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4376

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on February 02, 2011, 11:42 PM »

OK, give this a try - it uses devcon to get the status and (dis|en)able the network adapter.

I don't see how it's going to work if you're blocked from (dis|en)abling via the Network Connections Control Panel but who knows, stranger things have happened.

If it doesn't work, then the only option left is to either modify the program to elevate to SYSTEM user or try and run the devcon command elevated and see what happens.

NOTES: You no longer have a choice of toggling ALL connections.

Actual fact it probably works better than NetToggle because the status is more consistantly reported but it does have a LOT less error checking

REMOVED - See following posts.

4377

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on February 02, 2011, 08:12 PM »

Just for interests sake, a x64 version of devcon can be found here.

They might even go so far as providing the link to the file for you.  but the best way would be to have the program's installer offer to download the file and install it for you in case it's not installed yet.

-superboyac (February 01, 2011, 05:58 PM)

I'm going for something a bit easier, AutoIt allows incorporating binaries as a resource into the compiled program - so it will just extract the x86/x64 version out of the compiled program as required.

Probably not exactly kosher regarding distribution license but I'm feeling too old and lazy to be bothered by the more complicated method of grabbing it from MS or the location of the x64 version, (what happens if they change the address?), and installing it.

Also, I have no idea how to write an installer and I *hate* programs that cannot be unzipped and run unless there is a very good reason.

I can't see any reason why this won't run from a flash drive when I've finished, (fingers and toes crossed).

4378

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on February 01, 2011, 08:44 PM »

Man, this adapter ID thing is totally the reason why there are no good third party network software for windows.  I've always wondered why there were no cool little software out there to improve on little annoyances like this related to networks.

-superboyac (February 01, 2011, 08:36 PM)

It would be nice to know whether devcon worked in your situation before proceeding along this path.

Any chance you can download DEVCON, do the following in a CLI and paste the results in list.txt here?

devcon listclass net >list.txt

Then we could give you a devcon command to try and disable the adapter, if it doesn't work then there doesn't seem to be an easy way around the permissions.

4379

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on February 01, 2011, 07:09 PM »

Given permissions being set that disallow normal users from disabling the adapters, how is using devcon, (which I've used for other things), going to help?

Guess I'll have to fire up XP Pro and have a play in the Group Policy editor.

Scratch that, looks like server OS only.

Time to put the thinking cap on.

^ You are correct. There is a 32 and a 64bit version. Completely forgot about that.

-40hz (February 01, 2011, 01:05 PM)

The 64bit version included is for Intel Itaniums, (ia64), won't work on x64 installations.

i don't think you're a cracker failure.

-superboyac (February 01, 2011, 05:58 PM)

I wasn't suggesting I'm a cracker failure, perish the thought, I was suggesting my next program would be a cracker failure....as in format your drive type  

^Yep. That's the tricky part of the equation. You'd need to get that information somehow. If not through devcon, then some other way. I'd guess polling the registry would be how a pro would get it.

-40hz (February 01, 2011, 06:41 PM)

devcon listclass net >list.txt

Then string match the first 3 characters of each line to USB, PCI or BTH - should pick up almost any network hardware, giving you hardware ID, (for devcon), and adapter name, (for GUI).

4380

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on February 01, 2011, 05:28 PM »

you're right.  I'm at work, and i can't disable this connection.  I'm guessing it's a restriction put in place by our network admins. (see attachment in previous post)

-superboyac (February 01, 2011, 11:35 AM)

Possibly, (from here):

Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
Administrative Template: System
Policy Node: USER
Policy Path: Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections
Supported On: At least Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
Help/Explain Text: Determines whether users can enable/disable LAN connections. If you enable this setting, the Enable and Disable options for LAN connections are available to users (including nonadministrators). Users can enable/disable a LAN connection by double-clicking the icon representing the connection, by right-clicking it, or by using the File menu. If you disable this setting (and enable the Enable Network Connections settings for Administrators setting), double-clicking the icon has no effect, and the Enable and Disable menu items are disabled for all users (including administrators). Important: If the Enable Network Connections settings for Administrators is disabled or not configured, this setting will not apply to administrators on post-Windows 2000 computers. If you do not configure this setting, only Administrators and Network Configuration Operators can enable/disable LAN connections. Note: Administrators can still enable/disable LAN connections from Device Manager when this setting is disabled.
Registry Settings: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections!NC_LanConnect

Ah well, my second crack at a coding snack has failed to live up to expectations  

On the bright, the third time should be a cracker, (whether cracker failure I'm not sure about).  

