formatting in the data grid property builder

My date displayed right in the Access query results but the data grid displayed a default date/time format. So, here's a page that lists the formatting syntax for all kinds of things; price, 2 decimals, 2 decimal percentage, dates etc. All in a list easy to follow.

http://www.dotnetspider.com/Technology/KBPages/384.aspx

Passing parameters (or the latest nightmare)

So, last class we discussed passing parameters using the datagrid and property builder in asp.net. I can't say I get it really. But, I can follow my notes. And, confidence is defcon 3 that I can learn the "do the work for you" portion of the software. (defcon 1 being my brain simply vaporizing with no hope of ever reversing the adverse affects of trying unsuccessfully to get this stuff).

I'm still a little fuzzy on the why's, what for's and what this accomplishes pieces but what goes right over my head is coding. So far over my head that I had one of those disconnected dream sequenses that you only see in the movies over the weekend. You know, jumping from scene to scene with no connection from one to the next. I was seeing the code from class being written in the air, reading it as it distorted on paper, heard bits and pieces of the lecture, lol even saw my instructor out biking as I was being dizzied with incomprehensible babbles of explanation. It was bizzare. So, I did nothing the next day, no reading, no internet, no homework. I spent the evening watching the Browns be the disappointment we've come to expect them to be.

Tonight, I opened my mail and found my reminder to look for information on passing more than one parameter in ASP.net. I found this article and, I'm sure if I concentrate it will be helpful. It seemd short and to the point and actually not as complex as my memory wants to convince me it is.

http://datawebcontrols.com/faqs/Hyperlinks/HyperlinkWithMultipleQuerystringValues.shtml

online store site

I was searching for rules on using credit card logos and the logos to put on a website. I'm still searching for the useage rules but I cam accross what looks like a great site. Its call Miva and its a site that hosts merchant accounts. But, it seems to have all kinds of useful/helpful information. Tutorials, step by steps, graphics for every level from I don't know anything to very sofisticated. The logos I was looking for are all located on one page. That page even includes dummy credit card numbers for testing as you develop your merchant site. The company sells various merchant modules for adding features like coupon redemption, wish lists, paypal etc to your site. It looks to be a one stop for everthing you need to create an online store from scratch.

http://mivahelp.com/index.html

here's a link to a list of modules they provide and the pricing

http://www.mvcentral.com/api/mivahelpsearch.mvc?call

hooking a database

I feel hopeful that I'm going to get this process. But, I struggle with the database/SQL piece. Everything takes so long because I seem to have to look up how to do everything. Still I guess that just means I haven't done it enough times to remember. It seems difficult to create a decent view with the webform. And I'm unclear how a whole project comes together with static html and dynamic html. I wonder if its easier to creat the visual presentation in html, add it as an existing item and convert the necessary pices to rich server controls or whatever they need to be.

local host over secure

Homework this week invoved attaching a database to a VS project. Whenever I tried to run it I got this error:
The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file 'C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\AllTheFlicks.mdb'. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data.

Seems this is a known security glitch that denies your own computer the permission to run your own work on local host. But, Microsoft doesn't see the ned to correct the problem. There are a few steps that are needed to be able to run localhost with a databse. They have to do with changing permissions, sharing, and turning off the option to let IIS control a password. Here are are couple links to describe them.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/189408
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxpsimsh.htm

searching for code

I was searching for a way to crawl text accross the screen and come upon this site. Its full of all kinds of code for a lot of different effects. I'm not sure I'll be able to decipher the scrolling code well enough to use it but, its what I'm looking for.

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/

SQL

I'm glad we're going over SQL in class. I felt like it was something I could learn in 143 but we barely touched it. We did almost everything in the access query grid and looked over the SQL that was generated. We had to write only the most basic select statements. And, of course, that was a year ago. As I have trouble remembering an hour ago, the basics we're reviewing are only vaguly familiar.

By contrast, I had a class with a student to had another instructor for 143 and she said most of the semester was spent on SQL and their whole final was SQL statements.

