Recent Posts

2451

Developer's Corner / Re: Safe programs for File Recovery

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 27, 2011, 05:27 PM »

@4wd:  I'm relying on the programs' reports.  How do I look at the sectors? 

2452

Developer's Corner / Re: Safe programs for File Recovery

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 26, 2011, 02:10 PM »

So far, I've tested against:

(1) Pareto Data Recovery
(2) Softonic File Scavenger

PDR couldn't find the "securely deleted" text file 'unrecoverable22.txt' at all.

SFS found it, but it found the version my code had overwritten the original as, namely a zero-length file with file attributes showing creation/modified dates in year 2036, as shown below (in other words, what it found in no way resembles the original file).  Rather it found the truncated, false-attributes file my code creates before calling File.Delete():

So, thus far, I'm pleased with how my code is holding up...

2453

Developer's Corner / Safe programs for File Recovery

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 26, 2011, 10:10 AM »

I'm working on a C# project involving file encryption/decryption.  One of the features I've implemented is the option to "securely delete" the original file after it's been encrypted (such that only the encrypted version remains, and the original cannot be recovered by file recovery utilities).  Now, I don't really want to post my code.  What I'd like to know is if you guys can recommend some trustworthy/safe free file recovery utilities against which I can test my "secure deletion".  Obviously, if any of those utilities can recover a file that my program has "securely deleted", then my code still needs work...

Here are a few I've Googled:

Disc Investigator
Recuva
Undelete Plus
Restoration
TestDisk
FILERECOVERY® 2011 for Windows
File Scavenger® - Data Recovery Utility
Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition

2454

Official Announcements / Re: Server Slow/Load Issue - Jan 22, 2011 - search temporarily offline

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 24, 2011, 11:38 AM »

No problem.  Thanks for the info, worstje!

2455

Official Announcements / Re: Server Slow/Load Issue - Jan 22, 2011 - search temporarily offline

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 24, 2011, 11:21 AM »

Sorry, the link gives me "An Error Has Occurred!"  I take it we're in the process of migrating user accounts to the new server, and may have a few days unavailability?

2456

Official Announcements / Re: Server Slow/Load Issue - Jan 22, 2011 - search temporarily offline

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 24, 2011, 11:07 AM »

I've been unable to connect to my DC FTP account since 1/21.  Tried it again a few minutes ago.  Is this related to the server problem?  Not a problem, since I can back up my files to my other site.  Just curious.

2457

Developer's Corner / Re: DC needs a fun game project that multiple people can contribute to

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 23, 2011, 01:55 PM »

Wouldn't it be possible to do both? Journey through the dungeon labyrinth solving puzzles to get to the next room/passageway/level?

Yeah, I like it.

How about a concept sort of like in the Wies & Hickman "Deathgate Cycle"?  You're in the labryinth and have to fight your way, level by level, to escape?  Of course, we could give it either a whimsical or sinister theme, or anywhere in between.

2458

Developer's Corner / Re: C# GDI+ Problem with byte[] and Bitmap - Memory Issues

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 21, 2011, 10:59 AM »

Objects get GC'ed "at some point after there's no longer any references to them", which could mean aeons after they "go out of scope"... but it can even happen within the method where the variable referencing the object was initially allocated.

True.  Remember, too, though, that there is such as thing as memory pressure, which refers to the fact that the more objects there are in memory, the more often garbage collection occurs.  Not sure how much more often.

2459

Developer's Corner / Re: DC needs a fun game project that multiple people can contribute to

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 21, 2011, 08:56 AM »

If this really takes off, it would be cool to release it as the first-ever massive-group-effort N.A.N.Y. app.

2460

Developer's Corner / Re: DC needs a fun game project that multiple people can contribute to

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 20, 2011, 07:00 PM »

the game should support USER GENERATED CONTENT.

How about a Multi-user Dungeon with a DonationCoder theme?

This would allow LOTS of member-involvement in developing areas/rooms, objects, traps, emotes, maps, etc.

2461

General Software Discussion / Re: Let's try to create our own suite for internet security.

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 17, 2011, 08:35 PM »

I use CCleaner.  Also like Glary Utilities.

2462

General Software Discussion / Re: Editor able to handle very large files

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 17, 2011, 07:43 PM »

HiEditor is a nice find.  I've added it to my programming toolkit.

2463

Living Room / Re: I need advice: which laptop to buy?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 17, 2011, 09:13 AM »

Agreed, fodder.  I use mine mainly as a mobile workstation -- don't transport it, often.  Wish I'd gone 17".  But considering I've got a 17" HP in the closet, which needs only a replacement bezel to be functional, I can't really complain.

2464

Living Room / Re: I need advice: which laptop to buy?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 17, 2011, 09:07 AM »

I'm relatively happy with my Inspiron, although my next laptop will be a 17".

2465

Living Room / Re: I need advice: which laptop to buy?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 17, 2011, 08:28 AM »

Does everybody use that damn crappy WXGA (1280x768) resolution for ~15" monitors?

My 15" Dell Inspiron is set to 1366x768. 

2466

Living Room / Re: Anyone want to write an eBook in 2011?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 16, 2011, 05:06 PM »

I came across this MakeUseOf article today, and felt it relates closely to the personal interest of mine that prompted me to start this thread in the first place.  Have any of you had any experience on any of the seven sites, or related sites?  I think collaborative storytelling could be really fun!

