In C, printf allows us to specify a runtime (non-constant) field width
of a formatted value by using the * character.  Is there something
like that for System.String.Format?  In C#, I find myself having to
use concatenation, which is awkward to write and to read:

I have just opened and tried installing .NET 2003 after uninstalling Visual
Studio Express .NET 2005.  It goes to item 1 - checking for necessary
components.  I hav gone to Windows Update - every time it says that there is
an Office Service Pack 2 update, which I have installed ...

Can anybody tell me, whats the main difference between a BackgroundWorker and
a Thread? What are the advantages/disadvanteges? When use a BackgroundWorker,
when a Thread?

How can I clear a text file without deleting and creating a new (empty) file?

Is there some way in dotNet to get notified when my modem gets
connected? Do I have to set up a hook using win32 api or can this be
handled by the framework? If thru win32, what api function should I
use?

I'm currently developing a .net windows service, but still I've got some
questions I couldn't find an answer to:
- When will the service be started? When the computer is started - or when a
user logs in?

There's a problem in my application that calls a remote web service's method,
when it tries to connect to the webservice it displays this error:
"The request failed with HTTP status 407: Proxy Authentication Required (
The ISA Server requires authorization to fulfill the request. ...

I dropped a Timer object onto a Windows Service and set enabled=true...
however, it does not appear to be firing. Do I need to do something else?

Please excuse the cross-posting.  This question was raised in
microsoft.public.dotnet.general but hasn't been answered so I am
trying where I can.
There are two  of us who have the same problem in a service:  the

I posted a question about conflicts between .NET 1.1 and .NET 2.0 back on
March 20, but received no reply.. Did it just fall between the cracks?
Here is my original post:
I was looking on the Microsoft web page "How to Get Windows 'Monad' Shell

Using VS 2003, .NET:
I developed a windows application that performs several actions based on an
input file. The application displays a progress bar as each action executes.
Based on new requirements, this application needs to be able to shell off

I am getting a compile error ("No overload for 'Timer_Tick' matches delegate
'System.Threading.TimerCallback'") on the following code and can't figure
out why. Does anyone have any ideas?
public partial class CrystalService : ServiceBase

Is it possible to deploy asp.net project into websphere,if so how could we
acheive

I was wondering what people regard as the best book(s) which cover the .NET
2.0 framework, for mainly WinForms development (although ASP.NET would be
cool too) and using C#, would be?
I am not a beginner, I have plenty of experience with .NET 1.1, but just

I have two pages set up in .net and I am trying to code behing a command
button in c# so that when the button is clicked, it will open another page.  
Can you tell me how to do it.  Any help is greatly appreciated as I am new to
programming.  Thanks.