It's usually a troubleshooting reason.  The most recent example is I'm trying to troubleshoot my email program, and I don't want it accidentally sending recieving any email until all my settings are the way i like it.  because if i don't like it, I'm going to move certain files around and i don't want an email or two slipping in there during the interim, because then my last "good" files are not the latest and greatest.  So stuff like that.

-superboyac (February 01, 2011, 02:44 PM)

I usually use the 'one size fits all' solution of unplugging the network cable.

4381

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on February 01, 2011, 03:09 AM »

OK, it's had a name change, (but you can change it to anything you like), to NetToggle v0.99

WHAT:  A simple program for toggling the state, (enable/disable), of one or all of the network interfaces.   Tray icon changes to reflect current status.

REQUIREMENTS: Windows XP+SP3 (x86/x64) or later.

USAGE: On first run it will prompt for a network interface from the drop down list, select one and click Save.  Interface selected is save to an ini file in the same directory as the executable.
      
Click the LMB on the tray icon to toggle the state of the interface.
      
Click the RMB on the tray icon to open the interface selector.
      
To exit the program, click the RMB on the tray icon and then click the window Close button, (X in top right).
      
NOTES: You can rename the executable when you run it, it will prompt for an interface and save it to a new ini under the same name as the executable.  So you can run multiple copies, one for each interface.

See post here.

4382

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 31, 2011, 07:45 PM »

The C# Native WiFi API thing didn't pan out as it's Vista/7 only (I'm not ready to give-up on XP just yet), so I'm polking around looking for options.

-Stoic Joker (January 31, 2011, 07:28 PM)

That's strange because they implemented it from XP SP2 onwards, well according to Microsoft....but then, what would they know

And it seems to work OK on XP-SP3 via my LANToggle program, (ie. it lists the interfaces and lets me (dis|en)able them), AutoIt of course so maybe there is a little more trickery going on.

However, I don't think it will work if the you don't use the Wireless Zero Config in Windows, (ie. the adapter uses whatever the manufacturer supplied by way of connection software).

4383

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 31, 2011, 07:10 PM »

Am I miss-reading that? ...Or are you saying you got a connections window for a LAN adapter?

-Stoic Joker (January 31, 2011, 06:41 PM)

I get the popup window you get when clicking on the Network SysTray icon that shows what you're currently connected to.

This is when I select the LAN connection (no WiFi plugged in):


This is when I select the WiFi adapter (when it's plugged in):


If I select the LAN connection when the WiFi is plugged in then I will get the same result as attachment 2.

If I select the WiFi connection when it's not plugged in I get nothing - exits quietly.

Hope that's clearer

Ahh, I see what happened - not your mis-reading but rather my mis-writing 

4384

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 31, 2011, 05:33 PM »

I tried it at home on a Windows 7 pc with no wifi adapters, and it gave some kind of GUID error dialog.

-superboyac (January 31, 2011, 09:30 AM)

Really? Weird, I just ran it here (Win7 desktop/no WiFi) and it just quietly exited. Might that have been an earlier build? I gotta remember to put build numbers in these things (bad habbit...).

-Stoic Joker (January 31, 2011, 11:50 AM)

Quietly exited here on my x64 W7 PC when I selected an unplugged WiFi adapter.  Selecting the LAN connection does the same as clicking on the tray icon.

Selecting the WiFi adpater when it's plugged in resulted in the same as clicking on the tray icon, (the popup window that shows what you're currently connected to - same result as LAN connection).

4385

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 30, 2011, 10:20 PM »

Works here on my netbook but lists every interface, even ones no longer plugged in.

