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Victor Anthony Maceda

Occupation

Development Consultant

Location

Wellington, New Zealand

Interests

XBox 360 .NET Software Architecture and Best Practices

Victor has more than six years of diverse experience as an information technology professional in the fields of systems analysis, design and development, infrastructure development, database administration, network administration and training. He is a former Software Development Engineer at Microsoft R&D under the Amalga HIS product (http://www.microsoft.com/amalga/).

He has strong experience in both rich-client and web application development. He is an expert of graphical user interface (GUI) development tools, object oriented programming (OOP), relational database management systems using structured query language (SQL), data modelling, systems analysis and design. His experience and interests are software development using Microsoft technologies including C#, ASP.NET, VB.NET, HTML, XML, ASP and SQL Server.

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Great Thinkers

Websites of Great Thinkers for both hardware and software


TED Talks Ideas worth Spreading: Every week on TED.com, they post fresh TEDTalks, bringing inspiration, innovation and new perspectives on the world and on ourselves.

Johnny Chung Lee This guy have cool projects like the ones that includes wii remote, Automatic Projector Calibration, Low Cost EEG to name some

Microsoft links


MSDN How Do I Videos These short 10- to 15-minute videos focus on specific tasks and show you how to accomplish them step-by-step using Microsoft products and technologies.

Microsoft.NET Framework Academic resource Kit Course ware Materials for Teachers, Trainers and students This website contains resource materials for Microsoft .NET instructors, students, and programmers. Some documents and files are located on the website itself; others are linked to on the Web.

Performace Guru Rico Mariani's Performance Tidbits

MS NERDS Website Website for MS NERDS

PHINUG Website Phinug website

Microsoft E-Learning Access Free and Paid Microsoft E-Learning Materials

MSDN Forums Microsoft Philippines Forums

Microsoft Online Seminars Microsoft Seminars with Demos

Microsoft at Home Microsoft Tips for Home Users

Technet Briefing Presentations Contains all those presentations Presented at Microsoft

Microsoft Script Center Scripting for IT Pros

Virtual Labs Free Microsoft hands on Labs

Microsoft Technet Microsoft for IT Professionals

Microsoft Security Microsoft Security Website

Windows Update Microsoft Update page for Microsoft Products

Microsoft Support Microsoft Support for Microsoft Products

Microsoft Philippines Microsoft Phlippines Website

Blog

July 03

Rapidly Create Online Courses

The Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS) is a free tool that enables the Microsoft Learning community to create high-quality, interactive, online courses. The LCDS allows anyone in the Microsoft Learning community to publish e-learning courses by completing the easy-to-use LCDS forms that seamlessly generate highly customized content, interactive activities, quizzes, games, assessments, animations, demos, and other multimedia.

Download the latest version of LCDS

The latest version of the LCDS is ready to download. This new release has been updated to be compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and Microsoft Silverlight 2.0. You will find new features such as spell check, the ability to output courses to a Microsoft Office Word document, indexing to enable search functionality, and new templates. For more details, see What's new in LCDS version 2.3? at the bottom of this page. Register to download LCDS version 2.3 today!

Register to download the free LCDS tool

What does the LCDS offer?

With the LCDS, the Microsoft Learning community can:

Develop and deliver content quickly, while it is timely and relevant.
Deliver Web content that conforms to Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) 1.2, and which can be hosted in a learning management system.
Upload or attach existing content. (LCDS supports multiple file formats.)
Choose from a wide variety of forms for authoring rich e-learning content and Silverlight-based interactive components.
Develop course structure and easily rearrange it at any time.
Once you have installed LCDS, you can download sample courses

What's new in LCDS version 2.3?

The new features of LCDS version 2.3 include the following:

Spell check for topics
Indexing for course search
Output to an Office Word document
New templates: Show/Hide and Click Table Animations
Compatibility with Internet Explorer 8 and Silverlight 2.0

8:42 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

June 02

FREE Exam vouchers with Free Second shot until June 30, 2010

If you need exam vouchers for MCP or Dynamics exam which offers 10-20% off with free second shot. Email me at vmaceda@hotmail.com . Please indicate the following:

Number of vouchers:

MCP or Dynamics:

Country to take the Exam:

Each voucher is good for these benefits:

A discount on any MCP or Microsoft Dynamics certification exam.
A Second Shot: when a student uses this voucher when scheduling their initial exam, they will be eligible to retake this same exam if they fail on the first try using the same voucher number.
A discount on a MeasureUp practice test (NOTE: for MCP exams only; not available for Microsoft Dynamics), when the student goes to www.measureup.com/mctrewards/ and redeems the voucher.

