Found this cool online (!) tool for converting C# code into VB.NET-dito and back again:

http://labs.developerfusion.co.uk/convert/csharp-to-vb.aspx

I am trying it out now and it seems to work like a charm.

OK - i’ve now (20 minutes later) converted about 10 files of various size. Most stuff went well but it must be pointed out that this size only converts code, not complete projects. This is done very well indeed.

But sometimes i presume that you will need to convert a complete project, settings and all and then this tool migh be too cumbersome to use. But it worked very well for me.

This weekend has been a weekend of reclamations; i’ve been around the several stores demanding different stuff to be replaced. It’s been beds (IKEA), whisk (Åhléns), shoes (Wedins, they lasted about two months…) and finally phones (yes, again) - i’ll get back to the phone-part.

So first of all this makes me wonder; is the quality level of things that we buy going down (this sounds like the start of a Sex-and-the-city-episode). I have actually never before been to a store to demand things back - not until last year. And now i have been back with about 5-6 things and four of them last weekend…

My thinking is that this has to do with the urge to make fast money. You cut a few corners, put things faster on the market and hope that no-one will notice or at least don’t have the strength or will to complain.

There are so many new things in the making right now….

Here are the .NET 3.5 Extenstions on there way - some nice stuff in there: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/12/09/asp-net-3-5-extensions-ctp-preview-released.aspx

Note the videos on the bottom.

Found this which looks very nice: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/05/19/using-linq-to-sql-part-1.aspx

Seems to cover a lot of the different aspects that you’ll need to understand about LINQ to SQL.

And here are some videos on the concept: http://mtaulty.com/CommunityServer/blogs/mike_taultys_blog/archive/2007/05/10/9322.aspx

I am trying the LinqDataSource out and ran into the error message: “The data source ‘’ only supports a single view named ‘DefaultView’”, when i had configured my datasource and tried to use it from a DropDownBox.

After some frustration and hair pulling (as always) i found the reason; i had set the DataMember on the datasource. This was not needed since my datasource specified only one “table”. And now - as i am writing this i understand that that’s what the error message is trying to tell me.

So - to get around the “The data source ‘’ only supports a single view named ‘DefaultView’” - error message simply remove the DataMember value where you are using the datasource.

I have been playing around a little bit with LINQ. I think they are onto something here. I really like it - especially the way that LINQ stays the same regardless of the things you are handling (SQL, XML or objects so far…).

Here are some really good introduction videos to LINQ over SQL: http://www.asp.net/learn/linq-videos/

My only concern is how this will work in a fully fledge architecture… That is when the code is not sitting on the database directly. Fascinating how Microsoft always starts out in that corner, when most architectures are more complex than that. Why not putting together an example of an architecture using LINQ.

Finally - after testdriving Visual Studio 2008 the review can be only one: Microsoft has improved on the already best development environment. I love it!

So - here we are at the beginning of a new year. Prepare your fingers of writing 08, 2008 and so on, i know that it will take me a month or so to get use to it.

Here are a of the things i look forward to in 2008:

• Of course - becoming a father. No - nothing yet. But soon!
• Recording a CD with my band, the Vasa Band. The band has been working so hard for a long time now. It will be great to record it for real. Also i will be playing a solo on the CD which is a first for me. I will be playing my favorite solo in the Salvation Army literature “Journey into peace” by William Himes. That will also be great
• Becoming a Sergent Major at the Vasa Corps. For the first time i really feel that a role...

So - the end of 2007 is closing in and it is time to do some retrospectives. I always find it fun to look back and see what have happened during the last year. Here are some highlights (or important stuff) that happened in my life during 2007.

• We are going to have a baby! And it’s soon - January 2008
• Moved to a bigger apartment
• Became a certified SCRUM-master and got to run several SCRUM-projects
• I was involved in building my best application to date - with a great bunch of people
• The Vasa corps Band of the Salvation army has really come to a renaissance. We have a wonderful fellowship, we are doing thing for the right reason and the band plays quite good also
• I was in the group the made the “Vasakårens Jul”-concert at...

From time to time i hear myself saying; “That’s a good way to get problems in the project/in the application/in the maintenance phase”.

So i thought I’ll start a list so that i can prove (for me) that i have “said it already, a long, long time ago”. Of course this is mostly for fun but i have seen these items in many projects and many times.

So here you are; How to get problems:

• Integrate with Office - i have done this is a lot of applications. Eventually it will work and it can be nice - but it is always problems. A lot of them and hard to find.
• Mix technologies in the same application - that is let .NET-applications call COM-components. If you mix old an new then the total “goodness” of the application will not be better than the old technology - if that even.
...

Yes i know that this is old and cheesy but i can’t help myself. It’s Christmas time and she is doing a very good performance, in her style. This is before she started to wailing every song to death.

Extra kudos to the very good gospel choir in the background. They really look like they are enjoying themselves.

Here you go, O holy night, with Maria Carey.