Senior Developer consultant, Wael Kdouh, walks us through what it takes to get Xamarin.Android working with the latest “24” SDK Build-tools package.

Google recently released a new final version “24” of the Android SDK Build-tools package. Of course, being a good citizen meant that I used the Android SDK Manager to update to the latest version. The short story (after debugging every stage of the tool chain with a colleague of mine) is that Xamarin.Android is not yet fully compatible with this version. The details can be found here.  What is more important is not the resolution but rather the journey that I embarked on to resolve the issue.

It all started with updating to Android SDK Build-tools version 24 manually using the SDK manager shown above. After that I started facing the following errors:

Note: aapt stands for Android Asset Packaging Tool. This tool is part of the SDK (and build system) and allows you to view, create, and update Zip-compatible archives (zip, jar, apk). It can also compile resources into binary assets [Wikipedia].

At the beginning it didn’t make any sense so I tried switching between the directory that Xamarin points to for the Android SDK ( C:Users[user]AppDataLocalXamarinMonoForAndroidAndroidSDK) and the system wide system copy of Android SDK which could be found at C:Program Files (x86)Androidandroid-sdk. What that implies is that you have two copies of the same thing on your machine ( as a matter of fact Xamarin asks you which one you want to use when you first install it). You switch between directories using the following panel under visual studio:

When I switched to the system wide copy it suddenly started working. Luckily I hadn’t had the chance to update that yet. Now one thing to keep in mind here is that when you switch between the two versions the build will still fail due to its inability to contact the adb server. This is because you have to kill it manually from the task manager and restart Visual Studio before the adb server at the selected SDK directory gets utilized. I would like to point out here that using the Android Adb Command prompt came in handy to diagnose the adb server. For example it informed me that the device was detected and that the server was up. Very useful information when you are trying to debug.

Problem solved but how can you protect yourself in the future from falling into such a trap? Well the reality is that it hard to avoid it. As in addition to updating manually, sometimes it may be installed by the standalone Xamarin studio installer as shown below.  The moral of the story is that even though you might not be able to avoid these headaches (hopefully they will be easier to detect with future versions of Xamarin) at least now you know where to look.

Premier Support for Developers provides strategic technology guidance, critical support coverage, and a range of essential services to help teams optimize development lifecycles and improve software quality.  Contact your Application Development Manager (ADM) or email us to learn more about what we can do for you.

This is a test.

Reviewed By: Denzil Ribeiro, Kun Cheng

Deleting all rows from a given partition is a very common operation on a partitioned table, especially in a sliding window scenario. In a sliding window scenario, when a new period starts, a new partition is created for the new data corresponding to this period, and the oldest partition is either removed or archived.

To remove or archive the oldest partition, the general practice is to switch the partition out to a temporary staging table. The SWITCH operation for a partition is a simple statement, but it takes a bit of preparation for the SWITCH to work. The staging table needs to follow certain rules:

• the staging table must have the same structure as the main partitioned table
• the staging table must be empty
• must reside on the same file group as partition being switched out
• must create all matching clustered and non-clustered indexes

If the data from the oldest partition need to be archived and saved somewhere, it makes sense to switch the data out to a staging table and process for archiving. However, if the goal is simply to delete the data from the partition, then the programming needed for creating the staging table and switching partition may be cumbersome.

SQL Server 2016 addresses this by allowing TRUNCATE operation on individual partitions of a table. SQL Server 2016 introduces a WITH PARTITIONS clause for TRUNCATE TABLE statement that allows specifying a selected set of partitions (you can specify more than one partition at once). Needless to say that like truncating a table, truncating a partition is also a meta-data operation.

Example:

TRUNCATE TABLE DB1BTicket WITH (PARTITIONS (7, 8))
GO

When creating Projects using PWA or Project Professional each task, and assignment will get a fresh GUID – which is unique.  Usually if using CSOM then new GUIDs would also be generated for each new entity, although it is possible that you can specify a specific GUID to be used.  It is technically possible to use the same GUID that you have used for the plan’s PROJ_UID and set it as a task’s TASK_UID.  However, please don’t.  In Project Web App when editing a plan (changing a custom field or description for example) the code we run on the server is checking to ensure that the GUIDs are all as they should be and finding that a GUID exists that is used for a type it is not expecting (as well as the type it is expecting of course) and you will get an error: An error has occurred when saving your project to the server. Please contact your administrator for assistance.

