Messages

1401

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Macro Scheduler, email automation tool at 58%, only today 1st May

« on: May 02, 2007, 04:38 AM »

It's funny how events group themselves together... Serendipity I think is an appropriate description 

Anyway, one of the things I did at work today was to automate the setting of specific (and temporary) printer settings for the girls that I manage. I did it with some AutoIT scripts.

Not a difficult task, I presume that it would have been similar AHK, but it involved:

• opening and iterating through the printers in the Printers Folder
  
• Selecting the correct printer
  
• Opening the Printing Preferences by sending KeyStrokes to the window

MacroScheduler would have approached the problem in a completely different way, by:

• actually looking for the graphic display of the required printer in the Window list
  
• and clicking where it found it!

Both work, but I'd love to know how the two approaches compare in terms of speed and resources etc.

[You could all sorts of other neat stuff too, like looking at photos and seeing if they contain other defined images... I saw this done as a search tool somewhere once, where you could draw something on a canvas and the search engine would go off and look for images that resembled your drawing (or other photo)... where was that    ]

1402

General Software Discussion / Re: BugMeNot

« on: May 01, 2007, 08:26 AM »

i ask them to remove it and they remove it for a day and then put it back on.. somethings fishy at bugmenot. 

-mouser (April 30, 2007, 09:44 AM)

Did you use the Report Page? As that process seems to add a filter to the new additions so that it can't be added again.

If it was just the record that was taken off, then I'd guess someone's just added it back again??

1403

General Software Discussion / Re: Do you use 7-Zip files?

« on: May 01, 2007, 07:01 AM »

Even not-so-well-known PowderBlue ...

-2stepsback (May 01, 2007, 05:11 AM)

You sold me: I love Powder Blue!! I would have gone for Green, but I don't know what it is about Powder Blue... it gets me all the time!

Honestly: why isn't Powder Blue in the Font Colours?? Mouser????

1404

General Software Discussion / Re: Do you use 7-Zip files?

« on: May 01, 2007, 04:23 AM »

Dude, I have no idea what you're talking about.  I still don't get it.

-superboyac (April 30, 2007, 12:10 PM)

Sorry, just obscure silliness: no offence intended 

Do you know the Pink Panther? One of my favourite parts was when he entered the Hotel and finding a dog next to the owner asks "Does your dog bite?"

The owner answers "No", but when he bends to pat the dog, the dog of course bites him.

When asked the Hotel owner says, "That's not my dog"

Perry

1405

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Macro Scheduler, email automation tool at 58%, only today 1st May

« on: May 01, 2007, 04:14 AM »

I just had a look at the Image Recognition functionality (here): awesome!!

I guess it takes a bit of time to find images within screens... but amazingly handy when dealing with non-standard GUIs. Not sure it's worth the cost over AutoIT or AHK?

1406

General Software Discussion / Re: Participate: Online survey of installed fonts

« on: April 30, 2007, 09:16 AM »

1. 84 of 5549 fonts.
2. 72 fonts supported. 65 alphabetic. 1 new. 93 scanned.

I have spent zero time on this machine collecting fonts (I guess that shows  )

1407

General Software Discussion / Re: Do you use 7-Zip files?

« on: April 30, 2007, 08:53 AM »

I can't believe that no one has voted for Blue 

What is it? Has everyone got so caught up with the question that they can't see past the petty seriousnesses into the unbounded freedom of spontaneous colour??

I think we needed more colour:

Do you use 7-zip?

• Yes
  
• No
  
• Blue
  
• Red
  
• Purple

I know Spike Milligan would have answered Green! 

1408

General Software Discussion / Re: BugMeNot

« on: April 30, 2007, 07:42 AM »

Yes, very odd... I'm not who it says I am right now.

-tamer1 (April 29, 2007, 11:29 PM)

Stats: 53% success rate (19 votes)

-http://www.bugmenot.com/view/www.donationcoder.com (tamer1 on April 30 2007)

That means 10 people used this login right???

1409

General Software Discussion / BugMeNot

« on: April 27, 2007, 09:15 PM »

I was playing with Maxthon's search engines and checking out what other users are using and I found BugMeNot

[attach 1][/attach]

BugMeNot offers

• LogIns for various sites
  
• Disposable emails
  
• Shared Coupon Codes
  
• Amazon Deals

Shared LogIns
The process is simple, users have created a LogIn, I presume that is verified but is not them, and they share it with all and sundry.
[attachthumb=#2][/attachthumb]

email.bugmenot.com - instant disposable email
When forced to register for a site often you'll need to provide an email address to receive a 'verification' link.

