How to create a certificate for Google Domain Registration

As a developer in Niloosoft HunterHRMS, I needed to register our domain with Google in order to start integrating with Google Docs. As part of the registration process, I had to submit a certificate file. Creating the file has been an unpleasant process, as even Google's instructions are very insuffcient. Therefore, for myself and others, I hereby summarize the exact step-by-step instructions on how to create this precious file.
Google currently requires a pem cert file.

1. Download open ssl to the computer
2. Create 2 environment variables on the computer:
   A. Name: RANDFILE            Value: .rnd
   B. Name: OPENSSL_CONF  Value: The full file name of the openssl.cnf file. For example: D:\Program Files\openssl-0.9.8k_X64\openssl.cnf  (To reach Envrironment Variables editing window: computer -> properties -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced tab -> Environment Variables button.)
3. Run openssl.exe (only after the environment variables have been created!)
4. Create private key file + certificate file:
(Note: you will be prompted to enter the certificate information. When you are asked for the Common Name, enter the domain - such as www.hrms.me)
OpenSSL> req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:1024 -sha1 -keyout myrsakey.pem -out myrsacert.pem
5. Create a pfx certificate (used by .Net) based on the pem private key + certificate:
(Note: you will be prompted for a password. It may be left empty)
OpenSSL> pkcs12 -export -in myrsacert.pem -inkey myrsakey.pem -out CertForGoogle.pfx -name "Cert for Google".

Why WCF always gives CommunicationObjectFaultedException?

I have been frustrated regarding WCF - it always seemed to give the same obscure exception:

CommunicationObjectFaultedException - The communication object cannot be used because it is in the Faulted state

Finally I found out why.

Actually WCF usually throws clear exceptions. You just have to use it right.

I have been using WCF proxys with a C# using statement. And here the trouble lies.

What the C# using statement does is this: it wraps up the using block in a try clause, and in the finally clause it disposes the object given in the using clause. In other words, it ensures the object gets disposed even if an exception occured inside the block.

This is very good for working with files, etc. But with WCF it is a problem. Why? because the WCF proxy's Dispose method actually calls the proxy's Close method. But this Close method has a catch: if the proxy is in a Faulted state, Close() throws the infamous exception CommunicationObjectFaultedException.

So what happens is this: you call a method on a service and get an exception. This puts the proxy in a faulted state. Then the using block calls Dispose on the proxy, and the CommunicationObjectFaultedException is thrown.

A WCF proxy in a faulted state still holds some resources. And to dispose of them, you need to call the proxy's Abort method. This method does not throw an exception if the proxy is in a faulted state.

So the recommended pattern to use a WCF proxy is this:

// Create the proxy object here

try

{

     proxy.MyMethod();

}

finally
{
    if (proxy != null)
    {
        if (proxy.State == System.ServiceModel.CommunicationState.Faulted)
        {
            proxy.Abort();
        }
        else
        {
            proxy.Close();
        }
    }
}

The writer is a .Net team leader at Niloosoft Hunter HRMS

SQL Server Compact Edition vs. SQL Express Edition

I've tried using SQL Server Compact Edition 4.0 for a certain Hunter HRMS application. The result was slow and I was getting "timed out waiting for a lock" exceptions. I did a lot to try to prevent any locks - close any open connections/DataReaders etc., even use NOLOCK hints, but still these timeouts would appear.
I then changed to SQL Express edition with minimal code changes to accommodate the change. All the problems disappeared - response time was excellent, with no timeouts.
Thought I should share this with the world.

Table and Table-Cell Style Properties

There is some confusion regarding the different styling possibilities of a table, and which properties should be set on a table element and which on a cell (td) element. So let's clear this up.
The confusion is partly caused due to 2 deprecated html table attributes: cellspacing and cellpadding.
Let's look at the relevant ways to affect a table, and the ways to accomplish them (recommended and deprecated).
1. Control the padding inside each cell
The deprecated way has been to set the cellpadding attribute on the table.
The recommended way is to set the CSS padding property on the cell elements (td or th).
2. Control the space between the cell borders
The deprecated way has been to set the cellspacing attribute on the table.
The recommended way it to set the CSS property border-spacing on the table element.
3. Collapse the cell borders into a single border
This is done using the CSS property border-collapse on the table element.
Note: if you collapse the border, any border-spacing value will be ignored.
4. Set the style of the border of the cells
Style the border using CSS on the cells (td / th).


Addition note: you cannot set the margin on a table cell. It will be ignored. Use border-spacing on the table element instead.


Adam Porat is a team leader at Niloosoft on Hunter HRMS product.