Setting up C# development environment in Linux

Recently I got curious in  .Net development on Linux environment.

I am aware of the Mono Project, but wanted to keep it as "pure" as it could be, meaning that I wanted to be, as much as possible, a Microsoft development environment.

I'm a long time Kubuntu user when it comes to Linux desktop, and I'm also a Visual Studio Code user for quite sometime.

 

.Net SDK

Starting with the basics, and already having VS Code installed, I started by installing .Net (Kubuntu is not mentions, just use Ubuntu as the reference) simply using 

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y dotnet-sdk-7.0

That pretty much takes care of having .Net SDK installed.

VS Code IDE

Next step was to set up VS Code as the IDE.
This was achieved by installing the following VS Code extensions:

• C# (ms-dotnettools.csharp)
  
• C# Dev Kit (ms-dotnettools.csdevkit)

As a hint, pressing CTRL+SHIF+X on VS Code and searching for ms-dotnettools  on the extensions marketplace will list a lot of useful things.

Hello World

Once the basic was in place, it was time to try it out.
On a terminal, I typed the following commands to set up a Hello World console application:

mkdir HelloWorld
cd HelloWorld
dotnet new console

And a new console application was created printing "Hello, World!" into the terminal.
As a hint, type "dotnet help" for a list of available commands. Try also "dotnet new list" for a list of available templates.

Open the HelloWorld folder with VS Code, CTRL+K CTRL+O, and you can see generated code in the Program.cs file.

To build and run the application, just press CTRL+SHIFT+D and you'll be on the Run and Debug menu options. Having the ".Net Core Launch (console)" option selected and using "Start Debugging (F5)" will bring up the Debug Console and you'll be able to see the application execution.

Bonus | Desktop and Game Development

Don't get disappointed because it is not possible to develop desktop applications using Forms in Linux using C#.
It is possible to develop cross-platform games for desktop, or other kind of graphical applications, using SDL2 and OpenGL.
For that, and as Microsoft refers, it is possible to use MonoGame, just check the DesktopGL, template mgdesktopgl.
Keep in mind that packaging  and distribution is available, start coding and have fun.

To package and distribute, you can .

./M6

How to setup VSCode launch.json for Xdebug version 2

I had to make some maintenance on a web application using Yii 1.1.4 framework running on PHP 7 and for that, I set up an Ububtu 18.04 LTS Desktop on a virtual machine. 

After the usual bunch of "apt-get install" commands and a few configurations, I got the new development environment up and running having Visual Studio Code as my IDE.

But, almost as soon as I got it running, I got the need to step debug it. For that, I went to Xdebug, I installed it via "apt-get" and configured it, but it was not working as expected.
I check the configuration parameters and give it another try. No go. Xdebug was installed, PHP was recognizing it on both cli and web, but it was still not working.
After a few seconds, I spotted the issue: it was a Xdebug version 2!

A lot has changed between version 2 and 3 of Xdebug.

The thing was that I wanted to keep version 2, and for that I had to configure "launch.json" file and Xdebug in the appropriate way.

On PHP configuration file:

zend_extension=xdebug.so
xdebug.idekey=XDEBUG_VC
xdebug.remote_port=9003
xdebug.remote_enable = 1
xdebug.remote_autostart = 1

 

And on "launch.json":

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
       
        {
            "name": "Listen for Xdebug",
            "type": "php",
            "request": "launch",
            "port": 9003
        },
        {
            "name": "Launch currently open script",
            "type": "php",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
            "port": 0,
            "runtimeArgs": [
                "-dxdebug.remote_autostart=yes"
            ],
            "env": {
                "XDEBUG_MODE": "debug,develop",
                "XDEBUG_CONFIG": "client_port=${port}"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Launch Built-in web server",
            "type": "php",
            "request": "launch",
            "runtimeArgs": [
                "-dxdebug.mode=debug",
                "-dxdebug.remote_autostart=yes",
                "-S",
                "localhost:0"
            ],
            "program": "",
            "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
            "port": 9003,
            "serverReadyAction": {
                "pattern": "Development Server \\(http://localhost:([0-9]+)\\) started",
                "uriFormat": "http://localhost:%s",
                "action": "openExternally"
            }
        }
    ]
}

The default port is 9000, but I'm used to have Xdebug on 9003, so I reconfigured it. The remaining parameters are, basically, the version 2 way of activation the debugger on a request.

