Archives for posts with tag: developer evangelist

First code profiler for Silverlight

February 19, 10 //
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Join ISV Developer Evangelist Henrik Westergaard Hansen from Microsoft Denmark as he sits down with lead developer Richard Flamsholt to talk about EQATEC’s latest offering: the first publicly available code profiler for Silverlight applications.

The company’s EQATEC Profiler was released back in April 2008 to much appreciation among developers because it was – and still is – the world’s only code profiler for .NET Compact Framework applications, and also quite easy to use. Now, EQATEC has leveraged that technology in the newly released version 3.1 of their profiler so it works with Silverlight applications, too, as well as full .NET and .NETCF apps.

Join Henrik and Richard for two actual demonstrations and a talk about how this code profiler works internally and what the secret is. An early version of the SilverFace application Scott Guthrie showcased at PDC09 is briefly profiled, as is EQATEC’s own large Silverlight client-app for their EQATEC Analytics service. In that client a real performance bottleneck is identified and fixed so data in a particular view loads 2.25 times faster.

Download EQATEC Profiler at http://www.eqatec.com/tools/profiler and follow @eqatec on Twitter.

TWC9: Sara Ford, recognize touch gestures, make Windows 7 into a hotspot

February 6, 10 //
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This week on Channel 9, Dan is joined by special guest host Sara Ford to discuss the week’s top developer news, including:

  • Sara’s leaving the CodePlex team to work as a Developer Evangelist
  • Nitin Bharti – 7-Part video series on using Microsoft Expression Blend, via Alvin Ashcraft
    • Interesting because: It’s a free set of videos that cover the essentials of using Blend, including controls, data-binding, animation, and more
  • John Papa – Creating Custom Pre-loaders/splash screens in Silverlight
    • Interesting because: There are certain things you can and can’t do in Silverlight’s splash screen
  • Channel 9 Team – Simplifying how to share content on Channel 9
    • Interesting because: Most people didn’t discover the share feature on C9 and those who did used primarily used Twitter and Facebook
  • Don Syme - Introduction to F# Lecture Series
    • Interesting because: It’s a three part series with Don Syme who created the F# language
  • Greg Duncan – The Complete Windows 7 Shortcuts
    • Interesting because: This is arguably the most comprehensive list of Windows 7 shortcuts
  • Code Project – Manoj Kumar – Gesture recognition for Touch Devices
    • Interesting because:  This library helps take raw multitouch data from Windows 7 and interpret specific touch gestures
  • Chris Pietschmann – Turn your Windows 7 PC into a Wifi hotspot
    • Interesting because: It’s a free, open source 100% C# app that enables you to make your PC a wireless hotspot (great for travel)
  • Jason Zander – Visualizing Dependency Graphs using Visual Studio 2010
    • Interesting because: Jason walks through how to use the Dependency graphing tools and discusses DGML (Dependency Graph Markup Language) an XML representation of dependency graphs that Visual Studio extensions could use to visualize dependencies  
  • Wes Hutchins – Visual Studio Gallery Beta 2 extensions to be unpublished
    • Interesting because: If you use or have created an extension in the visualstudiogallery, realize that all beta 2 extensions will be removed
  • Windows Azure Team - Windows Azure Drive and beta SDK available
    • Interesting because: Azure Drive enables you to mount Azure as a drive  

Picks of the week:

Tool Shed Tooltip #27 – Expression Blend 3 – Behaviors

September 28, 09 //
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Are you tired of writing wire up code, based on events in WPF or Silverlight, like storyboard1.Begin() on a mouse click event? Join Expression Blend 3. This should save quite a bit of time and provide a great re-usable model for event handlers in WPF or Silverlight development.

 
What is it? Behaviors allow you to attach functionality to visual elements to make them behave a certain way, such as drag and drop or physics.
 
