Serialization and deserialization of .NET objects made easy using various serializer classes that it provides. But serialization of Dictionary object is not that much easy. For this, you have to create a special Dictionary class which is able to serialize itself. The serialization technique might be different in different business cases.

Today, let’s discuss how to implement the same with a sample. Code is shared in the post, which you can use in your application. Continue reading and let me know if you have any other approaches.

“Linked Inbox” feature is now available again in Outlook Mail for Windows 10 Mobile. After a new build pushed recently, Microsoft pulled the same and replaced with an older version of the Outlook Mail due to some issues. The issue was causing the app to crash and close.

Good news is that, the app is again available in store with linked inbox feature, which will enable you to merge multiple mail boxes into one inbox. Continue reading to know about it.

Microsoft has announced availability of Visual Studio 2015 Update 1. There are plenty of new changes in this final build apart from CTP release and RC release. Apart from our favorite IDE, the final release of Team Foundation Server Update 1 is also available. Download and checkout the new features.

In this post, sharing the download link as well as features list and release notes shared by the giant company. Go thru them while the download is in progress.

You might have been heard about the product JIRA. It is a bug tracking product, developed by Atlassian. It can be used as general "issue tracker", “new feature request tracker” and more, rather than solely a bug tracker. It’s more customizable than BugZilla and queries also can be modifiable.

Today in this small blog post, we will learn how to create a query to list down all the issues “Resolved by” a particular user or you. Continue reading to know more about it.

Microsoft brought a new set of enhancements along with Windows 10 November Update. Among them, one is lock screen enhancements which will allow you to set background image of lock screen from the Windows Spotlight and set/remove the login screen background image.

Today in this post, we are going to discuss on the same and will see how to set those various options in Windows 10 November update (aka. Threshold 2).

Microsoft restores the availability of Windows 10 November Update, which was pulled just after release. The giant company also explained why it was pulled. If you have the RTM build 10240, check out Windows Update. You might have got the notification to install version 1511 by that time.

If you have already installed the November Update (version 1511, build 10586), there’s a patch for you. To know more about this, continue reading the post.

If you are building add-ins for Microsoft Word, at the time of add-in installation you might want to check whether user has installed MS Word on his system or not. Based on that, you might want to show a message to the user or take proper action as per your business need.

In this small blog post, we will learn what needs to be done using C# to find out whether the said Microsoft Office product is installed or not. Continue reading to know about this coding tricks.

On various scenarios, especially when you are building and shipping Add-Ins for outlook, at the time of add-in installation you might want to check whether user has installed outlook on his system or not. Based on that, you might want to show a message to the user.

In this small blog post, we will learn what needs to be done using C# to find out whether outlook is installed or not. Continue reading to know about this coding tricks.

The giant company brought a set of new features in Windows 10 November update. It’s the first big update after Windows 10 gone RTM. Along with other features and enhancements, it brought Start Screen/Menu enhancements. This includes more tiles and occasionally showing suggestions.

Today in this small blog post, we will discuss about these enhancements along with it’s settings to enable/disable the same. Continue reading to know more about it.

I hope many of you have already installed the Windows 10 November Update on your system. This new build includes bug fixes, product improvements along with many new features. Among those new feature, one is to show or hide the background image in the sign-in screen.

Microsoft provided an option in the settings app. In this small blog post, I will show you how to do this. Continue reading to know about this new feature.

Windows 10 November update features a new settings, which when enabled, let you receive fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your Lock Screen. This is a new feature, you will get in Windows 10 version 1511 (build: 10586.3) and above. If you didn’t receive this update yet, check the Windows Update service.

In this small blog post, I will show you how to enable or disable this option from the Windows 10 settings app. Continue reading to know more about it.

Few days ago, I wrote a blog post about Windows 10 Start Screen image programmatically using C# code. Today in this blog post, we will discuss about changing Lock Screen background image of Windows 10 using C# code. Microsoft Windows SDK provides the API sets to call.

Let’s start learning about the API with a small piece of code. Continue reading. Code has been shared at the end of the post. If you have any comments, drop a line.

Outlook and other office applications provides an easy way to restart itself. Though there are no directly exposed APIs to restart it, but you can easily write code to do the same operation. Today in this small blog post, we are going to discuss on the code to be implemented.

Just three simple steps and your code is ready. C# Code has been shared at the end of the post. Let me know if you have any queries. Would be happy to help.

Microsoft aired Windows 10 build 10586 for the fast ring Windows Insiders. If you are one of them, you can get it via Windows Update service. This build is mainly focused on bug fixes and improvements to move forward the final build of Threshold 2. As it is a developer preview build, has some known issues.

This post lists all the fixes and known issues in this build. Before installing, please go thru the lists. Windows Feedback app to report any problems that you might encounter with this build.

John Montgomery, Director of Program Management for Visual Studio, announced the availability of Visual Studio 2015 Update 1 RC (Release Candidate) stepping forward to release the final update of our favorite IDE. It has many new features to improve the productivity of the developers.

Find in this post the download link (ISO image for offline installation) and the features set. Try it, provide your feedback and report any bugs if you notice.

Along with Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview build 10581, the giant company also released Windows 10 Insider Preview build 10576 for PCs. This is the first time when Microsoft released Windows 10 for both the platform. This build features few new changes along with a bunch of bug fixes and improvements.

If you are a Windows Insider in fast ring, you might have already got the notification about this update. Sharing here the new features set, list of bug fixes and known issues.

Microsoft Windows Insiders head, Gabe Aul, in a blog post announced the availability of Windows 10 Mobile Insider preview build 10581 for the fast ring users. If you are one of the fast ring insiders to test Windows 10 Mobile build before it flights the final one, you might have already got the update notification.

This build doesn’t have significant new features but has a no. of fixes and performance improvements. As it is still under development release, it has some known issues too. Find them listed in this post.

Windows 10 SDK provides API, by which you can programmatically change the Start Screen background image for both Windows 10 PC and Windows 10 Mobile. The API is located under Windows.System.UserProfile namespace. Using the API you can build apps and provides user easy access to change the start screen.

In this post, we are going to discuss about the API and also going to build a small demo app. The code snippet has been shared at the end of the post.

“Find my Device” – not a new thing on Windows Platform. It was already there in Windows Phone and now the giant company thought to include in Windows 10. If you are using any prior build of Windows 10 build 10565, you would not get this as it has been  recently added to build 10565 for Windows Insiders.

In this post, we are going to discuss on this new feature. Please note that, it’s still under development stage and introduced in latest build just to showcase what’s coming next.

Microsoft Virtual Academy is organizing a live event for the developers who has basic knowledge of JavaScript and looking forward to improve their JavaScript skill. Join Microsoft experts Christopher Harrison and Gabrielle Crevecoeur on 28th October and take your skills to the next level.

It’s a whole day event for experienced developers and yes, it’s completely free. So, don't miss! Read more to find out details and registration link for the event.