Author Archives: Dragga

Visual Studio 2013 Update 5 is now available

On July 20th 2015, a new update for Visual Studio 2013 by Microsoft became available for download.

Visual Studio 2013 is an integrated development environment from Microsoft with a comprehensive collection of developer tools and services, used to create apps, as well as web sites and web services.

The latest update features cumulative series of technology improvements and bug fixes to enhance and expand both Visual Studio 2013 and Team Foundation Server 2013 to support the latest software development innovations for building and managing modern apps.

Here are some changes:

  • Cloud-based load testing from Azure datacenters worldwide – allows you to perform cloud-based load testing from any of the supported Azure datacenters
  • Current iteration query token – allows you to run queries with the @currentIteration on Visual Studio Online or Visual Studio Foundation Server
  • Team Project Rename support for Local Workspaces – allows you to update local workspaces after a team project is renamed
  • Bug Fixes & Known Issues – fixed a few known issues

If you would like to try something new, the new Visual Studio 2015 has also been released on July 20th 2015, together with .NET Framework 4.6. You can download it here.

If you wish to learn more, a detailed description of the update for Visual Studio 2013 can be found here.

Please note, that the Visual Studio 2013 RTM will only be supported for one year after this update, then it will be discontinued.

Visual Studio 2015 and .NET Framework 4.6 have been released

On July 20th 2015, the new Visual Studio 2015 and .NET Framework 4.6 by Microsoft became available to download.

This release is a big step to bring the productivity of these products to any developer working on any kind of application, while delivering a new level of innovation in the productivity.

Visual Studio 2015 is an integrated development environment from Microsoft with a comprehensive collection of developer tools and services, used to create apps, as well as web sites and web services.

The Visual Studio family has expanded over the years:

  • Visual Studio Community – a free for non-enterprise development, fully -featured, and extensible IDE for creating modern applications for Windows, Android, and iOS, as well as web applications and cloud services
  • Visual Studio Online – services for teams to share code, track work, and ship software – for any language, all in a single package
  • Visual Studio Code – refined code editor supporting cross-platform to build and debug modern web and cloud applications

Visual Studio 2015 and .NET 4.6 highlights

Innovation in productivity

  • Debugging and Diagnostics – unified debugging and profiling into single Diagnostics Tool window; with PrefTips you can get performance information right in your code
  • Code editing and Refactoring – C# and VB developers can use the new Roslyn-based tooling, including Light Bulbs that pro-actively suggest potential fixes or code refactoring tooling; with code analyzers it is possible to customize warnings and suggestions delivered inside the editor; added XAML editor
  • Programming Languages – this new release includes the final version of C# 6 and Visual Basic 14 and improved support for C++ 11/14/17 together with TypeScript 1.5, F# 4.0 and tools for Python and dozens of other languages

PhpStorm 9 has been released

PhpStorm 9, the new major release of JetBrain’s professional PHP IDE, is now available for download!

PhpStorm 9 is a cross-platform IDE for PHP, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Sass, Less, CoffeeScript, and many other languages. Recent release of PhpStorm 9 brings us improvements and bug fixes. We shall look closely on them below.

PHP language and editing experience

  • Advanced code understanding – including:
    • Advanced PHP type inference
    • Parameter refactoring
    • Numerous new inspections and intentions
    • Support for persistent language injections
  • Postfix code completion – helps to reduce backward caret jumps
  • Partial PHP 7 support
  • Other PHP related enhancements – including:
    • Color settings for brackets, braces and parentheses
    • Ability to use PHP surrounds for HTML in PHP files
    • Improved structure view for PHP
    • Formatting, constructor and PHPDoc improvements
    • Support for fluent setters creation
    • Separate PHP constructor editable template

New debugging experience

  • Inline debugger for PHP – all live debugging data are now shown directly in the editor
  • Debugging workflow – new features include:
    • Import from Deployment action
    • Enhanced debugger config validation
    • PJP servers config shared on project level
    • php.ini can be opened from settings

Remote development

  • Remote edit – individual files can be opened directly from the remote host without adding / downloading them to the local project
  • Remote tools via remote PHP interpreters – allows you to run your application and tools on a production-like environment

Frameworks, tools and more

  • Solarized editor scheme is bundled
  • Support for Xdebug 2.3+ profiler
  • Improved support for Blade templating engine
  • Support for the latest Behat
  • Enhanced Twig templating engine
  • Additional options for PHP Code Sniffer

Visual Studio 2015 release date announced

Microsoft announced that on July 20th 2015, there will be a final release of Visual Studio 2015, .NET Framework 4.6 and Team Foundation Server 2015.

