It is

• True
• Useful
• Deep
• and very hard to explain to people without being insulting

By singleing yourself out as a “maker”, and hence on a “Maker Schedule” you run the serious risk of alienating all of your equally smart colleagues who have different interests and work responsibilities.  Coders, designers and artists will understand it immediately, but if you’re not one of those people it can sound like you’re putting yourself on a pedestal.

Remove Maker Schedule and Manager Schedule from the description

Just remove the job description, and substitute the noise that you’re making, which implies the type of work that you’re doing.

If you’re producing mouse clicks, you’re doing manager work, and you’re on a manager schedule.  If you’re producing keyboard clicks, you’re doing maker work, and you’re on a maker schedule.  The work is being labeled, not the person.  No one is categorized as “creative” or “business people”, it’s just the work you happen to be doing at the time.

I’ve found that people understand this instantly and intuitively.  No need to explain “Flow” or why interruptions cost so much time.  People can relate to the fact that (usually) work involving the keyboard just takes longer than work involving the mouse, and no one is inadvertently put down by being implicitly labeled.

That’s worked for me anyway.

You have an asp.net mvc 3 web project, and you are running it as part of a windows azure web application.   In my case it worked initially, but after I installed some Visual Studio plugins, run Windows Update, and installed a new router, it mysteriously stopped working.  A few of the error messages had me thinking it was caused by Sql Server, but I was mistaken.

The Cause:

This stumped me for several hours, but after much trial and error I discovered that the problem was with port mapping.

In the output window, I had the following messages:

Windows Azure Tools: Warning: Remapping public port 80 to 87 to avoid conflict during emulation.
Windows Azure Tools: Warning: Remapping public port 3389 to 3390 to avoid conflict during emulation.
Windows Azure Tools: Warning: Remapping private port 80 to 89 in role ‘MyCoolSite’ to avoid conflict during emulation.
Windows Azure Tools: Warning: Remapping private port 3389 to 3390 in role ‘MyCoolSite’ to avoid conflict during emulation.

I had enabled a homegroup somewhere along the way, which changed my network location, which somehow made changes in the firewall.

The Solution

This was more blind luck, but I got a windows firewall popup that asked me if I wanted to allow the Visual Studio Process to use lo these many ports.

So, in sum, check to make sure all of your ports are open.

Sql Azure database with entity framework codefirst – the song remains the same

As I am deeply committed to using ASP.net MVC 3 with Entity Framework CodeFirst, I thought at first moving to Azure might be a problem, as Sql Azure is marketed as a cousin to Sql Server, and not the real thing.  Happily that seems not to be the case.

I searched for a guide on how to use Entity Framework Codefirst with Sql Azure and couldn’t find one – so I just up and tried it and it worked quite well.  It works just like the regular Codefirst method, only you must specify the proper sql azure database in the web.Debug.config and the web.Release.config files.  Furthermore, that database must not already exist.  The Windows Azure admin screens strongly guide you in the direction of creating an initial database, but I’ve found if you just delete your default database it will create one for you.

So, in sum, you just treat Sql Azure the same as you would any other Sql Server database.  I’m not sure why Microsoft is marketing it as something radically different, but so far I have not discovered any meaningful differences between the two systems.

For one reason or another you need to set the database used by entity framework programatically.  The more common way of doing such a thing is to set the database in your web.config class, but for whatever reason you need to set it in actual C# code.

The Cause:

There is no cause really, it is merely the way that entity framework and sql server work together.

The Solution:

The answer lies in setting the constructor properly.

Example Code Using Entity Framework and Data Context

using System.Data.Entity;

namespace MyDBServerExperiments.Models
{
public class DTFContext : DbContext
{
public DTFContext() : base(“Data Source=MyDBServer.DBServer.com;Initial Catalog=MyEntityFrameworkDB;Persist Security Info=True;user id=MyUsername; Password=MyPassword;”) { }

public DbSet<User> Users { get; set; }
public DbSet<BusinessObjects> BusinessObjects { get; set; }
public DbSet<Property> Properties { get; set; }

}

}

The above would be your data context file that uses the DBContext file  in your models folder, just fyi (that is the common place for Entity Framework models in the standard  Visual Studio 2010 web solution structure).

Note, everything happens in the constructor.  This give you many interesting opportunities to programatically swap out Sql Server database names and users, compared to the web.config option, which tends to be far more static.  It allows far more extensive use of business objects and

Employees complain, entreupreneurs get it done.

Exactly what I needed to hear today.    The insight into a base mindset is what I like about it I suppose.