OLE vs ODBC

We had a short discussion about OLE and ODBC today. Here is what Microsoft has to offer as explanation and when to use what.

http://www.mindcracker.com/mindcracker/c_cafe/database/mdac.asp

my help

So, I've been looking for decent help. I'm not sure what I'm looking for and there doesn't seem to be as much as I've found for HTML when I need it and what I do find doesn't seem to be very easy to understand. This site has links to other "helpful" sites:
http://www.programmingtutorials.com/aspnet.aspx
among the links are MSDN and W3Schools. Both of which I've seen used in class.

Here is a nicely organized page of tutorials
http://aspalliance.com/articleViewer.aspx?aId=144&pId=

The problem is, it seems that everything I find uses the code that's generated instead of explaining how to actually use it and set it up on the webForm. As a matter of fact, nothing I've looked at deals with the webFomr. Its all code. Don't they get the point of webForms and controls?

mid term

So, I imagine I had the most trouble with the mid term. I couldn't get the web control validations to work. I don't know why, they seem pretty straight forward. Actually, I got 1 or two but couldn't get another couple. And, I couldn't get the validation summary to display the way I wanted. Of course, by the time I got to the validations (which I saved for last) I was the only one left in lab and quickly running out of time.

Anyway, the validate a number should have been an easy one. But every time I set the data type to integer, or any other number declaration, I got an error. I finally just left it a string and used a range validator from 49 to 57. Strings are read one character at a time as ASCII and 49-57 are numbers 0-9 in ASCII code. It was sloppy, and totally the wrong way, but it worked. Sure hope I can get a better grip on validation going forward. I can't write the code for it at all in VB.net or Javascript. And I know its in the top five of things I have to know to be able to function in the .NET world.

help confusion

I'm confused about and consequently unsuccessful at finding help on the internet. I don't know if I should be looking for help with VisualStudio.net, ASP.net, or VP.net

ASP.net control links

I'm looking for the way to add a reset button to a web form. Everytime I think I've found it, it doesn't work. So, I'm guessing what I don't know is the how to use it part. I did run accross and list of asp.net controls and corresponding codes. Maybe it will be useful on the other side of the midterm.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dndotnet/html/introwebforms.asp

lab6

I actually wrote code tonight. And after some brain frying thinking it actually works. The breakthrough came in Tues lab with a little computer role play with the instructor. I was able to apply the concept of "entity a gives something to entity b and wants something else back. entity b takes the information, does what it needs to do to get the answer and gives the answer back to entity a". That explanation has created a breakthrough. A minor one at best but still enough to celebrate. The code I wrote is most likely the long way around but I'm happy it works. And I have to think way to much and way to slow but at least I could think! (a little)

Perfect numbers

I've never heard of perfect numbers. I read a couple pages on the internet and found this page to be the most help.

http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~novelway/MEW2/lesson1.html

I'm having some wierd troubles with IIS (or explorer, or visualstudio.net) and its making this chapter harder and slower than it should be. So, I've still got 20 pages left and haven't covered loops.

Sept 23

How is it possible that this class doesn't list VB as a pre-requisite.

changing default drive in a web project

One of the side effects of my partition obsession was the rearranging of drive letter assignments. So, my memory stick was recognized on a different drive that when I created the VisualStudio.net project.
What I learned:
-In IIS all of the objects/containers and everything contained in them must have their path changed accordingly.

-This will result in the new path showing up as the location of the project in the VisualStudio.net start page.

-The project will not be found.

-Reviewing the steps I took to set up the web server and the project, reminded me that I had to go into Tool/Options and choose projects and solutions to set the project path.

-Once I corrected that path, the project was found and opened.

Is anyone having USB eject problem?

My work with VisualStudio.net is all on my memory stick. When I'm done with a session, I exit out of IIS and VisualStudio.net using the menu - not the close window "X". But, when I try to eject my USB stick it tells me the device cannot be stopped right now.....

