First Windows Azure App - Where is the Assets folder? - azure

I downloaded the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - WAPTK and started with the first exercise Ex1-BuildingYourFirstWindowsAzureApp . At Task 3 I get stuck though. The problem is that I can't find the 'Assets' folder.
"In the Add Existing Item dialog, browse to the Assets folder in the Source\Ex1-BuildingYourFirstWindowsAzureApp for the language of your project (Visual C# or Visual Basic), hold the CTRL key down while you select every file in this folder and click Add."
Anyone had the same problem ? When is the Assets folder created ?

In my install it appears to be here
C:\WAPTK\Labs\BuildingAppsWithCacheService\Source\Assets
but I agree the docs are not at all clear.

WAPTK is the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit. The last release was June 2012.
For each Lab there is generally a Begin folder, End Folder and an Assets folder to get code from.
There is also normally Visual Studio snippets to install, plus for some other labs there are also other installations.
When you open the Menu - normally installed into WAPTK\Labs\Labs.htm - each lab has 4 links
Lab Manual - Lab Files - Setup Lab - Setup Instructions
Its a good idea to click on Setup Lab first, install whatever is necessary. Then click on Lab Files which will give you the starting solutions, then the Lab Manual to follow.
On my Install I have the following folders
WAPTK\Labs\IntroductionToWindowsAzureVS2010\Source\Ex1-BuildingYourFirstWindowsAzureApp\CS\Assets
WAPTK\Labs\IntroductionToWindowsAzureVS2010\Source\Ex1-BuildingYourFirstWindowsAzureApp\CS\Begin
WAPTK\Labs\IntroductionToWindowsAzureVS2010\Source\Ex1-BuildingYourFirstWindowsAzureApp\CS\End

It is found here:
DRIVE:\WATK\Labs\IntroToCloudServices\Source\Ex1-BuildingYourFirstWindowsAzureApp\Assets
This is the latest Training Kit as of June 2012

Related

Creating Content Project on Monogame

I am trying to use Monogame for the first time.
I found creating a content project is impossible on Visual Studio 2012,
so I would like to know if I can create some .xnb (contents) files from another PC and move it in my PC that Visual Studio 2012 is installed.
This is because I failed to install Windows Phone SDK in my PC for some reason.
My OS was Windows 7 so I could not install Windows Phone SDK.
So, is it possible to create a content project on another PC and move it into my PC? Or, can I copy the .xnb files to my PC?
Thanks in advance for your help.
You can create the xnb files from whichever system you want by using an XNA game project.
The steps to follow would be:
Create a new XNA Game project (it needs to be a game and not a content project).
Add the assets you want to port into the content project of the game.
Compile.
Go to the output folder and copy all the xnb files.
In your monogame project, add the existing xnb files to the project's Content folder.
Change their properties to: "Content" for "Build Action" and "Copy if newer" for output directory.
You can find a tutorial (written by me) explaining exactly how to use sounds and spritefonts in Monogame here. This can be helpful given that these files need to be created from an external project as Monogame was not able to used them without being in xnb format; and was also unable to create this format for itself.
One last thing, it is also possible to install XNA in VS 2012/2013 and Windows 8/8.1 without any problem by using XNA Refresh. This may help you in avoiding the need to use another computer for this process.

Visual Studio 2015 Preview - Full IIS

Any idea how to run ASP.NET 5 project in full IIS (not express) from within Visual Studio 2015 (via start debugging with F5 key)?
Atm I'm getting:
Couldn't determine an appropriate version of KRE to run.
I know it's not officially supported yet, but since IIS Express can do it, so should full IIS?!?
Let's say you created an ASP.NET 5 web application out of the template provided in VS 2015 Preview, then you can follow either of the approaches below:
Run the kpm pack command to create the deployable package with the appropriate options.
Example:
kpm pack --runtime KRE-CLR-x86.1.0.0-beta2-10690 --out "C:\MyWebApps\WebApplication1" --wwwroot-out wwwroot --configuration Release
Right click on the web application project and do a Publish to local file system directory.
Once the above step is done, in IIS, you can create a virtual directory application (or Website if you wish) to this deployable package's wwwroot folder. Example: "C:\MyWebApps\WebApplication1\wwwroot"
I just had a similar issue with beta4.
Note that the names have changed now so instead of a KRE it's now a DNX, although IIS was still showing the error calling it KRE despite this.
Anyway the solution for me was to:
right click the project in question in Solution Explorer
select "project name" Properties
tick Use Specific DNX version
tell it exactly which one you want to use, for me that was 1.0.0-beta4, .NET Core, x64
The project then ran in the browser for me.

