smerrell’s Neighborhood

Easier Svn Version Tasks

Suppose you don't want to modify any of your projects in your solution. Create a new msbuild.proj file and run msbuild on this with your configuration. Instantly you have all your assembly info files updated for any project in a directory.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="build">
<Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\SvnTools.Targets\SvnTools.Tasks.VersionManagement.Tasks" />
<Target Name="build">
<CreateItem Include="/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs;/AssemblyInfo.cs">
<Output TaskParameter="Include" ItemName="AssemblyInfoFiles" />
</CreateItem>
<UpdateVersion AssemblyInfoFiles="@(AssemblyInfoFiles)" />
<MSBuild Projects="MySolution.sln" Properties="Configuration=Debug" />
<RevertVersionChange AssemblyInfoFiles="@(AssemblyInfoFiles)" />
</Target>
</Project>

http://svnversiontasks.codeplex.com

Exciting News from Six Apart (and the YouTube Conduit is Fixed)

Team Vox
Nov 17, 2009
49 comments

First, we're happy to announce that the team has identified and fixed the issue with the YouTube conduit; you can now find and add videos from YouTube to your library and posts. As always, thanks for your patience!

The other news we have today is about a new addition to the Six Apart family: TypePad Micro, a new free level of TypePad that is streamlined for microblogging. We see a new form of blogging emerging that lives between the quick status updates of Twitter and Facebook and the long-form posts of "classic" blogging; TypePad Micro is designed to meet that need. You can read more about TypePad Micro in Chris Alden's post on the Everything TypePad blog.

TypePad Micro

7 comments

A lot of the new capabilities we've added to TypePad this year were actually inspired by some of the best things about Vox: favoriting, member profiles, a dashboard to follow other bloggers, and easy ways to post content from other social media sites. But the things that make Vox different from TypePad are still there: Vox has always been -- and still is -- the best place for "friends and family" blogging, where you're in control over who sees what. TypePad, on the other hand, is built for the blogger who wants, no, craves, attention.

Do you have a passion or interest you want to share with people beyond your Vox neighborhood? If so, we'd love it if you tried out TypePad Micro. Maybe you've always wanted to start that obsessive blog that's just about waffle restaurants. Or want a place to share videos of your favorite band (Jonas Brothers, anyone? Anyone? ...). TypePad Micro's great for those topic-specific blogs. Take it for a spin and let us know what you think.

On the Vox front, our designers are working on some cool new themes (coming soon!). We'd also love to hear your thoughts about where we should take Vox in the coming year. What are the key things you'd like to see for Vox? If you've had a chance to use TypePad this year, what are the features there that we should bring over to Vox? And, if you're thinking big thoughts, how could we connect the Vox and TypePad communities in order to bring together bloggers and their shared passions? Your feedback is really important to us, so please leave a comment here, or shoot me a message.

And again, thanks for your patience as we found and fixed the YouTube bug!

~ daisy

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED. If you have a suggestion, please send it directly to me. Thanks!

YouTube Conduit

Team Vox
Nov 16, 2009
20 comments

As many of you have noticed, the YouTube Conduit is not working. I am so sorry about this; I know how frustrating it is.

The team is looking into how to get this fixed and I will update you as soon as I hear something. In the meantime, not all is lost... There is a work-around for posting videos.

When you're in the Compose Screen, just click on "embed." Ignore the fact that it says "Widget" before everything because you can definitely use this to embed videos as well. You'll just need to input the embed code from the video, enter a title (if you want) and hit OK.

It might not show up perfectly in your compose screen, but when you hit "Save," your video should appear just the way you wanted it to.

Hopefully this will allow you to keep posting videos while we figure out what's happening on our end.

As always, thanks for your patience.

~daisy

Svn Version Tasks

There is now an open source release on CodePlex for a subversion based assembly version management library that leverages MSBuild Tasks for automation. What this provides is a way for you to integrate version management on your Visual Studio Projects and automatically ensure that the SVN Revision number is attached to the assembly version.

For instance, if you commit and have a clean working SVN directory on revision 1234 your version number on your assembly file will be (once you build the project):

1.0.0.1234

The MSBuild tasks will ensure that the version is updated before compiling and then revert that change in the assembly info file. It will always maintain the major and minor numbers set by the original source but it will update the build and revision number using the format:

Major.Minor.(Revision Number Digits Length - 4 or 0).(Last 4 Digits of Revision Number)

Check it out by going to the link below:

http://svnversiontasks.codeplex.com/

The Amazon Conduit is Fixed

Team Vox
Nov 2, 2009
24 comments

Go forth and fill your libraries with media.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for being so amazing and patient. You are the reason I love Vox.

~daisy

Amazon Conduit Update

Team Vox
Oct 29, 2009
19 comments

I was just told that the Amazon Conduit will be fixed by tomorrow. I will post here as soon as I get word that it's back up and running.

I know this has been frustrating and I am sorry there wasn't more I could do to make it less so. I really appreciate your patience though.

