Islander’s Analog life….

The new SQL Server Native Client 10.0 app appears not to return the password back when using Delphi’s ADO PromptDataSource

Update: 6/20/2008
There is definitely a bug in the Dialog not in the PrompDataSource.  The solution is posted at the end of the article.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 installs a new OLE DB Provider called: “SQL Server Native Client 10.0” Here is the Data Link Properties image:

Bringing up the ADO Connection Dialog:

CS  := PromptDataSource( Handle, "");

One change I can see is that using Delphi’s PrompDataSource function, it returns a different string than previous providers.  The Password field seems to be missing:

'Provider=SQLNCLI10.1;Integrated Security="";Persist Security Info=False;User ID=sa;Initial Catalog=XIMS;Data Source=(local);Initial File Name="";Server SPN=""'

Here is the output from PrompDataSource using Microsoft OLE DB  Provider for SQL Server:

'Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Password=1234;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=sa;Initial Catalog=Rome;Data Source=(local)’

Here is an image of the old Data Link Properties editor:

The new Dialog has three key differences :

1. You can used mix mode authentication (nothing new here) but also use Windows NT Integrated Security and specify a Server SPN(service principal name).  This is quite flexible.  For more info click here
2. Be able to attache a database file as a database Name - I am guessing this is here due to all the enhancements SQL Server 2008 offers in regards to backing up, restore, compression and encryption database files.
3. Be able to Change the database password directly from this page.

If you find out how to retrieve the “whole” string let me know.

Solution: go into the ALL tab and make sure you set Persist Security Info to TRUE the default (today) is FALSE (thanks Ken!)

You might be interested in finding out what’s new in SQL Server 2008

One in ten workers…

According to the June 14th, 2008 edition of The Wall Street Journal, fewer than one in ten workers save the maximum amount allowed in a 401k plan.

Giving away free money

More disturbing one-third of 401k participants are not saving enough to qualify for the full matching contribution from their employer.

Note: To use the ADO.NET Entity Framework you are going to need Visual Studio 2008 + SP1

What is it?

Basically it allows you to create a model of your database and map objects to relational data (classes).  It marries classes to tables.  Using LINQ you can easily query the classes auto generated by the model.

Quick Sample

Step #1

Add New Item to your project “ADO.NET Entity Data Model ” (generates edmx file)

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As the designated family geek, friends and family call me all the time to troubleshoot their computers. Sound familiar? If so, you probably have dealt already with the problem of trying to connect to the other’s party computer, transfer files, etc.

In my “arsenal” I always keep this three tools, I am sure there are some more out there. If you think they are better ones, by all means please let me know and I will update the entry.

 TeamViewer

This is my favorite tool by far.  It is free for non commercial use.  It is fast and reliable.  This software will blow you away, it offers the fastest tcp/ip transfers while working remotely.  The screen refresh speeds are jaw dropping… it is amazing how well this thing actually works.   Great to use when one of the parties is behind a firewall.  It also has an add-on called ‘TeamViewer Manager’ which allows you to define multiple groups and multiple clients per group.

Awesome speed

click here to visit vendor
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I predict that SQL server 2008 is going to be a huge hit. It has been designed for performance and scalability from the start.

Some of the new features:

• Table Valued Parameters - stored procedures will accept a table parameter.  ADO.NET has been modified so from C#, etc you can create a new variable called ‘SqlDBType.Structure‘ and pass this onto your stored procedures.  This is huge!  No more temporary tables, or cursors to emulate the same behavior.
  CREATE TYPE CustomersTableType AS TABLE (NAME VARCHAR(25), LASTNAME VARCHAR(25));
CREATE PROCEDURE UpdateCustomers(@CUSTOMERS CustomersTableType REAONLY)
AS
BEGIN
INSERT INTO CUSTOMERS (NAME, LASTNAME)
SELECT NAME, LASTNAME FROM @CUSTOMERS;
END;
• New date/time data types: date, time, and also same times but time zone aware
  DATE - holds date from 1/1/1 to 12/31/9999
TIME - holds timeaccurate up to 100 nanoseconds
DATETIMEOFFSET - time zone aware.  Stores value in UTC format
DATETIME2 - holds date & time with larger precision
• New geo-spatial (latitude/longitude) data types -SQL server understand natively coordinates so you can create location aware applications.  For instance, get me all the customers within a 10 miles radius
  (more…)

If you have debt and want to be debt free, the first thing to do is to cut off your credit cards so you don’t use them anymore.  You are probably wondering how you are going to survive, well, if you destroy your credit cards then you will not be tempted to use them and you will have to manage with your cash.  This will force you to a cash based economy.  In other words, only use cash (for everything) from now on.

Get a piece of paper and write down all your balances from smallest to biggest.  You really want to start paying off the smallest balances first, once you are done with the smallest balance move on to the bigger balances.  This will accomplish several things: first, psychologically you will feel like you are going somewhere, you are accomplishing something.  Secondly, it will show your lenders if they look at your credit history that your liability is shrinking.

Depending on your type of debt, you might have to postpone paying some types of debt.  Student loans for instance you should start paying the minimum until you settle all your credit card debt.  Once you are caught up your credit card debt, then start paying your student loans at the max you can afford.  Health-care debt also can be in some cases negotiable and you can always do a payment plan (small installments)

Always pay off your debt, it’s the right thing to do.   You got in this mess to begin with, so try to organize yourself, create a budget and if needed get a second job.

This is very controversial, some people that believe credit scores are rubbish/garbage and you should not care about them at all.  This is due to the fact that they will operate using cash only.  If you feel this way, as soon as you pay off your lenders, close the accounts.  If you do care about your credit score, do not close the account but rather keep it open for ever and NEVER ever use that credit card again.

Also remember that if you carry a balance on a credit card, you will pay interest.  Interest is bad.  Think about it, why are you giving away your hard earned money just for carrying a balance when in the first place if you were to operate using cash only, you would not have.  This could save you a huge chunk of change.

Food for thought: “Never buy on impulses and only buy what you really need“