And in the queue you will find a Failed and Blocking Correlation job for the Project Update from PSI, and the error message will look something like this”

Datasets:

• ProjectDataSet
  • Table Project
    • Row: PROJ_UID=’94a00658-4418-4851-9437-378fc226eb94′
      • Error ProjectNotFound (1000) – column

General

• Queue:
  • GeneralQueueJobFailed (26000) – ProjectUpdate.ProjectUpdateMessage. Details: id=’26000′ name=’GeneralQueueJobFailed’ uid=’fae360d7-1560-e611-80ee-001dd8b73698′ JobUID=’5ac936d4-1560-e611-80ee-001dd8b73698′ ComputerName=’6f80c7c5-1fd9-447c-aa6d-f60e3e3ab4ec’ GroupType=’ProjectUpdate’ MessageType=’ProjectUpdateMessage’ MessageId=’2′ Stage=” CorrelationUID=’87df989d-ca7c-e0fd-0000-01df4be1e070′. For more details, check the ULS logs on machine 6f80c7c5-1fd9-447c-aa6d-f60e3e3ab4ec for entries with JobUID 5ac936d4-1560-e611-80ee-001dd8b73698.

ProjectNotFound is the error returned from our code that is validating that everything GUID-wise is as it should be – and in this case it finds that the GUID used for the plan is also used for one of the tasks.

The best resolution (after stopping using the same GUID in multiple places for any new plans) is to open the affected plan in Project Professional (the desktop client) and delete this task and re-create it – which will get a brand new unique and distinct GUID.  Probably easier to create the new task and then delete the bad one – just so you can see what values you need to set.

Hey everyone!

The most recent Windows 10 preview(build 14901) no longer includes the ability to be kernel debugged over 1394(firewire) out of the box. We looked at a lot of data to make this decision, and decided with how many PCs are shipping with 1394, and how few people were using 1394 for KD, and the cost to maintain it, the value of keeping it just wasn’t there. We will continue to optimize KDNET and by focusing on fewer physical transports, this change will help us to continue to enhance KDNET. For those of you that use 1394 because it used to gather dumps faster than KDNET, I highly recommend trying out KDNET on a newer debugger release as we’ve made a lot of improvements to dump gathering.  KDNET should typically be significantly faster to capture a dump than 1394, and can be easily setup with kdnet.exe that ships with the kits or by following the directions on MSDN: Setting Up Kernel-Mode Debugging over a Network Cable Manually.

We aren’t completely getting rid of our 1394 support, we’ve decided to move the 1394 binary into to the kits so that people can still use it. We still have a few changes we need to do to the kits to pull in the driver so expect that with the next SDK preview.

Until then, if you need 1394, you can:

1. Copy kd1394.dll from C:Windows.oldWindowssystem32kd1394.dll (or from the C:Windowssystem32 directory of any older Windows 10 install) to C:Windowssystem32
2. Run bcdedit -set {dbgsettings} debugtype 1394
   bcdedit -set {dbgsettings} channel n  (where n is the 1394 channel you typically use 0, 1, 2, … 63)
3. Reboot and you’re good to go!

-Andy
@aluhrs13

ALERT: Some Mobile Apps (a feature of Azure App Service) deployments may be vulnerable to phishing attacks because of how current and older versions of swagger-ui are installed. Please take steps to determine if your deployments are at risk, and then mitigate, if necessary.

Our Microsoft Azure Security team is following reports of multiple high risk vulnerabilities present in current and older versions of swagger-ui. These are third-party vulnerabilities and not related to the Azure platform. However, some Mobile Apps deployments may have swagger-ui installed in a manner that makes those deployments vulnerable to phishing attacks.

How the vulnerability is exploited

The swagger-ui component allows loading of arbitrary swagger definition files by passing the URL of the swagger definition as a querystring parameter. Malicious swagger definitions can be constructed that execute arbitrary code within the browser. An attacker can then send a URL containing a reference to the malicious swagger definition that is then executed by simply opening the URL in a browser (for example, clicking on the link in an email).

