Here I am writing to a client explaining which technology is the best. The end use is a one table, muliti-report application. Perhaps a few tables with selection lists, but the main data is in one table. The 2nd phase adds 2 more tables. This company is not a Windows shop, but has no Macs or iOS devices per-se. All the desktops are for Windows.

An executive summary is that if you want to do a corporate application that is the most flexible and might have complicated interrelationships then the non-all-in-one approach is the best solution using one tool for the data storage (the database or dB), another to make the input screens (ASPX, .net, php, html) and another for reporting like reporting services or even MS Access – it is good for that but only that. This requires having the resources and time to get this completed. A hybrid approach is always an option as the tools discussed in this article do interact with each other.

If you want to get going, make large even mid-complex databases and get your work done fast and easy and have many reports that are very quick to develop by even the most basic database designers or business people – Filemaker wins hands down.

Again, if you feel you need to grow, a hybrid system would work best. There are not lots of us who know so many technologies though, and it limits things to more advanced or experienced people – hence the cost might increase.

Rarely should one use MS Access even if it is already installed and tempting you to click on it on your start bar. Continue reading →

This is a WT* moment in my opinion. Filemaker Go does not support the Import script function except from Filemaker databases and NOT from XML datasources from a website. Enter “Import From URL script step” to solve my issue. For the interim this means that for a work-around for my deadline, I had to copy the dB, work with Filemaker Pro desktop version to do the import, then upload this 2nd file to Filemaker Go a 2nd database. The alternative was to change the special API I made to prep the data into a properly formatted Filemaker FMRESULT xml file. The Import script step does NOT tell you on the help page this is the case – just the FM Go developer guide and the “NOT COMPATIBLE” text (the script line does NOT turn grey). This means at least 30% of the work I did to make the XML output from the other system was wasted effort.  I fought a little with the aspx that worked on a previous project and found that with the new .NET 4.5, I had to export an application\xml header explicitly before spitting out the XML data – had I known, I would have not had to fight because exporting text on a webpage is VERY clear to me. Alas, lesson learned – use Import From URL and parse text. This seems like a step backwards.

Well, I think there is hope to get my one FM dB on Filemaker Go by using the Import from URL script step. This guy as a great article about the topic which I wanted to save and share. I will have to export the data in a simple format, but I can use a loop through the text and import one record at a time from this text. I THINK I also need to put a retry loop in the system and a marker for end of data to ensure I have all the data (perhaps I don’t require it, but paranoia and only doing this once reigns!

OK – the title is misleading on purpose – in short you can’t do it via programming. You can for MS Project though. For excel all I have to say is …. Man people have too much spare time. Now … so do I !!! Incredible – how to add a ribbon item IN a xlsm file. It disappears once the workbook is closed though.

Once the utility is installed it is in your start menu called ‘Custom UI Editor For Microsoft Office’

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8850836/how-to-add-a-custom-ribbon-tab-using-vba

First, I am using RS 2008 – not SP1 or anything. This is quite frustrating but I know 2014 is coming soon (many old bugs fixed), but alas, here are some tips of things that I am struggling with and others have too.

Use Consistent Units

First, if you are getting extra columns and/or rows and you want contiguous (no hidden ones) in between – make sure ALL YOUR UNITS ARE THE SAME. Use inches with inches and cm with cm’s. Also align the “top” and “left” numbers to 0’s when possible. The main point is use numbers like 1.7in or 3.5cm and not 1.45235in. If you get numbers like that AND you did align (snap) to other objects, most likely something is in another unit that you are snapping to – or that IT is aligned to.

Headers not consistent when exporting to Excel

This guy has the key. Use Can Grow and Can Shrink to “False”

Well, this is less secure, but easier. Configure two computers with one key to complete a tunnel from one computer to another. Here are some links that helped me.

• making the key: 
• using the key in the client:
• installing client:
  • put the .ovpn files and the shared key in c:\Program Files (x86)\OpenVPN\config directory
• A link for PRECICELY what we are looking for to connect Windows OpenVPN to pfSense shared config. It is working but can’t ping remote (yet)

Below is a client file that matches the server file that I need to connect to.

[vb]

remote someserver.domain.com
proto udp
port 9999

#note there is no 0 behind tun – that is for linux
dev tun
#IP ADDRESSING mode example
# Server IP: 10.10.2.1; Client (this computer) 10.10.2.2
#there is a limitation to use .2 only if .1 is the server for the tunnel

ifconfig 10.10.2.2 10.10.2.1
#Windows needs full quoted path if spaces exist
secret "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\OpenVPN\\config\\my-static.key"
verb 3
#verb 9 troubleshooting
comp-lzo
keepalive 15 60

#daemon ; not for windows
#if we assume that our local OpenVPN machine is on 192.168.22.0/24 network
#but pfSense already is already told what network we are on the setting page
#route 192.168.22.0 255.255.255.0
[/vb]

I have a customer who wanted help with getting a landing page onto their wi-fi. Now Coova networks has some solutions and pay-per-month services exist where users can log in exchange for making an account do exist. A link and name is needed but there is also Wifi Dog which is an open source project that does something like this as well.

I found this goldmine article from flashrouters.com for the latest dd-wrt compatible router recommendations and they seem like they have great customer service. I am trying to find an excuse to buy from them just for that reason. For a simple splash page, I have found that many people recommended a plug in for dd-wrt called NoCatSplash – but if the router where NoCatSplash is installed is not controling the DHCP (Windows recommended best practices) then that feature is disabled. Well, that was my intent – however one could install it as a router within the LAN network. Lets keep looking around. Worldspot.net has a solution that is used with Coova enabled routers for a splash page as well.

Using ASPX – we catch general exceptions – well some messages are too general. Here is some advice emailed to me from a mentor and friend Sjoerd.

UPDATE: Be careful on what messages get thrown/exposed to the final client. If there are open data that is sensitive – the advice below might bee too revealing.

When catching errors, please make sure you bring back the following properties from the exception:

• Ex.StackTrace
• Ex.Message
• Ex.InnerException

He included these links

• http://www.dailycoding.com/Posts/are_you_throwing_exceptions_correctly.aspx
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4272579/how-to-print-full-stack-trace

If you like, you can throw an exception on purpose and look at what the properties will return you.