I was looking for a smartphone to replace my Axim x50v to get the cellular service but still keeping the wifi function to get free internet access when near of gateway. But moreover I found the telus htc touch diamond with a GPS built-in feature. This feature is described on the htc web site as a function to avoid relying on the well known NAV GPS service.  But I did some research and again....Beware I am not sure about what I have read on various forums but it seems that they are frying before selling the built-in GPS function obviously to ensure collecting greedily their monthly 10$ for their nav GPS service. It looks very bad because if someone were to buy this device by just looking on the htc web site , http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx?id=46286 , he would be on the bad track. Does it sound like a possibility like going into legal action on them (and also on other cellular operator ) to stop such bahavoir or get finally what we are paying for. Are they allowed to do such thing ? I would be very happy to know what Telus would have to say if they were asked in the public place... Just imagine that you'd buy a computer but the retail merchant decide to keep the network card working only if you pass by its internet service at high price. I guess, You would be probably slightly upset...

But hey Bell looks like they are doing the same with their wifi functions on the HTC Touch or they choose to sell a CDMA version happily to keep flowing in the money.  Only Roger seems to keep themselves from such nasty ways....

It seems that I will probably have to endure my axim x50v for a time to come until I get answers... or GO ROGERS !!!

 Rickron

In my last post I was wondering if it was possible to use C++/CLI as code behind but it seems that the answer is "no". But I have found these link to bring some answer. Sound interesting.

 http://forums.msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/vcgeneral/thread/7f2ada00-7678-466f-90f4-beb3f511fda9/

http://www.vistax64.com/avalon/134-xaml-c-code-behing.html

http://www.directorforum.de/showthread.php?t=60472

Rickron

I have read that line into an article in the MSDN but still I am still searching in my neighborhood people that have any affinity with this language and I am living a great solitude. ;(  I think this language is effectively interesting. Since the code is not safe or verifiable most of the time and it is not one of the language that can be used as code behind ( but not sure about this I have found a information on windows server 2008 that there would a possiblity to native code under iis, I am still trying this article...) in asp.net I think that the greatest problem about its non-popularity is that the dev studio team or whatever , they deliberately avoid to promote it. Is it because they are expecting to pull the plug on this language in future version of Visual Studio and avoid to create unnecessary worries in their customer ?   I am very curious to see in the future what this language will still deserve from their creator...

Rickron

Here's a little gift about my own experience with OpenGL, in Runner. It's an animation player using a syntax I developed for a graduation project. Compared to recent tool this is a joke. There are aspect of this I am not very proud other not so bad. Since I did it a long time ago  some will see that the gui is really light and is only in french, and I did all this using win32 API  in C (no mfc). Give a look to the different script and feel free to try different things. As of now I am looking for the syntax documentation . I come with it later.

As usual it should work with a win32 OS and opengl should used from the local folder but just in case I do not hold any responsibilities for problem incurred by this application or offer setup help.

To resume the features in this funny tool, you should see that .txt file coming along the .exe are the animation and I am not sure all are very good or simply working but the objetchienrectangle.txt is a funny one.

You can browse the animation in the treeview but unfortunately nothing can be modified. But you are free to modify the camera position byt take care to get lost something. Have fun.

 Rick

I am just refreshing  my javascript skill recently and I wonder if does anyone know where in vs2008 we can get the list of the global variable declared in the debugger?

 let's see an unsual couple of line inside the <script> block like that:

( function (){

 ggg = 999;

return function(){return 0;}

})();

It create a global variable ggg that should hold a value as soon the <script> is loaded along the html page. It works because this global variable is helded into memory using the javacript closure mecanism.

In this case (and in fact also for any global variable ) I have a problem to list these variables from container like typing the this keyword into the quick watch and you get the content of current object . Any idea ? Is there a language keyword that would allow us to see these variables ?

