Search Results

Search found 3403 results on 137 pages for 'monthly statements'.

Page 135/137 | < Previous Page | 131 132 133 134 135 136 137  | Next Page >

• Linux Mint 10 LXDE computer to act as LTSP Server without luck

  - by Rautamiekka

  So I've tried to make our screen-broken HP laptop to also serve as LTSP Server in addition to various other tasks, without luck, which may be cuz I'm running LM10 LXDE while the instructions are for Ubuntu. Excuse my ignorance. The entire output from Terminal after installing LTSP stuff along with a Server kernel and a load of other packages: administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo lt ltrace ltsp-build-client ltsp-chroot ltspfs ltspfsmounter ltsp-info ltsp-localapps ltsp-update-image ltsp-update-kernels ltsp-update-sshkeys administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-update-sshkeys administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-update-kernels find: `/opt/ltsp/': No such file or directory administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-build-client /usr/share/ltsp/plugins/ltsp-build-client/common/010-chroot-tagging: line 3: /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/ltsp_chroot: No such file or directory error: LTSP client installation ended abnormally administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-update-image Cannot determine assigned port. Assigning to port 2000. mkdir: cannot create directory `/opt/ltsp/i386/etc/ltsp': No such file or directory /usr/sbin/ltsp-update-image: 274: cannot create /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/ltsp/update-kernels.conf: Directory nonexistent /usr/sbin/ltsp-update-image: 274: cannot create /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/ltsp/update-kernels.conf: Directory nonexistent Regenerating kernel... chroot: failed to run command `/usr/share/ltsp/update-kernels': No such file or directory Done. Configuring inetd... Done. Updating pxelinux default configuration...Done. Skipping invalid chroot: /opt/ltsp/i386 chroot: failed to run command `test': No such file or directory administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-chroot chroot: failed to run command `/bin/bash': No such file or directory administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ bash administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ exit exit administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ls /opt/ltsp i386 administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ls /opt/ltsp/i386/ administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-build-client NOTE: Root directory /opt/ltsp/i386 already exists, this will lead to problems, please remove it before trying again. Exiting. error: LTSP client installation ended abnormally administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo rm -rv /opt/ltsp/i386 removed directory: `/opt/ltsp/i386' administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-build-client /usr/share/ltsp/plugins/ltsp-build-client/common/010-chroot-tagging: line 3: /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/ltsp_chroot: No such file or directory error: LTSP client installation ended abnormally administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ aptitude search ltsp p fts-ltsp-ldap - LDAP LTSP module for the TFTP/Fuse supplicant p ltsp-client - LTSP client environment p ltsp-client-core - LTSP client environment (core) p ltsp-cluster-accountmanager - Account creation and management daemon for LTSP p ltsp-cluster-control - Web based thin-client configuration management p ltsp-cluster-lbagent - LTSP loadbalancer agent offers variables about the state of the ltsp server p ltsp-cluster-lbserver - LTSP loadbalancer server returns the optimal ltsp server to terminal p ltsp-cluster-nxloadbalancer - Minimal NX loadbalancer for ltsp-cluster p ltsp-cluster-pxeconfig - LTSP-Cluster symlink generator p ltsp-controlaula - Classroom management tool with ltsp clients p ltsp-docs - LTSP Documentation p ltsp-livecd - starts an LTSP live server on an Ubuntu livecd session p ltsp-manager - Ubuntu LTSP server management GUI i A ltsp-server - Basic LTSP server environment i ltsp-server-standalone - Complete LTSP server environment i A ltspfs - Fuse based remote filesystem for LTSP thin clients p ltspfsd - Fuse based remote filesystem hooks for LTSP thin clients p ltspfsd-core - Fuse based remote filesystem daemon for LTSP thin clients p python-ltsp - provides ltsp related functions administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude purge ltsp-server ltsp-server-standalone ltspfs The following packages will be REMOVED: debconf-utils{u} debootstrap{u} dhcp3-server{u} gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio{u} ldm-server{u} libpulse-browse0{u} ltsp-server{p} ltsp-server-standalone{p} ltspfs{p} nbd-server{u} openbsd-inetd{u} pulseaudio{u} pulseaudio-esound-compat{u} pulseaudio-module-x11{u} pulseaudio-utils{u} squashfs-tools{u} tftpd-hpa{u} 0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 17 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 6,996kB will be freed. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] (Reading database ... 158454 files and directories currently installed.) Removing ltsp-server-standalone ... Purging configuration files for ltsp-server-standalone ... Removing ltsp-server ... Purging configuration files for ltsp-server ... dpkg: warning: while removing ltsp-server, directory '/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp' not empty so not removed. dpkg: warning: while removing ltsp-server, directory '/var/lib/tftpboot' not empty so not removed. Processing triggers for man-db ... (Reading database ... 158195 files and directories currently installed.) Removing debconf-utils ... Removing debootstrap ... Removing dhcp3-server ... * Stopping DHCP server dhcpd3 [ OK ] Removing gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio ... Removing ldm-server ... Removing pulseaudio-module-x11 ... Removing pulseaudio-esound-compat ... Removing pulseaudio ... * PulseAudio configured for per-user sessions Removing pulseaudio-utils ... Removing libpulse-browse0 ... Processing triggers for man-db ... Processing triggers for ureadahead ... ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot Processing triggers for libc-bin ... ldconfig deferred processing now taking place (Reading database ... 157944 files and directories currently installed.) Removing ltspfs ... Processing triggers for man-db ... (Reading database ... 157932 files and directories currently installed.) Removing nbd-server ... Stopping Network Block Device server: nbd-server. Removing openbsd-inetd ... * Stopping internet superserver inetd [ OK ] Removing squashfs-tools ... Removing tftpd-hpa ... tftpd-hpa stop/waiting Processing triggers for ureadahead ... Processing triggers for man-db ... administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude purge ~c The following packages will be REMOVED: dhcp3-server{p} libpulse-browse0{p} nbd-server{p} openbsd-inetd{p} pulseaudio{p} tftpd-hpa{p} 0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 6 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 0B will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] (Reading database ... 157881 files and directories currently installed.) Removing dhcp3-server ... Purging configuration files for dhcp3-server ... Removing libpulse-browse0 ... Purging configuration files for libpulse-browse0 ... Removing nbd-server ... Purging configuration files for nbd-server ... Removing openbsd-inetd ... Purging configuration files for openbsd-inetd ... Removing pulseaudio ... Purging configuration files for pulseaudio ... Removing tftpd-hpa ... Purging configuration files for tftpd-hpa ... Processing triggers for ureadahead ... administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude install ltsp-server-standalone The following NEW packages will be installed: debconf-utils{a} debootstrap{a} ldm-server{a} ltsp-server{a} ltsp-server-standalone ltspfs{a} nbd-server{a} openbsd-inetd{a} squashfs-tools{a} The following packages are RECOMMENDED but will NOT be installed: dhcp3-server pulseaudio-esound-compat tftpd-hpa 0 packages upgraded, 9 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B/498kB of archives. After unpacking 2,437kB will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Preconfiguring packages ... Selecting previously deselected package openbsd-inetd. (Reading database ... 157868 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking openbsd-inetd (from .../openbsd-inetd_0.20080125-4ubuntu2_i386.deb) ... Processing triggers for man-db ... Processing triggers for ureadahead ... Setting up openbsd-inetd (0.20080125-4ubuntu2) ... * Stopping internet superserver inetd [ OK ] * Starting internet superserver inetd [ OK ] Selecting previously deselected package ldm-server. (Reading database ... 157877 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking ldm-server (from .../ldm-server_2%3a2.1.3-0ubuntu1_all.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package debconf-utils. Unpacking debconf-utils (from .../debconf-utils_1.5.32ubuntu3_all.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package debootstrap. Unpacking debootstrap (from .../debootstrap_1.0.23ubuntu1_all.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package nbd-server. Unpacking nbd-server (from .../nbd-server_1%3a2.9.14-2ubuntu1_i386.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package squashfs-tools. Unpacking squashfs-tools (from .../squashfs-tools_1%3a4.0-8_i386.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package ltsp-server. GNU nano 2.2.4 File: /etc/ltsp/ltsp-update-image.conf # Configuration file for ltsp-update-image # By default, do not compress the image # as it's reported to make it unstable NO_COMP="-noF -noD -noI -no-exports" [ Switched to /etc/ltsp/ltsp-update-image.conf ] administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ ls /opt/ firefox/ ltsp/ mint-flashplugin/ administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ ls /opt/ltsp/i386/ administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ ls /opt/ltsp/ i386 administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp ltsp-build-client ltsp-chroot ltspfs ltspfsmounter ltsp-info ltsp-localapps ltsp-update-image ltsp-update-kernels ltsp-update-sshkeys administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-build-client NOTE: Root directory /opt/ltsp/i386 already exists, this will lead to problems, please remove it before trying again. Exiting. error: LTSP client installation ended abnormally administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ ^C administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude purge ltsp ltspfs ltsp-server ltsp-server-standalone administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude purge ltsp-server The following packages will be REMOVED: ltsp-server{p} 0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 1,073kB will be freed. The following packages have unmet dependencies: ltsp-server-standalone: Depends: ltsp-server but it is not going to be installed. The following actions will resolve these dependencies: Remove the following packages: 1) ltsp-server-standalone Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] The following packages will be REMOVED: debconf-utils{u} debootstrap{u} ldm-server{u} ltsp-server{p} ltsp-server-standalone{a} ltspfs{u} nbd-server{u} openbsd-inetd{u} squashfs-tools{u} 0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 9 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 2,437kB will be freed. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] (Reading database ... 158244 files and directories currently installed.) Removing ltsp-server-standalone ... (Reading database ... 158240 files and directories currently installed.) Removing ltsp-server ... Purging configuration files for ltsp-server ... dpkg: warning: while removing ltsp-server, directory '/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp' not empty so not removed. dpkg: warning: while removing ltsp-server, directory '/var/lib/tftpboot' not empty so not removed. Processing triggers for man-db ... (Reading database ... 157987 files and directories currently installed.) Removing debconf-utils ... Removing debootstrap ... Removing ldm-server ... Removing ltspfs ... Removing nbd-server ... Stopping Network Block Device server: nbd-server. Removing openbsd-inetd ... * Stopping internet superserver inetd [ OK ] Removing squashfs-tools ... Processing triggers for man-db ... Processing triggers for ureadahead ... administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude purge ~c The following packages will be REMOVED: ltsp-server-standalone{p} nbd-server{p} openbsd-inetd{p} 0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 3 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 0B will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] (Reading database ... 157871 files and directories currently installed.) Removing ltsp-server-standalone ... Purging configuration files for ltsp-server-standalone ... Removing nbd-server ... Purging configuration files for nbd-server ... Removing openbsd-inetd ... Purging configuration files for openbsd-inetd ... Processing triggers for ureadahead ... administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo rm -rv /var/lib/t teamspeak-server/ tftpboot/ transmission-daemon/ administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo rm -rv /var/lib/tftpboot removed `/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.cfg/default' removed directory: `/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.cfg' removed directory: `/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp/i386' removed directory: `/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp' removed directory: `/var/lib/tftpboot' administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo find / -name "ltsp" /opt/ltsp administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo rm -rv /opt/ltsp removed directory: `/opt/ltsp/i386' removed directory: `/opt/ltsp' administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo aptitude install ltsp-server-standalone The following NEW packages will be installed: debconf-utils{a} debootstrap{a} ldm-server{a} ltsp-server{a} ltsp-server-standalone ltspfs{a} nbd-server{a} openbsd-inetd{a} squashfs-tools{a} The following packages are RECOMMENDED but will NOT be installed: dhcp3-server pulseaudio-esound-compat tftpd-hpa 0 packages upgraded, 9 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B/498kB of archives. After unpacking 2,437kB will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Preconfiguring packages ... Selecting previously deselected package openbsd-inetd. (Reading database ... 157868 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking openbsd-inetd (from .../openbsd-inetd_0.20080125-4ubuntu2_i386.deb) ... Processing triggers for man-db ... GNU nano 2.2.4 New Buffer GNU nano 2.2.4 File: /etc/ltsp/dhcpd.conf # # Default LTSP dhcpd.conf config file. # authoritative; subnet 192.168.2.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 { range 192.168.2.70 192.168.2.79; option domain-name "jarvinen"; option domain-name-servers 192.168.2.254; option broadcast-address 192.168.2.255; option routers 192.168.2.254; # next-server 192.168.0.1; # get-lease-hostnames true; option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0; option root-path "/opt/ltsp/i386"; if substring( option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9 ) = "PXEClient" { filename "/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.0"; } else { filename "/ltsp/i386/nbi.img"; } } [ Wrote 22 lines ] administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo service dhcp3-server start * Starting DHCP server dhcpd3 [ OK ] administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo ltsp-build-client /usr/share/ltsp/plugins/ltsp-build-client/common/010-chroot-tagging: line 3: /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/ltsp_chroot: No such file or directory error: LTSP client installation ended abnormally administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ sudo cat /usr/share/ltsp/plugins/ltsp-build-client/common/010-chroot-tagging case "$MODE" in after-install) echo LTSP_CHROOT=$ROOT >> $ROOT/etc/ltsp_chroot ;; esac administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ cd $ROOT/etc/ltsp_chroot bash: cd: /etc/ltsp_chroot: No such file or directory administrator@rauta-mint-turion ~ $ cd $ROOT/etc/ administrator@rauta-mint-turion /etc $ ls acpi chatscripts emacs group insserv.conf.d logrotate.conf mysql php5 rc6.d smbnetfs.conf UPower adduser.conf ConsoleKit environment group- iproute2 logrotate.d nanorc phpmyadmin rc.local snmp usb_modeswitch.conf alternatives console-setup esound grub.d issue lsb-base nbd-server pm rcS.d sound usb_modeswitch.d anacrontab cron.d firefox gshadow issue.net lsb-base-logging.sh ndiswrapper pnm2ppa.conf request-key.conf ssh ushare.conf apache2 cron.daily firefox-3.5 gshadow- java lsb-release netscsid.conf polkit-1 resolvconf ssl vga apm cron.hourly firestarter gtk-2.0 java-6-sun ltrace.conf network popularity-contest.conf resolv.conf sudoers vim apparmor cron.monthly fonts gtkmathview kbd ltsp NetworkManager ppp rmt sudoers.d vlc apparmor.d crontab foomatic gufw kernel lxdm networks printcap rpc su-to-rootrc vsftpd.conf apport cron.weekly fstab hal kernel-img.conf magic nsswitch.conf profile rsyslog.conf sweeprc w3m apt crypttab ftpusers hdparm.conf kerneloops.conf magic.mime ntp.conf profile.d rsyslog.d sysctl.conf wgetrc at.deny cups fuse.conf host.conf kompozer mailcap obex-data-server protocols samba sysctl.d wildmidi auto-apt dbconfig-common gai.conf hostname ldap mailcap.order ODBCDataSources psiconv sane.d teamspeak-server wodim.conf avahi dbus-1 gamin hosts ld.so.cache manpath.config odbc.ini pulse screenrc terminfo wpa_supplicant bash.bashrc debconf.conf gconf hosts.allow ld.so.conf menu openal purple securetty thunderbird X11 bash_completion debian_version gdb hosts.deny ld.so.conf.d menu-methods openoffice python security timezone xdg bash_completion.d default gdm hp legal mime.types opt python2.6 sensors3.conf transmission-daemon xml bindresvport.blacklist defoma ghostscript ifplugd lftp.conf mke2fs.conf pam.conf python2.7 sensors.d ts.conf xulrunner-1.9.2 blkid.conf deluser.conf gimp inetd.conf libpaper.d modprobe.d pam.d python3.1 services ucf.conf zsh_command_not_found blkid.tab depmod.d gnome init libreoffice modules pango rc0.d sgml udev bluetooth dhcp gnome-system-tools init.d linuxmint motd papersize rc1.d shadow ufw bonobo-activation dhcp3 gnome-vfs-2.0 initramfs-tools locale.alias mplayer passwd rc2.d shadow- updatedb.conf ca-certificates dictionaries-common gnome-vfs-mime-magic inputrc localtime mtab passwd- rc3.d shells update-manager ca-certificates.conf doc-base gre.d insserv logcheck mtab.fuselock pcmcia rc4.d skel update-motd.d calendar dpkg groff insserv.conf login.defs mtools.conf perl rc5.d smb2www update-notifier administrator@rauta-mint-turion /etc $ cd ltsp/ administrator@rauta-mint-turion /etc/ltsp $ ls dhcpd.conf ltsp-update-image.conf administrator@rauta-mint-turion /etc/ltsp $ cat dhcpd.conf # # Default LTSP dhcpd.conf config file. # authoritative; subnet 192.168.2.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 { range 192.168.2.70 192.168.2.79; option domain-name "jarvinen"; option domain-name-servers 192.168.2.254; option broadcast-address 192.168.2.255; option routers 192.168.2.254; # next-server 192.168.0.1; # get-lease-hostnames true; option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0; option root-path "/opt/ltsp/i386"; if substring( option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9 ) = "PXEClient" { filename "/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.0"; } else { filename "/ltsp/i386/nbi.img"; } } administrator@rauta-mint-turion /etc/ltsp $

  Read the article

• SimpleMembership, Membership Providers, Universal Providers and the new ASP.NET 4.5 Web Forms and ASP.NET MVC 4 templates

  - by Jon Galloway

  The ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet template adds some new, very useful features which are built on top of SimpleMembership. These changes add some great features, like a much simpler and extensible membership API and support for OAuth. However, the new account management features require SimpleMembership and won't work against existing ASP.NET Membership Providers. I'll start with a summary of top things you need to know, then dig into a lot more detail. Summary: SimpleMembership has been designed as a replacement for traditional the previous ASP.NET Role and Membership provider system SimpleMembership solves common problems people ran into with the Membership provider system and was designed for modern user / membership / storage needs SimpleMembership integrates with the previous membership system, but you can't use a MembershipProvider with SimpleMembership The new ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet application template AccountController requires SimpleMembership and is not compatible with previous MembershipProviders You can continue to use existing ASP.NET Role and Membership providers in ASP.NET 4.5 and ASP.NET MVC 4 - just not with the ASP.NET MVC 4 AccountController The existing ASP.NET Role and Membership provider system remains supported as is part of the ASP.NET core ASP.NET 4.5 Web Forms does not use SimpleMembership; it implements OAuth on top of ASP.NET Membership The ASP.NET Web Site Administration Tool (WSAT) is not compatible with SimpleMembership The following is the result of a few conversations with Erik Porter (PM for ASP.NET MVC) to make sure I had some the overall details straight, combined with a lot of time digging around in ILSpy and Visual Studio's assembly browsing tools. SimpleMembership: The future of membership for ASP.NET The ASP.NET Membership system was introduces with ASP.NET 2.0 back in 2005. It was designed to solve common site membership requirements at the time, which generally involved username / password based registration and profile storage in SQL Server. It was designed with a few extensibility mechanisms - notably a provider system (which allowed you override some specifics like backing storage) and the ability to store additional profile information (although the additional  profile information was packed into a single column which usually required access through the API). While it's sometimes frustrating to work with, it's held up for seven years - probably since it handles the main use case (username / password based membership in a SQL Server database) smoothly and can be adapted to most other needs (again, often frustrating, but it can work). The ASP.NET Web Pages and WebMatrix efforts allowed the team an opportunity to take a new look at a lot of things - e.g. the Razor syntax started with ASP.NET Web Pages, not ASP.NET MVC. The ASP.NET Web Pages team designed SimpleMembership to (wait for it) simplify the task of dealing with membership. As Matthew Osborn said in his post Using SimpleMembership With ASP.NET WebPages: With the introduction of ASP.NET WebPages and the WebMatrix stack our team has really be focusing on making things simpler for the developer. Based on a lot of customer feedback one of the areas that we wanted to improve was the built in security in ASP.NET. So with this release we took that time to create a new built in (and default for ASP.NET WebPages) security provider. I say provider because the new stuff is still built on the existing ASP.NET framework. So what do we call this new hotness that we have created? Well, none other than SimpleMembership. SimpleMembership is an umbrella term for both SimpleMembership and SimpleRoles. Part of simplifying membership involved fixing some common problems with ASP.NET Membership. Problems with ASP.NET Membership ASP.NET Membership was very obviously designed around a set of assumptions: Users and user information would most likely be stored in a full SQL Server database or in Active Directory User and profile information would be optimized around a set of common attributes (UserName, Password, IsApproved, CreationDate, Comment, Role membership...) and other user profile information would be accessed through a profile provider Some problems fall out of these assumptions. Requires Full SQL Server for default cases The default, and most fully featured providers ASP.NET Membership providers (SQL Membership Provider, SQL Role Provider, SQL Profile Provider) require full SQL Server. They depend on stored procedure support, and they rely on SQL Server cache dependencies, they depend on agents for clean up and maintenance. So the main SQL Server based providers don't work well on SQL Server CE, won't work out of the box on SQL Azure, etc. Note: Cory Fowler recently let me know about these Updated ASP.net scripts for use with Microsoft SQL Azure which do support membership, personalization, profile, and roles. But the fact that we need a support page with a set of separate SQL scripts underscores the underlying problem. Aha, you say! Jon's forgetting the Universal Providers, a.k.a. System.Web.Providers! Hold on a bit, we'll get to those... Custom Membership Providers have to work with a SQL-Server-centric API If you want to work with another database or other membership storage system, you need to to inherit from the provider base classes and override a bunch of methods which are tightly focused on storing a MembershipUser in a relational database. It can be done (and you can often find pretty good ones that have already been written), but it's a good amount of work and often leaves you with ugly code that has a bunch of System.NotImplementedException fun since there are a lot of methods that just don't apply. Designed around a specific view of users, roles and profiles The existing providers are focused on traditional membership - a user has a username and a password, some specific roles on the site (e.g. administrator, premium user), and may have some additional "nice to have" optional information that can be accessed via an API in your application. This doesn't fit well with some modern usage patterns: In OAuth and OpenID, the user doesn't have a password Often these kinds of scenarios map better to user claims or rights instead of monolithic user roles For many sites, profile or other non-traditional information is very important and needs to come from somewhere other than an API call that maps to a database blob What would work a lot better here is a system in which you were able to define your users, rights, and other attributes however you wanted and the membership system worked with your model - not the other way around. Requires specific schema, overflow in blob columns I've already mentioned this a few times, but it bears calling out separately - ASP.NET Membership focuses on SQL Server storage, and that storage is based on a very specific database schema. SimpleMembership as a better membership system As you might have guessed, SimpleMembership was designed to address the above problems. Works with your Schema As Matthew Osborn explains in his Using SimpleMembership With ASP.NET WebPages post, SimpleMembership is designed to integrate with your database schema: All SimpleMembership requires is that there are two columns on your users table so that we can hook up to it – an “ID” column and a “username” column. The important part here is that they can be named whatever you want. For instance username doesn't have to be an alias it could be an email column you just have to tell SimpleMembership to treat that as the “username” used to log in. Matthew's example shows using a very simple user table named Users (it could be named anything) with a UserID and Username column, then a bunch of other columns he wanted in his app. Then we point SimpleMemberhip at that table with a one-liner: WebSecurity.InitializeDatabaseFile("SecurityDemo.sdf", "Users", "UserID", "Username", true); No other tables are needed, the table can be named anything we want, and can have pretty much any schema we want as long as we've got an ID and something that we can map to a username. Broaden database support to the whole SQL Server family While SimpleMembership is not database agnostic, it works across the SQL Server family. It continues to support full SQL Server, but it also works with SQL Azure, SQL Server CE, SQL Server Express, and LocalDB. Everything's implemented as SQL calls rather than requiring stored procedures, views, agents, and change notifications. Note that SimpleMembership still requires some flavor of SQL Server - it won't work with MySQL, NoSQL databases, etc. You can take a look at the code in WebMatrix.WebData.dll using a tool like ILSpy if you'd like to see why - there places where SQL Server specific SQL statements are being executed, especially when creating and initializing tables. It seems like you might be able to work with another database if you created the tables separately, but I haven't tried it and it's not supported at this point. Note: I'm thinking it would be possible for SimpleMembership (or something compatible) to run Entity Framework so it would work with any database EF supports. That seems useful to me - thoughts? Note: SimpleMembership has the same database support - anything in the SQL Server family - that Universal Providers brings to the ASP.NET Membership system. Easy to with Entity Framework Code First The problem with with ASP.NET Membership's system for storing additional account information is that it's the gate keeper. That means you're stuck with its schema and accessing profile information through its API. SimpleMembership flips that around by allowing you to use any table as a user store. That means you're in control of the user profile information, and you can access it however you'd like - it's just data. Let's look at a practical based on the AccountModel.cs class in an ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet project. Here I'm adding a Birthday property to the UserProfile class. [Table("UserProfile")] public class UserProfile { [Key] [DatabaseGeneratedAttribute(DatabaseGeneratedOption.Identity)] public int UserId { get; set; } public string UserName { get; set; } public DateTime Birthday { get; set; } } Now if I want to access that information, I can just grab the account by username and read the value. var context = new UsersContext(); var username = User.Identity.Name; var user = context.UserProfiles.SingleOrDefault(u => u.UserName == username); var birthday = user.Birthday; So instead of thinking of SimpleMembership as a big membership API, think of it as something that handles membership based on your user database. In SimpleMembership, everything's keyed off a user row in a table you define rather than a bunch of entries in membership tables that were out of your control. How SimpleMembership integrates with ASP.NET Membership Okay, enough sales pitch (and hopefully background) on why things have changed. How does this affect you? Let's start with a diagram to show the relationship (note: I've simplified by removing a few classes to show the important relationships): So SimpleMembershipProvider is an implementaiton of an ExtendedMembershipProvider, which inherits from MembershipProvider and adds some other account / OAuth related things. Here's what ExtendedMembershipProvider adds to MembershipProvider: The important thing to take away here is that a SimpleMembershipProvider is a MembershipProvider, but a MembershipProvider is not a SimpleMembershipProvider. This distinction is important in practice: you cannot use an existing MembershipProvider (including the Universal Providers found in System.Web.Providers) with an API that requires a SimpleMembershipProvider, including any of the calls in WebMatrix.WebData.WebSecurity or Microsoft.Web.WebPages.OAuth.OAuthWebSecurity. However, that's as far as it goes. Membership Providers still work if you're accessing them through the standard Membership API, and all of the core stuff  - including the AuthorizeAttribute, role enforcement, etc. - will work just fine and without any change. Let's look at how that affects you in terms of the new templates. Membership in the ASP.NET MVC 4 project templates ASP.NET MVC 4 offers six Project Templates: Empty - Really empty, just the assemblies, folder structure and a tiny bit of basic configuration. Basic - Like Empty, but with a bit of UI preconfigured (css / images / bundling). Internet - This has both a Home and Account controller and associated views. The Account Controller supports registration and login via either local accounts and via OAuth / OpenID providers. Intranet - Like the Internet template, but it's preconfigured for Windows Authentication. Mobile - This is preconfigured using jQuery Mobile and is intended for mobile-only sites. Web API - This is preconfigured for a service backend built on ASP.NET Web API. Out of these templates, only one (the Internet template) uses SimpleMembership. ASP.NET MVC 4 Basic template The Basic template has configuration in place to use ASP.NET Membership with the Universal Providers. You can see that configuration in the ASP.NET MVC 4 Basic template's web.config: <profile defaultProvider="DefaultProfileProvider"> <providers> <add name="DefaultProfileProvider" type="System.Web.Providers.DefaultProfileProvider, System.Web.Providers, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" connectionStringName="DefaultConnection" applicationName="/" /> </providers> </profile> <membership defaultProvider="DefaultMembershipProvider"> <providers> <add name="DefaultMembershipProvider" type="System.Web.Providers.DefaultMembershipProvider, System.Web.Providers, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" connectionStringName="DefaultConnection" enablePasswordRetrieval="false" enablePasswordReset="true" requiresQuestionAndAnswer="false" requiresUniqueEmail="false" maxInvalidPasswordAttempts="5" minRequiredPasswordLength="6" minRequiredNonalphanumericCharacters="0" passwordAttemptWindow="10" applicationName="/" /> </providers> </membership> <roleManager defaultProvider="DefaultRoleProvider"> <providers> <add name="DefaultRoleProvider" type="System.Web.Providers.DefaultRoleProvider, System.Web.Providers, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" connectionStringName="DefaultConnection" applicationName="/" /> </providers> </roleManager> <sessionState mode="InProc" customProvider="DefaultSessionProvider"> <providers> <add name="DefaultSessionProvider" type="System.Web.Providers.DefaultSessionStateProvider, System.Web.Providers, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" connectionStringName="DefaultConnection" /> </providers> </sessionState> This means that it's business as usual for the Basic template as far as ASP.NET Membership works. ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet template The Internet template has a few things set up to bootstrap SimpleMembership: \Models\AccountModels.cs defines a basic user account and includes data annotations to define keys and such \Filters\InitializeSimpleMembershipAttribute.cs creates the membership database using the above model, then calls WebSecurity.InitializeDatabaseConnection which verifies that the underlying tables are in place and marks initialization as complete (for the application's lifetime) \Controllers\AccountController.cs makes heavy use of OAuthWebSecurity (for OAuth account registration / login / management) and WebSecurity. WebSecurity provides account management services for ASP.NET MVC (and Web Pages) WebSecurity can work with any ExtendedMembershipProvider. There's one in the box (SimpleMembershipProvider) but you can write your own. Since a standard MembershipProvider is not an ExtendedMembershipProvider, WebSecurity will throw exceptions if the default membership provider is a MembershipProvider rather than an ExtendedMembershipProvider. Practical example: Create a new ASP.NET MVC 4 application using the Internet application template Install the Microsoft ASP.NET Universal Providers for LocalDB NuGet package Run the application, click on Register, add a username and password, and click submit You'll get the following execption in AccountController.cs::Register: To call this method, the "Membership.Provider" property must be an instance of "ExtendedMembershipProvider". This occurs because the ASP.NET Universal Providers packages include a web.config transform that will update your web.config to add the Universal Provider configuration I showed in the Basic template example above. When WebSecurity tries to use the configured ASP.NET Membership Provider, it checks if it can be cast to an ExtendedMembershipProvider before doing anything else. So, what do you do? Options: If you want to use the new AccountController, you'll either need to use the SimpleMembershipProvider or another valid ExtendedMembershipProvider. This is pretty straightforward. If you want to use an existing ASP.NET Membership Provider in ASP.NET MVC 4, you can't use the new AccountController. You can do a few things: Replace  the AccountController.cs and AccountModels.cs in an ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet project with one from an ASP.NET MVC 3 application (you of course won't have OAuth support). Then, if you want, you can go through and remove other things that were built around SimpleMembership - the OAuth partial view, the NuGet packages (e.g. the DotNetOpenAuthAuth package, etc.) Use an ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet application template and add in a Universal Providers NuGet package. Then copy in the AccountController and AccountModel classes. Create an ASP.NET MVC 3 project and upgrade it to ASP.NET MVC 4 using the steps shown in the ASP.NET MVC 4 release notes. None of these are particularly elegant or simple. Maybe we (or just me?) can do something to make this simpler - perhaps a NuGet package. However, this should be an edge case - hopefully the cases where you'd need to create a new ASP.NET but use legacy ASP.NET Membership Providers should be pretty rare. Please let me (or, preferably the team) know if that's an incorrect assumption. Membership in the ASP.NET 4.5 project template ASP.NET 4.5 Web Forms took a different approach which builds off ASP.NET Membership. Instead of using the WebMatrix security assemblies, Web Forms uses Microsoft.AspNet.Membership.OpenAuth assembly. I'm no expert on this, but from a bit of time in ILSpy and Visual Studio's (very pretty) dependency graphs, this uses a Membership Adapter to save OAuth data into an EF managed database while still running on top of ASP.NET Membership. Note: There may be a way to use this in ASP.NET MVC 4, although it would probably take some plumbing work to hook it up. How does this fit in with Universal Providers (System.Web.Providers)? Just to summarize: Universal Providers are intended for cases where you have an existing ASP.NET Membership Provider and you want to use it with another SQL Server database backend (other than SQL Server). It doesn't require agents to handle expired session cleanup and other background tasks, it piggybacks these tasks on other calls. Universal Providers are not really, strictly speaking, universal - at least to my way of thinking. They only work with databases in the SQL Server family. Universal Providers do not work with Simple Membership. The Universal Providers packages include some web config transforms which you would normally want when you're using them. What about the Web Site Administration Tool? Visual Studio includes tooling to launch the Web Site Administration Tool (WSAT) to configure users and roles in your application. WSAT is built to work with ASP.NET Membership, and is not compatible with Simple Membership. There are two main options there: Use the WebSecurity and OAuthWebSecurity API to manage the users and roles Create a web admin using the above APIs Since SimpleMembership runs on top of your database, you can update your users as you would any other data - via EF or even in direct database edits (in development, of course)