-4wd (January 30, 2011, 12:24 PM)

I'd been wondering if that would be an issue, but wasn't sure how common the disabled adapters problem would be.

-Stoic Joker (January 30, 2011, 03:10 PM)

It reported a 802.11n adapter I haven't had plugged in for 6 months, another 802.11g adapter (unplugged) and a Huawei 3G modem (unplugged) as well as the normal LAN interface.

Given my (I'm beginning to suspect insane) habit of working in straight Win32 API C++, no. But I might be able to do something like that to eliminate the disabled adapters.

The AutoIt stuff seemed to be based on this C/C++ code into the Native WiFi API and I was thinking you could use that to get the string names of the current accessible adapters and then match against the ones you get from the registry to eliminate the others.

But what I know about C could be written on a pinhead in crayon, so I'll climb back under my rock

4386

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 30, 2011, 12:24 PM »

Works here on my netbook but lists every interface, even ones no longer plugged in.

In AutoIt someone created a UDF for WiFi functions, to get available adapters there's a function that calls wlanapi.dll to enumerate the interfaces.

Could that method be used for just the currently active WiFi adapter list?

4387

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on January 30, 2011, 01:01 AM »

Script was made easy by the use of a AutoIt UDF from Tlem over here.

Anyway, let me know if it works.

UPDATED: See post.

4388

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Block/Unblock all network traffic button (one-click)

« Last post by 4wd on January 30, 2011, 12:05 AM »

Do you mean Internet traffic or ALL network traffic?

For all, it would be a simple matter of disabling the interface.

If you mean ALL then I'll try and knock one up for you in a few hours, (basic toggle function is already available).

v0.28 attached.

4389

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Paragon Partition Manager 11 Personal and novaPDF Professional

« Last post by 4wd on January 29, 2011, 09:34 PM »

See my edit above, you're not actually embargoed - just not permitted to enter for the giveaways, which this isn't.

They haven't clarified why you're not permitted nor have they bothered clarifying the text at the bottom of any of their giveaways - this is pretty close to guilt by association AFAICS, and they should be made to clarify it.

Still, there's nothing stopping you from buying the bundle.

If it's a problem, PM me your name and email and I'll buy it for you - I live in Australia so it's no great hardship to donate to the flood 

4390

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Paragon Partition Manager 11 Personal and novaPDF Professional

« Last post by 4wd on January 29, 2011, 08:48 PM »

bundlelytic - new site?

brought to you by the guys behind makeuseof.com and thedailybuggle

Wich version of novaPDF Professional Desktop is being offered (screenshot says v6)

-Bionic71 (January 29, 2011, 12:39 PM)

v7.3 Build 355

Giveaway eligibility

Individuals who reside in a country embargoed by the United States; Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India are not permitted to enter.

I'm swedish, that's a shame I cant be apart of what they have to offer anymore (this incl) ...

Given that I went straight to the bundlelytic site:
1) There is no mention on that site of any country restriction.
2) It's not a Giveaway - you are paying for a product.  Giveaways are clearly marked on the makeuseof.com site - which isn't this one.

Any restriction on the purchasing/use of the software should be made on the site that's selling it, you should not be expected to navigate to some other site to find the details.

BTW, I searched but can't find any mention of an embargo against Sweden.  Threats but not an actual embargo - considering the USA Government would like to get their grubby little paws on Julian Assange after Sweden has finished with him, having an embargo would be counter-productive at this point.

Found clarification, (of a sort), in their forums:

It means that the residents of the countries that are currently placed under the US embargo are not permitted to participate in the giveaway because we will not be able to send the prize. Also residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India are exempt from participating.

You're not embargoed, just not permitted from participating in the giveaways, (which this isn't).

4391

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

« Last post by 4wd on January 29, 2011, 08:56 AM »

As pat said, the various peices of the file will sequentially link to each other until the end of the file is reached.

If you can get your program to report the sectors read as it goes then you can have a look after erasing with a hex editor - HxD is good, lightweight and free.