Rick

Compare these two C++ Abstract Declarators documentation articles and Yes they finally fixed their OLD typo error when declaring the PVFN function pointer !!! This error was there since at least end of 90' with VC6 and probably in prior version of the msdn. I smile at this because in 1999 I simply click at the bottom of the window where you can send a feedback to have them fix the problem in future release and the email probably end into a garbage collector...And when I look to the second URL it seems to point to a VC8 URL even if the intended actions is to bring us to the 2005 version. Is it possible that this fix be more recent, even in 2008... C++ Abstract Declarators are a topics so complicated to handle that it should not be allowed to let such documentation error. This fix was probably part of en entire update of their C++ language , it soundsthat  the doc topics seems to have grown over time...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245290(VS.60).aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/92ddtf6h(VS.80).aspx 

Recently I have succeeded to get complete my work environment. An ideal one, the one that I would like to have at the office. A old style 14' CRT TV just aside my PC. Last week and in fact for months now I try to get from local electronics retailer, futureshop or bestbuy these little treasure. The one I have bought is a Toshiba CRT flat screen acquired for around 130$. I know it is expensive for 14 inch TV but until now it looks like compiared to LCD TV they are still a lot less expensive and for someone like me that don't  the cable th be entertainment it is perfect.  I said just above that these good quality TV were treasure mostly also because they are now impossible to find in outlet. LCD TV are always less expensive but cheaper one are still too poor in quality. Then I asked you , if you are local in montreal and are able still  able to find such TV let me know. Seriously I think that the next time I see some of them I would need to buy them all. Only alternative is the 21 inch but alas I find them too big.

Rickron

I am often in situations where I would like to try a snippet of code just for fun and I wonder if there is a possibility in the future that we get for PDA or even mobile device some development tools or simply mini-compiler to try off something different language feature. But simply searching for C++ compiler on www.pocketgear.com doesn't give anything as of now. Why is it so difficult to find such tools that are so easy to find on PC.

BitBlt

Here's my problem ... I wanted a function similar to the bitblt  function like copyfromscreen but using bitmap and i didn't find anything. Does anyone know how to get through this. But since I am working in C++/CLI I ended up simply using bitblt function directly from user32.dll (without the usual interop mecanism). It worked nicely as usual, thanks to the possibility to "mix" managed and native code, very cool.

Generics 

 Ones will admit that C++/CLI is not easy to use. I just remember  a feature I didn't  use often ( I mean defining my own generic class and reuse them) ,  the "generics" ( the equivalent to C++ template). Mainly because I was in a GUI development work time and  I had some reserve on how generic could be useful to do generic control without losing for example the form designer support (this thing in C++/CLI seems to be so fragile..!!!! and I even wonder if using generic in the c# form designer is still possible). But may be in the next months....I will bring you some example.

Enum types

 Another not so obvious C++/cli language feature : "managed enum"

 Thanks to the MSDN documentation. Suppose you have a enum class with an AttributeFlags applied on it so that it behave like bitwise. Then one would admit that if I use native enum into  an if statement I should get a normal test performed.  Then such code

[FlagsAttribute]

enum class toto

{

a = 0,

b = 1,

c = 2,

d = 3

};

and the if statement. Since I have combined value I have to use  the & operator to get the condition working because the == operator is clearly not sufficient,

I was getting this error :

Yes it looks very annoying but this is just another example to which extent is going the correct type use in operator.

And moreover the MSDN provide me with this to fix. At first sight it looks very strange but after all it shows at which point the language is capricious when dealing with managed types...;))

Take note of the right hand side equality operator where we need an on-the-fly constructed enum object to properly have the equality get performed

Until now I think it is the most unsual construct in the language.

Rickron

WinDBG 6.9.3.113 Released

A new version of the debugger tool suite has been published recently.

These tools are free are the best way to learn the intricacities when debugging windows user and kernel.

Unfortunately I am still in the process to finish reading Advanced Windows Debugging , the best book I have found on these tools. But after 3 chapter I have enough info to play.

Rickron

Looks like the recent migration to win2008 for this blong has been a success.... for as little code as I have it is not a surprise. Does anyone know what's new with win2008 and iis7 , or any advantages....

Rick

An interesting link about the fact that we have a growing number of over qualified people in canada. The young boy that serve you your next coffee is probably more qualified than you.