How the vulnerability is mitigated

The Mobile Apps server SDKs now validate the URL of the swagger definition that is passed as a querystring parameter. Additionally, a Content Security Policy (CSP) header is sent which prevents the browser from communicating with servers that may host malicious swagger definitions.

How to determine if your deployment is at risk

First determine whether your Mobile Apps deployment is based on Node.js (this includes all Easy Tables users) or .NET.

• For Node.js, you can determine if your deployment is vulnerable by looking at the code in your app.js file (if you are using Easy Tables, you can do this by using the Edit Script option in the Azure portal; this will open App Service Editor and allow you to browse the files). If you see the line “swagger: true” then swagger-ui is enabled and your deployment is potentially vulnerable.
• For .NET, your deployment is potentially vulnerable if the application you publish includes the Azure Mobile .NET Server Swagger package (the vulnerabilities aren‘t in this package itself but one of its dependencies).

Steps to perform mitigation actions

For Node.js, updated packages are available. We recommend that Node.js users complete one of the following actions:

• Edit your application code (for example, app.js) to disable the configuration setting that enables our swagger UI functionality (use swagger: false).
• Or update to swagger-ui 2.1.5, and then update to the latest version of the Azure Mobile Apps Node.js SDK. Here are a couple of ways to do this:
  • Sign in to the kudu debug console by opening https://.scm.azurewebsites.net/DebugConsole (update to your mobile app name), change directory to D:homesitewwwroot, and then run npm update -save azure-mobile-apps swagger-ui. When this completes, go to the Azure portal, open your mobile app, and then select the Restart option.
  • Update package version numbers in package.json (azure-mobile-apps should be version 2.2.3; swagger-ui should be 2.1.5) and deploy using git.

We strongly recommend the following steps for .NET customers:

1. Uninstall the Azure Mobile .NET Server Swagger package as a mitigation.
2. Confirm that your application code no longer includes a reference to the Swashbuckle.Core package.
3. Republish your application.

For more information on the open source component swagger-ui vulnerabilities, please visit the following webpages on the Node Security Platform website:

• XSS in Consumes/Produces Parameter
• XSS in key names
• XSS via Content-type header

As always, if you run into problems, please contact us. We listen on the Azure Forums and Stack Overflow.

We have received the question ”why is extension X requesting permission to access resources Y” a few times. Let’s summarise the questions and answers in this post as they drop in.

2016.08.11 – Add Work Item Visualization

Work Item Visualization

Questions:

• Why do you need to access the code?
• Could you please explain the permissions requested by the extension?
• What is happening with the data? Does it leave our TFS server or will it stay in-house?

Answer, by Taavi Koosaar:

• The reason is that the visualization allows to expand and visualize all types of links. When an item has changesets or commits linked to it, those too will be added to visualization and can be expanded further. You can continue going further pretty much endlessly by expanding File and finding all commits / changesets for it etc. To be able to expand commits / changesets we need read access to code, even though we never visualize the code itself (js or c# or other) – just the metadata about it e.g. file name, author, date or commit id, date. Very basic and shown on visualization. You can also navigate to those changesets / commits / files from visualization.
• The extension installed on Team Services or TFS on-prem, runs in client’s browser and data is not sent anywhere.

整合筆跡到您的 app 有多簡單呢？

就僅僅需要一行 XAML。

在這篇文章中，我們將要引導您體驗新的 Windows 10 筆跡功能，使用者透過書寫與繪畫來溝通，比以往更為容易。您將會學到如何實作這些新的功能到您的 Windows app 與他們如何改善您的使用者體驗。

對通用 Windows 平台的開發者來說，要掛接這個功能最簡單的方式就是透過筆跡畫布（Ink Canvas）。我們用一些例子來開始說明吧！

內建的體驗

筆跡有很多潛在的應用。作為一個開頭，思考一個典型的筆跡應用程式使用者是有幫助的，例如：一個保險公估員幾乎都不待在辦公室，他將會想要隨時能夠做筆記和在文件上做註記。

有三個內建的 Windows Ink 體驗－點擊您的筆，Windows Ink Workspace 就會出現。Windows Ink Workspace 提供 Sticky Notes、Sketchpad 與 Screen sketch 等程式，而它們全部都是用 XAML Ink Canvas 建置的。Workspace也提供了最近使用支援 Windows Ink 的應用程式連結。