I have to either force it by right clicking and ejecting it in explorer (which gives me a "changes may not be saved" warning and asks if I want to continue), or shut the system down altogether.

I tried searching for the problem but didn't find anything. I'm struggling with the right phrase to search on.

its become an obsession

So, I discovered that some of my Sony software was not installed during my last visit to the tech bench. And, of course, I had do D-drive partition. So I took it in today to have the partition made and the software re-recovered. I asked for a 100gig C-drive and 60 gig D-drive.I'm getting anal about this, I know. But it has become a mission to find someone who can do what I want the way I want it. Anyway, they made the partition but the recovery kept handing. I settled and decided I could deal with the software from home recovery over the phone with Sony. When I got it home an check it, I have a 60 gig C-drive and a 100 gig D-drive. With the software that is installed - which is nearly none there is only 40 gigs left on the C-drive. They're not going to be happy to see me tomorrow.

Why "cookies"

we talked a little about cookies today. This article:
http://mnmn.essortment.com/internetcookies_mil.htm

Titled What is an Internet Cookie? Says that it was coined by Lou Montulli, the original writer of cookies. Its actually a term that's been around in computer science for a long time meaning "an opaque piece of data held by an intermediary".
Interesting article.

This one sounds like its an urban legend and suggests that the "Cookie Program" was the first virus:
http://www.multicians.org/cookie.html

This areticle explains the specifications of cookies. I didn't even realize they had specs.
http://sislands.com/coin70/week7/cookies.htm#where

IIS - is it installed or not??

I need IIS installed to properly run visualStudio.net. I need SP-Pro to have IIS available as an option. I need visualStudio.net for the class I'm taking. Its 9P Sat night.

I finally get my XP_pro system up and running. Remembering the instructions that warn if IIS is not installed when visualStudio.net get installed, you will have to reinstall visualStudio.net after you install IIS.

So, I go to add/remove Windows components and look down the list. Some items are checked, some are not. Are the checked items already installed? Don't know. If I want to install something, do I uncheck everthing but the component I want installed? The directions don't say. The list includes Internet Explorer and it is checked; Accessories and Utilies is also checked and also installed. I know it is installed so I deduce that the checked items must be installed. IIS is checked.

I proceed with the install of visualStudio.net. It took 2 hours just for the 2 program CD, another hour for the library and other miscellanous items. After visualStudio.net I install Norton personal firewall and antivirus. This is as far as I got. Its now 2:15AM. I go to bed.

Sunday night, I sit down to start the first chapter requiring IIS. It won't launch. Maybe the shortcut's bad. I launch from the program location - nothing. Now, I know very little about the intricacies of XP-pro. And considering the last 2 weeks I'm gun shy and afraid of being without my system again. So, I don't want to assume anything at this point. I google "IIS install" and got my answer from this site:

http://www.webwizguide.com/asp/tutorials/installing_iis_winXP_pro.asp

IIS is NOT installed and I have to start again. oh, man the last two weeks have been a month long.

So, what does exactly mean?

Finally, finally, I have a computer again. Not exactly what I asked for but close enough to get some work done.

I have gotten it back 3 times in the last 2 weeks. Each time I took it to get worked on I left the same instructions:
"I want it to look EXACTLY like it did when I bought it, but with XP-Pro installed."

This was important because its a Sony Vaio. It has a dynamite Sony suite of software and is partitioned (Not sure if its physically or virtually) so that it has a "D" drive. This drive is the default for much of the video features of the unit.

The first time I got it back it had XP-pro installed. No Sony software. Not their fault, my restore DVD that I paid to have created was wrong. It was supposed to be a DVD and a CD. The CD being the bootable that gets the user to the recover wizard. Still, it took 3 days to determine this. So, what exactly does "exactly" mean?

I order and receive restore disks from Sony.