Rick

Reading some opengl specifications I was wondering if there are situations where usually we can get over the matrix limit. All the examples I have read look to be limited to a single pushmatrix operation... Any advice ?

A simple question for whoever would pass by there. Few years ago I was working with opengl and I realized that there was a very low limit for transformation stack, like 32 i think. Does someone know why such a low limit. In my project I had to stack up these matrix to simulate complex movement and i found that a big limitations. is it still the same problem ? (sorry if it is obvious I didn't update my opengl book, 1998 )

Rick

C++/CLI programming in mixed mode is an interesting beast  by this time. Obviously I try to avoid the complicated case like low level interop or hosting a .net control into a CView (they offer secretly something for that, a class I just find , CWinFormsControl in the afxwinforms.h). Because when I am talking abour mixed mode programming I think it is meant  also for IJW programming. Ok IJW stand for "It Just Work" .. hey yes it is another microsoft beloved acronym. My most interesting use is to obviously wrap a native library, it is not a secret in the programming industry, this is probably the first intended use of this c++ feature: FIND  A WAY TO REUSE EXISTING CODE EASILY and this is what c++/cli achieve. In a better way even in vs2008. Just think about the useful STL/CLR stl adaptation or the various marshaling library available. In fact it should recently fix probably some strange runtime behavior when mixing compiling STL in mixed mode or even the debugger going crazy (but I didn't test the debugger in this case, I should). The most interesting try out was with extension mfc dll. I was amazed to see how easy it was to convert one into a "regular" one ( yes it depends how much you care with strange warning , but as long it works..,,)and compiling it for the "managed" purpose obviously. Only drawback that I didn't  see "workarounded" in any forum is the almost obligatory use of the AFX_MANAGE_STATE macro that get boring to add anywhere when you are using a gdi resource i guess (just say any where if you want to avoir trouble). And very difficult to diagnose . My next article in mixed-mode programming should be to see how it fit to use generic. A recent problem I got when you define a class as "ref" (managed) you cannot have multiple inheritance (without interface as well). I have read somewhere that the T generic parameter could not appear into the base classe. Another thing going right into the next OMNITECHIE laboratory test for your own pleasure.

Rick

I have played a little with AJAX library part of visual studio 2008.  But hey do someone know how to easily modify this library and/or replace it by  its own, sorry I didn't  find yet that in the various project property setting...  I see that you have to use it, it probably send part of any http request just what it needs on the client to work, but what if someone want to add trace into that library...yeah there is surely something i have missed somewhere.

By the same time I have tried the javascript debugger. Looks like very funny. Just to first see the browser global object like the DOM exposing the entire document, very interesting.

It is probably not official but the graduated Computer science formation can be considered as dead. Universities are still trying to do some cash but....In fact we should say that computer science technologies are so integrated into other professional domain , that they no longer deserve the ownership of any new idea good in IT development. Only exception I would say is if someone  have the patience to go through the post graduated formation. But even in this case... I was reviewing some job post by curiosity as well to see the tendencies in the requirement. It appeared to me that all the industrial programming in hardware domain (embedded programming , telecommunication , driver development) are now exclusively handled by engineer. Programming a lamp On/Off or a RS232 interface for a schneider device , etc. Using or developing some highly specialized like 3d hardware design tool , scientific programming environment (MATLAB) are so far in better hand of researcher and engineer.  Some weeks ago I was listening to a discussion in family where someone was suggesting the computer science domain to its very young boy. Now from what I see , a guy that have graduated in computer science, after going  through its assembly language programming course (low-level programming) , telecommunication , security , may be TCP/IP , socket handling course, Operating system architecture course (and maybe an advanced one  why not) ...well this guy will have to give up all obvious employment opportunities that its formation  (the list of course I have enumerated last ) should usually allow him to go in favor of another specialist. Even game development , just think about what it needs as physics ,  mechanic , and always more accurate graphics engine to simulate natural phenomenon ,collision , physics of material, lightning all this sorry are far from the reach of this little boy willing to program game by going for the traditional computer science formation. In this last domain the challenge was interesting in the old time, memory contrainst , low-level programming , assembly language tweaking, etc. Today all this sound like a joke with always  more powerful cpu , less memory constraints, more intelligent software that relegate your impact to simply decide by example if you will use stl map or hashset to organize a data set without worrying with the "how it works". But heyyy keep on , good news ...there are still traditional geek and  enthusiast domain  that omnitechie.com will continue to explore just for you....i hope...

