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1476

General Software Discussion / Re: How to detect parent .EXE from tray icon?

« Last post by app103 on March 17, 2013, 07:24 AM »

Yes, the problem is well known and not just limited to Vista. It happens mostly with users that have a lot of stuff that loads at startup, with a lot of those apps having tray icons.

I used to keep a checklist with every app that stuck an icon in the tray and would go through the list, one by one, checking if the icon made it into the tray, killing and restarting apps that didn't ...after every reboot. It was ridiculous!

It was when I realized why this was happening that I could begin to solve the problem and not just deal with it after the fact.

At startup, everything is competing for system resources and trying to load itself, all at the same time. If the number of apps trying to load is high, there will be losers. All of them trying to get their icon in the tray means that some of them won't make it. The app will still be running in the background (which is why Ath's KeepUpApp probably won't help) but there just won't be a tray icon for you to be able to access the app from.

The simple solution is to not have all the apps trying to load at the same time. But manually clicking a bunch of shortcuts after Windows is done loading, is an inconvenient pain in the butt, which is why we have all this stuff loading at startup, in the first place.

So, I wrote an app to try to simulate the process of waiting, clicking shortcuts, and waiting some more.

Lacuna Launcher allows you to set up a list of paths to apps you want to run. If you configure a shortcut to Lacuna launcher with command line parameters, you can specify the length of time it should wait before it starts launching the stuff on the list. You can also specify the length of time it should wait between items. Use a stopwatch to time Windows startup (without the apps on the list) or play with those numbers till you find the right amount. Then if you clean out your startup folder and put that shortcut to Lacuna Launcher in there, it should solve your messed up/missing icons problem by staggering out the starting of those apps, so they are not all competing to get their icons into the tray at the same time.

You probably won't be able to put everything in the list, but the things you can put in there will reduce the load on Windows when it first starts up, enough to relieve the problem.

1477

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 17, 2013, 04:31 AM »

1478

Living Room / Re: NULL

« Last post by app103 on March 17, 2013, 03:04 AM »

ω

1479

General Software Discussion / Re: Software to control Wallpaper?

« Last post by app103 on March 16, 2013, 10:21 AM »

Try Panorama. It has always been and still is my favorite wallpaper changer. Light as a feather, it is approved by Laggy the Snail for use on old slow computers.




Install it, run it, drag & drop a bunch of wallpapers into the program window, then save the list.

• You can configure each wallpaper to stretch, tile, or center (doesn't have options for the newer fit or fill)
• You can set it to change the wallpaper at intervals from every second to every 24 hours.
• You can set it to change them in the order of the list or random order.
• You can pause/suspend wallpaper changing from the tray icon.
• There are user configurable hotkeys to change the wallpaper. (forward/back)

Panorama doesn't have any resource wasting fancy eye candy on the program's window, or an overabundance of features, but it does have what is important. It was written a long time ago, by Shaun Ivory, who has since gone on to bigger and better things, like working for Microsoft.

Some time within the last year, Shaun took down his site full of freeware which has made getting his software (without bundled crapware from download sites) increasingly difficult. It is essentially abandonware, unsupported, but well written...so unless something drastically changes in Windows itself to cause it to break, it will probably keep on working just as good as it always has for the 14 years that I have used it.

I have attached the original zip file to this post.

1480

Living Room / Re: NULL

« Last post by app103 on March 15, 2013, 04:20 AM »

∅

1481

General Software Discussion / Re: Prevent a program from launching my webbrowser?

« Last post by app103 on March 15, 2013, 04:18 AM »

Do you normally want it to do it on bootup? Probably not, so you'd just use Browser Tray Switch to change the default to the browser of your choice when you are ready, which would be after MotionInJoy failed its automatic attempt to open sh.com.

But if you do have pages that you want to be able to open at bootup, then use the HOSTS method that I mentioned. It won't stop MotionInJoy from attempting to open the page, it won't stop your browser from opening, but it will stop sh.com from loading.

1482

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 15, 2013, 03:36 AM »

I'll have to become a more advanced being now...
 (see attachment in previous post)
http://www.dieselswe...ies.com/archive/3282

-tomos (March 15, 2013, 03:15 AM)

Kind of reminds me of an IM I received from a friend once, where she was in a state of panic over wikipedia being down, which she claimed was causing her a temporary loss of 50+ IQ points. 

1483

General Software Discussion / Re: (Software metaphor) Not just bugs... bedbugs!

« Last post by app103 on March 15, 2013, 02:05 AM »

That's one of the pitfalls of living on the cutting edge. You get to be the one that makes all the forum posts complaining about the problems an app causes you...the posts that the rest of us will read later and decide an app isn't worth the risk. 

