Recent Posts

651

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 31, 2008, 02:20 AM »

Alright, Notes 2.1 is _ALMOST_ complete!

Printing now works! You have no clue how hard it is to print something. It took me 28 lines of code! Think about that next time you hit Control+P!

Anyways, Notes just needs one or two more almost-invisible tweaks, and it will be ready to rock. I will merge it into SnapSuite and release it with Alpha 3.

I am also working on Crayons N Markers, and GoOS. Once GoOS is complete (it will likely be a year or so, I want it to be really nice before I go putting it on display) all the programs will have their latest version and about half of them will be renamed (this naming scheme I have is lame IMO).

Anyways, alpha 3 will be here soon. At least if everything goes to plan. School in 12 days!

-Brandon

P.S.: I must give credit to HamRadio for making the new Notes icon (it changed since the screenshot).

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DC Gamer Club / Re: Sauerbraten Server Updates and DonationCoder map - Sauerbraten FPS fun

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 29, 2008, 07:40 PM »

It should be done sometime in August, but no promises. I need to add some more scenery and locations, but most of them are already existent from other random brainstorming maps I have...

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Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 29, 2008, 01:57 AM »

Kind of odd, but I see why he posted it here. Definitely start a new thread, it will get more attention than this thread for what you are offering.
</offtopic>

I have made small buttons in my signature for a few reasons:

• Easier to see a "button" than text
• The smaller icons help bandwith limited users (no more huge 300x150 thing for Maze Craze)
• They look cleaner and more professional
• Both accent the other (same layout, different colors/logos)

I am pretty much done working on SS 09, I am just working on the Maze Craze levels now so I can add MC into SS. GoOS is coming along nicely, and if I can get the printing functions working in Notes 2.0 that will be added to both GOS and SS.

Bugs. Bad in every form.

Also, once again, I am really surprised at the number of downloads for SS. Seriously. This started as a project to automate computer maintenance by opening programs, hitting Tab/enter/click, and repeating. Programs had to be pre-installed to default directories and users had to pre-set options before running the program. No GUI, and if something went wrong you had to hurry and "help" the program before it clicked/selected the wrong item. Now look... I am starting to not believe it. Every person that downloads gives me more encouragement to keep working

I love programming

-Brandon

654

Living Room / Re: YouTube prob...

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 28, 2008, 11:30 PM »

I have the same issue, it RARELY works on the first load but after 2-15+(!) refreshes it works (yes, I am willing to wait for it to refresh that many times to watch a video that is shorter than the time it takes to refresh).

Firefox 3 on Vista Home Prem SP1

Seemed to happen after FF3, not because of FF3, but just coincidentally YouTube fscked up the service at the same time. I have friends that complain of the same thing on occasion, but for me it is near constant.

EDIT: 3/3 video loads worked first try via IP and not www.youtube.com, FYI

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Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 28, 2008, 07:35 PM »

There are no other lights or anything on the machine other than the power light and the motherboard light.
Internal speaker might be unplugged, but I don't see one anywhere...
And yea, if nothing else works ill just attack it myself.

(Off-topic & Ironic: the day he asked me to start working on it I was wearing my Geek Squad shirt. Hope I am not falling to their level of service & "quality" when fixing stuff. Of course for this problem they would just charge your $300, tell you they reformatted Windows, and when you come back in the next day with the same PC you had when you dropped it off initially, no techs are to be found )

EDIT: Cats = ESD nightmare
(Maybe that explains why mousers computer broke a while back! )

656

Official Announcements / Re: DonationCoder/Veign Programming Contest Results Posted

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 28, 2008, 12:54 AM »

Congrats to all three of you, all great programs

Now we need a Linux compatible version of Circle Dock so I can have my cake on Vista and eat it on Xubuntu too.
Maybe a *nix programming contest next time around? Might be interesting!

*Wreckedcarzz eagerly awaits new CD version*

657

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 09:57 PM »

The website appears to be uploaded and all the information should be up to date. All links and downloads work unless otherwise stated.

