Fix: "Configuration system failed to initialize" error on Visual Studio Express 2010

Yesterday, after copying a project to different location, I got this annoying error:

Configuration system failed to initialize.

After digging in the Exception Text, I found that the problem is in the user settings saved file.
These files are stored in the directory  
C:\Documents and Settings\user-name\Local Settings\Application Data\application-name

Deleting the directory fixed the problem, although saved user settings were deleted too.

Windows XP: Automatic account login

To enable or disable autoamtic account login in Windows XP:

1. Goto Start->Run.
2. Type "control userpasswords2" and press OK.
3. To disable automatic account login, check "User must enter a user name and password to user this computer." or uncheck it to enable automatic login.
4. Press OK.

Another way to disable automatic login:
1. Goto Start->Run.
2. Type "rundll32 netplwiz.dll,ClearAutoLogon" and press OK.

VS.Net 2010 C# Code Snippet for throwing ArgumentNullException

When you receive an argument in a public method, you often need to throw an ArgumentNullException if its value is null. Currently there is no snippet in VS.Net 2010 to do that. Luckily, it is very easy to construct one:

The snippet above will insert the text
if (argName == null)
   throw new ArgumentNullException("argName");

into the current cusror position, when you write the snippet title xnull.
Changing the argument name in one place, will change it in the second place too.
In order to use it, create a file named xnull.snippet in one of the snippets subdirectories
(usually, C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC#\Snippets\1033\*) and paste the code into it.

How to add WPF Control Library Template to Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition

Taken from dotUpdate

Visual C# Express 2008 does not come with a project template for creating custom controls (.dll files). You can create your own template by following these steps:

1. Open Visual C# Express 2008.
2. Create New WPF Application with name: MyLibrary
3. Project > Add User Control
4. In Solution Explorer, Delete Window1.xaml and App.xaml (the corresponding .cs files should be deleted by this step)
5. Project > MyLibrary Properties > Application > Output Type = Class Library
6. Build Solution. There should be no errors and the bin/Release folder should have a MyLibrary.dll file
7. File > Export Template
8. Select Project Template then Next
9. Under Template Options change name to: WPF Control Library and Description: Create WPF Control .dll

The next time you open VS, you will find your newly created template ready to use.

Hello World!
This is my first Blog. Its main purpose is to store programming ideas and solutions I find on the net. Maybe even write some words of my own - I am not a man of words.
A little about me -
I am 33 years old, from Israel, working as a programmer in a little company.
We develope a new satellite tracking system for yachtes. I program in C#, C and SPIN - which is a programming interpreted language for Propeller processors.
I live with my girlfriend, not married yet, and with a dog named Una.
Well, thats it for now. I gotta go home. Bye