The Temple of VB

UPDATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:03:03 GMT

The Windows Mobile 6 SDK (obtainable from [url:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=06111A3A-A651-4745-88EF-3D48091A390B&displaylang=en]) has a mobile GPS sample, which I've updated to add more functionality. I've kept the library as C#, but the app is written in VB. The accompanying blog posts are at [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/08/04/it-s-a-small-world-after-all-part-1-vb-c-and-gps-matt-gertz.aspx] and [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/08/05/it-s-a-small-world-after-all-part-2-vb-c-and-gps-matt-gertz.aspx]. Enjoy!

[8/7/09: I updated the code to fix an error in the calculation of "a" when calculating distance -- I was using rlong2 where I meant to use rlat2. I've also added a default to sea level altitude when elliptical isn't available, and added hiding of the tick marks in the targets when relevant.]

[11/6/09: For some reason, when I renamed a file from Form1 to VBGPS, VS didn't rename the resx file (and it kept the old files around). I've fixed the ZIP file.]

UPDATED RELEASE: Shuffler for Zune playlists (Nov 06, 2009)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:26:27 GMT

I've created an app that shuffles playlists without having to bring up the WMP to do it. The app allows you to open existing Zune playlists, link trcks together, shuffle them, save them out, and persist the linkage information. You can find the corresponding blog coverage at [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/11/06/linking-zune-media-items-with-linq-part-1-matt-gertz.aspx] and [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/11/06/linking-zune-media-items-with-linq-part-2-matt-gertz.aspx] -- the first is already posted, and the second will be posted by 11/7/2009 8AM. The code demonstrates LinQ to XML, XML literals, owner draw on list boxes, using hidden files, and a few other practices. Enjoy!

CREATED RELEASE: Shuffler for Zune playlists (Nov 06, 2009)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:08:40 GMT

I've created an app that shuffles playlists without having to bring up the WMP to do it. The app allows you to open existing Zune playlists, link trcks together, shuffle them, save them out, and persist the linkage information. I'll be blogging on this app shortly. The code demonstrates LinQ to XML, XML literals, owner draw on list boxes, using hidden files, and a few other practices. Enjoy!

UPDATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:03:21 GMT

UPDATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:47:10 GMT

UPDATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:32:02 GMT

UPDATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:42:17 GMT

RELEASED: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:42:17 GMT

UPDATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:00:18 GMT

CREATED RELEASE: Updated GPS sample using VB and C-sharp (Aug 05, 2009)

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:59:36 GMT

The WIndows Mobile 6 SDK (obtainable from [url:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=06111A3A-A651-4745-88EF-3D48091A390B&displaylang=en]) has a mobile GPS sample, which I've updated to add more functionality. I've kept the library as C#, but the app is written in VB.

UPDATED RELEASE: Reset Bluetooth (May 21, 2009)

Thu, 21 May 2009 17:47:12 GMT

I'd had some problems with getting my Bluetooth phone to connect to my Ford Sync system. While I await a fix from the manufacturer, the workaround is to toggle the phone's Bluetooth off then back on while Sync is running. Since that's a tedious process, I decided to automate it, creating a Windows Mobile app which does the toggling, and then I map that program to a key on my phone for easy launching.

The attached code contains the Microsoft Windows Mobile code and the CAB project used to package it. I discuss this more at [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2008/12/09/m-g-phone-home-matt-gertz.aspx] and [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/05/21/phoning-home-revisited-matt-gertz.aspx]. Before building the project, you'll need to install the tools at [url:http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=2913250].

(If you are just interested in the CAB file and not actually building the project, I've included that below as well.)

Enjoy!
--Matt--*

CREATED RELEASE: Reset Bluetooth (May 21, 2009)

Thu, 21 May 2009 16:51:42 GMT

I'd had some problems with getting my Bluetooth phone to connect to my Ford Sync system. While I await a fix from the manufacturer, the workaround is to toggle the phone's Bluetooth off then back on while Sync is running. Since that's a tedious process, I decided to automate it, creating a Windows Mobile app which does the toggling, and then I map that program to a key on my phone for easy launching.