Unless I get negative feedback on the new layout, I will go ahead with a cleanup and delete all the old webpages and images.

http://mazecraze.dcmembers.com/

  

-Brandon

658

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 09:27 PM »

Alright, I am going to try and finish up and upload the updated website tonight. I might add a screenshot section... not sure at this point. For now it is mostly done, but I almost always mess up a few links and things just don't flow correctly, so it takes a few tries to get everything the way I want it.

Practice makes perfect I suppose.

I will re-post here when the site is all ready. There will be new (old) downloads for Maze Craze, and all the Download links in the new menu go directly to the downloads, no extra webpages.

659

Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 08:14 PM »

Turned out to be DELL RAM. Whoever did the installation of the new RAM moved the Dell ram over incorrectly. I had to use vice grips (the "mega pliers") to pull one side of each stick out to remove them. No idea how much the capacity is, but it couldn't have been much (Designed for Windows 2000).

@cmpm: Using the included Dell ribbon IDE cable. No problems with the cable (tears/cuts). I have moved the HD1 and HD2 connectors between the working hard drive to no avail. It is securely attached to the motherboard.

@Carol: I don't get any video nor beeps, even with/out a hard drive/floppy/optical drive. The RAM has been jury rigged for some time anyways (the Dell RAM and the NEC RAM are apparently incompatible with each other, even though the system ran with both (but it only saw the NEC when the system was operational)). The little light on the motherboard shows green, with no blinking or changing to indicate diagnostic needs. Most of the things are working just no video and no beeps, so no BIOS setup and no OS. All input and no output makes this Dell an ugly paperweight.

RAM reinstall was a bust (removed the crappy Dell RAM too). Still a yellow power light. Took the graphics card out on a hunch, nothing. Ditto on the Audigy SE (the Audigy was a birthday present, some good it is now). I don't think it is the CMOS because the CD and hard drives run fine, and the computer ran for 30 minutes or so in its "Yellow Light Mode" with no issue. No HD activity light (the drive did spin up, so it will soon take new life in my small white Gateway makeshift home server). I have put the replacement CMOS battery number onto the grocery list, however it is a long shot at best. Oh well. Time to start un-screwing and salvaging.

@All: Thanks for the ideas and help ! Maybe we should keep this topic somewhere handy (I might favorite it) for other computer issues here @ DC. Might help as a future reference.

660

Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 07:08 PM »

Random oddity: Two sticks of RAM appear to be superglued into the motherboard. But there is no glue or anything holding them that I can see. I have removed the 256MB that Windows was using... so I don't know what the heck these other two are. They are the length of RAM, but about 2/3 of the height of the others.

That's a new one.

661

Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 07:03 PM »

I'll give the ram re-seating a go, it is a beotch to get them back in but it might on the off chance work...

True, no matter how long you extend something you can only drag it out for so long. Unfortunately everything must die.

If nothing else, I get a hard drive, floppy drive, power supply, fan, and some other random parts from it. Something for nothing is never bad (assuming the something isn't a harmful thing).

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Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 06:24 PM »

@mouser: No beeps. Small green mobo light is shining away. PSU is good. CPU seems fine (heat sink is ... hot)

@Shades: Ditto on the no D(H)ell experience. HP and Gateway person here.

I do not have the manual on hand (hand-me-down PC) so I'll Google it.
I think it might be the CMOS battery (I think that is the name for it), so I'll check that too. $5 at Radioshack if it is dead or something isn't bad.

And I cannot measure the voltage of the PSUs as I do not have the tools to do so, but the stock PSU was fine (I have ruled it out due to all the fans working after several minutes, so it wasn't dying). There was also no power surge around the same time, and no change in power being supplied to the PSU.

EDIT: Here is the system specs if they might help out...
http://supportapj.de...ms/dim8200/specs.htm

663

Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 06:10 PM »

I have thought of this approach, but I am not sure what component has gone wrong, and I have installed faulty hardware into perfectly running PCs before, only to fry that computer as well (smoke, a lot of heat, and panic). It is an option but for now I would like to keep this an isolated problem.