The second time I got it back it was resotred to factory but was running on XP-Home. They couldn't get the upgrade to XP-Pro to work. Huh, maybe that's why I took them a knowledge base article from Sony's website describing how to accomplish this. Maybe, since the first sentence was "XP-Pro MUST have SP1 installed in order for software recovery to work" I suggested they take a look at the XP-Pro that was on there from pick-up #1, make sure it had SP1 installed and procede from that point with the recovery. Of course, I'm no technician and they are. So, They chose to re-format, restore to factory then upgrade. The XP-pro disk didn't have SP1 installed - can't do it that way. Since they didn't read the instructions I left, I got it back factory restored. Another 2 days. Yet another definition of "exactly but with XP-Pro".

The third time I got it back it took 2 days. I mention this because when I took it in, I said, this is what I need done (see instruction above), this is how to do it (point out knowledge base instructions) and I need it back today. I was assured - repeatedly and rather smugly I might add - that this would not be a problem. For this, I agreed to pay a premium. Well, it took 2 days because day one the instructions didn't get read, XP-Pro didn't get checked for SP1, SP1 didn't get installed, the software recovery failed. Day two, they read the instructions, actually follwed the instructions, ran into one hitch but figured it out and restored the software. I set it up at home, it has no "D" drive ("oh, did you want that?" they asked) and some of the software didn't restore because..... You guessed it, there's no "D" drive.

So, what exactly does EXACTLY mean? I didn't realize the word was so ambiguous.

A possible good resource

I spent much of today loading my company website:
http://www.phoenixfaucets.com if anyone's interested

and checking all the links to make sure nothing was broken or displaying poorly. There are several tweaks on my list but this will have to do for now.

I have been bothered by the fact that links from thumbnails to larger photos open in a full page. So, I went looking for the way to create a popup window with size constraints. I found what looks to be a very promising site. Pretty detailed information, easy to follow, cover a lot of topics:

http://www.irt.org/index.htm

the site includes various combinations articles, faq's code and tutorials on a litany of topics from ASP and Cold fusion to VBScript and XML, and a lot - alphabetically speaking - in between.

So, I found a great tutorial on javascript popup windows. Unfortunately, I'm bullheaded and couldn't manage to follow directions for abut 2 hours. Here's how the code and accompanying HTML look:
script:
function newWindow(){ window.open("newContent", "hiRes", "height=350,width=300") }
end script
html from the FAQ page:

Aerator

My problem was that I couldn't (and still can't) understand why nothing goes in the newWindow() and the variables are written outside of them. I kept trying to put the variables inside the parenthesis to no avail. I finally just wrote it exactly like the example (the problem was the example didn't include an anchor tag & that was throwing my way off). And it works just fine on the 2 pages I used it (the FAQ's and Spec/Instruction pages). Well, I usually try very hard to understand a solution when I've learned one. But, when it becomes obvious that understanding isn't going to happen I remember my credo - "Whatever works".

a bracket?

So, after all that, it was a misplaced bracket! Not a missed bracket mind you - it was misplaced. So, when I looked for the umpteenth time at my naming conventions, my quotes, my use of capitalization, my open/close parenthesis, my open/close brackets everything was accounted for. sure was a lot of wasted time. And, if not for a classmate I'd probably still be looking for it.

I also discovered that I validated the select box totally wrong. I just used the same syntax as a text box and used the value of the first selection which read "Make a selection" but whose value was "none". So my if statement checked to see if the value was none. Not the way its supposed tob e done but try as he might my instructor couldn't find a browser it wouldn't work on. So I was allowed to leae it that way. (I think so he could try harder to find a browser that would break it). We didn't try it on old old browsers.

pin light

I got the select validation working again. In my edit/re-edit/re-edit efforts with the radio button I removed the first half of the final if statement testing the value of my valid variable. So, NOW I guess I can go make dinner.

radio button validation

Here's the site that made the most sense to me.
http://www.felgall.com/javatip2.htm
The code was free but not really explained.
This code was too complicated (from a forum site):
http://forums.aspfree.com/showthread.php?t=26946

in the end, page 198 of the book had the clearest explaination but in the end clarity didn't matter anyway. Mud is mud I guess. :)

I'm sure that I'll get it with the lecture.

