lipanj 2010 - Posts

• Configuring AppFabric to use SQL Logons

  When using SQL logon to authenticate the user (which is not recommended), there are few things you have to be aware of. First of all, you need a user which is able to create the and initialize Monitoring and Persistence database. Note that if the database has been created before setup is started, setup will just use it and install all required into specified database. If the database does not exist before starting of setup, the database will be created. To activate SQL Logon in setup select SQL Server authentication like shown below: Note that specified user (in this case appabricuser) need to be in SYSADMIN role. After databases (monitoring and persistence) are created, it is recommended to toke the user out of SYSADMIN role and to give him AppFabric required roles. Following picture shows which roles the user needs to have to be able to access the monitoring database. Next picture shows which roles the user needs to have to access persistence database:   Note that the user needs to be mapped to both databases.In my samples above I used two users appfabricuser and appfabric, with access to monitoring and persistence database respectively. Last, but not least. All described in this document does not have to be done if you use Windows Authentication. More about this: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee677290.aspx Posted lip 29 2010, 06:30 by anonymous

• How to clean monitoring and persistence data in AppFabric dashboard?

  When working with Windows Server AppFabric you will during development time definitely have a need to clean up all some kind of events. To do this you can use PowerShell scripts. However my personal favorite solution is using of T-SQL. Because T-SQL is not recommended way to clean up events from AppFabric database, be careful if you use pragmatic recommendations in this post. How to clean WF Instance History data?   delete [AppFabricMonitoringDb].[dbo].[ASWfInstancesTable] delete [AppFabricMonitoringDb].[dbo].[ASWfEventsTable]   How to clean WCF Call History data?   delete [AppFabricMonitoringDb].[dbo].[ASWcfEventsTable] How to clean Persisted Instances? To do this the easiest way is to use Delete Context Menu. This command will immediatelly delte instance from the store. All other commands will take a while. The hard way by using of T-SQL is: delete [RootPersistenceDb].[System.Activities.DurableInstancing].[KeysTable] delete [RootPersistenceDb].[System.Activities.DurableInstancing].[InstancesTable]   Posted lip 29 2010, 06:21 by anonymous Filed under: AppFabric

• Upgrading to Windows Server 2008 R2 over installed AppFabric

  Suddenly you might be running Windows Server 2008 with AppFabric and wants to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2. You will probably ask yourself, is “that possible at all”? The answer is yes. But, why somebody should do that? In general most features will work on both operative systems. Unfortunately features which require IIS 7.5 like Auto-startable Service, will just not work. First of all note that Windows Server AppFabric can be installed as x86 and x64 Bit Version on the following operating systems: Windows 7 Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Windows Vista Service Pack 2 After successful upgrade to R2 you will experience following error by trying to any of possible actions. Remember, AppFabric  has different installation packages. For example WindowsServerAppFabricSetup_x64_6.0.exe for Windows Server 2008, but WindowsServerAppFabricSetup_x64_6.1.exe for Windows Server 2008 R2. This fact is trivial explanation for error shown above. The AppFabric code base is just a different one. So if you like just to uninstall the AppFabric, this will also not be possible. Following will happen.   To fix all these issues, download the right version WindowsServerAppFabricSetup_x64_6.1.exe and start installation. Because old version of AppFabric is already installed the setup will offer you an “Upgrade” option. After upgrade all services will be marked as warning (yellow). But don’t very it is everything all right. You just need to restart machine. Unfortunately after restart all will work (you need to do configuration again) instead of auto start feature. If you have such services they will not work, because the required section in IIS configuration file is not upgraded. This seems to be a setup issue. This is the section which is missing: <serviceAutoStartProviders>           <add name="Service" type="Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Hosting.AutoStart.ApplicationServerAutoStartProvider,                       Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Hosting, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" /> </serviceAutoStartProviders> The effect of missing section is that auto service feature in AppFabric will not work.I tried to add this section manually. In this case IIS auto start will work, but AppFabric auto start will not work. In fact Auto Start feature will not work. To workaround this you need to uninstall AppFabric hosting features. Unfortunately,after setup is successfully finished you will notice that hosting features are still there :). To workaround this uninstall all AppFabric features (caching too if you have installed it) and install AppFabric again. This will repear all issues. Recap: When upgrading from Win Server 2008 to Win Server 2008 R2: 1. Upgrade Windows to R2 2. Upgrade ApPFabric by using of WindowsServerAppFabricSetup_x64_6.1.exe (or x86). 3. Remove all AppFabric features 4. Install the same package (WindowsServerAppFabricSetup_x64_6.1.exe (or x86)) again. Hope this helps Damir Posted lip 25 2010, 10:31 by anonymous