I don't think I have been there in quite a long time, not since trying to install/upgrade apps written in VB6 on a certain WinME machine would cause the system to hang on the splash screen for 24+ hours. Sure, I could have just let it go and eventually it would load the OS and everything would be ok, but who knew how many days that might take? Sometimes it was just faster to wipe and reinstall everything, only to have this all repeat itself about 3-4 months later when I had to upgrade another VB6 app. (and now you know why I hate storing any personal data or installing software on the OS partition)

1484

General Software Discussion / Re: Prevent a program from launching my webbrowser?

« Last post by app103 on March 15, 2013, 01:29 AM »

You could use mouser's Browser Tray Switch and set a browser that doesn't have permission in your firewall (or a dummy executable) as your default browser. That way, anything that wants to automatically open a page without your permission, would fail in doing so.

(see mouser's last paragraph on the program's page)

Another alternative, without using additional software, could be blocking sh.com in your HOSTS file. This would only make that domain name fail, though, and would offer no protection against any other app that decides to act with similar behavior.

1485

Living Room / What *Should* We Be Worried About?

« Last post by app103 on March 13, 2013, 11:10 PM »

Need a few more things to ponder?

Every year, the online magazine Edge asks top scientists, technologists, writers, and academics to answer a single question. This year, that question was "What Should We Be Worried About?", and the idea was to identify new problems arising in science, tech, and culture that haven't yet been widely recognized. And it's a very long list. There are some 150 different things that worry 151 of the planet's greatest minds. The answers cover a wide variety of topics and ideas.

This is the stuff keeps the smartest folks in the world awake at night.

http://edge.org/annual-question/q2013

1486

General Software Discussion / Re: Seeking Little App w/Specific Actions

« Last post by app103 on March 13, 2013, 07:55 AM »

I don't have a multi-monitor setup, so I don't know anything about utilities to move a window from one to the other, but as far as stashing an app's window in the tray, I use PS Tray Factory for that.

1487

Living Room / Re: What are your favorite movies?

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 07:07 PM »

For cheezy but enjoyable I'll take the original (1976) Logan's Run any day.

-40hz (March 12, 2013, 01:07 PM)

Hey, I happen to love Logan's Run! 

1488

Living Room / Re: Left-handed help needed !

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 01:31 PM »

One-Handed in a Two-Handed World: Your Complete Guide to Managing Single-Handedly

Tommye-Karen Mayer survived a stroke at the age of 23 and has been managing single-handedly in a two-handed world for three decades. After a period of wondering whether she would ever again live independently, she began developing a system for how to accomplish a wide range of everyday activities of daily living one-handedly — dressing, eating, cooking, doing household chores, traveling, and much more.

One-Handed in a Two-Handed World is known as the "bible" for occupational therapists and other healthcare and rehabilitation professionals who work with patients who are temporarily or permanently one-handed. This is the only book of practical advice for managing activities of daily living one-handedly. It may be used by individuals who have experienced strokes or traumatic brain injury, had shoulder surgery, were born without an arm or hand, need to rest an arm for repetitive strain injuries, or have lost the use of an arm or hand as the result of injury.

It is a practical guide to a wide variety of useful devices and technology, and provides step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish each task discussed. Numerous figures show useful tools to make the tasks easier.

http://www.amazon.co...dedly/dp/0982321988/

You can pre-order the latest edition from Amazon...or if you don't want to wait, get the older one here: http://www.dynamic-l...n-a-twohanded-world/ (this site also sells some gadgets you might find handy)

1489

Living Room / Re: Left-handed help needed !

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 01:14 PM »

I live with a left handed person, and I am thinking of all the left-handed gadgets we might own, and I can only think of 2: a pie cutter and a baseball glove.

And something tells me that you won't be playing baseball for awhile.

The pie cutter isn't a lefty one, specifically...it's ambidextrous. It has a serrated edge on both sides, instead of just the side for righties.

I think the bigger problem that you have is finding things for one-handed operation. Or operation by someone that has a loss of co-ordination. (you are dealing with both!)

One of the toughest things to do with one hand is open a jar. And there aren't too many things that I can think of that can frustrate a person and make them feel helpless as quickly as not being able to open a jar when they want to get in it.

That's where this will come in handy:


http://www.amazon.co...pener/dp/B000X6K9J8/

Don't use the included peel and stick tape to mount it. Get someone to put it up with screws, for you, so it stays put.

You'll love this thing long after your wrist is healed. 

You might also want to get an electric toothbrush, because the loss of co-ordination is also a loss of effectiveness, and your teeth shouldn't rot while you are healing.

1490

Living Room / Re: Linked In... too linked in?

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 11:43 AM »

There are a few ways that people get recommended on social networks.

One, as you guessed, is that you allow access to your contact list, through your email account.

Another, is that someone else may have given them access to their contact list, and you may be on it.

