Why don't any images display on my ASPX page?

Over the years, I have had more than one occasion to wonder what planet the developers of IIS are from.  It seems that every version of IIS has had at least one default setting that made no sense at all... probably not even on their planet.

Today installed an aspx application on a shiny new Windows 2008 R2 / IIS 7.5 environment.

When I ran the application, all the image tags were broken.  I verified that the images were in the correct file location and that IUSR had read access to that folder.  So why would NONE of the images display?

From the people who brought you Windows ME:
The answer is another poor decision by some IIS developer.  By default, the static content role is not installed.  Installing it fixes the issue.



I hereby issue a challenge to anyone who wishes to take it.  Go try to find a single web site running on IIS that does not have at least one image AND does not use CSS.  You will fail, because there isn't one... anywhere... I bet you would have trouble faking one.  The whole point of a website is to render content, not just text.

So I am left to ponder the extreme depth of this obtuseness.... and dream of visiting this other planet.

Did my trigger fire from and update, insert, or delete?

I recently got a question on a trigger and I could see that the coder was trying to handle two operations in a single trigger and perform separate actions based on the operation.

Now, we all know that we could create a separate trigger for each operation.  However, it is sometimes helpful for maintaining code if we use a single trigger.


Here is a simple example of how to handle the different operations in a single trigger.

create table test(
myfield varchar(1)
)
go

create  TRIGGER cstr_test
ON test
AFTER INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
AS
BEGIN
if exists(select 1 from deleted)
begin
if exists(select 1 from inserted)
begin
print 'update'
end
else
begin
print 'delete'
end
end
else
begin
print 'insert'

end
END
go


insert into test select 1

update test set myfield=2 where myfield=1

delete from test



I hope this helps someone!

Add items to list object in Dex using VBA

Let's say you have a drop down list box on your Dynamics GP window and you want to add an item to it.  Unfortunately, the list items are being set by dexterity code when the window opens, so this seems impossible.

However, using a little VBA, we can add our own items to the list.

We do this using SanScript!

Here is an example of how to accomplish this:

Private Sub Window_BeforeOpen(OpenVisible As Boolean)

 Dim CompilerApp As Object

    Dim CompilerMessage As String

    Dim CompilerError As Integer

    Dim CompilerCommand As String

    ' Create link without having reference marked

    Set CompilerApp = CreateObject("Dynamics.Application")

    CompilerCommand = ""

    CompilerCommand = CompilerCommand & "add item str(2099) to 'Year' of window MyWindow of form MyForm;"

    ' Execute SanScript

    CompilerApp.CurrentProductID = 131

    CompilerApp.CurrentProduct = CompilerApp.CurrentProduct & "!Modified"

    CompilerError = CompilerApp.ExecuteSanscript(CompilerCommand, CompilerMessage)

    If CompilerError <> 0 Then

        MsgBox CompilerMessage

    End If

End Sub

script to move a database

This script will move the data and log files for a single database.
You need to set the database name and new paths before running.


--SCRIPT TO MOVE INDIVIDUAL DATABASE FILES

DECLARE @DATABASE_NAME VARCHAR(255),
@NEWLOGPATH VARCHAR(255),
@NEWDATAPATH VARCHAR(255),
@DATAGROWTHRATE VARCHAR(20),
@LOGGROWTHRATE VARCHAR(20)

SELECT @DATABASE_NAME='TWO',
@NEWLOGPATH='C:\SQL\LOG\',
@NEWDATAPATH='C:\SQL\DATA\',
@DATAGROWTHRATE='1024MB',
@LOGGROWTHRATE='512MB'



DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(MAX),
@DATAFILELOGICAL VARCHAR(255),
@NEWDATAFILEPATH VARCHAR(255),
@OLDDATAFILEPATH VARCHAR(255),
@LOGFILELOGICAL VARCHAR(255),
@NEWLOGFILEPATH VARCHAR(255),
@OLDLOGFILEPATH VARCHAR(255)


