derek:b3studios

Access 2007 , Tab Control , Catch a Tab Click. How?!

Derek — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:12:22 +0000

Ok so you are using Access 2007 for this example. You pull out a Tab Control, and want to fire an event when the tab is clicked. Ok easy, I’ll just add a method to the TabControl Click event right? But you discover it doesn’t work.. Why isn’t it working!? Well thats the problem, the tab control click event only works when you click the tab control, it doesn’t work when you click the actual tabs.

Well here is the solution, and only a one big limit. If you have a Tab Page, it SHOULD have a control on it. This will break depending on the situation if a Tab Page is blank, only because this specific event may NOT be fired.

Dim pasttab As Integer Private Sub Detail_Paint() 'the detail paint will be fired, when the tab is changed Dim activetab As Integer activetab = Me.TabCtl0.Value If Not activetab = pasttab Then pasttab = activetab 'put code for the fired event of a 'Click here

End If End Sub

Mono Basic 2.4 Debian/Ubuntu build.

Derek — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:44:11 +0000

Mono is the Open Source .NET framework for Linux and Mac and Windows. If you have been looking for Mono Basic 2.4 package to install on Debian/Ubuntu since apparently there is no good mono 2.0 or VB.NET support, here you go! x86, and x86_64 builds provided, with original package sources.

X86
Get the original RPM Here built in the Fedora Channels here

Get the Alien rebuild for Debian/Ubuntu here

X86_64

Get the original RPM Here built in the Fedora Channels here

Get the Alien rebuild for Debian/Ubuntu here

Leave any questions in the comments.

get a free logo!

Derek — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:19:31 +0000

You can get a free logo here! Custom Logo Design

Remote execution of SSIS packages from an application server, setting custom parameters.

Derek — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:08:38 +0000

Generally I am known on this website for bringing infrequent, but wise tips to as many developers as I can. *wink* *wink* Here is an attempt to ramp up my efforts to help educate people, convert as much C# code to VB, and create some real Microsoft development enthusiasts.

This post will cover, SQL Server Integrated Services (SSIS), and namely one question, with several requirements. You want to execute an SSIS package remotely, perhaps from an ASP.NET webpage? You have a need to do this adhoc, with multiple users. You need to set variables inside the package, hell why else would you go through all the hassle to run this on demand?!

Ok so this sounds like a big issue. First, this is not a beginners SSIS post. If you are looking for how to set custom parameters through execution of SSIS this is not the place to start. However that said, I will provide a brief overview of how it works.

SSIS allows you to use the DTEXEC command (a windows executable, and SQL server command) to execute SSIS packages stored in various locations (local, ssis package store). The following option in a command line allows you to set a variable at runtime.

/SET "\package.variables[VariableName]“;”Value”

By setting these commands at runtime, you just increased the power of your SSIS capabilties 10 fold. You can now user the power and localization of the SQL server to bear the grunt work of many data tasks, while you leave your application server’s resources left open for other user crunching. Now we are on the path for removing mindless data routines out of code, into a proper visual designer, and enchancing out application performance by offloading data routines to something that is dedicated to data!

Ok with that little bit of education out of the way lets continue! We’re assuming that you understand SSIS and SQL Server enough, to be able to Create an SSIS package, upload it to your server and execute it from a SQL Agent Job. This includes making a proxy. In addition to this, you will need a user that belongs to msdb, and can execute dts jobs. (dtsadmin)

Now for the code! This is converted, revamped from dtRemoteExec in C# found on codeplex. There were a few issues I found with this process in daily use. I have started to modify (it is by no means perfect) this code, which can be used in enterprise wide applications. Eventually I would like to have the code build the DTS Exec string for you, but this is still needed.

Here is a little explanation of how things work first! I almost forgot. You will need a DTS execution string like this.