2467

Living Room / Re: Building a home server. Please help, DC!

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 16, 2011, 04:51 PM »

There's a recent MakeUseOf.com article on do-it-yourself home server using Amahi.

2468

Developer's Corner / Re: C# & Visual Studio Problem

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 16, 2011, 02:41 PM »

WTF? It's normal again...

Has anyone heard of this kind of wonkiness before?

Yes, I have.  Per discussion with a tech of MSDN, it's a bug in the Debugger.

2469

Living Room / Re: What books are you reading?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 16, 2011, 01:38 PM »

Just finished "Forbidden Knowledge", the second in Stephen R. Donaldson's 5-book "Gap" series.  Pretty entertaining.  Now reading Book III: "A Dark and Hungry God Arises".

2470

Developer's Corner / Re: Motivation For Freeware Maintenance?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 13, 2011, 08:14 PM »

Don't make your enjoyment be dependent too much on the reactions from others.  If you can figure out how to get your own satisfaction from what you do, everything else is just gravy.

+1.

My primary motivation is the personal enjoyment I get from turning an idea into a functioning program.  The learning-how-to-do-it, and adding another notch on my belt, so to speak, is the kick I get.  If anyone else compliments my work, that's just extra.

2471

Developer's Corner / Re: Open a File by dropping it onto Form (C# example)

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 13, 2011, 07:17 PM »

Thanks for the link.  I also like Veign's Code Highlighter.

Of course, I can also just use the site's code tags:

Code: C# [Select]

1. using System;
2. using System.Windows.Forms;
3. using System.Diagnostics;
4. using System.IO;
5.  
6. namespace BryanWinForms1 {
7.     public partial class Form1 : Form {
8.  
9.         private delegate void DelegateOpenFile(String s); //define delegate type
10.         DelegateOpenFile _openFileDelegate; //declares a delegate instance
11.  
12.         public Form1() {
13.             InitializeComponent();
14.             this.AllowDrop = true; //must set this to true, for dragDrop to work
15.                         //delegate needed so Form1_DragDrop() can asynchronously
16.                         //invoke our program's OpenFile() method
17.             _openFileDelegate = new DelegateOpenFile(this.OpenFile); //instantiates delegate
18.         }
19.  
20.         private void openToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
21.             OpenFileDialog openDlg = new OpenFileDialog();
22.             openDlg.Filter = "Any File (*.*)|*.*";
23.             openDlg.FileName = "";
24.             openDlg.CheckFileExists = true;
25.             openDlg.CheckPathExists = true;
26.  
27.             if (openDlg.ShowDialog() != DialogResult.OK)
28.                 return;
29.  
30.             OpenFile(openDlg.FileName);
31.         }
32.  
33.         private void OpenFile(string sFile) {
34.             //insert appropriate file-opening code here...
35.             MessageBox.Show("\"" + sFile + "\" will be opened.");
36.         }
37.  
38.         private void Form1_DragEnter(object sender, DragEventArgs e) {
39.                         //we're only interested if a FILE was dropped on the form
40.             if (e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop))
41.                 e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy;
42.             else
43.                 e.Effect = DragDropEffects.None;
44.         }
45.  
46.         private void Form1_DragDrop(object sender, DragEventArgs e) {
47.                         //good idea to use try-catch block, in case something goes wrong
48.                         try {
49.                 Array a = (Array)e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop);
50.                 if (a != null) {
51.                     // Extract string from first array element
52.                     // (ignore all files except first if number of files are dropped).
53.                     string s = a.GetValue(0).ToString();
54.                     // Call OpenFile asynchronously.
55.                     // Explorer instance from which file is dropped is not responding
56.                     // the entire time that the DragDrop handler is active, so we need to return
57.                     // immidiately (especially if OpenFile shows MessageBox).
58.                     this.BeginInvoke(_openFileDelegate, new Object[] { s });
59.                     this.Activate();        // in the case Explorer overlaps this form
60.                 }
61.             }
62.             catch (Exception ex) {
63.                 Trace.WriteLine("Error in DragDrop function: " + ex.Message);
64.                 // don't show MessageBox here - Explorer is waiting !
65.             }
66.         }
67.                
68.                 //next right-brace ends Form1 class
69.     }
70.         //next right-brace ends namespace
71. }

2472

Developer's Corner / Open a File by dropping it onto Form (C# example)

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 13, 2011, 06:52 PM »

Since I researched and implemented this for a recent short project, I thought I'd make it available in case it might benefit any other C# developers:

Sample Code for Opening a File Dropped onto Form.

2473

Developer's Corner / Re: Just How Many Programs Have You Written and Never Released?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 13, 2011, 03:29 PM »

But then, most likely, there are some gems, hidden in the debris

One of those gems, I'm discovering as I finally have reached what I'd call an intermediate skill level in my programming, is that I'm consolidating useful chunks of code into my own private namespaces for re-use.  Quite handy.

2474

Developer's Corner / Re: Just How Many Programs Have You Written and Never Released?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 13, 2011, 03:26 PM »

that's being a bit hard on yourself i think

Probably.  But I'm a perfectionist.  I'm never quite satisfied with the current state of an application I've authored.

2475

Developer's Corner / Re: Just How Many Programs Have You Written and Never Released?

« Last post by kyrathaba on January 13, 2011, 01:35 PM »

I can count on one hand the number of apps I've released to the public, and probably 2/3 of them shouldn't have been