May 25

Failure Audit Event Source: MSSQLSERVER Event Category: (4) Event ID: 18456 in a MOSS Server

During the creation of my Shared Service Provider in MOSS 2007, I've encountered this error:

Shared Services Provider creation failed

Following the steps on the link given above, I was able to resolve the problem. It seems that it was far from over because when I look at my event log I've been getting the following error:

Event Type:    Failure Audit
Event Source:    MSSQLSERVER
Event Category:    (4)
Event ID:    18456
Date:        25/05/2009
Time:        10:07:00 a.m.
User:        WLGSP\k2serviceaccount
Computer:    WLGSRPBPEARL
Description:
Login failed for user 'WLGSP\K2ServiceAccount'. [CLIENT: <local machine>]

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 18 48 00 00 0e 00 00 00   .H......
0008: 0d 00 00 00 57 00 4c 00   ....W.L.
0010: 47 00 53 00 52 00 50 00   G.S.R.P.
0018: 42 00 50 00 45 00 41 00   B.P.E.A.
0020: 52 00 4c 00 00 00 07 00   R.L.....
0028: 00 00 6d 00 61 00 73 00   ..m.a.s.
0030: 74 00 65 00 72 00 00 00   t.e.r...

In a minute or 2 intervals, I've checked if I can access all my sites in MOSS and I can. It seems that there was a job that was that was not disabled or deleted during the process. So to solve the problem:

Login to SQL Management Studio
Navigate to SQL Server Agent->jobs
Look for <SharedServices_Name>_DB_Job_DeleteExpiredSessions. In my case it is SharedServices1_DB_Job_DeleteExpiredSessions
Disable or delete it.

5:18 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Work

May 19

Shared Services Provider creation failed

If you encountered the problem below while creating you Shared Services Provider (SSP):

Shared Services Provider creation failed
Reason: No running instances of Shared Services Provider provisioning job
service are online

Check the event log for details.

Note: SSP provisioning will be retried periodically. If you correct the
error that caused this failure, provisioning will subsequently succeed. To
stop provisioning from being retired, delete the SSP.

and the ssp will be in the status: "Provisioning in progress"...
Below are the solutions:
 
Update for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (KB932091)
Clear the File System Cache

6:43 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Work

May 15

How to extract assebly from the GAC

Below is a trick to extract assemblies from the GAC. This is very useful when you're moving features from one server to another in MOSS 2007.

Go to My Computer
On the Menu, select Tools->Map Network Drive...
On the Folder drop down, enter: \\<computer>\C$\windows\assembly
Click on OK

6:29 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Work

May 14

Common Solutions for T-SQL Problems

Information presented in this WIKI represents the suggestions, ideas, and opinions of Volunteer Moderators and Answerers who support the Microsoft MSDN SQL Server Forums. (Unless specifically stated otherwise, nothing should be construed to represent the official positions or opinions of Microsoft and/or its Employees.)

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SQLExamples

3:39 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | SQL Server Dev

April 24

Accessibility Kit for MOSS 2007 Presentation

Below is a presentation regarding AKS (Accessibility Kit for Sharepoint).

The presentation is all about making your MOSS 2007 Accessible and conform to the e-Government standards.

When openning the presentation click on the read only button. The presentation is not confidential in nature it is that I can't figure out how to remove the confidential in the prezo.

5:29 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Presentation

What's new in SQL Server 2008 Prezo and Demo Pack

Below is a demo that I presented regarding the new features of SQL Server 2008. When openning the presentation click on the read only button. The presentation is not confidential in nature it is that I can't figure out how to remove the confidential in the prezo. The presentaion has all the scripts that I've used.

5:21 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Presentation

March 30

Free Encryption Utility for Messengers

SimpLite, the free MSN Messenger encryption solution

SimpLite, the free Yahoo Messenger encryption solution

2:23 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Computers and Internet

February 12

Mount your skydrive as a virtual drive in My Computer

Sick and tired of the interface of skydrive? How you wish that you can mount your skydrive or any other free storage out there like a map drive in "My Computer"? Well, if your answer is yes, I present to you Gladinet

Below are some of it’s features:

Easy Access To Files
Use Web Applications Locally

You may have files stored online. You may have files scattered on multiple PCs. Gladinet software brings all your files together to your Windows Desktop and your online desktop. Your files are following you wherever you go!

Use online office to open local spread sheets. Use Paint Brush to open online images. Use online storages as if they were local folders. Gladinet software delivers web applications and online storages to your desktop.

Remote Access To Multiple PCs
On Demand Sharing With Friends

Gladinet connects all your PCs together. You can access folders on multiple PCs from any one of them. You can also use remote access solutions such as RDP or VNC among them. Your PCs are always connected even when you are on the road.

Sharing Files and Folders is as easy as sending an e-mail or an instant message. Your friends can view your shared files instantly and securely without any Gladinet software pre-installed. You can share both local and online files.