Cheers,

daisy

Generating a self-signed certificate

There is a great tutorial on generating certificates below using both OpenSSL and the makecert methods.

http://www.codeplex.com/wikipage?ProjectName=webserver&title=HTTPS

Amazon Conduit: Update

Team Vox
Oct 20, 2009
22 comments

Bad news. As many of you have probably noticed, the Amazon Conduit was not fixed in the last week's release. Unfortunately, there was an undetected bug that is preventing the conduit from working.

We are working on this bug fix and hope to have the Conduit back up and running this week.

I will keep you posted.

Thank you for being so patient.

~daisy

Today is Blog Action Day! Blog for Climate Change.

Team Vox
Oct 15, 2009
81 comments

Blog Action Day

11 comments

Blog Action Day is every October 15th, when blogger are asked to post something about a single issue to show our strength and conviction as an online community. It's a great way to feel connected to the greater good, and the participation of so many bloggers to support the world's leading non-profit organizations is something you can do to help, right now. By blogging today, you're supporting some of the world's leading non-profits and sharing your voice for change.

This year's topic is climate change, and we'd love to read your thoughts on the topic. If you participate, leave us a link to your post in the comments, so we know to check out your post!

Go to www.blogactionday.org to learn more, get a badge for your blog showing your participation, and see some ideas for your post on climate change.

Can't wait to read your posts!

~ daisy

Security Token Service with WIF

If you haven't read my previous articles on security, please take the time to read through each of them to give yourself a headstart into what concepts are being implemented here. Windows Identity Foundation (Geneva) provides a very simplistic view of the world of Security Token Services and as a result, it is very useful to understand how WS-Trust, Federation and even basic security works in our applications.

* IPrincipal, IIdentity and Claims (threading, WIF, Asp.NET Forms Authentication)

http://nyxtom.vox.com/library/post/iprinciple-iidentity-and-claims.html

* Overview on Digital Signatures (Signing, Encrypting, Hashing)

http://nyxtom.vox.com/library/post/digital-signatures.html

* Windows Identity Foundation (Overview, WS-Trust, Federation)

http://nyxtom.vox.com/library/post/windows-identity-foundation-formally-microsoft-geneva-framework.html

Though, don't take my articles to be the end all in what you read. Reading is important and you should take time to dive into the topics in detail to get a better grasp.

Setting up the Security Token Service

First, download and install the Windows Identity Foundation (Geneva Framework)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/security/aa570351.aspx

Next, setup a new project in Visual Studio, preferrably a Console Application to demonstrate.

Add a reference to Microsoft.IdentityModel and System.ServiceModel, as well as System.IdentityModel, then create a new class for the Security Token Service, I will call mine HealthCenter. Inherit this class from SecurityTokenService and implement the abstract class.

public class HealthCenter : SecurityTokenService

{

public HealthCenter(SecurityTokenServiceConfiguration config) : base(config) { }

protected override IClaimsIdentity GetOutputClaimsIdentity(IClaimsPrincipal principal, RequestSecurityToken request, Scope scope)

{

throw new NotImplementedException();

}

protected override Scope GetScope(IClaimsPrincipal principal, RequestSecurityToken request)

{

throw new NotImplementedException();

}

You'll notice that the two methods GetOutputClaimsIdentity and GetScope are the only methods we need to setup in the service. The configuration provided is another section that you must include with the constructor.

GetScope

At this point it should be noted that and client connecting the the STS will have already passed authentication. This means authentication can be configured to use any method you want to see fit within your ecosystem. The request security token (RST) provided will tell this method who the relying party is as well as additional claim requests. This method performs the following responsibilities:

* Validate the relying party to determine if the request is on behalf of a trusted source

* Load the signing credentials for the STS (typically a certificate)

* Load the encrypting credentials based on relying party it is for (or use a generic one)

* Create a new scope for the RST with the signing and encrypting credentials

For simplicity let's adjust this to handle a specific relying party with a few specific credentials.

protected override Scope GetScope(IClaimsPrincipal principal, RequestSecurityToken request)

{

string uri = request.AppliesTo.Uri.AbsoluteUri;

if (uri == "net.tcp://localhost:2314/HealthRecords/")

{

SigningCredentials signing = new X509SigningCredentials(GetSigningCertificate());

EncryptingCredentials encrypting = new X509EncryptingCredentials(GetEncryptingCredentials(uri));

Scope rstScope = new Scope(uri, signing, encrypting);

return rstScope;

}

else

throw new InvalidRequestException("The request must apply to a trusted relying party.");

}

As recommended, we are using X509 based Signing and Encrypting credentials. This means we need to load an X509Certificate2 from the certificate store or from disk. Take a look at my previous article on how to load certificates from the certificate store.

http://nyxtom.vox.com/library/post/working-with-x509certificates-keysets-and-the-certificate-store.html

The only difference between the signing and encrypting certificate is that the encrypting certificate is based on the applies to address. If we had setup a configuration item for this or someway of linking the address to a certificate then that part would be resolved.

GetOutputClaimsIdentity

Now that the scope has been defined for the request security token response (RSTR), all that is left are the claims about the client and any requested or related claims for the relying party. We will need to create the actual claims identity based on the request. You have the option of simply returning the same claims or injecting new ones based on the Request Claims. Take a look at the sample provided in the installation samples for more.