Microsoft's new agile pace is just killing me.  I'm glad that sp1 will be out some time in the foreseeable future but.  I don't want thing about upgrading to vs 10 in another 18 months. 

You might receive the "The debugger does not support debugging managed and native code at the same time on this platform." error message in Visual studio 2005/2008 if you have a 32bit native/mixed mode dll linked to your x64bit assembly.  If you change the project properties so that Platform target is x86 you should be able to debug both assemblies.

According to CNN Money Microsoft has committed to an end of November release date.

Full story here.

Brad Abrams is taking a poll, Allowing .NET EXEs to run off a network share.  There are a lot of useful solutions that are blocked by the current .NET policy.  I would like to see it go the way of the dodo.  It doesn't really offer protection since unmanaged code will execute from a network share.  Removing this default limitation would allow for true xcopy deployment.

Please vote early and often!

If you have not seen it yet Patrick Smacchia is showing off his free library to handle common and complex file path operations.  Its on CodePlex NDepend.Helpers.FilePathDirectory

Here is Patrick's class diagram

It nicely done some thing that MS should have offered in the DotNet Base Class Library.

Over on Carlo's blog(Gacutil not supported in production?) there is a small discussion about how to register an assembly into the GAC.  Microsoft Recomends using Windows Installer 2.  Gacutil is not really supported on production ( explains why its part of the sdk) but with the proper command line args /i and /r it can be used to register an assembly in to the GAC, however the license for Gacutil, only allows internal redeployment.  So an ISV would need a windows installer.  In the past I have seen System.EnterpriseServices.Internal.Publish.GacInstall used to foster GAC registration in an install shield ( install script). Not sure if it works the same as windows installer but it get the job done. Also of intrest System.EnterpriseServices.Internal.Publish.GacRemove

Scott Gu announced the releasing of .Net framework libraries (Microsoft Reference License).  This is good news its some thing that i miss very much when not working with the MFC libraries.  Truth be told you could already view and to some extent debug the .NET Framework with reflector but first class support in VS 2008 is defiantly great news.  Scott Hanselman appears to already have a Hansel Minutes relating to this announcement.

In July Microsoft released Security Bulletin MS07-040-CriticalVulnerabilities in .NET Framework Could Allow Remote Code Execution (931212) 

A Security Update for Microsoft.net Framework 2.0 (KB928365) was released for  windows server 2003

this updates System.web.dll

I have found this security update to crash IIS and any asp.net 2.0 web site/web service w3wp.exe to be restarted on every web request.

It looks like this is only a problem when this security patch is automatically installed via windows updates.  Once I uninstalled the security update the crashing issue went away.  When I manually reinstalled the security update and rebooted IIS and ASP.NET continued to function correctly with out error.

Also updated was,

 940521 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940521/) The behavior of UTF8Encoding, Unicode Encoding, and UTF32Encoding changes to comply to the Unicode 5.0 requirements for Unicode encodings after you install the security update for the .NET Framework 2.0 that is described in security bulletin MS07-040

this seems to affect how ASP.NET generates its web control names.

There just doesn't seem to be any love for the Visual Studio 2005 Web Sit Project.  I know I have none.  I' am  sure its fine for an internally developed web sites, but who cares about those.  For an ISV we need dll's.  It's simpler and your customer can't make unauthorized edits to your code.  So if like me your looking for a simple way to update some of your older asp.net projects Peter Bromberg just posted a nifty trick to get your visual studio 2003 class library project to convert to a visual studio 2005 web application project.  I recommend you take a look and save your self a migraine.

Doug Stewart has posted an extensive list of CRL 2.0 bug (hot)fixes.  Its worth a look if your Dot Net 2.0 app is having issues.  Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive list Doug. 

I have seen this issue on a QA server The managed heap becomes corrupted when you run a program that is built by using the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 good to see its not my code and that there is a fix for it.

