tirsdag, november 14, 2006

Visual Studio 2005 Build Performance

I had some performance issues with my Visual Studio 2005, where one of my C# ASP.NET web sites simply took forever to build and compile. I knew that there was an issue in VS 2005 with large Visual Basic projects due to a compiler error in the Visual Basic compiler(http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2006/07/24/677180.aspx) but I am not using VB!

Then it hit me, ASP.NET web sites can run with both C# and VB code mixed so the Visual Basic compiler must run each time you build your website. To test this, I simply removed Visual Basic from my installation (seldom use it anyway) and bang ! – My website builds lightning fast again.

The lesson learned is this:
- Performance problems with compiling your website?
- Remove Visual Basic from your Visual Studio installation! (or apply the MS hotfix)

Resume of a lecture

I attended Anders Hejlsberg’s guest lecture at ITU Copenhagen last Friday and want to share with all of you the information he revealed.

First of all – it was a great lecture. He showed how all the language features of C# 3.0 together made LINQ possible and explained how they implemented LINQ using every one of these new language features. I must say that C# 3.0 is innovation on a high level, surely a something I will be waiting for with anticipation.

Besides from a great lecture, Anders revealed some information I want to share with you. (I hope MS don’t mind)

Concurrent Programming
The next step, after the release of C# 3.0 and LINQ – the language team will probably focus on concurrent programming. Anders believes that the available constructs for concurrent programming simply are to complex for the average programmer (Threads and so fourth) Therefore they will look at how they can improve the runtime and/or the language to better support concurrent programming, making it easier for developers to take advantage of multiple CPU’s that are getting more and more common in standard PC.

Release of C# 3.0 and LINQ
Anders revealed that the language team currently is improving some details of the compiler for C# 3.0 and we (the general public) will have a beta version of the next Visual Studio codename “Orcas” in about six months. He also ensured that there will be no more CTP – only Betas from now on.

UPDATE 2007-03-09
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Seams that Anders Hejlsberg was wrong :-)Last week a new CTP (March CTP) was released after all. I wonder if the Beta still will be available six months after the lecture ?
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Last note
There will finally be a Set collection implementation available in Orcas. Jubii.