Next time give them [email protected] and then read the emails below...

-email.bugmenot.com

I generally use spamgourmet for that sort of thing and is extremely flexible, but BugMeNot email interesting non-the-less.

But what really interested me was there were entries for DonationCoder.com!!
[attachthumb=#3][/attachthumb]

When you log into that account there are even posts!

I agree: extremely handy, but odd when there's someone who could be anyone lurking here...

1410

General Software Discussion / Re: Two free windows explorer enhancements

« on: April 25, 2007, 09:06 AM »

skywalka: If you liked it, am sure you'll love this as well -> http://www.mustangpe...t/ultraexplorer.html

-sri (April 25, 2007, 08:19 AM)

Yes, I found this the other day and can't wait to try it: it looks great.

What's your experience SRI??

1411

Official Announcements / Re: Cody's (Internet Citizens) Club Begins!

« on: April 23, 2007, 09:04 AM »

I think the real power behind this type of thing is in the ingenuity and imagination of the DC community. I get amazed at how many different and creative ways we all get to the answer... and I think that's what I'd like to be able to browse through. It's a wonderful way to spread ideas, so not just that we've completed a task, but how (or where or what) we've completed it. As a compiled list, I think the benefit would be much greater than the sum of the parts.

So for that reason, I think it'd be best if the "results" of each task can be viewed together with how they're fullfilled by each member... but also, it'd be nice to have a member view so that you could view how a member has worked through their tasks. It's another interesting view into who we are. Maybe that's where the results are edited (in your Member profile)?

Question: we're doing this now, but down the line a wee bit new members will want to join and run through the tasks. They'd want to be able to be added to the list and complete the tasks running up to the present tasks. So their names get added to the bottom of each task. Is that how you see it??

I'm guessing that the badge could link to a member page with their listing of tasks? And just like the "Donate to Author" link, you could have a "Net Citizen" link to that page that you could display on your web page??

1412

General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook tasks/Calendar

« on: April 20, 2007, 07:05 PM »

I'm playing with Thinking Rock at the moment, more of a GTD than a standard Calendar/Tasks application, but I'm quite enjoying it...

1413

General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook tasks/Calendar

« on: April 20, 2007, 06:07 AM »

I've always disliked the idea that tasks (todos) and calendar items should be dissociated. 
Or am I missing something ? Is it possible to link them ?

-Armando (April 19, 2007, 06:38 PM)

I think that the Calendar link for a Task in Outlook would be the Reminder. It won't appear on the Calendar, but it will be in your face 

That's of course Outlook out-of-the-box: I'm sure you can script something together in there... edit the form, etc... but Reminders on Tasks works for me.

Can't you tag tasks? I have not got Outlook open at the moment...

1414

General Software Discussion / Re: RANT: High Software Prices!

« on: April 19, 2007, 06:19 PM »

This is why software piracy is so complex - nothing tangible has been stolen (ie no box has vanished off a shelf without being paid for) - and I as I tried to point out - in some ways it's difficult to determine how the "victim" suffers from the practice, some even argue (see above) that at least some of the "victims" actually benefit from it!

-Darwin (April 19, 2007, 09:59 AM)

During my time in Papua New Guinea it was just about impossible to buy software (that is where the money went back to the people who created the software). When I went to the local (and only) computer supply shop in town to purchase some software, the fellow was dumbfounded that I was trying to insist on purchasing real, non-cracked, non duplicated in store software from SE Asia. In fact, he said it was almost impossible, as MicroSoft didn't even accept registrations from that Country (I don't know if it's changed now).

But, as a People, the Papua New Guineans were just like that: if they came across something that was sitting on the road, they'd assume that the owner didn't want it so they could have it. I say "have it", but ownership in their minds was something completely different to ours: it was more of a borrow.

If the real "owner" turned up (or someone who could argue a strong case of ownership) then the current owner would sum up the situation, the relative merits of the argument, how many friends he had with him at the time, the size of the family back home, who was in debt to the other (Pay Back is a very important concept in that part of the world), etc etc... and do what he thought he could get away with.

1415

General Software Discussion / Re: RANT: High Software Prices!

« on: April 19, 2007, 06:04 PM »

Right, off to try to find more loopholes in the tax code... hang on, the government of Canada is trying to get at my money so that it can fund running the country and provide services that benefit myself and my fellow citizens and I'm trying to get off with paying as litlle (preferably nothing) for those services as I can... Kind of sounds like a software developer/consumer dynamic, doesn't it! Crud, does this make me a hypocrite?!