The code for the random name generator in C#

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;

namespace MyNamespace
{
public class NameGenerator
{
public static Random rnd = new Random();

public static string GenRandomLastName()
{
List<string> lst = new List<string>();
string str = string.Empty;
lst.Add(“Smith”);
lst.Add(“Johnson”);
lst.Add(“Williams”);
lst.Add(“Jones”);
lst.Add(“Brown”);
lst.Add(“Davis”);
lst.Add(“Miller”);
lst.Add(“Wilson”);
lst.Add(“Moore”);
lst.Add(“Taylor”);
lst.Add(“Anderson”);
lst.Add(“Thomas”);
lst.Add(“Jackson”);
lst.Add(“White”);
lst.Add(“Harris”);
lst.Add(“Martin”);
lst.Add(“Thompson”);
lst.Add(“Garcia”);
lst.Add(“Martinez”);
lst.Add(“Robinson”);
lst.Add(“Clark”);
lst.Add(“Rodriguez”);
lst.Add(“Lewis”);
lst.Add(“Lee”);
lst.Add(“Walker”);
lst.Add(“Hall”);
lst.Add(“Allen”);
lst.Add(“Young”);
lst.Add(“Hernandez”);
lst.Add(“King”);
lst.Add(“Wright”);
lst.Add(“Lopez”);
lst.Add(“Hill”);
lst.Add(“Scott”);
lst.Add(“Green”);
lst.Add(“Adams”);
lst.Add(“Baker”);
lst.Add(“Gonzalez”);
lst.Add(“Nelson”);
lst.Add(“Carter”);
lst.Add(“Mitchell”);
lst.Add(“Perez”);
lst.Add(“Roberts”);
lst.Add(“Turner”);
lst.Add(“Phillips”);
lst.Add(“Campbell”);
lst.Add(“Parker”);
lst.Add(“Evans”);
lst.Add(“Edwards”);
lst.Add(“Collins”);
lst.Add(“Stewart”);
lst.Add(“Sanchez”);
lst.Add(“Morris”);
lst.Add(“Rogers”);
lst.Add(“Reed”);
lst.Add(“Cook”);
lst.Add(“Morgan”);
lst.Add(“Bell”);
lst.Add(“Murphy”);
lst.Add(“Bailey”);
lst.Add(“Rivera”);
lst.Add(“Cooper”);
lst.Add(“Richardson”);
lst.Add(“Cox”);
lst.Add(“Howard”);
lst.Add(“Ward”);
lst.Add(“Torres”);
lst.Add(“Peterson”);
lst.Add(“Gray”);
lst.Add(“Ramirez”);
lst.Add(“James”);
lst.Add(“Watson”);
lst.Add(“Brooks”);
lst.Add(“Kelly”);
lst.Add(“Sanders”);
lst.Add(“Price”);
lst.Add(“Bennett”);
lst.Add(“Wood”);
lst.Add(“Barnes”);
lst.Add(“Ross”);
lst.Add(“Henderson”);
lst.Add(“Coleman”);
lst.Add(“Jenkins”);
lst.Add(“Perry”);
lst.Add(“Powell”);
lst.Add(“Long”);
lst.Add(“Patterson”);
lst.Add(“Hughes”);
lst.Add(“Flores”);
lst.Add(“Washington”);
lst.Add(“Butler”);
lst.Add(“Simmons”);
lst.Add(“Foster”);
lst.Add(“Gonzales”);
lst.Add(“Bryant”);
lst.Add(“Alexander”);
lst.Add(“Russell”);
lst.Add(“Griffin”);
lst.Add(“Diaz”);
lst.Add(“Hayes”);

