Blog

Feb
09

Poker winner!

Finally come first (out of 11 this week).

My dominating chip stack when we got down to three players.

Feb
02

Speed up Subversion

Disable / Configure Virus Scanner



One way of speeding up subversion is to stop your virus checker from checking your working copy folders. (AVG is a big culprit of this).

AVG's Resident Shield scans every file that is added or update on your system, so it does this for every file retrieved in an update or checkout (which can be a lot) which slows down updates and checkouts considerably. Add an exception to ignore your working copy folders and Subversion will magically speed up.

Protocols

I did a benchmarking test to see whether the svn:// protocol was faster than the http(s):// and the results were almost identical. I could NOT find a difference in speed between them.
Jan
25

ASP.NET 3.5 AJAX Unleashed Book

So far i'm very impressed by this book and it is quickly filling a gap in my knowledge base.



It serves as a great introduction to the topic and quickly goes into common uses of AJAX in ASP.NET applications.



Jan
13

Automatically Start Selenium Server in NUnit

A nice post on automatically starting Selenium Server when using selenium to run web application interface unit tests.

-- Lee
Dec
24

New years resolutions for 2010

- Read Dave Allens Getting Things Done
- Complete Business Administration diploma
- Do Microsoft .NET upgrade exam(s)
- Read every day

Posted by ShoZu

Dec
22

Make a button look like a link button in asp.net

If you're tying to make an asp.net Button look like a linkbutton or a hyper link.

Try this css class.

.linkButton
{
background-color: transparent;
border-style: none;
color: /* Something nice */
cursor: pointer;
text-align: left;
text-decoration: underline;
display: table-cell;
}

Worked for me.

-- Lee
Nov
30

Free Database Compare

I've found this database compare tool to be a rather useful tool to compare databases.

-- Lee
Nov
23

Ninja Cat

I love this clip of the Ninja Cat!

Nov
17

How to darken an image on mouseover

I wanted to make an image go darker on mouseover and go back to normal on mouseout. Here's how I eventually did it. 


   1:  



   2:      



   3:          



  18:      



  19:      



  20:         "http://www.google.com" class="outerLink"> 



  21:             "http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en_uk/images/logo.gif" width="200" 



  22:             class="darkableImage" onmouseout="this.style.opacity=1;this.filters.alpha.opacity=100" 



  23:             onmouseover="this.style.opacity=0.6;this.filters.alpha.opacity=60" /> 



  24:          



  25:      



  26:









-- Lee

Nov
11

Code that's easy on the eyes

I've been using Rob Conerys Visual Studio colour scheme VibrantInk v2 for over a month now and I must say it is a joy to program with.

I recommend it to anyone who stares at a bright white computer screen for prolonged periods.

-- Lee

Nov
09

My Geeky 27th Birthday

A very geeky 27th birthday indeed..




























Nov
03

Check if in edit mode in EpiServer

In EpiServer I've recently created a login page with all other page access behind it.

However obviously I want editors using the CMS editor to view & edit the site not to have to log in before proceeding to the rest of the site to edit it.

Anyway, here is how I'm checking whether the page being requested is being requested from edit mode. 

public bool IsInEditMode() 
{ 
    bool isInEditMode = false; 

    if (HttpContext.Current.Request.UrlReferrer != null) 
    { 
        isInEditMode = Regex.IsMatch(HttpContext.Current.Request.UrlReferrer.LocalPath, "/admin/|/edit/", RegexOptions.IgnoreCase); 
    } 

    return isInEditMode; 
}






Another way of doing it is 




protected Boolean IsInEditMode() 
{ 
    if (Request.Params["idkeep"] == null)
        return false; 

    return true; 
}



Oct
20

Manchester Guathon Videos VS2010 .NET 4

Scott Guthries Manchester Guathon Videos

http://digg.com/u1Ecw2
Sep
07

Manchester Lions Make Softball History at B Nationals

The Manchester Lions made British Softball history last weekend in Keele.

They became the first softball team ever to win the C Nationals and the B Nationals in the same year!

How is this possible you ask? Well due to bad weather the 2008 C Nationals were rescheduled to May 2009.

Check out the great tournament write up here.

Looks like the Manchester Lions are developing quite the reputation of a team to be feared.

-- Lee
Aug
22

.NET Runtime version 2.0.50727.3082 - Fatal Execution Engine Error (7A035FC0) (80131506)

Visual Studio 2008 kept crashing when trying to open any .aspx or .ascx file with no explanation other than in the event log which says

.NET Runtime version 2.0.50727.3082 - Fatal Execution Engine Error (7A035FC0) (80131506)

Faulting application devenv.exe, version 9.0.30729.1, stamp 488f2b50, faulting module kernel32.dll, version 5.2.3790.4480, stamp 49c51f0a, debug? 0, fault address 0x0000bef7.

The below hotfix solved the problem for me.

http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2009/03/03/hotfix-available-for-asp-net-mvc-crashes-with-azure-power-commands-resharper.aspx

-- Lee

Aug
12

Unit Testing in EpiServer binweb.config

Trying to run some MBUnit unit tests in an EpiServer instance gave me the following message..

Message: Could not find file 'c:\SomeFolder\binweb.config'.

