Topics

26

Developer's Corner / First real program - Probably need help throughout

« on: May 12, 2008, 04:01 AM »

A task at work would be easier if I wrote a program to handle it, so I'm going to try and write a C# Application. As I'm new I thought I might document my progress here so you can tell me if I'm being noobish with something or I've missed things.

I learn best by trying and then improving, so this should help me.

The overview is that we have a program called Squeeze that converts files into Flash FLV files. We have a filestore on the same server and Squeeze has 'watch folders' that when you put a file in the folder it will automatically convert it.

This program will have to

• Check that squeeze is running
• Look in a database or text file to see which files need moving into the watch folder
• Move files in and out of the watch folders
• Move some special files into different folders
• Send resultant files into a network drive

Things that I don't currently know how to do

• Check that a program is running
• Check that a network drive exists and works before sending files to it
• Most unexpected errors

I'll update you as I go along and please chip in if you see a way of helping.

27

General Software Discussion / Returnil virtual system

« on: April 25, 2008, 05:52 AM »

I've never seen so many thumbs up for a GAOTD

http://www.giveawayo...tem-premium-edition/

28

General Software Discussion / Cool Iris

« on: April 09, 2008, 08:19 AM »

Found this amazing firefox plugin today and I just have to share it. It makes Digg and Forums so much easier to read.

I'll show rather than explain

http://www.mediaguy....mpcode/iris.swf.html

https://addons.mozil...S/firefox/addon/2207

29

General Software Discussion / [Solved] Batch file problem

« on: April 03, 2008, 10:31 AM »

I have the following batch file but I have a problem with it. The IF statements check that a tv program has been recorded. If it has then it runs it through VideoReDo, if it hasn't it will send an email so I can check the recording software.

My problem is that when it runs the email sending .bat file the current batch file stops. It will stop at the first instance and not run any of the other code, even the pause at the end. It just stops (and closes before I can read anything on the screen).

Is there some command that I need to place before the bat file to stop this from happening and ensure that computer returns to the original file?

@echo off
echo Deleting files
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsArabicTuesday.mpg"
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRAITuesday.mpg"
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRTPTuesday.mpg"
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRussianTuesday.mpg"
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsArabicTuesday.mpg"
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsRAITuesday.mpg
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsRTPTuesday.mpg
del "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsRussianTuesday.mpg
echo Deleting done
echo Renaming files
rename "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsArabicThursday*.mpg" NewsArabicThursday.mpg
rename "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRAIThursday*.mpg" NewsRAIThursday.mpg
rename "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRTPThursday*.mpg" NewsRTPThursday.mpg
rename "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRussianThursday*.mpg" NewsRussianThursday.mpg
echo Renaming done
echo Start conversion:

IF EXIST "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsArabicThursday.mpg". (
cscript //nologo "C:\Program Files\VideoReDoPlus\vp.vbs" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsArabicThursday.mpg" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsArabicThursday.mpg" /t1 /d /q /e
) ELSE (
EmailFileMissing.bat .
)

IF EXIST "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRAIThursday.mpg". (
cscript //nologo "C:\Program Files\VideoReDoPlus\vp.vbs" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRAIThursday.mpg" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsRAIThursday.mpg" /t1 /d /q /e
) ELSE (
EmailFileMissing.bat .
)

IF EXIST "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRTPThursday.mpg". (
cscript //nologo "C:\Program Files\VideoReDoPlus\vp.vbs" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRTPThursday.mpg" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsRTPThursday.mpg" /t1 /d /q /e
) ELSE (
EmailFileMissing.bat .
)

IF EXIST "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRussianThursday.mpg". (
cscript //nologo "C:\Program Files\VideoReDoPlus\vp.vbs" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Recorded\NewsRussianThursday.mpg" "E:\Staff Media\Private Files\#shared\LRC\gra\Fixed\NewsRussianThursday.mpg" /t1 /d /q /e
) ELSE (
EmailFileMissing.bat .
)

echo All done
pause

30

Living Room / More April fools stories

« on: April 01, 2008, 05:51 AM »

Just copying them out of our works jokes making list

http://www.theregist...xplosion_april_fool/
http://thepiratebay.org/blog/102
http://googleblog.bl...-project-virgle.html
http://www.thinkgeek...ff/41/betamaxhd.html
http://www.mirror.co...ight-89520-20369432/
http://www.rightmove...uk/property/20394782 << Love this one
http://tinyurl.com/2zw7nd

31

General Software Discussion / Login only during a specific timeframe

« on: March 31, 2008, 11:59 AM »

Does anyone know of any software similar to the Group Policy time of day policies?

http://www.clavister...ias_new_policy_2.gif

We want to stop someone logging in, and logging out a currently logged in user, when 'computer time' comes to an end.

Don't mind paying, but as we don't really want a fully featured parental control program it would be nice if it was free / cheap / donationware.

32

Living Room / Google

« on: March 28, 2008, 06:08 PM »

You don't notice how much you use google every second of the day until it isn't there



60 seconds of downtime and I just can't cope!

33

Developer's Corner / Help with databases in Visual Studio C#

« on: March 27, 2008, 07:20 AM »

Hi everyone,
You might know that I'm trying to learn C# and have started on the small application that I'd write for work.

I've created a form that creates a int Staffnumber, string[] itemreference, datetime ReturnDate.

I also have a database that has key ID, number Staffnumber, text itemreference, datetime ReturnDate, amongst other things.

Visual studio seems to make it very easy to throw my dataset onto the form, but I need to do take my variables and place them into the dataset.

I don't really want someone to write my code for me, but I'm also finding it very hard to find examples and explanations on the internet. I'm hoping that someone who has learnt this before could let me know where they went.

