WebApp Offline? Dojo Offline Toolkit!

"I had been prototyping and playing with some ideas around bringing true offline access to Web applications in a simple, generic way" annouced Brad Neuberg in this eweek article.

Sounds great. One big step further in Web-Development, if he will reach his goal. I will stay tuned.

Here some relevant links to get more details:

• Dojo Offline Toolkit
• Proxy Auto-Config (General Description)
• PAC (Proxy Auto-Config File Format)
• Dojo Storage (unified API to provide JavaScript applications with storage)
• Moxie (Dojo Offline Storage demo)

Windows Live Search Box

Search boxes powered by Windows Live are designed for website owners and bloggers who want to quickly add customized search capability to their site. The search box enables visitors to search your site, the Web, or any other locations you define by macros ... Get your own one here: http://search.live.com/siteowner/

Task Scheduler Library for .NET

For a project, we had to build a Web-UI to manage and run different scheduled tasks. Program the whole Scheduling-Management by ourself... hmmm, no way, there must be a solution.... why not just use the existing Windows Task Scheduler?

The Windows Task Scheduler is accessible thru a COM interface, but the .NET Framework does not offer any native wrapper for it. :-(

Dennis Austin built an excellent .NET wrapper for the Scheduler, including Source Code, MSDN Style Help and Demo Client. Wow, R-E-S-P-E-C-T !

I was able to build an ASP.NET 2.0 Application to list, add, edit and remove tasks to the scheduler - in no time! Thanks, Dennis - your my programmer of the Week

Media File Converter

Any video converter is a free media file converter. For example, you can convert video files to MPEG-4 movie format for the iPod.

AJAX Security Concerns

Recently, I read a well done article about security concerns, and recommendations for securing Web application development, especially AJAX applications.

Since Ajax Web applications exist on both the client and the server, they include the following security issues:

• Create a larger attack surface with many more inputs to secure
• Expose internal functions of the Web application server
• Allow a client-side script to access third-party resources with no builtin security mechanisms

AJAX implementations require a trust relationship between the client and server — a relationship that can be exploited by an attacker...

The JavaScript in the Ajax engine traps the user commands and makes function calls in clear text to the server. Browser requests and Ajax engine requests look identical. The server is incapable of discerning a request made by JavaScript and a request made in response to a user action. This fact means it is very difficult for an individual to prove that they did not do a certain action.

It also means that JavaScript can make a request for a resource using Ajax that occurs in the background without the user’s knowledge. The browser will automatically add the necessary authentication or state-keeping information such as cookies to the request. JavaScript code can then access the response to this hidden request and then send more requests. This expansion of JavaScript functionality increases the possible damage of a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack.

Read the whole, excellent Article "AJAX Security Dangers" by Bill Hoffmann.

The Joys of Test Driven Development

No comment.... :-)

AJAX Architecture (Big Picture)

Based on Shawn Burke's excellent presentation, I tried to put two overview pictures about the different components of Microsoft AJAX (RC1) and their relationship. - Big pictures are one of the things I really miss within Microsoft's documentation. A picture can often tell more than pages of continuous text.

Microsoft AJAX is based on a client part (called the Microsoft AJAX Library), a complex JavaScript Framework, which brings the power of a base class library out to the browser programmers. The server part (called the ASP.NET AJAX Extension) is a .NET Assembly, bringing smooth AJAX communication and updates to the ASP.NET Framework. These two parts are also referred as AJAX Core.

Based on AJAX Core, we get the ASP.NET AJAX Toolkit, an Add-On to create AJAX Controls and AJAX Extenders. The Toolkit is set-up as "Shared Source" bringing Microsoft and the Community together - working on fancy, attractive Controls for everybody.

The ASP.NET AJAX Value-Add CTP's (called Future CTP's as well) are additional libraries, containing features and functionality, which could be included in further releases of the AJAX Core. CTP's are targeting eary adopters and development, interested in using upcoming codes, and ready to give (optional) feedback to the Microsoft Team.

Visual Studio 2005 on Windows Vista Issue List

Running Software Development on Windows Vista? - Here you will find two important articles from Microsoft:

Visual Studio 2005 on Windows Vista Issue List
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa964140.aspx

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 on Microsoft Windows Vista
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/windowsvistasupport.mspx

"Sys is undefined" in MS AJAX RC 1 on VISTA

Today, I'm working on an article about Microsoft AJAX Control Toolkit, which is based on AJAX Core (AJAX Extensions on the serverside, AJAX Library including the clientside Javascript Framework).

So I downloaded the latest AJAX Control Toolkit Bits from Codeplex and installed the VS-Templates as well.

But, no sample code was working on my machine (VISTA, VS.NET 2005 SP1, IE7 and FF2)!

I've got always the following Script-Error: "Sys is undefined" (Sys is one of the major "classes" of the MS AJAX Library). It seems, that the browser is not able to detect the Script-Library, where this object is located.

I've checked the references to the AjaxToolkit.dll, did all the config mentioned in this thread (http://forums.asp.net/1516718/ShowThread.aspx) - no success.

If you google for "Sys is undefined" "AJAX" you will find loads of post about this problems. Seems to exist since ages...

At least, when I'm running the sample on a Windows XP (with IE7), everything work as expected. --> expected means correct!! :-)

Migrate from Windows XP to Windows Vista Business

No risk, no fun - that's maybe a good advise in adventures sports, but seldom in software "projects". But... it's xmas-time, angels will support me in migrating my system to Windows Vista...

So I updated my exisiting XP-Installation thru the Installer-Wizard to the new MS-OS. Beside from problems with most of my existing drivers, more or less everything was still running after the Update...

Today, I tried to install SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition. But the Installer told me, SQL Server is already installed (from my previous installation under XP). So I decided to uninstall the existing old, dead SQL Server XP Version. Via "ControlPanel - Programs and Features" (yes, no more "Add and Remove Software") I tried to find SQL Server.... but there was no entry visible.... grmpf.

So I manually remove SQL Server (remember.... "No risk, no fun") the real dirty way:

• stopping and uninstalling services
• deleting files, folders, start menu entries
• deleting registry entries

... and restarted the SQL Server Setup.... Next next next .... and is up and running now!
--> Holly ghost, xmas is here :-)

For a serious way to remove SQL Server 2005 manually, I recommend the following article (which I found after the hack I've done....):

• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909967

Happy new Year 2007!