"/SQL "\Maintenance Plans\SSISPACKAGE" /SERVER "b3studios" /USER username /PASSWORD password /MAXCONCURRENT " -1 " /CHECKPOINTING OFF /REPORTING V /SET "\package.variables[ExportLocation]“;”C:\Export”

I prefer to store the package with in the SSIS Package store. HOWEVER!!! Do not use a /DTS for calling the package, which is the default when using SSIS Package Store. This will almost certinly fail, or produce sporatic results. Instead, I prefer to execute the package from the SQL Server, using the /SQL command, let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Ok wheew mouth full, and I should rewrite a lot of this! But I’m too busy to do so! Here is the code, dubbed RemoteSSIS, based on dtexecremote, and rewritten in VB.NET

Here are the calls you will use from your application.

Dim oRemote As New RemoteSSIS


            oRemote.sqlServer(False) = GetServer()

            oRemote.useProxy("ProxyName") = True

            oRemote.username = "Username"

            oRemote.password = "Password"

            oRemote.dtsCommand = DtsCommand

            If oRemote.CreateJob() Then

                oRemote.RunJob()

            End If

If oRemote.iscomplete Then Return oRemote.ClearJob() End If

Here is the code you can add to any module in your project. Add the following references,

Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo
Microsoft.SqlSever.SMO
Microsoft.SqlSever.SmoEnum
Microsoft.SqlServer.SqlEnum


Imports System.Data

Imports System.Data.Sql

Imports Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo

Imports Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Agent

Imports Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common
  Public Class RemoteSSIS
#Region "Variables"

        'entry variables

        Private strSqlServer As String = Nothing

        Private strDtsCommand As String = Nothing

        Private strProxyName As String = Nothing

        Private boolUseProxy As Boolean = False

        Private boolSecureConnection As Boolean = False

        Private strUsername As String = Nothing

        Private strPassword As String = Nothing

        Private jobCreated As Boolean = False

        Private jobRan As Boolean = True

        Private jobCleared As Boolean = True

        Private strjobStatus As String = Nothing

        Private boolisfinished As Boolean = False
        'server objects

        Private serverConn As ServerConnection = New ServerConnection

        Private svr As Server

        Private js As JobServer

        Private jb As Job

#End Region
#Region "Properties"
        Public Property sqlServer(ByVal secureConnection As Boolean) As String

            Get

                Return strSqlServer

            End Get

            Set(ByVal value As String)

                strSqlServer = value

            End Set

        End Property
        Public Property dtsCommand() As String

            Get

                Return strDtsCommand

            End Get

            Set(ByVal value As String)

                strDtsCommand = value

            End Set

        End Property
        Public Property useProxy(Optional ByVal ProxyName As String = Nothing) As Boolean

            Get

                Return boolUseProxy

            End Get

            Set(ByVal value As Boolean)

                boolUseProxy = value

                strProxyName = ProxyName

                If boolUseProxy = True And strProxyName = Nothing Then Throw New Exception("can not set use proxy to true, and proxy to Nothing")

            End Set

        End Property
        Public Property username() As String

            Get

                Return strUsername

            End Get

            Set(ByVal value As String)

                strUsername = value

            End Set

        End Property
        Public Property password() As String

            Get

                Return strPassword

            End Get

            Set(ByVal value As String)

                strPassword = value

            End Set

        End Property
        Public ReadOnly Property iscomplete() As Boolean

            Get

                Return boolisfinished

            End Get

        End Property
        Public ReadOnly Property jobStatus() As String

            Get

                Return strjobStatus

            End Get

        End Property
#End Region
#Region "Public Methods"
        Public Function CreateJob() As Boolean

            Try

                'create a new sqlserver object
                serverConn.ServerInstance = strSqlServer

                serverConn.LoginSecure = boolSecureConnection

                serverConn.Login = strUsername 'these should be moved over to the config file

                serverConn.Password = strPassword     'these should be moved over to the config file

                'create a connection to the server
                svr = New Server(serverConn)

                'set the jobserver

                js = svr.JobServer

                'create a unique job

                Dim jobName As String = "dtexecRemote_temp_job_" + Guid.NewGuid.ToString

                'create a new job catagory

                Dim jc As JobCategory = New JobCategory(js, "dtexecRemote")

                'set the job type to local

                jc.CategoryType = CategoryType.LocalJob

                'refresh the job category to see if it exists

                jc.Refresh()

                If Not jc.State = SqlSmoState.Existing Then

                    jc.Create()