Azure cloud publish not uploading new files

I've recently copied my visual studio 2010 website project from my windows 7 PC to a new PC running windows 8. That all went relatively smoothly. When I now publish or package the cloud project it only packages files that were originally on the windows 7 PC. Any files that I have created on the windows 8 PC are ignored. The solution builds fine and I can run and debug the project fine. Any ideas?
Not sure why that would be, but here's something to try: In Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click the solution and choose Clean Solution. Then try to package/publish again.
When you say files do you mean images/JavaScript?
What is the setting of the "Copy to Output Directory" ? for the files/content that is not making it...make sure it is NOT set to "Do not copy"
Are you using the new v1.8 of the SDK? (did you upgrade your project?)...this can happen if you are using an old SDK from a previous computer and then try to build stuff using a "fresh installation".
The issue was that somewhere along the way the cloud project got disassociated with the web project so wasn't actually updating the file list for publishing - it was just using the file list that had already been generated on my old PC.
The fix was to scrap the cloud project and start over with a new one, then add a new web role to it and then convert that web role into a web application project and then move my whole existing website into that...

How do I create an InstallShield LE project to install a windows service?

I downloaded Visual Studio 2012 yesterday when it was released on MSDN. I have noticed that a few of the project types that we had in 2010 are gone or different. The biggest difference for me right now is the removal of the Windows Installer project. Now we are being forced to use the InstallShield LE (Limited Edition). The problem here is that I write a ton of Windows Services and I can't see how to setup InstallShield LE. It appears that we (my company) will have to invest in licenses for the professional edition.
Has anyone found a way to install services in InstallShield LE? When using the Windows Installer project, you just set the custom actions.
For Visual Studio 2012 & InstallShield LE, do the following:
Run through the InstallShield project assistant and add the primary output of your service to the Application files section.
After you are done with the project assistant, double click the "Files" item under step two of the setup project.
Right click on the primary output of your service, and go to properties.
Click the "COM and .NET Settings" tab, and place a check in the "Installer Class" checkbox.
Click Ok
Now, once you build and run your install, your service will show up in the Windows Services snap in.
Note that this assumes you added a "Project Installer" to your service project (Right click on the service design sheet and click "add installer"). I can confirm this work on Windows 8 with Visual Studio 2012 / InstallShield LE.
I've recently installed VS 2012 with Install Shield LE. At first I kept getting a ISEXP -5036 internal server error after a build (this was after setting up a ISLE project and running through the Install Shield Project Assistant). Eventually I found out that it was trying to create the MSI in the DVD-5 media type which is where it was failing. For some reason, creating the solution again from scratch somehow recognizes to only build to the CD_ROM and SingleImage media types which works.
Anyway to rectify the 5036 error, click the Build tab in VS 2012 (top menu), select configuration manager and you should see that your IS setup file is selected on the DVD-5 configuration. Change this to CD_ROM and click close. Once you build/rebuild it will complete with no IS 5036 error.
While using the installer class checkbox may work for some instances, you may experience the following error:
Error 1001.The specified service already exists
Here is an excerpt from this link on how to resolve this issue:
For Error: Error 1001.The specified service already exists
This error will occur if the component installing a .NET Service is
incorrectly configured with ".NET Installer Class" set to Yes. The
method to install a .NET Service is to use Component\Advanced
Settings\Services view, not the ".NET Installer Class" setting.
Making definitions in the Component\Advanced Settings\Services view
creates entries in the Windows Installer ServiceControl and
ServiceInstall Tables. These entries are used by the Windows
Installer "InstallServices" action to install the Service.
If your project is .NET, then try then you can use the ServiceProcessInstaller class with InstallShield LE.
