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Messages - BillB [ switch to compact view ]

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1
If you want something small, to record WAV or MP3, which you maybe edit in a larger package later, Streamosaur does the job neatly.

http://www.wavosaur.com/streamosaur/

2
Hi folks, just thought I would report back, as I managed to answer my own question. I found something called SimpleBlog
http://simpleblogphp.com/index.php

It did require database installation but that was pretty painless (plus the developer, Stoian, offered assistance if required), and the actual PHP installation was very straightforward. 

Stoian was very helpful in modifying the script to provide functions I was looking for, such as categories for blog posts, allowing multiple blogs which show only the posts in the required categories.  He provided this and some other modifications for a very modest fee, as well as responding promptly to other technical questions and requests.

If you want to see what it looks like within my HTML site:
http://www.2bconsultancy.co.uk/blogland.php
I still need to add more posts, and also intend to make the three different blogs more obvious and accessible, rather than using the left-hand navigation, but the blog engine itself is working nicely.  Stoian also produces other scripts to insert functionaility into static pages, eg forum, events, even simple page-based CMS.

SimpleBlog is highly recommend if you want to add a dynamic blog system to a static HTML website, without embarking on a major update to a Content Management System (CMS).

It's ironic that the answer to my question was the title of my question!

3
General Software Discussion / Re: Dropbox Chat Client
« on: July 09, 2012, 02:00 PM »
Probably so, if I subscribed to any of them.  I try to minimise subscriptions and I am taken by ChatboxApp's promises:

  •    Use it for commenting and annotating files OR for simple project collaboration around folders with relevant files inside!
  •    It works offline and syncs whenever you're next online.
  •    Chatbox stores everything inside Dropbox. You don't need to register another account.
  •    It is FREE! It is simple. It just works!

But thanks for the suggestion, it may prove to be the best option, particularly if its the only option!

Bill

4
General Software Discussion / Dropbox Chat Client
« on: July 09, 2012, 01:11 PM »
Hi

Does anybody know of Windows(7) software which could act as a Chat client for Dropbox?  By which I mean, it monitors a designated file (txt, xml?) in Dropbox on your local drive, pops up a notification from the system tray when it is modified, and sequentially displays entries, with some form of ID (name) against each entry.

I would have thought that many such applications have been made over the years for use on networks.  In theory it ought to be a pretty simple program, but the only thing I have found so far is for Macs http://chatboxapp.com/

Suggestions welcome.  :)

5
Carol, thanks for the kind offer.  I have a number of queries/concerns regarding matching the functionality of the existing site: for example highslide.js is used to pop-up JPG slideshows, FLV, Vimeo, html pages including flash panoramas... I have no idea how a CMS would handle this - maybe you do :-)

Anyway, I am working to meet several dealines today (yes, Sunday)/this week.  I found the link to your site from your posting, so I could contact you directly with a list of queries, to see if this looks like a good way forward.

Thanks again.

Bill

6
Thanks Carol
Forget look and feel see if it does what you want.
That's very good advice, which I will follow.

Can I ask you why you are so determined to avoid a database?
Only that I have had to work with a few of them in order to run specific PHP scripts, and have always found installation troublesome, and usually had to go to my hosting company for help with setup.  Unless a database is a necessity, as with WordPress etc, I'd rather not go there.

is you site so large that moving the whole thing to a CMS is out of the question
Not SO large, but I rather like HTML and CSS.  My local version is my principal backup, and I can test edits and functionality offline before uploading. The site is at www.2bconsultancy.co.uk.  It uses CSS for the drop-down menu system and highslide.js for the pop-up windows - the thought of getting that transferred to CMS and functioning is a bit scary.

If you have a look at the News/Blog link from the homepage, you will see part of the problem - actually there are 3 blogs but the last update was in 2010!!!  So I need something that can be added to really easily - and hopefully you can see why a solution working within the page would be ideal.

Didn't mean to sound ungrateful about your earlier advice, it is just good to know all possible solutions (or whether one's preferred ideal is a complete non-starter).  Having said that, I'll give your advice a go and just try getting some test blogs running (non-public facing) and see how they work.

Thanks again.
 

7
Thanks for the comments.  You seem to be suggesting that I create a blog elsewhere, or on my site, make it look like my site and then link to it.  That may be what I have to do, although I expect it to be a bit of challenge to create a template that suits the blog software, based on my existing html/css.

