MSDN (UK) Nuggets
You may have already heard about this new initiative from Microsoft in the UK to push out short, technically focused video clips covering very speicifc 'howto' type topics. If not here is the blurb from the site and the link:
"Don't have the time to read a 10 - page how-to article or watch a full length webcast? Try an MSDN Nugget, a webcast that takes you step-by-step to discovering new functionality or exploring a hot developer topic, all in 10-15 minutes. View them online now or download for later reference. To view MSDN Nuggets you need Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 or above"
Currently you can hear the dulcet tones of Mike Taulty, but I'm hoping to add some Mobile focused nuggets soon. I have a list of possible titles, but if there is something specific you think we should cover (remember no more than 10 mins) let me know and I will try and work it in. This is what I am proposing we choose from: (numbers in brackets indicates technical level: 100 = total beginner; 200 = common simple operations; 300 = intermediate; 400 = advanced):
Managed code:
1> (200) Making input simple: a look at controlling the SIP (Soft Input Panel), using context menu’s and judicious use of the wait cursor
2> (100) Consuming a web service from the device: Simple use of WebReference dialog
3> (300) How to speed up load times: Using a background thread to speed perceived performance at load time
4> (400) Firing events from a background thread: How to fire an event from a background thread and correctly process on a UI thread.
5> (300) Other Performance tips and tricks: Re-ordering automatic control creation, using alternatives to XMLDocument and pre-loading forms
6> (200) Integrating local SQL CE store: create a DB and populate locally on the device – then retrieving data from SQL CE
7> (300)Enabling SQL CE security: Show encryption and password options and what they do.
8> (100)Getting at the System: a first look at PInvoke
9> (300)Calling COM components from Managed Code: How to create a native wrapper to access COM objects
10> (400)Advanced interop: when you really need to call that complex function – looking at fixed, unsafe and the Marshal class
11> (400)Know when ‘Code Pitching’ is hurting your app: a look at how to identify if code pitching is happening and what to do about it.
12> (200)Changing the input mode on Smartphone: show the interop steps to change from T9 to Text etc
13> (200)Packaging your application: how to use the Cab generator from Visual Studio
14> (200)Make a phone call: use interop to make a call
15> (200)Sending an SMS: use interop to send a text message
16> (300)Configuring SQL replication: Create a publication and consume that from a device
17> (300)Using Compression with web services: Using 3rd party ZipLib library to talk to Windows server 2003 web service
18> (200)Building an AutoRun application for removable media
Others:
1> (300)Configuring Smartphone emulator security: creating an XML file and pointing the emulator at it to change security model
2> (100)How to deploy extra files to Smartphone Emulator: Connecting active sync to the emulator, using the EVC file viewer tool, using folder sharing
3> (300)Using the JIT debugger with eVC++
4> (300)Building a home screen plugin: Smartphone native code
5> (300)Building a Today item plugin: Pocket PC Native code only
6> (400)Intercepting SMS messages: native code only until CF 2.0
7> (200)Creating and applying configurations to Pocket PC and Smartphone: wap-configuration documents built into CPF files etc
8> (200)Waking a device up at a specific time
Marcus