  Read the article

• Tools and Utilities for the .NET Developer

  - by mbcrump

  Tweet this list! Add a link to my site to your bookmarks to quickly find this page again! Add me to twitter! This is a list of the tools/utilities that I use to do my job/hobby. I wanted this page to load fast and contain information that only you care about. If I have missed a tool that you like, feel free to contact me and I will add it to the list. Also, this list took a lot of time to complete. Please do not steal my work, if you like the page then please link back to my site. I will keep the links/information updated as new tools/utilities are created.  Windows/.NET Development – This is a list of tools that any Windows/.NET developer should have in his bag. I have used at some point in my career everything listed on this page and below is the tools worth keeping. Name Description License AnkhSVN Subversion support for Visual Studio. It also works with VS2010. Free Aurora XAML Designer One of the best XAML creation tools available. Has a ton of built in templates that you can copy/paste into VS2010. COST/Trial BeyondCompare Beyond Compare 3 is the ideal tool for comparing files and folders on your Windows or Linux system. Visualize changes in your code and carefully reconcile them. COST/Trial BuildIT Automated Task Tool Its main purpose is to automate tasks, whether it is the final packaging of a product, an automated daily build, maybe sending out a mailing list, even backing-up files. Free C Sharper for VB Convert VB to C#. COST CLRProfiler Analyze and improve the behavior of your .NET app. Free CodeRush Direct competitor to ReSharper, contains similar feature. This is one of those decide for yourself. COST/Trial Disk2VHD Disk2vhd is a utility that creates VHD (Virtual Hard Disk - Microsoft's Virtual Machine disk format) versions of physical disks for use in Microsoft Virtual PC or Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines (VMs). Free Eazfuscator.NET Is a free obfuscator for .NET. The main purpose is to protect intellectual property of software. Free EQATEC Profiler Make your .NET app run faster. No source code changes are needed. Just point the profiler to your app, run the modified code, and get a visual report. COST Expression Studio 3/4 Comes with Web, Blend, Sketch Flow and more. You can create websites, produce beautiful XAML and more. COST/Trial Expresso The award-winning Expresso editor is equally suitable as a teaching tool for the beginning user of regular expressions or as a full-featured development environment for the experienced programmer or web designer with an extensive knowledge of regular expressions. Free Fiddler Fiddler is a web debugging proxy which logs all HTTP(s) traffic between your computer and the internet. Free Firebug Powerful Web development tool. If you build websites, you will need this. Free FxCop FxCop is an application that analyzes managed code assemblies (code that targets the .NET Framework common language runtime) and reports information about the assemblies, such as possible design, localization, performance, and security improvements. Free GAC Browser and Remover Easy way to remove multiple assemblies from the GAC. Assemblies registered by programs like Install Shield can also be removed. Free GAC Util The Global Assembly Cache tool allows you to view and manipulate the contents of the global assembly cache and download cache. Free HelpScribble Help Scribble is a full-featured, easy-to-use help authoring tool for creating help files from start to finish. You can create Win Help (.hlp) files, HTML Help (.chm) files, a printed manual and online documentation (on a web site) all from the same Help Scribble project. COST/Trial IETester IETester is a free Web Browser that allows you to have the rendering and JavaScript engines of IE9 preview, IE8, IE7 IE 6 and IE5.5 on Windows 7, Vista and XP, as well as the installed IE in the same process. Free iTextSharp iText# (iTextSharp) is a port of the iText open source java library for PDF generation written entirely in C# for the .NET platform. Use the iText mailing list to get support. Free Kaxaml Kaxaml is a lightweight XAML editor that gives you a "split view" so you can see both your XAML and your rendered content. Free LINQPad LinqPad lets you interactively query databases in a LINQ. Free Linquer Many programmers are familiar with SQL and will need a help in the transition to LINQ. Sometimes there are complicated queries to be written and Linqer can help by converting SQL scripts to LINQ. COST/Trial LiquidXML Liquid XML Studio 2010 is an advanced XML developers toolkit and IDE, containing all the tools needed for designing and developing XML schema and applications. COST/Trial Log4Net log4net is a tool to help the programmer output log statements to a variety of output targets. log4net is a port of the excellent log4j framework to the .NET runtime. We have kept the framework similar in spirit to the original log4j while taking advantage of new features in the .NET runtime. For more information on log4net see the features document. Free Microsoft Web Platform Installer The Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 (Web PI) is a free tool that makes getting the latest components of the Microsoft Web Platform, including Internet Information Services (IIS), SQL Server Express, .NET Framework and Visual Web Developer easy. Free Mono Development Don't have Visual Studio - no problem! This is an open Source C# and .NET development environment for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X Free Net Mass Downloader While it’s great that Microsoft has released the .NET Reference Source Code, you can only get it one file at a time while you’re debugging. If you’d like to batch download it for reading or to populate the cache, you’d have to write a program that instantiated and called each method in the Framework Class Library. Fortunately, .NET Mass Downloader comes to the rescue! Free nMap Nmap ("Network Mapper") is a free and open source (license) utility for network exploration or security auditing. Many systems and network administrators also find it useful for tasks such as network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime. Free NoScript (Firefox add-in) The NoScript Firefox extension provides extra protection for Firefox, Flock, Seamonkey and other Mozilla-based browsers: this free, open source add-on allows JavaScript, Java and Flash and other plug-ins to be executed only by trusted web sites of your choice (e.g. your online bank), and provides the most powerful Anti-XSS protection available in a browser. Free NotePad 2 Notepad2, a fast and light-weight Notepad-like text editor with syntax highlighting. This program can be run out of the box without installation, and does not touch your system's registry. Free PageSpy PageSpy is a small add-on for Internet Explorer that allows you to select any element within a webpage, select an option in the context menu, and view detailed information about both the coding behind the page and the element you selected. Free Phrase Express PhraseExpress manages your frequently used text snippets in customizable categories for quick access. Free PowerGui PowerGui is a free community for PowerGUI, a graphical user interface and script editor for Microsoft Windows PowerShell! Free Powershell Comes with Win7, but you can automate tasks by using the .NET Framework. Great for network admins. Free Process Explorer Ever wondered which program has a particular file or directory open? Now you can find out. Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded. Also, included in the SysInterals Suite. Free Process Monitor Process Monitor is an advanced monitoring tool for Windows that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity. Free Reflector Explore and analyze compiled .NET assemblies, viewing them in C#, Visual Basic, and IL. This is an Essential for any .NET developer. Free Regular Expression Library Stuck on a Regular Expression but you think someone has already figured it out? Chances are they have. Free Regulator Regulator makes Regular Expressions easy. This is a must have for a .NET Developer. Free RenameMaestro RenameMaestro is probably the easiest batch file renamer you'll find to instantly rename multiple files COST ReSharper The one program that I cannot live without. Supports VS2010 and offers simple refactoring, code analysis/assistance/cleanup/templates. One of the few applications that is worth the $$$. COST/Trial ScrewTurn Wiki ScrewTurn Wiki allows you to create, manage and share wikis. A wiki is a collaboratively-edited, information-centered website: the most famous is Wikipedia. Free SharpDevelop What is #develop? SharpDevelop is a free IDE for C# and VB.NET projects on Microsoft's .NET platform. Free Show Me The Template Show Me The Template is a tool for exploring the templates, be their data, control or items panel, that comes with the controls built into WPF for all 6 themes. Free SnippetCompiler Compiles code snippets without opening Visual Studio. It does not support .NET 4. Free SQL Prompt SQL Prompt is a plug-in that increases how fast you can work with SQL. It provides code-completion for SQL server, reformatting, db schema information and snippets. Awesome! COST/Trial SQLinForm SQLinForm is an automatic SQL code formatter for all major databases  including ORACLE, SQL Server, DB2, UDB, Sybase, Informix, PostgreSQL, Teradata, MySQL, MS Access etc. with over 70 formatting options. COST/OnlineFree SSMS Tools SSMS Tools Pack is an add-in for Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) including SSMS Express. Free Storm STORM is a free and open source tool for testing web services. Free Telerik Code Convertor Convert code from VB to C Sharp and Vice Versa. Free TurtoiseSVN TortoiseSVN is a really easy to use Revision control / version control / source control software for Windows.Since it's not an integration for a specific IDE you can use it with whatever development tools you like. Free UltraEdit UltraEdit is the ideal text, HTML and hex editor, and an advanced PHP, Perl, Java and JavaScript editor for programmers. UltraEdit is also an XML editor including a tree-style XML parser. An industry-award winner, UltraEdit supports disk-based 64-bit file handling (standard) on 32-bit Windows platforms (Windows 2000 and later). COST/Trial Virtual Windows XP Comes with some W7 version and allows you to run WinXP along side W7. Free VirtualBox Virtualization by Sun Microsystems. You can virtualize Windows, Linux and more. Free Visual Log Parser SQL queries against a variety of log files and other system data sources. Free WinMerge WinMerge is an Open Source differencing and merging tool for Windows. WinMerge can compare both folders and files, presenting differences in a visual text format that is easy to understand and handle. Free Wireshark Wireshark is one of the best network protocol analyzer's for Unix and windows. This has been used several times to get me out of a bind. Free XML Notepad 07 Old, but still one of my favorite XML viewers. Free Productivity Tools – This is the list of tools that I use to save time or quickly navigate around Windows. Name Description License AutoHotKey Automate almost anything by sending keystrokes and mouse clicks. You can write a mouse or keyboard macro by hand or use the macro recorder. Free CLCL CLCL is clipboard caching utility. Free Ditto Ditto is an extension to the standard windows clipboard. It saves each item placed on the clipboard allowing you access to any of those items at a later time. Ditto allows you to save any type of information that can be put on the clipboard, text, images, html, custom formats, ..... Free Evernote Remember everything from notes to photos. It will synch between computers/devices. Free InfoRapid Inforapid is a search tool that will display all you search results in a html like browser. If you click on a word in that browser, it will start another search to the word you clicked on. Handy if you want to trackback something to it's true origin. The word you looked for will be highlighted in red. Clicking on the red word will open the containing file in a text based viewer. Clicking on any word in the opened document will start another search on that word. Free KatMouse The prime purpose of the KatMouse utility is to enhance the functionality of mice with a scroll wheel, offering 'universal' scrolling: moving the mouse wheel will scroll the window directly beneath the mouse cursor (not the one with the keyboard focus, which is default on Windows OSes). This is a major increase in the usefulness of the mouse wheel. Free ScreenR Instant Screencast with nothing to download. Works with Mac or PC and free. Free Start++ Start++ is an enhancement for the Start Menu in Windows Vista. It also extends the Run box and the command-line with customizable commands.  For example, typing "w Windows Vista" will take you to the Windows Vista page on Wikipedia! Free Synergy Synergy lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. It's intended for users with multiple computers on their desk since each system uses its own monitor(s). Free Texter Texter lets you define text substitution hot strings that, when triggered, will replace hotstring with a larger piece of text. By entering your most commonly-typed snippets of text into Texter, you can save countless keystrokes in the course of the day. Free Total Commander File handling, FTP, Archive handling and much more. Even works with Win3.11. COST/Trial Available Wizmouse WizMouse is a mouse enhancement utility that makes your mouse wheel work on the window currently under the mouse pointer, instead of the currently focused window. This means you no longer have to click on a window before being able to scroll it with the mouse wheel. This is a far more comfortable and practical way to make use of the mouse wheel. Free Xmarks Bookmark sync and search between computers. Free General Utilities – This is a list for power user users or anyone that wants more out of Windows. I usually install a majority of these whenever I get a new system. Name Description License µTorrent µTorrent is a lightweight and efficient BitTorrent client for Windows or Mac with many features. I use this for downloading LEGAL media. Free Audacity Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. Learn more about Audacity... Also check our Wiki and Forum for more information. Free AVast Free FREE Antivirus. Free CD Burner XP Pro CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface. Free CDEX You can extract digital audio CDs into mp3/wav. Free Combofix Combofix is a freeware (a legitimate spyware remover created by sUBs), Combofix was designed to scan a computer for known malware, spyware (SurfSideKick, QooLogic, and Look2Me as well as any other combination of the mentioned spyware applications) and remove them. Free Cpu-Z Provides information about some of the main devices of your system. Free Cropper Cropper is a screen capture utility written in C#. It makes it fast and easy to grab parts of your screen. Use it to easily crop out sections of vector graphic files such as Fireworks without having to flatten the files or open in a new editor. Use it to easily capture parts of a web site, including text and images. It's also great for writing documentation that needs images of your application or web site. Free DropBox Drag and Drop files to sync between computers. Free DVD-Fab Converts/Copies DVDs/Blu-Ray to different formats. (like mp4, mkv, avi) COST/Trial Available FastStone Capture FastStone Capture is a powerful, lightweight, yet full-featured screen capture tool that allows you to easily capture and annotate anything on the screen including windows, objects, menus, full screen, rectangular/freehand regions and even scrolling windows/web pages. Free ffdshow FFDShow is a DirectShow decoding filter for decompressing DivX, XviD, H.264, FLV1, WMV, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, MPEG-4 movies. Free Filezilla FileZilla Client is a fast and reliable cross-platform FTP, FTPS and SFTP client with lots of useful features and an intuitive graphical user interface. You can also download a server version. Free FireFox Web Browser, do you really need an explanation? Free FireGestures A customizable mouse gestures extension which enables you to execute various commands and user scripts with five types of gestures. Free FoxIt Reader Light weight PDF viewer. You should install this with the advanced setting or it will install a toolbar and setup some shortcuts. Free gSynchIt Synch Gmail and Outlook. Even supports Outlook 2010 32/64 bit COST/Trial Available Hulu Desktop At home or in a hotel, this has replaced my cable/satellite subscription. Free ImgBurn ImgBurn is a lightweight CD / DVD / HD DVD / Blu-ray burning application that everyone should have in their toolkit! Free Infrarecorder InfraRecorder is a free CD/DVD burning solution for Microsoft Windows. It offers a wide range of powerful features; all through an easy to use application interface and Windows Explorer integration. Free KeePass KeePass is a free open source password manager, which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way. Free LastPass Another password management, synchronize between browsers, automatic form filling and more. Free Live Essentials One download and lots of programs including Mail, Live Writer, Movie Maker and more! Free Monitores MonitorES is a small windows utility that helps you to turnoff monitor display when you lock down your machine.Also when you lock your machine, it will pause all your running media programs & set your IM status message to "Away" / Custom message(via options) and restore it back to normal when you back. Free mRemote mRemote is a full-featured, multi-tab remote connections manager. Free Open Office OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose. Free Paint.NET Simple, intuitive, and innovative user interface for editing photos. Free Picasa Picasa is free photo editing software from Google that makes your pictures look great. Free Pidgin Pidgin is an easy to use and free chat client used by millions. Connect to AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and more chat networks all at once. Free PING PING is a live Linux ISO, based on the excellent Linux From Scratch (LFS) documentation. It can be burnt on a CD and booted, or integrated into a PXE / RIS environment. Free Putty PuTTY is an SSH and telnet client, developed originally by Simon Tatham for the Windows platform. Free Revo Uninstaller Revo Uninstaller Pro helps you to uninstall software and remove unwanted programs installed on your computer easily! Even if you have problems uninstalling and cannot uninstall them from "Windows Add or Remove Programs" control panel applet.Revo Uninstaller is a much faster and more powerful alternative to "Windows Add or Remove Programs" applet! It has very powerful features to uninstall and remove programs. Free Security Essentials Microsoft Security Essentials is a new, free consumer anti-malware solution for your computer. Free SetupVirtualCloneDrive Virtual CloneDrive works and behaves just like a physical CD/DVD drive, however it exists only virtually. Point to the .ISO file and it appears in Windows Explorer as a Drive. Free Shark 007 Codec Pack Play just about any file format with this download. Also includes my W7 Media Playlist Generator. Free Snagit 9 Screen Capture on steroids. Add arrows, captions, etc to any screenshot. COST/Trial Available SysinternalsSuite Go ahead and download the entire sys internals suite. I have mentioned multiple programs in this suite already. Free TeraCopy TeraCopy is a compact program designed to copy and move files at the maximum possible speed, providing the user with a lot of features. Free for Home TrueCrypt Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux Free TweetDeck Fully featured Twitter client. Free UltraVNC UltraVNC is a powerful, easy to use and free software that can display the screen of another computer (via internet or network) on your own screen. The program allows you to use your mouse and keyboard to control the other PC remotely. It means that you can work on a remote computer, as if you were sitting in front of it, right from your current location. Free Unlocker Unlocks locked files. Pretty simple right? Free VLC Media Player VLC media player is a highly portable multimedia player and multimedia framework capable of reading most audio and video formats Free Windows 7 Media Playlist This program is special to my heart because I wrote it. It has been mentioned on podcast and various websites. It allows you to quickly create wvx video playlist for Windows Media Center. Free WinRAR WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can backup your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP and other files downloaded from Internet and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format. COST/Trial Available Blogging – I use the following for my blog. Name Description License Insert Code for Windows Live Writer Insert Code for Windows Live Writer will format a snippet of text in a number of programming languages such as C#, HTML, MSH, JavaScript, Visual Basic and TSQL. Free LiveWriter Included in Live Essentials, but the ultimate in Windows Blogging Free PasteAsVSCode Plug-in for Windows Live Writer that pastes clipboard content as Visual Studio code. Preserves syntax highlighting, indentation and background color. Converts RTF, outputted by Visual Studio, into HTML. Free Desktop Management – The list below represent the best in Windows Desktop Management. Name Description License 7 Stacks Allows users to have "stacks" of icons in their taskbar. Free Executor Executor is a multi purpose launcher and a more advanced and customizable version of windows run. Free Fences Fences is a program that helps you organize your desktop and can hide your icons when they are not in use. Free RocketDock Rocket Dock is a smoothly animated, alpha blended application launcher. It provides a nice clean interface to drop shortcuts on for easy access and organization. With each item completely customizable there is no end to what you can add and launch from the dock. Free WindowsTab Tabbing is an essential feature of modern web browsers. Window Tabs brings the productivity of tabbed window management to all of your desktop applications. Free