To get it to work with InstallShield, you have to go into the InstallShield "files" tree and right click on your file. Then check the checkbox for "Installer class" on the "COM and .NET settings" tab.
I have gotten it to work, but I've had problems on some OS's like Windows 2008R2. Your mileage may vary.
Here is an example: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/14353/Creating-a-Basic-Windows-Service-in-C
I had all sorts of problems with this.
As follows.
InstallShield takes ages to download
the registration process is a pain.
the configuration options are confusing and overly complex.
the accepted solution on this thread is a hack and it doesn't always work - see 1001 in the documentation - essentially you need to get through the paywall to get the right configuration options to install a windows service.
Solution for me as mentioned elsewhere - was to abandon InstallShield
Very easy from that point.
Edit: Update - install the latest version from here https://wix.codeplex.com/releases/view/115492 for vs 2013 / 2015
Visual Studio setup projects are back in VS 2013 as a visual studio extension.
https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/9abe329c-9bba-44a1-be59-0fbf6151054d
Please update your solution and projects to VS 2013. If you are still in VS 2010, you are probably better off by upgrading directly to VS 2013.
My experience with Installsheild LE is that it is very quirky but once you figure out the tricks, it is easier to use. However, I think that the limited edition is a way by Microsoft and Flexera to sell the fully featured edition. In other words, first we pay Microsoft a lot of money for Visual Studio and then their partner (in crime) more for Installsheild. Bad strategy which did not work out since they had to bring back the setup projects in VS 2013.
I've written about this subject:
Augmenting InstallShield using Windows Installer XML - Windows Services
Basically you create a merge module using WiX to encapsulate the service and then add it to your installshield project. ( Be sure to associate to the INSTALLDIR directory to make sure your file goes where you expect ). Build and test on a VM. Piece of cake.
I'm using VS2012 and Installshield LE Spring Edition. I did not have to use Wix.
If you encounter the error "Could not create _isconfig.xml for use with InstallUtilLib.dll", please create a folder with the same name as your setup project and inside the setup project folder.
Credits to http://community.flexerasoftware.com/showthread.php?165929-Could-not-create-_isconfig-xml-for-use-with-InstallUtilLib-dll
I just got some problems finding where to add installer as referred in the answer. So here it is how.
Double click on your service class within your Windows service Project
A blank screen with the text "To add components to your class, drag them from the Toolbox and use the Properties window to set their properties..."
Right click anywhere but on the links and select "Add Installer"
see ya
Bear in mind that all the above explanation will not help you if you plan to create later an upgrade of that setup. InstallShiled LE can't stop the running service when you upgrade. You can't do it either from Window Service Installer -> BeforeInstall event.
Wanted to put this here;
On VS 2015, when doing this, I ran into the 1001 error upon installation repeatedly.
Answer on this page explained that on the newer versions (anything past 2012), apparently you need to explicitly leave the installer class option unchecked, and then add your windows service under the Services section under Step 3 of the installer project:
Error 1001 when installing custom Windows Service

"New Virtual Machine Role" option in Visual Studio

I have installed Visual Studio and Azure SDK v1.3.
All I am trying to do is follow the steps on this tutorial Task5 step 4
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/gg502180 .
The only one I can not see is "New Virtual Machine Role"
I am new to azure, does anyone know what I am missing?
It's currently in beta and you have to request access before you can access the feature.
Log into the Azure portal
On the left there is a folders labeled Beta Programs, click that.
You'll see a list of available betas. (VM Role should be here)
Select it and hit join "(or request, I can't remember the exact word)
Once approved (not sure how long it takes anymore, prob pretty quick) you'll have the VM Images folder and can follow that tutorial.
The answer is on an e-mail sent to you by wacc#microsoft.com.
"After you have installed the Windows Azure Tools, please run this additional script to enable the VM Role features in the Visual Studio development environment: 32-bit or 64-bit."
Select your environment and run the script.

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