This is a really cool new feature in Visual Studio 2008 that allows you to debug into framework code, all you have to do is follow a few simple steps.

1. Start Visual Studio and select Tools -> Options

2. In the options dialog select Debugging -> General

3. There are two settings you need to change in here. Firstly ensure the “Enable Just My Code (Managed only)” tick box is NOT selected.

4. Secondly ensure that the “Enable source server support” IS selected.

5. Still in the options dialog box select Debugging -> Symbols, here you need to tell Visual Studio where it can find the pdb files and where it should store these on your computer.



6. Click the new location button and specify the URL http://referencesource.microsoft.com/symbols as the symbol location and select a location on your computer where the pdb files will be cached by clicking the "Browse" button.

Now you can debug into the .NET framework code as you need. You can watch a video on how to do this by Daniel Moth on Channel9, or checkout Shawn Burke’s Blog.

DeveloperDeveloperDeveloper! are holding a conference for the .NET community in Galway's Instatute of Technology on 3rd May 2008. The agenda includes some intersting topics and icludes speakers from TechNet and DevWeek.

Full details can be found at their web site dddireland.com, registrater via Microsoft's events site.

Recently I worked on a windows application using WPF. Part of this application need to store a small amount of data, the geek in me would’ve loved to use LINQ to SQL, SQL Server 2008 etc. However this was a simple windows application used by a single user, therefore I selected object serialization as the storage mechanism. This may not be the most impressive technology but it was the simplest. My argument is that while having the latest technology on your CV is good, in my opinion it is as important to show you have the ability to choose the right tools for the right job. Using a technology wrongly should be as alarming as not using it at all.

 

Check out Martin Fowler's Bliki post on PreferDesignSkills, it follows a similar line of thought.

 

I'd be interested in any comments on this.

Here's an interesting site from Microsoft with webcats on various topics based around improving your skills and improving your career.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-ca/bb872393.aspx

Just a quick shout to anyone who hasn’t heard yet, Microsoft are running launch events for Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008. And one of the best perks for going is, “you will leave with a promotional kit that includes product licenses for Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008”

Check out http://www.microsoft.com/heroeshappenhere/events/default.mspx for details on all events or go straight to the Ireland events here, see you there

Your can register for the Belfast event here or you can register for the Dublin event here