FWIW, the program I use for 'shredding', overwrites any sector used by the original file with pseudo-random data, (full sector write, not just the part the file used), the ADS and changes the file name/size/timestamp/attributes multiple times.

4392

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

« Last post by 4wd on January 27, 2011, 06:05 PM »

If you could get your program to report the initial sectors occupied by the original file then you could look at them afterwards using a disk editor, eg. WinHex.

That's the only way I can think of barring a complete drive scan using Runtimes' software or R-Studio...but that will take a very long time unless you've set up a small seperate partition/drive to test on.

4393

Living Room / Re: Rip a CD to Compact Flash/SD/... without a PC - is there such a gadget?

« Last post by 4wd on January 27, 2011, 04:08 AM »

It depends, I have an adapter, (for Sony Memory Stick), where a driver needs to be loaded - which is no good in your case.

However, some don't require a driver, IIRC, one of the earlier Lexar Jumpdrive series took SD cards and appeared as a normal flash drive - this is the kind you need.

If you can find a decent computer store that will let you try, (or one with knowledgable staff), it would help.

4394

General Software Discussion / Re: Simple Photo Resizer - Please Give Feedback

« Last post by 4wd on January 27, 2011, 12:39 AM »

i.e. People want to reduce photos to make them smaller to upload or email (most often).

-Renegade (January 24, 2011, 03:58 PM)

I stuck Shrink Pic on the wife's computer, set dimensions that were a good compromise of file size/readibility and then promptly forget about it.  It takes care of all emailed pictures, (and now uploaded ones too, I see).
 (see attachment in previous post)

-4wd (January 26, 2011, 11:27 PM)

I know I could go out and find something... But...

-Renegade (January 27, 2011, 12:31 AM)

I know, I was just giving a 'no input required after installation' alternative for the specific example you mentioned.

For those people where even a slider is too confusing

4395

General Software Discussion / Re: Simple Photo Resizer - Please Give Feedback

« Last post by 4wd on January 26, 2011, 11:27 PM »

i.e. People want to reduce photos to make them smaller to upload or email (most often).

-Renegade (January 24, 2011, 03:58 PM)

I stuck Shrink Pic on the wife's computer, set dimensions that were a good compromise of file size/readibility and then promptly forget about it.  It takes care of all emailed pictures, (and now uploaded ones too, I see).

4396

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

« Last post by 4wd on January 26, 2011, 11:16 PM »

Just wondering, are you only relying on what 'files' the programs report they find or do you also look at the sectors where the file was located to see if any original file data remains?

4397

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 26, 2011, 10:52 PM »

I'm a little sketchy on this part, should I be flattered, frightened, or both...

-Stoic Joker (January 26, 2011, 07:00 AM)

Definitely frightened!

Why?  Probably because you leave yourself open to repeat custom.

4398

Living Room / Re: Rip a CD to Compact Flash/SD/... without a PC - is there such a gadget?

« Last post by 4wd on January 26, 2011, 10:47 PM »

I have the TEAC MC-D610MP, (bookshelf stereo system - not available anymore), which could rip to MP3 on a USB Flash drive or SD/MMC card.

One for sale in the ACT, (Australian Capital Territory), for $5 atm.

4399

General Software Discussion / Re: How to create a shortcut for the "wireless network connection" in Windows XP?

« Last post by 4wd on January 25, 2011, 10:09 PM »

Well SJ, looks like you're going to earn your Superboy badge

4400

General Software Discussion / Re: Why is System Restore not placed the proper place?

« Last post by 4wd on January 24, 2011, 06:46 AM »

-can this perhaps be the reason that when I did a system restore on my own computer, Windows started by asking me to tell what language my keyboard was using?

-Curt (January 24, 2011, 05:47 AM)

No, because at that point Windows has loaded and the USB keyboard will already have been enabled as a device, more than likely the keymapping was lost and Windows has recognised it's not a 'standard' US keyboard so has asked for identification.

Not having USB Legacy Mode turned on in BIOS will result in a USB keyboard not being enabled until the OS has loaded, (as 40hz said).
It will, however, result in any keypresses being ignored until Windows does load.