WMIC - The "Instrumentation" Command Line

Ever heard to WMIC ("Wemmick")?  It is a great tool that can be used at the command prompt.

To view all the logical drives on a Windows machine you can do:

>wmic
wmic:root\cli> logicaldisk
wmic:root\cli> get caption

Will print out the caption column of the logicaldisk output.

Deploying Prerequisites for 64 bit Applications

The following page gives you the low-down on the 64 bit redistributables that you may need when deploying your 64 bit app of awesomeness. Bring on the MSVS2010RuntimeLibraries - IA64 style! Saddle up for MAINFRAME style reliability.

What does it mean to "Embed Interop Types"?

As of .NET 4, the CLR supports embedding type information for COM types direct into managed assemblies, rather than requiring managed assemblies to request COM types via Interop assemblies. The embedded type information is usage-based, it will omit methods and types that are not used by Monsieur Managed Assembly. The feature is used to simplify deployment.

Turn off Automated Spelling Correction in Excel

Automated spelling correction in Excel is a nuisance especially when dealing with stock tickers. To turn if off do the following:

File -> Options -> Proofing -> Auto-correct Options -> Disable "Replace Text As You Type."

Hide Dotted Lines in Excel Showing Page Breaks

Dotted lines showing page breaks are useful to see how adjusting your spreadsheet impacts the printed copy. However, they are not always aesthetically pleasing. To remove them, do the following:

File -> Options (last item)  -> Advanced (middle item) -> Display Options for this Worksheet (appears below Display) -> Deselect Show Page Breaks.

Keyboard Shortcuts - Add Footnotes and Endnotes

Control-Alt-F   - will add a Footnote
Control-Alt-D  - will add an Endnote

What Types of Thread Priority are there in .NET?

ThreadPriority is specified by the ThreadPriority enumeration. It's an "old-school" enum having originated in .NET 1.1. BelowNormal means that the thread can be scheduled after threads with Normal priority. To make it above normal priority, use AboveNormal or Highest. There is also a ThreadPriority.Lowest for anything non-urgent. The algorithm to select which thread runs next is operating system dependent. The thread state must be Running before the OS can schedule it.