Some of the Hot fix support articles do leave a little something to be desired though I would like to see Microsoft spend the time to detail the cause for each issue so I can better evaluate my need for a given fix.

Is it a Memory leak or a Resource leak.

It would seem that if you take a c++ managed extensions gc class containing a native pointer to dot net 2.0.  The classes finalization does not happen correctly.  Ie the destructor is no longer invoked.

further more if you migrate said c++ code to c++/cli then your destructor will not get called when the managed object is disposed of via garbage collection.  You will need to either explicitly call the destructor or add a finalize to your reference class.

Not the most obvious memory leak in the world to say the least.

In your quest to down load all the visual studio 2008 goodness you may find this new ctp tool from Microsoft very useful

Microsoft Secure Content Downloader July 2007 Community Technology Preview

Overview

The Microsoft Secure Content Downloader (MSCD) is a peer-assisted download manager capable of securely downloading specific files. MSCD is intended for consumers who are downloading from a home PC, or business users whose computers are not behind a corporate firewall. If you use MSCD from behind a corporate firewall, you may be unable to download content, and may adversely affect other clients' ability to download content.
Main features of the MSCD are:

• Secure content description
  • Each file available for download has a secure description, ensuring the content you download is exactly what the publisher published.
• Scalable performance
  • MCSD is a peer-assisted technology. Each client downloads content by exchanging parts of the file they’re interested in with other clients, in addition to downloading parts from the server.
    • No matter how great the internet’s demand for the file, you will always be able to make progress downloading.
    • MSCD lets you download content more quickly than possible without peer assistance.

Some MSCD clients may be connected to each other via peer connections, forming a ‘cloud’ of clients. Pieces of the file you are downloading are sent through these peer connections between clients, as well as through connections with the file server. As a member of the cloud, your computer both serves as a client and server to other members of the cloud. Data destined for the cloud may be routed through your computer and sent to other cloud members. The other cloud members connected to you will be able to access only pieces of the file you are downloading via MSCD – they have no access to any other data on your computer.
You are only connected to other clients while you are downloading a file via MSCD. When the file has finished downloading – or when you pause or cancel the download, or exit the application – you disconnect from the cloud. Once you disconnect from the cloud, you will no longer have any connections to any other members in the cloud and no data will be routed through your computer.
This version of MSCD is a Community Technology Preview, and will only allow you to obtain current Visual Studio 2008 Beta 2. Since it is a Community Technology Preview, additional information related to MSCD’s performance and network transactions -- including your machine name and IP addresses -- may be logged to help evaluate and improve MSCD performance.

Just incase you have been under a rock here are the links to detailed information about today's release of Visual studio via Scott Gu and Somasegar respective blog posts.

I was looking for a way to pass a parameter by reference today.  More specifically the setter.

I found a couple interesting blog posts

http://geekswithblogs.net/akraus1/archive/2006/02/10/69047.aspx

notice the comment by Tedesco.

He offers a nice way to do this via an anonymous delegate.

          
            
            
            public
            
            
            delegate
            
            
            void
            
            
            InsertString
            ( 
            System
            .
            String
            
            
            param
             );

            public
            
            
            partial
            
            
            class
            
            
            Bird

             {

            public
            
            
            void
            
            
            FileToDb
            ( 
            int
            
            
            x
             )

{

            FillEntityColumn
            ( 
            delegate
            ( 
            System
            .
            String
            
            
            value
             )

{

            tExtra
            .
            Text
            
            
            =
            
            
            value
            ;

} );

}

} 
          
        

So we actual pass the FillEntityColumn method an anonymous delegate which then sets the property.

PrivateSubButton1_Click(ByValsenderAsSystem.Object, ByValeAsSystem.EventArgs) HandlesButton1.Click

testme(TextBox1.Text)
EndSub
Subtestme(ByRefsAsString)
s = "hello"
EndSub

which a commenter on http://musingmarc.blogspot.com/2006/04/tale-of-two-implementations.html eluded to.  But in vb you still cannot pass a Property by reference, at least not really.  Take a look what vb generates into il.

