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    May 15

    OMPM tool

    PREREQS
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=51d4a154-8e23-47d2-a033-764259cfb53b&DisplayLang=en
    SQLXML 3.0 SP3
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=13580cd7-a8bc-40ef-8281-dd2c325a5a81&displaylang=en
    OMPM
     
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc178974.aspx
     
    DEPLOY AND COLLECT SCANDATA FROM SCAN TOOL
    [[C:\ompm\Scan]]
    deploying offscan w/ sms
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179228.aspx
     
    [[C:\ompm\SCANDATA]]
    collect logs from each client, (using offscan.exe /p /d)
     
    PROVISION DATABASE
    [[C:\ompm\Database]]
    prepare the sql db
    CreateDB.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName>
    // CreateDB.bat COMPUTER1\SQLEXPRESS OMPM001
     
    IMPORT DATA INTO DATABASE
    [[C:\ompm\Database]]
    and import the client logs
    this is made up of importing data files..
    ImportScans.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName> <PathToLogFiles>
     
    And using the Import OMPM File Scanner to import action files into the database
    ImportActions.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName> <PathToLogFiles>
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179204.aspx
     
    To obtain help for this command, type the following at a command prompt: ImportScans.bat /? or ImportActions.bat /?.
     
    PRODUCT REPORT
    [[C:\ompm\Report]]
    now analyse the data
    double-click OMPM.accdr. Click Yes at the security prompt.
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179165.aspx
     
     
    FILTER REPORT TO CREATE MAP OF UPGRADE STORY
    filter results by column "Error Description" does not equal to.. "File Type Not Supported by OMPM Deep Scanner."
    look for "1307
     Linked workbooks in the file
     Linked workbooks are indentified to help identify upgrade issues. The path to the linked workbook and the number of occurrences are identified. Linked workbooks will have different extensions when converted to the Office Excel 2007 file format."
     
    are examples of filtering the report.
     
    USING REPORT TO MAKE CONVERSIONS
    http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/officedeployment/ompmv1/Default.aspx#Mode=Edit?wa=wsignin1.0
    http://channel9.msdn.com/Wiki/OfficeDeployment/OMPMHowTo/
    http://channel9.msdn.com/Wiki/OfficeDeployment/OMPMOFC/
     
     
     
    \=============================\
    DATABASE RECOVERY STEPS
    Delete and restore the OMPM database
    At a command prompt, navigate to the OMPM\Database folder and type:
    DeleteDB.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName>
    For example, if your computer name is COMPUTER1, the database server is SQLEXPRESS, and the database name is OMPM001, type the following at the command prompt:
    DeleteDB.bat COMPUTER1\SQLEXPRESS OMPM001
     
    At a command prompt, navigate to the OMPM\Database folder and type:
    CreateDB.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName>
    For example, if your computer name is COMPUTER1, the database server is SQLEXPRESS, and your new database name will be OMPM001, type the following at the command prompt:
    CreateDB.bat COMPUTER1\SQLEXPRESS OMPM001
     
    Move all of the CAB files that are in the OMPM\SCANDATA\OMPMImported folder up one level to the OMPM\SCANDATA folder, or to another folder if you prefer.
    Move all of the folders that are in the OMPM\ACTIONLOGS\OMPMImported folder up one level to the OMPM\ACTIONLOGS folder, or to another folder if you prefer.
     
    At a command prompt, navigate to the OMPM\Database folder and type:
    ImportScans.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName> <PathToLogFiles>
    For example, if your computer name is COMPUTER1, the database server is SQLEXPRESS, the database name is OMPM001, and your log files are stored in c:\OMPM\SCANDATA, type the following at the command prompt:
    ImportScans.bat COMPUTER1\SQLEXPRESS OMPM001 c:\OMPM\SCANDATA
     
    At a command prompt, navigate to the OMPM\Database folder and type:
    ImportActions.bat <ComputerName>\<SQLServerName> <DatabaseName> <PathToLogFiles>
    For example, if your computer name is COMPUTER1, the database server is SQLEXPRESS, the database name is OMPM001, and your log files are stored in c:\OMPM\ACTIONLOGS, type the following at the command prompt:
    ImportActions.bat COMPUTER1\SQLEXPRESS OMPM001 c:\OMPM\ACTIONLOGS
     
    November 25

    Web Application Installer

    Hot on the heals of the release of the Web Platform Instaler (see other post) comes the WAI...
     
