WHS and Smugmug 1

~ rbonini ~ 2 Comments

The first thing I looked for after signing up for SmugMug was a WHS Add-In since there is one for Flikr. Lo and behold, there isn’t one.

So last night I started writing an application architecture post when it occurred to me that the best way of explaining it was to write a program from scratch.

Enter the SmugMug Add-In idea. So I’ll be doing that in a short series of posts.

First things first, I haven’t decided whether to use Visual Studio 2005 or Express 2008.

Second, the WHS SDK is already in your servers’ Program Files\Windows Home Server folder, so don’t bother looking online for it. You’ll need these two files added as references in Visual Studio ( or Express):

  • HomeServerExt.dll
  • Microsoft.HomeServer.SDK.Interop.v1.dll

Third, the Smugmug API can be downloaded from SmugMug.com. And it looks to be rather straight forward to write code against it (Note – I always say that looking at an API for the first time, then regret it later). And you’ll need an API key from SmugMug. And you’ll need to add the API in as a reference in Visual Studio or Express.

For a quick look at it, Evan Leventhal’s .NET wrapper SmugMug.NET, is a good start.

Fourth there the way the program will work is pretty straight forward :

  • The folder name can be the name of the gallery OR an XML file in the folder will identify which gallery it corresponds to (that is the SmugMug Gallery ID) ala SyncToy.
  • Since I keep far more photos than I post in \\Server\Photos,  it would be a good idea to create a separate folder containing all the gallery folders for syncing.
  • As far as checking the folders themselves, the .Net 2.0 has a FileWatcher object ( or something to that effect).
  • A settings tab will have a list of folders in the gallery folder that will be synced by default unless you uncheck it.
  • As far as a console tab goes, I have no idea – stats, gallery browser, etc.
  • And scheduling of some sort, could do somthing ala SyncToy (and no, I’m not french).

I’m writing this primarily for myself  as I’m fed up with having to Remote in and use the Send To SmugMug shell app but it will be packaged neatly and on Codeplex once its finished, I imagine.

Blog Directions

~ rbonini

So, this is supposed to be a tech blog (along with the few hundred thousand of them already out there). Thing is that I’ve only used it for two things lately: Youtube videos to do with Apple and various complaints mostly to do with Google et al.

I need to narrow the scope down a bit. not quite sure exactly what on. Lets go through it.

SQL Server? I get the basics but I’d rather use Subsonic any day of the week.

ASP.net? Yes, but 2.0. I’ve used the Visual Studio 2008 and it rocks for web design, so a tour of Visual Web Designer Express 2008 sounds good.

Visual Basic 8.0? Again, I haven’t got round to using it, at least not with .Net 3.5. I’m rather good at VB, if I do say so myself.

C# 3.0? The C version of VB ( I’m kidding 🙂 ), but yeah getting to grips with it might prove entertaining.

LINQ? Haven’t touched it, though I’ve diligently read Scott’s posts on the topic. It sure rocks so I might take it for asp on some Commerce Starter Kit databases I have lying around.

Virtual Server? I actually had a draft post about that lying around somewhere. I’ll get it up as soon as I’ve completed taking VS for a test drive ( always handy to have a copy of Windows Server 2003 and SQL 2005  lying around).

Networking?? I’m laying gigabit throughout the house to a central 24-port switch. So details on that later.

What else? Java??? Seriously, although I can see the languages’ power and potential as well a pretty safe choice when undertaking any software project, I wish Microsoft would do a deal with Jonathan Schwartz and include it as part of Visual Studio. With a .Net interop??? And Sun, please make your Java download page a wee bit more understandable to a  (relative) newbie.

Programming in general?? Perhaps something slightly more advanced than Hello World. Toolkits I use and so on. I mean, application architecture is a huge subject, as is project planning (UML, etc). Plenty we could go over in there.

At the end of the day, its good opportunity to consider moving any future photography posts to their own blog.

You never know.

By the Way

~ rbonini

In case everyone thinks that I’m living under a rock, at the bottom of a mine or otherwise incommunicado, I’m  letting you know that I’m, not going to put a post up every time Sun buys a company (Storagetek, MySQL, etc) or Robert Scoble changes jobs 🙂 .

Others cover it far better than I can. And you can get all that news from my Link Blog ( the most recent additions are on your right) .

MacWorld Fallout

~ rbonini

iPod Touch update downloaded and installed. Add-on purchased.

I’ve only had a cursory look at the features. And boy do they rock. I was going to say that I really needed a Notes app and his Steveness has gone ahead and stole my thunder. Not that I’m complaining 🙂 .

The Add-on was cheap when I think of the iPod classic owners that I know – they are going to really  be envious.

I’m currently looking at my new Dell Inspiron and wondering who I might sell to get an Air (yes, who).

While I think that one over here’s a Youtube clip making fun of the OTHER software company in action: