Tag Archives: Software Sagacity

C# DirectX – Automatic Graphics Card Fallback

3D GraphicsWhen developing 3D graphics applications, one of the recurrent challenges that plagues developers is balancing great graphics with end-user compatibility and reach.  The more complex the graphics techniques utilized by the application, the fewer end-users will be able to actually run the software.  With the explosion of mobile technology on slow and low-power hardware, 3D graphics are even further limited than they were years before.

In order to achieve a compromise between compatibility and graphics quality, a technique called Shader Fallback enables developers to switch to lower-quality graphics when necessary.  This enables users with high-powered PCs to run the software at its maximum specifications, while simultaneously providing users on slim hardware with functional access the content and interface of the application.
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What does “Hello World” really mean?

ProgrammingAlmost every modern programming language tutorial starts out with a short script that simply outputs the phrase “Hello World.” This sample code has been used so much that the phrase has become part of the computer programming lexicon – and its ubiquity has caused the words to lose much of their meaning. A stroll through the annals of programming history, however, give us a pleasant refresher of the true reason many of us started programming.
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How to read Excel XLSX files using ASP.NET

.NET DevelopmentIt’s often useful to import Excel files directly into an ASP.NET web application in order to simplify data entry. Excel makes it easier to manipulate data, and has far better integration with other apps than most web grids. As a result, integrating a web application with Excel lets users leverage the best features of a spreadsheet software, while taking advantage of the RDBMS and business logic in the web application.
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Improving Rendering Speed in the C# PictureBox

.NET DevelopmentWindows Forms’ most versatile control is arguably the PictureBox. By overriding the OnPaint method, the PictureBox can be used to recreate the functionality of most other controls. One challenge, however, is using the PictureBox for animations or graphics applications that require a quick frame rate. Below are a few methods for pulling the maximum possible FPS from the C# PictureBox control.
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Database Design Principles – Part 3: Eliminate Columns Not Dependent on Key

databaseIn the third of this five part database design series, we review the database design rule of removing columns not dependent on the key.  Similar to removing redundant data, this rule will make the database more flexible and maintainable throughout the lifecycle of the system.
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