Type: System.IO.FileNotFoundException

Source: EPiServer

STACKTRACE>>>

Not quite sure why it is trying to find binweb.config however I got around the issue by programmatically declaring the web config to use. This is best going in a FixtureSetUp method.

EPiServer.Global.EPConfig = new EPiServer.ApplicationConfiguration(@"C:\SomeFolder\web.config");

-- Lee
Aug
04

Deploying SSIS Packages and ProtectionLevel

I have to look into why a very large SSIS package developed by a contractor who had an actual phobia of documentation (began sweating when the word was mentioned) is not running in a certain environment.

Reading Changing the Protection Level Based on Package Life Cycle at the bottom of this page http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms141747.aspx..

When deploying it recommends changing the protection level to one that does not depend on the developer's user key. This makes perfect sense.. Right then, changing it to EncryptSensitiveWithPassword.


UPDATE : Found this useful (and more informative) post on the same subject
http://bi-polar23.blogspot.com/2009/04/ssis-and-package-protectionlevel.html

UPDATE : This MSDN documentation looks quite good.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc966389.aspx

-- Lee
Aug
04

See Your XBOX Avatar

An article on how to see your XBOX avatar online

View Your XBOX 360 Avatar Online

Mine (Englestone)..

- Lee
Jul
22

This is your LAST chance ReSharper

After being bitten in the past by Jet Brains Resharper (major solution slowdown and random crashes only being solved by its removal) i've decided to put the past behind us and give one of Visual Studios alleged greatest plugins one last chance.

I know a few developers who have shelled out the £144 for a personal license. Something has to be bloody amazing for me to shell out that much for it and i'm not there yet.

Any developers got a case for ROI??

-- Lee
Jul
09

A message to recruiters

Due to a high volume of interest and recruiters already trying to contact me.. I would appreciate it if they would read the following.

Firstly, I very much appreciate the efforts made by agencies to identify relevant positions and in order to help manage a large number of people contacting me at once i'd appreciate it if recruitment agencies bear in mind the following points.

- I will rarely answer my mobile phone during the hours 9am to 5:40pm.

- My preferred method of initial contact is by email. I would much rather this than a voice message left on my mobile phone (which I have to pay to listen to).

- Please indicate the salary and location as I will not proactively reply to recruiters that neglect to provide this information.

- I am contactable (hands free) whilst driving between 8:05am and 8:30am and 5:35pm and 6pm.

- Please do not contact me with positions not relevant to me in the hopes I will know someone that may be available.

Thanks again for all your efforts.

Kind regards,

-- Lee Englestone
Jul
06

Lions Win Bristol Tournament



The Manchester Lions win the 2009 B-Comp Bristol Tournament beating both the best 2 teams in the Bristol Softball League (the LSDs and the Guppy Spotters).

Congratulations to Adam and Carol whom got MVPs.

This is third tournament in a row we have won, having previously won the C Nationals and Diamond 1.



-- Lee
Jun
30

Using CData to store html in xml c#

I always forget this when I am trying to add html tags to an xml file.

using CDATA will allow this more easily preserving the html.

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml;

public class XmlCDataHtmlExample
{
public static void Main()
{
XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
doc.LoadXml("");

//Create a CData section.
XmlCDataSection CData;
CData = doc.CreateCDataSection("Here is a paragraph and I wan't to save the paragraph tags in XML");

//Add the new node to the document.
XmlElement root = doc.DocumentElement;
root.AppendChild(CData);

Console.WriteLine("Display the modified XML...");
doc.Save(Console.Out);

Console.ReadLine();
}
}

-- Lee
Jun
27

Crete 2009

Just got back from a week in Crete with my girlfriend.

Dripping in history and bathed in sunshine Crete was fantastic.

We visited Knossos, the palace of the Minoan King Minos as well as the cave where Hera supposedly gave birth to Zeus.

And on Wednesday I proposed to my girlfriend at sunset in a waterfront restaurant. She said Yes.

Packing the essentials










Sunset on the beach


















Lovely seafront restaurants












Sunset on the harbour

























Fantastic hotel and swimming pools












Waiting for the bus


















Monastary


















Zeus cave











Windmills on the plateau
















Knossos palace
















The local beer. Mythos, Yum
















Jun
17

Business Administration Course - TMA 3

Well I must be doing something right as I received an 'A' for my third Tutor Marked Assessment (TMA) entitled 'Team Based Leadership'

It entailed demonstrating a working knowledge of the differences between managers and leaders, team based leadership objectives, leadership pipelines, leadership skills, emotional intelligence and different types of decisions.

TMA 4 is titled 'Management Accounting'. I approach it with both trepidation and confidence.

I am finding the feedback from the tutors to be very encouraging indeed, and are part of the reason I am pursuing this course with as much vigor as I am.

- "..this was an excellent effort from you."
- "You have researched well and wrote a very good and detailed account of team based leadership."
- "You continue to provide thorough and interesting responses."

-- Lee
Jun
16

CSS Cleaner Class

I can never remember this. It is useful for returning to the bottom of floated elements if placed immediately afterwards.

.cleaner
{
clear:both;
width:100%;
overflow:hidden;
height:1px;
margin-top:-1px;
}

-- Lee
 

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