I can't believe I can't find this. At work I use VS2010's CSS Builder tool. It isn't WYSIWYG, really all it does is help one remember the available CSS commands, and their possible values, and stuff it in a selector.
I can't seem to find a tool that does this as a standalone product. I believe CSS Edit did that, but it is now part of $80 Espresso.
I tried CSS3 Toolkit, which is really nothing more than a button generator, and a waste of my $2.99.
Coda does this as well, but again, I don't feel that this is an $80 tool.
Simple CSS does pretty much exactly what I need, and is free, but it is extremely clunky to use IMHO. You have to export the file every time before you can view changes in browser, no save button. Live preview isn't a requirement, but it bugs me that the one in Simple CSS is broken... it doesn't cascade.
Anyone know of a good simple CSS tool for mac? I am tempted to just code one. It is just a matter of taking all the available fields, and all options from W3, putting in a form, and spitting out a file.
You can go for Eclipse and Netbeans you could argue that these two are more geared towards programming in languages such as Java, they can just as well be used for HTML/CSS/javascript.
Bet you can try Aptana which is built specifically for web developers using the Eclipse engine. It is not only free but, it is quite robust, and it supports Eclipse plugins.
A good article that compares CSS editors (not all free bt a quick guide): http://css-tricks.com/reviews-of-mac-css-editors/
And not to miss here are some free CSS editors: http://speckyboy.com/2008/09/15/7-free-css-editors-which-is-the-best-you-choose/
Related
I am working on a project which requires Tridion Component Templates to be written in XSLT and page templates to be written in C#. I know XSLT basics and I am totally new to C#.
Can anyone guide me to any sources of learning XSLT and C# templating for Tridion 2011. It would be of great help if you could. Thanks in advance!
If there is any better way to do the templating, suggestions are welcome. We can see if our client is accomodative for that.
Regards,
Keirthana
+1 to Nuno's point, the instructions, examples, and access to someone that's done it before makes training well worth it.
SDL Tridion Compound Page Templates are not written in C# alone, but use a combination of Template Building Blocks. Template Building Blocks (TBBs) consist of a layout part (typically DWT) as well as C# TBBs.
Alternatives
Template approach depends on the developers, development process, and available technologies. I've seen programmers struggle with Component Templates, not because of Tridion, but simply because of the languages involved. Be sure to get a good fit for your customer.
XSLT Component Templates may make SDL Tridion's inline editing features harder to implement. Though you have the flexiblity from XSLT's <template match="">, you lose some things you get "for free" such as:
resolving links and publishing binaries
a programmatic content model and access to the Tridion Object Model (at least at the CT level)
the package
separation of code from content
An alternative would be Compound Component Templates (modular templating). But again it depends on your environment.
Resources
SDL Live Content has high-level background information and examples. The first page and diagram under SDL Tridion 2011 shows the big picture and extension points.
SDLTridionWorld.com is another excellent resource for examples and descriptions, customers also have access to the API documentation. The forum especially has a lot more examples for XSLT CTs than StackOverflow (for now).
The community-driven Tridion Cookbook has examples and explanations as well, but across the entire Tridion API stack.
Reach out for training through SDL.com.
Basic Introductions
I've written some basic introductions and example for XSLT CTs and C# TBBs, but these aren't a substitute for training.
Basic XSLT template to see the source of a component.
The same idea, but with a C# TBB.
How to set up an C# assembly (uploaded a TBB as opposed to a TBB fragment)
Example DWT TBB
You mention being familiar with XSLT, I find using basic XSLT functions to help understand component details.
I've attempted the excercise Nuno describes as well (video included).
The biggest risk in skipping training, IMO, is getting either BluePrinting or the content model wrong. Definitely come back to ask questions as you go along.
I have to recommend taking a training as the easiest way to start. I understand this is not always well received by partners or customers due to training costs, but you definitely get your value back very quickly by not wasting time trying to figure out the basics.
Once you understand the basics, then it's like any other technology: practice makes perfect. An exercise I used to ask people to do when they started with Tridion was to output a simple page, like the google.com homepage, then start slowly changing the content to come from components, add inline editing, etc.
Baby steps - and ask your questions here!
I think, You can find some of best example of C# templating on below link
http://yatb.mitza.net/
Agreeing with Nuno. You may also read SDL Live content documentation (requires login).
Hello is there any tool/api available to generate a customize sequence diagram based on certain user input?
One way to attack this would be to use Visio (if your licensing scheme is compatible):
Here is a codeplex project that is supposed to make this easier from .NET (I haven't used it):
http://visioautomation.codeplex.com/
Another way to do this would be to just write some WPF code. I think that there are a number of open source projects that might help you in this effort as well.
A really expensive (but really good) implementation is from yWorks - it's yEd. I've used it and it's extremely powerful.
VS2010 provides such a feature, you might need the premium or ultimate version. If you need a whole bunch, you might write a macro or even an extension to VS.
I've been playing with Java for years as a means of developing quick and easy tools for repetitive tasks. I am not a true "developer" in the traditional sense, but I have lots of experience creating a wide assortment of tools and PoCs.