PrivateSubButton1_Click(ByValsenderAsObject, ByValeAsEventArgs)
DimVB$t_ref$S0AsTextBox = Me.TextBox1
DimVB$t_string$S0AsString = VB$t_ref$S0.Text
Me.testme((VB$t_string$S0))
VB$t_ref$S0.Text = VB$t_string$S0
EndSub

Microsoft KB article 894435

Scott posted a nice article Tip/Trick: Creating Packaged ASP.NET Setup Programs with VS 2005  for deploying your Visual Studio 2005 project.  While Scott's article is focused on deploying to a customer I have found those scenarios to be beyond what VS offers and requires Install shield.  I do this this post is a handy trick for moving your project from dev to QA to staging maybe even production.

If your moving MFC or C++ extensions to dot net 2.0 here are a few items you might find useful

• Dudelabs offers RC converter which will take MFC resource files and convert them into Winform ( I have played with the demo it looks like it will help this conversion process).
• Microsoft offers VC++ 2003 Managed Extensions to VC++2005 C++/CLI Conversion Tool, a tool that was never finished but allows help for converting managed extensions to C++/CLI.  You can down load it here
• Microsoft has a C++/CLI Migration Primer that is worth a read.
• Microsoft also has Managed Extensions for C++ Syntax Upgrade Checklist article.
• Another Microsoft article Translation Guide: Moving Your Programs from Managed Extensions for C++ to C++/CLI
• Codeproject has dot net Document Management Toolkit Library adds the idea of document/view
• Codeproject also has C# SDI/MDI Application wizards
• Codeguru has a article on Converting dialog resources to C# forms Dialog Resource to C# Form Converter

Blog Posts

• class to create generic property get and set delegate
• Strongly Typed DynamicMethods
• Turn MethodInfo to DynamicMethod

Code Project

• Evaluating Mathematical Expressions by Compiling C# Code at Runtime
• .Net Expression Evaluator using DynamicMethod
• Fast late-bound invocation through DynamicMethod delegates
• Dynamic Code Generation vs Reflection ( class to create field and property get and set delegate and create instance.)

LINQ to XML

Language-Integrated Query (LINQ)

start by having a solution with two projects.

In the solution exploder window right click the solution and choose add New or existing item.

For this how two we will add a new c# class

click add.  Visual studio will create a new suborder under the solution called "Solution Items" Class1.cs will be in this folder.

now select one of your projects and right click select add existing item.  Navigate to your solutions directory and select Class1.cs

click the drop down arrow next to the add button

select add as link

You will now have a shared link to a common solution file/class

repeat for each project you wish to add this file/class to.

It seems to have been under reported but Expression Studio was released today.  I don't see Blend on the MSDN Subscriber download yet.

I am not at mix but I see the BCL team just announced

Silverlight 1.1 Alpha includes all the features available in Silverlight 1.0 Beta plus a number of new features focused primarily on improving developer productivity and power:

• Managed code support
• Support for dynamic languages including Managed JScript and Python
• Rich UI control model based on WPF
• Improved networking stack with support for REST, RSS, JSON, POX
• Enhanced, 2-way HTML/AJAX Bridge
• Comprehensive and consistent base class library
• Support for LINQ (LINQ to Objects, LINQ to XML)

That's right.  Silverlight 1.1 Alpha includes support for managed code and a comprehensive base class library!  Now you know what we've been up to and why our blog has been relatively quiet these past several months :-)

Our partner .NET teams within Microsoft have been able to provide an amazing amount of additional functionality on top of the Silverlight 1.1 BCL.  There's a networking stack, XmlReader and XmlWriter, an HTML/AJAX Bridge, a WPF API subset, a safe OpenFileDialog control, LINQ, and the new Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR).  What's really exciting is that all of these APIs are cross platform and work consistently on both Mac OS X and Windows!