./M6

Could not close zip file php://output.

Ever got a "Could not close zip file" when using PHPExcel Writer? Usually the full error message is something like

[exception.PHPExcel_Writer_Exception] exception 'PHPExcel_Writer_Exception' 
with message 'Could not close zip file php://output.' 
in /var/www/vhosts/yourdomain/phpexcel/Classes/PHPExcel/Writer/Excel2007.php:399

This is caused because the PHPExcel requires access to the /tmp directory but the apache configuration is not allowing it.

The solution is easy and fast, just add the /tmp to your php_admin_value open_basedir parameter, as in this example:

php_admin_value open_basedir "[your current paths]:/tmp"

When using EHCP, it is recommended to update the Virtualhost configuration in all your templates (apachetemplate, apachetemplate_ipbased, apache_subdomain_template, apache_subdomain_template_ipbased) located in /var/www/new/ehcp:

php_admin_value open_basedir "{homedir}:/usr/share/php:/usr/share/pear:/tmp"

./M6

Virtuemart 3 Plugin Development

Here's some "hard to find" Virtuemart plugin development documentation that will help in the development of version 2 and version 3 of Virtuemart plugins: Virtuemart vmPSPlugin.

./M6

Debugging in PHP with XDebug

Debugging in PHP does not necessarily mean "print" or "log" debugging, even if one's using Lampp.

While checking out how to set up a good Joomla! 3 development environment, I've learned how to set up XDebug and configure it for PHP debugging.
Just check the correct XDebug version numbers and don't just "copy-paste" the settings.

./M6

Django Rest Framework Introduction

Here is an interesting article about the Djano Rest Framework: Django Rest Framework - an Introduction

./M6

Debug Email in Web Applications

Email debugging may be painless.

This simple technique shows how one can do it in a very simple way.
It aims at Django applications, but the first technique is actually a generic one that anyone can use if Python is installed in the development machine: Debugging email on Django application development

./M6

iOS Tutorial

If you're looking for an iOS development starting point, including database coverage, here's some help:

• iPhone Tutorials
• iOS (iPhone, iPad) Tutorial
• Your First iOS App
• Core Data Tutorial for iOS: Getting Startedl
• Core Data Tutorial for iOS

./M6

Designing for the iPad

While researching for the development of an iPad application, I've came across this great article: Designing for iPad: Reality Check.

I recommend if in order to avoid UI and UX mistakes. 

./M6

Developers That Market Are Dangerous

I've came across this great post about how the road a developer goes can make him dangerous.

Developers are valuable for organizations, but when they learn to market, they become dangerous, since they move from a valuable asset into a dangerous competitor.

A must read for all developers that wish to walk the entrepreneur road: Being a Developer Makes You Valuable. Learning How to Market Makes You Dangerous.

./M6

Shut up about scalability, no one is using your app anyway.

A great post about scalability and, far more important, what really counts on an app: I'm Going To Scale My Foot Up Your Ass.

./M6

Learning Drupal

Drupal is one of the major open source CMSs available. I don't recommend it to non-technical people, see why here:

• Evaluating open source CMS
• Drupal makes people life harder
• Drupal vs Joomla!
• Drupal contact limitation
• Drupal shows only front page

Nevertheless, it's a good CMS.

For all that wish to learn it here's a set of helpful resources:

• Definitive Guide to Drupal
• Develop for Drupal
• API reference
• Learn Drupal 7 with NodeOne
• Build a Module.com/
• Creating Modules - A Tutorial
• Examples for Developers
• SimpleTest Tutorial (Drupal 7)

./M6

Django Inline Forms

Here's how to implement an inline display of a form in Django: Django Inline Forms. ./M6

Solr for Latin Languages

Here's how to configure Solr for Latin Languages. ./M6