     
    You get... up and running with the most widely used Web Applications freely available for your Windows Server.
    Web AI provides support for popular ASP.Net and PHP Web applications including Graffiti, DotNetNuke, WordPress, Drupal, OSCommerce and more.
    With just a few simple clicks, Web AI will check your machine for the necessary pre-requisites, download these applications from their source location in the community, walk you through basic configuration items and then install them on your computer.
     
    How neat is that? Its for the Win!!!!
     
    Additional Links to more info:
    Microsoft Web Platform Installer Overview
    Microsoft Web Platform Installer Forum
     Microsoft Web Platform Portal

    Finally the answer to LAMP is here... NEXTWEB

     
    Check it out here....
     
     
    This new vision from MS provides a compelling set of tools all in the one spot.
    For free you get....(and updates)
     
    1. download of IIS 6/7 (depending on OS)
    2. SQL 2008 express
    3. .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
    4. and Visual Web Developer 2008 Express SP1
     
    NOTE: all the above is free on the downloads site, its just that now...
    The Web Platform Installer offers a single installer to help you obtain the software you need to build and run a complete Web solution on the Microsoft Web platform.
     
    It supports Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008.
     
    Pretty sweet!
    For more info checkout... Web Platform Installer
     
    updated list of components:

    o Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 on Windows XP SP3
    o IIS 6.0 on Windows Server 2003 SP2
    o IIS 7.0 on Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008
    o SQL Server 2008 Express
    o .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
    o Visual Web Developer 2008 Express SP1
    • ASP.NET, Complete and Custom installation options
    • XML-based product manifest updated automatically when tool is run
    September 05

    The future of the intawebz

    Looking ahead, we can say several things. There will be substantially more connectivity available. No matter where you are, you will have access to this online facility. That turns out to be very important, because the cloud computing notion has utility only if you can get access to it whenever you need it, in the capacity that you need it. I see a lot of utility in cloud computing and I anticipate that it will be increasingly available.

     

    - Vint Cerf

     

    http://blogs.cioinsight.com/knowitall/content001/the_cloud_the_haptic_web_and_robotic_telepresence.html

     

    firefox

    August 16

    MAC VERSUS PC : SOUTHPARK EDITION

    southpark MAC VERSUS PC
     
    1:
     
     
    2:
     
     
     

    Mac Versus PC

    some great moments in youtube parody...

    SOUTH PARK : MAC VERSUS PC
     

    SOUTH PARK : MAC VERSUS PC
     

    MAC VERSUS PC
     

    Why are there no good games on a Mac (lol) ?
     

    1 more for the mac fanboys (lol)
     
    July 21

    Live Mesh service

    Mesh
     
    although i have it on good authority that this will be opening again soon, the rush for Live Mesh registrations is on.
    Much like the hoopla around getting a google gmail account ... back in the day.. :D
     
    anyway i got mine and have been using it constantly.
    it has two really cool features...
     
    1. you can Mesh or sync folders from all of your various PCS (work, home, mobile, girlfriends place, etc) with something called the Mesh or Live Desktop
       This lets you leave files either in the cloud or on another PC (this part is still being readied for release).
    2. It gives you a friendly and easy to use web desktop client. a "what the #$%%" did you say? Basically this is very similiar to the TS client/citrix client web UI. a terminal services active X control inside a browser.... nice! and massive WIN.
     
    with this you can as the idea goes mesh the content (data... files for most people) with the various machines at your disposal. as well as letting you access those machines and folders remotely... very nice and even bigger WIN.
     
    I like it, if you want to be in on the next round of invites... go to either..
    or
    http://connect.microsoft.com (if you use this option you will need to signup to connect first, then choose the Mesh Tech Preview program)
     and get registered.
     
    YES! MASSIVE WIN!  (it even includes APIs so now we can all make Apps that use the cloud for file storage hooray! *)
     
    * you can already do this with cloud services like Amazon S3, however this is nicer as you don't have to pay a cent!
     
     
    July 16

    Visual Studio Extensibility

    hehehe back to my favourite topic...
     
    Visual studio extensibility!
     
    Just been completing some work in the VS extensibility realm, working with such esoteric interfaces as IDTExtensibility2 and the new-ish IDTCommandTarget.
     
    I have learnt two things from working on these types of projects.
    1. There is barebones method headers and parameter listing type documentation only.
    2. MSDN blog writers and the wonderful resource site at MZTools are your best friends.
     