  Read the article

• Basic Spatial Data with SQL Server and Entity Framework 5.0

  - by Rick Strahl

  In my most recent project we needed to do a bit of geo-spatial referencing. While spatial features have been in SQL Server for a while using those features inside of .NET applications hasn't been as straight forward as could be, because .NET natively doesn't support spatial types. There are workarounds for this with a few custom project like SharpMap or a hack using the Sql Server specific Geo types found in the Microsoft.SqlTypes assembly that ships with SQL server. While these approaches work for manipulating spatial data from .NET code, they didn't work with database access if you're using Entity Framework. Other ORM vendors have been rolling their own versions of spatial integration. In Entity Framework 5.0 running on .NET 4.5 the Microsoft ORM finally adds support for spatial types as well. In this post I'll describe basic geography features that deal with single location and distance calculations which is probably the most common usage scenario. SQL Server Transact-SQL Syntax for Spatial Data Before we look at how things work with Entity framework, lets take a look at how SQL Server allows you to use spatial data to get an understanding of the underlying semantics. The following SQL examples should work with SQL 2008 and forward. Let's start by creating a test table that includes a Geography field and also a pair of Long/Lat fields that demonstrate how you can work with the geography functions even if you don't have geography/geometry fields in the database. Here's the CREATE command:CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Geo]( [id] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL, [Location] [geography] NULL, [Long] [float] NOT NULL, [Lat] [float] NOT NULL ) Now using plain SQL you can insert data into the table using geography::STGeoFromText SQL CLR function:insert into Geo( Location , long, lat ) values ( geography::STGeomFromText ('POINT(-121.527200 45.712113)', 4326), -121.527200, 45.712113 ) insert into Geo( Location , long, lat ) values ( geography::STGeomFromText ('POINT(-121.517265 45.714240)', 4326), -121.517265, 45.714240 ) insert into Geo( Location , long, lat ) values ( geography::STGeomFromText ('POINT(-121.511536 45.714825)', 4326), -121.511536, 45.714825) The STGeomFromText function accepts a string that points to a geometric item (a point here but can also be a line or path or polygon and many others). You also need to provide an SRID (Spatial Reference System Identifier) which is an integer value that determines the rules for how geography/geometry values are calculated and returned. For mapping/distance functionality you typically want to use 4326 as this is the format used by most mapping software and geo-location libraries like Google and Bing. The spatial data in the Location field is stored in binary format which looks something like this: Once the location data is in the database you can query the data and do simple distance computations very easily. For example to calculate the distance of each of the values in the database to another spatial point is very easy to calculate. Distance calculations compare two points in space using a direct line calculation. For our example I'll compare a new point to all the points in the database. Using the Location field the SQL looks like this:-- create a source point DECLARE @s geography SET @s = geography:: STGeomFromText('POINT(-121.527200 45.712113)' , 4326); --- return the ids select ID, Location as Geo , Location .ToString() as Point , @s.STDistance( Location) as distance from Geo order by distance The code defines a new point which is the base point to compare each of the values to. You can also compare values from the database directly, but typically you'll want to match a location to another location and determine the difference for which you can use the geography::STDistance function. This query produces the following output: The STDistance function returns the straight line distance between the passed in point and the point in the database field. The result for SRID 4326 is always in meters. Notice that the first value passed was the same point so the difference is 0. The other two points are two points here in town in Hood River a little ways away - 808 and 1256 meters respectively. Notice also that you can order the result by the resulting distance, which effectively gives you results that are ordered radially out from closer to further away. This is great for searches of points of interest near a central location (YOU typically!). These geolocation functions are also available to you if you don't use the Geography/Geometry types, but plain float values. It's a little more work, as each point has to be created in the query using the string syntax, but the following code doesn't use a geography field but produces the same result as the previous query.--- using float fields select ID, geography::STGeomFromText ('POINT(' + STR (long, 15,7 ) + ' ' + Str(lat ,15, 7) + ')' , 4326), geography::STGeomFromText ('POINT(' + STR (long, 15,7 ) + ' ' + Str(lat ,15, 7) + ')' , 4326). ToString(), @s.STDistance( geography::STGeomFromText ('POINT(' + STR(long ,15, 7) + ' ' + Str(lat ,15, 7) + ')' , 4326)) as distance from geo order by distance Spatial Data in the Entity Framework Prior to Entity Framework 5.0 on .NET 4.5 consuming of the data above required using stored procedures or raw SQL commands to access the spatial data. In Entity Framework 5 however, Microsoft introduced the new DbGeometry and DbGeography types. These immutable location types provide a bunch of functionality for manipulating spatial points using geometry functions which in turn can be used to do common spatial queries like I described in the SQL syntax above. The DbGeography/DbGeometry types are immutable, meaning that you can't write to them once they've been created. They are a bit odd in that you need to use factory methods in order to instantiate them - they have no constructor() and you can't assign to properties like Latitude and Longitude. Creating a Model with Spatial Data Let's start by creating a simple Entity Framework model that includes a Location property of type DbGeography: public class GeoLocationContext : DbContext { public DbSet<GeoLocation> Locations { get; set; } } public class GeoLocation { public int Id { get; set; } public DbGeography Location { get; set; } public string Address { get; set; } } That's all there's to it. When you run this now against SQL Server, you get a Geography field for the Location property, which looks the same as the Location field in the SQL examples earlier. Adding Spatial Data to the Database Next let's add some data to the table that includes some latitude and longitude data. An easy way to find lat/long locations is to use Google Maps to pinpoint your location, then right click and click on What's Here. Click on the green marker to get the GPS coordinates. To add the actual geolocation data create an instance of the GeoLocation type and use the DbGeography.PointFromText() factory method to create a new point to assign to the Location property:[TestMethod] public void AddLocationsToDataBase() { var context = new GeoLocationContext(); // remove all context.Locations.ToList().ForEach( loc => context.Locations.Remove(loc)); context.SaveChanges(); var location = new GeoLocation() { // Create a point using native DbGeography Factory method Location = DbGeography.PointFromText( string.Format("POINT({0} {1})", -121.527200,45.712113) ,4326), Address = "301 15th Street, Hood River" }; context.Locations.Add(location); location = new GeoLocation() { Location = CreatePoint(45.714240, -121.517265), Address = "The Hatchery, Bingen" }; context.Locations.Add(location); location = new GeoLocation() { // Create a point using a helper function (lat/long) Location = CreatePoint(45.708457, -121.514432), Address = "Kaze Sushi, Hood River" }; context.Locations.Add(location); location = new GeoLocation() { Location = CreatePoint(45.722780, -120.209227), Address = "Arlington, OR" }; context.Locations.Add(location); context.SaveChanges(); } As promised, a DbGeography object has to be created with one of the static factory methods provided on the type as the Location.Longitude and Location.Latitude properties are read only. Here I'm using PointFromText() which uses a "Well Known Text" format to specify spatial data. In the first example I'm specifying to create a Point from a longitude and latitude value, using an SRID of 4326 (just like earlier in the SQL examples). You'll probably want to create a helper method to make the creation of Points easier to avoid that string format and instead just pass in a couple of double values. Here's my helper called CreatePoint that's used for all but the first point creation in the sample above:public static DbGeography CreatePoint(double latitude, double longitude) { var text = string.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture.NumberFormat, "POINT({0} {1})", longitude, latitude); // 4326 is most common coordinate system used by GPS/Maps return DbGeography.PointFromText(text, 4326); } Using the helper the syntax becomes a bit cleaner, requiring only a latitude and longitude respectively. Note that my method intentionally swaps the parameters around because Latitude and Longitude is the common format I've seen with mapping libraries (especially Google Mapping/Geolocation APIs with their LatLng type). When the context is changed the data is written into the database using the SQL Geography type which looks the same as in the earlier SQL examples shown. Querying Once you have some location data in the database it's now super easy to query the data and find out the distance between locations. A common query is to ask for a number of locations that are near a fixed point - typically your current location and order it by distance. Using LINQ to Entities a query like this is easy to construct:[TestMethod] public void QueryLocationsTest() { var sourcePoint = CreatePoint(45.712113, -121.527200); var context = new GeoLocationContext(); // find any locations within 5 kilometers ordered by distance var matches = context.Locations .Where(loc => loc.Location.Distance(sourcePoint) < 5000) .OrderBy( loc=> loc.Location.Distance(sourcePoint) ) .Select( loc=> new { Address = loc.Address, Distance = loc.Location.Distance(sourcePoint) }); Assert.IsTrue(matches.Count() > 0); foreach (var location in matches) { Console.WriteLine("{0} ({1:n0} meters)", location.Address, location.Distance); } } This example produces: 301 15th Street, Hood River (0 meters)The Hatchery, Bingen (809 meters)Kaze Sushi, Hood River (1,074 meters)   The first point in the database is the same as my source point I'm comparing against so the distance is 0. The other two are within the 5 mile radius, while the Arlington location which is 65 miles or so out is not returned. The result is ordered by distance from closest to furthest away. In the code, I first create a source point that is the basis for comparison. The LINQ query then selects all locations that are within 5km of the source point using the Location.Distance() function, which takes a source point as a parameter. You can either use a pre-defined value as I'm doing here, or compare against another database DbGeography property (say when you have to points in the same database for things like routes). What's nice about this query syntax is that it's very clean and easy to read and understand. You can calculate the distance and also easily order by the distance to provide a result that shows locations from closest to furthest away which is a common scenario for any application that places a user in the context of several locations. It's now super easy to accomplish this. Meters vs. Miles As with the SQL Server functions, the Distance() method returns data in meters, so if you need to work with miles or feet you need to do some conversion. Here are a couple of helpers that might be useful (can be found in GeoUtils.cs of the sample project):/// <summary> /// Convert meters to miles /// </summary> /// <param name="meters"></param> /// <returns></returns> public static double MetersToMiles(double? meters) { if (meters == null) return 0F; return meters.Value * 0.000621371192; } /// <summary> /// Convert miles to meters /// </summary> /// <param name="miles"></param> /// <returns></returns> public static double MilesToMeters(double? miles) { if (miles == null) return 0; return miles.Value * 1609.344; } Using these two helpers you can query on miles like this:[TestMethod] public void QueryLocationsMilesTest() { var sourcePoint = CreatePoint(45.712113, -121.527200); var context = new GeoLocationContext(); // find any locations within 5 miles ordered by distance var fiveMiles = GeoUtils.MilesToMeters(5); var matches = context.Locations .Where(loc => loc.Location.Distance(sourcePoint) <= fiveMiles) .OrderBy(loc => loc.Location.Distance(sourcePoint)) .Select(loc => new { Address = loc.Address, Distance = loc.Location.Distance(sourcePoint) }); Assert.IsTrue(matches.Count() > 0); foreach (var location in matches) { Console.WriteLine("{0} ({1:n1} miles)", location.Address, GeoUtils.MetersToMiles(location.Distance)); } } which produces: 301 15th Street, Hood River (0.0 miles)The Hatchery, Bingen (0.5 miles)Kaze Sushi, Hood River (0.7 miles) Nice 'n simple. .NET 4.5 Only Note that DbGeography and DbGeometry are exclusive to Entity Framework 5.0 (not 4.4 which ships in the same NuGet package or installer) and requires .NET 4.5. That's because the new DbGeometry and DbGeography (and related) types are defined in the 4.5 version of System.Data.Entity which is a CLR assembly and is only updated by major versions of .NET. Why this decision was made to add these types to System.Data.Entity rather than to the frequently updated EntityFramework assembly that would have possibly made this work in .NET 4.0 is beyond me, especially given that there are no native .NET framework spatial types to begin with. I find it also odd that there is no native CLR spatial type. The DbGeography and DbGeometry types are specific to Entity Framework and live on those assemblies. They will also work for general purpose, non-database spatial data manipulation, but then you are forced into having a dependency on System.Data.Entity, which seems a bit silly. There's also a System.Spatial assembly that's apparently part of WCF Data Services which in turn don't work with Entity framework. Another example of multiple teams at Microsoft not communicating and implementing the same functionality (differently) in several different places. Perplexed as a I may be, for EF specific code the Entity framework specific types are easy to use and work well. Working with pre-.NET 4.5 Entity Framework and Spatial Data If you can't go to .NET 4.5 just yet you can also still use spatial features in Entity Framework, but it's a lot more work as you can't use the DbContext directly to manipulate the location data. You can still run raw SQL statements to write data into the database and retrieve results using the same TSQL syntax I showed earlier using Context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(). Here's code that you can use to add location data into the database:[TestMethod] public void RawSqlEfAddTest() { string sqlFormat = @"insert into GeoLocations( Location, Address) values ( geography::STGeomFromText('POINT({0} {1})', 4326),@p0 )"; var sql = string.Format(sqlFormat,-121.527200, 45.712113); Console.WriteLine(sql); var context = new GeoLocationContext(); Assert.IsTrue(context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(sql,"301 N. 15th Street") > 0); } Here I'm using the STGeomFromText() function to add the location data. Note that I'm using string.Format here, which usually would be a bad practice but is required here. I was unable to use ExecuteSqlCommand() and its named parameter syntax as the longitude and latitude parameters are embedded into a string. Rest assured it's required as the following does not work:string sqlFormat = @"insert into GeoLocations( Location, Address) values ( geography::STGeomFromText('POINT(@p0 @p1)', 4326),@p2 )";context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(sql, -121.527200, 45.712113, "301 N. 15th Street") Explicitly assigning the point value with string.format works however. There are a number of ways to query location data. You can't get the location data directly, but you can retrieve the point string (which can then be parsed to get Latitude and Longitude) and you can return calculated values like distance. Here's an example of how to retrieve some geo data into a resultset using EF's and SqlQuery method:[TestMethod] public void RawSqlEfQueryTest() { var sqlFormat = @" DECLARE @s geography SET @s = geography:: STGeomFromText('POINT({0} {1})' , 4326); SELECT Address, Location.ToString() as GeoString, @s.STDistance( Location) as Distance FROM GeoLocations ORDER BY Distance"; var sql = string.Format(sqlFormat, -121.527200, 45.712113); var context = new GeoLocationContext(); var locations = context.Database.SqlQuery<ResultData>(sql); Assert.IsTrue(locations.Count() > 0); foreach (var location in locations) { Console.WriteLine(location.Address + " " + location.GeoString + " " + location.Distance); } } public class ResultData { public string GeoString { get; set; } public double Distance { get; set; } public string Address { get; set; } } Hopefully you don't have to resort to this approach as it's fairly limited. Using the new DbGeography/DbGeometry types makes this sort of thing so much easier. When I had to use code like this before I typically ended up retrieving data pks only and then running another query with just the PKs to retrieve the actual underlying DbContext entities. This was very inefficient and tedious but it did work. Summary For the current project I'm working on we actually made the switch to .NET 4.5 purely for the spatial features in EF 5.0. This app heavily relies on spatial queries and it was worth taking a chance with pre-release code to get this ease of integration as opposed to manually falling back to stored procedures or raw SQL string queries to return spatial specific queries. Using native Entity Framework code makes life a lot easier than the alternatives. It might be a late addition to Entity Framework, but it sure makes location calculations and storage easy. Where do you want to go today? ;-) Resources Download Sample Project© Rick Strahl, West Wind Technologies, 2005-2012Posted in ADO.NET  Sql Server  .NET   Tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();

  Read the article

• Much Ado About Nothing: Stub Objects

  - by user9154181

  The Solaris 11 link-editor (ld) contains support for a new type of object that we call a stub object. A stub object is a shared object, built entirely from mapfiles, that supplies the same linking interface as the real object, while containing no code or data. Stub objects cannot be executed — the runtime linker will kill any process that attempts to load one. However, you can link to a stub object as a dependency, allowing the stub to act as a proxy for the real version of the object. You may well wonder if there is a point to producing an object that contains nothing but linking interface. As it turns out, stub objects are very useful for building large bodies of code such as Solaris. In the last year, we've had considerable success in applying them to one of our oldest and thorniest build problems. In this discussion, I will describe how we came to invent these objects, and how we apply them to building Solaris. This posting explains where the idea for stub objects came from, and details our long and twisty journey from hallway idea to standard link-editor feature. I expect that these details are mainly of interest to those who work on Solaris and its makefiles, those who have done so in the past, and those who work with other similar bodies of code. A subsequent posting will omit the history and background details, and instead discuss how to build and use stub objects. If you are mainly interested in what stub objects are, and don't care about the underlying software war stories, I encourage you to skip ahead. The Long Road To Stubs This all started for me with an email discussion in May of 2008, regarding a change request that was filed in 2002, entitled: 4631488 lib/Makefile is too patient: .WAITs should be reduced This CR encapsulates a number of cronic issues with Solaris builds: We build Solaris with a parallel make (dmake) that tries to build as much of the code base in parallel as possible. There is a lot of code to build, and we've long made use of parallelized builds to get the job done quicker. This is even more important in today's world of massively multicore hardware. Solaris contains a large number of executables and shared objects. Executables depend on shared objects, and shared objects can depend on each other. Before you can build an object, you need to ensure that the objects it needs have been built. This implies a need for serialization, which is in direct opposition to the desire to build everying in parallel. To accurately build objects in the right order requires an accurate set of make rules defining the things that depend on each other. This sounds simple, but the reality is quite complex. In practice, having programmers explicitly specify these dependencies is a losing strategy: It's really hard to get right. It's really easy to get it wrong and never know it because things build anyway. Even if you get it right, it won't stay that way, because dependencies between objects can change over time, and make cannot help you detect such drifing. You won't know that you got it wrong until the builds break. That can be a long time after the change that triggered the breakage happened, making it hard to connect the cause and the effect. Usually this happens just before a release, when the pressure is on, its hard to think calmly, and there is no time for deep fixes. As a poor compromise, the libraries in core Solaris were built using a set of grossly incomplete hand written rules, supplemented with a number of dmake .WAIT directives used to group the libraries into sets of non-interacting groups that can be built in parallel because we think they don't depend on each other. From time to time, someone will suggest that we could analyze the built objects themselves to determine their dependencies and then generate make rules based on those relationships. This is possible, but but there are complications that limit the usefulness of that approach: To analyze an object, you have to build it first. This is a classic chicken and egg scenario. You could analyze the results of a previous build, but then you're not necessarily going to get accurate rules for the current code. It should be possible to build the code without having a built workspace available. The analysis will take time, and remember that we're constantly trying to make builds faster, not slower. By definition, such an approach will always be approximate, and therefore only incremantally more accurate than the hand written rules described above. The hand written rules are fast and cheap, while this idea is slow and complex, so we stayed with the hand written approach. Solaris was built that way, essentially forever, because these are genuinely difficult problems that had no easy answer. The makefiles were full of build races in which the right outcomes happened reliably for years until a new machine or a change in build server workload upset the accidental balance of things. After figuring out what had happened, you'd mutter "How did that ever work?", add another incomplete and soon to be inaccurate make dependency rule to the system, and move on. This was not a satisfying solution, as we tend to be perfectionists in the Solaris group, but we didn't have a better answer. It worked well enough, approximately. And so it went for years. We needed a different approach — a new idea to cut the Gordian Knot. In that discussion from May 2008, my fellow linker-alien Rod Evans had the initial spark that lead us to a game changing series of realizations: The link-editor is used to link objects together, but it only uses the ELF metadata in the object, consisting of symbol tables, ELF versioning sections, and similar data. Notably, it does not look at, or understand, the machine code that makes an object useful at runtime. If you had an object that only contained the ELF metadata for a dependency, but not the code or data, the link-editor would find it equally useful for linking, and would never know the difference. Call it a stub object. In the core Solaris OS, we require all objects to be built with a link-editor mapfile that describes all of its publically available functions and data. Could we build a stub object using the mapfile for the real object? It ought to be very fast to build stub objects, as there are no input objects to process. Unlike the real object, stub objects would not actually require any dependencies, and so, all of the stubs for the entire system could be built in parallel. When building the real objects, one could link against the stub objects instead of the real dependencies. This means that all the real objects can be built built in parallel too, without any serialization. We could replace a system that requires perfect makefile rules with a system that requires no ordering rules whatsoever. The results would be considerably more robust. We immediately realized that this idea had potential, but also that there were many details to sort out, lots of work to do, and that perhaps it wouldn't really pan out. As is often the case, it would be necessary to do the work and see how it turned out. Following that conversation, I set about trying to build a stub object. We determined that a faithful stub has to do the following: Present the same set of global symbols, with the same ELF versioning, as the real object. Functions are simple — it suffices to have a symbol of the right type, possibly, but not necessarily, referencing a null function in its text segment. Copy relocations make data more complicated to stub. The possibility of a copy relocation means that when you create a stub, the data symbols must have the actual size of the real data. Any error in this will go uncaught at link time, and will cause tragic failures at runtime that are very hard to diagnose. For reasons too obscure to go into here, involving tentative symbols, it is also important that the data reside in bss, or not, matching its placement in the real object. If the real object has more than one symbol pointing at the same data item, we call these aliased symbols. All data symbols in the stub object must exhibit the same aliasing as the real object. We imagined the stub library feature working as follows: A command line option to ld tells it to produce a stub rather than a real object. In this mode, only mapfiles are examined, and any object or shared libraries on the command line are are ignored. The extra information needed (function or data, size, and bss details) would be added to the mapfile. When building the real object instead of the stub, the extra information for building stubs would be validated against the resulting object to ensure that they match. In exploring these ideas, I immediately run headfirst into the reality of the original mapfile syntax, a subject that I would later write about as The Problem(s) With Solaris SVR4 Link-Editor Mapfiles. The idea of extending that poor language was a non-starter. Until a better mapfile syntax became available, which seemed unlikely in 2008, the solution could not involve extentions to the mapfile syntax. Instead, we cooked up the idea (hack) of augmenting mapfiles with stylized comments that would carry the necessary information. A typical definition might look like: # DATA(i386) __iob 0x3c0 # DATA(amd64,sparcv9) __iob 0xa00 # DATA(sparc) __iob 0x140 iob; A further problem then became clear: If we can't extend the mapfile syntax, then there's no good way to extend ld with an option to produce stub objects, and to validate them against the real objects. The idea of having ld read comments in a mapfile and parse them for content is an unacceptable hack. The entire point of comments is that they are strictly for the human reader, and explicitly ignored by the tool. Taking all of these speed bumps into account, I made a new plan: A perl script reads the mapfiles, generates some small C glue code to produce empty functions and data definitions, compiles and links the stub object from the generated glue code, and then deletes the generated glue code. Another perl script used after both objects have been built, to compare the real and stub objects, using data from elfdump, and validate that they present the same linking interface. By June 2008, I had written the above, and generated a stub object for libc. It was a useful prototype process to go through, and it allowed me to explore the ideas at a deep level. Ultimately though, the result was unsatisfactory as a basis for real product. There were so many issues: The use of stylized comments were fine for a prototype, but not close to professional enough for shipping product. The idea of having to document and support it was a large concern. The ideal solution for stub objects really does involve having the link-editor accept the same arguments used to build the real object, augmented with a single extra command line option. Any other solution, such as our prototype script, will require makefiles to be modified in deeper ways to support building stubs, and so, will raise barriers to converting existing code. A validation script that rederives what the linker knew when it built an object will always be at a disadvantage relative to the actual linker that did the work. A stub object should be identifyable as such. In the prototype, there was no tag or other metadata that would let you know that they weren't real objects. Being able to identify a stub object in this way means that the file command can tell you what it is, and that the runtime linker can refuse to try and run a program that loads one. At that point, we needed to apply this prototype to building Solaris. As you might imagine, the task of modifying all the makefiles in the core Solaris code base in order to do this is a massive task, and not something you'd enter into lightly. The quality of the prototype just wasn't good enough to justify that sort of time commitment, so I tabled the project, putting it on my list of long term things to think about, and moved on to other work. It would sit there for a couple of years. Semi-coincidentally, one of the projects I tacked after that was to create a new mapfile syntax for the Solaris link-editor. We had wanted to do something about the old mapfile syntax for many years. Others before me had done some paper designs, and a great deal of thought had already gone into the features it should, and should not have, but for various reasons things had never moved beyond the idea stage. When I joined Sun in late 2005, I got involved in reviewing those things and thinking about the problem. Now in 2008, fresh from relearning for the Nth time why the old mapfile syntax was a huge impediment to linker progress, it seemed like the right time to tackle the mapfile issue. Paving the way for proper stub object support was not the driving force behind that effort, but I certainly had them in mind as I moved forward. The new mapfile syntax, which we call version 2, integrated into Nevada build snv_135 in in February 2010: 6916788 ld version 2 mapfile syntax PSARC/2009/688 Human readable and extensible ld mapfile syntax In order to prove that the new mapfile syntax was adequate for general purpose use, I had also done an overhaul of the ON consolidation to convert all mapfiles to use the new syntax, and put checks in place that would ensure that no use of the old syntax would creep back in. That work went back into snv_144 in June 2010: 6916796 OSnet mapfiles should use version 2 link-editor syntax That was a big putback, modifying 517 files, adding 18 new files, and removing 110 old ones. I would have done this putback anyway, as the work was already done, and the benefits of human readable syntax are obvious. However, among the justifications listed in CR 6916796 was this We anticipate adding additional features to the new mapfile language that will be applicable to ON, and which will require all sharable object mapfiles to use the new syntax. I never explained what those additional features were, and no one asked. It was premature to say so, but this was a reference to stub objects. By that point, I had already put together a working prototype link-editor with the necessary support for stub objects. I was pleased to find that building stubs was indeed very fast. On my desktop system (Ultra 24), an amd64 stub for libc can can be built in a fraction of a second: % ptime ld -64 -z stub -o stubs/libc.so.1 -G -hlibc.so.1 \ -ztext -zdefs -Bdirect ... real 0.019708910 user 0.010101680 sys 0.008528431 In order to go from prototype to integrated link-editor feature, I knew that I would need to prove that stub objects were valuable. And to do that, I knew that I'd have to switch the Solaris ON consolidation to use stub objects and evaluate the outcome. And in order to do that experiment, ON would first need to be converted to version 2 mapfiles. Sub-mission accomplished. Normally when you design a new feature, you can devise reasonably small tests to show it works, and then deploy it incrementally, letting it prove its value as it goes. The entire point of stub objects however was to demonstrate that they could be successfully applied to an extremely large and complex code base, and specifically to solve the Solaris build issues detailed above. There was no way to finesse the matter — in order to move ahead, I would have to successfully use stub objects to build the entire ON consolidation and demonstrate their value. In software, the need to boil the ocean can often be a warning sign that things are trending in the wrong direction. Conversely, sometimes progress demands that you build something large and new all at once. A big win, or a big loss — sometimes all you can do is try it and see what happens. And so, I spent some time staring at ON makefiles trying to get a handle on how things work, and how they'd have to change. It's a big and messy world, full of complex interactions, unspecified dependencies, special cases, and knowledge of arcane makefile features... ...and so, I backed away, put it down for a few months and did other work... ...until the fall, when I felt like it was time to stop thinking and pondering (some would say stalling) and get on with it. Without stubs, the following gives a simplified high level view of how Solaris is built: An initially empty directory known as the proto, and referenced via the ROOT makefile macro is established to receive the files that make up the Solaris distribution. A top level setup rule creates the proto area, and performs operations needed to initialize the workspace so that the main build operations can be launched, such as copying needed header files into the proto area. Parallel builds are launched to build the kernel (usr/src/uts), libraries (usr/src/lib), and commands. The install makefile target builds each item and delivers a copy to the proto area. All libraries and executables link against the objects previously installed in the proto, implying the need to synchronize the order in which things are built. Subsequent passes run lint, and do packaging. Given this structure, the additions to use stub objects are: A new second proto area is established, known as the stub proto and referenced via the STUBROOT makefile macro. The stub proto has the same structure as the real proto, but is used to hold stub objects. All files in the real proto are delivered as part of the Solaris product. In contrast, the stub proto is used to build the product, and then thrown away. A new target is added to library Makefiles called stub. This rule builds the stub objects. The ld command is designed so that you can build a stub object using the same ld command line you'd use to build the real object, with the addition of a single -z stub option. This means that the makefile rules for building the stub objects are very similar to those used to build the real objects, and many existing makefile definitions can be shared between them. A new target is added to the Makefiles called stubinstall which delivers the stub objects built by the stub rule into the stub proto. These rules reuse much of existing plumbing used by the existing install rule. The setup rule runs stubinstall over the entire lib subtree as part of its initialization. All libraries and executables link against the objects in the stub proto rather than the main proto, and can therefore be built in parallel without any synchronization. There was no small way to try this that would yield meaningful results. I would have to take a leap of faith and edit approximately 1850 makefiles and 300 mapfiles first, trusting that it would all work out. Once the editing was done, I'd type make and see what happened. This took about 6 weeks to do, and there were many dark days when I'd question the entire project, or struggle to understand some of the many twisted and complex situations I'd uncover in the makefiles. I even found a couple of new issues that required changes to the new stub object related code I'd added to ld. With a substantial amount of encouragement and help from some key people in the Solaris group, I eventually got the editing done and stub objects for the entire workspace built. I found that my desktop system could build all the stub objects in the workspace in roughly a minute. This was great news, as it meant that use of the feature is effectively free — no one was likely to notice or care about the cost of building them. After another week of typing make, fixing whatever failed, and doing it again, I succeeded in getting a complete build! The next step was to remove all of the make rules and .WAIT statements dedicated to controlling the order in which libraries under usr/src/lib are built. This came together pretty quickly, and after a few more speed bumps, I had a workspace that built cleanly and looked like something you might actually be able to integrate someday. This was a significant milestone, but there was still much left to do. I turned to doing full nightly builds. Every type of build (open, closed, OpenSolaris, export, domestic) had to be tried. Each type failed in a new and unique way, requiring some thinking and rework. As things came together, I became aware of things that could have been done better, simpler, or cleaner, and those things also required some rethinking, the seeking of wisdom from others, and some rework. After another couple of weeks, it was in close to final form. My focus turned towards the end game and integration. This was a huge workspace, and needed to go back soon, before changes in the gate would made merging increasingly difficult. At this point, I knew that the stub objects had greatly simplified the makefile logic and uncovered a number of race conditions, some of which had been there for years. I assumed that the builds were faster too, so I did some builds intended to quantify the speedup in build time that resulted from this approach. It had never occurred to me that there might not be one. And so, I was very surprised to find that the wall clock build times for a stock ON workspace were essentially identical to the times for my stub library enabled version! This is why it is important to always measure, and not just to assume. One can tell from first principles, based on all those removed dependency rules in the library makefile, that the stub object version of ON gives dmake considerably more opportunities to overlap library construction. Some hypothesis were proposed, and shot down: Could we have disabled dmakes parallel feature? No, a quick check showed things being build in parallel. It was suggested that we might be I/O bound, and so, the threads would be mostly idle. That's a plausible explanation, but system stats didn't really support it. Plus, the timing between the stub and non-stub cases were just too suspiciously identical. Are our machines already handling as much parallelism as they are capable of, and unable to exploit these additional opportunities? Once again, we didn't see the evidence to back this up. Eventually, a more plausible and obvious reason emerged: We build the libraries and commands (usr/src/lib, usr/src/cmd) in parallel with the kernel (usr/src/uts). The kernel is the long leg in that race, and so, wall clock measurements of build time are essentially showing how long it takes to build uts. Although it would have been nice to post a huge speedup immediately, we can take solace in knowing that stub objects simplify the makefiles and reduce the possibility of race conditions. The next step in reducing build time should be to find ways to reduce or overlap the uts part of the builds. When that leg of the build becomes shorter, then the increased parallelism in the libs and commands will pay additional dividends. Until then, we'll just have to settle for simpler and more robust. And so, I integrated the link-editor support for creating stub objects into snv_153 (November 2010) with 6993877 ld should produce stub objects PSARC/2010/397 ELF Stub Objects followed by the work to convert the ON consolidation in snv_161 (February 2011) with 7009826 OSnet should use stub objects 4631488 lib/Makefile is too patient: .WAITs should be reduced This was a huge putback, with 2108 modified files, 8 new files, and 2 removed files. Due to the size, I was allowed a window after snv_160 closed in which to do the putback. It went pretty smoothly for something this big, a few more preexisting race conditions would be discovered and addressed over the next few weeks, and things have been quiet since then. Conclusions and Looking Forward Solaris has been built with stub objects since February. The fact that developers no longer specify the order in which libraries are built has been a big success, and we've eliminated an entire class of build error. That's not to say that there are no build races left in the ON makefiles, but we've taken a substantial bite out of the problem while generally simplifying and improving things. The introduction of a stub proto area has also opened some interesting new possibilities for other build improvements. As this article has become quite long, and as those uses do not involve stub objects, I will defer that discussion to a future article.