Initially, that person would be given the opportunity to add or invite you, first, but if they don't, you might be offered the opportunity, later on, to add them. The fact that there is a relationship between the 2 of you, has already been established through their email contact list, and the site now knows this.

This is a rather nasty underhanded thing for social networks to do, but any social network that encourages you to share your contact list with them, must be assumed to be doing this, since most do.

People really need to stop sharing their data with sites in this way, because the privacy implications affect other people as you have been a witness to.

About the only way you can control things and prevent other people from sharing your data in a way that connects the 2 of you on their site is to sign up for each social network with a brand new email address that is used only for signing up for social networks. It won't be in anybody else's contact list.

1491

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 10:26 AM »

Heh yeah, that's just a fairly famous lawyer joke from the net with some pic stuck onto it.

-TaoPhoenix (March 12, 2013, 07:19 AM)

It's not just "some pic" stuck to it, it's a crack dealer's mug shot being passed off as an honest granny. 

That, to me, was funner than the actual joke.

1492

Living Room / Re: What are your favorite movies?

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 06:35 AM »

That is a good one.    I'd add Serenity to that list also, and Westworld.

-wraith808 (March 11, 2013, 06:41 PM)

Yul Brynner's character in Westworld freaked me out, as a kid. (still does)

1493

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 12, 2013, 01:54 AM »

And here is the link to the news story I mentioned in the last comment: http://www.cbsnews.c...20021387-504083.html

1494

Living Room / Re: Amazon creepy ...

« Last post by app103 on March 09, 2013, 02:39 PM »

Did you visit any of the search results from your googling?  I'm by no means particularly knowledgeable in this stuff, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the sites that you visited (assuming you did) has some sort of affiliation with Amazon and passed your interest in Office 2003 SBE on to them in some fashion.

-mwb1100 (March 09, 2013, 01:31 PM)

Or perhaps a result that had a Facebook plugin of some sort active on the page? (comments, like button, etc.)

Facebook and Amazon may be sharing data. If this is the source, Ghostery can block this kind of behavior by blocking social plugins..

1495

Living Room / Re: SimCity - EA shows us all how to ruin a landmark game with DRM.

« Last post by app103 on March 08, 2013, 11:15 AM »

Gothi[c] dropped this link in the IRC channel: http://sc2013thedeception.blogspot.com

The DRM problems seem to be just the tip of the iceberg. There are still a whole lot of other things to complain about, even if they got rid of the DRM.

This one is hilarious:

- Airport City (the city is only one International Airport, occupying the entire map 2x2km).

And they expect people to want to pay for that? And they expect some people to also want to pirate that? 

now EA will blame piracy among PC users for the declining sales.

-lanux128 (March 08, 2013, 08:56 AM)

Yep.

But truth be told, it will be the pirates that actually add value to the game by making it playable~!

-Renegade (March 08, 2013, 09:19 AM)

As long as you don't build an airport. 

Might not be a bad idea to save your money, skip this, and go play the free Facebook game, instead. It probably will let you build a bigger city. 

1496

Screenshot Captor / Re: Screenshot Captor 3.23 Beta Test - Mar 8, 2013 - Feedback Wanted

« Last post by app103 on March 08, 2013, 07:55 AM »

v3.23 is now up.

-mouser (March 08, 2013, 05:31 AM)

Getting a 404 on that, here.

1497

Living Room / Re: Here is an odd windows service problem

« Last post by app103 on March 07, 2013, 09:47 PM »

It could have a lot in common with the infamous ctfmon.exe that many can't seem to stop from loading. For that, changing a setting in something else gets rid of it, once and for all.

My guess is that something else that is set to load at startup or perhaps even a dll from something somehow is causing this to also startup. Does it startup when in safe mode? That could offer some clue, or even narrow it down a bit, as to what is causing this.

1498

Living Room / Re: Here is an odd windows service problem

« Last post by app103 on March 07, 2013, 07:15 PM »

Sounds like a job for Process Explorer followed by Autoruns.

-4wd (March 07, 2013, 06:19 PM)

Process Monitor might help, too, especially with finding out what exactly keeps adding it back into the Registry. Might be able to watch it in real-time. 

1499

Living Room / Re: Why Russell Holly returned his Microsoft Surface Pro - A Cautionary Tale

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2013, 11:31 AM »

I think this might explain the stores, and what happened to them:

1500

LaunchBar Commander / Re: Trojan (false positive?)

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2013, 09:52 AM »

Yes, it is a false positive. Seems a few antivirus companies have heuristics that bounce back and forth between liking and not liking that file. It's been going on for quite a long time.

In case you are unaware of the purpose of that file, there is detailed information about what the file does/can do here: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html

Basically, it gives you more features and functionality to play with, more things you can create shortcuts for in LaunchBar Commander. It's a power users tool.