    These types of projects are incredibly fun to work on, especially since you typically grow your solution organically, refactoring things as you go, with a VS Macros project first.  Once your procedure code is correctly debugged, porting is a snap, with almost everything being simply a case of just selecting the lot in VS Macros IDE and dumping it (at least initially) into a Connect.cs (or .vb) class in your Addin.
     
    The Connect.cs class is a special class that has been preconfigured with the IDTExtensibility2 interface and method signatures.
    The first thing you will be doing is adding IDTCommandTarget, and giving your addin a programmatic UI. (whilst in VS Macros testing, you are encouraged to use the Customize... menu in VS IDE to add buttons and assign them macros).
     
    Once you have this interface you will no doubt be busy copying code from all over the intawebs.
    my suggestion is try to minimise the amount of UI that you use once the user clicks on your magic button.
     
    My first few attempts resulted in unwieldy forms that actually made me less productive than just using my 80+ wpm programmers hands to bang out some code.
     
    The VS Ext model is incredibly powerful, and if you think hard enough, and study the VS object model carefully enough (there are actually 3 + major object model - covering code automation, the IDE UI, and solution/project management) you will realise that almost everything can be automated away with only minimal guidance from the user (up to a point!)
     
    If your a C++ fiend, then the VS extensibility story only gets better. C++ solutions, have additional automation libraries that are so good that given the presence of a non-existent terminator style AI system could probably make all programmers extinct once and for all! :D
     
    Links:
    July 14

    some nice silverlight sites

     
     
    Beta2 sites ...much nicer (slightly bigger web install pkg)
     
     
    more to come
     
     

    Fox News on the intrawebs

    this was some funny sh1t on fox news the today when i was watching the fox news stream from their intrawebs portal in Fullscreen on the HD.
     
    first see if you can guess which NSW sports media personality this is....?
     
     
     
    [SPOILER BELOW]
     
    Dean Ritchie FS
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Dean Ritchie normal view
    Dean Ritchie - Daily Terrorgraph*
     
    *i am a self confessed avid reader!
     
    June 18

    70-551 & 70-553 Completed

    Well I have just done both 70-551 & 70-553.
    They were both way hard. Each one had 3 sections totally a massive 85 ish questions each.
    Passed by the skin of my teeth both times (870 & 810).
     
    Next up I think I'll do 70-554 (and maybe 552 if i can be bothered) and that should do me for the year (or until .net 3.0 qualifications come out).
     
    MCP Hero out!
     
     
    November 13

    Someone stole the XBOX 360!

    We'll this sure sucks, an update on my previous post about scoring an XBOX 360 for the team....
     
    Some bastard must have stayed back late... and walked out w/ a xbox 360 and lcd TV (64 inch)!!!!!
    Unfortunately my company didn't have locks (or cameras) on anywhere so no one knows who the thief is.
     
    Oh well back to playing regular XBOX during lunch breaks @ work --> SUCKS BIG TIME.
    August 16

    SQL Server 2005 Qualified

    I'm pleased to say I have just finished 70-431 & 70-447 exams.
    So I now have SQL Server 2005 finished, and I'm ready to take on the .Net 2.0 challenges....
    July 24

    Pathways to MCTS, MCITP and MCPD

    The below applies if you are upgrading from the sql 2000/.net 1.1 credentials as shown previously in my earlier blog on MCPs.
     
    MCITP & MCTS - SQL 2005 DBA qualification (2 mcp required) **
     

    ** Note: gaining 70-431 actually grants you an MCTS: SQL Server 2005, so you get two credentials for 2 exams - MCTS & MCITP
     
    MCPD Windows Developer & MCTS: .NET Framework 2.0 Windows Applications *
     
     
    * Note: gaining 70-552 actually grants you an MCTS: Windows Apps, so you get two credentials for 1 exams - MCTS Win App & MCPD Win Dev
     
     
    MCPD Web Developer & MCTS: .NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications *
     
     
    * Note: gaining 70-551 actually grants you an MCTS: Web Apps, so you get two credentials for 1 exams - MCTS Web App & MCPD Web Dev
     
     
    MCPD Enterprise Applications Developer & MCTS: .NET Framework 2.0 Distributed Applications *
     
    * Note: gaining 70-553 & 70-554 actually grants you an MCTS: Distributed Apps, so you get two credentials for 2 exams - MCTS Dist App & MCPD Ent App Dev
     
