The new control toolkit is available on Codeplex. The version is 3.0.30512.

There are 3 new controls and patches. HtmlEditor (by Obout), Combo box and color picker.

I love obout controls. It is good to see Obout.com powered the html editor.  Combo box is more awaited control. I love to see applying the CSS for the dropdownlist control.

Check out yourself. See them alive on toolkit’s samplesite.

I have downloaded my copy and would be excited to make use of them.

Just note that this new version would be compatible only with ASP.NET 3.5 SP1 environment and later.

I installed a trial version of ESET with firewall option when I was connected in my home network. When I connected to LAN in my work network, Windows 7 immediately crashed. Every instance of changing IP also crashed Windows 7. So Windows 7 like any other windows installation is more vulnerable to crash and show the Blue Screen of Death.

It seems Windows 7 doesn’t like Windows XP – the old cousin. In the dual boot itself, Windows 7 boot loader shows Windows XP as “Earlier version of Windows”. After installation of Windows 7, I got error in Windows XP. Though Windows XP booted, it doesn’t allow me to login due to an exception thrown in Winlogon.exe.

I tried various options including Windows XP repairing. But it didn’t go through. As a last resort, I reinstalled my Windows XP. It took a good amount of time for reinstalling my Windows XP applications and configuring them.

I would have been happier if Windows 7 installed in the VPC well. I would give a try again. Am not giving up my attempts to dirty my hands on Windows 7.

Anyway, don’t attempt to install a Windows 7 installation in a machine with Windows XP as dual boot. It may land you in troubles. Take care.a

The attendees was little less while the session started. But a decent number gathered for the event. Heard that for the last session there were huge turn out. As it was a short notice, the turn out might be less.

Ravi the organizer, started with the introduction. PDC Video was shown which had a nice demo of Windows 7. After the presentation, we had quiz as usual. I had got a book as prize for one of the answers. Vista Resource Kit worth INR 895. It may not be directly useful for me in the near future. Still the participation in the event and the interactive session is more important. Another book vendor sponsored few recent issues of Computer Magazine (it comes with Free CD with Full version software.) and two other English magazines. Over all it is a good take home! Thanks Ravi.

Next session for Chennai IT pro group would be on Scripting (Power Shell) – second saturday of May 2009. Confirmed news would come later.

Windows 7 has some promising features. It has lots of gimmicks as well. Real benefits would be known once started using it.

I did try installing the Windows 7 in the VPC. But felt it didn’t go through. So installed the base machine. After successful installation it troubled my Windows XP boot. I did try as dual boot only. At first it didn’t show my Windows XP partition. Later I got Winlogon.exe error when boot through WinXP. Am yet to fix the issue. My friend tried with Vista and Windows 7. Relatively no issues.

My Windows XP is the primary work partition for me. I would write a separate story on the Windows XP and Windows 7.

It seems we would be getting Windows 7 evaluation if we get our laptop there on the day. And more surprises seem to be awaiting. I have got the product evaluation key for Windows 7. Hope to get a good hands on Windows 7.

Am always eager to attend the sessions by Chennai.NET user group. Though am not in IT systems team, as any developer, am also eager to check out Windows 7 event.

If you’re in Chennai and IT enthusiast, join the group and attend the event.

You could join the Chennai IT Pro group at http://www.chennaiitpro.net/

You could join the Chennai.NET user Chennai group at http://www.cnug.co.in

Dundas () have great Chart Controls. Microsoft has brought Dundas chart controls for ASP.NET 3.5.

The chart controls come under the System.Web.UI.DataVisualization.Charting namespace for Web forms.

You could create variety of Charts like Bar/Column areas, Line areas, Area charts, Pie/Doughnut charts, Point charts, Range charts, Circular Charts, Accumulation Charts, Data Distribution charts, Price Change Financial Charts.

You could  bind data to the charts in various ways. You could manipulate the charts using formulae, format the legends, annotations etc. You could even make Image maps on charts, add events on the charts.

Chart Controls.

Key features as mentioned in the documentation:

• Visual Studio design time support.
• 25 distinct chart types.
• 3D support for most chart types
• 3D customization, including perspective, lighting, rotation, border skins, anti-aliasing, transparencies, isometric projections, shadows, and more.
• Unlimited number of chart areas.
• Automatic and manual layout and alignment management.
• Automatic and manual scaling.
• Logarithmic scaling for any base.
• Fully customizable legends.
• Intelligent data label positioning.
• Chart annotations, scale breaks, interlaced strip lines, drill-down charts, tool tips, data labels, and more.
• Zooming and scrolling. (Windows Forms)
• Data binding.
• Data copying, merging, splitting, sorting, searching, grouping, and filtering.
• Data exporting.
• Binary and XML serialization.
• Empty data point handling.
• Unlimited number of data series and data points.
• Support for dates, times, currency, and more.
• More than 50 financial and statistical formulas for data analysis and transformation.
• Real-time chart manipulation.
• Post-paint and pre-paint events.
• Support for AJAX click events.
• State management. (ASP.NET)
• Binary streaming. (ASP.NET)
• Animated frame rate control. (ASP.NET)

You could download the chart controls from here.
You could check out more on Chart Controls from ScottGu’s Blog

Check out here the press release of Dundas on Microsoft’s acquisition on Dunda’s technology for SQL server 2008.

A blog posting on getting started with Chart Control is available here

ERROR : errorCode=-1073548784 description=Executing the query “” failed with the following error: “Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {7816B7A3-CD60-4539-BD38-C35AFC61F200} failed due to the following error: 80040153.”. Possible failure reasons: Problems with the query, “ResultSet” property not set correctly, parameters not set correctly, or connection not established correctly.
helpFile= helpContext=0 idofInterfaceWithError={8BDFE893-E9D8-4D23-9739-DA807BCDC2AC}

But it was working before. I tried with Sql Express and Management studio.

Initially, I thought there was some issue in my settings of SQL 2005. Couple of times after getting the error, I wanted to find the solution. On searching the net, found the solution.

The solution is really simple. Quickly run the following command in command line.

regsvr32 SQLTaskConnections.dll

I found the solutions in the following links in one of the forums.

I do have VS 2008 installed in my machine. It seems to be the cause for the above issue. Check out this link

You could expect everything on Computers, technology. Mostly would be writing more on Microsoft technologies.