Fixed IE8 issue -Do you want to view only the webpage content that was delivered securely?

Our company is implementing the new HTTPS portal where everyone can access it and share information. However, if I use IE8 to hit the site, the following security warning appears.Here is the step to get rid of this security warning.

•           Open IE8- Tools- Options –Security

•           Internet - Custom level- Miscellaneous section- Enable in Display mixed content

•           Local Intranet - Custom level- Miscellaneous section- Enable in Display mixed content

•          Trusted Sites - Custom level- Miscellaneous section- Enable in Display mixed content

VSTS 2012 IDE update 3 can’t run multiple Coded Wed Performance Tests at a time [only MSTEST Matters]

I don’t understand why VSTS 2012 IDE update 3 doesn’t really support Coded Web Performance Tests. Is it because VSTS team doesn’t like web test team? J

After I upgrade my test projects (unit tests, coded web performance tests) from VSTS 2010 to VSTS 2012, it makes me think of still using VSTS 2010.

Per MSDN forum:

1. VSTS 2012 Test Explorer doesn’t support coded Web performance tests via Test Category. Therefore, I can’t see coded web performance tests appear in Test Explorer [bad design]

2. I would like to run 10 tests for every environment (DEV, TEST, and Stage) at a time. If I choose load test->run-> selected test, it will run all (30) web tests at a time.  MSDN forum mentions we need to use MSTEST to run 10 tests instead of using VSTS 2012 IDE. You can only use Run Coded Web Performance test for one test. [bad design].

If you are still using Coded Web Performance tests, VSTS 2010 is still the best choice. You can use VSTS 2010 IDE to run multiple coded web performance tests at a time in VSMDI file instead of using MSTEST. The new Test Explorer is not powerful in VSTS 2012.

Microsoft Outlook: team members can decline your request if you have a vacation

I don’t understand why a lot of team members like to send to people with Accept, Tentative or Decline request via Microsoft Outlook if they have a vacation. Don’t they forget that we have the right to decline their request ?  

The best way is to uncheck the Request Responses option and just inform them (No response required). J

 I don’t understand why a lot of team members (even program managers) still reply to the old email thread some people have already discussed.  Don’t they forget that they can use “Show as Conversations” function in MS outlook? They will never miss any conversation.

How to Change the Product Key of Microsoft Products?

In some forums, I see some people asking about how to change the product key if they have already entered it. It is pretty easy.

 Go to Programs and Features

·         Right click the product name

·         Click “Change”

·         Choose “ Enter a Product Key”

·         Click Continue, follow the instruction and you are all set.

Use C# to Read Cell Values from Excel 2010 via Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel

In this Sprint, we have the new feature where users can upload the Excel file (xlsx) in our Silverlight Application (SL5) in different countries. After users click the upload button, the data in the spreadsheet will be inserted to the table in SQL Server 2008 R2 and the data will appear in the SL5.

In order to test this feature, I would like to use C# to read cell values from the spreadsheet so that I can easily compare the data between the spreadsheet and the table. It is easy for me to get the data from the spreadsheet via Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel. How to do it?

Add Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel and Microsoft.CSharp in the references.

Namespace: using Excel=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel;

Use the following code to read the cell value from the spreadsheet.

In the code above, I use dynamic type. That’s because each cell value has the different data type (int, string, double..) in the spreadsheet. The code is working perfectly for me to read the data in the specific range from the spreadsheet.

Can Desktop Silverlight 5 Play MP4 video of Windows Phone Successfully?

In this Sprint, we have the new feature - uploading video files in the Silverlight Application (SL5) and then we can play the video directly. 

In order to test this feature, I need to get some video files in advance.

I found out a tool that can download a video from YouTube directly and save it as .mp4 file, but after upload, I couldn't play the video successfully in SL5.

I used iPhone 5 to record a video (.mov) and I played the video successfully in SL5.

I found out a tool to convert .mov to .mp4. After upload, I played the video successfully in SL5.

My colleague used Windows Phone to record a video (.mp4). After upload, I couldn't play the video successfully in SL5.

 If I changed .mov/.mp4 above to .mp3, after upload, I played the video successfully in SL5.

Per my understanding, Silverlight 5 should support .mp4 format. From my testing experience, I can’t play .mp4 video from Windows Phone successfully. 

From this article of MSDN, I still can’t find the answer if Desktop Silverlight 5 can play mp4 video of Windows Phone successfully.

If users upload .mp4 video from Windows Phone 7 in our Silverlight 5 on Windows 7 and it doesn't work , I will remind them: the file can be renamed as mp3 and upload it again.  It will work.

Validate if the folder exists on remote server in C#

We have a new feature in this Sprint. The new folders need to be created on the remote server. If I would like to validate if the folders exist on the remote server after we push to different environments (Stage/Prod), the following code works great for me.

Namespace: using System.Net;

string folder = @"\\ServerName\c$\DEV\Data";

var dir = new DirectoryInfo(folder);

if (!dir.Exists)

{

   Assert.Fail("the folder doesn't exist");

}

Fixed the Issue of Server Query in TFS Project Dashboard

Today when I came to the office and looked at our Project Dashboard, I felt surprised why the section of work items showed the error.

This query is from the folder of Team Queries in TFS and it is also a Server Query from the viewpoint of Project Dashboard. After looking into this issue, Dashboard folder was gone in TFS. I reported to my QA manager and later I joined the Scrum.

After he looked into it, he found out the issue. Thanks God. For some reason, someone moved it to another sub-folder and it was not deleted. 

After moving it back to the original location, the Project Dashboard is showing up as expected. 

Renew Burn Down Chart Email Subscription When A New Sprint Starts

On March 20, 2013, I wrote a post about Burn Down Chart: Let’s Subscribe! . Some interesting things happen about the email subscription when a new Sprint starts

1.      If I don’t delete the existing email subscription , the old Burn Down Chart is still sent to people every morning.

2.      If team would like to change the Sprint Date from 7/15 to 8/5 to 7/30 to 8/24, I need to update start date and end date . I don’t have to change iteration path parameter as follows:

I wonder TFS can refresh email subscription automatically, but it is not. The old Sprint Burn Down Chart is still sent to people.

Therefore, every time when a new Sprint starts, I need to delete the old email subscription and add a new one even if the Burn down Chart in Project Dashboard is correct.

I don’t feel surprised because the email subscription is not smart enough.