You can download Silverlight 1.1 Alpha today along with the SDK at http://msdn.microsoft.com/silverlight.  After you've downloaded the bits, check out the newly launched Silverlight community site.  It's a great resource for getting started with Silverlight.

This will indeed be an interesting year.  BCL on Mac I doubt Linux could be to far off.

Now we know why many Developers were left with the impression that Silverlight was a little lacking, Microsoft was just hiding their real work.

Check out SecureLM's FAQ

How SecureLM works?

1. The software that is going to be distributed should be integrated with SecureLM. If you protecting your software using SecureLM Code Protector, the integration is almost done. In order to enable or disable GUI elements related to licensed functionality of software SecureLM API can be used. However, licensed functionality of protected software will not be executed without a valid license even if an attacker eliminates API checks.

2. Protected program requires a valid license in order to run. The creation and installation of a license for specific machine or USB hardware key is called Activation. The activation can be done online, via e-mail or via phone. A license is usually locked to machine, USB hardware key or USB flash disk. Non locked licenses are also allowed. Usually end user receives an activation key that allows software activation. SecureLM provides friendly user interface for software activation.

3. SecureLM server provides Web interface that allows performing operations like:

· Issue licenses

· Reissue existing licenses

· Perform e-mail and phone activations

· Increase number of allowed activations per license key

· Track issued licenses and online activations

· Define system configuration

· Much more.

 

What kind of software can be distributed with SecureLM?

Any Windows application or library can be distributed with SecureLM.

· .NET 1.1 or 2.0 Windows applications, services, or components

· ASP.NET 1.1. or 2.0 applications or components

· VC++/VB6/Delphi applications

I am just stumbling around their site it sounds interesting and worth a try.  Its nice to see another Giant in this market.  At least there is an alternative to MacroVision

Check out Microsoft's free .Net Framework 3.0 Virtual Labs and if you take part in any TechNet or MSDN virtual lab or labcast  you could win.

I was having some trouble figuring out how to use the new ado.net entity framework in the last March Orcas CTP, but leave it to Scott to have all the answers.  Scott has posted a nice video covering

• new asp.net WYSIWYG HTML designer.
• create classes's from the ORM designer.
• Intellisense for LINQ.

full detailed blog post.  And you can find the video here.

Incase you missed it yesterday Soma announced the release of Orcas Beta 1, it can be downloaded here.

I wanted to take a moment to point out my new favorite DotNet Function.  At VSLive in San Francisco I was introduced to System.IO.Path.Combine( path1, path2) as string.  I no longer have to deal with the logic of adding a trailing or leading slash when combing  file and directory locations.

I was taking a look at Scott Guthrie's Developing Data-Driven Web Applications using LINQ.  This is going to make life a little less dreary.

I like the second to the  last line results.Skip(startRow).Take(10);

The Ado and Data blogs have posted links for the screen casts from this mornings VSLive KeyNote.

Data

ADO.Net

Here is my way of getting a DotNet DLL to load its app.config file.

          
            AppDomain
            .
            CurrentDomain
            .
            SetData
            
            
            (
            "APP_CONFIG_FILE"
            ,
            ConfigFile
            );
          
        

Where ConfigFile is the full path to your application's app.config file.(c:\test\myapp.config)

As a side note you may need to call ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection

Microsoft's XML Team just announced the release of XML Notepad 2007 2.3

You can find the change log here and down load here.

This is the new feature that caught my eye.

"better handling of XML documents containing illegal characters"

I was talking about the new crypto algorithms in Orcas with a co-worker today, and since The Moth was kind enough to remind me I figured I would post a link to the .Net Security Blog Covering them

J.D. Meier Blogged about Structuring Projects for Team Foundation Server

Interesting very similar to what we have adopted for our projects.

Other links that I found of use regarding structuring projects all form Microsoft's Patterns & Practices team.