The attached code contains the Microsoft Windows Mobile code and the CAB project used to package it. I discuss this more at [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2008/12/09/m-g-phone-home-matt-gertz.aspx]. Before building the project, you'll need to install the tools at [url:http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=2913250].

(If you are just interested in the CAB file and not actually building the project, I've included that below as well.)

Enjoy!
--Matt--*

UPDATED RELEASE: Creating a simple MIDI file using Visual Basic (Feb 27, 2009)

Thu, 21 May 2009 16:40:36 GMT

I got interested in MIDI files recently, so I whipped up a quick program to try out the MIDI format. I only address turning notes on and off, and don't support the rest of the metadata, but it's enough of a start that those not familiar with MIDI but who are interested may find somethign of value here. I discuss the development of the application in detail in these two blogs:

[url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/02/27/veni-midi-vici-generating-a-simple-midi-file-using-vb-part-1-matt-gertz.aspx]
[url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/03/01/veni-midi-vici-generating-a-simple-midi-file-using-vb-part-2-matt-gertz.aspx]

Enjoy!
--Matt--*

UPDATED RELEASE: VB Screensaver (Jan 23, 2009)

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:30:48 GMT

I've upgraded the VB screensaver example originally found at [url:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f0288df5-01d8-4246-b755-5237e08b0016&displaylang=en], rewriting it to use partial classes and My.Settings. I've also repurposed it to be a slide-show screensaver that superimposes the "DateTaken" and "Keywords" (i.e., Tags) information on the picture. The code also contains an (usused) method for writing metadata to a picture.

The blog posts that describes the process of upgrading this application can be found at [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/01/23/an-updated-screensaver-example-matt-gertz.aspx] and [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/04/13/keep-the-customer-satisfied-matt-gertz.aspx].

Enjoy!

(Edit: I updated the ZIP file on 1/30/2009 to fix a problem with persisting option changes. The "fix" was to add My.Settings.Save() at the end of the "SaveOptions" method in Options.vb, which gets around the problem that Application.Exit() forces the app to skip the automatic saving of options.)

(Edit: I updated the ZIP file on 4/13/2009 to add new functionality for marking incorrectly tagged photos for later investigation, as well as for marking embarassing photos for later deletion-- see the second blog post above for details.)

(Edit: Fixed a bug on 4/30 where the app would throw an exception if the same random number was chosen twice (due to contention for the picture resource))

UPDATED RELEASE: VB Screensaver (Jan 23, 2009)

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:30:17 GMT

I've upgraded the VB screensaver example originally found at [url:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f0288df5-01d8-4246-b755-5237e08b0016&displaylang=en], rewriting it to use partial classes and My.Settings. I've also repurposed it to be a slide-show screensaver that superimposes the "DateTaken" and "Keywords" (i.e., Tags) information on the picture. The code also contains an (usused) method for writing metadata to a picture.

The blog posts that describes the process of upgrading this application can be found at [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/01/23/an-updated-screensaver-example-matt-gertz.aspx] and [url:http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/04/13/keep-the-customer-satisfied-matt-gertz.aspx].

Enjoy!

(Edit: I updated the ZIP file on 1/30/2009 to fix a problem with persisting option changes. The "fix" was to add My.Settings.Save() at the end of the "SaveOptions" method in Options.vb, which gets around the problem that Application.Exit() forces the app to skip the automatic saving of options.)

(Edit: I updated the ZIP file on 4/13/2009 to add new functionality for marking incorrectly tagged photos for later investigation, as well as for marking embarassing photos for later deletion-- see the second blog post above for details.)

(Edit: Fixed a bug on 4/30 where the app would throw an exception is the same random number was chosen twice (due to contention for the picture resource))

UPDATED RELEASE: VB Screensaver (Jan 23, 2009)

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:39:12 GMT

UPDATED RELEASE: VB Screensaver (Jan 23, 2009)

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:37:04 GMT

UPDATED RELEASE: VB Screensaver (Jan 23, 2009)

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:19:58 GMT

NEW POST: SFTP

RobbieM — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:42:14 GMT

Have you seen any way to setup a SFTP client in VB?

UPDATED RELEASE: Creating a simple MIDI file using Visual Basic (Feb 27, 2009)

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:21:56 GMT