Dashboard

Enforce read only access in SQL Server queries

This is not something common, I guess. Imagine with me, will you? You have an app dedicated for reporting. The sole reason you built this app is to allow non-developers, but data savvy people, to create operational reports for LOB applications. How do you ensure that your users will not use this solution to modify data on the fly? Imagine how fun would it be to explain why your reporting solution allow them to modify data to your boss....

July 7, 2020 · 2 min · LPains
Building blocks

Xamarin Forms Azure DevOps build/release for Enterprise apps

In January last year, I wrote about building and deploying Xamarin iOS apps using Azure DevOps. I wanted to write about the Android process but never mustered the energy to do it. Nevertheless, today is the day I will. Not a ton has changed since then. Perhaps, the most relevant change is that last time I showed how to deploy directly to the store and this time I want to show how to deploy as an Enterprise app....

April 19, 2020 · 3 min · LPains

Setting up an Azure DevOps agent behind a proxy with self-signed certificate.

In case you can’t or don’t want to use the Microsoft hosted agents (why?), setting up your own build servers is not too hard. Of course, I hope you don’t have to deal with a proxy server. In the unlikely scenario that you have a proxy server, I honestly hope you don’t have one with a self-signed certificate. Now, if you have to deal with all of this, I feel you....

April 7, 2020 · 2 min · LPains

Automatic release notes on Azure DevOps

If you are neck-deep into DevOps using Azure DevOps, chances are that you have your code on a git repository, have PBIs or Stories, are using Pull requests, Builds, and releases. If you are doing all of this good stuff, great! Carry on and I will show you how to get that shiny cherry on top of your cake. If you are not, you can probably benefit from this post too, but you will have to figure out how to do the same using the tools you love....

April 2, 2020 · 3 min · LPains
Keyboard

Xamarin Forms Handle Android Key Up event

Devices that are optimized for industrial purposes are typically rugged, have physical keyboards, and are very expensive. Why keyboards, you ask? First, a lot of those devices are still running Windows CE. Second, it is not uncommon for them to be used by workers wearing gloves. This is especially true in cold warehouses. Thus, having to use touch in these scenarios is less than ideal. In this post, I wanted to write about how you can handle keyboard events for an Android app built using Xamarin Forms....

March 20, 2020 · 2 min · LPains