Looking For The Spike... https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/feed.xml Tue, 16 Apr 2019 05:11:28 GMT en-US hourly 1 Indirection https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/indirection Sat, 01 Feb 2014 09:55:45 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2014/02/01/indirection/ From here:

"All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection... Except for the problem of too many layers of indirection."

]]> I am a Systems Programmer. I stand between the developer and the flame :-) https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/i-am-a-systems-programmer-i-stand-between-the-developer-and-the-flame Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:06:02 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/11/19/i-am-a-systems-programmer-i-stand-between-the-developer-and-the-flame/ https://research.microsoft.com/en-us/people/mickens/thenightwatch.pdf

"As a highly trained academic researcher, I spend a lot of time trying to advance the frontiers of human knowledge. However, as someone who was born in the South, I secretly believe that true progress is a fantasy, and that I need to prepare for the end times, and for the chickens coming home to roost, and fast zombies, and slow zombies, and the polite zombies who say “sir” and “ma’am” but then try to eat your brain to acquire your skills. When the revolution comes, I need to be prepared; thus, in the quiet moments, when I’m not producing incredible scientific breakthroughs, I think about what I’ll do when the weather forecast inevitably becomes RIVERS OF BLOOD ALL DAY EVERY DAY. The main thing that I ponder is who will be in my gang, because the likelihood of post-apocalyptic survival is directly related to the size and quality of your rag-tag group of associates. There are some obvious people who I’ll need to recruit: a locksmith (to open doors); a demolitions expert (for when the locksmith has run out of ideas); and a person who can procure, train, and then throw snakes at my enemies (because, in a world without hope, snake throwing is a reasonable way to resolve disputes). All of these people will play a role in my ultimate success as a dystopian warlord philosopher. However, the most important person in my gang will be a systems programmer...

 

]]> More Powershell Fun - AppX Package Dependencies https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/more-powershell-fun-appx-package-dependencies Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:00:00 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/10/28/more-powershell-fun-appx-package-dependencies/ After a recent inquiry and a little thought, you can find all the packages registered for the current user with dependencies on framework packages.

powershell -c "ForEach ($p in $(Get-AppxPackage)) { ForEach ($n in (Get-AppxPackageManifest $p).package.dependencies.packagedependency.name) { $n + ' -- ' + $p.packagefullname } }"

]]> Ineffective Sorts https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/ineffective-sorts Sun, 04 Aug 2013 21:21:00 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/08/04/ineffective-sorts/ From XKCD :-)

]]> Announcing Hasher! https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/announcing-hasher Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:34:00 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/06/04/announcing-hasher/ Shameless plug: I iz a Windows store app developer :-)

Hasher is up on the Windows store. It's a little app I wrote in my spare time, to learn more about writing Windows store apps (I build the plumbing behind them, so it's always useful to see the other side of the fence as it were :-)

You can find more details here

Enjoy,

 

]]> Who wrote the original BSOD (and why white-on-blue)? https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/who-wrote-the-original-bsod-and-why-white-on-blue Tue, 14 May 2013 11:13:22 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/05/14/who-wrote-the-original-bsod-and-why-white-on-blue/ An interesting bit of trivia:

John Vert, ex-Windows NT kernel guy
 
Back in 1991 I wrote the original code for Windows NT 3.1 that put the video screen back into text mode and the routines to put text on it (and a truly gnarly bit of code it was!). I used the white on blue colors for two reasons.
  • The MIPS workstations we were using for the MIPS port had firmware that presented a boot option screen in white on blue, so it made sense that the bugcheck screen would match.
  • I (and many others) were using SlickEdit as our text editor and at the time its default color scheme was also white on blue.
I believe Mark Lucovsky wrote the original code that dumped a bunch of text to the screen. This was a bugcode and a stack dump, resulting in a bunch of useless hex numbers which product support would occasionally dutifully transcribe from the customers and include in the bug report.

There was no "typesetting" as we used standard VGA text mode on PCs.

I don't know the history of the Win3.1/Win9x blue screens, I think the fact they were the same color is just coincidence.
]]> Python Cool Tricks https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/python-cool-tricks Wed, 08 May 2013 09:36:00 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/05/08/python-cool-tricks/ Nice. Some are exotic, but list comprehensions, the empty string trick are commonly handy, and the json pretty-printing maybe less so but good to know.

The note about dir() and help() are great if you're not already familiar (you should be).

The Python enum trick is a new one by me:

class PlayerRanking:
 Bolt, Green, Johnson, Mom = range(4)
 
PlayerRanking.Mom
-> 4
As is the 'launch an interactive shell'
import code; code.interact(local = locals())
That beats printf-debugging by a country mile :-)
]]> FastClick https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/fastclick Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:24:36 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/04/20/fastclick/  

FastClick is handy:

FastClick is a simple, easy-to-use library for eliminating the 300ms delay between a physical tap and the firing of a click event on mobile browsers. The aim is to make your application feel less laggy and more responsive while avoiding any interference with your current logic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]> Powershell fun - Parsing for Protocols Redux https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/powershell-fun-parsing-for-protocols-redux Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:45:26 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/03/28/powershell-fun-parsing-for-protocols-redux/ That problem I'd previously mentioned? Turns out I had a bad package registered for some old VS project. Remove-AppxPackage <packagefullname> and voila! No more error.

