.NET Core OData: How to Construct a DateTime Filter

Say, we need to construct a query to an OData endpoint that filters records by DateTime values. Over the years as OData standard had been evolving there have been various different ways to work with DateTime columns depending on OData version and an implementation of an actual OData service that could have been based on various different frameworks. This being said, it's likely, that a single universal way of constructing a DateTime based filter clause for OData services might not exist. Take this under consideration, and note that the solution presented below had only been tested with OData services that are built with .NET Web API Odata v4.

Reuse a MemoryStream without Writing to a FileStream

MemoryStream is a very useful class as it allows working with a Stream-like data in memory without having dependencies on any external resources like files, etc. Even though the MemoryStream implements an IDisposable interface it does not actually have any critical resources to dispose of, so, explicitly disposing of a MemoryStream object is not strictly necessary as the .NET memory management will take care of it. This specifics presents an opportunity of reusing the MemoryStream object if needed across multiple code scopes.

Best Practices of Working with Date in JavaScript/TypeScript

Date is a built-in type in JavaScript/TypeScript (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Date) and provides most of the basic needs for manipulating with Date and Time values in the code. Being one of the most well-defined and often used basic types of the language it still generates a lot of confusion, questions and erroneously working code among a wide developers' community. Let's try and figure out some of the best practices that should be applied to the JavaScript/TypeScript code when dealing with the Date type.

A Color Picker in Chrome DevTools

When you are working with CSS and specifically dealing with colors in HEX format it's very handy to be able to quickly find (or pick) a color value anywhere on your screen. There are tools for that, of course, namely, color picker browser extensions, that I used to have. Not anymore. Because, Chrome, that is my main browser, have a Color Picker built into the DevTools. How nice, eh?

Open the DevTools by clicking F12 (or use a menu) and in the Styles panel you can simply click on any color square and the Color Picker will open.

You can use a pipette tool on the left and while it's in the "ON" state and colored blue move it around the screen and click on any color and it will appear in the Color Picker with a HEX value.

New Code Syntax Highlighter Prism

Everyone who posts code samples in their blogs needs a code highlighter. Why? Because without one the code samples would not look nice and readable and your readers would become unhappy and stop reading your blog. Don't like the sound of it? Use a code highlighter.

Deploying a Web App from a Command Line using MSBuild and WebDeploy

Modern CI/CD process especially in an agile/scrum environment often includes a deployment step so the automated and manual testing can be done. Depending on specifics of the development process it can be implemented in variety of ways but for a .NET Web Application the most convenient way is to call the MSBuild to publish a package to a target machine running IIS and instrumented with the Web Deploy.

Finalized Agenda for the Global Azure Bootcamp 2017 Event

The finalized agenda for the Global Azure Bootcamp 2017 community event is finally available. It is also updated on the event registration page. The organizers (the Toronto Azure/Architecture User Group ArcUG) managed to assemble a group of great speakers to cover an exciting list of topics.

The morning session will include one of the hottest topics "Big Data and Machine Learning" presented by Anthony Bartolo, Microsoft technology evangelist, followed by related hands-on lab.

Global Azure Bootcamp 2017

All around the world user groups and communities want to learn about Azure and Cloud Computing! On April 22, 2017, all communities will come together once again in the fifth great Global Azure Bootcamp event! Each user group will organize their own one day deep dive class on Azure the way they see fit and how it works for their members. The result is that thousands of people get to learn about Azure and join together online under the social hashtag #GlobalAzure! Join hundreds of other organizers to help out and be part of the experience!

Ingenious USB Flash Drive Repair Utility

Every now and then it happens when you expect it the least: Windows fails to mount and read your trusted USB flash drive that is urgently needed and requests to format it. When you reluctantly agree after struggling to remember whether there was any important information on it (check point: never use USB flash drives for long term storage) you only see that Windows recognized just a tiny portion of the drive as accessible and it's useless because the file you need to copy is way larger. What to do?