664

Living Room / Re: Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 05:36 PM »

Additional info:

Hard drive LED stays green
Not plugged into surge protector
No dust around any ports
All USB ports appear to be fine (no bent pins)
Rear/CPU fan is spinning once again (my error)

EDIT: And GPU fan is spinning strong

EDIT 2: Both HDs are IDE, and set to Cable Select

First HD does NOT appear to spin up, secondary does spin up
Primary shows constant HD green light Both show NO HD light (green is shown when there is NO HD attached, so... some weird cabling issues there it looks like)

EDIT 3: Information change (above)

EDIT 4: It appears the primary hard drive is/has been dead. Not sure, but it sure looks like a paperweight now (no spinning). The light is still amber on both IDE cable plugs. The secondary drive spins up, so it is not a power-to-HD issue.

EDIT 5: Everything works fine (HD, GPU fan, CPU fan, and the CPU (I touched and quickly removed my hand from the somewhat hot heatsink to check), but it still doesn't work. RAM appears to be seated fine (I gently pressed on all 4 chips). After a short 60 second phone call I now know that he hit it on the right side (where the motherboard is) and that it did not fall over afterward. I think it is a scrapyard paperweight at this point... but I don't really want to give up on it. Ideas? I don't really want to get 5 or 6 things from this PC and dump it in a landfill if I can fix it.

EDIT 6: The hard drive is fine, spins up like a beauty. IDE and other cables are secure. I think it might just be the motherboard at this point... there is heat coming from the RAM and heat sink, so... dunno. Afterthought: Could it have overheated? Small room, room temp @ about 90F (~32C) with little ventilation and running system intensive 3D games (literally riding on the "MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS"?

665

Living Room / Computer problem, maybe you can help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 27, 2008, 05:14 PM »

Alright, I have an issue and a friend (although tempting, the friend is not the issue that is the topic here today )

This friend of mine has had a Dell Dimension 8200 computer. Bad shape. Let me clarify. Picture your entire house, all the dust, now collect it and put it into a 4 year old computer that is about 18"x18"x6" and has only been opened MAYBE 10 times in its lifetime. Except all that dust wasn't the problem (DYSON vacuums do wonders ). Ignoring the mere 256MB of ram (64MB each, 4 sticks), two aging hard drives, graphics card with the back cover 1/2 broken off, one *really* old CD 4x drive, and the most-likely-broken floppy drive... the computer will no longer boot. (It could be noted that this poor computer was used for gaming - not Solitare, but mid/high range games like the ones in the DC Gamers Club area of the Forum. When you stop laughing (or crying), read on.)

The issue happened after my friend, as he says "hit the side of the computer really hard" and "it doesn't turn on anymore. The power light just goes orange"

Basically, it sounds like some wierd hardware malfunction happened due to the sudden shock. The power supply is NOT the culprit (I have replaced it, minus the secondary hard drive/CD drive/floppy power). I did a ton of over-the-phone troubleshooting and nothing helped. Removing GPU, reconnecting all plugs on back of PC, changing power outlets, nothing. With the computer in my posession now, I have done more advanced stuff, but nothing seems to help. The computer makes NO beeping noises at startup or after several minutes "running" (not sure how to describe it, it doesn't turn off but it isn't "on"). The video card gives no output. The sound card was swapped out recently from a Sound Blaster LIVE! to a Sound Blaster Audigy SE, however that is not the issue. It has nothing to do with Windows, and not the hard drives (he hit the power button as I was installing the PSU (!) and there was no change (the hard drive was not plugged in). I said some things, but the computer did not change (the same cannot be said for my voice inflection).

The rear (CPU) fan WAS spinning up on "boot", but it has since stopped (I think that is a personal error, as I am unsure how the he*l this stupid Dell fan clip goes onto the mobo... but anyways. CD drive opens. I believe the hard drive spins up as well, not sure. The graphics card, as said, has been re-installed and the RAM shouldn't have moved (haven't checked). There is NO onboard video, FYI (and I do not own another AGP graphics card, so that limits testing that dept).

