The Microsoft Journal for Developers
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With XML support in SQL Server 2000, you can query SQL over HTTP with a URL, bring the data down to the browser, and manipulate it on the client machine. By adding Internet Explorer 5.0 to the mix and using XSL to convert the XML to HTML, you can lighten the load on your database server. Going still one step further, by using Vector Markup Language you can even create drawings on the fly using the data from your SQL queries. This article illustrates this combination of technologies by leading you through the creation of a Web app that queries a digitized street map database that's been imported into a SQL Server database, sorts and displays the data using XML, and draws maps using VML.
The Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) facilitates interoperability among a wide range of programs and platforms, making existing applications accessible to a broader range of users. SOAP combines the proven Web technology of HTTP with the flexibility and extensibility of XML. This article takes you on a comprehensive tour of Object RPC technology to help you understand the foundations of SOAP and the ways it overcomes many of the limitations of existing technologies, including DCOM and CORBA. This is followed by a detailed treatment of the SOAP encoding rules with a focus on how SOAP maps onto existing ORPC concepts.
Windows 2000 includes some helpful new UI features you can customize and implement in your own applications. In this article you'll see how to provide infotips for files, after making the appropriate registry entries. Then create a custom column handler extension, resulting in a new column for the Explorer's Details view. In order to further extend the shell, additional UI goodies will also be examined and implemented including: search handlers, cleanup handlers, folder customizations using property sheet handlers and icon overlays, and context menu shell extensions. All the code samples are rolled up into a handy package which we've named, by tradition, ShellToys.
Building on the browser-based org chart featuring VML (Vector Markup Language) described previously in Microsoft Internet Developer, this article takes you through the process of refining that sample app by using XML, XSL, and JScript code to create a new, improved version. Drag and drop editing is added to the org chart interface thanks to built-in support found in Internet Explorer 5.0. XML and JScript allow data manipulated on the screen to be saved back to the server in its native format. The final product of this combination of XML, XSL, and VML is a high performance, scalable Internet app that uses processing on the client to reduce stress for the server.
If you've ever needed to build an easy-to-maintain intranet site, here's a solution based on Microsoft Office documents. Many sites require constant updating of their HTML, but the use of Word documents can simplify the process. This article details the construction of a human resources site that exploits the File System Object (FSO), OLE Structured Storage, and ActiveX capabilities of Word documents. This allows the HR staff to copy their revised or newly created Word files to the site, dynamically generate a list of links to their files, and free IS from the constant recoding of HR updates into new HTML pages.
The .NET Compact Framework 3.5 provides a subset of Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) functionality that you can harness to communicate between Windows Mobile devices and desktop PCs. We'll show you how.
Mike Volodarsky demonstrates the IIS 7.0 extensibility model by extending the Response Modification into a configurable Web server module and a custom management page for IIS Manager.
With custom form regions in Outlook you can pull in data from designated data sources and truly customize your users’ Outlook 2007 experience.
Jamie Laflen extols the benefits of TDD when applied to database development—and supplies some useful techniques along the way.
Here we introduce you to some of the concepts behind the new F# language, which combines elements of functional and object-oriented .NET languages. We then help you get started writing some simple programs.
This month Howard Dierking discusses the coverage of Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, and Visual Studio 2008.
This month: help writing SQL code, modeling your database with SubSonic, and a review of Visual Studio Team System: Better Software Development for Agile Teams.
This month Dino Esposito shows you how to get Windows-style modal dialog boxes for your Web applications thanks to the Ajax Control Toolkit and some clever coding.
In this month’s column Dr. James McCaffrey describes some of the ways you can use the Visual Studio 2005 Team System to manage custom software test automation.
: Jeff Prosise presents great tips for Silverlight development, which while it’s gaining wide adoption, still needs more documentation and best practices so developers can make the most of the dazzling new features.
Web Service Software Factory: Modeling Edition is a collection of resources for modeling and building Web services for Windows Communication Foundation and ASMX.
With the NET Framework 3.5, Windows Workflow Foundation can now truly be integrated with Windows Communication Foundation. This column describes how the integration works and how to make use of it effectively.
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 bring some significant changes that make it simpler to produce services that are more secure and responsive.
Learn how to add check-in notes and check-in policy support to a Word add-in, in this fifth and final installment of an ongoing discussion.
Bill Hill discusses his Digital Declaration of Independence.