Rick

You have probably noted this funny little animated gif in the title of this blog. I have a few other to show. Stay tuned... I will surely have them running somewhere on this blog.

 By the same time. If you know a tool to create animated gifs I would appreciate to know one . I have lost my old one and even recently the last version , "gif animator 5" from ulead was not compatible for vista.

Rick 

This is my first contact. I have tried something for the first time with silverlight. I didn't search really how to do and in vs2008 there was nothing obvious to indicate how to get by. But I simply choose to create a C# WPF Browser Application project. A bunch of file were generated in the build. Only one was important , the .xbap file. After an simple upload on this web hosting provider and tadam!!! I had just a simple button control... hey A more concrete example  will come ...promised.

Rick

I have recently tried to get any use of Application.Idle event in an application but it sounds like there is always an event taking place into que message queue (the intended use here was to wait until the event is called and use it to run the a background thread). Therefore I had to implement my own idle time. It is sad that there is not an event available  to help in the recent FCL or may be someone could help ?....

 Rick

"Advanced Windows Debugging"

 Currently reading this book from Hewardt and Pravat. If you consider the availability of this kind of book particularly that cover such tools like WinDBG in details this is a treasure if not unique. For WinDBG it is my first book. WinDBG is not a tool well known even in the windows development community. Visual Studio is generally more popular since it is slightly more user friendly (i guess). But windbg in fact shows itself as far more powerfull than its better known cousin. This is what I have found reading this book and I am only in the first hundredth pages (that cover the basic commant.)... more to come...

 Rick

Anyone did get problem with visual studio intellisense recently ? Normal it seems that the way it works currently and project being always bigger , the NCB file is no longer the best way to manage intellisense information (You know this big file along the solution file). In vs 10 they are going next to use the sql server compact edition to handle all this.

 Rick

I give recently few bucks on the hd dvd for xbx 360 : 50 $!!!!!. Not bad. I hope only that the later still work for a time. In the box was the King Kong movie and a remote to handle the hd dvd, the xbx  but also the TV as well.  I have to admit that it's a cheap player. On the fast forward it's not as fast  as my sony dvd player (even far from it) . How it compare to real, other  hd dvd player brand ? But on the play speed it is doing the job perfectly. I just need now a LCD tv ....

Rick

Today I was wondering what was the best way to perform a task. Last I was almost sure that Application.Idle event would be enough for my needs. But I read a little about the backgroundworker object and I was not so sure. A backgroundworker object looks like more appropriated for task where UI is not sollicitated (in a different thread). Stuff from the Threading namespace would be complete but a lot more complex to use. May be not. Tomorrow  I will have to dig a little more about this.

 Hashset<T>

I got from the MSDN the new container in the recent FCL, HashSet<T> . Compared to other collection like Dictionary , what's the difference ? It looks like access are the first advantage but is that all ?

Rick

This week-end have been much fill in work. I have received my copy of vs2008 pro from amazon. In fact it was my first development tool in many years that deserve my precious buck. My previous one, was Visual C++ 5.0 pro (academic version) and I save you the explanation on how it was crap compared to recent tools. Obviously since that time I got access to VC++ and Visual studio that come all these years after. I enumerate them as VC6++ until 2002 , then Visual Studio 2002 , Visual Studio 2003 (both real nightmare, unstable and still managed C++ using the old managed extension syntax but ) , Visual Studio 2005 (finally something stable and providing the new C++/CLI syntax !!!)

Installation 

During the installation lots of problem have arise. Most of them was for sql server 2005 developer edition. I have had just the time to get this blog online but for sure thanks to the blogengine.net starter kit. Unfortunately less time to play bf2 for the next weeks....

Rick