  Read the article

• Microsoft Introduces WebMatrix

  - by Rick Strahl

  originally published in CoDe Magazine Editorial Microsoft recently released the first CTP of a new development environment called WebMatrix, which along with some of its supporting technologies are squarely aimed at making the Microsoft Web Platform more approachable for first-time developers and hobbyists. But in the process, it also provides some updated technologies that can make life easier for existing .NET developers. Let’s face it: ASP.NET development isn’t exactly trivial unless you already have a fair bit of familiarity with sophisticated development practices. Stick a non-developer in front of Visual Studio .NET or even the Visual Web Developer Express edition and it’s not likely that the person in front of the screen will be very productive or feel inspired. Yet other technologies like PHP and even classic ASP did provide the ability for non-developers and hobbyists to become reasonably proficient in creating basic web content quickly and efficiently. WebMatrix appears to be Microsoft’s attempt to bring back some of that simplicity with a number of technologies and tools. The key is to provide a friendly and fully self-contained development environment that provides all the tools needed to build an application in one place, as well as tools that allow publishing of content and databases easily to the web server. WebMatrix is made up of several components and technologies: IIS Developer Express IIS Developer Express is a new, self-contained development web server that is fully compatible with IIS 7.5 and based on the same codebase that IIS 7.5 uses. This new development server replaces the much less compatible Cassini web server that’s been used in Visual Studio and the Express editions. IIS Express addresses a few shortcomings of the Cassini server such as the inability to serve custom ISAPI extensions (i.e., things like PHP or ASP classic for example), as well as not supporting advanced authentication. IIS Developer Express provides most of the IIS 7.5 feature set providing much better compatibility between development and live deployment scenarios. SQL Server Compact 4.0 Database access is a key component for most web-driven applications, but on the Microsoft stack this has mostly meant you have to use SQL Server or SQL Server Express. SQL Server Compact is not new-it’s been around for a few years, but it’s been severely hobbled in the past by terrible tool support and the inability to support more than a single connection in Microsoft’s attempt to avoid losing SQL Server licensing. The new release of SQL Server Compact 4.0 supports multiple connections and you can run it in ASP.NET web applications simply by installing an assembly into the bin folder of the web application. In effect, you don’t have to install a special system configuration to run SQL Compact as it is a drop-in database engine: Copy the small assembly into your BIN folder (or from the GAC if installed fully), create a connection string against a local file-based database file, and then start firing SQL requests. Additionally WebMatrix includes nice tools to edit the database tables and files, along with tools to easily upsize (and hopefully downsize in the future) to full SQL Server. This is a big win, pending compatibility and performance limits. In my simple testing the data engine performed well enough for small data sets. This is not only useful for web applications, but also for desktop applications for which a fully installed SQL engine like SQL Server would be overkill. Having a local data store in those applications that can potentially be accessed by multiple users is a welcome feature. ASP.NET Razor View Engine What? Yet another native ASP.NET view engine? We already have Web Forms and various different flavors of using that view engine with Web Forms and MVC. Do we really need another? Microsoft thinks so, and Razor is an implementation of a lightweight, script-only view engine. Unlike the Web Forms view engine, Razor works only with inline code, snippets, and markup; therefore, it is more in line with current thinking of what a view engine should represent. There’s no support for a “page model” or any of the other Web Forms features of the full-page framework, but just a lightweight scripting engine that works with plain markup plus embedded expressions and code. The markup syntax for Razor is geared for minimal typing, plus some progressive detection of where a script block/expression starts and ends. This results in a much leaner syntax than the typical ASP.NET Web Forms alligator (<% %>) tags. Razor uses the @ sign plus standard C# (or Visual Basic) block syntax to delineate code snippets and expressions. Here’s a very simple example of what Razor markup looks like along with some comment annotations: <!DOCTYPE html> <html>     <head>         <title></title>     </head>     <body>     <h1>Razor Test</h1>          <!-- simple expressions -->     @DateTime.Now     <hr />     <!-- method expressions -->     @DateTime.Now.ToString("T")          <!-- code blocks -->     @{         List<string> names = new List<string>();         names.Add("Rick");         names.Add("Markus");         names.Add("Claudio");         names.Add("Kevin");     }          <!-- structured block statements -->     <ul>     @foreach(string name in names){             <li>@name</li>     }     </ul>           <!-- Conditional code -->        @if(true) {                        <!-- Literal Text embedding in code -->        <text>         true        </text>;    }    else    {        <!-- Literal Text embedding in code -->       <text>       false       </text>;    }    </body> </html> Like the Web Forms view engine, Razor parses pages into code, and then executes that run-time compiled code. Effectively a “page” becomes a code file with markup becoming literal text written into the Response stream, code snippets becoming raw code, and expressions being written out with Response.Write(). The code generated from Razor doesn’t look much different from similar Web Forms code that only uses script tags; so although the syntax may look different, the operational model is fairly similar to the Web Forms engine minus the overhead of the large Page object model. However, there are differences: -Razor pages are based on a new base class, Microsoft.WebPages.WebPage, which is hosted in the Microsoft.WebPages assembly that houses all the Razor engine parsing and processing logic. Browsing through the assembly (in the generated ASP.NET Temporary Files folder or GAC) will give you a good idea of the functionality that Razor provides. If you look closely, a lot of the feature set matches ASP.NET MVC’s view implementation as well as many of the helper classes found in MVC. It’s not hard to guess the motivation for this sort of view engine: For beginning developers the simple markup syntax is easier to work with, although you obviously still need to have some understanding of the .NET Framework in order to create dynamic content. The syntax is easier to read and grok and much shorter to type than ASP.NET alligator tags (<% %>) and also easier to understand aesthetically what’s happening in the markup code. Razor also is a better fit for Microsoft’s vision of ASP.NET MVC: It’s a new view engine without the baggage of Web Forms attached to it. The engine is more lightweight since it doesn’t carry all the features and object model of Web Forms with it and it can be instantiated directly outside of the HTTP environment, which has been rather tricky to do for the Web Forms view engine. Having a standalone script parser is a huge win for other applications as well – it makes it much easier to create script or meta driven output generators for many types of applications from code/screen generators, to simple form letters to data merging applications with user customizability. For me personally this is very useful side effect and who knows maybe Microsoft will actually standardize they’re scripting engines (die T4 die!) on this engine. Razor also better fits the “view-based” approach where the view is supposed to be mostly a visual representation that doesn’t hold much, if any, code. While you can still use code, the code you do write has to be self-contained. Overall I wouldn’t be surprised if Razor will become the new standard view engine for MVC in the future – and in fact there have been announcements recently that Razor will become the default script engine in ASP.NET MVC 3.0. Razor can also be used in existing Web Forms and MVC applications, although that’s not working currently unless you manually configure the script mappings and add the appropriate assemblies. It’s possible to do it, but it’s probably better to wait until Microsoft releases official support for Razor scripts in Visual Studio. Once that happens, you can simply drop .cshtml and .vbhtml pages into an existing ASP.NET project and they will work side by side with classic ASP.NET pages. WebMatrix Development Environment To tie all of these three technologies together, Microsoft is shipping WebMatrix with an integrated development environment. An integrated gallery manager makes it easy to download and load existing projects, and then extend them with custom functionality. It seems to be a prominent goal to provide community-oriented content that can act as a starting point, be it via a custom templates or a complete standard application. The IDE includes a project manager that works with a single project and provides an integrated IDE/editor for editing the .cshtml and .vbhtml pages. A run button allows you to quickly run pages in the project manager in a variety of browsers. There’s no debugging support for code at this time. Note that Razor pages don’t require explicit compilation, so making a change, saving, and then refreshing your page in the browser is all that’s needed to see changes while testing an application locally. It’s essentially using the auto-compiling Web Project that was introduced with .NET 2.0. All code is compiled during run time into dynamically created assemblies in the ASP.NET temp folder. WebMatrix also has PHP Editing support with syntax highlighting. You can load various PHP-based applications from the WebMatrix Web Gallery directly into the IDE. Most of the Web Gallery applications are ready to install and run without further configuration, with Wizards taking you through installation of tools, dependencies, and configuration of the database as needed. WebMatrix leverages the Web Platform installer to pull the pieces down from websites in a tight integration of tools that worked nicely for the four or five applications I tried this out on. Click a couple of check boxes and fill in a few simple configuration options and you end up with a running application that’s ready to be customized. Nice! You can easily deploy completed applications via WebDeploy (to an IIS server) or FTP directly from within the development environment. The deploy tool also can handle automatically uploading and installing the database and all related assemblies required, making deployment a simple one-click install step. Simplified Database Access The IDE contains a database editor that can edit SQL Compact and SQL Server databases. There is also a Database helper class that facilitates database access by providing easy-to-use, high-level query execution and iteration methods: @{       var db = Database.OpenFile("FirstApp.sdf");     string sql = "select * from customers where Id > @0"; } <ul> @foreach(var row in db.Query(sql,1)){         <li>@row.FirstName @row.LastName</li> } </ul> The query function takes a SQL statement plus any number of positional (@0,@1 etc.) SQL parameters by simple values. The result is returned as a collection of rows which in turn have a row object with dynamic properties for each of the columns giving easy (though untyped) access to each of the fields. Likewise Execute and ExecuteNonQuery allow execution of more complex queries using similar parameter passing schemes. Note these queries use string-based queries rather than LINQ or Entity Framework’s strongly typed LINQ queries. While this may seem like a step back, it’s also in line with the expectations of non .NET script developers who are quite used to writing and using SQL strings in code rather than using OR/M frameworks. The only question is why was something not included from the beginning in .NET and Microsoft made developers build custom implementations of these basic building blocks. The implementation looks a lot like a DataTable-style data access mechanism, but to be fair, this is a common approach in scripting languages. This type of syntax that uses simple, static, data object methods to perform simple data tasks with one line of code are common in scripting languages and are a good match for folks working in PHP/Python, etc. Seems like Microsoft has taken great advantage of .NET 4.0’s dynamic typing to provide this sort of interface for row iteration where each row has properties for each field. FWIW, all the examples demonstrate using local SQL Compact files - I was unable to get a SQL Server connection string to work with the Database class (the connection string wasn’t accepted). However, since the code in the page is still plain old .NET, you can easily use standard ADO.NET code or even LINQ or Entity Framework models that are created outside of WebMatrix in separate assemblies as required. The good the bad the obnoxious - It’s still .NET The beauty (or curse depending on how you look at it :)) of Razor and the compilation model is that, behind it all, it’s still .NET. Although the syntax may look foreign, it’s still all .NET behind the scenes. You can easily access existing tools, helpers, and utilities simply by adding them to the project as references or to the bin folder. Razor automatically recognizes any assembly reference from assemblies in the bin folder. In the default configuration, Microsoft provides a host of helper functions in a Microsoft.WebPages assembly (check it out in the ASP.NET temp folder for your application), which includes a host of HTML Helpers. If you’ve used ASP.NET MVC before, a lot of the helpers should look familiar. Documentation at the moment is sketchy-there’s a very rough API reference you can check out here: http://www.asp.net/webmatrix/tutorials/asp-net-web-pages-api-reference Who needs WebMatrix? Uhm… good Question Clearly Microsoft is trying hard to create an environment with WebMatrix that is easy to use for newbie developers. The goal seems to be simplicity in providing a minimal development environment and an easy-to-use script engine/language that makes it easy to get started with. There’s also some focus on community features that can be used as starting points, such as Web Gallery applications and templates. The community features in particular are very nice and something that would be nice to eventually see in Visual Studio as well. The question is whether this is too little too late. Developers who have been clamoring for a simpler development environment on the .NET stack have mostly left for other simpler platforms like PHP or Python which are catering to the down and dirty developer. Microsoft will be hard pressed to win those folks-and other hardcore PHP developers-back. Regardless of how much you dress up a script engine fronted by the .NET Framework, it’s still the .NET Framework and all the complexity that drives it. While .NET is a fine solution in its breadth and features once you get a basic handle on the core features, the bar of entry to being productive with the .NET Framework is still pretty high. The MVC style helpers Microsoft provides are a good step in the right direction, but I suspect it’s not enough to shield new developers from having to delve much deeper into the Framework to get even basic applications built. Razor and its helpers is trying to make .NET more accessible but the reality is that in order to do useful stuff that goes beyond the handful of simple helpers you still are going to have to write some C# or VB or other .NET code. If the target is a hobby/amateur/non-programmer the learning curve isn’t made any easier by WebMatrix it’s just been shifted a tad bit further along in your development endeavor when you run out of canned components that are supplied either by Microsoft or the community. The database helpers are interesting and actually I’ve heard a lot of discussion from various developers who’ve been resisting .NET for a really long time perking up at the prospect of easier data access in .NET than the ridiculous amount of code it takes to do even simple data access with raw ADO.NET. It seems sad that such a simple concept and implementation should trigger this sort of response (especially since it’s practically trivial to create helpers like these or pick them up from countless libraries available), but there it is. It also shows that there are plenty of developers out there who are more interested in ‘getting stuff done’ easily than necessarily following the latest and greatest practices which are overkill for many development scenarios. Sometimes it seems that all of .NET is focused on the big life changing issues of development, rather than the bread and butter scenarios that many developers are interested in to get their work accomplished. And that in the end may be WebMatrix’s main raison d'être: To bring some focus back at Microsoft that simpler and more high level solutions are actually needed to appeal to the non-high end developers as well as providing the necessary tools for the high end developers who want to follow the latest and greatest trends. The current version of WebMatrix hits many sweet spots, but it also feels like it has a long way to go before it really can be a tool that a beginning developer or an accomplished developer can feel comfortable with. Although there are some really good ideas in the environment (like the gallery for downloading apps and components) which would be a great addition for Visual Studio as well, the rest of the development environment just feels like crippleware with required functionality missing especially debugging and Intellisense, but also general editor support. It’s not clear whether these are because the product is still in an early alpha release or whether it’s simply designed that way to be a really limited development environment. While simple can be good, nobody wants to feel left out when it comes to necessary tool support and WebMatrix just has that left out feeling to it. If anything WebMatrix’s technology pieces (which are really independent of the WebMatrix product) are what are interesting to developers in general. The compact IIS implementation is a nice improvement for development scenarios and SQL Compact 4.0 seems to address a lot of concerns that people have had and have complained about for some time with previous SQL Compact implementations. By far the most interesting and useful technology though seems to be the Razor view engine for its light weight implementation and it’s decoupling from the ASP.NET/HTTP pipeline to provide a standalone scripting/view engine that is pluggable. The first winner of this is going to be ASP.NET MVC which can now have a cleaner view model that isn’t inconsistent due to the baggage of non-implemented WebForms features that don’t work in MVC. But I expect that Razor will end up in many other applications as a scripting and code generation engine eventually. Visual Studio integration for Razor is currently missing, but is promised for a later release. The ASP.NET MVC team has already mentioned that Razor will eventually become the default MVC view engine, which will guarantee continued growth and development of this tool along those lines. And the Razor engine and support tools actually inherit many of the features that MVC pioneered, so there’s some synergy flowing both ways between Razor and MVC. As an existing ASP.NET developer who’s already familiar with Visual Studio and ASP.NET development, the WebMatrix IDE doesn’t give you anything that you want. The tools provided are minimal and provide nothing that you can’t get in Visual Studio today, except the minimal Razor syntax highlighting, so there’s little need to take a step back. With Visual Studio integration coming later there’s little reason to look at WebMatrix for tooling. It’s good to see that Microsoft is giving some thought about the ease of use of .NET as a platform For so many years, we’ve been piling on more and more new features without trying to take a step back and see how complicated the development/configuration/deployment process has become. Sometimes it’s good to take a step - or several steps - back and take another look and realize just how far we’ve come. WebMatrix is one of those reminders and one that likely will result in some positive changes on the platform as a whole. © Rick Strahl, West Wind Technologies, 2005-2010Posted in ASP.NET   IIS7  

  Read the article

• Using the ASP.NET Cache to cache data in a Model or Business Object layer, without a dependency on System.Web in the layer - Part One.

