Peder Borg Borup

Did an update to the Multiple Tags Plugin, so that the current version (1.0.141) of Windows Live Writer is supported.

The plugin can be found here.

Currently Microsoft has released a new version of the Windows Live Writer, which now by default includes tagging.

However for strange reasons they must have updated the SmartContent – since my Multiple Tags Plugin now does’nt work. I will of course look into this.

It now features:

• Tagging support
• Support for Blogger Beta
• Categories are sorted by name and support scrolling, plus improved support for reading categories from your blog
• Improved startup performance
• Paste is enabled for Title region and TAB/SHIFT+TAB navigation between title and body supported
• Insert hyperlink added to context menu when text is selected
• Title attribute in Insert Link dialog
• Custom date support for Community Server
• Improved keyboard shortcuts for switching views
• Change spell-check shortcut key to F7
• Add ‘png’ to insert image dialog file type filter
• More robust image posting to Live Spaces
• Improved style detection for blogs 
• Fixed issues with pasting URLs and links
• Remember last window size and position when opening a new post
• Open post dialog retrieves more than 25 old posts

More info on the Windows Live Writer Update can be found here: http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!D85741BB5E0BE8AA!702.entry

Currently I’m working on a podcast-system.

The idea is, that the system grabs an WMV-Windows Media File, chops it into pieces, transfer it using FTP to a transcoder (ANYSTREAM), which transcodes each show, and FTPs them back to the podcast-system. The podcast-system then edit the names, updates the database, and puts the files on a public web-server so that users are able to download the files.

And of course, a RSS-file is created. What’s “quite” unique is, that each show is tagged with categories (interests and geographically) – and as an end-user, you’re able to select which categories you wan’t to subscribe to.

The whole idea behind the system is to use existing meta-information about the shows and media-file, and then have the “system” do all the hard work, thereby “saving” ressources (it’s not that much saving – it’s more like having the same number of people produce more output).

Although I know, that the majority of people use C# for creating plugins to Windows Live Writer – I’d still like to make a small guide into the basic concept of creating a plugin using VB.NET.

1) Create a new project in Visual Studio .NET
  
Select the template "Class Library" and type the name of your project in the Name field.

2) Delete the default class created.

3) Add a new class to your project.

4) Add a reference to the Windows Live Writer API.

- and a reference to System.Windows.Forms

5) Import the namespaces

Imports WindowsLive.Writer.Api


Imports System.Windows.Forms

7) Create a Folder in your project and name it Images:

Create a new PNG-image at the size of 20 by 18 pixels and save it in your "Images"-folder.

Add the file as a ressource

1. Double-click "My Project"
2. Click "Resources"
3. Click "Add Resource" – and make sure you click "Add Existing File", and select the image saved in your Images-folder
4. If you find that type system.drawing.bitmap is not defined – try adding and removing a form.

10) Click your image in the Images-folder and under Build Action select "Embedded Resource".

9) Add some code (Please note, that the GUID should be unique for your plugin – if you need a guid – then go to http://www.replymedia.net/guid):

Imports WindowsLive.Writer.Api


Imports System.Windows.Forms





<WriterPluginAttribute("05D06AD8-694D-458B-9631-F8F19F88A9BA", _


"Insert current date and time", _


Description:="Inserts current date and time", _


ImagePath:="DemoPlugin.png", _


HasEditableOptions:=False, _


PublisherUrl:="http://tech.pederborgpoulsen.dk"), _


InsertableContentSourceAttribute("Current Date and Time")> _


Public Class Plugin


    Inherits ContentSource





    'Overrides the function CreateContent


    Public Overrides Function CreateContent(ByVal dialogOwner As System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window, ByRef newContent As String) As System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult





        Try


            'Adding content to newContent - newContent is returned to Windows Live Writer


            newContent = FormatDateTime(Now(), DateFormat.GeneralDate).ToString





            'Returns to caller


            Return DialogResult.OK





        Catch ex As Exception





            'Do some error-handling





        End Try





    End Function





End Class

10) Build the project and copy the DLL-file to your Windows Live Write Plugin-directory.

11) Start or Restart Windows Live Writer – and notice that your plugin appears in the Insert-list:

12) And that clicking on it inserts the current date and time: 05-09-2006 21:32:33

… Happy Coding …

The first build of Windows Live Writer Plugins hosted on www.codeplex.com is available.

The build (Cyclone) has six plugins for Windows Live Writer Beta as listed here:

• Windows Media Player Currently Playing  (by Laurent Kempé)
• Code Syntax Highlighter (by Alexey Raga)
• Paste Clipboard as Html (by Bryant Likes)
• Rhapsody Currently Playing (by Justin Braun)
• Multiple Tags Plugin (by Peder Borg Poulsen)
• Smart Link Inserter (by Dmitry Maksimov)

The plugins can be downloaded here. And you can read more about the project here.