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Category Archives: Con-(in)sulting

Mapping a clob type in hibernate and oracle 9i/10g

The easiest way to map a CLOB type of Oracle to a pojo in Hibernate, is to setup a user defined type in Hibernate, which converts Oracle’s ClobType to a String and vice versa. So you’re pojo’s property is going to be a “String” type. There are only two steps to setting this up:
1) Write [...]

Step by Step Tutorials – DWR with Spring, Ajax – Dynamic drop down lists

Scenario: A simple jsp page with a standard drop down box. A Selection criteria (could be another drop down box and a couple of check boxes) to change the values in these drop down box dynamically, without submitting the page.
What you will learn:

Configure dwr.xml with spring beans
Configure application contexts for dwr beans
The basic structure of [...]

Managed Processes Post 2

This is a follow up article to First Steps Toward a More Managed Process I wrote at the end of last month.
I’ve been using Trac with the Timing and Estimation plugin now for about a month. I tried to promote it to my team for our next product but they never considered it and instead [...]

First Steps Toward a More Managed Process

I hate to say I’m moving toward an agile process and risk becoming too buzzword-focused. But I’m quickly realizing how important it is to have an effective methodology for managing yourself as a consultant. I’ve used task lists for quite a while as a developer, and that’s fine for the most part.
But as a consultant, [...]

Agile Anyone?

I’ve been reading up on eXtreme programming practices. I’ve really been in a world of hurt at my current project. The engineering team is adequate, the technology I understand, but the management and requirements are a nightmare. I’m thinking that if I don’t act I’ll really find myself in trouble; the use cases are a [...]

An RTC First!

Ok, any developer that’s been working for more than a few years has probably snickered at the business analysts who check word docs into version control with tags such as use_case_012106.doc, or use_case_12252006_old.doc…
It’s obvious that they just don’t understand that version control is already keeping track of that for them.
But today, while painfully trying to [...]

Mo’ Bigga Corporate Environment

A friend sent this link to a horror story development environment at Microsoft. It was a story about the development of the Vista shutdown menu:

Here’s a quote:

So that nets us a conservative estimate of 24 people involved in this feature. Also each team of 8 was separated by 6 layers of management from [...]

This Takes the Cake – No Commentary Needed

//*****************************************************************
//The best method I have ever seen.
//*****************************************************************
public boolean isBlakeRasmussenViewable(int code);

Update on Flashdrive Sync

Ok now I’m actually trying to do the synchronization of my work directory… here’s my initial experience:
>5:57pm – begin synchronization by right-clicking and selecting “Update All”.
>5:58pm – Explorer begins “Not Responding” mode…
>6:01pm – Entire screen blacks out
>6:04pm – Explorer flashes at the bottom of my screen, and it’s no longer in “Not responding” mode. I [...]

Flashdrive Sync

At my current assignment, I’m allowed to take code home and work on it, but I don’t have remote access. I only have one ethernet port, so bringing my laptop in to synch is a PITA. The solution I’ve found is to use a $20 flashdrive and the windows briefcase option to synchronize.
Steps:

Create a briefcase [...]