|
|

|
|
Entries for the 'MMC 3.0' CategoryI got a view attached to the server leaf in PainlessSVN. This will give you at a glance info on what version of svnserve you are running, and whether or not it is running as a service. Here's a screenie: 
After much work reinstalling Vista and Visual Studio 2008, I found out that I still can't debug 32bit MMC 3.0 snapins in Vista 64. You still need to attach the debugger manually to the running process. Unfortunately, this means that you won't be able to debug stuff while your code is loading. I really was not ready to go back to 32 bit, so I compromised by creating a VMWare image that contains Windows XP SP3, Visual Studio 2008 SP1, and all the other necessary dev tools. I now have a rig that I know always lets me debug. TortoiseSVN makes it simple to keep my VM and desktop synched. Score that a WIN!
I had a issue where I didn't know how in the heck to debug PainlessSVN in my new Windows Ultimate x64. Thankfully, I found the answer after only a couple Google queries. MMC 3.0 comes in both x32 and x64 versions. Normally, I would call the mmc.exe host with just C:\Windows\System32\mmc.exe in the debug tab of the project properties. I found out that I needed to append a -32 parameter at the end of this path. Here is how it is setup in the tab: 
That command-line argument that I highlighted in red is very important. I found the answer in this blog post: http://www.ditii.com/2008/04/25/controlling-your-mmc-snap-ins-on-64-bit-operating-systems/
I finally got PainlessSVN to read the icons that are associated with files in the Windows shell. That took some Win32 API hacking though. Here's a screenshot of the left hand side treeview: 
Here is a screenshot of the details pane: 
I got the base code for doing this from this Microsoft link: www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx This code is VB.NET, but it's fairly easy to convert to C#. Ok, I cheated. I pasted the VB.NET code into SharpDevelop 3.0, and let it convert it to C#. Didn't have to change anything. Visual Studio took the code without complaining.
Springville, UT : September 6, 2006 - SystemWidgets is happy to announce the release of the first version of PainlessSVN Professional. This is the first commercial product targeted specifically for Subversion repositories served with the svnserve custom server on the Windows Operating System. It is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) version 3.0 snap-in. This makes the Subversion server a first-class Windows citizen. Headquartered in Springville, Utah., SystemWidgets is a software development company offering custom solutions focused around the Microsoft .NET Framework. SystemWidgets also produces several free utilities to help IS people manage their day to day activities. The SystemWidgets product line offers proven solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. For more information, please visit http://www.systemwidgets.com ### Hector Sosa, Jr
SystemWidgets
I just got done creating the final install package. On a lark, I went and installed it on my Windows 2008 Server 64-bit. It works! 
I installed ProcessMonitor from Systernals in my Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition SP2. The fist time I ran it, Windows gave me a Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD). The stop code was 0x0000007. I rebooted the VM, and was good to go. After a few hours of tweaking, I found the root problem. I have a solution, but I'm not happy with it. Windows 2003 is looking in C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727, but not in C:\WINDOWS\System32. Microsoft installs the MMC 3.0 libraries in C:\WINDOWS\System32. Unfortunately, the path-looking routines are ignoring the PATH environment variable completely. MMC 3.0 snapins are registered in the system by using the InstallUtil.exe utility in C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727. The brute force solution is to copy the needed assemblies to the PainlessSVN directory, or to C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727. I really don't like either one, because I hate messing with an user's system files, but that's my network administrator experience talking. The strange thing, is that I have a routine in the install package to do exactly this. It's not working on Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition SP2, but works fine on SP1. At least I'm making some headway with this ridiculous issue...
I'm disappointed with Eziriz's tech support of late. I have been trying to contact them for about 3 weeks now. At first, I thought they were ignoring me. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt when I read the thread called "Anybody home at Plimus?" on the Business Of Software forums at Joel On Software. Basically, the thread talks about Plimus' email support probably having their spam filters too aggressive and eating a LOT of their emails. Several posters mentioned that using the online forms works very well. I decided to use the online form at Eziriz's website, but that went into a black hole as well. What is frustrating about the whole thing is the total lack of non-communication. Nothing, zip, zilch, nada, not even an email saying that they got any of my emails. I don't think I've been a bad customer. I now know that MMC 3.0 snapins are a major pain to protect, because it constantly breaks .NET Reactor. Heck, even a "You are a customer that drains our support time, and unprofitable" is much better than this total silence. At least then, I would know where I stand and could take my business elsewhere. PainlessSVN has been delayed because of this. I have a significant issue with the protected assembly not working on Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition. I'm in a bind, because my budget for protection tools is gone. I'm stuck with .NET Reactor. I does work very well for non-MMC snapins, though. I haven't had any problems with any of the other utilities I protected with it. So Eziriz now falls in the disappointing category of very good product, with abysmal tech support.
Here's a list of the tools that I use for both programming and maintaining my website: Programming .NET Libraries Intallation Databases - SQL Server 2000
- SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
- SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition
- SQLite - http://www.sqlite.org
Graphics Website System Administration Project Management These tools are the ones I want to use, but for lack of funds, time, or knowledge, I haven't been able to incorporate into my practices: I'm just amazed at the sheer number of programs that I'm using. I'm pretty sure I left out some, since I did this from memory. A couple of these are just way too expensive at this time. I'm hoping to purchase them with the proceeds of the sales from the first version of PainlessSVN. This is one of the few disadvantages of growning a company organically. I have been making a habit to purchase applications and apps from microISVs. I also check the Business of Software forums and Larkware News for other microISVs for tools that could make my life easier.
This took a while to find out, especially since MSDN doesn't have this information. A kind soul on the Microsoft.Public.Management.MMC newsgroup pointed to the answer. His name is Larry Gillstrom. Thanks Larry! Read on to see how this is done...
| |
|
|