  - by Rhames

  ASP.NET applications can make use of the System.Web.Caching.Cache object to cache data and prevent repeated expensive calls to a database or other store. However, ideally an application should make use of caching at the point where data is retrieved from the database, which typically is inside a Business Objects or Model layer. One of the key features of using a UI pattern such as Model-View-Presenter (MVP) or Model-View-Controller (MVC) is that the Model and Presenter (or Controller) layers are developed without any knowledge of the UI layer. Introducing a dependency on System.Web into the Model layer would break this independence of the Model from the View. This article gives a solution to this problem, using dependency injection to inject the caching implementation into the Model layer at runtime. This allows caching to be used within the Model layer, without any knowledge of the actual caching mechanism that will be used. Create a sample application to use the caching solution Create a test SQL Server database This solution uses a SQL Server database with the same Sales data used in my previous post on calculating running totals. The advantage of using this data is that it gives nice slow queries that will exaggerate the effect of using caching! To create the data, first create a new SQL database called CacheSample. Next run the following script to create the Sale table and populate it: USE CacheSample GO   CREATE TABLE Sale(DayCount smallint, Sales money) CREATE CLUSTERED INDEX ndx_DayCount ON Sale(DayCount) go INSERT Sale VALUES (1,120) INSERT Sale VALUES (2,60) INSERT Sale VALUES (3,125) INSERT Sale VALUES (4,40)   DECLARE @DayCount smallint, @Sales money SET @DayCount = 5 SET @Sales = 10   WHILE @DayCount < 5000  BEGIN  INSERT Sale VALUES (@DayCount,@Sales)  SET @DayCount = @DayCount + 1  SET @Sales = @Sales + 15  END Next create a stored procedure to calculate the running total, and return a specified number of rows from the Sale table, using the following script: USE [CacheSample] GO   SET ANSI_NULLS ON GO   SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON GO   -- ============================================= -- Author:        Robin -- Create date: -- Description:   -- ============================================= CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[spGetRunningTotals]       -- Add the parameters for the stored procedure here       @HighestDayCount smallint = null AS BEGIN       -- SET NOCOUNT ON added to prevent extra result sets from       -- interfering with SELECT statements.       SET NOCOUNT ON;         IF @HighestDayCount IS NULL             SELECT @HighestDayCount = MAX(DayCount) FROM dbo.Sale                   DECLARE @SaleTbl TABLE (DayCount smallint, Sales money, RunningTotal money)         DECLARE @DayCount smallint,                   @Sales money,                   @RunningTotal money         SET @RunningTotal = 0       SET @DayCount = 0         DECLARE rt_cursor CURSOR       FOR       SELECT DayCount, Sales       FROM Sale       ORDER BY DayCount         OPEN rt_cursor         FETCH NEXT FROM rt_cursor INTO @DayCount,@Sales         WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0 AND @DayCount <= @HighestDayCount        BEGIN        SET @RunningTotal = @RunningTotal + @Sales        INSERT @SaleTbl VALUES (@DayCount,@Sales,@RunningTotal)        FETCH NEXT FROM rt_cursor INTO @DayCount,@Sales        END         CLOSE rt_cursor       DEALLOCATE rt_cursor         SELECT DayCount, Sales, RunningTotal       FROM @SaleTbl   END   GO   Create the Sample ASP.NET application In Visual Studio create a new solution and add a class library project called CacheSample.BusinessObjects and an ASP.NET web application called CacheSample.UI. The CacheSample.BusinessObjects project will contain a single class to represent a Sale data item, with all the code to retrieve the sales from the database included in it for simplicity (normally I would at least have a separate Repository or other object that is responsible for retrieving data, and probably a data access layer as well, but for this sample I want to keep it simple). The C# code for the Sale class is shown below: using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Data; using System.Data.SqlClient;   namespace CacheSample.BusinessObjects {     public class Sale     {         public Int16 DayCount { get; set; }         public decimal Sales { get; set; }         public decimal RunningTotal { get; set; }           public static IEnumerable<Sale> GetSales(int? highestDayCount)         {             List<Sale> sales = new List<Sale>();               SqlParameter highestDayCountParameter = new SqlParameter("@HighestDayCount", SqlDbType.SmallInt);             if (highestDayCount.HasValue)                 highestDayCountParameter.Value = highestDayCount;             else                 highestDayCountParameter.Value = DBNull.Value;               string connectionStr = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager .ConnectionStrings["CacheSample"].ConnectionString;               using(SqlConnection sqlConn = new SqlConnection(connectionStr))             using (SqlCommand sqlCmd = sqlConn.CreateCommand())             {                 sqlCmd.CommandText = "spGetRunningTotals";                 sqlCmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;                 sqlCmd.Parameters.Add(highestDayCountParameter);                   sqlConn.Open();                   using (SqlDataReader dr = sqlCmd.ExecuteReader())                 {                     while (dr.Read())                     {                         Sale newSale = new Sale();                         newSale.DayCount = dr.GetInt16(0);                         newSale.Sales = dr.GetDecimal(1);                         newSale.RunningTotal = dr.GetDecimal(2);                           sales.Add(newSale);                     }                 }             }               return sales;         }     } }   The static GetSale() method makes a call to the spGetRunningTotals stored procedure and then reads each row from the returned SqlDataReader into an instance of the Sale class, it then returns a List of the Sale objects, as IEnnumerable<Sale>. A reference to System.Configuration needs to be added to the CacheSample.BusinessObjects project so that the connection string can be read from the web.config file. In the CacheSample.UI ASP.NET project, create a single web page called ShowSales.aspx, and make this the default start up page. This page will contain a single button to call the GetSales() method and a label to display the results. The html mark up and the C# code behind are shown below: ShowSales.aspx <%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" CodeBehind="ShowSales.aspx.cs" Inherits="CacheSample.UI.ShowSales" %>   <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">   <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head runat="server">     <title>Cache Sample - Show All Sales</title> </head> <body>     <form id="form1" runat="server">     <div>         <asp:Button ID="btnTest1" runat="server" onclick="btnTest1_Click"             Text="Get All Sales" />         &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;         <asp:Label ID="lblResults" runat="server"></asp:Label>         </div>     </form> </body> </html>   ShowSales.aspx.cs using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Web; using System.Web.UI; using System.Web.UI.WebControls;   using CacheSample.BusinessObjects;   namespace CacheSample.UI {     public partial class ShowSales : System.Web.UI.Page     {         protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)         {         }           protected void btnTest1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)         {             System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch stopWatch = new System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch();             stopWatch.Start();               var sales = Sale.GetSales(null);               var lastSales = sales.Last();               stopWatch.Stop();               lblResults.Text = string.Format( "Count of Sales: {0}, Last DayCount: {1}, Total Sales: {2}. Query took {3} ms", sales.Count(), lastSales.DayCount, lastSales.RunningTotal, stopWatch.ElapsedMilliseconds);         }       } }   Finally we need to add a connection string to the CacheSample SQL Server database, called CacheSample, to the web.config file: <?xmlversion="1.0"?>   <configuration>    <connectionStrings>     <addname="CacheSample"          connectionString="data source=.\SQLEXPRESS;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CacheSample"          providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />  </connectionStrings>    <system.web>     <compilationdebug="true"targetFramework="4.0" />  </system.web>   </configuration>   Run the application and click the button a few times to see how long each call to the database takes. On my system, each query takes about 450ms. Next I shall look at a solution to use the ASP.NET caching to cache the data returned by the query, so that subsequent requests to the GetSales() method are much faster. Adding Data Caching Support I am going to create my caching support in a separate project called CacheSample.Caching, so the next step is to add a class library to the solution. We shall be using the application configuration to define the implementation of our caching system, so we need a reference to System.Configuration adding to the project. ICacheProvider<T> Interface The first step in adding caching to our application is to define an interface, called ICacheProvider, in the CacheSample.Caching project, with methods to retrieve any data from the cache or to retrieve the data from the data source if it is not present in the cache. Dependency Injection will then be used to inject an implementation of this interface at runtime, allowing the users of the interface (i.e. the CacheSample.BusinessObjects project) to be completely unaware of how the caching is actually implemented. As data of any type maybe retrieved from the data source, it makes sense to use generics in the interface, with a generic type parameter defining the data type associated with a particular instance of the cache interface implementation. The C# code for the ICacheProvider interface is shown below: using System; using System.Collections.Generic;   namespace CacheSample.Caching {     public interface ICacheProvider     {     }       public interface ICacheProvider<T> : ICacheProvider     {         T Fetch(string key, Func<T> retrieveData, DateTime? absoluteExpiry, TimeSpan? relativeExpiry);           IEnumerable<T> Fetch(string key, Func<IEnumerable<T>> retrieveData, DateTime? absoluteExpiry, TimeSpan? relativeExpiry);     } }   The empty non-generic interface will be used as a type in a Dictionary generic collection later to store instances of the ICacheProvider<T> implementation for reuse, I prefer to use a base interface when doing this, as I think the alternative of using object makes for less clear code. The ICacheProvider<T> interface defines two overloaded Fetch methods, the difference between these is that one will return a single instance of the type T and the other will return an IEnumerable<T>, providing support for easy caching of collections of data items. Both methods will take a key parameter, which will uniquely identify the cached data, a delegate of type Func<T> or Func<IEnumerable<T>> which will provide the code to retrieve the data from the store if it is not present in the cache, and absolute or relative expiry policies to define when a cached item should expire. Note that at present there is no support for cache dependencies, but I shall be showing a method of adding this in part two of this article. CacheProviderFactory Class We need a mechanism of creating instances of our ICacheProvider<T> interface, using Dependency Injection to get the implementation of the interface. To do this we shall create a CacheProviderFactory static class in the CacheSample.Caching project. This factory will provide a generic static method called GetCacheProvider<T>(), which shall return instances of ICacheProvider<T>. We can then call this factory method with the relevant data type (for example the Sale class in the CacheSample.BusinessObject project) to get a instance of ICacheProvider for that type (e.g. call CacheProviderFactory.GetCacheProvider<Sale>() to get the ICacheProvider<Sale> implementation). The C# code for the CacheProviderFactory is shown below: using System; using System.Collections.Generic;   using CacheSample.Caching.Configuration;   namespace CacheSample.Caching {     public static class CacheProviderFactory     {         private static Dictionary<Type, ICacheProvider> cacheProviders = new Dictionary<Type, ICacheProvider>();         private static object syncRoot = new object();           ///<summary>         /// Factory method to create or retrieve an implementation of the  /// ICacheProvider interface for type <typeparamref name="T"/>.         ///</summary>         ///<typeparam name="T">  /// The type that this cache provider instance will work with  ///</typeparam>         ///<returns>An instance of the implementation of ICacheProvider for type  ///<typeparamref name="T"/>, as specified by the application  /// configuration</returns>         public static ICacheProvider<T> GetCacheProvider<T>()         {             ICacheProvider<T> cacheProvider = null;             // Get the Type reference for the type parameter T             Type typeOfT = typeof(T);               // Lock the access to the cacheProviders dictionary             // so multiple threads can work with it             lock (syncRoot)             {                 // First check if an instance of the ICacheProvider implementation  // already exists in the cacheProviders dictionary for the type T                 if (cacheProviders.ContainsKey(typeOfT))                     cacheProvider = (ICacheProvider<T>)cacheProviders[typeOfT];                 else                 {                     // There is not already an instance of the ICacheProvider in       // cacheProviders for the type T                     // so we need to create one                       // Get the Type reference for the application's implementation of       // ICacheProvider from the configuration                     Type cacheProviderType = Type.GetType(CacheProviderConfigurationSection.Current. CacheProviderType);                     if (cacheProviderType != null)                     {                         // Now get a Type reference for the Cache Provider with the                         // type T generic parameter                         Type typeOfCacheProviderTypeForT = cacheProviderType.MakeGenericType(new Type[] { typeOfT });                         if (typeOfCacheProviderTypeForT != null)                         {                             // Create the instance of the Cache Provider and add it to // the cacheProviders dictionary for future use                             cacheProvider = (ICacheProvider<T>)Activator. CreateInstance(typeOfCacheProviderTypeForT);                             cacheProviders.Add(typeOfT, cacheProvider);                         }                     }                 }             }               return cacheProvider;                 }     } }   As this code uses Activator.CreateInstance() to create instances of the ICacheProvider<T> implementation, which is a slow process, the factory class maintains a Dictionary of the previously created instances so that a cache provider needs to be created only once for each type. The type of the implementation of ICacheProvider<T> is read from a custom configuration section in the application configuration file, via the CacheProviderConfigurationSection class, which is described below. CacheProviderConfigurationSection Class The implementation of ICacheProvider<T> will be specified in a custom configuration section in the application’s configuration. To handle this create a folder in the CacheSample.Caching project called Configuration, and add a class called CacheProviderConfigurationSection to this folder. This class will extend the System.Configuration.ConfigurationSection class, and will contain a single string property called CacheProviderType. The C# code for this class is shown below: using System; using System.Configuration;   namespace CacheSample.Caching.Configuration {     internal class CacheProviderConfigurationSection : ConfigurationSection     {         public static CacheProviderConfigurationSection Current         {             get             {                 return (CacheProviderConfigurationSection) ConfigurationManager.GetSection("cacheProvider");             }         }           [ConfigurationProperty("type", IsRequired=true)]         public string CacheProviderType         {             get             {                 return (string)this["type"];             }         }     } }   Adding Data Caching to the Sales Class We now have enough code in place to add caching to the GetSales() method in the CacheSample.BusinessObjects.Sale class, even though we do not yet have an implementation of the ICacheProvider<T> interface. We need to add a reference to the CacheSample.Caching project to CacheSample.BusinessObjects so that we can use the ICacheProvider<T> interface within the GetSales() method. Once the reference is added, we can first create a unique string key based on the method name and the parameter value, so that the same cache key is used for repeated calls to the method with the same parameter values. Then we get an instance of the cache provider for the Sales type, using the CacheProviderFactory, and pass the existing code to retrieve the data from the database as the retrievalMethod delegate in a call to the Cache Provider Fetch() method. The C# code for the modified GetSales() method is shown below: public static IEnumerable<Sale> GetSales(int? highestDayCount) {     string cacheKey = string.Format("CacheSample.BusinessObjects.GetSalesWithCache({0})", highestDayCount);       return CacheSample.Caching.CacheProviderFactory. GetCacheProvider<Sale>().Fetch(cacheKey,         delegate()         {             List<Sale> sales = new List<Sale>();               SqlParameter highestDayCountParameter = new SqlParameter("@HighestDayCount", SqlDbType.SmallInt);             if (highestDayCount.HasValue)                 highestDayCountParameter.Value = highestDayCount;             else                 highestDayCountParameter.Value = DBNull.Value;               string connectionStr = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager. ConnectionStrings["CacheSample"].ConnectionString;               using (SqlConnection sqlConn = new SqlConnection(connectionStr))             using (SqlCommand sqlCmd = sqlConn.CreateCommand())             {                 sqlCmd.CommandText = "spGetRunningTotals";                 sqlCmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;                 sqlCmd.Parameters.Add(highestDayCountParameter);                   sqlConn.Open();                   using (SqlDataReader dr = sqlCmd.ExecuteReader())                 {                     while (dr.Read())                     {                         Sale newSale = new Sale();                         newSale.DayCount = dr.GetInt16(0);                         newSale.Sales = dr.GetDecimal(1);                         newSale.RunningTotal = dr.GetDecimal(2);                           sales.Add(newSale);                     }                 }             }               return sales;         },         null,         new TimeSpan(0, 10, 0)); }     This example passes the code to retrieve the Sales data from the database to the Cache Provider as an anonymous method, however it could also be written as a lambda. The main advantage of using an anonymous function (method or lambda) is that the code inside the anonymous function can access the parameters passed to the GetSales() method. Finally the absolute expiry is set to null, and the relative expiry set to 10 minutes, to indicate that the cache entry should be removed 10 minutes after the last request for the data. As the ICacheProvider<T> has a Fetch() method that returns IEnumerable<T>, we can simply return the results of the Fetch() method to the caller of the GetSales() method. This should be all that is needed for the GetSales() method to now retrieve data from a cache after the first time the data has be retrieved from the database. Implementing a ASP.NET Cache Provider The final step is to actually implement the ICacheProvider<T> interface, and add the implementation details to the web.config file for the dependency injection. The cache provider implementation needs to have access to System.Web. Therefore it could be placed in the CacheSample.UI project, or in its own project that has a reference to System.Web. Implementing the Cache Provider in a separate project is my favoured approach. Create a new project inside the solution called CacheSample.CacheProvider, and add references to System.Web and CacheSample.Caching to this project. Add a class to the project called AspNetCacheProvider. Make the class a generic class by adding the generic parameter <T> and indicate that the class implements ICacheProvider<T>. The C# code for the AspNetCacheProvider class is shown below: using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Web; using System.Web.Caching;   using CacheSample.Caching;   namespace CacheSample.CacheProvider {     public class AspNetCacheProvider<T> : ICacheProvider<T>     {         #region ICacheProvider<T> Members           public T Fetch(string key, Func<T> retrieveData, DateTime? absoluteExpiry, TimeSpan? relativeExpiry)         {             return FetchAndCache<T>(key, retrieveData, absoluteExpiry, relativeExpiry);         }           public IEnumerable<T> Fetch(string key, Func<IEnumerable<T>> retrieveData, DateTime? absoluteExpiry, TimeSpan? relativeExpiry)         {             return FetchAndCache<IEnumerable<T>>(key, retrieveData, absoluteExpiry, relativeExpiry);         }           #endregion           #region Helper Methods           private U FetchAndCache<U>(string key, Func<U> retrieveData, DateTime? absoluteExpiry, TimeSpan? relativeExpiry)         {             U value;             if (!TryGetValue<U>(key, out value))             {                 value = retrieveData();                 if (!absoluteExpiry.HasValue)                     absoluteExpiry = Cache.NoAbsoluteExpiration;                   if (!relativeExpiry.HasValue)                     relativeExpiry = Cache.NoSlidingExpiration;                   HttpContext.Current.Cache.Insert(key, value, null, absoluteExpiry.Value, relativeExpiry.Value);             }             return value;         }           private bool TryGetValue<U>(string key, out U value)         {             object cachedValue = HttpContext.Current.Cache.Get(key);             if (cachedValue == null)             {                 value = default(U);                 return false;             }             else             {                 try                 {                     value = (U)cachedValue;                     return true;                 }                 catch                 {                     value = default(U);                     return false;                 }             }         }           #endregion       } }   The two interface Fetch() methods call a private method called FetchAndCache(). This method first checks for a element in the HttpContext.Current.Cache with the specified cache key, and if so tries to cast this to the specified type (either T or IEnumerable<T>). If the cached element is found, the FetchAndCache() method simply returns it. If it is not found in the cache, the method calls the retrievalMethod delegate to get the data from the data source, and then adds this to the HttpContext.Current.Cache. The final step is to add the AspNetCacheProvider class to the relevant custom configuration section in the CacheSample.UI.Web.Config file. To do this there needs to be a <configSections> element added as the first element in <configuration>. This will match a custom section called <cacheProvider> with the CacheProviderConfigurationSection. Then we add a <cacheProvider> element, with a type property set to the fully qualified assembly name of the AspNetCacheProvider class, as shown below: <?xmlversion="1.0"?>   <configuration>  <configSections>     <sectionname="cacheProvider" type="CacheSample.Base.Configuration.CacheProviderConfigurationSection, CacheSample.Base" />  </configSections>    <connectionStrings>     <addname="CacheSample"          connectionString="data source=.\SQLEXPRESS;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=CacheSample"          providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />  </connectionStrings>    <cacheProvidertype="CacheSample.CacheProvider.AspNetCacheProvider`1, CacheSample.CacheProvider, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null">  </cacheProvider>    <system.web>     <compilationdebug="true"targetFramework="4.0" />  </system.web>   </configuration>   One point to note is that the fully qualified assembly name of the AspNetCacheProvider class includes the notation `1 after the class name, which indicates that it is a generic class with a single generic type parameter. The CacheSample.UI project needs to have references added to CacheSample.Caching and CacheSample.CacheProvider so that the actual application is aware of the relevant cache provider implementation. Conclusion After implementing this solution, you should have a working cache provider mechanism, that will allow the middle and data access layers to implement caching support when retrieving data, without any knowledge of the actually caching implementation. If the UI is not ASP.NET based, if for example it is Winforms or WPF, the implementation of ICacheProvider<T> would be written around whatever technology is available. It could even be a standalone caching system that takes full responsibility for adding and removing items from a global store. The next part of this article will show how this caching mechanism may be extended to provide support for cache dependencies, such as the System.Web.Caching.SqlCacheDependency. Another possible extension would be to cache the cache provider implementations instead of storing them in a static Dictionary in the CacheProviderFactory. This would prevent a build up of seldom used cache providers in the application memory, as they could be removed from the cache if not used often enough, although in reality there are probably unlikely to be vast numbers of cache provider implementation instances, as most applications do not have a massive number of business object or model types.

  Read the article

• I need help on my C++ assignment using MS Visual C++

  - by krayzwytie

  Ok, so I don't want you to do my homework for me, but I'm a little lost with this final assignment and need all the help I can get. Learning about programming is tough enough, but doing it online is next to impossible for me... Now, to get to the program, I am going to paste what I have so far. This includes mostly //comments and what I have written so far. If you can help me figure out where all the errors are and how to complete the assignment, I will really appreciate it. Like I said, I don't want you to do my homework for me (it's my final), but any constructive criticism is welcome. This is my final assignment for this class and it is due tomorrow (Sunday before midnight, Arizona time). This is the assignment: Examine the following situation: o Your company, Datamax, Inc., is in the process of automating its payroll systems. Your manager has asked you to create a program that calculates overtime pay for all employees. Your program must take into account the employee’s salary, total hours worked, and hours worked more than 40 in a week, and then provide an output that is useful and easily understood by company management. • Compile your program utilizing the following background information and the code outline in Appendix D (included in the code section). • Submit your project as an attachment including the code and the output. Company Background: o Three employees: Mark, John, and Mary o The end user needs to be prompted for three specific pieces of input—name, hours worked, and hourly wage. o Calculate overtime if input is greater than 40 hours per week. o Provide six test plans to verify the logic within the program. o Plan 1 must display the proper information for employee #1 with overtime pay. o Plan 2 must display the proper information for employee #1 with no overtime pay. o Plans 3-6 are duplicates of plan 1 and 2 but for the other employees. Program Requirements: o Define a base class to use for the entire program. o The class holds the function calls and the variables related to the overtime pay calculations. o Define one object per employee. Note there will be three employees. o Your program must take the objects created and implement calculations based on total salaries, total hours, and the total number of overtime hours. See the Employee Summary Data section of the sample output. Logic Steps to Complete Your Program: o Define your base class. o Define your objects from your base class. o Prompt for user input, updating your object classes for all three users. o Implement your overtime pay calculations. o Display overtime or regular time pay calculations. See the sample output below. o Implement object calculations by summarizing your employee objects and display the summary information in the example below. And this is the code: // Final_Project.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application. // #include "stdafx.h" #include <iostream> #include <string> #include <iomanip> using namespace std; // //CLASS DECLARATION SECTION // class CEmployee { public: void ImplementCalculations(string EmployeeName, double hours, double wage); void DisplayEmployInformation(void); void Addsomethingup (CEmployee, CEmployee, CEmployee); string EmployeeName ; int hours ; int overtime_hours ; int iTotal_hours ; int iTotal_OvertimeHours ; float wage ; float basepay ; float overtime_pay ; float overtime_extra ; float iTotal_salaries ; float iIndividualSalary ; }; int main() { system("cls"); cout << "Welcome to the Employee Pay Center"; /* Use this section to define your objects. You will have one object per employee. You have only three employees. The format is your class name and your object name. */ std::cout << "Please enter Employee's Name: "; std::cin >> EmployeeName; std::cout << "Please enter Total Hours for (EmployeeName): "; std::cin >> hours; std::cout << "Please enter Base Pay for(EmployeeName): "; std::cin >> basepay; /* Here you will prompt for the first employee’s information. Prompt the employee name, hours worked, and the hourly wage. For each piece of information, you will update the appropriate class member defined above. Example of Prompts Enter the employee name = Enter the hours worked = Enter his or her hourly wage = */ /* Here you will prompt for the second employee’s information. Prompt the employee name, hours worked, and the hourly wage. For each piece of information, you will update the appropriate class member defined above. Enter the employee name = Enter the hours worked = Enter his or her hourly wage = */ /* Here you will prompt for the third employee’s information. Prompt the employee name, hours worked, and the hourly wage. For each piece of information, you will update the appropriate class member defined above. Enter the employee name = Enter the hours worked = Enter his or her hourly wage = */ /* Here you will implement a function call to implement the employ calcuations for each object defined above. You will do this for each of the three employees or objects. The format for this step is the following: [(object name.function name(objectname.name, objectname.hours, objectname.wage)] ; */ /* This section you will send all three objects to a function that will add up the the following information: - Total Employee Salaries - Total Employee Hours - Total Overtime Hours The format for this function is the following: - Define a new object. - Implement function call [objectname.functionname(object name 1, object name 2, object name 3)] /* } //End of Main Function void CEmployee::ImplementCalculations (string EmployeeName, double hours, double wage){ //Initialize overtime variables overtime_hours=0; overtime_pay=0; overtime_extra=0; if (hours > 40) { /* This section is for the basic calculations for calculating overtime pay. - base pay = 40 hours times the hourly wage - overtime hours = hours worked – 40 - overtime pay = hourly wage * 1.5 - overtime extra pay over 40 = overtime hours * overtime pay - salary = overtime money over 40 hours + your base pay */ /* Implement function call to output the employee information. Function is defined below. */ } // if (hours > 40) else { /* Here you are going to calculate the hours less than 40 hours. - Your base pay is = your hours worked times your wage - Salary = your base pay */ /* Implement function call to output the employee information. Function is defined below. */ } // End of the else } //End of Primary Function void CEmployee::DisplayEmployInformation(); { // This function displays all the employee output information. /* This is your cout statements to display the employee information: Employee Name ............. = Base Pay .................. = Hours in Overtime ......... = Overtime Pay Amount........ = Total Pay ................. = */ } // END OF Display Employee Information void CEmployee::Addsomethingup (CEmployee Employ1, CEmployee Employ2) { // Adds two objects of class Employee passed as // function arguments and saves them as the calling object's data member values. /* Add the total hours for objects 1, 2, and 3. Add the salaries for each object. Add the total overtime hours. */ /* Then display the information below. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%% EMPLOYEE SUMMARY DATA%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%% Total Employee Salaries ..... = 576.43 %%%% Total Employee Hours ........ = 108 %%%% Total Overtime Hours......... = 5 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% */ } // End of function

  Read the article

• Class Mapping Error: 'T' must be a non-abstract type with a public parameterless constructor

  - by Amit Ranjan

  Hi, While mapping class i am getting error 'T' must be a non-abstract type with a public parameterless constructor in order to use it as parameter 'T' in the generic type or method. Below is my SqlReaderBase Class public abstract class SqlReaderBase<T> : ConnectionProvider { #region Abstract Methods protected abstract string commandText { get; } protected abstract CommandType commandType { get; } protected abstract Collection<IDataParameter> GetParameters(IDbCommand command); **protected abstract MapperBase<T> GetMapper();** #endregion #region Non Abstract Methods /// <summary> /// Method to Execute Select Queries for Retrieveing List of Result /// </summary> /// <returns></returns> public Collection<T> ExecuteReader() { //Collection of Type on which Template is applied Collection<T> collection = new Collection<T>(); // initializing connection using (IDbConnection connection = GetConnection()) { try { // creates command for sql operations IDbCommand command = connection.CreateCommand(); // assign connection to command command.Connection = connection; // assign query command.CommandText = commandText; //state what type of query is used, text, table or Sp command.CommandType = commandType; // retrieves parameter from IDataParameter Collection and assigns it to command object foreach (IDataParameter param in GetParameters(command)) command.Parameters.Add(param); // Establishes connection with database server connection.Open(); // Since it is designed for executing Select statements that will return a list of results // so we will call command's execute reader method that return a Forward Only reader with // list of results inside. using (IDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader()) { try { // Call to Mapper Class of the template to map the data to its // respective fields MapperBase<T> mapper = GetMapper(); collection = mapper.MapAll(reader); } catch (Exception ex) // catch exception { throw ex; // log errr } finally { reader.Close(); reader.Dispose(); } } } catch (Exception ex) { throw ex; } finally { connection.Close(); connection.Dispose(); } } return collection; } #endregion } What I am trying to do is , I am executine some command and filling my class dynamically. The class is given below: namespace FooZo.Core { public class Restaurant { #region Private Member Variables private int _restaurantId = 0; private string _email = string.Empty; private string _website = string.Empty; private string _name = string.Empty; private string _address = string.Empty; private string _phone = string.Empty; private bool _hasMenu = false; private string _menuImagePath = string.Empty; private int _cuisine = 0; private bool _hasBar = false; private bool _hasHomeDelivery = false; private bool _hasDineIn = false; private int _type = 0; private string _restaurantImagePath = string.Empty; private string _serviceAvailableTill = string.Empty; private string _serviceAvailableFrom = string.Empty; public string Name { get { return _name; } set { _name = value; } } public string Address { get { return _address; } set { _address = value; } } public int RestaurantId { get { return _restaurantId; } set { _restaurantId = value; } } public string Website { get { return _website; } set { _website = value; } } public string Email { get { return _email; } set { _email = value; } } public string Phone { get { return _phone; } set { _phone = value; } } public bool HasMenu { get { return _hasMenu; } set { _hasMenu = value; } } public string MenuImagePath { get { return _menuImagePath; } set { _menuImagePath = value; } } public string RestaurantImagePath { get { return _restaurantImagePath; } set { _restaurantImagePath = value; } } public int Type { get { return _type; } set { _type = value; } } public int Cuisine { get { return _cuisine; } set { _cuisine = value; } } public bool HasBar { get { return _hasBar; } set { _hasBar = value; } } public bool HasHomeDelivery { get { return _hasHomeDelivery; } set { _hasHomeDelivery = value; } } public bool HasDineIn { get { return _hasDineIn; } set { _hasDineIn = value; } } public string ServiceAvailableFrom { get { return _serviceAvailableFrom; } set { _serviceAvailableFrom = value; } } public string ServiceAvailableTill { get { return _serviceAvailableTill; } set { _serviceAvailableTill = value; } } #endregion public Restaurant() { } } } For filling my class properties dynamically i have another class called MapperBase Class with following methods: public abstract class MapperBase<T> where T : new() { protected T Map(IDataRecord record) { T instance = new T(); string fieldName; PropertyInfo[] properties = typeof(T).GetProperties(); for (int i = 0; i < record.FieldCount; i++) { fieldName = record.GetName(i); foreach (PropertyInfo property in properties) { if (property.Name == fieldName) { property.SetValue(instance, record[i], null); } } } return instance; } public Collection<T> MapAll(IDataReader reader) { Collection<T> collection = new Collection<T>(); while (reader.Read()) { collection.Add(Map(reader)); } return collection; } } There is another class which inherits the SqlreaderBaseClass called DefaultSearch. Code is below public class DefaultSearch: SqlReaderBase<Restaurant> { protected override string commandText { get { return "Select Name from vw_Restaurants"; } } protected override CommandType commandType { get { return CommandType.Text; } } protected override Collection<IDataParameter> GetParameters(IDbCommand command) { Collection<IDataParameter> parameters = new Collection<IDataParameter>(); parameters.Clear(); return parameters; } protected override MapperBase<Restaurant> GetMapper() { MapperBase<Restaurant> mapper = new RMapper(); return mapper; } } But whenever I tried to build , I am getting error 'T' must be a non-abstract type with a public parameterless constructor in order to use it as parameter 'T' in the generic type or method. Even T here is Restaurant has a Parameterless Public constructor.

  Read the article

• Linq to LLBLGen query problem

  - by Jeroen Breuer

  Hello, I've got a Stored Procedure and i'm trying to convert it to a Linq to LLBLGen query. The query in Linq to LLBGen works, but when I trace the query which is send to sql server it is far from perfect. This is the Stored Procedure: ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[spDIGI_GetAllUmbracoProducts] -- Add the parameters for the stored procedure. @searchText nvarchar(255), @startRowIndex int, @maximumRows int, @sortExpression nvarchar(255) AS BEGIN SET @startRowIndex = @startRowIndex + 1 SET @searchText = '%' + @searchText + '%' -- SET NOCOUNT ON added to prevent extra result sets from -- interfering with SELECT statements. SET NOCOUNT ON; -- This is the query which will fetch all the UmbracoProducts. -- This query also supports paging and sorting. WITH UmbracoOverview As ( SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER( ORDER BY CASE WHEN @sortExpression = 'productName' THEN umbracoProduct.productName WHEN @sortExpression = 'productCode' THEN umbracoProduct.productCode END ASC, CASE WHEN @sortExpression = 'productName DESC' THEN umbracoProduct.productName WHEN @sortExpression = 'productCode DESC' THEN umbracoProduct.productCode END DESC ) AS row_num, umbracoProduct.umbracoProductId, umbracoProduct.productName, umbracoProduct.productCode FROM umbracoProduct INNER JOIN product ON umbracoProduct.umbracoProductId = product.umbracoProductId WHERE (umbracoProduct.productName LIKE @searchText OR umbracoProduct.productCode LIKE @searchText OR product.code LIKE @searchText OR product.description LIKE @searchText OR product.descriptionLong LIKE @searchText OR product.unitCode LIKE @searchText) ) SELECT UmbracoOverview.UmbracoProductId, UmbracoOverview.productName, UmbracoOverview.productCode FROM UmbracoOverview WHERE (row_num >= @startRowIndex AND row_num < (@startRowIndex + @maximumRows)) -- This query will count all the UmbracoProducts. -- This query is used for paging inside ASP.NET. SELECT COUNT (umbracoProduct.umbracoProductId) AS CountNumber FROM umbracoProduct INNER JOIN product ON umbracoProduct.umbracoProductId = product.umbracoProductId WHERE (umbracoProduct.productName LIKE @searchText OR umbracoProduct.productCode LIKE @searchText OR product.code LIKE @searchText OR product.description LIKE @searchText OR product.descriptionLong LIKE @searchText OR product.unitCode LIKE @searchText) END This is my Linq to LLBLGen query: using System.Linq.Dynamic; var q = ( from up in MetaData.UmbracoProduct join p in MetaData.Product on up.UmbracoProductId equals p.UmbracoProductId where up.ProductCode.Contains(searchText) || up.ProductName.Contains(searchText) || p.Code.Contains(searchText) || p.Description.Contains(searchText) || p.DescriptionLong.Contains(searchText) || p.UnitCode.Contains(searchText) select new UmbracoProductOverview { UmbracoProductId = up.UmbracoProductId, ProductName = up.ProductName, ProductCode = up.ProductCode } ).OrderBy(sortExpression); //Save the count in HttpContext.Current.Items. This value will only be saved during 1 single HTTP request. HttpContext.Current.Items["AllProductsCount"] = q.Count(); //Returns the results paged. return q.Skip(startRowIndex).Take(maximumRows).ToList<UmbracoProductOverview>(); This is my Initial expression to process: value(SD.LLBLGen.Pro.LinqSupportClasses.DataSource`1[Eurofysica.DB.EntityClasses.UmbracoProductEntity]).Join(value(SD.LLBLGen.Pro.LinqSupportClasses.DataSource`1[Eurofysica.DB.EntityClasses.ProductEntity]), up => up.UmbracoProductId, p => p.UmbracoProductId, (up, p) => new <>f__AnonymousType0`2(up = up, p = p)).Where(<>h__TransparentIdentifier0 => (((((<>h__TransparentIdentifier0.up.ProductCode.Contains(value(Eurofysica.BusinessLogic.BLL.Controllers.UmbracoProductController+<>c__DisplayClass1).searchText) || <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.up.ProductName.Contains(value(Eurofysica.BusinessLogic.BLL.Controllers.UmbracoProductController+<>c__DisplayClass1).searchText)) || <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.p.Code.Contains(value(Eurofysica.BusinessLogic.BLL.Controllers.UmbracoProductController+<>c__DisplayClass1).searchText)) || <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.p.Description.Contains(value(Eurofysica.BusinessLogic.BLL.Controllers.UmbracoProductController+<>c__DisplayClass1).searchText)) || <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.p.DescriptionLong.Contains(value(Eurofysica.BusinessLogic.BLL.Controllers.UmbracoProductController+<>c__DisplayClass1).searchText)) || <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.p.UnitCode.Contains(value(Eurofysica.BusinessLogic.BLL.Controllers.UmbracoProductController+<>c__DisplayClass1).searchText))).Select(<>h__TransparentIdentifier0 => new UmbracoProductOverview() {UmbracoProductId = <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.up.UmbracoProductId, ProductName = <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.up.ProductName, ProductCode = <>h__TransparentIdentifier0.up.ProductCode}).OrderBy( => .ProductName).Count() Now this is how the queries look like that are send to sql server: Select query: Query: SELECT [LPA_L2].[umbracoProductId] AS [UmbracoProductId], [LPA_L2].[productName] AS [ProductName], [LPA_L2].[productCode] AS [ProductCode] FROM ( [eurofysica].[dbo].[umbracoProduct] [LPA_L2] INNER JOIN [eurofysica].[dbo].[product] [LPA_L3] ON [LPA_L2].[umbracoProductId] = [LPA_L3].[umbracoProductId]) WHERE ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( [LPA_L2].[productCode] LIKE @ProductCode1) OR ( [LPA_L2].[productName] LIKE @ProductName2)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[code] LIKE @Code3)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[description] LIKE @Description4)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[descriptionLong] LIKE @DescriptionLong5)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[unitCode] LIKE @UnitCode6)))) Parameter: @ProductCode1 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @ProductName2 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @Code3 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @Description4 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @DescriptionLong5 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @UnitCode6 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Count query: Query: SELECT TOP 1 COUNT(*) AS [LPAV_] FROM (SELECT [LPA_L2].[umbracoProductId] AS [UmbracoProductId], [LPA_L2].[productName] AS [ProductName], [LPA_L2].[productCode] AS [ProductCode] FROM ( [eurofysica].[dbo].[umbracoProduct] [LPA_L2] INNER JOIN [eurofysica].[dbo].[product] [LPA_L3] ON [LPA_L2].[umbracoProductId] = [LPA_L3].[umbracoProductId]) WHERE ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( [LPA_L2].[productCode] LIKE @ProductCode1) OR ( [LPA_L2].[productName] LIKE @ProductName2)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[code] LIKE @Code3)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[description] LIKE @Description4)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[descriptionLong] LIKE @DescriptionLong5)) OR ( [LPA_L3].[unitCode] LIKE @UnitCode6))))) [LPA_L1] Parameter: @ProductCode1 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @ProductName2 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @Code3 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @Description4 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @DescriptionLong5 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". Parameter: @UnitCode6 : String. Length: 2. Precision: 0. Scale: 0. Direction: Input. Value: "%%". As you can see no sorting or paging is done (like in my Stored Procedure). This is probably done inside the code after all the results are fetched. This costs a lot of performance! Does anybody know how I can convert my Stored Procedure to Linq to LLBLGen the proper way?