• We are Microsoft Partner of the Year

  Today, I can proudly announce that daenet  is a Microsoft Partner Awards winner of year 2010 (second time). We are awarded in category Custom Development Solutions for Application Infrastructure Development. If you are reading this category name and have no glue what that could be the answer is simple. We leverage set of innovative technologies (Silverlight 4, WCF 4, WF 4, ApPFabric, Windows Mobile etc. ) to build innovative and modern software. If you are still not sure, just are watch video below. For all of you who more like to read than to watch here is the case study. I would like to thank all daenet team members and specially to our Customer Jettainer for engagement and professional co working. This is an approval, that innovative solution need visionary customers. I would also like to thank Microsoft for this great international recognition that we can build solutions with highest quality requirements of modern software in record time. Yes we can. Damir Posted lip 23 2010, 11:35 by anonymous

• MicrosoftHilft

  Microsoft has started a new way of some kind of interesting support. By using of a rich source of instantly updated information Microsoft will try to help people by answering question related to IE9, Win7, Office2010 and IE8. The questions and answers can be posted directly in twitter. Here is a RSS Feed and the Twitter entry point.   If you have some question related to named topics just post the message to @MicrosoftHilft. Damir Posted lip 16 2010, 11:53 by anonymous

• Microsoft Silverlight 4 Tools for Visual Studio 2010 download link

  This package is an add-on for Visual Studio 2010 to provide tooling for Microsoft Silverlight 4 and RIA Services. It can be installed on top of either Visual Studio 2010 or Visual Web Developer 2010 Express. It extends existing Silverlight 3 features and multitargeting capabilities in Visual Studio 2010 to also create applications for Silverlight 4 using C# or Visual Basic. Go to download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=eff8a0da-0a4d-48e8-8366-6ddf2ecad801&displaylang=en Posted lip 14 2010, 10:46 by anonymous

• AppFabric RTW with upgrade option

  The RTW Version of AppFabric provides the upgrade option from RC Refresh as shown at the picture below. If you already have a running system at RC Refresh, the upgrade will be installed in about 3-5 Minutes. After successful upgrade you my get few warnings (see picture below). No panic, you just need to restart the machine :)   At the end, you also should install following patches: Path1 and Patch2. Posted lip 11 2010, 01:03 by anonymous Filed under: AppFabric

• AppFabric Issue with AutoStart

  If you use Auto-Start features you may noticed that you service is sometimes started in the pool which is allocted for some other service. For example you have a service MyService setup for pool MyServicePool. After starting of for example Default Pool (iisreset or manually pool start) the application will auto start in the default pool instead of MyServicePool. This is a bug which has been fixed by patch 983484. The patch download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/983484/en-us Posted lip 11 2010, 11:09 by anonymous

• AppFabric Patch KB980423

  When Working with AppFabric you may receive receive error message if some of your Applications (Services) use custom elements like for example custom service behavior or similar. This is the error: "Unrecognized element '<name of the custom element>' " For this error and many other there is a Patch KB980423, which is not contained in the RTW. Here is a patch: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/980423 Posted lip 11 2010, 10:51 by anonymous

• AppFabric related posts

  Posts recommended by Technology Advisors Group Topic Link Category Demonstrating interop between SharePoint Server 2010 and Windows Server AppFabric http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/01/19/demonstrating-interop-between-sharepoint-server-2010-and-windows-server-appfabric.aspx Interop between two key MS technologies. ISV Server Side Solution. Configuring WF Activity Properties by Morphing Activity Designers: Improved end-user (ITPro) experience in Workflow Designer http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/02/16/improved-user-experience-in-configuring-wf-activity-properties-by-morphing-activity-designers.aspx Client Side tools. Displaying .NET Framework 4 Built-In Workflow Activity Icons in a rehosted Workflow Designer http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/02/10/displaying-net-framework-4-built-in-workflow-activity-icons-in-a-rehosted-workflow-designer.aspx Client Side tools. Hosting the Workflow Designer is so much easier in .NET4 – a boon for the ISV community! http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/02/06/rehosting-the-workflow-designer-is-so-much-easier-in-net4-a-boon-for-the-isv-community.aspx Tips and Tricks Windows Server AppFabric: Extensibility to support remote troubleshooting. http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/05/06/windows-server-appfabric-extensibility-to-support-remote-troubleshooting.aspx Client Side tools. Generating IT and Business Reporting from Workflow Services hosted within AppFabric http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/05/11/collecting-business-values-from-appfabric-for-analytics.aspx Server Side Solution. Tips and Tricks in hosting .NET4 Workflow Designer: how to load a ‘blank’ Activity Builder Designer Grid! http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/05/17/tips-and-tricks-in-hosting-net4-workflow-designer-how-to-load-a-blank-activity-builder-designer-grid.aspx Tips and Tricks Scripting Window Server AppFabric Configuration http://blogs.msdn.com/asgisv/archive/2010/05/20/scripting-window-server-appfabric-configuration.aspx Tips and Tricks Windows Server AppFabric ISV Starter Kit Work in progress: Beta Release: 6/8/10; final Release 6/30. Client and Server Side Solution Automating the Publishing & Versioning of Workflow Services in Windows Server AppFabric. Work in progress. ETA 6/18. Server Side Solution. Posted lip 11 2010, 12:21 by anonymous

• WCF 4.0: WebHost failed to process a request.

  Problem Description When working with WCF 4.0 hosted in IIS 7.5 you may get following error: WebHost failed to process a request. Sender Information: System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostingEnvironment+HostingManager/15510466 Exception: System.ServiceModel.ServiceActivationException: The service '/Daenet.YourService.svc' cannot be activated due to an exception during compilation.  The exception message is: The type ‘Daenet.YourService, provided as the Service attribute value in the ServiceHost directive, or provided in the configuration element system.serviceModel/serviceHostingEnvironment/serviceActivations could not be found.. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: The type 'Daenet.WFJobScheduler.SchedulerService', provided as the Service attribute value in the ServiceHost directive, or provided in the configuration element system.serviceModel/serviceHostingEnvironment/serviceActivations could not be found.    at System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceHostFactory.CreateServiceHost(String constructorString, Uri[] baseAddresses)    at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostingEnvironment.HostingManager.CreateService(String normalizedVirtualPath)    at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostingEnvironment.HostingManager.ActivateService(String normalizedVirtualPath)    at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostingEnvironment.HostingManager.EnsureServiceAvailable(String normalizedVirtualPath)    --- End of inner exception stack trace ---    at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostingEnvironment.HostingManager.EnsureServiceAvailable(String normalizedVirtualPath)    at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostingEnvironment.EnsureServiceAvailableFast(String relativeVirtualPath) Process Name: w3wp Process ID: 5248 Solution It looks crazy, but solution is very simple and as you’ve expected there is nothing to do with the error description :) The service is configured to use wsHttpBinding and I have forgotten to enable Windows Authentication is IIS. :( Posted lip 07 2010, 11:45 by anonymous

• Dealing with ETW Events in AppFabric

  When working with EventProvider in from namespace System.Diagnostics.Eventing the major role plays property etwProviderId. Because this property is very useful and it can be source of many problem when working with Windows Server AppFabric monitoring, I decided to describe few undocumented facts. After the monitoring is enabled, AppFabric will slightly change the configuration of the target application. The red marked part of the config in the picture below enables the tracing/eventing/logging of WCF. That means of WCF services and Workflow Services too. The blue marked part is related for WF-monitoring. It uses different provider and different event destination. The endToEndTracing (WCF staff) ensure that events are finally written in the monitoring database table [ASWcfEventsTable]. However etwTracking element ensures that events are written in the [ASWfEventsTable] of the same database. What I want to point out in this post is etwProviderId, which defines who owns the ETW events written by EventProvider. If this value is not set the default value is used : c651f5f6-1c0d-492e-8ae1-b4efd7c9d503. One could ask why this should be important at all. Well, if default value is used events will be invisible to AppFabric ?! However events will not just disappear in nirvana of Windows. Moreover they will be written to default destination which is Analytic Trace which is a windows specific event log. To see that this provider is by default activated start perfmon.exe and navigate as shown at the picture below. Hope this helps a bit to understand more AppFabric hidden details. Posted lip 06 2010, 05:44 by anonymous Filed under: WCF, AppFabric

• Internet Explorer keyboard shortcuts refreshed

  Fe Internet Explorer useful links: Stop downloading a page Esc Open a new website or page Ctrl+O Open a new window Ctrl+N Open a new InPrivate Browsing window Ctrl+Shift+P Duplicate tab (open current tab in a new tab) Ctrl+K Start Caret Browsing F7 Go to your home page Alt+Home Go to the next page Alt+Right Arrow Go to the previous page Alt+Left Arrow or Backspace Display a shortcut menu for a link Shift+F10 Move to the beginning of a document Home Move to the end of a document End Find on this page Ctrl+F   Here is the full list: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Internet-Explorer-keyboard-shortcuts Posted lip 06 2010, 11:00 by anonymous

• Windows Phone: How to programmatically initiate the phone call?

  This post shows very trivial code which programmatically initiate the phone by using of cheapest network provider called Fake GSM Network. :) Calling is a Task related action, which requires two assemblies to be referenced: Microsoft.Phone Microsoft.Phone.Tasks Here is the self-explaining  sample code: PhoneCallTask phoneTask = new PhoneCallTask(); phoneTask.PhoneNumber = "+38 7 174 9699"; phoneTask.DisplayName = "Fata Merkel"; phoneTask.Show(); Here is the result: Posted lip 06 2010, 12:54 by anonymous

• Windows Phone: How to send programmatically SMS ?

  Sending of SMS is a Task related action, which requires two assemblies to be referenced: Microsoft.Phone Microsoft.Phone.Tasks This is very simple code which will send SMS to some specified number: SmsComposeTask smsTask = new SmsComposeTask(); smsTask.To = "+38 7 111 222 444"; smsTask.Body = "Text specified by coding \r\n"; smsTask.Show(); And here is the result. After executing the code SMS will not be sent by some process in background. The user will have possibility to change the text or to attach some file before sending the SMS by herself. Posted lip 06 2010, 12:45 by anonymous Filed under: Windows Phone