I have done Google searches (don't bash me for not, because I have ) and the answers are not as helpful as I need them to be. Specifically here: http://forums.techgu...nge-power-light.html seemed helpful, but I have checked all of that.

So I have no idea what to do. I am happy to scour it for parts, but if I can get it working I might be able to hold it long enough so he can get a newer, and maybe somewhat decent, computer. And then I have another server or something for BOINC.

Ideas, fellow DCers?
-Brandon

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Living Room / Re: Can you live with *just* opera?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 26, 2008, 02:45 PM »

I have had friends that swear by Opera. They love it, for one reason or another. They now all run Firefox 3. Everything in Opera they liked is now a FF extension, and FF is less resource intensive than Opera now.

The one (and only) reason I used Opera for a while was the Speed Dial feature, but that has been recreated in the Fast Dial extension for Firefox. IMO the Opera skin browser page thing whatever is WAYYYY too confusing, and the skins are not diversified enough. They are all the same, boring, weird skin with different colors or a new icon here or there. Granted this was back on version 9.0 (I think, not sure) but nonetheless it just didn't seem to have the cozy "feel" that Firefox gives you. (Maybe its the FIRE part of the fox )

I no longer use Opera, Maxthon, IE7, or any other browser. Nor does my parents or little sister. It just works for all of us.

</rambling>

667

Circle Dock / Re: Windows 7's Taskbar....Err.....Circle Dock for the DC Programming Contest

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 26, 2008, 02:38 AM »

I'm happy to help test on win xp pro x64.

-mouser (July 26, 2008, 02:27 AM)

Ditto that for Vista Home Prem SP1 32bit.

I also have VB Express Edition 2008 installed, I am far from being as good a programmer as you but I might spot something... any help is good help (usually)

EDIT: I am only single monitor so I can't help there, but I have 3 systems running Vista and 2 on XP (all 32 bit, but it still gives a good overall test)...

668

Living Room / Re: Whats on your desktop?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 26, 2008, 02:34 AM »

I have HDR rendering in my games, not sure if that is the same thing as what Curt mentioned, but if it is then I can also say that it makes a huge difference in the way images look. I have quite a few desktop wallpapers in my game screenshot collection that I use, and all of them have HDR lighting in them. You really notice the difference.

Also, an update to my desktop - I don't show icons much anymore due to my shoving programming stuff all over the desktop, so all I have is my ObjectDock Pro (awaiting the next version of CircleDock!) and the taskbar.

The background is an edited screenshot of my (favorite) game, Project Torque. I was drifting in my Subaru and decided to make an ad out of the thing based on the new TV commercials (I love the car, it really is fun to drive, regardless of being "simulated").

(The PNG was over 2.2 some odd MB, hence the JPG image format)

EDIT: That image does have HDR in it, although a bit hard to notice due to the effect wearing off with time (as to simulate the human eye adjusting to light).

EDIT 2: I need to post my Xubuntu desktop too, don't I?

669

DC Gamer Club / Re: DC Gamers - Racer Review: Fun 3D racing

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 26, 2008, 02:18 AM »

I personally plan on purchasing rFactor sometime in the future and reviewing it here as well, although I try to stick to freeware games as I (and most people) can't go out and spend money on games all the time. $50 here, $30 there, and eventually your $500 in the hole with only 10-15 games!

But yea, rFactor is a good sim racing game (I have played the SP demo version... I guess it is a "demo"...). Also worth a go.

670

Circle Dock / Re: Windows 7's Taskbar....Err.....Circle Dock for the DC Programming Contest

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 26, 2008, 02:15 AM »

Good to have a report on the progress. Looking forward to the new release!