  Read the article

• Simplemodal: four times on a page leads to extra "next" or "previous" button

  - by DDF

  We are experiencing a problem with each instance of the call to the simplemodal div class .basic-modal-content adding an extra next or previous button in the modal windows. We are using simplemodal in four places on a page using a common JS in the container (provided below) and a common CSS format for the modal windows. In one area we are using six "statements" in a window with a next and previous button. I would include a picture of the modal window but it's being disallowed by the system as I'm a first time poster to this forum. In the other three areas we are using three "biographies" in a similar window with the ability to see each of the three bios from each of modal windows. We are using a common Simplemodal JS script in the page which has the following code: <script> $(function() { $('a').each(function() { $(this).click(function() { $('#modal_' + this.id).modal({ overlayClose:true }); }); }); var num_divs = $('div.basic-modal-content').length; $('div.basic-modal-content').each(function(i) { /* if there is a previous div add a link to it */ if (i > 0) { /* get the ID for previous div */ var prev_id = $(this).prev('.basic-modal-content').attr('id'); /* add the link with click event */ $('<a href="#" class="simplemodal-container-prev"></a>') .click(function() { $.modal.close(); $('#' + prev_id).modal({overlayClose:true}); }) .appendTo($(this)); } /* if there is a next div add a link to it */ if (i < num_divs - 1) { /* get the ID for next div */ var next_id = $(this).next('.basic-modal-content').attr('id'); /* add the link with click event */ $('<a href="#" class="simplemodal-container-next"></a>') .click(function() { $.modal.close(); $('#' + next_id).modal({overlayClose:true}); }) .appendTo($(this)); } }); }); </script> and some CSS to create an image for each window that shows the progress bar through the ul/li list. The code to produce the above looks like this: <h1>Our HEADLINE</h1> <div id='basic-modal'> <ul> <li><a href='#' id='one'>TEXT 1</a></li> <li><a href='#' id='two'>TEXT 2</a></li> <li><a href='#' id='three'>TEXT 3</a></li> <li><a href='#' id='four'>TEXT 4</a></li> <li><a href='#' id='five'>TEXT 5</a></li> <li><a href='#' id='six'>TEXT 6</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="basic-modal-content" id="modal_one"> <img src="link to modal_one.png" alt="progress bar"/> <h3>headline text</h3> <p>body text</p> </div> <div class="basic-modal-content" id="modal_two"> <img src="link to modal_two.png" alt="progress bar"/> <h3>headline text</h3> <p>body text</p> </div> <div> ... other divs 3 4 and 5 </div> <div class="basic-modal-content" id="modal_six"> <img src="link to modal_six.png" alt="progress bar"/> <h3>headline text</h3> <p>body text</p> </div> </div> The ul/li structure works on the main page for the links. The modal windows allow one to browse through all of the six TEXTs. There is a common CSS style to the windows and a custom image in each of the modal windows derived from the "#modal_[number] img" CSS in the form of a progress bar. It should be noted that the first modal window in the first set of ul/li (the six) do not exhibit the extra previous button. Here is the relevant code from one of the three biographic links. You will note that the biographic links each have to have all three in this current configuration. <h4>Our HEADLINE</h4> <div class="bottom-widget-text"> <img src="picture" alt="not relevant to the simplemodal problem"/> <p>Read about person NUMBER 1 by clicking on the following link: <a href='#' id='seven' >Expand</a> </p> </div> <div class="basic-modal-content" id="modal_seven"> <img src="link to modal_seven.png" alt="portrait 1"/> <h3>headline text</h3> <p>BIOGRAPHY</p> </div> <div class="basic-modal-content" id="modal_eight"> <img src="link to modal_eight.png" alt="portrait 2"/> <h3>headline text</h3> <p>BIOGRAPHY</p> </div> <div class="basic-modal-content" id="modal_nine"> <img src="link to modal_nine.png" alt="portrait 3"/> <h3>headline text</h3> <p>BIOGRAPHY</p> </div> </div> Similarly the "biographies" open up from a different area of the page. The modal windows allow one to browse through all three of the BIOs. The bios use the SAME CSS style windows and a custom image in each of the modal windows derived from the "#modal_[number] img" CSS in the form of a portrait. Everything is working well except one thing: the first six windows have an extra next button that leads to an image of the close widow button only. Similarly, the BIOs pages have extra previous button that leads to the same "close button only" shown above. We want to maintain the same base CSS for the modal windows for this page. We want to keep the JS simple. The only behavior that is bad is the extra previous and next bottons that appear to be spurious. So is this a fix to the JS? Or do I have the instances of the modal windows too entangled? Perhaps there is a better method for having multiple instances of a simplemodal window on the same page? Or is the problem the "#" variable being common to each of the uses of the JS? Thanks in advance. DDF

  Read the article

• Connection drop problem with Hibernate-mysql-c3p0

  - by user344788

  hi all, This is an issue which I have seen all across the web. I will bring it up again as till now I don't have a fix for the same. I am using hibernate 3. mysql 5 and latest c3p0 jar. I am getting a broken pipe exception. Following is my hibernate.cfg file. com.mysql.jdbc.Driver org.hibernate.dialect.MySQLDialect <property name="hibernate.show_sql">true</property> <property name="hibernate.use_sql_comments">true</property> <property name="hibernate.current_session_context_class">thread</property> <property name="connection.autoReconnect">true</property> <property name="connection.autoReconnectForPools">true</property> <property name="connection.is-connection-validation-required">true</property> <!--<property name="c3p0.min_size">5</property> <property name="c3p0.max_size">20</property> <property name="c3p0.timeout">1800</property> <property name="c3p0.max_statements">50</property> --><property name="hibernate.connection.provider_class">org.hibernate.connection.C3P0ConnectionProvider </property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.acquireRetryAttempts">30</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.acquireIncrement">5</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.automaticTestTable">C3P0TestTable</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.idleConnectionTestPeriod">36000</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.initialPoolSize">20</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.maxPoolSize">100</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.maxIdleTime">1200</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.maxStatements">50</property> <property name="hibernate.c3p0.minPoolSize">10</property>--> My connection pooling is occurring fine. During the day it is fine , but once i keep it idle over the night ,next day I find it giving me broken connection error. public class HibernateUtil { private static Logger log = Logger.getLogger(HibernateUtil.class); //private static Log log = LogFactory.getLog(HibernateUtil.class); private static Configuration configuration; private static SessionFactory sessionFactory; static { // Create the initial SessionFactory from the default configuration files try { log.debug("Initializing Hibernate"); // Read hibernate.properties, if present configuration = new Configuration(); // Use annotations: configuration = new AnnotationConfiguration(); // Read hibernate.cfg.xml (has to be present) configuration.configure(); // Build and store (either in JNDI or static variable) rebuildSessionFactory(configuration); log.debug("Hibernate initialized, call HibernateUtil.getSessionFactory()"); } catch (Throwable ex) { // We have to catch Throwable, otherwise we will miss // NoClassDefFoundError and other subclasses of Error log.error("Building SessionFactory failed.", ex); throw new ExceptionInInitializerError(ex); } } /** * Returns the Hibernate configuration that was used to build the SessionFactory. * * @return Configuration */ public static Configuration getConfiguration() { return configuration; } /** * Returns the global SessionFactory either from a static variable or a JNDI lookup. * * @return SessionFactory */ public static SessionFactory getSessionFactory() { String sfName = configuration.getProperty(Environment.SESSION_FACTORY_NAME); System.out.println("Current s name is "+sfName); if ( sfName != null) { System.out.println("Looking up SessionFactory in JNDI"); log.debug("Looking up SessionFactory in JNDI"); try { System.out.println("Returning new sssion factory"); return (SessionFactory) new InitialContext().lookup(sfName); } catch (NamingException ex) { throw new RuntimeException(ex); } } else if (sessionFactory == null) { System.out.println("calling rebuild session factory now"); rebuildSessionFactory(); } return sessionFactory; } /** * Closes the current SessionFactory and releases all resources. * <p> * The only other method that can be called on HibernateUtil * after this one is rebuildSessionFactory(Configuration). */ public static void shutdown() { log.debug("Shutting down Hibernate"); // Close caches and connection pools getSessionFactory().close(); // Clear static variables sessionFactory = null; } /** * Rebuild the SessionFactory with the static Configuration. * <p> * Note that this method should only be used with static SessionFactory * management, not with JNDI or any other external registry. This method also closes * the old static variable SessionFactory before, if it is still open. */ public static void rebuildSessionFactory() { log.debug("Using current Configuration to rebuild SessionFactory"); rebuildSessionFactory(configuration); } /** * Rebuild the SessionFactory with the given Hibernate Configuration. * <p> * HibernateUtil does not configure() the given Configuration object, * it directly calls buildSessionFactory(). This method also closes * the old static variable SessionFactory before, if it is still open. * * @param cfg */ public static void rebuildSessionFactory(Configuration cfg) { log.debug("Rebuilding the SessionFactory from given Configuration"); if (sessionFactory != null && !sessionFactory.isClosed()) sessionFactory.close(); if (cfg.getProperty(Environment.SESSION_FACTORY_NAME) != null) { log.debug("Managing SessionFactory in JNDI"); cfg.buildSessionFactory(); } else { log.debug("Holding SessionFactory in static variable"); sessionFactory = cfg.buildSessionFactory(); } configuration = cfg; } } Above is my code for the session factory. And I have only select operations . And below is the method which is used most often to execute my select queries. One tricky thing which I am not understanding is in my findById method i am using this line of code getSession().beginTransaction(); without which it gives me an error saying that this cannot happpen without a transaction. But nowhere I am closing this transaction. And thers no method to close a transaction apart from commit or rollback (as far as i know) which are not applicable for select statements. public T findById(ID id, boolean lock) throws HibernateException, DAOException { log.debug("findNyId invoked with ID ="+id+"and lock ="+lock); T entity; getSession().beginTransaction(); if (lock) entity = (T) getSession().load(getPersistentClass(), id, LockMode.UPGRADE); else entity = (T) getSession().load(getPersistentClass(), id); return entity; } Can anyone please suggest what can I do ? I have tried out almost every solution available via googling, on stackoverlow or on hibernate forums with no avail. (And increasing wait_timeout on mysql is not a valid option in my case).

  Read the article

• Codeigniter: Using URIs with forms

  - by Kevin Brown

  I'm using URIs to direct a function in a library: $id = $this->CI->session->userdata('id'); $URI = $this->CI->uri->uri_string(); $new = "new"; if(strpos($URI, $new) === FALSE){ $method = "update"; } elseif(strpos($URI, $new) !== FALSE){ $method = "create"; } So I have two if statements directing what information to if ($method === 'update') { // Modify form, first load $this->CI->db->from('be_survey'); $this->CI->db->where('user_id' , $id); $survey = $this->CI->db->get(); $user = array_merge($user->row_array(),$survey->row_array()); $this->CI->validation->set_default_value($user); // Display page $data['user'] = $user; } $this->CI->validation->set_rules($rules); if ( $this->CI->validation->run() === FALSE ) { // Output any errors $this->CI->validation->output_errors(); } else { // Submit form $this->_submit($method); } Submit function: function _submit($method) { //Submit and Update for current User $id = $this->CI->session->userdata('id'); $this->CI->db->select('users.id, users.username, users.email, profiles.firstname, profiles.manager_id'); $this->CI->db->from('be_users' . " users"); $this->CI->db->join('be_user_profiles' . " profiles",'users.id=profiles.user_id'); $this->CI->db->having('id', $id); $email_data['user'] = $this->CI->db->get(); $email_data['user'] = $email_data['user']->row(); $manager_id = $email_data['user']->manager_id; $this->CI->db->select('firstname','email')->from('be_user_profiles')->where('user_id', $manager_id); $email_data['manager'] = $this->CI->db->get(); $email_data['manager'] = $email_data['manager']->row(); // Fetch what they entered in the form for($i=1;$i<18;$i++){ $survey["a_".$i]= $this->CI->input->post('a_'.$i); } for($i=1;$i<15;$i++){ $survey["b_".$i]= $this->CI->input->post('b_'.$i); } for($i=1;$i<12;$i++){ $survey["c_".$i]= $this->CI->input->post('c_'.$i); } $profile['firstname'] = $this->CI->input->post('firstname'); $profile['lastname'] = $this->CI->input->post('lastname'); $profile['test_date'] = date ("Y-m-d H:i:s"); $profile['company_name'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_name'); $profile['company_address'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_address'); $profile['company_city'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_city'); $profile['company_phone'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_phone'); $profile['company_state'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_state'); $profile['company_zip'] = $this->CI->input->post('company_zip'); $profile['job_title'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_title'); $profile['job_type'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_type'); $profile['job_time'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_time'); $profile['department'] = $this->CI->input->post('department'); $profile['vision'] = $this->CI->input->post('vision'); $profile['height'] = $this->CI->input->post('height'); $profile['weight'] = $this->CI->input->post('weight'); $profile['hand_dominance'] = $this->CI->input->post('hand_dominance'); $profile['areas_of_fatigue'] = $this->CI->input->post('areas_of_fatigue'); $profile['job_description'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_description'); $profile['injury_review'] = $this->CI->input->post('injury_review'); $profile['job_positive'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_positive'); $profile['risk_factors'] = $this->CI->input->post('risk_factors'); $profile['job_improvement_short'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_improvement_short'); $profile['job_improvement_long'] = $this->CI->input->post('job_improvement_long'); if ($method == "update") { //Begin db transmission $this->CI->db->trans_begin(); $this->CI->home_model->update('Survey',$survey, array('user_id' => $id)); $this->CI->db->update('be_user_profiles',$profile, array('user_id' => $id)); if ($this->CI->db->trans_status() === FALSE) { flashMsg('error','There was a problem entering your test! Please contact an administrator.'); redirect('survey','location'); } else { //Get credits of user and subtract 1 $this->CI->db->set('credits', 'credits -1', FALSE); $this->CI->db->update('be_user_profiles',$profile, array('user_id' => $manager_id)); //Mark the form completed. $this->CI->db->set('test_complete', '1'); $this->CI->db->where('user_id', $id)->update('be_user_profiles'); // Stuff worked... $this->CI->db->trans_commit(); //Get Manager Information $this->CI->db->select('users.id, users.username, users.email, profiles.firstname'); $this->CI->db->from('be_users' . " users"); $this->CI->db->join('be_user_profiles' . " profiles",'users.id=profiles.user_id'); $this->CI->db->having('id', $email_data['user']->manager_id); $email_data['manager'] = $this->CI->db->get(); $email_data['manager'] = $email_data['manager']->row(); //Email User $this->CI->load->library('User_email'); $data_user = array( 'firstname'=>$email_data['user']->firstname, 'email'=> $email_data['user']->email, 'user_completed'=>$email_data['user']->firstname, 'site_name'=>$this->CI->preference->item('site_name'), 'site_url'=>base_url() ); //Email Manager $data_manager = array( 'firstname'=>$email_data['manager']->firstname, 'email'=> $email_data['manager']->email, 'user_completed'=>$email_data['user']->firstname, 'site_name'=>$this->CI->preference->item('site_name'), 'site_url'=>base_url() ); $this->CI->user_email->send($email_data['manager']->email,'Completed the Assessment Tool','public/email_manager_complete',$data_manager); $this->CI->user_email->send($email_data['user']->email,'Completed the Assessment Tool','public/email_user_complete',$data_user); flashMsg('success','You finished the assessment successfully!'); redirect('home','location'); } } //Create New User elseif ($method == "create") { // Build $profile['user_id'] = $id; $profile['manager_id'] = $manager_id; $profile['test_complete'] = '1'; $survey['user_id'] = $id; $this->CI->db->trans_begin(); // Add user_profile details to DB $this->CI->db->insert('be_user_profiles',$profile); $this->CI->db->insert('be_survey',$survey); if ($this->CI->db->trans_status() === FALSE) { // Registration failed $this->CI->db->trans_rollback(); flashMsg('error',$this->CI->lang->line('userlib_registration_failed')); redirect('auth/register','location'); } else { // User registered $this->CI->db->trans_commit(); flashMsg('success',$this->CI->lang->line('userlib_registration_success')); redirect($this->CI->config->item('userlib_action_register'),'location'); } } } The submit function is similar, updating the db if $method == "update", and inserting if the method == "create". The problem is, when the form is submitted, it doesn't take into account the url b/c the form submits to the function "survey", which passes data to the lib function, so things are always updated, never created. *How can I pass $method to the _submit() function correctly?!*

  Read the article

• How do I do event handling in php with html?

  - by TheAmazingKnight

  I am constructing a simple quiz using html and php. The problem I'm having is that I'm not sure how to do event handlers since it's my first time doing php. Simply, the user click on Take Quiz and it brings up the quiz, then submit the quiz using the same page and show score results. The quiz was written in HTML as shown below: HTML CODE: <section> <h1 id="theme"><span class="initial">Q</span>uiz</h1> <div id="message">Why not go ahead and take the quiz to test your knowledge based on what you've learned in Smartphone Photography. There are only 5 questions surrounding the content of this site. Good Luck! :) <br/> <button type="button" name="name" onclick="takeQuiz()">Take Quiz!</button> </div> </section> </div> <form action="grade.php" method="post" id="quiz"> <!--Question 1--> <h3>1. How many percent of modern camera phones use CMOS?</h3> <div> <input type="radio" name="question-1-answers" id="question-1-answers-A" value="A" /> <label for="question-1-answers-A">A) 20%</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-1-answers" id="question-1-answers-B" value="B" /> <label for="question-1-answers-B">B) 80%</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-1-answers" id="question-1-answers-C" value="C" /> <label for="question-1-answers-C">C) 50%</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-1-answers" id="question-1-answers-D" value="D" /> <label for="question-1-answers-D">D) 90%</label> </div> <!--Question 2--> <h3>2. Which type of camera setting(s) is best for greater control and flexibility in terms of focusing on a subject?</h3> <div> <input type="radio" name="question-2-answers" id="question-2-answers-A" value="A" /> <label for="question-2-answers-A">A) Manual Focus</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-2-answers" id="question-2-answers-B" value="B" /> <label for="question-2-answers-B">B) Auto Focus</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-2-answers" id="question-2-answers-C" value="C" /> <label for="question-2-answers-C">C) Both A and B</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-2-answers" id="question-2-answers-D" value="D" /> <label for="question-2-answers-D">D) Neither</label> </div> <!--Question 3--> <h3>3. What are the three properties included in an exposure triangle?</h3> <div> <input type="radio" name="question-3-answers" id="question-3-answers-A" value="A" /> <label for="question-3-answers-A">A) White Balance, ISO, Low Light</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-3-answers" id="question-3-answers-B" value="B" /> <label for="question-3-answers-B">B) Shutter Speed, Exposure, ISO</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-3-answers" id="question-3-answers-C" value="C" /> <label for="question-3-answers-C">C) Aperture, ISO, Exposure</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-3-answers" id="question-3-answers-D" value="D" /> <label for="question-3-answers-D">D) ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed</label> </div> <!--Question 4--> <h3>4. The higher the ISO, the more noise it produces in an image.</h3> <div> <input type="radio" name="question-4-answers" id="question-4-answers-A" value="A" /> <label for="question-4-answers-A">A) True</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-4-answers" id="question-4-answers-B" value="B" /> <label for="question-4-answers-B">B) False</label> </div> <!--Question 5--> <h3>5. What is the name of the smartphone you've seen all over this site?</h3> <div> <input type="radio" name="question-5-answers" id="question-5-answers-A" value="A" /> <label for="question-5-answers-A">A) Nokia Pureview 808</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-5-answers" id="question-5-answers-B" value="B" /> <label for="question-5-answers-B">B) Nokia Lumia 1020</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-5-answers" id="question-5-answers-C" value="C" /> <label for="question-5-answers-C">C) Nokia Lumia 925</label> <br/> <input type="radio" name="question-5-answers" id="question-5-answers-D" value="D" /> <label for="question-5-answers-D">D) Nokia Lumia 920</label> </div> <input type="submit" value="Submit Quiz" /> </form> Then I have a php file named grade.php which will print the results of the quiz grade. PHP CODE: <?php // create variables linking the questions' answers from the form $answer1 = $_POST['question-1-answers']; $answer2 = $_POST['question-2-answers']; $answer3 = $_POST['question-3-answers']; $answer4 = $_POST['question-4-answers']; $answer5 = $_POST['question-5-answers']; $totalCorrect = 0; // Set up if-statements and determine the correct answers to be POSTed if($answer1 == "D") { $totalCorrect++; } if($answer2 == "A") { $totalCorrect++; } if($answer3 == "D") { $totalCorrect++; } if($answer4 == "A") { $totalCorrect++; } if($answer5 == "B") { $totalCorrect++; } //display the results echo "<div id='results'>$totalCorrect / 5 correct</div>"; ?>

  Read the article

• li element background colors and overflow scrolling

  - by user17753

  I created a simple html source, and applied a small CSS style sheet to it: html { width: 100%; } body { font-family: Calibri, Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; padding: 20px; } pre { padding: 0; margin: 0 auto; border: 1px solid #888; font-family: Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace; color: #000; width: 80%; overflow: auto; } pre li { white-space: pre; } ol { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; /* IE indents via margin-left */ color: #979797; background: #E3E3E3; } .li1 { background: #F5F5F5 } .li2 { background: #eee } I have an ordered list inside a pre-formatted tag. Every other list element is either given the class attribute li1 or li2 (the purpose of which is to alternate the colors). The list elements need the white-space: pre because the white space before and after the text node is important. The pre is to be 80% of the containing element (which ends up being 80% of the window's width). In the event of overflow in the x dimension, I want scrolling. I did all this in the above CSS, and it almost works. The issue I am having is that the background colors of the list elements don't extend with the content. They seem to be capped to the original width of the pre and/or ol element as demonstrated in the following picture where I scroll all the way right as possible: I tinkered with the CSS for a while, but I cannot determine the root cause for this or the fix. Looking for some advice on this one, thanks. Complete source with the issue is as below, NOTE: to would-be editors of the below code the pre element is intended to be on a single line as it's pre-formatted text, and formatting it otherwise would change things. <!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <title>Test Site</title> <style type="text/css"> html { width: 100%; } body { font-family: Calibri, Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; padding: 20px; } pre { padding: 0; margin: 0 auto; border: 1px solid #888; font-family: Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace; color: #000; width: 80%; overflow: auto; } pre li { white-space: pre; } ol { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; /* IE indents via margin-left */ color: #979797; background: #E3E3E3; } .li1 { background: #F5F5F5 } .li2 { background: #eee } </style> </head> <body> <pre class="php"><ol><li class="li1">pre a &#123; text-decoration: none &#125;</li><li class="li2">pre a:hover &#123; background: #C8C8C8 }</li><li class="li1">pre li &#123; white-space: pre; &#125;</li><li class="li2">&nbsp;</li><li class="li1">.php ol &#123; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; /* IE indents via margin-left */</li><li class="li2"> color: #979797; background: #E3E3E3; }</li><li class="li1">&nbsp;</li><li class="li2">&nbsp;</li><li class="li1">&nbsp;</li><li class="li2">.php .li1 &#123; background: #F5F5F5 }</li><li class="li1">.php .li2 &#123; background: #eee }</li><li class="li2">&nbsp;</li><li class="li1">&nbsp;</li><li class="li2">.php .st0 &#123; color: #C0C } /* string content */</li><li class="li1">.php .st_h &#123; color: #F0C } /* string content single quoted */</li><li class="li2">.php .sy0 &#123; color: #000 } /* semi-colon, operators */ </li><li class="li1">.php .br0 &#123; color: #000 } /* parens */</li><li class="li2">.php .kw2 &#123; color: #00F } /* php tags */</li><li class="li1">.php .sy1 &#123; color: #00F } /* php tags */</li><li class="li2">.php .nu0 &#123; color: #F00 } /* numbers */</li><li class="li1">.php .kw3 &#123; color: #096 } /* core language functions */</li><li class="li2">.php .re0 &#123; color: #09F; font-weight: bold; } /* variables */</li><li class="li1">.php .kw1 &#123; color: #069; font-weight: bold; } /* control statements? */</li><li class="li2">.php .kw4 &#123; color: #069; font-weight: bold; } /* bool? */</li><li class="li1">.php .co1 &#123; color: #FF8400 } /* Forward slash comments */</li></ol></pre> </body> </html>

