Thanks to everyone who came to the launch, especially those folks who stayed for the last session of the day when Lindsay and I presented. We were the last session in the afternoon and by then everyone is just darn tired after a full day of sessions and excitement!

Below I've compiled a list of some questions from attendees that I think were great questions worth sharing:

Question: What type of applications are best suited Sync Services

Answer: Here's some programs that would fit nicely - field service, CRM apps, anything for sales folks, trade show management & leads, or any desktop app where you do not or can not have constant connectivity. 

Question: Is it really that easy to share your project with designers, even a desktop app using xaml?

Answer: Why yes it is!  You saw the demo after all!

Question: Can you use Microsoft Access with Sync Services to create a local database cache?

Answer: No, you cannot.

Question: Is Sync Services available for file systems?

Answer: Yes (link below)

Question: Is it possible to add an amination to a xaml form in Visual Studio 2008 or must you use Expression Blend?

Answer: Yes, you can use VS2008 but I'll warn you - the storyboards are much easier w/Expression Blend, as you'd need to hand craft the XAML in VS08, there's no storyboard control. (see link below)

Resources:

Sync Services Whitepaper

Sync Services for File Systems

XAML for Storyboards

I will be presenting at the HHH event in Philadelphia, Pa on April 3rd, 2008 in the afternoon.  The session title is "Defying Occasionally Connected Challenges with Smart Client Applications" and in this talk, I'll be discussing some of the hottest technologies available and below is the topic breakdown:

• Designers & Developers:

  See how using Visual Studio 2008 and Microsoft Expression Blend together to boost team productivity by using familiar tools and technologies on both sides of the web application.

• Lighting up an MFC Application:

  Upgrading legacy applications to work with Microsoft Windows Vista is a snap with new MFC controls that ship with Visual Studio 2008

• Windows Communication Foundation & Workflow Foundation Integration:

  Learn how you can benefit from Microsoft’s new communication and collaboration technologies as well as how you can integrate them to work together to create robust smart client apps

• SQL Server & ADO.NET Sync Services:

  Create applications that allow users to take data offline, where and when they want to, then synchronize and manage conflicts will little effort using the ADO.NET Sync service framework.

Wheck out all the great webcasts available!  There's a ton, and definitely something for every developer!

(Hat tip: material below copied from the MSDN Webcasts blog)

Zain Naboulsi Presents Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Overview Webcast Series

Microsoft Developer Evangelist Zain Naboulsi presents a series of webcasts providing an overview of Visual Studio 2008. Zain’s webcasts are always highly informative and very entertaining -- some of the most popular developer webcasts that we have. Here is a list of Zain’s webcasts through April which include developing in Visual Studio 2008 with Windows applications, WPF, Office System, WCF, Workflow Foundation, Linq and Click Once.

MSDN Webcast: Overview of New Tools in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

Join us as we take a look at the new tools that come with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development system and explain how they can impact your world. Often, we do not have time to explore just what a great tool Visual Studio 2008 is. Much like the Microsoft Office products, we tend to only use a small percentage of what is available. In this session, we look at some of the key tools and describe why they are important to you.

3/13/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: Overview of New Features for Windows Applications (Level 200)

Are you a Windows application developer? Then this session is for you! Here we take a fresh look at how the functionality in the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development system empowers Windows developers and helps them create better applications.

3/14/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration:90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: Windows Presentation Foundation Tools in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

What is the big deal with Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) anyway? Here we take a brief look at why WPF is cool and how Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 makes writing WPF apps even cooler. So grab the beverage of your choice and let's hang out with WPF.

4/4/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: 2007 Office System Interoperability with Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

Like the 2007 Microsoft Office system? Like Microsoft Visual Studio 2008? Well, just like chocolate and peanut butter, we blend the two together to show you the creamy richness of Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO). You have heard about it and seen it in grainy videos (just like Bigfoot), but now you can experience it all for yourself. Come join the fun!

4/10/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: Windows Communication Foundation Tools in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

What is the big deal with Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) anyway?  Here we take a brief look at why WCF is cool and how Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 makes writing WCF applications even cooler. Let's sit by the virtual seashore and bask in the glow of great WCF tools!

4/14/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: Workflow Foundation Tools in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

What is the big deal with Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) anyway? Here we take a brief look at why WF is cool and how Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 makes writing WF applications even cooler. So put down that copy of MSDN Magazine for a little while and let's see some real excitement with workflow!

4/15/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: LINQ Features in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

Think you have heard all there is to know about Microsoft .NET Language-Integrated Query (LINQ)? Think again! In this webcast, we dazzle and amaze you with our staggering array of wondrous tools to make your LINQ experience a memorable one!