Download Site: http://www.microsoft.com/expression/try-it/

Example Problem(s) it solves
adds extra  functionality to xaml elements
easily attach behaviors to elements with no code
Installation Notes: Behaviors  require free Blend 3 SDK for Silverlight and WPF, installed with Blend 3, is  available separately.

Usage Notes: Expression Community Home: http://expression.microsoft.com

This is the sixth and final of Tool Shed Tooltips clips released from Episode 4 of the TV Show Russ Tool Shed presents… “It’s All About The Tools” hosted by Russ Fustino and Co-Host Stan Schultes. Download code, ppt and demo script from http://code.msdn.com/toolshed for all episodes. Also, use the links on http://channel9.msdn.com/toolshed to download tools. Finally, check out some more great videos on the Developer Evangelist East site: http://channel9.msdn.com/dpeeast

Tool Shed Tooltip #26 – Mobility and the Mobility Market Place

September 21, 09 //
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I don’t physically have test devices, how do I develop for so many different screen sizes  on mobile devices? How do I make money selling my application for a mobile device?  Can I develop for Windows Mobile 6.5 now?
Lean the answers to these questions and more and join Nikita Polyakov, Microsoft MVP Device Application Development.

Introducing Windows Mobile Marketplace

Mobile application to browse, purchase and download applications directly to the mobile devices this fall.

Pre-Installed on Windows Mobile 6.5
Free download for Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1

Submissions have started, read more:
http://developer.windowsmobile.com/Marketplace.aspx

What is it?
Visual Studio tools for Mobile Development allow you to program for Microsoft Windows devices. It provides a familiar development environment, the Compact Framework based on .NET Framework as well as Device Emulators & Setup Package Tools.

Download Site: Included in Visual Studio Pro (2005 and 2008) and additional SDK’s and DTK’s  providing the latest Frameworks, Emulator Images, Cellular Emulator & Sample Projects can be found at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsmobile

Example Problem(s) it solves:
Your “one stop shop” for Windows Mobile development
Test your Application for multiple Device formats at no cost.

Installation Notes:
Requires Visual Studio 2005 Professional or 2008 Professional

This is the fifth of Tool Shed Tooltips clips released from Episode 4 of the TV Show Russ Tool Shed presents… “It’s All About The Tools” hosted by Russ Fustino and Co-Host Stan Schultes. Download code, ppt and demo script from http://code.msdn.com/toolshed for all episodes. Also, use the links on http://channel9.msdn.com/toolshed to download tools. Finally, check out some more great videos on the Developer Evangelist East site: http://channel9.msdn.com/dpeeast

Tool Shed Tooltip #25 – Live Writer … more than a blogging tool

September 14, 09 //
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My browser-based blog posting tools are clunky and difficult to use – there’s got to be an easier way! Also, Live Writer is more than a blogging tool. Learn how to post content to a portal!

Download Site: http://download.live.com/writer

Example Problem(s) it solves:

  • Easily include images (cut & paste) from capture tools like SnagIt  and Windows Snipping Tool
  • Compatible with a wide range of blog and content engines through the metaWeblog API
  • You can use WLW as a content provider for your own app thru SDK

Installation Notes:

  • Web installer always gets you the latest version, auto-updates
  • Choice of other Live tool installs: Messenger, Mail, and Photo Gallery

Usage Notes: Save draft and publish options

This is the fourth of Tool Shed Tooltips clips released from Episode 4 of the TV Show Russ Tool Shed presents… “It’s All About The Tools” hosted by Russ Fustino and Co-Host Stan Schultes. Download code, ppt and demo script from http://code.msdn.com/toolshed for all episodes. Also, use the links on http://channel9.msdn.com/toolshed to download tools. Finally, check out some more great videos on the Developer Evangelist East site: http://channel9.msdn.com/dpeeast

Tool Shed Tooltip #24 – Expression Encoder 3 – Part 2 (of 2) – Editing, Presets, Silverlight 3 players

September 8, 09 //
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So many encoding options to learn? One word, makes this much easier, PRESETS. How do you insert videos on the time line and do audio and video overlays? Want your video to play smooth without buffering outages and delays? What about viewing Silverlight offine? Learn the answers to these and more by watching this video on Expression Encoder 3. Also, see part 1 (of 2) of this Encoder 3 demo that has an overview and the new screen capture feature.

