Changing the location of "Import Pictures and Videos using Windows"

For some reason, if you uncheck the "Prompt for a tag on import" under the "Import Settings" of the Windows 7 "Import Pictures and Videos" wizard, then as far as I can tell there is no way to get back the "Import settings" dialog again.

A quick search of the registry reveals that these settings are stored under the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Photo Acquisition

For example, there's a "Camera and Portable Device" subkey with a value named "RootDirectory", and also one named "FilenameTemplate". Changing these should alter where the wizard saves photos.

Comparing this subkey with the "OpticalMedia" and "Scanner" subkeys showed one interesting difference. All three have an AcquisitionFlags value, but the latter two had it set to 0x82 whilst the former was 0x8a.

Reverting the AcquisitionFlags value to 0x82 in the following registry key seems to restore the import wizard to prompting you for an optional tag, and allowing you to click on the "Import Settings" link again:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Photo Acquisition\Camera and Portable Device

To make this change yourself, follow the following steps (with the standard warning that editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can completely mess up everything!):

1. Run regedit.exe
2. Navigate through the registry tree to find the following subkey: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Photo Acquisition\Camera and Portable Device
3. Double-click on the "AcquisitionFlags" value
4. Type in "82"
5. Click on "OK" and close the Registry Editor

ReSharper 5 – Structural Search and Replace

I found a use today for a new feature that will be in ReSharper 5.0 - "Structural Search and Replace". Essentially it's a way to add code matching templates into R# to add new refactoring patterns in addition to those that come in the box.

For example, Microsoft recommends (and Code Analysis/FxCop generates appropriate warnings) if you are doing a comparison between a string value and an empty string, to use the String.IsNullOrEmpty() method.

I always wanted R# to make this change for me, and now I can:

1. Go to Resharper

   Tools

   Patterns Catalog

2. Click on 'Add Pattern'
3. Enter "$value$ == "" " in the Search Pattern textbox.
4. Click on 'Add Placeholder' and add an 'Expression' placeholder named 'value' of type System.String
5. Enter "string.IsNullOrEmpty($value$)" in the Replace Pattern textbox
6. Ensure Pattern Severity is set to at least 'Show as suggestion'
7. Click on 'Add'

R# will now use this pattern and highlight code that matches. You can then hit the QuickFix shortcut (Alt-Enter by default) and get a smart tag offering to refactor/replace your code.

If you can't wait for the final release of ReSharper 5 (due in the next few months) then install beta 2 or one of the recent nightly builds.

Passed 70-451

If one wasn't enough this week, today I passed another exam – 70-451 PRO: Designing Database Solutions and Data Access Using Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

Combining that with yesterday's success means I am now a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Database Developer 2008.

Doing the exams are an interesting (and educational) process but they have other advantages too – they'll be useful to my employer (LobsterPot Solutions) and might benefit efforts for me to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer.