Netbeans 6.0 and C++ on Windows

I've been doing a lot of Java development in the last two months, on Windows and for that I am using Netbeans. Well Netbeans 6.0 got released and it supports C/C++.

Here is a list of what you have to do to get a free C/C++ development environment going on Windows:

1) Download the netbeans 6.0 IDE with Java 6 JDK from here. Pick the all version if you got the bandwidth.

2) install Netbeans 6.0

3) Download MinGW32 and MSys (Minimalist Gnu on Windows) from here. Install MinGW32 to c:\mingw32 and MSys to c:\msys.

4) In Netbeans go to Tools->Options and select C/C++ tab. Then add C:\mingw32\bin and c:\msys\bin to the current path. This should give you all the tools.

Happy development.

The Perversion of the American Ideal

Never mind what Bush is doing in Washington (and for that matter to the rest of the world in the name of this nation), this is about the lyrics of one of the songs on my christmas playlist. Have you ever listened to 'Winter Wonderland':

In the meadow we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown

He'll say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
When you're in town.

And what the heck do you think the job is ? eh ? dirty dirty dirty - and that back from 1934

Christmas Playlist

Run DMC - Christmas In Hollis
Alvin & The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song
Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas T
Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run
Perry Como - White Christmas
The Andrew Sisters - Winter Wonderland
Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
Elvis - Here Comes Santa Claus
Wham - Last Christmas
Kylie Minogue - Santa Baby
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
Diana Ros & the Supremes - Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Testing with default arguments

For a while I have known, that testing with default arguments is not the best idea. I mean, it's better than not testing at all, but it's still not a very good test.

Take the following case (which cost me a few hours):

Two systems, one running a web service in Microsoft .NET 1.1, the other a java application written with Netbeans. They communicate their data structures by serializing them in xml. So far nothing out of the ordinary. But since we are talking about two systems, testing needs to include multiple roundtrips. And that makes unittests that serialize and then deserialize on one platform a logical choice. And if you do those unittests with default arguments (i.e. create the data structure, serialize it, deserialize it, and then check the values), guess what happens ?

You catch nothing !

It so happens that the deserializers will create a data structure, which will have DEFAULT VALUES (pardon my screaming, I'm yelling at myself for being so stupid).

So the moral of this story is, if you test, test at least once with non-default values.

P.S. 10 minutes after I rewrote the code, I found another bug (with the test). One element was omitted in the serialization !! Test, Test, Test

Yep That's me

The Race on Belle Isle

Went to the races this week on Belle Isle, here in Detroit, It was just awesome.

Saturday we (Vincent and I) saw Indy Car qualifying and American Le Mans. Had seats in Grandstand 3, right at Turn 1.

The renovated course (little difference to the previous layout) but much better pavement, was excellent. The weather couldn't have been better. Here are some pictures

Oh, and by the way, school is starting this week here in tree-town. Welcome back, especially U of M students.

How fast is your internet connection

A little useful utility here at http://wwww.speedtest.net. Measures both upload and download speeds of your dsl/cable modem etc.

Here's my fastest test . Click on the image to visit speedtest.

Your secret SQL Helper

Ever restored a database in SQL Server. And then had all this disconnected logins hanging around. Logins in the database that got restored, but have no SQL Server login name associated with them. Fear no more, here's the help:

sp_change_users_login

And here's how to use it:

sp_change_users_login @Action='Update_One', @UserNamePattern='dbuser', @LoginName='sysuser', @Password=Null

This will reconnect the database user dbuser with the login name in the system sysuser. Normally both user names are the same.

Enjoy

SQL Server 2005 Management Studio Scripting

Something that bugs me now and then. using SQL Server 2005 Management Studio to script tables and stored procedure is really a great tool. Couldn't do without it and would certainly have to write something similar. Except now and then it throws all the object definitions into a EXEC dbo.sp_executesql @statement = N format, and that throws me off, and doesn't smell right.
Then I go scrambling, trying to figure out which of the many scripting options it is that sets this up.
For my own future sanity and for anybody who cares, it is (drum roll):

Include IF NOT EXISTS clause

Which makes sense, since then the whole definition needs to fit in an if clause.

.NET String Format

How many times have you sat there and browsed MSDN for a comprehensive list of format strings in .NET ?

I've done it countless times, and while the documentation is technically accurate, it is missing an essential overview in one spot.

Here is my two alternative SteveX Compiled » String Formatting in C#

Enjoy

Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

Saw them on Tuesday, at the Joe Louis Arena. What a concert. Just incredible, and this of course is his home town. I had to save my voice on Wednesday, we called him back for two encores. Uncle Cracker opened for him (they could play a concert on their own)

Here's the set list

• Nutbush City Limits
• Tryin’ to Live My Life Without You
• Wreck This Heart
• Mainstreet
• Old Time Rock and Roll
• Wait for Me
• Face the Promise
• Sunspot Baby
• Betty Lou’s Gettin' Out Tonight
• We've Got Tonight
• Turn the Page
• Travelin’ Man/Beautiful Loser
• Roll Me Away
• Ramblin Gamblin Man
• C'est La Vie (You Can Never Tell)
• Real Mean Bottle
• The Answer is in the Question
• The Fire Down Below
• Horizontal Bop
• Katmandu

Encore 1

• Night Moves
• Hollywood Nights

Encore 2

• Against the Wind
• Rock and Roll Never Forgets

How to take a proper shower

When it's 5 degrees out there !

First you make sure that you have at least 1/2 our of time available. Then you make sure that you won't be disturbed. Lock the door ! Block it with a chair. Tell everybody to use te other bathroom !

And then make sure you have a shower, that has limited flow, so you won't run out of hot water. Get one of those rain-fall heads with a flow of 2.5 gpm or less.

Turn on the water
Make sure it's not too hot in the beginning, we'll turn it up later
Get in, and take your time
Take you time
AFter 10 minutes reduce the cold water some more
Make sure the curtain is completely closed, so no cold air can come into the shower. Use the condensation and the showercurtain to stick the curtain against the edges of the tub enclosure.
That way the shower will be filled with delicious hot steamy air.
Stay in there ! gradually reduce all cold water to zero, and steam boil yourself like a lobster
Enjoy the fruits of our civilization. Running hot water. See how the window is frosted up, and remember it's colder than a witches t.... out there.

Enjoy