Visual Studio 2015 is a long expected release, which will include multi-platform creation of apps for Windows, Android, iOS, as well as creation of web applications and cloud services, and more. It also offers a wide range of tools to increase and ease the productivity of developers, like diagnostics tools, integrated editors, debuggers and profiles, plus thousands of extensions from PHP to gaming.

Changes will include:

  • Visual Studio C++ for Cross-Platform Development
  • Visual Studio Tools for Apache Cordova
  • Visual Studio Emulator for Android
  • Visual Studio Tools for Universal Windows App Development
  • Visual C++
  • C# and Visual Basic
  • .NET Framework 4.6

and many more. You can get more information at https://www.visualstudio.com/news/vs2015-vs.

Microsoft also gives you the opportunity to watch the release closely on July 20th 2015 at 3:30 PM UTC (8:30 AM PDT). The event will be available to watch online at https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/visualstudio-release-event-vs, with no registration needed.

Windows 10 available on July 29

Microsoft has announced the release of the new operating system, Windows 10, on July 29 this year. Windows 10 is designed to run on the broadest device family ever, including, and not limited to, Windows PCs, Windows tablets, Windows phones, Windows for the Internet of Things, Microsoft Surface Hub, Xbox One and Microsoft HoloLens.

The vision of this new operating system is to give users the feeling of more personal computing, trust in protection and respecting the personal information, mobility across various devices, and natural interaction including speech, touch, ink and holograms.

Features:

  • Start menu – Windows 10 brings it back
  • Much faster than previous versions
  • Quick startup and resume
  • Windows Defender for free anti-malware protection

Range of innovations:

  • Cortana – personal digital assistant on PC and smartphone; interaction is natural and easy via talking or typing. Cortana learns your preferences to provide relevant data.
  • Microsoft Edge – all-new browser with built-in commenting on the web via typing or inking, sharing comments and a reading view that helps read web sites faster and easier. Together with Cortana it offers quick results based on your preferences.
  • Office on Windows – in addition to the Office 2016 desktop suite, Windows 10 users will have access to new universal Windows applications for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, all available separately. With new touch-first controls in Excel you can create or update spreadsheets without a keyboard or mouse. OneNote and Outlook will be included as well.
  • Xbox Live and integrated Xbox App – new game experience in Windows 10 for both PCs and tablets. You can play games on your PC, streamed directly from your Xbox One console to your Windows 10 tablets or PCs, within home. You can communicate with your friends on Win 10 PCs and Xbox One while playing any PC game. Capture, edit and share with Game DVR, and play new games across devices.
  • Photos, Videos, Music, Maps, People, Mail and Calendar apps – updated design that looks and feels familiar from device to device. It is easy to start something on one device and continue it on another since the content is stored and synched through OneDrive.
  • Windows Continuum – enables today’s laptops and 2-in-1 devices smooth transition of the tablet into PC and back. New Windows phones can be connected with Continuum to a monitor, mouse and keyboard to make the phone work like a PC.
  • Windows Hello – uses biometric authentication of your face, iris or finger providing instant recognition, and there is no need to log in with password.
  • Windows Store – easy install and uninstall of trusted applications, supported by the broadest range of global payment methods.

On July 29, you can get Windows 10 for PCs and tablets by taking advantage of the free upgrade offer, or on a new Windows 10 PC from your favourite retailer. The Windows 10 upgrade is designed to be compatible with your current Windows device and applications.

You can reserve your free Windows 10 upgrade now through a simple reservation process. Look for this icon in your system tray at the bottom of your screen, simply click on the icon, and then complete the reservation process.

If you would like to learn more on how to update your current Windows to Windows 10 read more about it here.