Silverlight 2.0 beta 2 Released

Last week (June 06, 2008), Microsoft announced the release of Silverlight 2.0 beta 2.

Visit the Silverlight SDK blog for whats new in beta 2?, Breaking changes from beta 1 to beta 2, etc.

Other downloads:
- Download Silverlight Tools Beta 2 for Visual Studio 2008 (silverlight_chainer.exe) (Includes: Silverlight 2 Beta 2, Silverlight 2 SDK Beta 2, KB950630 for VS2008 RTM / KB950632 for VS2008 SP1 Beta, Silverlight Tools Beta 2 for Visual Studio 2008
- Download Silverlight 2 Beta 2 Documentation
- Also, download recent release of Expression Blend 2.5 June 2008 Preview

Regards, Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Integrate SharePoint with Silverlight

In my research to add silverlight capabilities to sharepoint/moss. I got an interesting link called Silverlight BluePrint for SharePoint. This link has samples with videos and source code.

Visit the site for more details http://www.ssblueprints.net/sharepoint/.

Regards, Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Send an e-mail from a Silverlight Application

We had a requirement to send an e-mail in our silverlight application. I found a gr8 article + source code from Michael Sync on this subject. I recommend you go through the same in case you wish to "Send an e-mail from a Silverlight Application".

Article link

Regards, Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Opening a Silverlight 1.1 project in VS2008 after installing Silverlight 2.0

I see a lot of questions on the forums around:
Opening a Silverlight 1.1 project in VS2008 after installing Silverlight 2.0
Below are some of the steps followed by me to resolve this issue:

1. Open the Silverllight 1.1 solution file
2. Scroll down until you find the Import Project= element that points to the targets file.
   All you should have to do is replace "VisualStudio9.0\Silverlight\"
   with
   "Silverlight\v2.0\"
   Save the Solution file and then reload the project.
3. Next steps are to get the right APIs referenced. You'll see that the old ones are no longer valid (the warning icon). You can delete them. In there place you need to references to: System [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Silverlight\2.0.30226.2]

System.Core [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Silverlight\2.0.30226.2]

System.Windows [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Silverlight\2.0.30226.2]

System.Windows.Browser [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Silverlight\2.0.30226.2]

System.Windows.Controls [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Silverlight\v2.0\Libraries\Client]

System.Windows.Controls.Extended [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Silverlight\v2.0\Libraries\Client]

System.XML [in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Silverlight\2.0.30226.2]

The above are the steps the help you open the Silverlight 1.1 project after installing Silverlight 2.0.

Other deprecated features will still have to manually migrated.

Regards, Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Deep Zoom feature in Silverlight 2 Beta 1

Microsoft announced a technology preview of Deep Zoom Composer

Microsoft announced a technology preview of Deep Zoom Composer, a tool to allow the preparation of images for use with the Deep Zoom feature currently being previewed in Silverlight 2 Beta 1. The new Deep Zoom technology in Silverlight allows users to see images on the Web like they never have before. The smooth in-place zooming and panning that Deep Zoom allows is a true advancement and raises the bar on what image viewing should be. High resolution images need to be prepared for use with Deep Zoom and this tool allows the user to create Deep Zoom composition files that control the zooming experience and then export all the necessary files for deployment with Silverlight 2.

An example how Deep Zoomer works visit: http://memorabilia.hardrock.com/

High resolution images need to be prepared for use with Deep Zoom and this tool allows the user to create Deep Zoom composition files that control the zooming experience and then export all the necessary files for deployment with Silverlight 2.

Cheers, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

MOSS - Create a View by Month name and year from an existing Date column

Recently someone approached me on - How to create a View by Month name and year from an existing Date column.

Create a Calculated Column with the following formulae:
Column Name: Month-Year
Formulae: =MONTH([Start Time])&"-"&YEAR([Start Time])

The following link provides more information.

Cheers, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Installation Tips and advice for Configuring the development Environment for Silverlight 2.0 beta 1

Hello,
Quite a few folks here in India have e-mailed me informing of the various errors/queries they get while installing/configuring the development environment for Silverlight 2.0.

Let me summarize the Steps to help you to easily Install Silverlight 2.0 beta 1 development environment:

1. Uninstall all previous versions of Silverlight 1.0, 1.1, Silverlight 1.1 Tools for Alpha or any of the Silverlight SDKs, including the Silverlight 2 Beta 1 SDK.
2. Download Microsoft Silverlight Tools Beta 1 for Visual Studio 2008 from link, http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=E0BAE58E-9C0B-4090-A1DB-F134D9F095FD&displaylang=en (Download & save it locally)
3. Extact the individual installers run this command: silverlight_chainer.exe /extract
   This will extract the following installers, along with other support files.
   Silverlight.2.0.exe
   VS90-KB949325.msp
   silverlight_sdk.msi
   VS_SilverlightTools_Beta1_Setup.exe
4. It critical that you install these components in the order listed above. (Silverlight 2, KB949325, SDK, Tools)
5. To install KB949325 w/o being prompted for media run this command:
   msiexec /p VS90-KB949325.msp /L*vx VS90-KB949325.log REINSTALL=ALL
   Note: this command will require administrative rights and it does not add the KB to Add/Remove Programs.
6. To list these Silverlight tools in Visual Studio's Help->About dialog and to be able to uninstall these tools from Add/Remove Programs (ARP), install the patch again using the following command:
   msiexec /p VS90-KB949325.msp /L*vx VS90-KB949325-2.log ADDLOCAL=KB947520
   Finally run the VS_SilverlightTools_Beta1_Setup.exe installer to complete the Silverlight Tools installation.

