on your Windows Live Home page. And now, with the help of plug-ins, Windows Live Photo Gallery beta and Windows Live Movie Maker beta allow you to publish photos and videos to sites outside of the Microsoft family, like Facebook or YouTube.

…”

Windows Live Photo & Video Blog - Plug-ins

“Windows Live Photo Gallery (Beta) and Windows Live Movie Maker (Beta) make it simple to add publishing support for 3rd party sharing services. Simply download and install a plug-in and start publishing. Note: plug-ins only work with the new beta versions of Photo Gallery and Movie Maker available here.

• LiveUpload to Facebook – …
• LiveUpload to YouTube – …
• Publish on SmugMug – …
• Publish on Flickr – …
• Picasa Web Publisher – …
• Drupal Publisher – …

…”

My first thought in seeing all these plug-ins was to wonder if a Publish to Blogger would make sense. Right from within Photo Gallery publishing selected pictures to my blog (i.e. like the existing “Publish to Windows Live Spaces” feature but to Blogger instead). I’m thinking it would be a combination of the photo services publishing, like those above, and then a blog post. Wouldn’t be hard as I’ve done both already, just need to find the time (and LOTRO Mines of Moria is just SO distracting… ;)

 

Related Past Post XRef:
Windows Live Photo Gallery Flickr Plug-in (C# Soup to Nuts sample)

ADSdotNET – Access NTFS Alternate Data Streams from your managed languages without P/Invoke

CodeProject - ADSdotNET: A DLL for using alternate data streams from .net languages

“Introduction

ADSdotNET is a library which makes it possible for .NET-based programming languages like C# or Visual Basic .NET to access alternate data streams (ADS). Without this DLL it would be neccessary to use P/Invoke or C++/CLI to work with ADS and to benefit from .net-based languages at the same time.

ADSdotNET was developed in C++/CLI by the way. The zip file ADSdotNET-0.1.0-src.zip contains a Visual Studio 2005 project. The other zip file (ADSdotNET-0.1.0-bin.zip) contains the compiled DLL only.

Background

When I tried to access ADS from my C# code I found out that the .NET framework currently does not support file streams. So I decided to write a class which I could use for my C# project. I decided to use C++/CLI for writing ADSdotNET because in my opinion using this language for accessing the Windows API is more "natural" than using P/Invoke.

Using the code

After including the DLL as reference in your Visual Studio project (you can do that in the Solution Explorer) you can see a new entry inside the folder References named ADSdotNET.

From now on you can use a new namespace called AdsDotNet. It contains the class AdsHandler. First of all you have to create an object of this class. Every object of type AdsHandler points to one file or directory. The methods of these objects can be used for adding/deleting/modifying the alternate data streams of the corresponding file or directory (will be called “root object” in the future). To root objects alternate data streams can be attached.

Now I will describe the methods of the class AdsHandler. Examples will help to understand the usage (I hope).

…”

mickbitsoftware – AdsManager [GD: AdsManager is a C# application written using the ADSdotNET library...]

“AdsManager is a tool to find, add, or remove alternate data streams on NTFS-formatted drives.

…

Many applications cannot access ADS because they think colons are invalid characters in filenames. For that reason applications based on .NET Framework are not capable of using alternate data streams as well.

The DLL shipped with AdsManager makes it possible for .NET applications to access ADS anyway. Internally it uses native Windows API functions (which can deal with ADS) and provides an interface for .NET developers.

…”

NTFS Alternate Data Streams is just one of those things I know I’m going to need to do more with one day…

 

Related Past Post XRef:
Accessing NTFS Alternate Data Streams with C#
CopyFileEX ALL API Example
"Practical Guide to Alternative Data Streams in NTFS"

Extending the Team Members feature in the VSTS 2008 TFS Power Tools October 2008 Release. For example, adding Skype support…

Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) Blog - by Neno Loje - Skype Collaboration Provider for TFS

“The Team Foundation Server Power Tools (October 2008) introduced a new "Team Members" node, which offers the ability to quickly identify which subteams and actual team members belong to a TFS team project. Additionally you can see their online status.

Support for Office Live Communicator and Windows Live Messenger is already built-in. There is an API to extend this to other IM software as well.