  Read the article

• Mysql - help me optimize this query

  - by sandeepan-nath

  About the system: -The system has a total of 8 tables - Users - Tutor_Details (Tutors are a type of User,Tutor_Details table is linked to Users) - learning_packs, (stores packs created by tutors) - learning_packs_tag_relations, (holds tag relations meant for search) - tutors_tag_relations and tags and orders (containing purchase details of tutor's packs), order_details linked to orders and tutor_details. For a more clear idea about the tables involved please check the The tables section in the end. -A tags based search approach is being followed.Tag relations are created when new tutors register and when tutors create packs (this makes tutors and packs searcheable). For details please check the section How tags work in this system? below. Following is a simpler representation (not the actual) of the more complex query which I am trying to optimize:- I have used statements like explanation of parts in the query select SUM(DISTINCT( t.tag LIKE "%Dictatorship%" )) as key_1_total_matches, SUM(DISTINCT( t.tag LIKE "%democracy%" )) as key_2_total_matches, td., u., count(distinct(od.id_od)), if (lp.id_lp > 0) then some conditional logic on lp fields else 0 as tutor_popularity from Tutor_Details AS td JOIN Users as u on u.id_user = td.id_user LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs_Tag_Relations AS lptagrels ON td.id_tutor = lptagrels.id_tutor LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs AS lp ON lptagrels.id_lp = lp.id_lp LEFT JOIN `some other tables on lp.id_lp - let's call learning pack tables set (including Learning_Packs table)` LEFT JOIN Order_Details as od on td.id_tutor = od.id_author LEFT JOIN Orders as o on od.id_order = o.id_order LEFT JOIN Tutors_Tag_Relations as ttagrels ON td.id_tutor = ttagrels.id_tutor JOIN Tags as t on (t.id_tag = ttagrels.id_tag) OR (t.id_tag = lptagrels.id_tag) where some condition on Users table's fields AND CASE WHEN ((t.id_tag = lptagrels.id_tag) AND (lp.id_lp 0)) THEN `some conditions on learning pack tables set` ELSE 1 END AND CASE WHEN ((t.id_tag = wtagrels.id_tag) AND (wc.id_wc 0)) THEN `some conditions on webclasses tables set` ELSE 1 END AND CASE WHEN (od.id_od0) THEN od.id_author = td.id_tutor and some conditions on Orders table's fields ELSE 1 END AND ( t.tag LIKE "%Dictatorship%" OR t.tag LIKE "%democracy%") group by td.id_tutor HAVING key_1_total_matches = 1 AND key_2_total_matches = 1 order by tutor_popularity desc, u.surname asc, u.name asc limit 0,20 ===================================================================== What does the above query do? Does AND logic search on the search keywords (2 in this example - "Democracy" and "Dictatorship"). Returns only those tutors for which both the keywords are present in the union of the two sets - tutors details and details of all the packs created by a tutor. To make things clear - Suppose a Tutor name "Sandeepan Nath" has created a pack "My first pack", then:- Searching "Sandeepan Nath" returns Sandeepan Nath. Searching "Sandeepan first" returns Sandeepan Nath. Searching "Sandeepan second" does not return Sandeepan Nath. ====================================================================================== The problem The results returned by the above query are correct (AND logic working as per expectation), but the time taken by the query on heavily loaded databases is like 25 seconds as against normal query timings of the order of 0.005 - 0.0002 seconds, which makes it totally unusable. It is possible that some of the delay is being caused because all the possible fields have not yet been indexed, but I would appreciate a better query as a solution, optimized as much as possible, displaying the same results ========================================================================================== How tags work in this system? When a tutor registers, tags are entered and tag relations are created with respect to tutor's details like name, surname etc. When a Tutors create packs, again tags are entered and tag relations are created with respect to pack's details like pack name, description etc. tag relations for tutors stored in tutors_tag_relations and those for packs stored in learning_packs_tag_relations. All individual tags are stored in tags table. ==================================================================== The tables Most of the following tables contain many other fields which I have omitted here. CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users ( id_user int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, name varchar(100) NOT NULL DEFAULT '', surname varchar(155) NOT NULL DEFAULT '', PRIMARY KEY (id_user) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 AUTO_INCREMENT=636 ; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tutor_details ( id_tutor int(10) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, id_user int(10) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0', PRIMARY KEY (id_tutor), KEY Users_FKIndex1 (id_user) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=51 ; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS orders ( id_order int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, PRIMARY KEY (id_order), KEY Orders_FKIndex1 (id_user), ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 AUTO_INCREMENT=275 ; ALTER TABLE orders ADD CONSTRAINT Orders_ibfk_1 FOREIGN KEY (id_user) REFERENCES users (id_user) ON DELETE NO ACTION ON UPDATE NO ACTION; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS order_details ( id_od int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, id_order int(10) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT '0', id_author int(10) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0', PRIMARY KEY (id_od), KEY Order_Details_FKIndex1 (id_order) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 AUTO_INCREMENT=284 ; ALTER TABLE order_details ADD CONSTRAINT Order_Details_ibfk_1 FOREIGN KEY (id_order) REFERENCES orders (id_order) ON DELETE NO ACTION ON UPDATE NO ACTION; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS learning_packs ( id_lp int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, id_author int(10) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT '0', PRIMARY KEY (id_lp), KEY Learning_Packs_FKIndex2 (id_author), KEY id_lp (id_lp) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 AUTO_INCREMENT=23 ; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tags ( id_tag int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, tag varchar(255) DEFAULT NULL, PRIMARY KEY (id_tag), UNIQUE KEY tag (tag), KEY id_tag (id_tag), KEY tag_2 (tag), KEY tag_3 (tag) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=3419 ; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tutors_tag_relations ( id_tag int(10) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT '0', id_tutor int(10) DEFAULT NULL, KEY Tutors_Tag_Relations (id_tag), KEY id_tutor (id_tutor), KEY id_tag (id_tag) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1; ALTER TABLE tutors_tag_relations ADD CONSTRAINT Tutors_Tag_Relations_ibfk_1 FOREIGN KEY (id_tag) REFERENCES tags (id_tag) ON DELETE NO ACTION ON UPDATE NO ACTION; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS learning_packs_tag_relations ( id_tag int(10) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT '0', id_tutor int(10) DEFAULT NULL, id_lp int(10) unsigned DEFAULT NULL, KEY Learning_Packs_Tag_Relations_FKIndex1 (id_tag), KEY id_lp (id_lp), KEY id_tag (id_tag) ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1; ALTER TABLE learning_packs_tag_relations ADD CONSTRAINT Learning_Packs_Tag_Relations_ibfk_1 FOREIGN KEY (id_tag) REFERENCES tags (id_tag) ON DELETE NO ACTION ON UPDATE NO ACTION; =================================================================================== Following is the exact query (this includes classes also - tutors can create classes and search terms are matched with classes created by tutors):- select count(distinct(od.id_od)) as tutor_popularity, CASE WHEN (IF((wc.id_wc 0), ( wc.wc_api_status = 1 AND wc.wc_type = 0 AND wc.class_date '2010-06-01 22:00:56' AND wccp.status = 1 AND (wccp.country_code='IE' or wccp.country_code IN ('INT'))), 0)) THEN 1 ELSE 0 END as 'classes_published', CASE WHEN (IF((lp.id_lp 0), (lp.id_status = 1 AND lp.published = 1 AND lpcp.status = 1 AND (lpcp.country_code='IE' or lpcp.country_code IN ('INT'))),0)) THEN 1 ELSE 0 END as 'packs_published', td . * , u . * from Tutor_Details AS td JOIN Users as u on u.id_user = td.id_user LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs_Tag_Relations AS lptagrels ON td.id_tutor = lptagrels.id_tutor LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs AS lp ON lptagrels.id_lp = lp.id_lp LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs_Categories AS lpc ON lpc.id_lp_cat = lp.id_lp_cat LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs_Categories AS lpcp ON lpcp.id_lp_cat = lpc.id_parent LEFT JOIN Learning_Pack_Content as lpct on (lp.id_lp = lpct.id_lp) LEFT JOIN Webclasses_Tag_Relations AS wtagrels ON td.id_tutor = wtagrels.id_tutor LEFT JOIN WebClasses AS wc ON wtagrels.id_wc = wc.id_wc LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs_Categories AS wcc ON wcc.id_lp_cat = wc.id_wp_cat LEFT JOIN Learning_Packs_Categories AS wccp ON wccp.id_lp_cat = wcc.id_parent LEFT JOIN Order_Details as od on td.id_tutor = od.id_author LEFT JOIN Orders as o on od.id_order = o.id_order LEFT JOIN Tutors_Tag_Relations as ttagrels ON td.id_tutor = ttagrels.id_tutor JOIN Tags as t on (t.id_tag = ttagrels.id_tag) OR (t.id_tag = lptagrels.id_tag) OR (t.id_tag = wtagrels.id_tag) where (u.country='IE' or u.country IN ('INT')) AND CASE WHEN ((t.id_tag = lptagrels.id_tag) AND (lp.id_lp 0)) THEN lp.id_status = 1 AND lp.published = 1 AND lpcp.status = 1 AND (lpcp.country_code='IE' or lpcp.country_code IN ('INT')) ELSE 1 END AND CASE WHEN ((t.id_tag = wtagrels.id_tag) AND (wc.id_wc 0)) THEN wc.wc_api_status = 1 AND wc.wc_type = 0 AND wc.class_date '2010-06-01 22:00:56' AND wccp.status = 1 AND (wccp.country_code='IE' or wccp.country_code IN ('INT')) ELSE 1 END AND CASE WHEN (od.id_od0) THEN od.id_author = td.id_tutor and o.order_status = 'paid' and CASE WHEN (od.id_wc 0) THEN od.can_attend_class=1 ELSE 1 END ELSE 1 END AND 1 group by td.id_tutor order by tutor_popularity desc, u.surname asc, u.name asc limit 0,20 Please note - The provided database structure does not show all the fields and tables as in this query

  Read the article

• Dealing with external processes

  - by Jesse Aldridge

  I've been working on a gui app that needs to manage external processes. Working with external processes leads to a lot of issues that can make a programmer's life difficult. I feel like maintenence on this app is taking an unacceptably long time. I've been trying to list the things that make working with external processes difficult so that I can come up with ways of mitigating the pain. This kind of turned into a rant which I thought I'd post here in order to get some feedback and to provide some guidance to anybody thinking about sailing into these very murky waters. Here's what I've got so far: Output from the child can get mixed up with output from the parent. This can make both outputs misleading and hard to read. It can be hard to tell what came from where. It becomes harder to figure out what's going on when things are asynchronous. Here's a contrived example: import textwrap, os, time from subprocess import Popen test_path = 'test_file.py' with open(test_path, 'w') as file: file.write(textwrap.dedent(''' import time for i in range(3): print 'Hello %i' % i time.sleep(1)''')) proc = Popen('python -B "%s"' % test_path) for i in range(3): print 'Hello %i' % i time.sleep(1) os.remove(test_path) I guess I could have the child process write its output to a file. But it can be annoying to have to open up a file every time I want to see the result of a print statement. If I have code for the child process I could add a label, something like print 'child: Hello %i', but it can be annoying to do that for every print. And it adds some noise to the output. And of course I can't do it if I don't have access to the code. I could manually manage the process output. But then you open up a huge can of worms with threads and polling and stuff like that. A simple solution is to treat processes like synchronous functions, that is, no further code executes until the process completes. In other words, make the process block. But that doesn't work if you're building a gui app. Which brings me to the next problem... Blocking processes cause the gui to become unresponsive. import textwrap, sys, os from subprocess import Popen from PyQt4.QtGui import * from PyQt4.QtCore import * test_path = 'test_file.py' with open(test_path, 'w') as file: file.write(textwrap.dedent(''' import time for i in range(3): print 'Hello %i' % i time.sleep(1)''')) app = QApplication(sys.argv) button = QPushButton('Launch process') def launch_proc(): # Can't move the window until process completes proc = Popen('python -B "%s"' % test_path) proc.communicate() button.connect(button, SIGNAL('clicked()'), launch_proc) button.show() app.exec_() os.remove(test_path) Qt provides a process wrapper of its own called QProcess which can help with this. You can connect functions to signals to capture output relatively easily. This is what I'm currently using. But I'm finding that all these signals behave suspiciously like goto statements and can lead to spaghetti code. I think I want to get sort-of blocking behavior by having the 'finished' signal from QProcess call a function containing all the code that comes after the process call. I think that should work but I'm still a bit fuzzy on the details... Stack traces get interrupted when you go from the child process back to the parent process. If a normal function screws up, you get a nice complete stack trace with filenames and line numbers. If a subprocess screws up, you'll be lucky if you get any output at all. You end up having to do a lot more detective work everytime something goes wrong. Speaking of which, output has a way of disappearing when dealing external processes. Like if you run something via the windows 'cmd' command, the console will pop up, execute the code, and then disappear before you have a chance to see the output. You have to pass the /k flag to make it stick around. Similar issues seem to crop up all the time. I suppose both problems 3 and 4 have the same root cause: no exception handling. Exception handling is meant to be used with functions, it doesn't work with processes. Maybe there's some way to get something like exception handling for processes? I guess that's what stderr is for? But dealing with two different streams can be annoying in itself. Maybe I should look into this more... Processes can hang and stick around in the background without you realizing it. So you end up yelling at your computer cuz it's going so slow until you finally bring up your task manager and see 30 instances of the same process hanging out in the background. Also, hanging background processes can interefere with other instances of the process in various fun ways, such as causing permissions errors by holding a handle to a file or someting like that. It seems like an easy solution to this would be to have the parent process kill the child process on exit if the child process didn't close itself. But if the parent process crashes, cleanup code might not get called and the child can be left hanging. Also, if the parent waits for the child to complete, and the child is in an infinite loop or something, you can end up with two hanging processes. This problem can tie in to problem 2 for extra fun, causing your gui to stop responding entirely and force you to kill everything with the task manager. F***ing quotes Parameters often need to be passed to processes. This is a headache in itself. Especially if you're dealing with file paths. Say... 'C:/My Documents/whatever/'. If you don't have quotes, the string will often be split at the space and interpreted as two arguments. If you need nested quotes you can use ' and ". But if you need to use more than two layers of quotes, you have to do some nasty escaping, for example: "cmd /k 'python \'path 1\' \'path 2\''". A good solution to this problem is passing parameters as a list rather than as a single string. Subprocess allows you to do this. Can't easily return data from a subprocess. You can use stdout of course. But what if you want to throw a print in there for debugging purposes? That's gonna screw up the parent if it's expecting output formatted a certain way. In functions you can print one string and return another and everything works just fine. Obscure command-line flags and a crappy terminal based help system. These are problems I often run into when using os level apps. Like the /k flag I mentioned, for holding a cmd window open, who's idea was that? Unix apps don't tend to be much friendlier in this regard. Hopefully you can use google or StackOverflow to find the answer you need. But if not, you've got a lot of boring reading and frusterating trial and error to do. External factors. This one's kind of fuzzy. But when you leave the relatively sheltered harbor of your own scripts to deal with external processes you find yourself having to deal with the "outside world" to a much greater extent. And that's a scary place. All sorts of things can go wrong. Just to give a random example: the cwd in which a process is run can modify it's behavior. There are probably other issues, but those are the ones I've written down so far. Any other snags you'd like to add? Any suggestions for dealing with these problems?

  Read the article

• CCNet 1.6 Conditional Plugin Help Needed!

  - by Mike M

  Hi all, I cannot get the conditional plugin to work that has been added to CCNet as of version 1.6 - clicky. I am running the latest version of CCNet (1.6.7258.1) and have the following code in my ccnet.config: <project name="9iCompile"> <sourcecontrol type="svn"> <trunkUrl>http://bis-build:81/svn/Oracle/oas_forms/COPEN</trunkUrl> <workingDirectory>C:\OAS\COPEN</workingDirectory> <username>*</username> <password>*</password> <executable>C:\Program Files\VisualSVN\bin\svn.exe</executable> </sourcecontrol> <conditional> <conditions> <compareCondition> <value1>$[ProjectType]</value1> <value2>copen</value2> <evaluation>equal</evaluation> <ignoreCase>true</ignoreCase> </compareCondition> </conditions> <tasks> <nant> <executable>C:\Program Files\nant-0.85\bin\nant.exe</executable> <baseDirectory>C:\OAS</baseDirectory> <buildFile>Oracle9i_Automation_v2.build</buildFile> <targetList> <target>build</target> </targetList> </nant> </tasks> </conditional> <!-- more conditional statements would be here for different project types if I can get it to work --> <parameters> <selectParameter name="ProjectType"> <description>The type of project to operate on.</description> <allowedValues> <value name="COPEN">copen</value> <value name="BCS">bcs</value> <value name="FCDD">fcdd</value> </allowedValues> </parameters> <security type="defaultProjectSecurity" defaultRight="Deny"> <permissions> <rolePermission name="Developers" ref="Developers"/> <rolePermission name="Accepters" ref="Accepters"/> <rolePermission name="Releasers" ref="Releasers"/> <rolePermission name="Administrators" ref="Administrators"/> </permissions> </security> </project> The CCNet server crashes whenever I try to run this config though with the following output: [14:ERROR] Exception: Unused node detected: <conditional> <conditions> <compareCondition> <value1>$[ProjectType]</value1> <value2>copen</value2> <evaluation>equal</evaluation> <ignoreCase>true</ignoreCase> </compareCondition> </conditions> <tasks> <nant> <executable>C:\Program Files\nant-0.85\bin\nant.exe</executable> <baseDirectory>C:\OAS</baseDirectory> <buildFile>Oracle9i_Automation_v2.build</buildFile> <targetList> <target>build</target> </targetList> </nant> </tasks> </conditional> ---------- ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.ConfigurationException: Unused node detected: <conditional> <conditions> <compareCondition> <value1>$[ProjectType]</value1> <value2>copen</value2> <evaluation>equal</evaluation> <ignoreCase>true</ignoreCase> </compareCondition> </conditions> <tasks> <nant> <executable>C:\Program Files\nant-0.85\bin\nant.exe</executable> <baseDirectory>C:\OAS</baseDirectory> <buildFile>Oracle9i_Automation_v2.build</buildFile> <targetList> <target>build</target> </targetList> </nant> </tasks> </conditional> at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.NetReflectorConfigurationReader.Defa­ultErrorProcesser.ProcessError(String message) at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.NetReflectorConfigurationReader.<>c_­_DisplayClass1.<Read>b__0(InvalidNodeEventArgs args) at Exortech.NetReflector.InvalidNodeEventHandler.Invoke(InvalidNodeEventArgsar­gs) at Exortech.NetReflector.NetReflectorTypeTable.OnInvalidNode(InvalidNodeEventA­rgs args) at Exortech.NetReflector.XmlTypeSerialiser.HandleUnusedNode(NetReflectorTypeTa­ble table, XmlNode orphan) at Exortech.NetReflector.XmlTypeSerialiser.ReadMembers(XmlNode node, Object instance, NetReflectorTypeTable table) at Exortech.NetReflector.XmlTypeSerialiser.Read(XmlNode node, NetReflectorTypeTable table) at Exortech.NetReflector.NetReflectorReader.Read(XmlNode node) at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.NetReflectorConfigurationReader.Read­(XmlDocument document, IConfigurationErrorProcesser errorProcesser) at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.DefaultConfigurationFileLoader.Load(­FileInfo configFile) at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.FileConfigurationService.Load() at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.FileWatcherConfigurationService.Load­() at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.CachingConfigurationService.Load() at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.CruiseServer.Restart() at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.ConfigurationUpdateHandler.Invoke() at ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.Core.Config.FileWatcherConfigurationService.Hand­leConfigurationFileChanged(Object source, FileSystemEventArgs args) ---------- Can someone please help?? I have no idea what I'm doing wrong here or if this is a bug :( I have also posted on the ccnet-user group several days ago but have not received any response :(

  Read the article

• Getting segmentaion fault after destructor

  - by therealsquiggy

  I'm making a small file reading and data validation program as part of my TAFE (a tertiary college) course, This includes checking and validating dates. I decided that it would be best done with a seperate class, rather than integrating it into my main driver class. The problem is that I'm getting a segmentation fault(core dumped) after my test program runs. Near as I can tell, the error occurs when the program terminates, popping up after the destructor is called. So far I have had no luck finding the cause of this fault, and was hoping that some enlightened soul might show me the error of my ways. date.h #ifndef DATE_H #define DATE_H #include <string> using std::string; #include <sstream> using std::stringstream; #include <cstdlib> using std::exit; #include <iostream> using std::cout; using std::endl; class date { public: explicit date(); ~date(); bool before(string dateIn1, string dateIn2); int yearsBetween(string dateIn1, string dateIn2); bool isValid(string dateIn); bool getDate(int date[], string dateIn); bool isLeapYear(int year); private: int days[]; }; #endif date.cpp #include "date.h" date::date() { days[0] = 31; days[1] = 28; days[2] = 31; days[3] = 30; days[4] = 31; days[5] = 30; days[6] = 31; days[7] = 31; days[8] = 30; days[9] = 31; days[10] = 30; days[11] = 31; } bool date::before(string dateIn1, string dateIn2) { int date1[3]; int date2[3]; getDate(date1, dateIn1); getDate(date2, dateIn2); if (date1[2] < date2[2]) { return true; } else if (date1[1] < date2[1]) { return true; } else if (date1[0] < date2[0]) { return true; } return false; } date::~date() { cout << "this is for testing only, plox delete\n"; } int date::yearsBetween(string dateIn1, string dateIn2) { int date1[3]; int date2[3]; getDate(date1, dateIn1); getDate(date2, dateIn2); int years = date2[2] - date1[2]; if (date1[1] > date2[1]) { years--; } if ((date1[1] == date2[1]) && (date1[0] > date2[1])) { years--; } return years; } bool date::isValid(string dateIn) { int date[3]; if (getDate(date, dateIn)) { if (date[1] <= 12) { int extraDay = 0; if (isLeapYear(date[2])) { extraDay++; } if ((date[0] + extraDay) <= days[date[1] - 1]) { return true; } } } else { return false; } } bool date::getDate(int date[], string dateIn) { string part1, part2, part3; size_t whereIs, lastFound; whereIs = dateIn.find("/"); part1 = dateIn.substr(0, whereIs); lastFound = whereIs + 1; whereIs = dateIn.find("/", lastFound); part2 = dateIn.substr(lastFound, whereIs - lastFound); lastFound = whereIs + 1; part3 = dateIn.substr(lastFound, 4); stringstream p1(part1); stringstream p2(part2); stringstream p3(part3); if (p1 >> date[0]) { if (p2>>date[1]) { return (p3>>date[2]); } else { return false; } return false; } } bool date::isLeapYear(int year) { return ((year % 4) == 0); } and Finally, the test program #include <iostream> using std::cout; using std::endl; #include "date.h" int main() { date d; cout << "1/1/1988 before 3/5/1990 [" << d.before("1/1/1988", "3/5/1990") << "]\n1/1/1988 before 1/1/1970 [" << d.before("a/a/1988", "1/1/1970") <<"]\n"; cout << "years between 1/1/1988 and 1/1/1998 [" << d.yearsBetween("1/1/1988", "1/1/1998") << "]\n"; cout << "is 1/1/1988 valid [" << d.isValid("1/1/1988") << "]\n" << "is 2/13/1988 valid [" << d.isValid("2/13/1988") << "]\n" << "is 32/12/1988 valid [" << d.isValid("32/12/1988") << "]\n"; cout << "blerg\n"; } I've left in some extraneous cout statements, which I've been using to try and locate the error. I thank you in advance.

  Read the article

• Custom language - FOR loop in a clojure interpeter?

  - by Mark

  I have a basic interpreter in clojure. Now i need to implement for (initialisation; finish-test; loop-update) { statements } Implement a similar for-loop for the interpreted language. The pattern will be: (for variable-declarations end-test loop-update do statement) The variable-declarations will set up initial values for variables.The end-test returns a boolean, and the loop will end if end-test returns false. The statement is interpreted followed by the loop-update for each pass of the loop. Examples of use are: (run ’(for ((i 0)) (< i 10) (set i (+ 1 i)) do (println i))) (run ’(for ((i 0) (j 0)) (< i 10) (seq (set i (+ 1 i)) (set j (+ j (* 2 i)))) do (println j))) inside my interpreter. I will attach my interpreter code I got so far. Any help is appreciated. Interpreter (declare interpret make-env) ;; needed as language terms call out to 'interpret' (def do-trace false) ;; change to 'true' to show calls to 'interpret' ;; simple utilities (def third ; return third item in a list (fn [a-list] (second (rest a-list)))) (def fourth ; return fourth item in a list (fn [a-list] (third (rest a-list)))) (def run ; make it easy to test the interpreter (fn [e] (println "Processing: " e) (println "=> " (interpret e (make-env))))) ;; for the environment (def make-env (fn [] '())) (def add-var (fn [env var val] (cons (list var val) env))) (def lookup-var (fn [env var] (cond (empty? env) 'error (= (first (first env)) var) (second (first env)) :else (lookup-var (rest env) var)))) ;; for terms in language ;; -- define numbers (def is-number? (fn [expn] (number? expn))) (def interpret-number (fn [expn env] expn)) ;; -- define symbols (def is-symbol? (fn [expn] (symbol? expn))) (def interpret-symbol (fn [expn env] (lookup-var env expn))) ;; -- define boolean (def is-boolean? (fn [expn] (or (= expn 'true) (= expn 'false)))) (def interpret-boolean (fn [expn env] expn)) ;; -- define functions (def is-function? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= 'lambda (first expn))))) (def interpret-function ; keep function definitions as they are written (fn [expn env] expn)) ;; -- define addition (def is-plus? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= '+ (first expn))))) (def interpret-plus (fn [expn env] (+ (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define subtraction (def is-minus? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= '- (first expn))))) (def interpret-minus (fn [expn env] (- (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define multiplication (def is-times? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= '* (first expn))))) (def interpret-times (fn [expn env] (* (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define division (def is-divides? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= '/ (first expn))))) (def interpret-divides (fn [expn env] (/ (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define equals test (def is-equals? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= '= (first expn))))) (def interpret-equals (fn [expn env] (= (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define greater-than test (def is-greater-than? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= '> (first expn))))) (def interpret-greater-than (fn [expn env] (> (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define not (def is-not? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 2 (count expn)) (= 'not (first expn))))) (def interpret-not (fn [expn env] (not (interpret (second expn) env)))) ;; -- define or (def is-or? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= 'or (first expn))))) (def interpret-or (fn [expn env] (or (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define and (def is-and? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= 'and (first expn))))) (def interpret-and (fn [expn env] (and (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env)))) ;; -- define print (def is-print? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 2 (count expn)) (= 'println (first expn))))) (def interpret-print (fn [expn env] (println (interpret (second expn) env)))) ;; -- define with (def is-with? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 3 (count expn)) (= 'with (first expn))))) (def interpret-with (fn [expn env] (interpret (third expn) (add-var env (first (second expn)) (interpret (second (second expn)) env))))) ;; -- define if (def is-if? (fn [expn] (and (list? expn) (= 4 (count expn)) (= 'if (first expn))))) (def interpret-if (fn [expn env] (cond (interpret (second expn) env) (interpret (third expn) env) :else (interpret (fourth expn) env)))) ;; -- define function-application (def is-function-application? (fn [expn env] (and (list? expn) (= 2 (count expn)) (is-function? (interpret (first expn) env))))) (def interpret-function-application (fn [expn env] (let [function (interpret (first expn) env)] (interpret (third function) (add-var env (first (second function)) (interpret (second expn) env)))))) ;; the interpreter itself (def interpret (fn [expn env] (cond do-trace (println "Interpret is processing: " expn)) (cond ; basic values (is-number? expn) (interpret-number expn env) (is-symbol? expn) (interpret-symbol expn env) (is-boolean? expn) (interpret-boolean expn env) (is-function? expn) (interpret-function expn env) ; built-in functions (is-plus? expn) (interpret-plus expn env) (is-minus? expn) (interpret-minus expn env) (is-times? expn) (interpret-times expn env) (is-divides? expn) (interpret-divides expn env) (is-equals? expn) (interpret-equals expn env) (is-greater-than? expn) (interpret-greater-than expn env) (is-not? expn) (interpret-not expn env) (is-or? expn) (interpret-or expn env) (is-and? expn) (interpret-and expn env) (is-print? expn) (interpret-print expn env) ; special syntax (is-with? expn) (interpret-with expn env) (is-if? expn) (interpret-if expn env) ; functions (is-function-application? expn env) (interpret-function-application expn env) :else 'error))) ;; tests of using environment (println "Environment tests:") (println (add-var (make-env) 'x 1)) (println (add-var (add-var (add-var (make-env) 'x 1) 'y 2) 'x 3)) (println (lookup-var '() 'x)) (println (lookup-var '((x 1)) 'x)) (println (lookup-var '((x 1) (y 2)) 'x)) (println (lookup-var '((x 1) (y 2)) 'y)) (println (lookup-var '((x 3) (y 2) (x 1)) 'x)) ;; examples of using interpreter (println "Interpreter examples:") (run '1) (run '2) (run '(+ 1 2)) (run '(/ (* (+ 4 5) (- 2 4)) 2)) (run '(with (x 1) x)) (run '(with (x 1) (with (y 2) (+ x y)))) (run '(with (x (+ 2 4)) x)) (run 'false) (run '(not false)) (run '(with (x true) (with (y false) (or x y)))) (run '(or (= 3 4) (> 4 3))) (run '(with (x 1) (if (= x 1) 2 3))) (run '(with (x 2) (if (= x 1) 2 3))) (run '((lambda (n) (* 2 n)) 4)) (run '(with (double (lambda (n) (* 2 n))) (double 4))) (run '(with (sum-to (lambda (n) (if (= n 0) 0 (+ n (sum-to (- n 1)))))) (sum-to 100))) (run '(with (x 1) (with (f (lambda (n) (+ n x))) (with (x 2) (println (f 3))))))

