Tying VB to Active Desktop Calendar

[tjtindal]

I have a software called Active Desktop Calendar (ADC). I want to tie Visual Basic to the calendar "behind the scenes" so I can have special dates in my vb program tie in with the data file that makes ADC function. This question is not about accessing data files, it's about a specific line in ADC's data file that I can't seem to emulate.

Follow me now:

This is the line in the ADC data file I'm having trouble with:

<GUID>NOTE_4854BF59-E3B3-4187-9A24-A5E9633B5DE2</GUID>

It seems to be a unique <guid> code that won't duplicate to the next set, nor do I know how to create a unique one.

Here below is the entire ADC data file which may help you help me. My main question is, How do I create a unique <GUID> line?

XemiCo ADC v3.0 ExportDataÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ[Notes]
01/08/2007=1

[01/08/2007-1]
0=test words



[LastSaved]
date=0

[Tasks]

[Done Tasks]

[Size]
þþþþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþýþ
<Layer v='3.0'>
<GUID></GUID>
<Notes>
<Note>
<GUID>NOTE_4854BF59-E3B3-4187-9A24-A5E9633B5DE2</GUID>
<Subject>test words</Subject>
<StartTime>39295.00000</StartTime>
<EndTime>0.00000</EndTime>
<Category>0</Category>
<Importance>1</Importance>
<DaysToShow>1</DaysToShow>
<Private>FALSE</Private>
<Hiden>FALSE</Hiden>
<AllDayEvent>FALSE</AllDayEvent>
<Icon></Icon>
<ExportIcon></ExportIcon>
<Alarm>
<AlarmTime>39315.50625</AlarmTime>
<AlarmOffset>20</AlarmOffset>
<LastActivated>39315.49619</LastActivated>
<SnoozeValue>5</SnoozeValue>
<SnoozeType>0</SnoozeType>
<SoundFile>C:\PROGRA~1\XEMICO~1\ACTIVE~1\DefaultAlarm.wav</SoundFile>
<PlaySound>TRUE</PlaySound>
</Alarm>
<SoloAlarm>FALSE</SoloAlarm>
<Snoozed>FALSE</Snoozed>
</Note>
</Notes>
<Tasks>
</Tasks>
<SnoozeNotes>
</SnoozeNotes>
<CalendarIcons>
</CalendarIcons>
</Layer>

Thanks alot in advance!!

 

[BobRodes]

<My main question is, How do I create a unique <GUID> line?

There are lots of ways to do that, but I suspect that answering the question won't solve your problem at all. Your GUID has the string "NOTE_" in front of it which is not part of a guid. I would first try removing that string and seeing if everything works.

A "globally unique identifier" is what Windows uses to identify a class. Your control is a class. It's most likely that the GUID 4854BF59-E3B3-4187-9A24-A5E9633B5DE2 is the GUID of your data control. If you created another GUID, it would refer to a class that YOU create, rather than an existing class such as your control. So, that won't fix the problem.

If removing the string doesn't solve the problem for you, post back and we'll do some digging around in the registry. But let's try that first.

HTH

Bob

 

[tjtindal]

Bob, I guess I'm more "noob" at this than I thought. You've effectively lost me, and I'll tell you why.

How do I make a unique <GUID> line?
There are lots of ways to do that, but I suspect that answering the question won't solve your problem at all.

I would just like to point out that the GUID line is actually IN the ADC datafile and each entry for each item in each date has a separate and unique GUID line.

Your GUID has the string "NOTE_" in front of it which is not part of a guid.  I would first try removing that string and seeing if everything works.

No, it didn't. ADC didn't even understand what I was trying to import when I removed "NOTE_" and tried.

A "globally unique identifier" is what Windows uses to identify a class.  Your control is a class.  It's most likely that the GUID 4854BF59-E3B3-4187-9A24-A5E9633B5DE2 is the GUID of your data control.

Okay, you really lost me here. What do you mean "your control" and "your data control"? I'm not even messing with VB just yet, I'm just trying to get the ADC data file configuration down perfectly before I start writing code to manipulate it. That being said, I truly don't know which "data control" you're referring to.