MSDN seems to show me how to do addrow's and things but I can't seem to make inteletext give the options. I think I'm missing something obvious.

34

Developer's Corner / [Solved] C# Arraylist

« on: March 23, 2008, 12:39 PM »

I'm getting stuck on the superhard c# assignment 6, but on the easy stuff.

I have this code...

Code: C# [Select]

1. // Create an instance of StreamReader to read from a file.
2. // The using statement also closes the StreamReader.
3. using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(fileToEncryptText.Text))
4. {
5.     // Temp string for lines
6.     string line;
7.  
8.     // Create an array list for the file contents
9.     ArrayList fileContentsArrayList;
10.  
11.     int i = 0;
12.  
13.     // Read and display lines from the file until the end of
14.     // the file is reached.
15.     while ((line = sr.ReadLine()) != null)
16.     {
17.         // Place line into array
18.         fileContentsArrayList.Add(line);
19.  
20.         // Increase [i]
21.         i++;
22.        
23.         //encryptOutputText.Text += encrypt.EncryptSingleLine(line) + "\r\n";
24.     }
25.  
26.     // Convert ArrayList into an Array
27.     string[] fileContentsArray = (string[])fileContentsArrayList.ToArray();
28. }

but it isn't compiling due to 'Use of unassigned local variable fileContentsArrayList'. I know this is because there is a possibility that using() doesn't run and nothing gets put into it.

My problem is that I can't really add anything into the array to initialise it that isn't part of the streamreader. So how can I make sure that it initialises without breaking what the program does?

Many thanks 

35

Developer's Corner / c# assignment: Problem with random

« on: March 19, 2008, 05:21 PM »

I'm trying to pick two random numbers for assignment 5 of the c# school. I'm using the following code

Code: C# [Select]

1. private void fillFirstBoxes()
2.         {
3.             userCard1Text.Text = Convert.ToString(functions.GetRandomCard());
4.             dealerCard1Text.Text = Convert.ToString(functions.GetRandomCard());
5.         }
6.  
7. ...
8.  
9.     public class Functions
10.     {
11.         private int RandomNumber(int min, int max)
12.         {
13.             Random random = new Random();
14.             return random.Next(min, max);
15.         }
16.  
17.         public int GetRandomCard()
18.         {
19.             int[] cards = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10 };
20.             int random = RandomNumber(0, 12);
21.             return cards[random];
22.         }
23.     }

The trouble is that 90% of the time the two numbers are the same. Occasionally (about 10% of the time) the numbers are different but it is rare. So what am I doing wrong?

I know that computer random isn't really random, but surely it only takes a tick?

36

Macromedia Flash / Difficulty curve of the flash assignments

« on: March 16, 2008, 06:52 AM »

Is it just me that wonders whether the difficulty in the flash assignment (I've only seen #1) is massively harder than the other assignments here?

I can write in Actionscript and PHP also I'm learning c#. I've created a flash movie that has a security module to authenticate a user of a domain before sending an key to a flash media server. which then allows a video file to play.

But whereas the c# assignment one is basically writeline, readline and a for loop (chapter 1 of this c# 2005 for dummies book) designing a ship (graphics and creating symbols), listening for keypresses (buttons that pass instructions to movies plus checking over time that the button is still held down and how that creates acceleration) seems to go through the whole of my Flash 8 for Dummies book, into advanvced Flash 8 Actionscript and even into programming flash gaming book (which I never did read).

Shouldn't step one be something more like creating a menu system where you make 3 buttons and use gotoAndPlay(scene, frame)? You know, something that is Flash 101?

Graham's 2 cents.

37

General Software Discussion / Automatic file renaming - Help needed with batch files

« on: December 11, 2007, 03:34 AM »

Hi helpful and knowledgeable people of DC.

I have a processing problem with the satellite TV that I record here for languages at the university of southampton and it is mostly due to file names.

I have 4 pieces of software

Exterity IPTV http://www.exterity....products_avedia.html
Video Redo http://www.videoredo.com/
Sorenson Squeeze http://www.sorensonm...ducts/?pageID=1#ppc2
Flash Media Server http://www.adobe.com...ts/flashmediaserver/

I'm trying to make it so I don't have to re-encode 4-8 tv news recordings each day and make things automatic.

All these processes can be made automatic with the use of scheduled tasks and batch files but the names are a problem

Exterity outputs scheduled files as namechannel day month year.mpg
Video redo outputs files as input_fixed.mpg
Sorenson outputs files as input_VP6_1Mbps_Stream.flv

Nearly all of this is fine except for the date. I would need to rename the file namechannel day month year.mpg into 'namechannel.mpg'. Once that is done I can just use the rename command.

One line summary
So is there a program that can rename files that either works by 'rename namechannel*.mpg to namechannel.mpg' or works by saying 'rename namechannel $todaysDay $todaysMonth $todaysYear'.

Many thanks for the help that anyone can give.

Graham Robinson

38

General Software Discussion / Looking for reports of folder size

« on: November 19, 2007, 05:42 AM »

Hi all,
I'm a bit of a lingerer here but now I need your help.

I have a server that has a around 40 folders in it. I would like to have a program that would export the file size of the these folders without (or with the option) of not reporting the size of subfolders.

So if I have 10 folders called folder1 through to folder10 I could get a list that says

folder1: 132MB
folder2: 186MB
folder3: 852MB
folder4: 1,875MB
etc.

So does someone know of such a thing? The last program I saw like that was Norton Systemworks. But even if I had it I wouldn't want to install a program like that on a Windows server.

Many Thanks

Graham Robinson
Incident Response Team,
University of Southampton