-Darwin (April 19, 2007, 09:59 AM)

I don't know about your politicians and their entitlements and perks, but I'd imagine that if you asked the average fellow in the street if he was happy that his hard earned taxes were going towards inflated super schemes, high annual wages, etc etc he'd be a little perplexed. But that's another difficult topic I'd think...

But I think you are right: most people balance the money they've paid in tax in one hand and what they feel the Government deserves in the other. For most people it comes out that they feel they deserve to get some back. Now to me, that's sounding like mouser's Pay what you think it's worth: But isn't it amazing that the biggest tax cheats are the more wealthy people??

Shop lifters commonly excuse their actions when stealing from a big shop with an excuse something like "They're a big company, they can afford it" That's the slippery slide of Moral Relativism. Often doesn't take long to get to pinching stuff from a small shop with the excuse "Look at them, they can afford it"

It's interesting to compare this against Situational Ethics (which I have confused with Moral Relativism for years):

However, situationism should not be confused with Moral relativism. For the moral relativist, there is no universal moral truth, that there are only beliefs, perspectives, ethno-centric values, none more valid than another. Fletcher's situational ethics finds the foundation of moral truth in agape; therefore it is not moral relativism. Situational ethics rejects both legalism, and antinomianism. However, like relativism, situationism is criticized for lacking a situation-neutral point of view from which to apply its standards.

1416

General Software Discussion / Re: RANT: High Software Prices!

« on: April 19, 2007, 07:55 AM »

Where does it stop?

-pro3carp3 (April 19, 2007, 07:32 AM)

Moral Relativism doesn't stop, it just keeps evolving

1417

General Software Discussion / Re: RANT: High Software Prices!

« on: April 19, 2007, 07:39 AM »

in general i guess i evaluate companies and get a feeling for if i think they are trying to jack up their prices and update charges in order to maximize profits with no real "love" of their customers.  i want to support companies which balance making a profit with having happy users.  show me a company trying to bleed their users dry to squeeze the last drop of potential profits, and i'll show you a company whose users are looking for an excuse to jump ship.

-mouser (April 18, 2007, 10:02 AM)

It may depend on who they define as their "customers"...

Edward Cone's article Google's Growing Pains makes some interesting points about how a company's loyalties get split when share holders compete with customers:

From the start, however, Google has marketed itself on niceness. It trumpets an unofficial motto, "Don't be evil," publishes a detailed code of ethics for its employees, and adds playful modifications to its home page on holidays. Smart business for a company built in large part on consumer trust, but heartwarming nonetheless.

Lately, though, Google has been acting less like a collective of lovable geeks and more like a big, powerful corporation. Not surprising—it is a big, powerful corporation, one with a responsibility to its shareholders to grow ever bigger and more powerful. But it's still somewhat jarring.

But that's what I love about DC: people coding, reviewing, helping, etc for the love of it -- which doesn't take away the need to pay the bills, but it does have a fundamentally different emphasis. It's more like selling the excess vegetables at the local market than hamburger chains taking over the world: I guess it's a much more human scale.

1418

General Software Discussion / Re: RANT: High Software Prices!

« on: April 17, 2007, 10:07 AM »

I had never really thought about this in this area before... but I've been saying/complaining for a long time that when banks moved their customer focus from the people who put money in their banks or borrowed money from them to their share holders there was a significant drop in what a bank will do for me as a money depositing customer.

I guess the big software companies have gone the same way, where their main customers are their share holders, i.e. that's who they ultimately answer to?? Obviously you still have to turn a profit, but it gets pretty murky when you're divided between the two.

And I agree with you App: that this thing of money having to dominate every decision we make as an individual, company or country is just plain evil.

1419

General Software Discussion / Re: Looks like KeyPass, is named KeyPass, but is not the KeyPass I know...

« on: April 17, 2007, 09:49 AM »

I use KeyPass and it's much better than KeePass.

-Nighted (April 17, 2007, 04:57 AM)

Did you see that KeePass has just been updated to 1.07?

-rjbull (April 17, 2007, 05:16 AM)

Correction: KeePass has just been updated to 4.5.4...  

-Curt (April 17, 2007, 08:49 AM)

You meant KeyPass right??

1420

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« on: April 16, 2007, 07:38 AM »

There's an App that I'd definitely like in my System Tray, but it ain't there... Somewhat similar to XNeat, but for the System Tray so that I can get some order in there. Mine often looks like App's, and sometimes the search for the icon to get to the menu just takes too long!