SELECT @DATAFILELOGICAL='[' + RTRIM(name) + ']',
@OLDDATAFILEPATH=RTRIM(physical_name)
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE RTRIM(DB_NAME(database_id))=@DATABASE_NAME
AND type_desc='ROWS'

SELECT @LOGFILELOGICAL='[' + RTRIM(name) + ']',
@OLDLOGFILEPATH=RTRIM(physical_name)
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE RTRIM(DB_NAME(database_id))=@DATABASE_NAME
AND type_desc='LOG'

SELECT @NEWDATAFILEPATH=@NEWDATAPATH + reverse(left(reverse(@OLDDATAFILEPATH),charindex('\',reverse(@OLDDATAFILEPATH), 1) - 1))
SELECT @NEWLOGFILEPATH=@NEWLOGPATH + reverse(left(reverse(@OLDLOGFILEPATH),charindex('\',reverse(@OLDLOGFILEPATH), 1) - 1))

--SELECT @DATAFILELOGICAL,@DATAFILEPATH,@LOGFILELOGICAL,@LOGFILEPATH


SET NOCOUNT ON
SELECT @SQL='
USE master
SELECT name, physical_name
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE database_id = DB_ID(''' + @DATABASE_NAME + ''');
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
SET offline
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

IF @OLDDATAFILEPATH!=@NEWDATAFILEPATH OR @OLDLOGFILEPATH!=@NEWLOGFILEPATH
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL='
EXEC sp_configure ''show advanced options'', 1;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
RECONFIGURE;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
EXEC sp_configure ''xp_cmdshell'', 1;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
RECONFIGURE;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

END

IF @OLDDATAFILEPATH!=@NEWDATAFILEPATH
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL='
EXEC xp_cmdshell ''MOVE "' + @OLDDATAFILEPATH + '" "' + @NEWDATAFILEPATH + '"'';
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @DATAFILELOGICAL + ', FILENAME = "' + @NEWDATAFILEPATH + '")
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)
END

IF @OLDLOGFILEPATH!=@NEWLOGFILEPATH
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL='
EXEC xp_cmdshell ''MOVE "' + @OLDLOGFILEPATH + '" "' + @NEWLOGFILEPATH + '"'';
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @LOGFILELOGICAL + ', FILENAME = "' + @NEWLOGFILEPATH + '")
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)
END

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
SET online
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @DATAFILELOGICAL + ', 
  FILEGROWTH = ' + @DATAGROWTHRATE + ')
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @LOGFILELOGICAL + ', 
  FILEGROWTH = ' + @LOGGROWTHRATE + ')
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + ' SET AUTO_SHRINK OFF
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
USE master
SELECT name, physical_name
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE database_id = DB_ID(''' + @DATABASE_NAME + ''');
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

script to move all DYNAMICS databases

I frequently have to move data and log files after GP setup to get them into the best practices configuration.  I decided to write a script to move all the common dynamics related databases to new data and log file locations.
This script assumes the system database is named DYNAMICS.
It then handles DYNAMICS, all company databases, resco, report server, smartconnect, and nodebuilder.

--script to move all DYNAMICS databases
--set the new paths and growth rates before running

DECLARE @DATABASE_NAME VARCHAR(255),
@NEWLOGPATH VARCHAR(255),
@NEWDATAPATH VARCHAR(255),
@DATAGROWTHRATE VARCHAR(20),
@LOGGROWTHRATE VARCHAR(20)

SELECT @NEWLOGPATH='C:\SQL\LOG\',
@NEWDATAPATH='C:\SQL\DATA\',
@DATAGROWTHRATE='1024MB',
@LOGGROWTHRATE='512MB'

DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(MAX),
@DATAFILELOGICAL VARCHAR(255),
@NEWDATAFILEPATH VARCHAR(255),
@OLDDATAFILEPATH VARCHAR(255),
@LOGFILELOGICAL VARCHAR(255),
@NEWLOGFILEPATH VARCHAR(255),
@OLDLOGFILEPATH VARCHAR(255)

