Sam archive at rewindlife.com

Author Archive for Sam

Jun

Limit Line support added to B-Line Charting Components 3.0

By Sam Closed

Categories: Flash

We just released an updated to B-Line Charting Components 3.0 with added support for limit lines, enhanced Flash Player 6 support, and enhanced version readability.

The limit line support is something that’s often requested and can be used in many scenarios. This functionality allows adding any number of horizontal or vertical lines perpendicular to any axis at a specified value point. Each line has a label which can be placed in one of 22 possible positions. Also each line is individually stylable and the label can be left as the associated value or customized. Here are four charts with limit lines.

We’ve also greatly improved Flash Player 6 compatibility by including an entire second set of components specifically optimized for Flash Player 6. Additionally, all charts now show the version number and target player in their live preview.

All customers can download the latest updates by logging in at http://www.blinex.com. For more information and to purchase the components visit http://www.blinex.com/products/charting.

May

Sybase SQL not same as Microsoft SQL

By Sam 59 Comments

Categories: ColdFusion

I’ve always heard that Sybase SQL Server was essentially the same as Microsoft SQL Server. I’ve even read about developers authoring applications against MSSQL and then deploying to Sybase SQL.

Well, this week I started on my first project with Sybase SQL Server and was amazed at how different they are. Sybase SQL doesn’t support “TOP” syntax and all SQL identifiers (table and field names) are case sensitive. So a query on “SELECT * FROM Documents” will fail if the table is name “DOCUMENTS”. That’s just what I ran into in the first few days.. I’m sure there will be more surprises to come.

So if there are others out there who assumed the two were compatible due to their common root and other community fodder, you are now forewarned.

Apr

New Microsoft Office Integration content in Advanced ColdFusion MX 7 Application Development

By Sam Closed

Categories: ColdFusion

I just learned that Advanced ColdFusion MX 7 Application Development is shipping. The sites have not been updated yet, but it is shipping.

This update has a ton of great new content, including a whole chapter on MS Office integration which I was very pleased to contribute. This chapter provides more in depth information and new examples compared to what I’ve discussed in my previous presentations on the topic.

Everyone else is linking to the Amazon page, but it’s much cheaper on Overstock.com. Overstock stinks for research–little info and no reviews–but it’s good for the final purchase. You don’t need research for this book anyways, everyone knows it’s wonderful!

Apr

Try/Catch and Try/Finally macros for VB.NET

By Sam Closed

Categories: .NET

I recently started playing around with macros in Visual Studio .NET 2003 and wrote up two I find very helpful: Wrap Try/Catch and Wrap Try/Finally. Basically, they take the selected text and wrap it in a try/catch block or a try/finally block.

This version supports empty selections (to create a new block) and both full-line and partial selections. It places the insertion point inside the try block for an empty selection and inside the catch block for a text selection.

Enjoy!

Imports EnvDTE
Imports System.Diagnostics

Public Module CodeModifiers

  Sub WrapTryCatch()
    WrapTrySomething("Catch ex As Exception")
  End Sub

  Sub WrapTryFinally()
    WrapTrySomething("Finally")
  End Sub

  Private Sub WrapTrySomething(ByVal middleText As String)

    If DTE.ActiveDocument Is Nothing Then
      Return
    End If

    Dim selection As TextSelection
    Dim startPoint As EditPoint
    Dim endPoint As EditPoint
    Dim insertPoint As EditPoint
    Dim empty As Boolean

    selection = DTE.ActiveDocument.Selection()
    startPoint = selection.TopPoint.CreateEditPoint()
    endPoint = selection.BottomPoint.CreateEditPoint()

    empty = startPoint.EqualTo(endPoint)

    DTE.UndoContext.Open("Wrap Try")
    Try

      Dim insertEndingCrLf As Boolean
      If endPoint.AtEndOfLine Then
        insertEndingCrLf = endPoint.AtStartOfLine
      Else
        insertEndingCrLf = True
      End If

      If Not endPoint.AtStartOfLine OrElse _
        endPoint.EqualTo(startPoint) Then
        endPoint.Insert(ControlChars.CrLf)
      End If

      endPoint.Insert(middleText + ControlChars.CrLf)

      If Not empty Then
        insertPoint = endPoint.CreateEditPoint()
      End If

      endPoint.Insert(ControlChars.CrLf + "End Try")

      If insertEndingCrLf Then
        endPoint.Insert(ControlChars.CrLf)
      End If

      ' insert try
      If Not AtStartOfLineIgnoringWhitepsace(startPoint) Then
        startPoint.Insert(ControlChars.CrLf)
      End If
      startPoint.Insert("Try" + _
                ControlChars.CrLf)

      If empty Then
        insertPoint = startPoint.CreateEditPoint()
      End If

      selection.MoveToPoint(insertPoint)
      selection.Indent()

    Finally
      DTE.UndoContext.Close()
    End Try
  End Sub

  Private Function AtStartOfLineIgnoringWhitepsace( _
                    ByVal point As EditPoint) As Boolean

    If point.AtStartOfLine Then
      Return True
    End If

    Dim p As EditPoint = point.CreateEditPoint()

    Do
      p.CharLeft()
      If Not Char.IsWhiteSpace(p.GetText(1), 0) Then
        Return False
      End If

      If p.AtStartOfLine Then
        Return True
      End If
    Loop

  End Function

End Module

This macro will only work for VB.NET. It can be translated to work with C# code or you can use the wonderful resharper plugin which unfortunately isn’t available for VB.NET.