My original command

powershell -c "ForEach ($p in $(Get-AppxPackage)) { ForEach ($n in (Get-AppxPackageManifest $p).package.applications.application.extensions.extension.protocol.name) { $n + ' -- ' + $p.packagefullname } }"

One suggested alternative in the "probably not the most elegant but workable" category was rather interesting

powershell -c "Get-AppxPackage | Get-AppxPackageManifest | ForEach { $m = $_; $m.package.applications.application.extensions.extension.protocol.name | ForEach {if ($_) {@{$_ = $m.package.identity.name}}} }"

Same net result, but with 2 differences:

  1. Output is a nice table of columns (not just a simple dump of "protocol -- pkgfullname")
  2. Not as resilient to errors -- emitted an error about file not found and quit (the former had the virtue of giving output for everything it could parse, though uglier output and not really sortable)

But handy enough for a quick'n'dirty hack.

]]> Powershell fun - Parsing for Protocols https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/howardk/powershell-fun-parsing-for-protocols Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:50:33 GMT https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/howardk/2013/03/26/powershell-fun-parsing-for-protocols/ I was looking for what protocols are registered by my installed AppX packages and figured out a 1-liner Powershell script to do it

powershell -c "foreach ($p in $(get-appxpackage)) { foreach ($n in (Get-AppxPackageManifest $p).package.applications.application.extensions.extension.protocol.name) { $n + ' -- ' + $p.packagefullname } }"

Hey, I never said it'd be pretty :-)

This dumps

Get-AppxPackageManifest : The system cannot find the file specified. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070002)
At line:1 char:54
+ foreach ($p in $(get-appxpackage)) { foreach ($n in (Get-AppxPackageManifest $p) ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 + CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-AppxPackageManifest], FileNotFoundException
 + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.IO.FileNotFoundException,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.GetAppxPackageManifestCommand

bingmaps -- Microsoft.BingMaps_1.5.1.240_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
xboxgames -- Microsoft.XboxLIVEGames_1.1.134.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
microsoftvideo -- Microsoft.ZuneVideo_1.1.134.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
bingsearch -- Microsoft.Bing_1.5.1.259_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
bingweather -- Microsoft.BingWeather_1.7.0.26_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
bingtravel -- Microsoft.BingTravel_1.7.0.26_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
xboxliveapp-1496516562 -- HalfbrickStudiosPtyLtd.JetpackJoyride_1.0.3.48_x86__w77bc8x1h5kya
microsoftmusic -- Microsoft.ZuneMusic_1.1.144.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
npe -- 50582LuanNguyen.NuGetPackageExplorer_1.1.0.9_neutral__w6y2tyx5bpzwa
bingsports -- Microsoft.BingSports_1.8.0.51_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
bingfinance -- Microsoft.BingFinance_1.7.0.38_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
bingnews -- Microsoft.BingNews_1.7.0.38_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
moderndilbert -- 24632RobPaveza.ModernDilbertReader_1.3.1.0_neutral__tpjz84vefy3e6
xboxliveapp-1297290206 -- Microsoft.Adera_1.3.0.14265_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
lync15 -- Microsoft.LyncMX_15.0.4481.1503_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
lync15mlx -- Microsoft.LyncMX_15.0.4481.1503_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
skype -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
tel -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
sms -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
message-skype-com -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
message-messenger -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
audiocall-messenger -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
videocall-messenger -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
audiocall-skype-com -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
videocall-skype-com -- Microsoft.SkypeApp_1.5.0.109_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
xboxliveapp-1297290209 -- Microsoft.Studios.PinballFx2_1.4.0.486_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
kindle -- AMZNMobileLLC.KindleforWindows8_1.1.3.0_neutral__stfe6vwa9jnbp
ebay -- eBayInc.eBay_1.2.1.65_neutral__1618n3s9xq8tw
maps -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
gmaps -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
geo -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
ms-drive-to -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
ms-walk-to -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
ms-bike-to -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
ms-transit-to -- 17655DreamTeamMobile.gMaps_1.4.0.56_x64__drr96ftsfk4j0
onenote -- Microsoft.Office.OneNote_15.0.4505.1000_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
mhmtodo -- MapletonHillMedia.MinimaList_0.0.0.131_neutral__fw9m7z2jr9vjg
xboxliveapp-1297290225 -- Microsoft.MicrosoftMahjong_1.6.0.30312_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
mailto -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
ms-mail -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
wlcalendar -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
wlpeople -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-messenger -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-outlook-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-skype-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-facebook-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-twitter-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-google-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-weibo-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-linkedin-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-yahoo-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
profile-lync-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
mschat -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
message-messenger -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
message-facebook-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
message-yahoo-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
message-lync-com -- microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.0.1114.318_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
netflix -- 4DF9E0F8.Netflix_1.7.0.39_x64__mcm4njqhnhss8

Looks like one of the packages is missing its manifest. That's probably some incomplete VS project I've got laying around.

This isn't unique to protocols. Change the ".package...protocol.name" to whatever you're interested in. Most samples on the net are interested in the applications' id, i.e. ".package.applications.application.id"

P.S. Bonus points if you can tell me how to get that output in sorted order. I can't figure out where to stick the Sort-Object command

 

]]>