Sticky Notes 就如同您想像的，讓您能記錄一些提醒事項並將它們放在您的桌面。最酷的是 Cortana 有與 Sticky Notes 整合，所以它可以將這些提醒事項放到您的行事曆上。

這對我們的公估員來說將會非常有幫助，他們要持續地約時間然後還要再更改他們。實際的便利貼很容易就搞丟了，而這些筆跡便利貼不只可以把所有筆記都放在同個地方，還可以數位化這些資訊，用其他應用程式整合它變成一個工作流程。

Sketchpad 讓您可以做筆記、塗鴉和自由發想就像一個一般的筆記本一樣。它使用一個自訂的 Windows Ink 工具列，可以新增復原、複製、儲存與分享等功能。

這也或許會是一個很棒的應用程式對於我們的公估員。他可以同時邊做筆記邊畫一些有幫助的圖表。最棒的是這些是全都在同一份文件，而不是分開在多個繪圖與文書程式。

最後，screen sketch 讓您能夠螢幕截圖並加上紅線、註解與塗鴉。由於它的簡單性，他可以很容易用來拍任何照片用您裝置的相機。然後您就可以新增註解像是照片的日期－例如：一張白版的照片你需要在別人擦掉之前先存下來。

因為您使用隨身攜帶的裝置，所以您不需要再回到桌上新增筆記或分享它給其他會議的參與者。甚至有一個分享的按鈕在工具列，讓您能馬上發送您的 screen sketch。

對於我們的保險公估員來說拍白版照似乎沒這麼有幫助。然而有辦法拍下凹陷的汽車或天花板漏水並可以根據他所觀察到的做註記，將會讓節省他的時間與煩惱。他可以同時拍照與做筆記，而這些資訊與觀察全都是新鮮的。

實作它有多簡單呢？

只需要一行 XAML 就可以把 Windows Ink 的功能帶到您的應用程式中。InkCanvas讓您可以直接畫在畫布空間。只需要再多加一行 XAML 來新增一個筆跡工具列。

InkToolbar包含繪畫、橡皮擦、螢光筆與尺的按鈕。

InkToolbar 也是可延展的，讓開發者可以新增自訂的工具（InkToolbarCustomPenButton與 InkToolbarCustomToolButton）在螢光筆與橡皮擦按鈕之間，也可以自己切換按鈕到尺的右邊。

筆與觸控、藝術與技術

尺真的體現了這技術最酷的部分－但它用一個微妙的方式。就像一把實際的尺，您可以用一手的手指移動 InkToolbar 的尺，然後用另一隻手來做圖。不管您是用筆還是手指直接進行操作，您都可以將您的手掌靠在做圖的表面，就像您有紙跟筆一樣。

讓技術顯得自然需要很多功夫－要自然並不容易－而且很多東西都發生在同一時間。首先，Windows Ink 主動區別筆與手指。大多數的繪畫技術在這幾年還沒辦法做到這樣，無論是忽略一個或使得手寫筆與手指難以區分。

第二，Windows Ink 區別手掌與筆和觸控。遊蕩的手掌一直以來都是觸控面板的怪物。人都會很自然把手掌靠在面板上，因為 1）很舒服 2）我們不認為手掌是繪畫的工具。有了 Windows Ink，這些都不再是問題了。

藉由刪除這些底層技術的構件，Windows Ink 移除了拘束（與干擾）讓使用者可以做他的工作。因為我們使用現實生活中的筆和紙來塗鴉與溝通，這意味著藝術與工作相關的任務可以更容易完成，也可以更享受。

總結

這麼久以來鍵盤還是電腦運算的重要的一部份；有許多事，像是輸入資料與文書處理，使用鍵盤與滑鼠還是比較容易完成。然而很多情況，Windows Ink 是較佳的選擇，因為它提供了更自然更直覺的互動，對於沒有花大多數的時間在辦公桌前，要時常奔走的人。因為易於實作，開發人員可以快速地擴展他們目前的應用程式，使用筆跡的功能或甚至開發新的相關功能。