I found the link http://weblogs.asp.net/bradleyb/archive/2008/03/06/installation-tips-for-sivliverlight-tools-beta-1-for-visual-studio-2008.aspx very very helpful to provide you with - Installation Tips for Silverlight Tools Beta 1 for Visual Studio 2008.

Cheers, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Neville's Current Profile...

I get quite a few e-mails from people accross the world asking me about my current profile and the work I do on the Microsoft Technologies.

To give a quick brief overview about my current job and experience:
- I work as a Architect with Accenture India - Avanade Technology Group
- I play different hats: Architect - Accenture Microsoft Capability, Thought Leader on Microsoft Platform, Member of PMO Office of Avanade India CTO, Architect - Avanade Solutions Showcase at Bangalore, Member of Technical Competency Group workforce at Accenture, Evangelist - Avanade Solutions Showcase at Bangalore
- My current areas of specialization: i. Architecting Solutions on .NET platform (.net 3.0, SOA, MOSS). ii. Architecting RIA (Rich Internet Application) Solutions using Microsoft Silverlight technologies.

Above is just a small write-up on myself. For more details e-mail me at nevilledubash@gmail.com

Cheers, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Carrousels effects in Silverlight

Carrousels effects = Simple definition - Images move in linear or circular fashion.

We implemented the Carrousel effect in Silverlight 1.1 using java script...seeing this wonderful UI....lot of different projects team ask me how to create this effect - Carrousel Effect

I came accross the following site/blog that details this quite well......as well as provides sample source code.

The link is http://www.gleblanc.eu/post/Working-With-Images.aspx

The following carrousels effects have been implemented :- Carrousel1, a linear and right-to-left only carrousel, - Carrousel2, a linear and two-side carrousel, - Carrousel3, a circular carrousel to select movies at link http://www.gleblanc.eu/post/Working-With-Images.aspx

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

MIX08 Conference

MIX is an intimate opportunity for cutting-edge technical, creative and business strategists to engage Microsoft in a conversation about the future of the web. Come explore the latest wave of opportunities and help redefine the boundaries between: content and commerce, PC and TV, Windows and the Web.

Sessions at MIX 2008 include Keynote presentations from Steve Ballmer, Ray Ozzie, Scott Guthrie, Guy Kawasaki and Dean Hachamovitch unveiling the latest web-oriented products and technologies.

To see a recording of the sessions conducted at MIX08 visit http://sessions.visitmix.com/
To know more about MIX08 click here

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Basic FAQ's on Silverlight

I got a lot of queries from folks around Silverlight. i.e.
- What is Silverlight?
- Is it free?
- Is Silverlight a new media player?, etc, etc...

This link will help you answer all your questions around - General questions, Development related, Media (audio and video), Server, Globalization and localization, Silverlight streaming service....

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Useful Links on Silverlight

The common question I get from my office colleagues who now I work on Silverlight is
- Can you share some useful links?
In this post I plan to do the same and update on a regular basis
http://silverlight.net/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/
http://silverlight.net/Learn/
http://michaelsync.net/category/silverlight
http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/tags/Silverlight/default.aspx

So... all you begineers on Silverlight.... stay tuned....:-)

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Microsoft® Silverlight™ 2.0 Beta - SDK and Documentation

I found some good documentation on Silverlight 2.0 i.e. SDK. This contains product documentation, online samples, etc. This should be helpful to beginners.

The Microsoft® Silverlight™ 2 Software Development Kit provides documentation, libraries and tools for developing Silverlight applications.
Microsoft® Silverlight™ 2 Software Development Kit (chm file)

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Silverlight Blueprint for SharePoint

I had quite a few folks working on SharePoint asking me how to use Silverlight with SharePoint.

Microsoft released a Silverlight Blueprint for SharePoint. Refer to this for more information.

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Silverlight 2.0 beta Released....(click here for more details...)

Silverlight 2.0 beta is now available for download at link, http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/resources/InstallationFiles.aspx?v=2.0

The link, http://silverlight.net/GetStarted/overview.aspx provides an Overview of Silverlight 2.0 features, tools for developers, tools for designers, etc.

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)

Explore the new world of "Rich Internet Applications"

Few months ago, I read some news/research around the RIA - Rich Internet Applications, highlighting the impact of RIA to developers/end users in the next 3-5 years. Taking some leap and further research, we started work on Silverlight 1.1 ie. (WPF/e) WPF/everywhere.

Microsoft has taken a huge step in this direction with .NET 3.0 - Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) which provides us with Rich/Intutive windows based application. WPF also has another subset called WPF(e) i.e. Silverlight. Using Silverlight Technologies, you can develop Rich Internet Applications for the web.

Stay tuned to my blog, as i share my experience around Silverlight.....

Regards, ~Neville (http://nevilledubash.blogspot.com/)