What is it?
Expression Encoder 3 provides the power of industry leading encoding, in a simple approachable interface to make it easy to prepare video for use in a variety of ways, including Silverlight on the Web.

Download Site: http://www.microsoft.com/expression/try-it/

Example Problem(s) it solves:

  • Video in a wide range of formats can be imported
  • Inserting a video in between two other videos on the timeline
  • Simple edits made and graphic overlays added before a simple set of controls allow you to choose the right setting for your needs.
  • The resulting encoded video can then be housed in a range of customizable player skins ready for instant deployment to the Web or a range of devices

Usage Notes: Expression Community Home: http://expression.microsoft.com

This is the third of Tool Shed Tooltips clips released from Episode 4 of the TV Show Russ Tool Shed presents… “It’s All About The Tools” hosted by Russ Fustino and Co-Host Stan Schultes. Download code, ppt and demo script from http://code.msdn.com/toolshed for all episodes. Also, use the links on http://channel9.msdn.com/toolshed to download tools. Finally, check out some more great videos on the Developer Evangelist East site: http://channel9.msdn.com/dpeeast

ToolShed Tooltip #22 – Channel9 and the Tool Shed … A Treasure Chest of Resources

August 25, 09 //
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This Tool Shed Tooltip is about a very valuable resource for all developers… Channel9. Do you know there are other Microsoft communities linked to Channel9 for ASP.NET, Silverlight, IIS, Mix, TechNet Edge and more? Do you know… not every video posted to the channel9 site makes it to the home page? How do you find all of the videos? Do you know you can download a video in many different formats from Zune to High Def for offline viewing?  Do you know about the upcoming enhancements to Channel 9? Do you know you can rate videos and provide much wanted feedback? Did you know there is a channel9 toolshed site with links to all of the resources covered in the TV Shows as well as a toolshed code site? Watch this video to learn answers to these questions and many other tips and tricks to optimize your resource experience.

This clip was originally filmed as part of Episode 4 of It’s All About The Tools, but it is not included in the final version. So, this is never seen before footage! This was presented in front of a live audience. And even though it was a roomful of Niners… each person I talked to after the event, still walked away learning something. Hopefully you will too!

The show is hosted by Russ Fustino and Co-Host Stan Schultes. Download code, ppt and demo script from http://code.msdn.com/toolshed for all episodes. Also, use the links on http://channel9.msdn.com/toolshed to download tools. Finally, check out some more great videos on the Developer Evangelist East site: http://channel9.msdn.com/dpeeast

ToolShed Tooltip #21 – Developer Community Update By MVP Keith Kabza

August 19, 09 //
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How do you find out about developer events? Find out by watching this clip. Save the dates for the PDC and mark your calendar for many SQL Saturdays, Code Camps, MSDN Events, WinMoDevCamps, and more coming your way. Not only is it important to know tools, but it is perhaps even more challenging just keeping up with tool availability and many other developer resources such as thrivedev, bizspark, and Bytes by MSDN . Join Microsoft MVP Keith Kabza as he reviews this very important topic that all developers should be aware of. 

This is the first of Tool Shed Tooltips released from Episode 4 of the TV Show Russ Tool Shed presents… “It’s All About The Tools” hosted by Russ Fustino and Co-Host Stan Schultes. Download code, ppt and demo script from http://code.msdn.com/toolshed for all episodes. Also, use the links on http://channel9.msdn.com/toolshed to download tools. Finally, check out some more great videos on the Developer Evangelist East site: http://channel9.msdn.com/dpeeast