如果您想閱讀與看看更多有關 Windows Ink 的內容，這裡有些文章與影片您會覺得很有趣：

• Official Windows 10 Inking sample source （GitHub 資源）
• A closer look at Windows Ink （部落格貼文）
• Inking at the speed of thought （Channel 9 影片）
• Build 2016 keynote （Channel 9 影片）

開始使用 Windows Visual Studio。

本文翻譯自The Ink Canvas and Ruler：combining art and technology

若對以上技術及產品有任何問題，很樂意為您服務! 請洽：台灣微軟開發工具服務窗口 – MSDNTW@microsoft.com / 02-3725-3888 #4922

Japan Lync/Skype Support チームの和気です。
 

Office 365 ProPlus (Office 2016 バージョン) をインストールし、Skype for Business 2016 クライアントを起動した際に、以下のエラー画面に遭遇した場合の対処方法についてご紹介します。
 

 

Office 365 ProPlus (Office 2016 バージョン) をインストールし、Skype for Business 2016 クライアントを起動した際に、Office ライセンス認証の画面が表示されずに、上記エラー画面が表示される場合があります。

本エラーは、通常、クライアント端末がインターネットに接続されていない場合に発生します。
しかし、Office の設定によっては、クライアント端末が正常にインターネットに接続されているにも関わらず、エラーが発生する場合があります。
 

[原因]

以下のレジストリ値 UseOnlineContent が設定されている場合、Office からインターネット上のリソースへのアクセスが制限されているためにライセンス認証において問題が発生します。

キー : HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0CommonInternet
値の名前 : UseOnlineContent
値のデータ : 0 (禁止) もしくは 1 (既定では無効だがユーザーが選択可能)

 
UseOnlineContent = 1 の場合、Skype for Business 2016 以外の Office アプリケーションでは、接続の許可を求めるダイアログが表示され Office からインターネット上のリソースへのアクセスを許可する (UseOnlineContent = 2 に設定する) ことが可能です。しかし、Skype for Business 2016 ではダイアログが表示されず、ライセンス認証画面でエラーとなってしまいます。

[対処方法]

ライセンス認証時には、Office からインターネット上のリソースへのアクセスを許可する必要があります。
次のレジストリ値 (UseOnlineContent) を変更し、Office からインターネット上のリソースへのアクセスを許可してください。

キー : HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0CommonInternet
値の名前 : UseOnlineContent
値のデータ : 2 (許可)

UseOnlineContent = 0 または 1 となるケース

クリーンな環境に Office 2016 をインストールした場合、レジストリ値 (UseOnlineContent) は作成されず、この場合 Office はインターネット上のリソースへのアクセスを許可されています (UseOnlineContent = 2 相当の動作)。

では、どういった場合にレジストリ値 (UseOnlineContent) が設定されるのか 2 つの例をご紹介します。
 

ユーザーが変更した

レジストリ値 UseOnlineContent に相当する設定は、セキュリティ センターのプライバシー オプションにあります。そのため、ユーザーが手動で変更することも可能です。

・Office を Microsoft のオンライン サービスに接続して、使用状況や環境設定に関する機能を提供できるようにしますか?

 
本設定のチェックボックスが ON の場合は UseOnlineContent = 2、チェックボックス OFF の場合は UseOnlineContent = 1 に該当します。
 

Office 2010 の設定を引き継いだ

Office のバージョン混在環境の場合、本レジストリ値 UseOnlineContent は、古いバージョンの Office の設定を引き継ぎます。Office 2010 では、既定値が UseOnlineContent = 1 であるため、Office 2010 と Office 2016 の共存環境において本問題が発生しやすいと言えます。

Office 2016 のレジストリ値 UseOnlineContent は、いずれかの Office 2016 アプリケーション起動時に設定されます。そのため、あらかじめエラーが発生することを防ぐ場合には、Office 2010 のレジストリ値 UseOnlineContent の設定を変更してください。

キー : HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0CommonInternet
値の名前 : UseOnlineContent
値のデータ : 2 (許可)

本情報の内容 (添付文書、リンク先などを含む) は、作成日時点でのものであり、予告なく変更される場合があります。
 

Chris Skorlinski, Microsoft SQL Server Escalation Services

Customer planning for migration to SQL Server 2016 asked for clarification on running mixed version of SQL Servers in their Replication Topology.  I searched for “mixed version”, but was unable to find our posted topic. My colleague George Mason tracked it down under “upgrade”.  I’m posting key paragraph along with quick reference examples.