What I was hoping for was something offering blogging functionality within static html (like an iframe, but noting the SEO issue above), in the same way that snippetmaster offers cms within static html.  Any further thoughts welcome, otherwise I may come back and plague you with the difficulties of making pivotx look like my site  ;)

8
Carol

Thanks for the fastest reply ever!  When I said "It should also be visible to search bots, which (if I understand correctly) rules out the use of <inline> tags." I think I should have said "rules out the use of <iframe> tags"...  Isn't that the case, that iframe links will not be followed by searchbots? 

Also, would it be possible to embed only essential part of another blog into a static page (so that no extraneous themes, titles, footers etc show up)?

9
Hi folks

I have an established (static html) website on which I tried to create some blogs using an inserted CMS system called Snippetmaster.  Although this is fine as an editable snippet system, it isn't really suited for blogging. 

It would be great to be able to insert a blog into my existing web pages, have a little log-in and just be able to write some notes, add pictures.  It should ideally have a "read more..." capability, auto-setting of date, hyperlinks.  I would like to maintain the style of my existing site, so the blog simply replaces an area of body text...  It should also be visible to search bots, which (if I understand correctly) rules out the use of <inline> tags.

I would also like very simple installation - no databases, Wordpress etc.  A flat file system would be ideal.

Can anyone make any recommendations - has this been covered before?  I tried a search here for 'blog' and found Flatpress https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=24115.0
but I am not at all sure whether it can be inserted into an existing website.

Your suggestions would be very welcome.

Bill

10
I agree in principle, but I have to say that, right now, LBC is a lot easier to add a menu-type structure to, compared to CHS...

Going back to my original thread, if either application could read a text file to generate a "paste" menu, that would be great.

11
Listary Pro turned up on Bits du Jour today - I had never heard of it before, but it does the recent file/folder tricks very nicely and works with two applications which have proved difficult for similar products (CorelDraw and Firefox) so I have gone for it and bought 3 licences.  The freeware licence (for non-commercial users) would be a great asset to most people.

http://www.bitsdujou...tware/listary-pro-2/

http://www.listary.com/

12
Hi Mouser, usual nasty User to Programmer question - any timescale for this feature?  :)

13
That would be very nice - it would make LC a sort of preset clipboard manager alongside its other Launching capabilities.

14
Thanks Mouser

I have just downloaded and started playing with Launchbar Commander.  The help file says it can read a (specifically formatted) text file to generate menus, which sounds interesting (not obvious from the helpfile how, though).  However it is very easy to make custom menus so it may be an option.  What I can't see at present is if there is any way to click a menu item and have it copy a text string to the clipboard.  Obviously not its purpose, but possible? Perhaps by sending a commandline to an application?

15
Sorry that the title isn't completely clear... here's what I am trying to do.  I use the excellent ManicTime time logger, which is discussed elsewhere on DC. When tagging time, I need to enter (paste) a string in the format:
Project 0001, Subtask 003

I would like to create reference text file something like
2011, Project 0001, Subtask 001
2011, Project 0001, Subtask 002
2011, Project 0001, Subtask 003
2011, Project 0002, Subtask 001
2011, Project 0002, Subtask 002 etc

and have this file read by the system tray application, which when clicked, generates a menu like so

2011 > Project 0001 > Subtask 001
                               > Subtask 002

This would work like when you access a set of folders as a toolbar at the base of the desktop. See attached image below.
If I then click on the last entry, a text string 'Project 0001, Subtask 002' is copied to the clipboard, ready to paste into the Manictime Tag dialog.

A couple of thoughts. Why not just copy and paste from a text file, you may reasonably ask.  Could do, but having all of the entries on system tray or launcher menu makes navigation a doddle. My projects are named by their start year, so there are never too many in any one year eg 2010, 2010-Project1, Subtask003
Also there may be clipboard utilities that allow pre-programmed folders and entries, and I have tried setting this up with Clipboard Help & Spell.  It is possible, but not fast to set up folders, sub-folders and text lines through the settings dialog.
I'm sure it is do-able in AutohotKey, but beyond my skills unless I set aside the next week!
Any suggestions?



16
Finished Programs / Re: InstaPlay - instant sound player
« on: November 10, 2010, 12:20 PM »
Hi Justice, this looks interesting.  I downloaded the ZIP from the link above, unzipped but wasn't sure what you meant by placing it "in the path".  I tried C: root but the EXE wouldn't run.  I am wondering why it needs to be anywhere in particular (most of my applications are installed onto E:) and why it is necessary to associate it with WAV/MP3?  If it can be run directly from the EXE, then I could navigate to my WAV etc folders and preview samples.  Also, a single-click on listed files would mean 50% less RSI!

