Developer Smackdown

I just posted an article at Code Project for Multi-Touch Robot Control on Windows 7 using Visual Studio 2010 beta 2 and WPF 4.0.  All the source code is available for download.  First time I've posted to Code Project.  It was relatively easy to do.

I loaded a video up to YouTube so you can see the app running with the NXT robot.

I've been notified by Microsoft that my Code7Contest entry, Win 7 in my Truck, placed in the top three in North America.  I won a Code7Contest award and a free laptop.  I didn't get the free trip to PDC but I'm pretty pleased with taking a runner-up prize.  They will be sending me my nifty Code7Contest award.  Once I get it I'll have to take a pic and post it.

My entry for the Code7Contest was putting Windows 7 in my truck.  I own a 09 Toyota Tundra.  I put a laptop mount in the truck and attached my HP Touchsmart tx2 tablet.   I use it as a platform to capture sensors and location information as I'm driving.  In addition to sensors and video attached to the laptop, I also access the OBD II port on my vehicle to capture the data that my truck computers/sensors are generating.  Other features of the app was to read documents using TTS to me as I'm driving and synchronize with my HomeGroup.  I also used voice recognition to have the app quiz me.  Biggest issue there was getting accurate recognition in a noisy vehicle with a desktop mic.  I will be looking at ways to improve that.

The contest rules required me to create a video that was no longer than 3 minutes and/or 10MB file size so I'm not able to show all the functionality.    They don't provide a direct link to the video I uploaded to their site so I've uploaded the video to YouTube for your viewing pleasure.  Watch for more videos on YouTube showing more of the app's functionality.

It's been busy at our house now that we just had our fourth child.  We're still adjusting to the chaos.  I haven't had as much time to finish the articles that I'm currently working on.  So I decided that I would post an article that I previously worked on from my other site.  It's a cool article on how to draw bezier curves on the .NET Compact Framework.  I'm also working on some new graphics articles for Windows Mobile so it is worthwhile content.

Drawing and Filling Bezier Curves on the Compact Framework

I posted a new article called WPF Scrolling Content with Flicks and Gestures.  I had been looking for a way to scroll content without a scroll bar.  So I started with a ScrollViewer control in WPF and added a StackPanel with Images.  The article shows how to scroll content by clicking directly on the image content.  And it shows how to animate the content scrolling with flicks.  I included gesture feature to zoom the main image.  Take a look at the video and tell me what you think....   Enjoy!!

I haven't had a chance to write a blog entry for a couple weeks.  I've been busy studying for Microsoft certification exams.  I had been running the Madison .NET User Group for two years and developing in .NET for ten years with never taking any certification exams.  I thought it was time for a change.  I decided that this year I was going to take some exams to improve my skills and marketability.  Hey, I've got a wife and four kids to provide for...

 I was first studying for Exam 70-536 .NET Framework Application Development Foundation.  I realized how much in the .NET Framework I didn't know details on.  I rely very heavily on the MSDN documentation.  I believe that work is not about how much you can remember the details on classes, methods, etc...  But it's about how well you can find the information and quickly make it work for you.  I finally scheduled the exam and passed it....  Hooray...  It's the base exam that you need for any of the MCTS certs...  So now I'm officially an MCP.

The next exams I'm studying for are 70-540 Windows Mobile and 70-562 ASP.NET 3.5.  Both fit real well with the experience I have on projects over the last ten years.  I scheduled the next exam for two weeks from now to force myself to study.  I also used the free Second Shot offer from Microsoft.  That makes it less stressful knowing that I can take it again from free if I don't pass it. 

Free is a good price.  If you're looking to increase your skills and value for work, training is always a good way to help you.  Microsoft is providing free virtual labs for you to learn their technologies.  If you work with .NET technologies and spend a lot of time with Visual Studio, then you owe it to yourself to go check out the virtual labs.  There's something for everyone.  The only investment you need to make is setting aside some time to go through the labs.

MSDN Virtual Labs Home

Visual Studio 2008 Virtual Labs

Microsoft Visual Studio Team System Virtual Labs

The article that I just wrote was tested on the HP TouchSmart tx2.  This code should also run on the Dell Latitude XT and XT2 Tablet PC as well.  Those products use the same N-Trig hardware.

I don't have a Dell Latitude Tablet PC at my disposal so if there is anyone who reads this article that has one, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you if you were able to make the code work.

Thanks...

Posted a new article on how to access gestures and flicks on an HP TouchSmart tx2 tablet PC.

Gesture Blocks article