str = lst.OrderBy(xx => rnd.Next()).First();
return str;
}
public static string GenRandomFirstName()
{
List<string> lst = new List<string>();
string str = string.Empty;
lst.Add(“Aiden”);
lst.Add(“Jackson”);
lst.Add(“Mason”);
lst.Add(“Liam”);
lst.Add(“Jacob”);
lst.Add(“Jayden”);
lst.Add(“Ethan”);
lst.Add(“Noah”);
lst.Add(“Lucas”);
lst.Add(“Logan”);
lst.Add(“Caleb”);
lst.Add(“Caden”);
lst.Add(“Jack”);
lst.Add(“Ryan”);
lst.Add(“Connor”);
lst.Add(“Michael”);
lst.Add(“Elijah”);
lst.Add(“Brayden”);
lst.Add(“Benjamin”);
lst.Add(“Nicholas”);
lst.Add(“Alexander”);
lst.Add(“William”);
lst.Add(“Matthew”);
lst.Add(“James”);
lst.Add(“Landon”);
lst.Add(“Nathan”);
lst.Add(“Dylan”);
lst.Add(“Evan”);
lst.Add(“Luke”);
lst.Add(“Andrew”);
lst.Add(“Gabriel”);
lst.Add(“Gavin”);
lst.Add(“Joshua”);
lst.Add(“Owen”);
lst.Add(“Daniel”);
lst.Add(“Carter”);
lst.Add(“Tyler”);
lst.Add(“Cameron”);
lst.Add(“Christian”);
lst.Add(“Wyatt”);
lst.Add(“Henry”);
lst.Add(“Eli”);
lst.Add(“Joseph”);
lst.Add(“Max”);
lst.Add(“Isaac”);
lst.Add(“Samuel”);
lst.Add(“Anthony”);
lst.Add(“Grayson”);
lst.Add(“Zachary”);
lst.Add(“David”);
lst.Add(“Christopher”);
lst.Add(“John”);
lst.Add(“Isaiah”);
lst.Add(“Levi”);
lst.Add(“Jonathan”);
lst.Add(“Oliver”);
lst.Add(“Chase”);
lst.Add(“Cooper”);
lst.Add(“Tristan”);
lst.Add(“Colton”);
lst.Add(“Austin”);
lst.Add(“Colin”);
lst.Add(“Charlie”);
lst.Add(“Dominic”);
lst.Add(“Parker”);
lst.Add(“Hunter”);
lst.Add(“Thomas”);
lst.Add(“Alex”);
lst.Add(“Ian”);
lst.Add(“Jordan”);
lst.Add(“Cole”);
lst.Add(“Julian”);
lst.Add(“Aaron”);
lst.Add(“Carson”);
lst.Add(“Miles”);
lst.Add(“Blake”);
lst.Add(“Brody”);
lst.Add(“Adam”);
lst.Add(“Sebastian”);
lst.Add(“Adrian”);
lst.Add(“Nolan”);
lst.Add(“Sean”);
lst.Add(“Riley”);
lst.Add(“Bentley”);
lst.Add(“Xavier”);
lst.Add(“Hayden”);
lst.Add(“Jeremiah”);
lst.Add(“Jason”);
lst.Add(“Jake”);
lst.Add(“Asher”);
lst.Add(“Micah”);
lst.Add(“Jace”);
lst.Add(“Brandon”);
lst.Add(“Josiah”);
lst.Add(“Hudson”);
lst.Add(“Nathaniel”);
lst.Add(“Bryson”);
lst.Add(“Ryder”);
lst.Add(“Justin”);
lst.Add(“Bryce”);

//—————female

lst.Add(“Sophia”);
lst.Add(“Emma”);
lst.Add(“Isabella”);
lst.Add(“Olivia”);
lst.Add(“Ava”);
lst.Add(“Lily”);
lst.Add(“Chloe”);
lst.Add(“Madison”);
lst.Add(“Emily”);
lst.Add(“Abigail”);
lst.Add(“Addison”);
lst.Add(“Mia”);
lst.Add(“Madelyn”);
lst.Add(“Ella”);
lst.Add(“Hailey”);
lst.Add(“Kaylee”);
lst.Add(“Avery”);
lst.Add(“Kaitlyn”);
lst.Add(“Riley”);
lst.Add(“Aubrey”);
lst.Add(“Brooklyn”);
lst.Add(“Peyton”);
lst.Add(“Layla”);
lst.Add(“Hannah”);
lst.Add(“Charlotte”);
lst.Add(“Bella”);
lst.Add(“Natalie”);
lst.Add(“Sarah”);
lst.Add(“Grace”);
lst.Add(“Amelia”);
lst.Add(“Kylie”);
lst.Add(“Arianna”);
lst.Add(“Anna”);
lst.Add(“Elizabeth”);
lst.Add(“Sophie”);
lst.Add(“Claire”);
lst.Add(“Lila”);
lst.Add(“Aaliyah”);
lst.Add(“Gabriella”);
lst.Add(“Elise”);
lst.Add(“Lillian”);
lst.Add(“Samantha”);
lst.Add(“Makayla”);
lst.Add(“Audrey”);
lst.Add(“Alyssa”);
lst.Add(“Ellie”);
lst.Add(“Alexis”);
lst.Add(“Isabelle”);
lst.Add(“Savannah”);
lst.Add(“Evelyn”);
lst.Add(“Leah”);
lst.Add(“Keira”);
lst.Add(“Allison”);
lst.Add(“Maya”);
lst.Add(“Lucy”);
lst.Add(“Sydney”);
lst.Add(“Taylor”);
lst.Add(“Molly”);
lst.Add(“Lauren”);
lst.Add(“Harper”);
lst.Add(“Scarlett”);
lst.Add(“Brianna”);
lst.Add(“Victoria”);
lst.Add(“Liliana”);
lst.Add(“Aria”);
lst.Add(“Kayla”);
lst.Add(“Annabelle”);
lst.Add(“Gianna”);
lst.Add(“Kennedy”);
lst.Add(“Stella”);
lst.Add(“Reagan”);
lst.Add(“Julia”);
lst.Add(“Bailey”);
lst.Add(“Alexandra”);
lst.Add(“Jordyn”);
lst.Add(“Nora”);
lst.Add(“Carolin”);
lst.Add(“Mackenzie”);
lst.Add(“Jasmine”);
lst.Add(“Jocelyn”);
lst.Add(“Kendall”);
lst.Add(“Morgan”);
lst.Add(“Nevaeh”);
lst.Add(“Maria”);
lst.Add(“Eva”);
lst.Add(“Juliana”);
lst.Add(“Abby”);
lst.Add(“Alexa”);
lst.Add(“Summer”);
lst.Add(“Brooke”);
lst.Add(“Penelope”);
lst.Add(“Violet”);
lst.Add(“Kate”);
lst.Add(“Hadley”);
lst.Add(“Ashlyn”);
lst.Add(“Sadie”);
lst.Add(“Paige”);
lst.Add(“Katherine”);
lst.Add(“Sienna”);
lst.Add(“Piper”);