  Read the article

• I need help on my C++ assignment using Microsoft Visual C++

  - by krayzwytie

  Ok, so I don't want you to do my homework for me, but I'm a little lost with this final assignment and need all the help I can get. Learning about programming is tough enough, but doing it online is next to impossible for me... Now, to get to the program, I am going to paste what I have so far. This includes mostly //comments and what I have written so far. If you can help me figure out where all the errors are and how to complete the assignment, I will really appreciate it. Like I said, I don't want you to do my homework for me (it's my final), but any constructive criticism is welcome. This is my final assignment for this class and it is due tomorrow (Sunday before midnight, Arizona time). This is the assignment: Examine the following situation: Your company, Datamax, Inc., is in the process of automating its payroll systems. Your manager has asked you to create a program that calculates overtime pay for all employees. Your program must take into account the employee’s salary, total hours worked, and hours worked more than 40 in a week, and then provide an output that is useful and easily understood by company management. Compile your program utilizing the following background information and the code outline in Appendix D (included in the code section). Submit your project as an attachment including the code and the output. Company Background: Three employees: Mark, John, and Mary The end user needs to be prompted for three specific pieces of input—name, hours worked, and hourly wage. Calculate overtime if input is greater than 40 hours per week. Provide six test plans to verify the logic within the program. Plan 1 must display the proper information for employee #1 with overtime pay. Plan 2 must display the proper information for employee #1 with no overtime pay. Plans 3-6 are duplicates of plan 1 and 2 but for the other employees. Program Requirements: Define a base class to use for the entire program. The class holds the function calls and the variables related to the overtime pay calculations. Define one object per employee. Note there will be three employees. Your program must take the objects created and implement calculations based on total salaries, total hours, and the total number of overtime hours. See the Employee Summary Data section of the sample output. Logic Steps to Complete Your Program: Define your base class. Define your objects from your base class. Prompt for user input, updating your object classes for all three users. Implement your overtime pay calculations. Display overtime or regular time pay calculations. See the sample output below. Implement object calculations by summarizing your employee objects and display the summary information in the example below. And this is the code: // Final_Project.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application. // #include "stdafx.h" #include <iostream> #include <string> #include <iomanip> using namespace std; // //CLASS DECLARATION SECTION // class CEmployee { public: void ImplementCalculations(string EmployeeName, double hours, double wage); void DisplayEmployInformation(void); void Addsomethingup (CEmployee, CEmployee, CEmployee); string EmployeeName ; int hours ; int overtime_hours ; int iTotal_hours ; int iTotal_OvertimeHours ; float wage ; float basepay ; float overtime_pay ; float overtime_extra ; float iTotal_salaries ; float iIndividualSalary ; }; int main() { system("cls"); cout << "Welcome to the Employee Pay Center"; /* Use this section to define your objects. You will have one object per employee. You have only three employees. The format is your class name and your object name. */ std::cout << "Please enter Employee's Name: "; std::cin >> EmployeeName; std::cout << "Please enter Total Hours for (EmployeeName): "; std::cin >> hours; std::cout << "Please enter Base Pay for(EmployeeName): "; std::cin >> basepay; /* Here you will prompt for the first employee’s information. Prompt the employee name, hours worked, and the hourly wage. For each piece of information, you will update the appropriate class member defined above. Example of Prompts Enter the employee name = Enter the hours worked = Enter his or her hourly wage = */ /* Here you will prompt for the second employee’s information. Prompt the employee name, hours worked, and the hourly wage. For each piece of information, you will update the appropriate class member defined above. Enter the employee name = Enter the hours worked = Enter his or her hourly wage = */ /* Here you will prompt for the third employee’s information. Prompt the employee name, hours worked, and the hourly wage. For each piece of information, you will update the appropriate class member defined above. Enter the employee name = Enter the hours worked = Enter his or her hourly wage = */ /* Here you will implement a function call to implement the employ calcuations for each object defined above. You will do this for each of the three employees or objects. The format for this step is the following: [(object name.function name(objectname.name, objectname.hours, objectname.wage)] ; */ /* This section you will send all three objects to a function that will add up the the following information: - Total Employee Salaries - Total Employee Hours - Total Overtime Hours The format for this function is the following: - Define a new object. - Implement function call [objectname.functionname(object name 1, object name 2, object name 3)] /* } //End of Main Function void CEmployee::ImplementCalculations (string EmployeeName, double hours, double wage){ //Initialize overtime variables overtime_hours=0; overtime_pay=0; overtime_extra=0; if (hours > 40) { /* This section is for the basic calculations for calculating overtime pay. - base pay = 40 hours times the hourly wage - overtime hours = hours worked – 40 - overtime pay = hourly wage * 1.5 - overtime extra pay over 40 = overtime hours * overtime pay - salary = overtime money over 40 hours + your base pay */ /* Implement function call to output the employee information. Function is defined below. */ } // if (hours > 40) else { /* Here you are going to calculate the hours less than 40 hours. - Your base pay is = your hours worked times your wage - Salary = your base pay */ /* Implement function call to output the employee information. Function is defined below. */ } // End of the else } //End of Primary Function void CEmployee::DisplayEmployInformation(); { // This function displays all the employee output information. /* This is your cout statements to display the employee information: Employee Name ............. = Base Pay .................. = Hours in Overtime ......... = Overtime Pay Amount........ = Total Pay ................. = */ } // END OF Display Employee Information void CEmployee::Addsomethingup (CEmployee Employ1, CEmployee Employ2) { // Adds two objects of class Employee passed as // function arguments and saves them as the calling object's data member values. /* Add the total hours for objects 1, 2, and 3. Add the salaries for each object. Add the total overtime hours. */ /* Then display the information below. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%% EMPLOYEE SUMMARY DATA%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%% Total Employee Salaries ..... = 576.43 %%%% Total Employee Hours ........ = 108 %%%% Total Overtime Hours......... = 5 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% */ } // End of function

  Read the article

• Referencing CDI producer method result in h:selectOneMenu

  - by user953217

  I have a named session scoped bean CustomerRegistration which has a named producer method getNewCustomer which returns a Customer object. There is also CustomerListProducer class which produces all customers as list from the database. On the selectCustomer.xhtml page the user is then able to select one of the customers and submit the selection to the application which then simply prints out the last name of the selected customer. Now this only works when I reference the selected customer on the facelets page via #{customerRegistration.newCustomer}. When I simply use #{newCustomer} then the output for the last name is null whenever I submit the form. What's going on here? Is this the expected behavior as according to chapter 7.1 Restriction upon bean instantion of JSR-299 spec? It says: ... However, if the application directly instantiates a bean class, instead of letting the container perform instantiation, the resulting instance is not managed by the container and is not a contextual instance as defined by Section 6.5.2, “Contextual instance of a bean”. Furthermore, the capabilities listed in Section 2.1, “Functionality provided by the container to the bean” will not be available to that particular instance. In a deployed application, it is the container that is responsible for instantiating beans and initializing their dependencies. ... Here's the code: Customer.java: @javax.persistence.Entity @Veto public class Customer implements Serializable, Entity { private static final long serialVersionUID = 122193054725297662L; @Column(name = "first_name") private String firstName; @Column(name = "last_name") private String lastName; @Id @GeneratedValue() private Long id; public String getFirstName() { return firstName; } public void setFirstName(String firstName) { this.firstName = firstName; } public String getLastName() { return lastName; } public void setLastName(String lastName) { this.lastName = lastName; } @Override public String toString() { return firstName + ", " + lastName; } @Override public Long getId() { return this.id; } } CustomerListProducer.java: @SessionScoped public class CustomerListProducer implements Serializable { @Inject private EntityManager em; private List<Customer> customers; @Inject @Category("helloworld_as7") Logger log; // @Named provides access the return value via the EL variable name // "members" in the UI (e.g., // Facelets or JSP view) @Produces @Named public List<Customer> getCustomers() { return customers; } public void onCustomerListChanged( @Observes(notifyObserver = Reception.IF_EXISTS) final Customer customer) { // retrieveAllCustomersOrderedByName(); log.info(customer.toString()); } @PostConstruct public void retrieveAllCustomersOrderedByName() { CriteriaBuilder cb = em.getCriteriaBuilder(); CriteriaQuery<Customer> criteria = cb.createQuery(Customer.class); Root<Customer> customer = criteria.from(Customer.class); // Swap criteria statements if you would like to try out type-safe // criteria queries, a new // feature in JPA 2.0 // criteria.select(member).orderBy(cb.asc(member.get(Member_.name))); criteria.select(customer).orderBy(cb.asc(customer.get("lastName"))); customers = em.createQuery(criteria).getResultList(); } } CustomerRegistration.java: @Named @SessionScoped public class CustomerRegistration implements Serializable { @Inject @Category("helloworld_as7") private Logger log; private Customer newCustomer; @Produces @Named public Customer getNewCustomer() { return newCustomer; } public void selected() { log.info("Customer " + newCustomer.getLastName() + " ausgewählt."); } @PostConstruct public void initNewCustomer() { newCustomer = new Customer(); } public void setNewCustomer(Customer newCustomer) { this.newCustomer = newCustomer; } } not working selectCustomer.xhtml: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:f="http://java.sun.com/jsf/core" xmlns:h="http://java.sun.com/jsf/html" xmlns:ui="http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets"> <h:head> <title>Auswahl</title> </h:head> <h:body> <h:form> <h:selectOneMenu value="#{newCustomer}" converter="customerConverter"> <f:selectItems value="#{customers}" var="current" itemLabel="#{current.firstName}, #{current.lastName}" /> </h:selectOneMenu> <h:panelGroup id="auswahl"> <h:outputText value="#{newCustomer.lastName}" /> </h:panelGroup> <h:commandButton value="Klick" action="#{customerRegistration.selected}" /> </h:form> </h:body> </html> working selectCustomer.xhtml: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:f="http://java.sun.com/jsf/core" xmlns:h="http://java.sun.com/jsf/html" xmlns:ui="http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets"> <h:head> <title>Auswahl</title> </h:head> <h:body> <h:form> <h:selectOneMenu value="#{customerRegistration.newCustomer}" converter="customerConverter"> <f:selectItems value="#{customers}" var="current" itemLabel="#{current.firstName}, #{current.lastName}" /> </h:selectOneMenu> <h:panelGroup id="auswahl"> <h:outputText value="#{newCustomer.lastName}" /> </h:panelGroup> <h:commandButton value="Klick" action="#{customerRegistration.selected}" /> </h:form> </h:body> </html> CustomerConverter.java: @SessionScoped @FacesConverter("customerConverter") public class CustomerConverter implements Converter, Serializable { private static final long serialVersionUID = -6093400626095413322L; @Inject EntityManager entityManager; @Override public Object getAsObject(FacesContext context, UIComponent component, String value) { Long id = Long.valueOf(value); return entityManager.find(Customer.class, id); } @Override public String getAsString(FacesContext context, UIComponent component, Object value) { return ((Customer) value).getId().toString(); } }

  Read the article

• Getting segmentation fault after destructor

  - by therealsquiggy

  I'm making a small file reading and data validation program as part of my TAFE (a tertiary college) course, This includes checking and validating dates. I decided that it would be best done with a seperate class, rather than integrating it into my main driver class. The problem is that I'm getting a segmentation fault(core dumped) after my test program runs. Near as I can tell, the error occurs when the program terminates, popping up after the destructor is called. So far I have had no luck finding the cause of this fault, and was hoping that some enlightened soul might show me the error of my ways. date.h #ifndef DATE_H #define DATE_H #include <string> using std::string; #include <sstream> using std::stringstream; #include <cstdlib> using std::exit; #include <iostream> using std::cout; using std::endl; class date { public: explicit date(); ~date(); bool before(string dateIn1, string dateIn2); int yearsBetween(string dateIn1, string dateIn2); bool isValid(string dateIn); bool getDate(int date[], string dateIn); bool isLeapYear(int year); private: int days[]; }; #endif date.cpp #include "date.h" date::date() { days[0] = 31; days[1] = 28; days[2] = 31; days[3] = 30; days[4] = 31; days[5] = 30; days[6] = 31; days[7] = 31; days[8] = 30; days[9] = 31; days[10] = 30; days[11] = 31; } bool date::before(string dateIn1, string dateIn2) { int date1[3]; int date2[3]; getDate(date1, dateIn1); getDate(date2, dateIn2); if (date1[2] < date2[2]) { return true; } else if (date1[1] < date2[1]) { return true; } else if (date1[0] < date2[0]) { return true; } return false; } date::~date() { cout << "this is for testing only, plox delete\n"; } int date::yearsBetween(string dateIn1, string dateIn2) { int date1[3]; int date2[3]; getDate(date1, dateIn1); getDate(date2, dateIn2); int years = date2[2] - date1[2]; if (date1[1] > date2[1]) { years--; } if ((date1[1] == date2[1]) && (date1[0] > date2[1])) { years--; } return years; } bool date::isValid(string dateIn) { int date[3]; if (getDate(date, dateIn)) { if (date[1] <= 12) { int extraDay = 0; if (isLeapYear(date[2])) { extraDay++; } if ((date[0] + extraDay) <= days[date[1] - 1]) { return true; } } } else { return false; } } bool date::getDate(int date[], string dateIn) { string part1, part2, part3; size_t whereIs, lastFound; whereIs = dateIn.find("/"); part1 = dateIn.substr(0, whereIs); lastFound = whereIs + 1; whereIs = dateIn.find("/", lastFound); part2 = dateIn.substr(lastFound, whereIs - lastFound); lastFound = whereIs + 1; part3 = dateIn.substr(lastFound, 4); stringstream p1(part1); stringstream p2(part2); stringstream p3(part3); if (p1 >> date[0]) { if (p2>>date[1]) { return (p3>>date[2]); } else { return false; } return false; } } bool date::isLeapYear(int year) { return ((year % 4) == 0); } and Finally, the test program #include <iostream> using std::cout; using std::endl; #include "date.h" int main() { date d; cout << "1/1/1988 before 3/5/1990 [" << d.before("1/1/1988", "3/5/1990") << "]\n1/1/1988 before 1/1/1970 [" << d.before("a/a/1988", "1/1/1970") <<"]\n"; cout << "years between 1/1/1988 and 1/1/1998 [" << d.yearsBetween("1/1/1988", "1/1/1998") << "]\n"; cout << "is 1/1/1988 valid [" << d.isValid("1/1/1988") << "]\n" << "is 2/13/1988 valid [" << d.isValid("2/13/1988") << "]\n" << "is 32/12/1988 valid [" << d.isValid("32/12/1988") << "]\n"; cout << "blerg\n"; } I've left in some extraneous cout statements, which I've been using to try and locate the error. I thank you in advance.

  Read the article

• Handling inheritance with overriding efficiently

  - by Fyodor Soikin

  I have the following two data structures. First, a list of properties applied to object triples: Object1 Object2 Object3 Property Value O1 O2 O3 P1 "abc" O1 O2 O3 P2 "xyz" O1 O3 O4 P1 "123" O2 O4 O5 P1 "098" Second, an inheritance tree: O1 O2 O4 O3 O5 Or viewed as a relation: Object Parent O2 O1 O4 O2 O3 O1 O5 O3 O1 null The semantics of this being that O2 inherits properties from O1; O4 - from O2 and O1; O3 - from O1; and O5 - from O3 and O1, in that order of precedence. NOTE 1: I have an efficient way to select all children or all parents of a given object. This is currently implemented with left and right indexes, but hierarchyid could also work. This does not seem important right now. NOTE 2: I have tiggers in place that make sure that the "Object" column always contains all possible objects, even when they do not really have to be there (i.e. have no parent or children defined). This makes it possible to use inner joins rather than severely less effiecient outer joins. The objective is: Given a pair of (Property, Value), return all object triples that have that property with that value either defined explicitly or inherited from a parent. NOTE 1: An object triple (X,Y,Z) is considered a "parent" of triple (A,B,C) when it is true that either X = A or X is a parent of A, and the same is true for (Y,B) and (Z,C). NOTE 2: A property defined on a closer parent "overrides" the same property defined on a more distant parent. NOTE 3: When (A,B,C) has two parents - (X1,Y1,Z1) and (X2,Y2,Z2), then (X1,Y1,Z1) is considered a "closer" parent when: (a) X2 is a parent of X1, or (b) X2 = X1 and Y2 is a parent of Y1, or (c) X2 = X1 and Y2 = Y1 and Z2 is a parent of Z1 In other words, the "closeness" in ancestry for triples is defined based on the first components of the triples first, then on the second components, then on the third components. This rule establishes an unambigous partial order for triples in terms of ancestry. For example, given the pair of (P1, "abc"), the result set of triples will be: O1, O2, O3 -- Defined explicitly O1, O2, O5 -- Because O5 inherits from O3 O1, O4, O3 -- Because O4 inherits from O2 O1, O4, O5 -- Because O4 inherits from O2 and O5 inherits from O3 O2, O2, O3 -- Because O2 inherits from O1 O2, O2, O5 -- Because O2 inherits from O1 and O5 inherits from O3 O2, O4, O3 -- Because O2 inherits from O1 and O4 inherits from O2 O3, O2, O3 -- Because O3 inherits from O1 O3, O2, O5 -- Because O3 inherits from O1 and O5 inherits from O3 O3, O4, O3 -- Because O3 inherits from O1 and O4 inherits from O2 O3, O4, O5 -- Because O3 inherits from O1 and O4 inherits from O2 and O5 inherits from O3 O4, O2, O3 -- Because O4 inherits from O1 O4, O2, O5 -- Because O4 inherits from O1 and O5 inherits from O3 O4, O4, O3 -- Because O4 inherits from O1 and O4 inherits from O2 O5, O2, O3 -- Because O5 inherits from O1 O5, O2, O5 -- Because O5 inherits from O1 and O5 inherits from O3 O5, O4, O3 -- Because O5 inherits from O1 and O4 inherits from O2 O5, O4, O5 -- Because O5 inherits from O1 and O4 inherits from O2 and O5 inherits from O3 Note that the triple (O2, O4, O5) is absent from this list. This is because property P1 is defined explicitly for the triple (O2, O4, O5) and this prevents that triple from inheriting that property from (O1, O2, O3). Also note that the triple (O4, O4, O5) is also absent. This is because that triple inherits its value of P1="098" from (O2, O4, O5), because it is a closer parent than (O1, O2, O3). The straightforward way to do it is the following. First, for every triple that a property is defined on, select all possible child triples: select Children1.Id as O1, Children2.Id as O2, Children3.Id as O3, tp.Property, tp.Value from TriplesAndProperties tp -- Select corresponding objects of the triple inner join Objects as Objects1 on Objects1.Id = tp.O1 inner join Objects as Objects2 on Objects2.Id = tp.O2 inner join Objects as Objects3 on Objects3.Id = tp.O3 -- Then add all possible children of all those objects inner join Objects as Children1 on Objects1.Id [isparentof] Children1.Id inner join Objects as Children2 on Objects2.Id [isparentof] Children2.Id inner join Objects as Children3 on Objects3.Id [isparentof] Children3.Id But this is not the whole story: if some triple inherits the same property from several parents, this query will yield conflicting results. Therefore, second step is to select just one of those conflicting results: select * from ( select Children1.Id as O1, Children2.Id as O2, Children3.Id as O3, tp.Property, tp.Value, row_number() over( partition by Children1.Id, Children2.Id, Children3.Id, tp.Property order by Objects1.[depthInTheTree] descending, Objects2.[depthInTheTree] descending, Objects3.[depthInTheTree] descending ) as InheritancePriority from ... (see above) ) where InheritancePriority = 1 The window function row_number() over( ... ) does the following: for every unique combination of objects triple and property, it sorts all values by the ancestral distance from the triple to the parents that the value is inherited from, and then I only select the very first of the resulting list of values. A similar effect can be achieved with a GROUP BY and ORDER BY statements, but I just find the window function semantically cleaner (the execution plans they yield are identical). The point is, I need to select the closest of contributing ancestors, and for that I need to group and then sort within the group. And finally, now I can simply filter the result set by Property and Value. This scheme works. Very reliably and predictably. It has proven to be very powerful for the business task it implements. The only trouble is, it is awfuly slow. One might point out the join of seven tables might be slowing things down, but that is actually not the bottleneck. According to the actual execution plan I'm getting from the SQL Management Studio (as well as SQL Profiler), the bottleneck is the sorting. The problem is, in order to satisfy my window function, the server has to sort by Children1.Id, Children2.Id, Children3.Id, tp.Property, Parents1.[depthInTheTree] descending, Parents2.[depthInTheTree] descending, Parents3.[depthInTheTree] descending, and there can be no indexes it can use, because the values come from a cross join of several tables. EDIT: Per Michael Buen's suggestion (thank you, Michael), I have posted the whole puzzle to sqlfiddle here. One can see in the execution plan that the Sort operation accounts for 32% of the whole query, and that is going to grow with the number of total rows, because all the other operations use indexes. Usually in such cases I would use an indexed view, but not in this case, because indexed views cannot contain self-joins, of which there are six. The only way that I can think of so far is to create six copies of the Objects table and then use them for the joins, thus enabling an indexed view. Did the time come that I shall be reduced to that kind of hacks? The despair sets in.

  Read the article

• Incorrect output on changing sequence of declarations

  - by max

  Writing C++ code to implement Sutherland-Hodgeman polygon clipping. This order of declaration of these 2 statements gives correct output, reverse does not. int numberOfVertices = 5; Point pointList[] = { {50,50}, {200,300}, {310,110}, {130,90}, {70,40} }; I am passing the polygon vertex set to clippers in order - LEFT, RIGHT, TOP, BOTTOM. The exact error which comes when the declarations are reversed is that the bottom clipper, produces an empty set of vertices so no polygon is displayed after clipping. Correct: Incorrent: Confirmed by outputting the number of vertices produced after each pass: Correct: Incorrect: What is the reason for this error? Code: #include <iostream> #include <GL/glut.h> #define MAXVERTICES 10 #define LEFT 0 #define RIGHT 1 #define TOP 2 #define BOTTOM 3 using namespace std; /* Clipping window */ struct Window { double xmin; double xmax; double ymin; double ymax; }; struct Point { double x; double y; }; /* If I interchange these two lines, the code doesn't work. */ /**************/ int numberOfVertices = 5; Point pointList[] = { {50,50}, {200,300}, {310,110}, {130,90}, {70,40} }; /**************/ const Window w = { 100, 400, 60, 200 }; /* Checks whether a point is inside or outside a window side */ int isInside(Point p, int side) { switch(side) { case LEFT: return p.x >= w.xmin; case RIGHT: return p.x <= w.xmax; case TOP: return p.y <= w.ymax; case BOTTOM: return p.y >= w.ymin; } } /* Calculates intersection of a segment and a window side */ Point intersection(Point p1, Point p2, int side) { Point temp; double slope, intercept; bool infinite; /* Find slope and intercept of segment, taking care of inf slope */ if(p2.x - p1.x != 0) { slope = (p2.y - p1.y) / (p2.x - p1.x); infinite = false; } else { infinite = true; } intercept = p1.y - p1.x * slope; /* Calculate intersections */ switch(side) { case LEFT: temp.x = w.xmin; temp.y = temp.x * slope + intercept; break; case RIGHT: temp.x = w.xmax; temp.y = temp.x * slope + intercept; break; case TOP: temp.y = w.ymax; temp.x = infinite ? p1.x : (temp.y - intercept) / slope; break; case BOTTOM: temp.y = w.ymin; temp.x = infinite ? p1.x : (temp.y - intercept) / slope; break; } return temp; } /* Clips polygon against a side, updating the point list (called once for each side) */ void clipAgainstSide(int sideToClip) { int i, j=0; Point s,p; Point outputList[MAXVERTICES]; /* Main algorithm */ s = pointList[numberOfVertices-1]; for(i=0 ; i<numberOfVertices ; i++) { p = pointList[i]; if(isInside(p, sideToClip)) { /* p inside */ if(!isInside(s, sideToClip)) { /* p inside, s outside */ outputList[j] = intersection(p, s, sideToClip); j++; } outputList[j] = p; j++; } else if(isInside(s, sideToClip)) { /* s inside, p outside */ outputList[j] = intersection(s, p, sideToClip); j++; } s = p; } /* Updating number of points and point list */ numberOfVertices = j; /* ERROR: In last call with BOTTOM argument, numberOfVertices becomes 0 */ /* all earlier 3 calls have correct output */ cout<<numberOfVertices<<endl; for(i=0 ; i<numberOfVertices ; i++) { pointList[i] = outputList[i]; } } void SutherlandHodgemanPolygonClip() { clipAgainstSide(LEFT); clipAgainstSide(RIGHT); clipAgainstSide(TOP); clipAgainstSide(BOTTOM); } void init() { glClearColor(1,1,1,0); glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION); gluOrtho2D(0,1000,0,500); } void display() { glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT); /* Displaying ORIGINAL box and polygon */ glColor3f(0,0,1); glBegin(GL_LINE_LOOP); glVertex2i(w.xmin, w.ymin); glVertex2i(w.xmin, w.ymax); glVertex2i(w.xmax, w.ymax); glVertex2i(w.xmax, w.ymin); glEnd(); glColor3f(1,0,0); glBegin(GL_LINE_LOOP); for(int i=0 ; i<numberOfVertices ; i++) { glVertex2i(pointList[i].x, pointList[i].y); } glEnd(); /* Clipping */ SutherlandHodgemanPolygonClip(); /* Displaying CLIPPED box and polygon, 500px right */ glColor3f(0,0,1); glBegin(GL_LINE_LOOP); glVertex2i(w.xmin+500, w.ymin); glVertex2i(w.xmin+500, w.ymax); glVertex2i(w.xmax+500, w.ymax); glVertex2i(w.xmax+500, w.ymin); glEnd(); glColor3f(1,0,0); glBegin(GL_LINE_LOOP); for(int i=0 ; i<numberOfVertices ; i++) { glVertex2i(pointList[i].x+500, pointList[i].y); } glEnd(); glFlush(); } int main(int argc, char** argv) { glutInit(&argc, argv); glutInitDisplayMode(GLUT_SINGLE | GLUT_RGB); glutInitWindowSize(1000,500); glutCreateWindow("Sutherland-Hodgeman polygon clipping"); init(); glutDisplayFunc(display); glutMainLoop(); return 0; }

  Read the article

< Previous Page | 131 132 133 134 135 136 137  | Next Page >