Upgrade Replicated Databases
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143699.aspx

SQL Server 2016 supports upgrading replicated databases from previous versions of SQL Server; it is not required to stop activity at other nodes while a node is being upgraded. Ensure that you adhere to the rules regarding which versions are supported in a topology:

• A Distributor can be any version as long as it is greater than or equal to the Publisher version (in many cases the Distributor is the same instance as the Publisher).
• A Publisher can be any version as long as it less than or equal to the Distributor version.
• Subscriber version depends on the type of publication:
  • A Subscriber to a transactional publication can be any version within two versions of the Publisher version. For example: a SQL Server 2012 Publisher can have SQL Server 2014 and SQL Server 2016 Subscribers; and a SQL Server 2016 Publisher can have SQL Server 2014 and SQL Server 2012 Subscribers.

Key point Publisher is within 2 builds of the Subscriber and the Distributor is same or higher build then Publisher. 

These are supported:

• Publisher (2008/R2)  -> Distributor (2016) -> Subscriber (2012)
• Publisher (2014)  -> Distributor (2016) -> Subscriber (2008/R2)
• Publisher (2016)  -> Distributor (2016) -> Subscriber (2012)

Not supported:

• Publisher (2016)  -> Distributor (2016) -> Subscriber (2008/R2)
• Publisher (2008/R2)  -> Distributor (2016) -> Subscriber (2016)

In chart above SQL Server 2008/R2 means either SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2008R2.  For all versions, ensure you’re running on most recent SQL Server service pack to take advantage of software fixes and enhancements.  Check out Microsoft Release Services blog for updates on service packs and cumulative updates.

With the following post we’d like to formally welcome one of our new Teacher Ambassadors to the Microsoft UK Education team! Many of you will have come across Natalie Burgess before, as she has been as #MIEExpert for a number of years, and ran sessions in the Showcase Classroom section of our stand at BETT 2016.

Ahead of the new academic year, Natalie has written a short blog post offering some ideas for how teachers can use technology to get to know their new students – and help the students get to know each other. She’s also included a great Sway designed to help teachers get started on the Microsoft Educator Community – make sure you scroll to the end to see that! We’ll be hearing from Natalie regularly on this blog, so keep checking back to catch all of her posts!

Back to School with Microsoft

by Natalie Burgess

It’s that time of year again… planning meetings, forward plans, laminating, name labels and lots and lots of coffee! Thinking of new ideas at the start of the school year can be difficult when there’s so much to organise and do for your new pupils.

Using tech for my ‘Getting to know you’ activities always put me in the good books with my new class. An activity I enjoyed doing last year with my Primary 3 pupils was creating a collaborative PowerPoint sharing 3 things about themselves. This meant that I could get to know the children easily and have a reference for their personal likes and dislikes and it meant the children got chatting and making new friends right away. All I had to do was create a PowerPoint on Office 365 and share it with my pupils using their Office 365 username. I pre-loaded the PowerPoint with each pupil’s name at the top of a slide and they did the rest.

There’s so many things that we can do to engage our new classes and to start the year off in a really cool way! How about setting up a Mystery Skype and connecting with a classroom in Africa or Australia?! My class absolutely loved connecting with a school in Africa last year and it really opened their eyes to the world and developed our Global Citizenship. This would link in really well to Rights Respecting Schools and your ‘Class Charter’ linking it to the rights of children in other countries.

Sway is one of my favourite tools in Office 365 as it is so easy and cool to use. My Primary 3 pupils absolutely loved it! Why not ask your children to create a Sway to tell you about their Summer holidays and use this as their first solo talk? It really helps boost the children’s confidence when they have an awesome presentation behind them. They can create it at home or in school with their Office 365 account. I loved seeing the photos of my pupil’s Summer holidays as it really helped me get to know them better.

There are so many other ways that you can start the year off with a bang using all the tools available to teachers in Office 365. I joined the Microsoft Educator Community 2 years ago and since then I have learned and grown so much using technology in the classroom.

I have found some really cool lesson ideas on here from Educators all over the world and made some awesome friends for life because of the Microsoft Programme. I highly recommend signing up to join this incredible community of Educators where you will find inspiration, lesson ideas, Professional Development opportunities, quick tip videos and access to Skype with classes from around the globe! What else could you ask for?!

Here’s a quick ‘how to’ guide to sign up for Microsoft Educator Community.

Have an incredible first term everyone!

~ Natalie

With the following post we’d like to formally welcome one of our new Teacher Ambassadors to the Microsoft UK Education team! Many of you will have come across Natalie Burgess before, as she has been as #MIEExpert for a number of years, and ran sessions in the Showcase Classroom section of our stand at BETT 2016.

Ahead of the new academic year, Natalie has written a short blog post offering some ideas for how teachers can use technology to get to know their new students – and help the students get to know each other. She’s also included a great Sway designed to help teachers get started on the Microsoft Educator Community – make sure you scroll to the end to see that! We’ll be hearing from Natalie regularly on this blog, so keep checking back to catch all of her posts!

Back to School with Microsoft

by Natalie Burgess

It’s that time of year again… planning meetings, forward plans, laminating, name labels and lots and lots of coffee! Thinking of new ideas at the start of the school year can be difficult when there’s so much to organise and do for your new pupils.

Using tech for my ‘Getting to know you’ activities always put me in the good books with my new class. An activity I enjoyed doing last year with my Primary 3 pupils was creating a collaborative PowerPoint sharing 3 things about themselves. This meant that I could get to know the children easily and have a reference for their personal likes and dislikes and it meant the children got chatting and making new friends right away. All I had to do was create a PowerPoint on Office 365 and share it with my pupils using their Office 365 username. I pre-loaded the PowerPoint with each pupil’s name at the top of a slide and they did the rest.

There’s so many things that we can do to engage our new classes and to start the year off in a really cool way! How about setting up a Mystery Skype and connecting with a classroom in Africa or Australia?! My class absolutely loved connecting with a school in Africa last year and it really opened their eyes to the world and developed our Global Citizenship. This would link in really well to Rights Respecting Schools and your ‘Class Charter’ linking it to the rights of children in other countries.

Sway is one of my favourite tools in Office 365 as it is so easy and cool to use. My Primary 3 pupils absolutely loved it! Why not ask your children to create a Sway to tell you about their Summer holidays and use this as their first solo talk? It really helps boost the children’s confidence when they have an awesome presentation behind them. They can create it at home or in school with their Office 365 account. I loved seeing the photos of my pupil’s Summer holidays as it really helped me get to know them better.

There are so many other ways that you can start the year off with a bang using all the tools available to teachers in Office 365. I joined the Microsoft Educator Community 2 years ago and since then I have learned and grown so much using technology in the classroom.

I have found some really cool lesson ideas on here from Educators all over the world and made some awesome friends for life because of the Microsoft Programme. I highly recommend signing up to join this incredible community of Educators where you will find inspiration, lesson ideas, Professional Development opportunities, quick tip videos and access to Skype with classes from around the globe! What else could you ask for?!

Here’s a quick ‘how to’ guide to sign up for Microsoft Educator Community.

Have an incredible first term everyone!

~ Natalie

There is currently an issue in SharePoint 2016 with PerformancePoint Dashboards where the Decomposition Tree Silverlight control will render, spin up to 100%, and then continue to spin forever. This is a known product issue and is scheduled to be fixed later this year (roughly scheduled for October release).

This affects all relevant PerformancePoint dashboards for SharePoint 2016 RTM and later.

For the short term, we have a simple workaround for this problem.

1. Download the following file and extract the DecompositionTree.xap file. (DecompositionTree.zip)
2. Log on to your SharePoint servers and navigate to the following file location:
   1. C:Program FilesCommon Filesmicrosoft sharedWeb Server Extensions16TEMPLATELAYOUTSPPSWebParts
3. Paste the DecompositionTree.xap file into this folder and replace the one that is already there.
   
   
4. IISReset the server.
5. Test.

This issue will may resurface every time you apply a CU update to the SharePoint farm, so keep this file handy so you can replace it again if needed. Once the hotfix is released, the file replacement will no-longer be needed.

The above workaround and file download is given freely and without guarantee or warrantee from Microsoft or its employees. Use at your own risk. We recommend that you test this workaround thoroughly before implementing it in a production environment.