4/16/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: Database Features in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

Like working with data? The Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development system comes with many new and improved data tools. Who could say no to those cute little controls? Join this webcast for the ultimate database tools experience that you can have without a laser light show!

4/17/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time | Duration: 90 Minutes

MSDN Webcast: ClickOnce with Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

Does ClickOnce mystify you? In this presentation, learn to publish Windows-based applications to a Web server or network file share for simplified installation. Let's talk about ClickOnce and how it can make your life easier!

4/18/2008 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Pacific Time (US & Canada)| Duration: 90 Minutes

Zain’s Visual Studio 2008 Webcast Archive:

MSDN Webcast: Overview of New Classes in the .NET Framework 3.5 (Level 200)

With the release of the new Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 there are a lot of new features to learn. In this session, we take a high-level look at the myriad new classes and show what some of them can do for you today.

MSDN Webcast: Overview of New Designers in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

In this session, we take a deeper look at some of the key new features in the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development system. In this lesson, we look at the many new designers that come with the product. Designers are the key to Rapid Application Development and here we illustrate how to accelerate your coding efforts.

MSDN Webcast: Overview of New Features in Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)

In this webcast, we discuss some of the key new features that make the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development system great! Join this high-level overview of the product as we focus on the philosophy behind the new features and demonstrate how they compare to Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.

More Visual Studio 2008 Webcasts: http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/msdnvs2008.aspx?tab=webcasts

Visual Studio 2008 Virtual Labs: http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/msdnvs2008.aspx?tab=virtuallabs

Visual Studio 2008 Developer Center Home: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vs2008/default.aspx

I have a particular machine that has had some issues when trying to use a few VS 2008 features.  If you come across this post searching for answers hopefully it will save you some time.  Hopefully this post will save me some time too, because my chronic amnesia tends to have me forget all but the last 30 seconds of my life.  :) 

The fix first:  For both issues here, I needed to uninstall all VS 2008 add-on components (like EF, EF tools, Ajax, .NET 3.5 preview, etc...) VS 2008 itself, then .NET Framework 3.5.  Then I reinstalled VS 2008, which reinstalled the framework.  After that I could install the later components/add ons.

The "whys" next: I had at least the last VS 2008 Beta on this machine, and it seems that both problems are tied to it.  I did follow all instructions for uninstalling and reinstalling VS 2008 as is posted at ScottGu's blog which I'll repost here:

"Installation Suggestions

People often ask me for suggestions on how best to upgrade from previous betas of Visual Studio 2008.  In general I'd recommend uninstalling the Beta2 bits explicitly.  As part of this you should uninstall Visual Studio 2008 Beta2, .NET Framework Beta2, as well as the Visual Studio Web Authoring Component (these are all separate installs and need to be uninstalled separately).  I then usually recommend rebooting the machine after uninstalling just to make sure everything is clean before you kick off the new install.  You can then install the final release of VS 2008 and .NET 3.5 on the machine.

Once installed, I usually recommend explicitly running the Tools->Import and Export Settings menu option, choosing the "Reset Settings" option, and then re-pick your preferred profile.  This helps ensure that older settings from the Beta2 release are no longer around (and sometimes seems to help with performance).

Note that VS 2008 runs side-by-side with VS 2005 - so it is totally fine to have both on the same machine (you will not have any problems with them on the same box).  "

The errors:

1) Visual Studio 2008 Designer error: "method not found Boolean system.web.ui.design.viewrendering.get_visible()"

Upon opening an .aspx page and trying to use either the full Design tab or the Split tab, I would get this error inside a small gray box for each control instead of that control's design surface rendering.  After some searching, I came upon this bug report on MS Connect, which had two options - 1) uninstall all things related to VS 2008 and resinstall, (and what's more fun than that?) or 2) Wait for Vista SP1 or install what version of SP1 beta/ctp is available now, which will require you to un/reinstall later anyway.  The workarounds at the connect site work, or if you can wait, then Vista SP1 should fix this issue.

2) Entity Framework error: "Package VC++  Resource Editor Package has failed to load properly" would display whenever I would try to either add a new ADO.NET Entity Data Model via the wizard or whenever I would open and try to edit .edmx files.

I got nowhere searching for this error.  This error has some similar issues related to it, but not quite for this problem.  I had taken the issue to some email lists and forums with no response, or nothing helpful (but thanks, anyway).  Perhaps the VC++ is used in C# and VB.NET Apps for the purpose of editing resource or designer files, which I am going to assume are needed at least on some level with EF tools.  However, when I disabled this package, no other resource or designer intensive parts of VS bombed.