Not just hide icons (which happens now), but rearrange them and put them into menus. I did see some software to do that somewhere, but I can't remember now, but I think it was relatively expensive.

- Perry

1421

Developer's Corner / Re: Interesting String Manipulation Problem

« on: April 13, 2007, 08:36 AM »

Hi Ruffnekk:

I wouldn't say I'm a brilliant coder, but I can often get things done (though it's often pretty ugly). Anyway, I was intrigued by your problem so had a bash.

The following VBScript code works for me:
[attach=#1][/attach]

[Select]

Dim Morse(36, 3)
Dim FoundLetters()
Dim iLastFoundLetter
iLastFoundLetter = -1

ReDim FoundLetters(1)

Dim MorseCodeString

MorseCodeString = "-..----..--..----."

' Fill Morse Alphabet
Call FillMorse()

' Check the Morse String
CheckMorseCodeString(1)

' Join Found Characters
Dim strFoundCharacters
strFoundCharacters = Join(FoundLetters , ", ")

' Count Found Characters
for x = 0 to 35

    if Morse(x , 2) > 0 then
   
       if Len(strCountCharacters) > 0 then
          strCountCharacters = strCountCharacters & ", " & Morse(x , 1) & "=" & Morse(x , 2)
       else
           strCountCharacters =  Morse(x , 1) & "=" & Morse(x , 2)
       end if
   
    end if

next

if msgbox ( "Morse String: " & MorseCodeString & vbnewline & "Found: " & strFoundCharacters & vbnewline & vbnewline & "Copy to clipboard?", 4 , "Found Characters") = 6 Then
  Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
  objIE.Navigate("about:blank")
  strURL = objIE.document.parentwindow.clipboardData.setData("Text" ,  Replace(strFoundCharacters , ", " , vbnewline ) )
end if
if msgbox ("Morse String: " & MorseCodeString & vbnewline & "Found: " & strCountCharacters & vbnewline & vbnewline & "Copy to clipboard?", 4 , "Count Characters") = 6 Then
  Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
  objIE.Navigate("about:blank")
  strURL = objIE.document.parentwindow.clipboardData.setData("Text" , Replace(strCountCharacters , ", " , vbnewline ) )
end if

Sub CheckMorseCodeString( iStartHere )

  Dim iWhatsLeft
  For iStart = iStartHere To Len(MorseCodeString)
 
      iWhatsLeft = Len(MorseCodeString) - iStart + 1
      If iWhatsLeft > 7 then iWhatsLeft = 7
 
      For iLength = 1 To iWhatsLeft
     
         CheckString( Mid(MorseCodeString , iStart , iLength))
     
      Next
 
  Next
   
End Sub

Function CheckString(sString)

  For iCount = 0 to Ubound(Morse)-1
    if sString = Morse(iCount , 0) then
       CheckString = True
       
       ' Add another found letter
       ReDim Preserve FoundLetters(Ubound(FoundLetters)+1)
       
       ' Add Found letter to Found Letters       
       FoundLetters(ubound(FoundLetters)) = Morse(iCount, 1)
       ' Increase the Found Count by 1
       Morse( iCount, 2) = Morse( iCount , 2) + 1

       exit for
    else
       if len(Morse(iCount , 0 )) > len(sString) then exit for
    end if
  Next

End Function

Sub FillMorse()

  Dim x
  x = 0
 
  Morse(x,0)="."
  Morse(x,1)="e"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-"
  Morse(x,1)="t"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".-"
  Morse(x,1)="a"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".."
  Morse(x,1)="i"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="--"
  Morse(x,1)="m"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-."
  Morse(x,1)="n"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-.."
  Morse(x,1)="d"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="--."
  Morse(x,1)="g"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-.-"
  Morse(x,1)="k"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="---"
  Morse(x,1)="o"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".-."
  Morse(x,1)="r"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="..."
  Morse(x,1)="s"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="..-"
  Morse(x,1)="u"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".--"
  Morse(x,1)="w"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-..."
  Morse(x,1)="b"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-.-."
  Morse(x,1)="c"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="...."
  Morse(x,1)="h"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".---"
  Morse(x,1)="j"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="..-."
  Morse(x,1)="f"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".-.."
  Morse(x,1)="l"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".--."
  Morse(x,1)="p"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="--.-"
  Morse(x,1)="q"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="...-"
  Morse(x,1)="v"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-..-"
  Morse(x,1)="x"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-.--"
  Morse(x,1)="y"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="--.."
  Morse(x,1)="z"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)=".----"
  Morse(x,1)="1"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="..---"
  Morse(x,1)="2"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="...--"
  Morse(x,1)="3"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="....-"
  Morse(x,1)="4"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="....."
  Morse(x,1)="5"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-...."
  Morse(x,1)="6"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="--..."
  Morse(x,1)="7"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="---.."
  Morse(x,1)="8"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="----."
  Morse(x,1)="9"
  Morse(x,2)=0
  x=x+1
  Morse(x,0)="-----"
  Morse(x,1)="0"
  Morse(x,2)=0
 

