Michael S. Clark

I’ve been working on a project where I have to maintain data in a SQL Server database. In order to prevent different users updating the same data at the same time, I’ve also employed optimistic locking by using a “timestamp” field called OLToken on each table which is binary. This field is read out and [...]

Radio North Angus, the independent local and healthcare radio service, has moved into the 21st century by having their broadcasting streaming on their website. The service, having had some teething troubles, is now fully functional with availability 24 hours a day. The transmission is fed from the desk at Arbroath Infirmary into a Barix Instreamer [...]

I’ve just added a new Bingo simulator that we will be using with the Company Section. It’s written using jQuery, which I’m thoroughly enjoying; as is another larger project that I’m working on. More on that soon, but until then, have a look at the Bingo at let me know what you think…

Since implementing crossfading of tracks in Karaokidex, I’ve indicated the crossfading by gradually fading out the background colour of the first track’s row in the playlist DataGridView and fading in the background colour of the second track’s row. This caused a really annoying flickering. The problem is the DataGridView is not double-buffered by default, nor [...]

Since Service Pack 1 of Visual Studio 2008, setting file associations has never been easier. The publish options dialog has four pages; once of which is the “File Associations” page. After one or more entries has been added, and the app published, the ClickOnce app will now be launched whenever an associated file is opened [...]

Up ’til now, when I’ve been developing and ClickOnce application, I’ve had to include a UACLauncher as a default option to support any user that is not the administrator on their own machine. The console app has elevated privileges that are passed on to the re-launched ClickOnce app. If I didn’t include this, the application [...]

I’ve just completed the transfer of all the websites I host to NearlyFreeSpeech.NET. For as little as $0.25, you can set up web sites at NearlyFreeSpeech.NET, the original home of only pay for what you use hosting. This is the penultimate service that this server provides as I have already transferred email to Google Mail [...]

I’ve recently been using Dropbox.com to keep my files in sync between home and work. I’ve also been on the hunt for a (free) site to host ClickOnce deployments. It was only in a revelation whilst I was in bed last night that I wondered if I could use Dropbox’s Public directory as the target [...]

Jivin’ Jim now has his own website, including videos, with a theme customised by yours truly! Jim, as you may remember, is currently using Karaokidex to run the karaoke parts of his gigs. He asked me to give him a website, so there it is. Click here to visit.

We finally began redecorating the livingroom last weekend, and we decided to wall-mount the television. The Plasma Centre provided all the supplies: UM101M Tilt – Black Universal Slim Tilting Wall Mount PAVS-2 – PAVS-2 530mm Cable Management Trunking 3x PAVS-S – PAVS-S Premier AV Support Shelf Unit Now all we’ve got to do is finish [...]