• Structuring Solutions and Projects
• Managing Dependencies
• BuildIt

Check out ScottGu's Latest Trick :

Integrating ASP.NET Security with Classic ASP and Non-ASP.NET URLs

I have finally found some programing books at my reading level ;)

• C# for Sharp Kids - An ebook on programming with C#
• VB For Very Bright Kids - An ebook for learning how to programming with Visual Basic
• Code Rules  - A curriculum for learning how to program using Visual Basic. This package includes Teacher materials, Student lessons and quizzes and has been used in schools around the country.
• CurliQue Studios  - A curriculum for learning to build a dynamic web site for a rock band. This one also includes teacher materials. My friend Dave Jacobus blogs about using it with his class and seems to like it.
• Creating your First Website using HTML - Follow along with this Microsoft DigiGirlz Tech Camp presentation to learn how to use HTML to create your own website!
• A list of other kid friendly websites and learning resources.

Microsoft's Kid's Corner

The Moth broke the Orcas News fist.  The Orcas March CTP is available for download.

Install or VPC image

Take a look at Wells Fargo's next generation ATM, witch uses WPF.  Pretty cool

Microsoft's Case Study

Thanks Somasgar for pointing this out.

Last night I got a letter from MSDN.  If you have been in away and missed it the Daylight Saving Time has changed read on to see what might be affected if you use DOT NET or CRT.

Dear Valued Microsoft Customer,
In 2005, the United States government passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This act changes the start and end dates for Daylight Saving Time (DST) as of spring 2007. These changes may impact the way applications run. Microsoft is releasing an update for Windows through Microsoft Update that reflects these changes.
Developers who use the .NET Framework may find their applications affected if the application uses the time zone information for historical purposes or if they have derived custom classes from System.TimeZone to provide custom time zone information. The standard System.TimeZone class provides a managed wrapper for the underlying Windows Operating System time zone functions.
In addition, developers who use Visual C++ may find their applications affected if they use the CRT time functions, or the TZ environment variable. Microsoft is currently working on a fix for this issue and will post information about its availability on the Visual Studio Support page.
Most applications that use these affected classes will not need to be modified as this update will ensure that the correct data is provided seamlessly to the application. However, applications that use these classes or the underlying Windows API to perform historical time look-ups will need to be modified.
In most cases, developers who have extended the .NET Framework’s time zone support by creating custom time zone classes derived from System.TimeZone, or by direct access to the Win32 API, will not have to update their applications as long as the available updates to the operating system are applied. However, solutions that rely on private time zone data, or that retrieve system time zone information by accessing the registry directly, may need to be updated. Applications that deal with historical time zone data may also need to be updated.
Microsoft advises all developers who make use of time zone data to test their applications against this update to ensure that their applications function correctly.
For more detailed information and the latest updates please visit http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/bb264729.aspx, Preparing for daylight saving time changes in 2007, and KB928388: 2007 time zone update for Microsoft Windows operating systems

After downloading new addin's and rebuilding a few I now have Reflector working but I did notice some thing odd

I am not sure what CS$00000002$00000000 is or were its coming from it should be,

very odd.

Today when you visit GotDotNet you will see Microsoft end of service announcement.  We have until July 2007 to pull down any compelling projects hopefully most will move to CodePlex

I heard if first from Lutz

Reflector 5.0

the Add-ins are now hosted over at CodePlex.

Chris and Scott also mentioned this today check out Scott's blog to see the neat features but be careful I moved to version 5 and none of my add-ins work.  I am going to try to clean out my addin folder and start from scratch.  I don't think you want to use Reflectors check for update.  Download it and run 4.2 and 5.0 side by side make sure all your addins work first.

Chris posted a little .net code that took J#'s gzip class and brought it into c#. I did that once back in the 1.1 days when I was desperate to escape implode.DLL(Talk about a fun library) at any rate it sucked so bad (J# runtime dependency anyone?)  That I moved my code to SharpZipLib which rocks.  Any way I digress I happened to comment to Chris that .NET 2.0 has compression.  And Chris says

How does .NET 2.0 provider for zip file decompression? That's new to me.
And why would I use an external library when I can use one that's built in?