End Sub

Is that the sort of thing you meant??

1422

General Software Discussion / Re: ctrl + tab (first in, first out history) for excel sheets?

« on: April 13, 2007, 05:43 AM »

OK: here is a new version of the Navigator Add-In for MicroSoft Excel

What's New:

• Added WorkBook switching (set to ALT+CTRL+TAB)
  
• Added WorkBook Combo to the ToolBar (handy to reOpen WorkBooks that you've closed)
  
• Clicking Follow on a previously Followed cell will hide the Precedents if displayed
  
• Clicking Chase on a previously Chased cell will hide the Dependencies if displayed

All the Key Shortcuts can be edited in the Code easily if what I've set doesn't suit...

I'm happy to add any other Navigation type functions 

Let me know if there any problems

- Perry

1423

General Software Discussion / Re: ctrl + tab (first in, first out history) for excel sheets?

« on: April 10, 2007, 07:55 AM »

Perry, for some reason, when I moved yout addin to C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns, my 'other' favorite addin stopped working.

I can confirm that this is still happening. All addins are dissabled if a drop navigator.xls in that folder (!). Weird, no idea what excel 2007 may be doing different...

-urlwolf (April 09, 2007, 07:22 AM)

So just to confirm...

• You have ASAP Plugin installed and working
  
• You pop Navigator into your plugin directory
  
• ASAP stops working even though the ASAP Plugin is selected in Tools / AddIns

Odd: I've just installed it at home and everything works OK??

You can install Navigator somewhere else and add it manually as well. Have you tried that??

Weird is all I can say...

I'm working on the other stuff (after an Easter weekend unplugged  )

1424

General Software Discussion / Re: ctrl + tab (first in, first out history) for excel sheets?

« on: April 04, 2007, 09:08 PM »

One question.

-urlwolf (April 04, 2007, 08:28 AM)

Three question marks 

Is there any way to switch workbooks, now that ctrl + tab has been overriden?
You can always go to view > switch windows (xl 2007) for a list, but that is pretty inconvenient.

-urlwolf (April 04, 2007, 08:28 AM)

I don't have 2007, so mine's under Window.

Maybe an extra shortcut such as ctrl shift tab would be a good addition? Is there any other native xl shortcut?

-urlwolf (April 04, 2007, 08:28 AM)

I had CTRL+SHIFT+TAB to go backwards through the view history (same as ALT+TAB & ALT+SHIFT+TAB in windows)

I don't know of any other native shortcut (apart from CTRL+TAB) and couldn't find one just now, but adding it through code would be extremely easy. In fact it might also be good as a Combo dropdown box as well (though it'd just be duplicating the menu... except that it could remember previously opened workbooks and open them again as well. Sort of a combination of Window + Recent File menu).

Do you have a preference for a Key Combination? I'd lean toward CTRL+ALT+TAB.

I think the ability to remember recently open WorkBooks in the current session is a good idea (I could never see the point of restricting it to 9), and a KeyPress to navigate through that list could work in a similar fashion (so that it's not scrolling but rather choosing)

- Perry

1425

General Software Discussion / Re: ctrl + tab (first in, first out history) for excel sheets?

« on: April 04, 2007, 06:17 AM »

I'm not sure whether it will be useful for anybody (I had to fish for it a little) but if you want to remove the arrows on the sheet once you clicked "Chase", you need to go to Tools > Formula Auditing > Remove All Arrows. I don't know a partial arrow removal option.

-cemole (April 04, 2007, 05:52 AM)

Ah, yes: Sorry...

You can open the Auditing Tool bar, and on that Toolbar there are a number of functions that will both add Precedents and Dependants for the selected Cell and also remove them as well. There is also the "Remove All" function as well.

I was going to add a Clear button to Remove All, but I thought that was just duplication of existing functions. What the Chase or Follow does activate the referenced cell (if possible).

- Perry