February 11

Free Mastering SQL Server 2005 Profiler Ebook

Just published, Brad McGehee's new 283-page guide shows you how to master SQL Server Profiler. Download your free copy now and try out Red Gate SQL Response at the same time for faster SQL Server troubleshooting.

"By mastering Profiler, the exceptional DBA can track down and fix SQL Server performance and other problems quickly and efficiently, and even spot potential problems before they cause real difficulties." Brad McGehee, author and experienced DBA

Download here

1:28 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

Make your website accessible by example

W3C came up with WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative). According to WAI the definition of Web Accessibility is:

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web.

You can view and read the guidelines here or you can view the examples on the link provided below by viewing the source code of the pages:

Accessibility is mainly observed in government websites. These guidelines may vary from client to client (e.g. US government have different accessibility standards from New Zealand) and it's recommended to have a look at them.

Passed Exam 70-541: TS: Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 – Application Development

Recently, I just passed 70-541 which is my first exam here in New Zealand. I got a score of 885. The exam is 59 items. The total time allotted for it is 4 hours and I took me 2 hours and 30 minutes. I was shocked at first that the time allotted for the exam is that long but there's no surprises there when I took the exam. For me, it is very, very hard and I was ready to fail it (since I got a second shot voucher smile_devil ), but after the exam I was so surprised that I pass. Things to focus on:

WSS object model
Deploying and Managing Features
Security
Web Parts
Work Flows
XML Configurations for Features, workflow, web parts, views, onet.xml, schema.xml
List Events

I used the link below as my pointers for review:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-541.mspx

1:18 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Exams

Reset VSS Admin password to blank

I was tasked to merged one VSS database to another and the only way to do that is to go to sourcesafe administration as Admin and do the export from there so that I can restore the exported file on another VSS Database. I ask the person who gave me the VSS database to be exported about the admin password and he says that it's been handed to him by another developer who forgot the admin password. WTF!!!

Good thing there is a tool that can reset the Admin password in VSS. Please see below:

To use it:

Copy the ResetVSSPassword.exe file in the data folder.
Back-up the um.dat (just in-case everything screws-up) which contains the password in hex format before running the ResetVSSPassword.exe file.
Double click on ResetVSSPassword.exe.
After running the application, it will generate a file called umfix.dat.
Delete the original um.dat and rename umfix.dat to um.dat

This was tested in VSS 6.0 and VSS 2005.

1:11 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Work

February 04

Offering Free MCP or Dynamics Exam vouchers

If you guys are taking an exam (MCP or Dynamics) and needs some discount vouchers with second shot for it please email me at vmaceda@hotmail.com . Indicate the following:

Number of vouchers:

Country:

MCP or Dynamics:

7:44 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Exams

January 27

Restore a SQL Server 2008 Database into SQL Server 2005

You likely will need to test data against SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005, but ordinary backups are incompatible. Use SQL Server 2008's Generate SQL Server Scripts Wizard to push your SQL Server 2008 data back into SQL Server 2005.

Problem:

Transferring databases from SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server 2005 is not possible with standard backup and restore facilities.

Solution:

Leverage the scripting wizard in SQL Server 2008 to script data as well as schemas in SQL Server 2005 compatibility mode.

1:59 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | SQL Server 2005

January 26

Warm up your SharePoint servers

I’ve been using these scripts at work and in my virtual PCs to warm up my SharePoint servers by forcing JIT. To my surprise, this is the same script that’s being used in the virtual PC images offered by Microsoft for course 50026A.

http://blogs.msdn.com/joelo/archive/2006/08/13/697044.aspx

This script will run stsadm to warmup the admin interfaces [and] hit each page in the portal to force their JIT."

warmupserver.zip contains the following 3 files:

Startup.bat - Calls the warmupserver.cmd script and passes in the servername parameter (modify this to fit the hostname of your server)

Warmupserver.cmd - checks for servername parameter then leverages the HttpRequest.vbs script to hit the relevant admin pages (change the pages and ports to the relevant ones)

HTTPRequest.vbs - This script executes an HTTP query using the XMLHTTP object

4:58 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Work

January 17

Free E-books: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services Step by Step and Windows Server 2008 Core Administrator’s Pocket Consultant

Windows Server 2008 Core Administrator’s Pocket Consultant

By Mitch Tulloch with the Windows Server Core Team at Microsoft
ISBN: 9780735626263

Portable and precise, this pocket-sized guide delivers ready answers for administering your Server Core installation. For more information or to buy the print version of this title, visit the Microsoft Learning website.

http://csna01.libredigital.com/?urws8un4p7

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services Step by Step

By Paul Turley, Joe Kasprzak, Scott Cameron, Satoshi Iizuka, and Pablo Guzman
ISBN: 9780735624054