Thanks

17
What's the Best? / Re: PDF Cataloger - Any Suggestions
« on: July 16, 2010, 10:35 AM »
kfitting - well, I'm no programmer... if only there was a forum that programmers frequented and took up suggestions for useful software.  Oh well.

app103 - Extensis Portfolio Server  - ho ho - when the purchasing link on a website says "Ready to Take the Next Step? Then get in touch with your corporate sales representative." you just know it is going to be silly money.  If it wasn't, they would just state the price options.  Nonetheless, I appreciate your point about Digital Asset Management - many thanks.

18
What's the Best? / Re: PDF Cataloger - Any Suggestions
« on: July 14, 2010, 10:52 AM »
rjbull - thanks for the suggestions and the lateral thinking.  Not sure I understand what to do with FILE_ID.DIZ, but it would seem to involve typing descriptions, which would be difficiult for large numbers of PDFs.  I was already thinking of digging out my old copy of "Where Is It" which is a CD/Disk catalogue application, like Disk Explorer Pro, but a bit more sophisticated, I think.  As for File Hound, that is really useful, especially when associated with Folders in Explorer (right-click folder and select "Hound").  THE PDF text-based preview is very helpful.  However, real-time search of PDF folders on my NAS is a bit slow, (which is why a tag/database system like Benubird would be nice).  Better than searching via Explorer though.

Thanks again - I am sure there is something out there - just hard to find...

19
What's the Best? / Re: PDF Cataloger - Any Suggestions
« on: July 14, 2010, 07:57 AM »
Most of the above work on single desktops, or else offer a service to sync with an online server (eg Mendeley).  it would be great to find something which allows a small workgroup (eh a home office) to share a PDF catalogue solution over a network.  Benubird looks great, but even the pro version "for home and business" is not multi-user.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

thanks

Bill

20
Hi

If you already have a website structure set up and you just want the ability to edit page content, you can use products like

http://editwrxpro.com/index.html
 
or

http://www.snippetmaster.com/index.php

I use Snippetmaster and find it is very good for quick edits of text and images occurring within <snippet> tags

Sometimes full CMS is just overkill.

Bill

21
Sorry, meant to add: it does do the same as Title log in the sense of logging Application activity, but the difference is that it shows the Applications graphically in a proportional timeline, which makes it much easier to read.  Also the application timeline is just the information base for the real purpose - for the user to tag their own activity, eg on a particular project for a client. If you don't need to do this, it probably isn't of much interest.  If you do, it's hard to conceive a better way to do it.

22
I installed ManicTime last week and have thus far found it to be excellent.  It doesn't pop-up and remind you to fill it in, but it is very easy, at the end of the day, or whenever, to open it and assign tasks based on the Applications or Browsing timelines. It does remember the tasks you previously entered and it is easy to call them up again, and yes, you can right-click to assign a task. I suggested, but the author already has in mind, some kind of task list editor.  The biggest concern I have is that it will force me to be more careful with distractions like browsing - there is no ignoring what you have / have not done with this thing - it's all there in black and white colour!

You should at least check out the demo videos on the website and install it if you think it may help.  I have used a couple of home-scripted (AHK) Time-loggers in the past but I suspect this beats anything I could produce myself.  If I do find myself ignoring it when the novelty wears off (hasn't done yet) then I may write a script to pop up MT once an hour. Or make a suggestion to the very receptive author.

It has an excellent Tag export to CSV function which can provided a report of Activities for any period, which can be opened in Excel and is in a format which allows Excel to sum any Activities.

Slight concerns include: memory usage - currently sitting at 55Mb in Task Manager so not a lightweight; and data storage.  After a week, there are two data logs of 2Mb and 3Mb each, so after a year it could be quite hefty.  I may suggest to the author that it would be useful to be able to clear out or thin the Application data for past date ranges, when far enough in the past that you have tagged your Activities, but no longer need to know what applications you were using every minute of the day.

Nonetheless a great piece of software and deserves your attention if you have a requirement to log time by reference to PC-based activities. I have a strong feeling I'll be sticking with this one.

23
Just for the record, the only free but substantial vector-drawing program I know of is Inkscape at http://www.inkscape.org/.  This would, for example, allow you to bring a screen-grab image into the background and to trace over it ,then export in a variety of image and vector formats like PNG and SVG.

24
Screen2Exe is free but only allows you to make Exe's - good way to test the software editing capabilities though.  Screen2SWF can make SWF or AVI which can be converted or uploaded to the web - costs $49.  Claims very low filesize due to use of SSCV2 codec and this seems to be born out by sample video on website - just over 1Mb for a 4 minute screencast.

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