Nico Orschel from our team used this API to implement support for Skype …” [Post leach level: 95%]

CodePlex - TFS Collaboration Providers

“Project Description

The Team Foundation Server 2008 Power Tools enable rich integration with other team members via IM and VoIP chat. Out the box the power tools integrate with Live Communicator and Window Live Messenger (MSN). This project is for community contributed providers for other systems.

Current Providers

• Skype (Initial version is now available)

…”

How cool is that? Heck I didn’t even think to ask if there was an API for this…

While I can’t use Skype (comment deleted about how I’m told it’s “banned” software) I can use Windows Live Messenger. That’s already supported you say? Yep, you’re right, we have our own personal ID’s and not work ones (another long story). So the TFS accounts don’t map. Well I’m thinking that with this sample, I might be able to jury-rig something up (lol… about a million years ago I wrote an MSN Messenger add in for VS… but doing it this way would be much cooler ;)

(via Team System News - VSTS Links - 11/17/2008)

 

Related Past Post XRef:
VSTS 2008 TFS Power Tools - October 2008 (aka 2.3) Released – Manage Source Files via Windows Shell/Explorer extension, new PowerShell extensions and Team Members tool

Windows Live ID SDK and LiveFX – Two great tastes and two SDK’s… (err… um… that didn’t quite work, but you get the idea)

LiveSide.Net - LiveFX + Windows Live ID Client SDK = Safer Program

“Building an application that uses the LiveFX is easy. So is building an application that uses Windows Live ID. Using the Windows Live ID Client SDK also means that you’re not asking a user to supply your application with the username and password which means that the user can remain safe that they’re not just giving out their username and password for the program to with as he wishes. So if both sorts of programs are easy, is it easy to combine the two? Well, yes.

In Visual Studio, I created a quick Windows Form that looks like the following:

…”

Scott you must be reading my mind (wow, what a scary thought… ;)

I was JUST thinking about this today on the drive in. Wondering if it was possible, how hard, how to do it, etc. I’m just starting to think about LiveFX development and was wondering if I could avoid login/UserID crud and just use Windows Live ID.

After reading this post, I guess so… :)

ODF for Microsoft Office v2.5 Released

SourceForge - OpenXML/ODF Translator Add-in for Office

 

OpenXML/ODF Translator - OpenXML/ODF Translator Team Blog - Mission Accomplished... OpenXML/ODF Translator Release 2.5 Available on SourceForge!

“Our previous blog entries already described the main features and improvements we’ve included in version 2.5. Thus, we will just summarize the highlights of the new release in this entry.

Common New Features

• Single MSI installer for all translator add-ins
• Associating ODF files with the Microsoft Office applications (during installation): This feature allows you to convert and open an ODF file by double-clicking in Explorer.
• Shortcut from the Windows Start menu to the OpenXML/ODF Translator ReadMe file

…”

If you’re in a mixed MS Office & ODF world this add-in is a must have.

Still I have wonder about this project’s future now that MS Office 2007 is getting ODF baked into it? Maybe MS is taking this and baking it in? From the outside, that would seem to make sense but you never know…

 

Related Past Post XRef:
ODF for Microsoft Office v2.0 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Now Available
Word ODF Addin v1.1 Released
ODF Translator (ODF for Word Addin) 1.0 Released

Vista Bridge (v1.3) available on MSDN Code Gallery

MSDN Code Gallery - Vista Bridge Sample Library 1.3

“The Vista Bridge Sample Library contains source code for assemblies that provide managed code developers access to Windows Vista features that are not available in the .NET Framework. Some of the features included in Vista Bridge Sample Library are - Vista style Task and File Dialogs, Common Open and Save dialogs, Application Recovery and Restart, Known Folders, Network Lists, Power Management, User Account Control, CommandLink control, Aero Wizard Control, System provided icons etc.

The Vista Bridge Sample Library also includes sample applications that demonstrate many of the features included in the library. It also contains a help file (vistabridgedocumentation.chm) that describes the library.

