Test.

Test post from Windows Live Writer!

Microsoft .NET Framework 4 update failed

Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile for Windows 7 x64-based Systems (KB982670) was failing continuously.

The solution was to stop/ disable the antivirus program in my case Nortron and then, trying the Windows Update again, and it worked this time around.

Hope this helps someone!

Business Intelligence Demos

Here is a list of Microsoft BI Demos.

http://smartdatacollective.com/Home/18178

Have fun BIing!

SQL Server 2008 R2 Pricing.

Below is the microsoft link that details the various editions of SQL Server 2008 R2 and their pricing.

http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/pricing.aspx

Find out which version of SQL Server 2005 or 2008 is installed in the machine

So, blogging after a super long hibernation. Good to be back!
I was trying to install SP3 for SQL Server 2005 and it kept failing on me. Got so frustrated until I found this nifty little query that does just that. Gives the version of SQL Server installed.
Here it is!
SELECT @@VERSION
GO

SELECT SERVERPROPERTY(‘productversion’), SERVERPROPERTY (‘productlevel’), SERVERPROPERTY (‘edition’)

So there ya go!
For further info see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933508
Have fun!

Celcius & Farenheight

Tc = (5/9)*(Tf-32);
Tf = (9/5)*Tc+32;

Tc = temperature in degrees Celsius, Tf = temperature in degrees Fahrenheit

Reporting Services report parameter NULL value

Issue: Unable to pass NULL value to the parameter of a report through URL from .NET code.
Solution: In the url add the parameter isNull = true in order to make it accept null value and display the report.
Here is what i had to do, I had a report with 2 parameters. State, Counties.
When I click on a State on the map I wanted to see the report filtered by the selected State and all its counties.
When I click on a county I wanted to see the report filtered by both state and county.
so after creating the report and modifying the dataset as per this article “http://bloggingabout.net/blogs/egiardina/archive/2007/06/26/sql-server-reporting-services-optional-parameters.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage”
I appended parameter2:isNULL=True when the parameter2 was not passed.
When it was passed, i gave parameter2=value;
Worked like a charm!
Good luck!

SmartPart For SharePoint x64 error and fix.

After installing the x64 release of SharePoint SmartPart template, I was prompted with the following error while trying to add a new web part to a Sharepoint page.

ERROR:

File Not Found. at System.Signature._GetSignature(SignatureStruct& signature, Void* pCorSig, Int32 cCorSig, IntPtr fieldHandle, IntPtr methodHandle, IntPtr declaringTypeHandle)
at System.Signature.GetSignature(SignatureStruct& signature, Void* pCorSig, Int32 cCorSig, RuntimeFieldHandle fieldHandle, RuntimeMethodHandle methodHandle, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringTypeHandle)
at System.Signature..ctor(RuntimeMethodHandle methodHandle, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringTypeHandle)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.get_Signature()
at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.GetParameters()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPWebPartSerializer.GetPersonalizableProperties()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPWebPartManager.GetEffectiveWebPartType(Type webPartType, SerializationTarget serializationTarget, Boolean ignoreSupportsAttributeMarkup)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPWebPartManager.GetEffectiveWebPartType(Type aspWebPartType, SerializationTarget serializationTarget)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationPages.NewDwp.Page_PreRender(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Web.Util.CalliHelper.EventArgFunctionCaller(IntPtr fp, Object o, Object t, EventArgs e)
at System.Web.Util.CalliEventHandlerDelegateProxy.Callback(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Web.UI.Control.OnPreRender(EventArgs e)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.UnsecuredLayoutsPageBase.OnPreRender(EventArgs e)
at System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal()
at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

SOLUTION:

Add the following to the sharepoint’s web.config under

This redirects the binding to the new version and we can add/ create a new web part without errors.

NULLIF with COALESCE

I was writing a stored procedure to retrieve a bunch of columns from a table. Noticing that there were NULL values in it I tried using ISNULL in my select query,
SELECT ISNULL(ColumnName, ‘No value in column’) as ColumnName
the returned values were still null no change, then it dawned on me that maybe they are not null and are just empty.
So, I used COALESCE along with NULLIF and i replaced ‘No value in column’ with the empty values,
the syntax is as follows,
COALESCE(NULLIF(ColumnName,’ ‘), ‘No value assigned’) as ColumnName.
What does COALESCE do?
It returns the first non null values from its arguments. If all the values are null then the function returns NULL.
COALESCE(Column1, Column2, Column3,’not available’,'this is fun’) is equal to

CASE

WHEN (Column1 IS NOT NULL) THEN Column1
WHEN (Column2 IS NOT NULL) THEN Column2
WHEN (Column3 IS NOT NULL) THEN Column2
WHEN (‘not available’ IS NOT NULL) THEN ‘not available’
WHEN (‘this is fun’ IS NOT NULL) THEN ‘this is fun’
ELSE NULL

What does NULLIF do?
It returns first expression if the two expressions are not equal, if they are equal then it returns NULL. It is equivalent to CASE statement used when two expressions are equal then the returned value is null.

Debugging Silverlight.

Debugging Silverlight applications

http://dotnetdreamer.com/2009/03/05/debugging-silverlight-application/