If you created another GUID, it would refer to a class that YOU create, rather than an existing class such as your control.  So, that won't fix the problem.

Uh, what?

Sorry to be such a doofus, but can you elaborate a bit more? Thanks!

 

[strongm]

Just to be pedantic:

A GUID is just a globally unique identifier, a number that has a mathematically remote chance of being a duplicate of any other GUID.
GUIDs can be (and are) used in numerous areas to provide a unique ID (eg keys in Oracle databases).

Whilst GUIDs are indeed used to identify COM classes and interfaces, they are then more commonly referred to as CLSIDs

It looks like ADC uses GUIDs to uniquely identify a note (and tacking on "NOTE_" to show this). So do you really want to be able to generate your own GUIDs

 

[BobRodes]

Ok, I was thinking of this as a dll or ocx, and it looks like an exe now that I google to it. But I reiterate strongm's question: why do you want to generate your own GUID?

 

[tjtindal]

Because I need unique GUID lines in the data file in order to make the information appear. By copying and pasting the same GUID line over and over again, the program won't read it. Therefore I need unique lines.

 

[strongm]

Ok, fine. Akyword search in this forum would have found a number of threads on this subject. Here's one of them: thread222-974066

Follow the various links for code examples and explanations

 

[BobRodes]

<Because I need unique GUID lines in the data file in order to make the information appear.

I wonder why...

 

[tjtindal]

I'm not really sure why you guys are so questionable about me needing to create unique GUID lines. It's just the simple fact that there are unique GUID lines for each entry in the calendar. I didn't create the calendar. I don't know what those people were thinking when they made it like that. Supposedly they did that to keep people like me from altering their datafile... and it worked. And not only is it difficult for me to trying to create unique GUID lines, but it makes people question me over and over again on this forum like I'm trying to get away with something.

Isn't it enough that I need them? Does it really matter why? So much so that you have to keep questioning me?

 

[strongm]

I think you may be overreacting.

My question merely sought confirmation, after attempting to clarify what a GUID was and what it might be doing in ADC, as to whether, armed with that new knowledge, you still wanted to be able to create GUID. Once you confirmed this you got pointed at a relevant thread.

I think Bob's most recent post was more a philisophical point: why did the developers feel it necessary to require a GUIDs to make the data appear.

 

[tjtindal]

I'm not sure why they did that. However it's all irrelevant now. I can't tie to ADC easily so I wrote my own little "Today's Notifications" form that will read what needs to be read and show the user accordingly.

My solution is not attached to ADC at all.

 

[Nimroduk]

I use GUIDs for items in collections when the contents of the collection may be persisted or transfered to another process.

In my instance, the use of a GUID (pretty much) ensures that I have a uniquie id for an item and I can be (fairly) sure that I willnot have any collsion issues if that item is transfered between processes (local or remote).

 

[BobRodes]

<I think Bob's most recent post was more a philisophical point

Yes, and also an expression of curiosity. I really DO wonder why!

I know it can be irritating when you ask "how do I do x" and someone asks back "why do you want to do x". It seems as though they're treating you as though you don't know what you're doing. Well, I'd say I know what I'm doing, and Lord knows the number of times I thought I was on the right track on something and wound up missing a much easier way to solve the problem at hand.

What I am NOT (repeat NOT) doing is attempting to show that that my understanding is greater than yours by picking apart your ideas. (I'm much too humble and emotionally well-adjusted to do that.) I'm in the habit of rechecking my logic as often as I can, and I'll take any help I can get. So what I AM doing is applying the golden rule, you see. I suppose that's my underlying philosophical point.

Fair enough?

Bob

 

[tjtindal]

Fair enough. Though it seemed as I was reading this everyone kept asking, "Now why do you want/need to do that?" without having even read the first part where I explained why I needed it.

The fact is, the only reason I would need it is for the calendar. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know what it meant or what to do with it.

I can program and I can get alot of stuff done, I can make it do damn near anything... but I'm no master.

 

[BobRodes]

Well, Socrates said that the Confession of Ignorance was the first sign of a master....