Unfortunately for me, I have noticed many shops are specifically looking for experience with C#, and not so many for Java. Even here on SO, there are more questions and more followers to C# related issues than Java. My preference will always be Java over C# simply for the cross-platform compatibility, but since the languages are so similar, I believe it would be beneficial for me to cross-train. I have already dabbled in other languages and scripts (VB and other BASIC flavors, Javascript, VBScript, ASP, JSP, PHP, etc.) so adding another isn't out of the question.
My current Java environment simply consists of a text editor (primarily jEdit for its plugins and layout) and homemade scripts to compile/jar my projects. I don't like to use IDEs because I want full control over my code and don't want a program writing code for me. (I also prefer to write my own code as opposed to using any sort of external library/package, if feasible. It helps me learn and greatly reduces unnecessary code.)
Therefore, what are my options for a non-IDE C# SDK? Libraries are obviously not that important to me. I've heard of Mono, which appears to separate the functions, but haven't tried it yet. What other SDKs exist that are similar to a simple Java SDK combined with a text editor?
Using an IDE doesn't have to mean anything writing code for you. I'm not generally keen on designer-generated code, but unless you decide to use a designer (or snippets etc), Visual Studio won't be writing code for you. Of course it will create a skeleton class for you when you create one, add the appropriate method signatures when you implement an interface etc - but is that boilerplate really something you want to write yourself?
I'd also suggest that your policy of not using external libraries is a bad one. I agree that it's useful for educational purposes to sometimes reimplement something, but it means that the code quality is likely to end up being worse... why would you not want to use code that has already been used and improved by many other people? Yes, you need to be careful about what libraries you use - but you really don't want to do everything yourself... not if you want to be productive, anyway.
I often use a text editor and command line myself for simple test code (e.g. for Stack Overflow questions) but I wouldn't dream of doing that for "real" code that I plan to keep.
Honestly, a lot of C# and .NET is about learning the tools; Visual Studio gives you a lot that you wouldn't be able to do with a text editor. There's a free version, and I highly suggest you check it out! People hiring will want to know that you're familiar with the tools they'll most likely be using.
You can just start with Notepad and csc.exe, the the command-line C# compiler that ships with the .NET SDK.
However, IDE is not necessarily synonym for code generator. I would download Visual Studio Express and start with empty Console projects.
Have fun!
Don't forget you can build/assemble C# projects using MSBuild and a .sln file if you really want. But the IDEs will make life a lot easier.
The IDE will not write code for you, it will help you writing code. Using libraries will help you concentrate on what you really want to program, not the things that already have been done.
Check into AvalonEdit, the text editor component of SharpDevelop. It is an open source text editor that has classes that could implement features such as intellisense and syntax highlighting. You would only have to use as much of it as you wanted and you could embed it anywhere you would use a text box control.
If you are familiar with Ant from Java then you could also check out NAnt to do your compile phase.
As far as I know, with Visual Studio you also get a command line C# compiler, csc. You could use a text editor and manually compile your C# code with that on the command line if you really want - that wouldn't be very practical however when your project contains more than a handful of source files.
If your project becomes bigger, you could use a tool like NAnt, which is a .NET version of the popular Java build tool Ant.
I agree with Jon Skeet about that your way of working is not very practical. If you are really looking for a software development job, you'd better learn to use the tools that other developers use. An employer will also not accept the fact that you'd want to write all the code yourself instead of using libraries. By using libraries instead of writing it all yourself you save lots of time, you are reusing well-tested code and your code will be much easier to maintain by other developers.
I have a number of legacy web controls (ascx) that contains huge amounts of inline C#. The forms contain a number of repeated and duplicate code. Our first plan is to move the code into code behinds per file, then refactor etc... were doing this to upgrade the client to the latest version of their cms
At the moment we are going to have to manually copy and paste from hundreds of files, create a code behind, copy the code, add the namespaces based on the client-side imports and then do any tidying up
does anybody PLEASE know of a tool that can do the majority of this work for us ?
Thanks
The DMS Software Reengineering Toolkit is designed to support the the construction of automated mass change tools.
It can parse HTML, and C#, (and build corresponding ASTs) and could be configured parse .ascx files. With the parse trees, one could likely generate your desired results.
Is this easy? No. is is practical? Yes, if the amount of code you are reengineering is significant, as it seems in your case.
I think your best hope here is to create a custom conversion utility. I don't know of any tools that would do this out of the box.
Use a language like Perl or Rebol which can do parsing. Rebol is the easiest.
Resharper has many features for moving and locating code for different refactorings. I don't have it installed on the machine I'm at right now, so can't verify, but it may be able to at least speed up the process and make it more full proof, even if it can't be fully automated.
I think your best bet would be to look at the Codesmith tools, or just T4 templates in general..you shouldn't need to write a custom app...though it looks like someone on CodeProject did just that : http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/InlineCodeVSCodeBehind.aspx?msg=997793
Is there any Diagramming component that is freely available for a C# project? If possible one that allows you to click and edit the diagram nodes.
Well, here is the beginning of one.
Well I don't know if you are looking to model just some basic logic steps, or get really in depth and model classes and functions themselves. But, for most design work I do, and this include diagrams, I like to use ArgoUML. It's free, and pretty powerful, though you do have to understand UML, but otherwise I think it is a great tool.