Passed Exam 70-504 TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 - Windows Workflow Foundation Application Development
Few days I decided to take exam 70-504 TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 – Windows Workflow Foundation Application Development so I decided to register the exam for today. And today I attended to the exam and passed with score 800. I worth to mention that I used a promotion code submitted to my by Microsoft because I registered on Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Learning Portal to be the first to know and save 40 percent on select Visual Studio 2008 exams.
I prepared for exam during the last month (June). I basically studied the from Microsoft Learning products, course Course 6462: Visual Studio 2008: Windows Workflow Foundation and Clinic 6262: Introducing Windows Workflow Foundation using .Net Framework 3.5 & Visual Studio 2008. And really, about 45% to 50% and maybe more of the exam question are totally covered by Course 6462
The exam consist of 53 questions. You'll not find any exam simulator for this exam now, so if you wish to prepare for it just attend Course 6462 and use some external resources such Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation Step by Step book.
Below is my score card for this exam.
Building Custom Paging with LINQ, ListView, DataPager and ObjectDataSource
Last week I posted about building custom paging with LINQ to SQL. And I wrapped the functionality with Extension Method to IQueryable<T> Interface.
Today I'm going to put the custom paging in a practical sample using ASP.NET ListView, DataPager and ObjectDataSource Control. Click here to download the sample. View demo here.
The sample is using Northwind Database. So first I created a Northwind LINQ to SQL class ".dbml"
More...
Review Clinic 6264 Introducing Windows Communication Foundation using .Net Framework 3.5 and Visual Studio 2008
I wanted to have good short start overview on WCF. My first pick was from Microsoft E-Learning, Clinic 6264: Introducing Windows Communication Foundation using .Net Framework 3.5 & Visual Studio 2008. For me, it was a great choice, exactly what I need to start my learning steps on WCF.
Here I'm going to write my review about this Free E-Learning Course which is part of a Free E-Learning Collection, Collection 6261: Developing Rich Experiences using Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 & Visual Studio 2008.
Course Objectives:
- Describe WCF and provide scenarios for building WCF applications.
- Describe WCF features for developers of service-oriented applications.
- Describe how to create a WCF service.
- Describe how to create and invoke a WCF client.
- Describe how to customize WCF with behaviors.
- Describe bindings in WCF.
- Explain the main features of WCF security.
- Describe reliability in WCF applications.
More...
Building Custom Paging and Sorting Queries with LINQ to SQL and wrap it in Extension Method
Introduction:
Since my early days with web application and I used to observe people writing different techniques for paging data coming from the database. Many articles where written, and different techniques for different databases. All that I am talking about paging data on the database before returning results to the application which will renders it to the client.
One Technique:
You might be familiar with queries like this one:
1: SELECT TOP (10) [R1].[ProductID], [R1].[ProductName]
2: FROM (
3: SELECT TOP (77) [R0].[ProductID], [R0].[ProductName]
4: FROM [dbo].[Products] AS [R0]
5: ORDER BY [R0].[ProductID] DESC
6: ) AS [R1]
7: ORDER BY [R1].[ProductID]
The above query is one of the techniques used for paging data on the database side. When wrapping this query with a stored procedure it will look like this:
1: CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_Product_GETPAGE]
2: (
3: @page int,
4: @pagelength int,
5: @sortfield varchar(100),
6: @descending bit,
7: @rowcount int output
8: )
9: AS
10: BEGIN
11: SET NOCOUNT OFF
12: DECLARE @Err int
13: SELECT @rowcount = COUNT(*) from [Products]
14: declare @innerrows int
15: declare @sortdesc varchar(100)
16: declare @sortasc varchar(100)
17: declare @a varchar(6)
18: declare @b varchar(6)
19: IF @descending=0
20: BEGIN
21: set @a = ' DESC '
22: set @b = ' ASC '
23: END
24: ELSE
25: BEGIN
26: set @a = ' ASC '
27: set @b = ' DESC '
28: END
29: IF charindex(@sortfield, ' [ProductID]') > 0
30: BEGIN
31: set @sortdesc = ''
32: set @sortasc = ''
33: END
34: ELSE
35: BEGIN
36: set @sortdesc = ', [ProductID] ' + @a
37: set @sortasc = ', [ProductID] ' + @b
38: END
39: set @innerrows = @rowcount - (@page * @pagelength)
40: DECLARE @sql nvarchar(1000)
41: SET @sql = 'SELECT TOP ' + STR(@pagelength) + ' [ProductID], [ProductName] FROM
42: (
43: SELECT TOP ' + STR(@innerrows) + ' [ProductID],
44: [ProductName]
45: FROM
46: [Products]
47: ORDER BY [Products].' + @sortfield + @a + @sortdesc + '
48: ) Alias
49: ORDER BY Alias.' + @sortfield + @b + @sortasc
50: EXEC (@sql);
51: END
The above procedure is somehow complex because it support paging and that is why it build the SQL statement and use EXEC function.
I'll not discuss its performance; my target is to discuss how to convert this query into LINQ query using extension methods then generalize it to be as an Extension Method for IQueryable Interface.
LINQ Equivalent:
The LINQ Equivalent is very simple using Extension Methods of the IQueryable and IOrderedQueryable interfaces. The following code shows that:More...
uCertify offering discount code for mosesofegypt.net readers!
Few days I wrote a review about uCertify product for Exam 070-553 C#. And today, I received an e-mail from uCertify, here is an excerpt from that e-mail:
"We are offering a discount to the readers of your Blog. (If there is certain suggestion in review) Your suggestions will definitaly help us to improve our products and ultimately benefit our users. Your readers can use our discount code given on your Blog and get 10% discount on the uCertify PrepKit of their choice"
So you can apply this Discount code "MMMOSA" and gain 10% discount on the uCertify PrepKit of your choice as mentioned above.
So 10% discount and money back guarantee if you didn't pass from the 1st attempt! Check uCertify.com for more details about money back guarantee.
uCertify M70-553: UPGRADE, MCSD.NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Developer using C# Exam Preparation Kit
Introduction:
I almost attended & passed more than 10 Microsoft Certification Exams. With the assist of self-learning paced training as well as official Microsoft Learning products. And before taking the exam, I used to practice the exam using some of the available exam simulators as well as assessments provided by Microsoft. And sometimes I just took the exam using my person experience.
And today uCertify gave me the chance to review one of their best exam simulation tools & preparation kits produced and provided by uCertify for exam 070-553: UPGRADE, MCSD.NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Developer using C#.
About uCertify:
Founded in 1996, uCertify is a leading provider of exam preparation solutions for IT certifications from leading vendors such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Sun Java, Oracle, CIW, Adobe and Cisco. They are committed to help their clients to pass their certification exams by providing the highest quality preparation software. uCertify has devoted much of its resources in Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) research. Through continuous research and development, our products are designed and updated to cater to the needs of changing technology. uCertify PrepKits replicate the actual online exams, and help you experience the real exam environment. This gives you the confidence to pass your certification exams in the first attempt.
My Story:
I have a simple challenging story with exam 070-553 which I’m going to review its preparation software provided by uCertify. I passed this exam on 2006. I didn’t prepare for it. I was moving beside an exam center then I decided to take the exam. And I took it on the same day. Challenging my knowledge and experience, I hardly passed this exam with score 700.
Today and after 2 years, I found this exam preparation and test simulation software from uCertify, I wonder what would be my life and how would be my score if such product were available at that time. I would simply use my knowledge with assist of this product and pass the exam, gaining much more score I’m sure.
More...