Week 3 - validation

I've been working most of the day (May I point out a beautiful labor day ) inside at my computer writing (or attempting to write validation.

We have to validate 3 lousey pieces of information on a form. One dropdown, 2 radio buttons (that's what's on my form anyway). I got the drop down to validate and send a message. Pretty much no problem. I have spent 3 or 4 hours on the radio button. Result? As of right now, my code has nothing but the drop down validation statement and subsequent alert box and its not working either.

I determined that radio buttons are obviously validated differently than text or selection areas. So, I went searching. I found a couple of promising sites but didn't understand the syntax. And, I could see that I had to use a variable for the button and use a loop to check the status of all the choices in the group. I figured there must be an easier way since I hadn't covered anything nearly so complicated in the book or lectures. But, every site I found gave pretty much the same syntax.

Brilliant idea! Read the book. I'm only a little more than half way through chapter 3 so I thought rather than look foolish this must be something I should have read already. The problem is examined early in chapter 4. Then, using the book's syntax as a template I re-wrote the button validation. ERROR! The debugger info just says syntax error and a line number. I don't see anything wrong.

So I figure, well at least I have a piece working. I take out the whole button validation section leaving just the select box and alert message. When I hit the validate button, nothing happens and I get no errors.

I'm going to take care of dinner. Another thing I don't do well, but Jack (the husband) is used to it and its ok if I screw it up.

I'll save it for later

I found a great javascript effects site. Code is free provided you leave the credit intact. Licenses are available for commercial sites. The site is called Dynamic Web Coding.

I was looking for wipe transitions for a slideshow. They have code for that and more. Things like rotating images, a color picker to change the background, text, link etc colors of a page (good for people with color limitations), a couple calculators, etc.

Unfortunately I don't understand the code or how to use it. But, I'm sharing the link and bookmarking it in the hopes that by the end of this class or the next, it'll be ike reading English ;)

Here's the link to the homepage and the zip file of transitions I downloaded:
http://www.dyn-web.com/
the zip file is on the left side of this page (examples zipped):
http://www.dyn-web.com/dhtml/wipes/tutorial/about-wipes3.html

Week two

Class today touched on Javascript. I know I'm supposed to know this stuff, but it still muddles my brain. I'm hoping class lecture will make it a little clearer. The instructor is very good at explaining and, if necessary re-explaining so I'm hopeful.

Today's link isn't really a link. I pulled example files off of the instructor's area on the college server (another thing he's good at). They look like they'll be very useful in helping me get it as well as write it.

I'm curious about the perspective of other students in the class regarding this posting. So, if any of you are reading this please reply.

Is recovery possible

So, I went to download.com and searched on"Recover corrupt file". I got a short list. But, one is all I need. My criteria was 1) able to recover data with a trashed FAT table 2) Free. A product called PCI Inspector File Recovery fit the bill. Unfortunately, my pea brain may not be able to use it effectively. But, with tools in hand (software and printed help files), I may be able to find someone who can actually use it.

Here's the link. It is published by a company named Convar (convar.com). They look to be a European company but their URL dosn't indicate that. Most of the site is in what I'm guessing is German so I couldn't find the product, but if I had, I probably wouldn't have been able to decipher any information about it anyway. Download.com reports 451,945 downloads and an 82% positive rating on 242 votes.
http://www.download.com/PC-Inspector-File-Recovery/3000-2248-10118664.html?tag=lst-0-2

the thread I was hanging by just broke

Saturday night I sit down to file my call report and do homework. My computer wakes up with a "critical update" message. Like the MS-Droid I have become, I download and install said updates. When my computer restarts I have no taskbar and consequently, no way to get into my harddrive becuse Microsoft in its infinate wisdom and arrogance regarding the stability of their product, has taken the computer shortcut off the dssktop.

