Rapidly Setting Up an Azure PC with Chocolatey

Azure is a great platform.  It is easy to spin up developer and test machines.  Microsoft has default installs of Visual Studio but there is currently no way to select other software.  Silent installs are nothing new but Chocolatey takes it a step further to be a distribution point of installers.  Think of Chocolatey as NuGet but with applications instead.  With Chocolatey and Azure you can rapidly install the software that you need to work effectively.  This also works great if you purchase a new PC or laptop or decide to Nuke and Pave a machine.   

    

To install Chocolatey open an admin command window and execute this statement:

@powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "iex ((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))" && SET PATH=%PATH%;%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\chocolatey\bin

To make installing applications easier with Chocolately, I created a batch file to be called by a parent batch file called InstallApp.bat.  It has standard parameters of -y which is to accept all defaults.

cinst %1 -y --allow-empty-checksums

I then created the parent batch file with a list of the applications I wanted to install before installing Visual Studio.  If Visual Studio is already pre-installed on an Azure machine you can simply create one big batch file.

REM Media

call InstallApp paint.net

call InstallApp foxitreader

call InstallApp cutepdf

call InstallApp evernote

call InstallApp imgburn

call InstallApp zim

call InstallApp anyvideoconverter

call InstallApp notepadplusplus.install

call InstallApp picpick.portable

call InstallApp todoist

REM Web

call InstallApp firefox

call InstallApp googlechrome

call InstallApp flashplayerplugin

call InstallApp skype

call InstallApp teamviewer

REM Utilities

call InstallApp 7zip.install

call InstallApp filezilla

call InstallApp chocolateygui

call InstallApp winmerge

call InstallApp virtualclonedrive

call InstallApp beyondcompare

call InstallApp roboform

call InstallApp javaruntime

call InstallApp truecrypt

call InstallApp windirstat

REM Developer Tools before Visual Studio

call InstallApp tortoisesvn

call InstallApp expresso

call InstallApp ilspy

call InstallApp sliksvn

call InstallApp git.install

call InstallApp tortoisegit

call InstallApp visualstudiocode

call InstallApp baretail

call InstallApp nunit

call InstallApp httrack

call InstallApp xenulinksleuth

After installing Visual Studio I have a set of applications that I like to install:

REM Install After Visual Studio is Installed

call InstallApp visualsvn

call InstallApp resharper-platform

call InstallApp mono

That’s it.  Simply run the batch file and all the software that you need will be downloaded and installed without intervention.  Come back later and your PC will be ready.

Using Jasmine with Visual Studio

Jasmine Overview

Jasmine is a JavaScript unit testing framework similar to MS Test or NUnit.  Jasmine requires four references to get it to work:

• Jasmine.js
• Jasmine-html.js
• Jasmine.css
• boot.js

Let's test the following JavaScript:

function ExtractNumbers(text) {

    if (!text)

        return text;

    

    return text.replace( /\D+/g, '');

}

Here is the test that you would write in Jasmine:

describe("Common tests", function() {

    it("ExtractNumbers method should extract numbers from a string", function () {

        expect(ExtractNumbers("Logan 5, Francis 7")).toBe("57");

    });

});

I have created a JSFiddle to demonstrate:

http://jsfiddle.net/gfinzer/dgrwtc6k/4/

Using Jasmine with Visual Studio and MS Test

Follow these steps to create a Jasmine project with Visual Studio:

1.  Create a blank web project (not a class library like you would do for MS Test or NUnit)

2.  Create a similar folder structure for the JavaScript files you wish to test.

3.  Add the JavaScript files as links in your project

4.  You will need to manually download Jasmine from GitHub and put the files in the Scripts folder since there is no recent Nuget package.

5.  Under Tools -> Extensions and updates, Visual Studio Gallery.  Search and Install Chutzpah Test Adapter for the Test Explorer which is a JavaScript test runner for Visual Studio.  Also install Chutzpah Test Runner Context Menu Extension.  Chutzpah works with QUnit, Jasmine, and Mocha testing frameworks.

6.  Add a JavaScript file that will be used for the tests.  Add a reference at the top to the JavaScript file you wish to test by simply dragging and dropping the file to the top.  Here is an example:

/// <reference path="../../UI/Scripts/Common.js" />

describe("Common tests", function() {

    it("ExtractNumbers method should extract numbers from a string", function () {

        expect(ExtractNumbers("Logan 5, Francis 7")).toBe("57");

    });

});

Using Jasmine with Resharper

Follow the same steps above for Resharper except Chutzpah is not required for Resharper.  Resharper works out of the box with QUnit and Jasmine to run JavaScript tests.

Using QUnit with Visual Studio

QUnit Overview

QUnit is a JavaScript unit testing framework similar to MS Test or NUnit.  In order for QUnit to work, you need a reference to QUnit.js and also a QUnit.css file.

Given the following JavaScript:

function ExtractNumbers(text) {
    if (!text)
        return text;
    
    return text.replace( /\D+/g, '');
}

Here is a corresponding QUnit test:

QUnit.test( "ExtractNumbers", function( assert ) {
  assert.equal( ExtractNumbers("Logan 5, Francis 7"), "57", "Passed!" );
});

I have created a JSFiddle to demonstrate:
http://jsfiddle.net/gfinzer/tmdn2nfj/6/

Using QUnit with Visual Studio and MS Test

Follow these steps to create a QUnit project with Visual Studio:
1.  Create a blank web project (not a class library like you would do for MS Test or NUnit)
2.  Create a similar folder structure for the JavaScript files you wish to test.
3.  Add the JavaScript files as links in your project
4.  Add a NuGet package reference to QUnit
5.  Under Tools -> Extensions and updates, Visual Studio Gallery.  Search and Install Chutzpah Test Adapter for the Test Explorer which is a JavaScript test runner for Visual Studio.  Also install Chutzpah Test Runner Context Menu Extension.  Chutzpah works with QUnit, Jasmine, and Mocha testing frameworks.
6.  Add a JavaScript file that will be used for the tests.  Add a reference at the top to the JavaScript file you wish to test by simply dragging and dropping the file to the top.  Here is an example:

/// <reference path="../../UI/Scripts/Common.js" />

QUnit.test("ExtractNumbers", function (assert) {
    assert.equal(ExtractNumbers("Logan 5, Francis 7"), "57", "Passed!");

});

Using QUnit with Resharper

Follow the same steps above for Resharper except Chutzpah is not required for Resharper.  Resharper works out of the box with QUnit and Jasmine to run JavaScript tests.

Running Software with No Admin Rights

Sometimes you are given a machine where you don't have local admin rights.  While it is understandable to lock down PCs to prevent viruses and licensing issues it can greatly hinder work.  The PortableApps platform gives you the ability to run the applications that you need without installing anything or violating any license agreements.  All the programs are free. 

Here are some great free developer tools that run on the Portable Apps Platform
Notepad++
SharpDevelop
Paint.Net
PicPick (This is like Snag It)
Filezilla
Chrome
Firefox
Zim Desktop Wiki
Expresso
WinMerge
Database Browser
Baretail
Skype
TweetDeck
ILSpy
ImgBurn
CamStudio
7Zip
Team Viewer

These are commercial programs that have Portable App Versions or can be run from the Portable Apps menu.
Beyond Compare
Directory Opus
RazorSQL
RoboForm