Code A La Mode

Enable remote connections to SQL Server

toddgdaugherty — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:30:12 +0000

Started here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd857537(VS.85).aspx . Was going to open a port so I could use SQL Management Center remotely just temporarily and then close the port when I was finished but this did not work. Instead I installed a local copy of Management Studio on the remote server and then used TeamViewer to run Management Studio remotely. It might have worked if I had Management Studio already installed on the remote server so that I could use it to make this setting change: Properties -> Connections -> Check “Allow remote connections to this server,” but if I had a it installed in the first place I also wouldn’t have needed to use in remotely anyhow!

Server setup – Windows server 2008, IIS 7, SQL Server 2008 R2

toddgdaugherty — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:50:30 +0000

Steps involved setting up new server to run nopcommerce shopping cart.

Install Windows Installer 4.5 (Windows6.0-KB942288-v2-x86 (1).msu)
Install ASP.NET 3.5 (dotnetfx35.exe)
Install SQL Server Express 2008 R2 with Management Studio (SQLEXPRWT_x86_ENU.exe)
Install TeamViewer to run server remotely

Configuration

IIS > Sites > Add Web Site
Server Manager > Roles > Add Role Services: install .NET 3.5 onto IIS
Add ‘NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE’ user to SQL Server (see msdn) and then map to the db_owner role. See Errors/Solutions.
Add default.aspx as default document
Assign and double check all permissions are set correctly as outlined in nopcommerce users guide
Create new database in SQL Server via Management Studio and give name – - -then restore DB backed up from local SQL Server.
Adjust connection string to proper set up on new server. See http://connectionstrings.com/
Temporarily remove connection string and run nopcommerce install wizard. It will check for proper permissions settings. Stop before wizard created a new DB though. No harm to in case you want to check site with nopcommerce’s fake DB – choose “add data” on install to fill w/ fake products.

Errors/Bests solutions

toddgdaugherty — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:25:58 +0000

Error: Cannot open database “xxx” requested by the login. The login failed. Login failed for user ‘NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE’.

Solution: http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2009/08/20/sql-server-fix-error-cannot-open-database-requested-by-the-login-the-login-failed-login-failed-for-user-nt-authoritynetwork-service/

Test Slideshow

toddgdaugherty — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:53:33 +0000

While working on a project to place a slideshow on a blog hosted at WordPress.com, I created this particular blog as a testing platform. (Which I intent to continue for my own personal notes, code snippets, problems, solutions, etc. for ASP.NET, Actionscript, and C#) I found many slideshow plug-ins that work with WordPress. One of them in particular called GRAND Flash Album Gallery was brilliantly designed with great affects and dozens upon dozens of options. When I was trying to install it I learned the disappointing truth. WordPress.com is different than WordPress.org. WordPress.com hosts your blog, in contrast to WordPress.org which allows you to download the open source php application and run it on your own server. Having WordPress.com host your blog is great in it’s own respect, but it also has it’s limitations. Just to name a few, plug-ins such as the slideshow I really liked, javascript, and css (unless paid for) are not allowed. I was however left with a few options to create slideshows.

My favorite of those few was from Slide.com because you have the option to create your own skin such as the one above. What I don’t really like about it is the buttons at the bottom and the overlays that pop up from time to time asking the viewer to participate in such things as “Add your own review,” etc. which seem a bit intrusive. I tried to get rid of the buttons at the bottom using an embed tag rather than the [shortcode] supplied by slide.com but WordPress strips embed tags and the like so I was left with no options.

If anyone has come across a better slideshow that can be posted on WordPress, please submit a comment. I do however prefer the option that allows me to create my own skin so that should be available. Thanks. It doesn’t exactly have to be WordPress.com compatible either. There is an option to convert your slideshow into a video and then embed the video using Vodpod (outlined here by Gavin Wray). Come to think of it, maybe I should have just created video using Premier Pro. Hmmm. No…. takes too long.