To build the library in Visual Studio, please extract the contents of the ‘VistaBridge1.3.1.zip’ file in a folder, open the included ‘vistabridge.sln’ file and build it.” [Description leached in full]

Vista Bridge Sample Library 1.3 - Vista Bridge 1.3.1

“Vista Bridge 1.3.1

source code, 1502K, uploaded Nov 11 - 299 downloads”

A shot of the CHM

A view inside the Zip

 

Besides the UI stuff I’ve previously blogged about that the Vista Bridge Library makes easier, one area I’m interested in is the “Application Recovery and Restart” topic/sample. I like the idea that the OS can help me help my users by better handling “catastrophic events”.

(via Kate Gregory's Blog - Vista Bridge on Code Gallery!)

 

Related Past Post XRef:
It’s the Bridge to… Vista – Getting and installing Vista Bridge Sample Library
Ease Use of Vista Task/Common Dialogs with Project Glidepath Windows Vista Bridge Package

Extending the SharePoint calendar to stop double-booking room/resource reservations

CodeProject - SharePoint Reservations

“…

After rejecting the Room and Equipment template, I decided to create a new custom SharePoint list based on the Calendar so I could leverage the existing features and functionality. The interface is well known to my users, so extending it would result in minimal training requirements. My biggest requirement was to prevent collisions. Since I wanted to keep things generic, I called the project Reservations. Once a user reserves a time slot, no other user could create an overlapping reservation. Additional requirements included: a custom POC field, and the start date has to be before the end date. The POC field is used when the user doing the scheduling is not the same as the person using the resource, but it can be removed if necessary. As additional resources need to be tracked, new reservation lists can be created by the site administrators.

…

Summary

In conclusion, I used a simple approach to a common problem that was based on existing standards. Since standards were followed, the resulting tool can be extended with typical SharePoint tools. Training requirements were reduced to a message about how to handle collisions since the user interface was unchanged.

…”

This, double-room booking, is an issue that we have. No matter how many, “check to make sure someone else hasn’t already booked a room” emails that go out we still get people double (in once case triple) booking our conference rooms (silly humans). An automated, systemic solution is needed which is why this caught my eye. I doubt I’ll be able to push this through here for implementation, but it’s good about this just in case…

Google SketchUp 7 Released

Google Blog - Introducing SketchUp 7

“We're very excited to announce the new release of Google SketchUp 7. If you don't already know about the fun you can have with SketchUp, here's a quick recap:

SketchUp is software you can use to build 3D models of anything: your house, killer robots, furniture, trees, abstract art — anything. Architects and engineers use it to design buildings and other structures. Woodworkers use it to plan their projects. And lots of people use it to figure out where to put their furniture. SketchUp is easy to learn, it comes in free and Pro versions, and it's more fun than a houseful of clowns. Oh, and you can use it to build models for Google Earth, too. So what's new in SketchUp 7? There's too much to list here, but we focused on three major areas for this release:

• Making it even easier to get started – We've created a new class of "smart" objects called Dynamic Components,

…

Take a look at the What's New in 7 page on the SketchUp website to get the whole scoop. There's a great video to watch, and it stars some of the more prone-to-sunlight members of our engineering team — in lab coats, no less. Don't miss it.

…”

My dad was an industrial engineer and when I showed him SketchUp it blew his mind. That on his PC he could do more that he ever imagined doing on the high end CAD/CAM systems he used back in the day. Now he makes us call him, “MR. SKETCHUP” (just kidding… but he loves playing with this utility… ;)

 

Related Past Post XRef:
Kerkythea - Free Photorealistic Rendering for 3D Design Programs (Blender, SketchUp, 3ds Max, etc)
Another Free App From Google, SketchUp

Get ZoneAlarm Pro Free on Tuesday, November 18th

IntelliAdmin - Get ZoneAlarm Pro free - Next Tuesday

“On Tuesday (November 18th) The ZoneAlarm Pro firewall software will be free for 24 hours. It is in celebration of Check Point's 15th anniversary.

ZoneAlarm Pro is an antispyware, firewall, and ID protection suite that normally costs $39.95.

At 6 AM PDT, Tuesday morning this page:
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/sum/index.html

Will become live and provide instructions for downloading your free copy.

…” [Post Leach Level: 90%]

ZoneAlarm was one of my first personal firewalls and so holds a special place in my heart. It’s been a while since I used it and since free is my favorite price… ;)