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Posted by Tom on May 19, 2010 in Development

nANT get command

Just a quick aide-memoir about this useful command. It's primary purpose is to get data from a URL, such as data from an HTTP source or from a UNC share.

Posted by Tom on May 18, 2010 in Development

BBC Internal Server Error

I should have expected the BBC to have a great Internal Server Error page, and they didn’t disappoint. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before, and I...

Posted by Tom on May 18, 2010 in Everything Else

Using multi-select drop-down boxes as parameters in reports

One of the options for a parameter is for it to be multi-selection. This is very useful for some report scenarios, and transforms the normal combo-box into something much more like the Excel filter drop down (why isn't this a native .NET control yet!) However, the format of the data returned by this drop-down can cause problems if you're trying to run SQL from it.

Posted by Tom on May 18, 2010 in Development

Microsoft Code Contracts

Since discovering Unit Tests and other checking code, such as Debug.Assert, I'm convinced this is the path to enlighenment in software development. These tools hold up a strong light in what can be a dark mad world of bug-hunting.

Posted by Tom on May 17, 2010 in Development

Laying NAnt build files out cleanly

When you're building your NAnt files, you want to have some separation between the different parts of the build process. Not only is this good for keeping things clean and clear, but it also means you can choose to run separate parts of the build process, should you wish to.

Posted by Tom on May 16, 2010 in Development

Auto-Building: Getting things done with NAnt

NAnt is like a big, automated toolbox of useful functions. It works by reading XML configuration files which tell it what to do.

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About Me

Hi, I'm Tom. I'm a Microsoft 365 Developer & Architect. I empower developers, architects, and organizations to achive more with Microsoft 365 by creating applications and services with technologies like Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Bot Framework, Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Graph, Adaptive Cards, and Office Add-Ins.

I'm passionate about creating great software that people will find useful and I want to help you do the same. This is my blog, you can find more about me, speaking engagements, code sample and more on my main site.