Great now I have to find the info to pull files out of a zip archive with system.io.compression.  By chance the MSDN documentation says

This class does not inherently provide functionality for adding files to or extracting files from .zip archives. For an example of manipulating compressed file archives, see Compression Application Sample.

Ok, groovy I can look at your sample application. 

This sample demonstrates compression capabilities available in the .NET Framework. It builds a Windows Forms application that employs the GZipStream and DeflateStream types to compress and decompress files. The sample also introduces several types that are new in the .NET Framework version 2.0.

Great lets compile this bad boy and bask in its coolness.

Ok right what the hell is a .xip file?

I know this can be done and I know I am far to lazy to just write the code myself tonight.  Also I am almost positive some one has done all the work for me.

Indeed Dino has a blog entry System.IO.Compression and zip files 

So now I have proved that maybe I do know what I am talking about.

 Today I am just an aggregator.  Anyway if your into .NET 3.0 Irena has a very neat trick.

Link to AppDev: Something You Should Know by Irena Kennedy : SYSK 289: Want to Have a Choice of Running an XBAP Application in a Standalone Mode Using the Same Project File?

One more reason for to support SQL 2005. 

Link to Jon Galloway : Passing lists to SQL Server 2005 with XML Parameters

CSharp-Source  nice resource listing different categorized CSharp based open source projects.

Breatan announced the release of the Resource Refactoring Tool to CodePlex  

Release Change Log

7417 Add web application project support

6234 Incorrect default save directory for web projects

6651 Don't refactor parameter names in XML comments

7606 Checkbox selections should be saved between sessions

6236 Unhandled error when creating a resource file in lock project

6235 Silent failure if file is read-only.

6440 Severe error with duplicate names

6319 VS German Version?

6147 Esc does not close Extract to resource form/dialog

Link to the Msi

ResourceRefactorSetup.msi - (832 KB)

Why do I so dislike ComponentOne and Preemptive?

c:\Development\SourceControl\Point Projects\Point\main\ReminderWnd.h(223) : error C3624: 'k8': the compiler cannot find this type; it is defined in the module 'OLE32.DLL'
StdAfx.cpp
StdAfx.cpp(0) : warning C4945: 'DotfuscatorAttribute' : cannot import symbol from 'c:\development\sourcecontrol\point projects\third party\componentone\main\c1.c1zip.dll': as 'DotfuscatorAttribute' has already been imported from another assembly 'c:\development\sourcecontrol\point projects\third party\componentone\main\c1.win.c1report.dll'
StdAfx.cpp(0) : see declaration of 'DotfuscatorAttribute'
first seen type is used; re-order imported assemblies to use the current type
StdAfx.cpp(0) : warning C4945: 'DotfuscatorAttribute' : cannot import symbol from 'c:\development\sourcecontrol\point projects\third party\componentone\main\c1.win.c1flexgrid.dll': as 'DotfuscatorAttribute' has already been imported from another assembly 'c:\development\sourcecontrol\point projects\third party\componentone\main\c1.win.c1report.dll'
StdAfx.cpp(0) : see declaration of 'DotfuscatorAttribute'
first seen type is used; re-order imported assemblies to use the current type
c:\Development\SourceControl\Point Projects\Point\main\ReminderWnd.h(223) : error C3624: 'k8': the compiler cannot find this type; it is defined in the module 'OLE32.DLL'

Its that kind of crap.  I am not stealing your dime adozen controls I paid for it and what to use it.  Attention component vendors, Do not obfuscate your work. 

Nsoftware is almost worse since you have to dirty your build system with there install in order for licensing to work.