DECLARE C_INTERID CURSOR FOR
SELECT RTRIM(INTERID)
FROM DYNAMICS.dbo.SY01500 D
INNER JOIN sys.sysdatabases S
ON D.INTERID=S.name
UNION
SELECT RTRIM(NAME)
FROM sys.sysdatabases
WHERE NAME ='DYNAMICS'
UNION
SELECT RTRIM(NAME)
FROM sys.sysdatabases
WHERE NAME LIKE 'resco%'
UNION
SELECT RTRIM(NAME)
FROM sys.sysdatabases
WHERE NAME LIKE 'ReportServer%'
UNION
SELECT RTRIM(NAME)
FROM sys.sysdatabases
WHERE NAME LIKE 'SmartConnect%'
UNION
SELECT RTRIM(NAME)
FROM sys.sysdatabases
WHERE NAME LIKE 'NodeBuilder%'

OPEN C_INTERID
FETCH NEXT FROM C_INTERID INTO @DATABASE_NAME
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS=0
BEGIN
SELECT @DATAFILELOGICAL='[' + RTRIM(name) + ']',
@OLDDATAFILEPATH=RTRIM(physical_name)
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE RTRIM(DB_NAME(database_id))=@DATABASE_NAME
AND type_desc='ROWS'

SELECT @LOGFILELOGICAL='[' + RTRIM(name) + ']',
@OLDLOGFILEPATH=RTRIM(physical_name)
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE RTRIM(DB_NAME(database_id))=@DATABASE_NAME
AND type_desc='LOG'

SELECT @NEWDATAFILEPATH=@NEWDATAPATH + reverse(left(reverse(@OLDDATAFILEPATH),charindex('\',reverse(@OLDDATAFILEPATH), 1) - 1))
SELECT @NEWLOGFILEPATH=@NEWLOGPATH + reverse(left(reverse(@OLDLOGFILEPATH),charindex('\',reverse(@OLDLOGFILEPATH), 1) - 1))

--SELECT @DATAFILELOGICAL,@DATAFILEPATH,@LOGFILELOGICAL,@LOGFILEPATH


SET NOCOUNT ON
SELECT @SQL='
USE master
SELECT name, physical_name
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE database_id = DB_ID(''' + @DATABASE_NAME + ''');
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
SET offline
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

IF @OLDDATAFILEPATH!=@NEWDATAFILEPATH OR @OLDLOGFILEPATH!=@NEWLOGFILEPATH
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL='
EXEC sp_configure ''show advanced options'', 1;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
RECONFIGURE;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
EXEC sp_configure ''xp_cmdshell'', 1;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
RECONFIGURE;
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

END

IF @OLDDATAFILEPATH!=@NEWDATAFILEPATH
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL='
EXEC xp_cmdshell ''MOVE "' + @OLDDATAFILEPATH + '" "' + @NEWDATAFILEPATH + '"'';
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @DATAFILELOGICAL + ', FILENAME = "' + @NEWDATAFILEPATH + '")
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)
END

IF @OLDLOGFILEPATH!=@NEWLOGFILEPATH
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL='
EXEC xp_cmdshell ''MOVE "' + @OLDLOGFILEPATH + '" "' + @NEWLOGFILEPATH + '"'';
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @LOGFILELOGICAL + ', FILENAME = "' + @NEWLOGFILEPATH + '")
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)
END

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
SET online
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @DATAFILELOGICAL + ', 
 FILEGROWTH = ' + @DATAGROWTHRATE + ')
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + '
MODIFY FILE (NAME = ' + @LOGFILELOGICAL + ', 
 FILEGROWTH = ' + @LOGGROWTHRATE + ')
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
ALTER DATABASE ' + @DATABASE_NAME + ' SET AUTO_SHRINK OFF
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)

SELECT @SQL='
USE master
SELECT name, physical_name
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE database_id = DB_ID(''' + @DATABASE_NAME + ''');
'
PRINT @SQL
EXEC(@SQL)
FETCH NEXT FROM C_INTERID INTO @DATABASE_NAME

END

CLOSE C_INTERID
DEALLOCATE C_INTERID

VB script to send an ftp file after exporting the file with smartconnect

Dim  currentdate as Date= Date.Now()
Dim  DateStamp as String=currentdate.Year.ToString() + currentdate.Month.ToString().PadLeft(2,"0") + currentdate.Day.ToString().PadLeft(2,"0")
Dim TimeStamp as String=currentdate.Hour.ToString().PadLeft(2,"0") + currentdate.Minute.ToString().PadLeft(2,"0") + currentdate.Second.ToString().PadLeft(2,"0")

Const username As String = “username”
Const password As String = “password”
Const localFile As String = “\\localshare\filename.txt"

Dim remoteFile As String = “/ftpfolder/filename_" + DateStamp + ".txt”
Dim archiveFile as String = “\\archiveshare\filename_" + DateStamp + "_" + TimeStamp  +  ".txt"


Const host As String = “ftp://username:password@ftpipaddress"
Dim operation as string
Dim buffLength As Integer = 2048
Dim buff(buffLength - 1) As Byte
Try
 If not File.Exists(localFile)   then
return false
end if

Dim URI As String = host & remoteFile

operation="create ftp web request"
Dim ftp As System.Net.FtpWebRequest = CType(System.Net.FtpWebRequest.Create(URI), System.Net.FtpWebRequest)

ftp.Credentials = New System.Net.NetworkCredential(username, password)
ftp.KeepAlive = False
ftp.UseBinary = True
ftp.Timeout = 20000
ftp.Method=System.Net.WebRequestMethods.FTP.UploadFile

operation="getting fileinfo for local file"
Dim _FileInfo As New System.IO.FileInfo(localFile)
ftp.ContentLength = _FileInfo.Length

operation="opening filestream"
Dim _FileStream As System.IO.FileStream = _FileInfo.OpenRead()

operation="getrequeststream"
Dim _Stream As System.IO.Stream = ftp.GetRequestStream()

Dim contentLen As Integer = _FileStream.Read(buff, 0, buffLength)

Do While contentLen <> 0
operation="writing stream"
_Stream.Write(buff, 0, contentLen)
contentLen = _FileStream.Read(buff, 0, buffLength)
Loop

operation="closing"
_Stream.Close()
_Stream.Dispose()
_FileStream.Close()
_FileStream.Dispose()

System.IO.File.Move(localFile,archiveFile )

return true
Catch ex As Exception
'MessageBox.Show("operation=" + operation + "  " + ex.ToString(), "Upload Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
return false
End Try

Coalesce in C#

I ran into an interesting issue today with string math, which enlightened me to a shortcut function in C# that works similarly to the T-SQL function COALESCE.

I was appending strings to StringBuilders and adding strings using string math.  Something like this:

string header=getheader();
string footer=getfooter();
StringBuilder body=new StringBuilder ();
string value1=getvalue1();
string value2=getvalue1();

body.append(header);
body.append(value1 + value2);
body.append(footer);

return body.ToString();

I expected this to always return a string.
However, if value1 is null, there is no error thrown.
The return value is simply null...even if all the other variables have valid strings.

Normally, I would add a function that accepts a string, tests for null, and returns string.empty, as follows:

private static string TestNull(string value){
if(value==null){
return string.empty;
}
else{
return value;
}
}

But what if I want to make it some other value than string.empty?  And what if I need to test that value too?  Now it gets a bit messy.

I remembered the COALESCE operator in T-SQL.

COALESCE makes this clean by letting you do things like this:
select COALESCE(field1,field2,@myfield,'')
The above statement will roll through the values from left to right and use the first one that is not null.

I thought, maybe there is a built in function for handling this in C#.  Google brought forth the golden egg.

?? (null-coalescing operator)

In C#, this operator basically says if the string on the left is null, use the string on the right.  And it can be daisy-chained.

so I can say something like this:
 value1=value2 ?? header ?? string.empty;

Happy coalescing!