I get around this little dilemma by using a shortcut menu to open a word document and save as to get the list of optional locations to save. From there I create a shortcut to C: drive on my desktop. As the evening progressed and I like my computer became more unstable the litanty of problems become bizarre. I can only uninstall one of the updates, all of which were SP2 updates (unbenounst to me at the time). Norton won't start. The program tells me I need to re-install. I can't uninstall so I can't re-install. Launching search to find norton files launches nothing. I can't move any files anywhere so I can't back up.... the list goes on & on.

My techie friends at Best Buy tell me the will probably have to reformat. They will try their best to back things up but can't promise anything. Once again I'm without my computer thanks to Microsoft.

The final thread broke this morning when I intended to work on the website that I've been developing for the company I work for. Along with all of my academic work, the entire website is on my flash drive. Fortunately, only last week, I backed the website up onto my workstation. I say fortunately because it seems the my thumb drive is corrupted. I can see all the files but none will open. I get a "path not found" error, then "please insert disk into drive F:. Everything is trashed. All my work gone. I'm sure the FAT table is corrupted and there's little hope that anything can be done.

"Too bad, you should have had it backed up" you might say. Well, if I had IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON MY BRAND NEW COMPUTER!!!! And now we know why Cindy's brain is SPAM

hanging by a thread

Ok, these last four days have been one thing after another. I got to work hanging by a thread and then the tread broke.
A little background. I bought a new Sony Vaio desktop in May to replace my 4 year old HP. I love, I mean LOVE this computer and the Sony software. Two weeks ago I installed SP2 and it sent my computer into a perpetual restart loop: Boot up, WindowsXP splash screen, power down, boot up.....
I took it to guys I know at Best Buy No. Olmsted. They were stymied for 3 days. One of them (who is taking classes at LCCC that really paid off) finally cracked into dos with a "dos simulation" program and uninstalled SP2. Everthings back to normal I'm a happy gal.

Over the last four days the buildup has beed relentless: Take Mom on a 6 hour round trip to visit an Uncle with alzheimer's so sever he can't read or remember his own name. The 13 year old dog can't get up on his own and can barely support his 120 lbs when we lift him. Its looking like the end of the road for him, my house is a mess and stinks to high heaven and my husband keeps hoping he'll get better.

You must understand that my life is pretty full and it doesn't have room for missteps or things going awry. I work 8-5 M-Th and take class 2 days a week in the middle of my workday on Tu & Th. I make up those class hours by working 4 hours Fri mornings and an additional 1/2 hour 2x a week. Fri nights, Sat & Sun afternoons I work as a marketing agent for 6 hours at Best Buy. On Monday nights I have a yoga class when I can get there. I'm not complaining, just offering explanation to those of you who will wonder why I'm so frazzled as a result of my latest adventure.

So, this takes us to the final threads of the rope I'm clinging to.

Week one

This week we talked about how things work conceptually: client, server, server-side script, database, content mangement.

Our first assignment was to find web resources that could help us be successful in this class. Here are the ASP sites I chose:
http://www.w3schools.com/aspnet/default.asp
http://www.programmingtutorials.com/aspnet.aspx
http://devguru.com/home.asp

I've used w3schools and devguru for just about everything so far. I see no reason they shouldn't be at the top of my list again. Programmingtutorials.com is a new site I stumbled on. Its usefullness has yet to be determined.

Here are the SQL sites I chose:
http://sqlzoo.net/
http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/tutorials/sql/index.php3
http://www.programmingtutorials.com/sql.aspx

I'm counting on programmingtutorial.com to come through. A quick browse gave the impression that it was easy to use and understand. The same is true of webdevelopersnotes.com. I chose sqlzoo.net because with a name like that I'm betting it's a winner.

starting somewhere

Although I spend quite a bit of time at my computer and on the internet, this is my first blog. I could say I started it because it sounded like fun. Or I have great insight that I want to share. Or maybe I want to feel part of a larger cyber consciousness that's happening all around me.

The truth is, its extra credit for a class I'm taking: Web Database Integration. And, I have a feeling I'm going to need every point I can beg borrow or steal to get through this. In the end, I hope I can at least look back on this blog and feel a sense of accomplishment.