Clearly I realize that companies would like to protect their intellectual property.  But seriously I could still defeat the obfuscation. Why bother if you want to be scared stay out of DOT NET land and stick to assembly where no one can decompile your work.  If your a component vendor you should know obfuscating libraries is nothing but a recipe for disaster.  Since I use Doffuscator for obfuscation I know, It sucks at library mode.  Maybe you should try some thing else or nothing.  Why do you feel compelled to make my life difficult? did I not give you enough money?

<configSections><sectionGroupname="system.web.extensions"type="System.Web.Configuration.SystemWebExtensionsSectionGroup,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"><sectionGroupname="scripting"type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingSectionGroup,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"><sectionname="scriptResourceHandler"type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingScriptResourceHandlerSection,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"requirePermission="false"allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/><sectionGroupname="webServices"type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingWebServicesSectionGroup,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"><sectionname="jsonSerialization"type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingJsonSerializationSection,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"requirePermission="false"allowDefinition="Everywhere"/><sectionname="profileService"type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingProfileServiceSection,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"requirePermission="false"allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/><sectionname="authenticationService"type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingAuthenticationServiceSection,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"requirePermission="false"allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/></sectionGroup></sectionGroup></sectionGroup></configSections>

<pages><controls><addtagPrefix="asp"namespace="System.Web.UI"assembly="System.Web.Extensions,
Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/></controls></pages><httpHandlers><removeverb="*"path="*.asmx"/><addverb="*"path="*.asmx"validate="false"type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0,Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/><addverb="*"path="*_AppService.axd"validate="false"type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/><addverb="GET,HEAD"path="ScriptResource.axd"type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptResourceHandler,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"validate="false"/></httpHandlers><httpModules><addname="ScriptModule"type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/></httpModules>

<assemblies><addassembly="System.Web.Extensions,
Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/></assemblies>

<system.web.extensions><scripting><webServices><!--
Uncomment this line to customize maxJsonLength and add a custom converter --><!-- <jsonSerialization
maxJsonLength="500"> <converters> <add
name="ConvertMe" type="Acme.SubAcme.ConvertMeTypeConverter"/> </converters> </jsonSerialization> --><!--
Uncomment this line to enable the authentication service. Include requireSSL="true"
if appropriate. --><!-- <authenticationService
enabled="true" requireSSL = "true|false"/> --><!--
Uncomment these lines to enable the profile service. To allow profile properties to
be retrieved and modified in ASP.NET AJAX applications,
you need to add each property name to the readAccessProperties and writeAccessProperties
attributes. --><!-- <profileService
enabled="true" readAccessProperties="propertyname1,propertyname2" writeAccessProperties="propertyname1,propertyname2"
/> --></webServices><!-- <scriptResourceHandler
enableCompression="true" enableCaching="true" /> --></scripting></system.web.extensions><system.webServer><validationvalidateIntegratedModeConfiguration="false"/><modules><addname="ScriptModule"preCondition="integratedMode"type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/></modules><handlers><removename="WebServiceHandlerFactory-Integrated"/><addname="ScriptHandlerFactory"verb="*"path="*.asmx"preCondition="integratedMode"type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/><addname="ScriptHandlerFactoryAppServices"verb="*"path="*_AppService.axd"preCondition="integratedMode"type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/><addname="ScriptResource"preCondition="integratedMode"verb="GET,HEAD"path="ScriptResource.axd"type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptResourceHandler,
System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/></handlers></system.webServer>

This should get you up and running.

Open your aspx page in design mode and in your toolbox window you should see AJAX Extensions. 
Drag the scriptManager control on to the page so that it is the very first control.
Then place an update panel any where and drag your control into it.

I like to keep our applications Strong Named for a multitude of reason which can make finding third party assembly's a pain.  As simple as strong naming is many vendors are to lazy or ignorant to sign the assembly.  Friday I left the office with some unsigned enterprise library DLLs, being lazy I didn't want to recompiling them my strong name signature.  Thankfully I found a nifty little app by Alois Kraus that will add a strong names to unsigned assemblies.  I also happened upon a tool for removing a strong name from codeproject.  Not sure when it would be of use.