     
    .Net 2.0 MCPs - Code Languages
    When the exam begins, you can choose the programming language in which the code segments will appear.
    Microsoft Visual Basic 2005Microsoft Visual C# 2005 or (not all exams) Microsoft Visual C++ 2005
     
    So following the pathway mapped above you get 8 more credentials (on top of the 3 you are upgrading from) from doing just 6 MCP's!
    1) 70-431 - SQL exam; will require attainment of a MCDBA in sql 2000
    2) 70-447 - SQL exam; will require attainment of a MCDBA in sql 2000
    3) 70-551 - .Net 2.0 exam; will require attainment of a MCAD.Net (including the web exam: either 70-315 (C#) or 70-305(VB.Net) Automatic if you have MCSD
    4) 70-552 - .Net 2.0 exam; will require attainment of a MCAD.Net (including the windows exam: either 70-316 (C#) or 70-306(VB.Net) Automatic if you have MCSD
    5) 70-553 - .Net 2.0 exam; will require attainment of a MCSD.Net
    6) 70-554 - .Net 2.0 exam; will require attainment of a MCSD.Net

    Pathways to MCDBA, MCAD and MCSD

     
    MCDBA - SQL DBA qualification (4 mcp required)
    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcdba/requirements.asp
    + 1 Programming elective (web( VB mcp OR C# mcp ) OR  winforms( VB mcp OR C# mcp))
     
    MCAD - .Net Application developer qualification (3 mcp required)
    - web( VB mcp OR C# mcp ) OR  winforms( VB mcp OR C# mcp)
    - xml web services VB mcp or C# mcp
    + 1 elective (sql or commerce or biztalk or VB.net security or C# security or MSF objects 3.0 ) mcp (70-216 or 70-293 could also be included in this elective)
     
    MCSD - .Net Solution developer qualification (5 mcp required)
    - web VB mcp or C# mcp
    - winforms VB mcp or C# mcp
    - xml web services VB mcp or C# mcp
    + 1 elective (sql or commerce or biztalk or VB.net security or C# security or MSF objects 3.0 ) mcp
     
    ** Note if you choose the MCP options above you get all 3 of the Developer qualifications by doing only 7 MCP's....
     
    1) 70-228 - SQL
    2) 70-229 - SQL
    3) 70-290 - win 2003
    4) 70-305 - VB.Net
    5) 70-306 - VB.Net
    6) 70-310 - VB.Net
    7) 70-300 - .Net/OO/SDLC concepts
    May 05

    We got an XBOX 360!

    I probably shouldn't brag, but how cool is this our work just donated a new xbox 360 and 60in plasma (HDD capable) Telly to connect it to.
     
    This was an upgrade for the entertainment room which previously held a large CRT with XBOX 1st gen console.
     
    Pretty awesome and I know its gonna make all the guys @ work keep up the consistantly high results we have been achieving lately.
    :) Can't see pplz doing much work for at least a couple of weeks.

    *** oh yeah and they gave us 1/2 a dozen games as well!!
    May 02

    Beezley! you nitwit, i smell a political scapegoat

    I heard from watching the television today that the Reserve Bank is 50% likely to engage a rates rise on the economy. hehe, bad news home owners already mortgaged to th hilt.
     
    So the economy is finally over this imaginary "Slowing" that they crap on about. Finally a tangible effect that the conservative howard battler can appreciate. Well there is that, and the rising price of oil. oh well. indeed.
     
    Into this maelstrom Federal Labor has gone on the attack.
    Supposedly, the care taker (Beezley) is planning to savage the increasing pressure home loans from an upwards interest rate.
     
    What I personally find inconcievable is that this guy can come out in the last election and attack Howards claim of "taking credit for a strong economy (low rates/low unemployment), yet double backflip into now wanting Howards team tired to the sword of the Reserve Governor, a person for whom we should all afford respect for his impartiality.
     
    Like I said I just find it somewhat amazing that he try to capitalize on a claim that he previously rubbished only to exploit the position in a way that still reminds me of his elected predecessor Keating.
     
    Peace crazy day trippers.
    February 03

    Ghost In the Shell series

    Wow! many of you (in the eastern states of Australia) will have recently seen this series on SBS late at night (thursdays, 10:30 - correct me if im wrong :)
     
    This show absolutely rips. It is such a great series I highly recommend renting / buying this one. You won't regret it.