                End If

                'create a new job

                jb = New Job(js, jobName)

                'set the category

                jb.Category = jc.Name

                'create the job

                jb.Create()

                'add the ssis goodies next

                jb.ApplyToTargetServer(svr.Name)

                'create a jobstep pointing to the package

                Dim JobStep As JobStep = New JobStep(jb, "run package")

                'add the DTS command to the jobstep

                JobStep.Command = strDtsCommand

                JobStep.ProxyName = strProxyName
                'tell the agent to run an ssis job and actions to take

                JobStep.SubSystem = AgentSubSystem.Ssis

                JobStep.OnSuccessAction = StepCompletionAction.QuitWithSuccess

                JobStep.OnFailAction = StepCompletionAction.QuitWithFailure
                'create the job

                JobStep.Create()

                jobCreated = True

                Return True
            Catch ex As Exception

                jobCreated = False

                Trace.Write(ex.Message)

                Return False

            End Try
        End Function
        Public Sub RunJob()
            jb.Start()
            While (jb.CurrentRunStatus = JobExecutionStatus.Executing)

                Threading.Thread.Sleep(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2))

                jb.Refresh()

            End While
            Do Until Not jb.LastRunOutcome = CompletionResult.InProgress And Not jb.LastRunOutcome = CompletionResult.Unknown

                Threading.Thread.Sleep(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2))

                jb.Refresh()

            Loop
            Dim outcome As CompletionResult = jb.LastRunOutcome
            boolisfinished = True

            strjobStatus = outcome.ToString
        End Sub
        Public Function ClearJob() As Boolean
            Try
                If jb.LastRunOutcome = CompletionResult.Succeeded Then

                    jb.Drop()

                    Return True

                Else

                    Return False

                End If

            Catch ex As Exception

                Trace.Write(ex.Message)

                Return False

            End Try
        End Function
#End Region

End Class

Wow along night…. I’ve been working on this crazy like!

Derek — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:14:36 +0000

Wow a long day, and I still need to throw some laundry in. I’ve decided on my next project, and unlike most I don’t want this one to be vapor ware. I’ve finally found a good rhythm with work, and my desire to code outside of it, as long as I get projects that interest me.

Today’s development on broadcatchR is going well. Thanks Josh for the name! Hopefully he gets time to work on this project. Right now I am currently working on getting a XMLTV feed going. Yes, that is right if anyone on the Internets stumbled across this I am working on getting some sort of XMLTV feed going. It maybe free to the Internets, but it maybe select cities.

I am currently working out the details. This will take some time, but I do have something rough working, and I hope to have the Twin Cities, programming guides for the next few weeks available at b3studios, through broadcatchR.

broadcatchR.com carries my latest blog post about broadcatchR related news, let me know what you think about the cross post? I’m lazy.

Welcome to broadcatchR!

Derek — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:34:48 +0000

This is the first post for my new project, broadcatchR.com Please check in for more on this project soon! I will have it live and going while I develop it. You can read the blog postings on http://www.b3studios.com/derek!

Remote Desktop Connection, Mac Citrix ICA Client, Shift Key or Caps Lock not recognized?

Derek — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:07:16 +0000

If you are like me, your a mac lover/user, and you live in a Windows world. By day I am a mild mannered Windows .Net Developer. By night, I dive into the underbelly of objective-c and cocoa.

When away from the office I have a need to use Windows Apps. What better way then with Remote Desktop Connection. But because I want to be able to use RDC on all my clients machines as well, why not use it through Citrix!

All was going great, when I was using this, until I tried to use a SHIFT key on OSX, through Citrix using Remote Desktop Connection.

Sometimes it would be recognized, most often not… The solution? When the RDC selection for your connection pops up, hit the Options Button. Then find the click the “Local Resources Tab”, then head down to the Keyboard Section. For the ALT+Tab, select “On the Local Computer”, log in and now the much needed Shift, and Caps Lock keys will work as desired Happy puting.

note: this will stop the ATL+Tab function from working to switch between windows. But it will stop the irritation, of not being able to properly case your words.

