Recent VideoCasts

Last week I blogged about my challenge to do 101 Visual Studio Tips in just 55 minutes, and if I succeed, everyone in the audience gets a signed copy of my Visual Studio Tips book.

Let’s just say I couldn’t have planned for better drama at the end.

Thanks to Channel 9 for hosting the video at

http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/NicFill/Sara-Fords-101-Visual-Studio-Tips-in-55-Minutes-Challenge/

I’ve been known to talk fast when I’m excited in my Visual Studio presentations, and maybe even a little too fast. But what if I didn’t try to slow down? What if I actually tried to talk as fast as possible?

In a race against time, I will attempt to demo 101 Visual Studio Tips in 55 minutes for the  “What’s New in Visual Studio” session at the Visual Studio Launch Event in Mountain View, CA. And if I succeed, everyone in the audience will receive a free signed copy of my book Visual Studio Tips by MSPress.

Launch Event Details

Tuesday, June 15
1 PM – 5 PM
Microsoft Silicon Valley Campus

Registration for the event is first-come, first-serve at https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032446405&Culture=en-US

Wish me luck!

Zain Naboulsi, a Developer Evangelist, has started the Tip of the Day series for Visual Studio 2010. I spent a lot of time with Zain last year sharing what I’ve learned about writing a new tip every single day for a year, so he knows what he’s getting into. =D I’m very excited to see the series return!

It’s all yours Zain!

http://blogs.msdn.com/zainnab/archive/tags/vs2010/Tips+and+Tricks/default.aspx

Going through my folder of my blog “contact me” emails, I came across this question. I like tricking Visual Studio into doing things, so I thought I’d share.

Is there a way to display only line number of coded lines, i.e. don’t number blank lines? Numbered blank lines makes showing code in powerpoint decks hard to follow.

Here’s the screenshot of what could go into your powerpoint deck.

To do this,

1. Enable Word Wrap (Tools Options - Text Editor - All Languages - General)
2. At the end of the first real line (like #28 above), start inserting white space until it goes off the screen. Note the Word Wrap glyph.
3. Turn off the Word Wrap glyph (same place as in step 1) and Turn off “View White Space” (Edit - Advance – View White Space)

Here’s what the hack really looks like

Sorry, this isn’t the start of a new VS tip series. Just wanted to share some q&a that have come in through my blog.

Petition is here: http://twtpoll.com/iuz95p and closes Aug 5.

When I was 3 years old, I invented the “Koala bear game.” You hide the Koala bear behind your back, then run up to the adults asking them “guess what i’ve got behind my back?” I played night after night after night, until I discovered this thing called “memory.” The next time when the adults answered “your Koala bear”, I said “nope, i got a flashlight.” It was absolutely the funniest thing I had ever encountered in my life.

It’s my childhood dream to visit the homeland of the Koala’s, even more so now that Hurricane Katrina destroyed my childhood bear. =( If you sign the petition to send me to TechEd Australia, I will in return give you the best presentation on the Visual Studio IDE you’ve ever seen. But, don’t take my word for it. In the words of one attendee from TechEd North America 2008, “I laughed, I cried, It was better than cats!”

Yes, in that clip, i’m actually reading Tip 1.1 from the Visual Studio Tips book to the Firefox fox and the Mono monkey to make you a little jealous. (Microsoft should get into the stuff animal business.)

Here’s the petition again: http://twtpoll.com/iuz95p Please sign it, and make my childhood dream come true! I don’t know how many votes i need, but i need to prove my worth. So please vote for me. (I so feel like i’m on American idol.)

My heartfelt thanks to Catherine Eibner, a Dynamics Developer Evangelist, for making this petition happen! Couldn’t have done it without you!