Let's talk about .Net

… for those who build database connection string dynamically

2007-10-11T23:01:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 18th June 2007

This post is for those who dynamically generate database connection string from within an application using different parameters like user name, password, server name, etc. For example, an application may allow it’s administrators to configure different parts of the connection string using application/web configuration file. In such cases, instead of building the connection string manually (and of course ensuring that it really works), there exists a safe way to perform the task in .Net 2.0 - using the SqlConnectionString class.

This class exposes different attributes in a key/value pair which can be configured to build the connection string. Following MSDN links provide further information on the topic:

SqlConnectionStringBuilder Class

SqlConnection.ConnectionString Property

What exactly is ClickOnce deployment?

2007-10-11T22:57:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 2nd June 2007

Traditionally Windows-based applications have had a reputation of being difficult to deploy and apply updates to on a recurring basis. This new feature in .Net 2.0 allows a windows-based application to be deployed and managed from a central location (Web server, FTP site, etc.). Any updates to the application can be circulated from the central location and every client using the application will receive the newer version of the application without having to manually re-install the same on every box.

Believing in the practical approach, here is a document which provides a walkthrough to help understand this new feature in .Net 2.0

Go ahead give it a try … ClickOnce deployment - A quick start

Do drop in your comments … otherwise it looks like post-n-forget which is no good :) … always better to receive feedback - be it positive or negative

A good resource … ASP.Net PRO magazine for free

2007-10-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 25th May 2007

ASP.NET PRO magazine (last 3 issues) are available for download for free on the site ASPNetPRO.com

Fitnesse - fit for writing business tests

2007-10-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 16th May 2007

Fitnesse a very useful tool for writing business tests for a project. It is so simple to write tests using the tool that business analysts, with no technical background, can easily write tests quickly. In Agile development methodology, these tests also act as requirements document (having ability to test themselves).

We have been using this tool for writing business tests in our projects (which followed the Agile Development methodology) and found it to be very useful.

It’s really an amazing tool. This is how it works. The business group will write requirements/tests using the tool. These tests will be used by the developers on the team for understanding the requirements. Developers will have to perform an additional responsibility of writing Fitnesse fixtures in .Net (sort of middleman to link Fitnesse tests and code). That’s it, your business requirements are automated.

More information and download can be found on the site Fitnesse.org. If you wish to learn the tool, following book would be a good resource:

Fit for Developing Software: Framework for Integrated Tests by Rick Mugridge, Ward Cunningham

Publisher - Prentice Hall

Published Date - June 29, 2005

Print ISBN-10 - 0-321-26934-9

Print ISBN-13 - 978-0-321-26934-8

Pages: 384

Delaying signing an assembly

2007-10-11T22:42:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 15th May 2007

We all know that assemblies in .Net can be signed using strong names. The user of a signed assembly is assured that the component he is using is actually coming from the vendor it indicates and has not been tampered with by anyone else. It’s similar to signing, say, a document to indicate that the person signing has created/endorsed it.

However, at times it is required that we delay this process of signing an assembly. The document mentioned below contains details of the process of delaying signing an assembly.

Click to download document ‘Delaying Signing An Assembly’

‘InternalsVisibleTo’ attribute in .Net 2.0 - making unit testing easier

2007-10-11T22:39:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 15th May 2007

Lets talk about a new feature in .Net 2.0 … the ‘InternalsVisibleTo’ attribute

This attribute can be used to expose internals of an assembly to another assembly. Now, why would someone need to do that? And what happens to the security? (I am sure there will be some eyebrows raised)

Well, one possible use of this attribute would be to expose the internals of the primary assembly only to the assembly containing unit tests. The important part here is ‘only to the assembly’, which means that no unwanted assemblies can access and misuse the internals exposed. Also, strong names are used to perform the task so you can be pretty sure that only the required assembly will be using the internals.

Here is a sample project which demonstrates the use of the ‘InternalsVisibleTo’ attribute. Please refer to the ‘Overview.txt’ file present in the solution for understanding the concept step-by-step.

Click to download source code

A practical guide to assembly versioning in .Net

2007-10-11T22:29:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 14th May 2007

Assembly versioning is a simple yet powerful, known yet rarely used concept in .Net development. I just thought of putting together a document which, instead of talking about the topic ‘theoretically’, ‘practically’ explains the concepts in assembly versioning.

Go ahead, give it a try:

Assembly Versioning in Microsoft.Net - A quick start guide

Getting the business analysts involved in testing

2007-10-11T22:25:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on 14th May 2007

Just finished writing NUnit test cases for getting ‘Start time’, an important functionality in our project. The functionality determines start time for counseling results for every school based on schedule code and current logical time passed to it. The computation is based on some business rules defined.As there were different permutation-combinations that need to be tested, thought of getting the business analysts involved in the unit testing. Came across an approach in MSDN magazine for automating unit testing using dynamic ‘test cases defined in an ‘Excel sheet’.Business analysts can define different test cases to be used in an excel sheet (predefined format) and the same can be tested by the test application prepared. The test application will then spit out test results by populating the ‘Results’ column in the sheet.

Thought of sharing the test code with you.

Following are the related files:

1. C# Source code

2. Sample test cases

Just another blog?

2007-10-11T22:15:00.000-04:00

Well, it's for you to decide … from this side of the fence, it is a means to prove the power of sharing knowledge. Also, I would like to highlight the title of the blog here - it is 'Let's talk' and not 'Let me talk' or 'Listen' which means that you are more than welcomed to contribute / discuss / share / express opinion … and hopefully everyone will contribute and work together to learn new things

To start off with ... I will be migrating some of my posts which I have been writing on my company blog ... so, here we go ...