str = lst.OrderBy(xx => rnd.Next()).First();
return str;
}
}
}

1. Introduction
2. My accounting background (This post)
3. The Signup
4. Import Quickbooks File
5. Wire Account
6. Set Recurring
7. Hook up Bank Account
8. Hook Up American Express Account
9. Less Accounting – One Week Later
10. Less Accounting – One Month Later

In the beginning, by which I mean my awesome web company’s beginning in 2002, there was Microsoft Money.  That was my first accounting software and it served me adequately for about five years.  It was nothing special, but it did the job with a moderate amount of hassle, but after a while it began to show it’s age.   Somewhere along the way I started using BlinkSale, which was one of my better decisions.

Along about this time I first heard about Microsoft Office Accounting.  It was a relatively easy migration over from Microsoft Money and I was able to do my minimal accounting and bookkeeping tasks in significantly less time.  Plus, it worked like every other Microsoft product, and if you know Microsoft products well (which I do) then using it was a breeze.  Then Microsoft decided to discontinue the program and for reasons I don’t recall I thought that was a big deal and did not want to get stuck using obsolete software.

So I got a copy of QuickBooks, and away I went.  Specifically I went through a painful migration software.  I also came to the realization that there were many parts of QuickBooks that were not compatible with 64 bit software at that time.  I debated using Quickbooks Online, but that did not seem like a good option.

The good part of using QuickBooks for my Accounting Software

My accountant knew and liked the system, and we could do the entire thing remotely.

Beyond that, there were no good parts.  After a while, and inspired by Peter Drucker’s book, The Effective Executive, I began looking for options.  That led me to Less Accounting for my financial management and financial analysis..

What are Display Templates?

Display Templates are lovely features of ASP.net MVC 3 that allow you to have a common formatting for certain properties of your objects.  For example, take the belowp roperty (which should be located in your models folder)

[DataType(DataType.ImageUrl)]
[UIHint("ImageUrl")]
[Display(Name = "Photo")]
public string Photo { get; set; }

Everything looks like a standard property, UIHint property.  It would correspond to the Display Template (which is below, it would be name “ImageUrl.cshtml” and would be located in your Views/Shared/DisplayTemplates folder)

@model string
<img style=”display: block;” src=”@Model” alt=”" align=”right” />

What does the UI Hint do?

The UI Hint tells ASP.net MVC 3 to always display the Photo property using the formatting in the ImageUrl.cshtml file.  That way everything is nice, clean and using much less code.

How do you call UI Hints and Display Templates?

Just use the Html.DisplayFor command, for example the Display template below would look like this in Visual Studio 2010

@Html.DisplayFor(xx => xx.Photo)

and would render as

<img style=”display: block;” src=”/img/Photos/Photo123.png” alt=”" align=”right” />

in the browser, allowing you to keep formatting and style consistent across your entire site with very little effort.