This step-by-step tutorial teaches you all the essentials for getting started, including data transformation, scripting, security, and best practices for developing enterprise-class data integration applications. For more information or to buy the print version of this title, visit the Microsoft Learning website.

http://csna01.libredigital.com/?urrs4gt63d

1:24 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

January 15

Virtual Machine Remote Control Client Plus (VMRCplus)

VMRCplus is a tool for both configuration management of Virtual Server and remote control of virtual machines. It allows for local and remote management of Virtual Server and supports simultaneous management of up to 32 Virtual Server hosts.
Remote control sessions of virtual machines are grouped in a single window using Tab pages. The interface enables sorting virtual machines based on various properties like name, status and description. Multi-select of virtual machines enable you to perform actions to change their status or open remote control sessions all at once.

VMRCplus is a Windows application and does not require IIS to manage Virtual Server.

Download it here

2:53 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

Resize those VHDs

If you’re using Microsoft Virtual PC there would be a time that you need to install a big kahuna program in to your OS partition (e.g. visual studio, sql server, sharepoint) then eventually you lack virtual hard disk space because at first you thought that 15-20GB is sufficient and your vhd is configured as a fixed disk. Is there a way out of this problem??? Luckily there is! The solution, drums roll…

VHD RESIZER

VhdResize will resize Microsoft's VHD files and will also convert between Fixed and Dynamic file types. This is a sector by sector copy operation from one size/type to the other and the source file remains unaltered.

Download Now

2:51 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

Cool Free Software for January 2009

CodeRush Xpress

CodeRush Xpress is freely available to all Visual Studio 2008 developers and offers a comprehensive suite of tools that enable you and your team to simplify and shape complex code - making it easier to read and less costly to maintain.

Price: Free
Get it: Download from CodeRush

ooVoo Video Conferencing

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ooVoo is our favorite video chat software for multi-person video chat, because not only is it a high quality video being streamed, it’s also simple to setup and free to use. Best of all, there’s a COM API to play with and automate ooVoo for developers interested in tinkering.

Cost: Free
Get it: Download ooVoo
Code it: ooVoo API Documentation

Robotics Developer Studio 2008 Express Edition

clip_image010[6]

Robotics Developer Studio is a set of tools for building robotics applications using either Visual Studio Express or Visual Programming Language (VPL). In addition to the development tools, Robotics Developer Studio includes a powerful simulation environment for running robotic simulations. Best of all, you can go to RoboChamps and compete head-to-head in a number of challenges including the Mars Rover challenge, Roomba Sumo wrestling, or the Kia Motors Urban Challenge with a grand prize of a new Kia car!

Price: Free
Get it: Download the Express Edition from MSDN
Code it: The RoboChamps Learning Area has the best set of learning resources for developers new to Robotics Studio

trueSpace7 – 3D Design

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Want to make some neat items models for your video games or add models in Virtual Earth? Give Caligari Software’s trueSpace 7 a try. Since Caligari was acquired by Microsoft, they've made trueSpace a free download for everyone to enjoy. You can use it for XNA games for Windows and xbox 360. And it has a real-time engine that allows you to create some amazing scenes too with their shader effects!

Price: Free
Get it: Download from Caligari Software
Code it: trueSpace is extensible using the trueSpace7 C++ SDK

Unsigned

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Ready to rock out with Guitar Hero and Rockband but can’t find the song you really want? Check out Unsigned, an XNA band instrument that can be played both on a PC and on an Xbox 360. They are always looking for additional people to contribute too!

Price: Free
Get it: Download the Unsigned game
Code it: Download the Unsigned game's code from SourceForge

2:49 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | View trackbacks (5) | Blog it

Free SQL Cribsheet Compendium Download

Simple Talk have compiled the most popular Simple Talk cribsheets, covering security, performance, and much more, into a single convenient eBook. It’s available for free as part of the Red Gate SQL Server eBook Selection.

Download your copy here

2:22 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | SQL Server 2005

January 14

Error 1620 Installing Microsoft SQL Native Client

It's not my first time to install SQL Server 2005 but there is this weird error that I stumbled upon "Error 1620 Installing Microsoft SQL Native Client". With googling around I found out that this might be caused by damaged WMI. The solution is to repair the damed WMI by:

At the command line, type net stop winmgmt. You may get a warning that other services need to be stopped as well; type Y and continue.
Open Explorer and go to the folder called %SystemRoot%\System32\WBEM\Repository.
Delete that folder and everything in it.
Reboot the system normally.
On the next login, open a command prompt and type the following commands in this order:
- winmgmt /clearadap
- winmgmt /kill
- winmgmt /unregserver
- winmgmt /regserver
- winmgmt /resyncperf