CRM 3.0, Entity Conversion done easy! Vb.Net

Derek — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:36:08 +0000

Ok, so your working with Microsoft CRM 3.0, right? And you have hundreds if not thousands of leads. You need to Qualify these leads, and Convert them to Accounts or Contacts. You’ve checked the Web API, but it doesn’t seem possible, or even easy… Well it is. After I spent countless hours surfing google, looking for an answer, I couldn’t find a good one. Here it is folks, and done in the wonderful world of VB instead of C#!

The first order of business is to create a new project, and add the Web Reference for CRM 3.0 to your project. It does not matter what type of project you create, winforms, console, asp.net. This is general VB code that will sit behind what ever interface you choose.

I will not cover CRM Web Reference addition to your project, you should be able to find that through google very easily, or know it before you attempt this :).

First import the CRM namespace. For the purposes of this write up our project is called ConsoleApplication1. And our WebReference is called CRM

Imports ConsoleApplication1.CRM

Next, we need to create an instance of the CRM service.

Dim oCrmService As New CrmService

Great! Now we are getting somewhere :). Lets follow it up by creating a function to return all of our Leads. We will be using FetchXML for this. This will return formatted XML, where you will be able to pull out all of your GUIDs from the LeadID field. The prefered method here, would be to load these into a XML document. I will write an XML memory document post later.

Dim fetch1 As String = _ 'change [ and ] to < and > wordpress messed this up “[fetch mapping='logical']” + _ “[entity name='lead']” + _ “[all-attributes/]” + _ “[/entity]” + _ “[/fetch]”

‘ Fetch the results. Into a String Dim returnString1 = service.Fetch(fetch1)

To qualify the lead, we do it like this. Very short.

Dim oLead As SetStateLeadRequest = New SetStateLeadRequest 'create request for new change to the state of the lead 'qualify the lead oLead.EntityId = LeadGUID ' This is the GUID from the fetch statement. oLead.LeadState = LeadState.Qualified 'set the state of the lead to qualified oLead.LeadStatus = -1 'not open anymore oCrmService.Execute(oLead) 'execute the lead change

Now we need to Convert the Lead to an Entity of our Choice.

Dim oContact As InitializeFromRequest = New InitializeFromRequest 'create a request to make a contact Dim oContactResponse As InitializeFromResponse = New InitializeFromResponse Dim oContactObject As contact 'setup a entity oContact.EntityMoniker = New Moniker oContact.EntityMoniker.Id = LeadGUID oContact.EntityMoniker.Name = "target entity as string" oContact.TargetEntityName = TargetEntity oContact.TargetFieldType = TargetFieldType.All 'target all the records on the lead entity to the target entity 'tell crm server to setup the entity oContactResponse = oCrmService.Execute(oContact) 'tell crm to create and confirm the entity it setup oCrmService.Create(oContactResponse.Entity)

Now as you see, this task is much easier than you thought! And there you have it, for you in VB.NET!

Finally an easy way to Twitter… How about Wordpress Support Harper? >:D

Derek — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:02:21 +0000

Ok so, anyone that reads this blog, should know by now how infrequently I update this. Well that will change. From my understanding everyone whose blog I read never blogs! I’m thinking about starting the infrequent bloggers club. We would inevitably meet infrequently.

But while I’m hear, let me tell you what Harper Reed did. Harper recreated one of the best twitter bots ever. It connects twitter to jabber (google talk). Why does this rock? Its as easy as sending an IM to excla.im, and bam Twitter status updated.

This rocks, because no more multiple apps across multiple platforms to make twittering easy. Try it out.

Only one question remains, Wordpress support harper? I would love this. If I could send a message from Jabber to my Wordpress blog and have it published. Perhaps I need to investigate XMPP more. Or just wish that someone else does it for me. Go internets!

Ok, time for some serious updates.

Derek — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:40:51 +0000

It has been a long time, but I am back, and with force my friends! I’m applying at a new firm, hopefully they will like my resume. I do not currently fit the job descriptions they have, but I believe I can be a new, and great addition to the team, and I am very interested in the type of work they do.

Anyway, that was a quick update, I have much time on my hands tonight as the baby has gone to sleep. Perhaps I will slip onto irc, and check with everyone. Oh and do I have some goodies in store, later.