Mar

New PrimalScript Release: CFMX7, CSS, and Double-Extensions and more!

By Sam Closed

Categories: ColdFusion

Sapien put out a nice update to their IDE, PrimalScript with a few big additions.

ColdFusion MX 7. The PrimalSense files have been updated with all of the new CFMX7 syntax.
CSS. PrimalScript now gives PrimalSense on CSS files–it lists a drop-down of all valid CSS property names (use the toolbar button or CTRL-Space).
Double-Extensions. This is generic for all server-side code, but is really geared towards CF developers as it’s primarily a CF pratice. PrimalScript now recognizes files that have two extensions and treats the file based on the type of the first extension, not the last. So if you want to protect your css files via CF but still want PrimalScript help while editing them, you can use a name like “site.css.cfm” and PrimalScript will recognize the “.css.cfm” double-extension and treate the file as a CSS file. This is espeically useful for Fusebox developers who use double-extensions for their controller files such as “fusebox.xml.cfm” and “circuit.xml.cfm”.

If you haven’t checked out PrimalScript for CFML and AS development, we’d strongly suggest trying it out.

Mar

Seeking ColdFusion WebMaster / System Administrator

By Sam Closed

Categories: Uncategorized

B-Line Express is hiring!

Job Summary: Seeking an experienced Web Systems Administrator with 2 plus years of working knowledge System and Network Administration and some web development experience. The ideal candidate will be proficient in administering ColdFusion MX, IIS, Sun One, MS SQL 2000, Oracle 9i, Windows 2000 and 2003 servers with the ability to create firewall rules, review security policies, and implement back ups all systems. Development skills and experience in ColdFusion MX, HTML, and/or JavaScript would preferred.

Excellent communication skills, ability to work on multiple projects at a given time, and the willingness to travel within the DC area are a must.

So if anyone’s counting, that’s 3 positions we’re hiring for right now: A CF Admin, a VB.NET WinForms developer, and a Project Manager. These are new positions in the company–we’re expanding! Wouldn’t you like to be a part of dynamic expanding company that does development in many technologies with ample opportunity to learn new things and immediately apply that knowledge? Apply now. Send resumes to hr@blinex.com.

Feb

Where’s responsible security reporting?

By Sam Closed

Categories: ColdFusion

While I totally agree that once a company fails to respond to a security problem reported privately the problem should be reported publically, it’s horrible when that report greatly compounds the problem. That hapenned recently with ThinkTank’s disclosure of PayMaxx’s major security problem.

PayMaxx developers unfortunately did a stupid thing–they didn’t check that a person viewing a W-2 or other payroll related record is accessing the record they are allowed to; they only check if the user is logged in. That certainly is a major problem and unfortunately is too common (I’ve found this problem myself in e-commerce sites I used and reported it to the site owners–who both fixed the problem within 24 hours in the instances where I found it).

The ThinkTank report went much further than disclosing the nature of the problem and reported specific login information for a test account which allowed anyone to log-in and exploit the problem. Before this, only customers could exploit the problem. After ThinkTank’s disclosure, anyone can exploit the problem. They made the problem significantly worse.

Shame on you ThinkTank. If you agree, tell them.

Feb

If at first you don’t succeed, apply and apply again… :(

By Sam 9 Comments

Categories: General

We’re hiring for a few positions (cfmx admin, vb.net desktop, and a pm). I’m quite frankly amazed at the applications we’re getting. Here’s a brief synopsis…

If at first you don’t succeed…: We’re getting a lot of repeat resumes. Some are right after another like we get one at 9:08 and then we get another one at 9:23. On several occasions we’ve gotten repeat applications for the same job coming from different sources (Monster and Craig’s List) but more often the case they’re multiple Monster applications. I’m not sure whether or not to throw someone out just for applying twice. It’s been a while since I looked for a job, but I always remember keeping careful track of where I applied. Maybe that’s not the case any more.
E-mail does not make a resume: This is my biggest pet peave, but I can’t really bring myself to fault the applicants. Monster apparently has a feature where people store their resume and do a single-click apply and they send the resume as plain text in an e-mail. The result is a jumbled mess of skills, experience, and education all mixed in and almost completely illegible. I wish Monster didn’t have this feature or at least that we could set up our Monster account to disallow these types of applications. What ever happened to customizing resumes and sending personal cover letters?
Novel as a resume: What’s with the long page resumes? When I went to resume workshops in college (which admittedly was a few years ago, but not that long ago) we were told to keep resumes to 2 pages and maybe 3 if absolutely necessary. How long does everyone else take to read a resume? Do you really read a 5, 7, or 10 page resume? I tend to scan the objective, skills, and last two jobs, and if relevant skills don’t pop-out at me, I move on. I’ve been told that’s pretty typical but I’d love to hear other employer’s opinions.
Desktop vs. Web: This is just an interesting twist. A few years ago it was hard to find people with a lot of web experience. Now it appears the opposite is true. There’s a lot of applicants with web experience but very few have recent desktop experience (we’re hiring for a .NET WinForms position).

So enough with the rants… if anyone still wants to apply (and no, I wouldn’t be your boss so you don’t have to listen to me complain all the time) feel free to e-mail me. And no special prizes for the 20 page jumbled plain text mess sent a dozen times.