671

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Notes 2.1 information and screenshots

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 26, 2008, 12:35 AM »

Notes 2.1 - Smarter, Faster, Friendlier

Following the above post, I have made an almost-complete Notepad replacement to go into GoOS. It no longer uses the large toolbar, instead using the traditional menu "list" (File/Edit/View and the like).

Everything works except Print, Print Preview and Redo. Redo doesn't work in the TextBox control, but it works in a RichTextBox. However I cannot use the RichTextBox because everything shows up on one line when you save and re-open a document (the reason that I had to debug earlier, wasn't sure what the issue was). Go figure.

Anyways, here is that list of reasons to grab this new version once I figure out the 3 missing features:

• Recoded completely from the ground up
• Faster loading
• Detailed status gives the user valuable feedback
• Small eye catching icons clearly illustrate menu item actions to the user
• Smaller menu bar - more space for your text (less scrolling)
• Challenge yourself - the typing speed monitor pushes your WPM level to the limit - watch out, backspaces hurt!
• Full accessibility for keyboard or handicapped users - all menu items are accessibility friendly, and common keyboard shortcuts work too!
• More informative and easier to understand questions - don't accidentally wipe out that 50 page essay (or those 80-some-odd item shopping lists)
• Cleaner code - less processing time -> less CPU usage -> less bloat!
• Logical and familiar menus allow fast workflow with minimal confusion

There. 10 reasons
I still don't have anything Printing correctly... so that will be quite a pain. But for now everything else works (not counting Redo).

Two images are attached, one is just a basic PrintScreen of Notes, and the other is that with various items outlined.

I hope to fix this Printing issue soon! Thoughts/ideas welcome

-Brandon

672

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 25, 2008, 07:17 PM »

Alright, I went away for 3 days to my grandmothers house with my sister. All in all it wasn't bad. I played some GRAW2 and got some programming done.

About the programming: I was messing with VB and was able to make a multi-threaded application within 6 minutes (as in, ready to run, but all details not done - usable, but not *complete*. That time counts the time the designer took to setup the initial application/IDE, coding, debugging and naming all the controls. I was quite happy with that, and decided to work a bit on just a random bit of stuff.

I ended up with a new version of Notes. Sounds boring right? I have made like 10 different updates to it. Why another?

It has a bunch of new, really cool stuff - I was going to list 10 things here showing the improvements... but there is a major problem with it and I need to go and debug it. However, it should be a relatively simple fix - if my theory is correct - and I will have a screenshot and list of changes up here soon (editing this post).

EDIT: See below post for information, I think it will be easier to see one post all about it rather than one with mixed info.

673

Living Room / Re: Picking the right mouse for gaming - suggestions?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 25, 2008, 07:06 PM »

Alright, NewEgg had a rebate on the G9 (normally $100, it was on sale for $80, and the rebate took it to $60!) so I went and got that. I absolutely love it. The cord is the only negative to the thing (IMO, I'm a wireless guy). The options for it just blow away every other mouse I have used. Definitely worth consideration if you are a heavy mouse user of gamer looking for a new mouse!

674

Living Room / Re: Linux needs more haters

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 22, 2008, 01:59 AM »

The only reason I don't like Linux is the lack of games and the poor graphic/sound card support. Just because I don't have an integrated POS doesn't mean I should have to go through hoops to get decent window rendering and a good resolution!

But yea, kinda surprised... no one ever b*tches about *nix...

675

DC Gamer Club / (Sauerbraten) The Park is coming... please refrain from screaming!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on July 21, 2008, 11:40 PM »

The Sauer server may make a comeback soon, but not sure yet. However, I have some interesting news.

I am working on a somewhat small scale deathmatch map in Sauerbraten (due to an internet outage today, and lack of anything to do, I added several new things to the map). "The "Park"" is a small, dark, and foggy map, taking place in an old abandoned park.

If you are easily scared and/or have the lights off where you are at, heed my warning that this might freak you out a bit if you are into this kind of "imagine this" stuff...

The layout:
You are dropped in a small, collapsed tunnel that was originally one of the main ways into the park. Blood covers the ground as you exit the tunnel. As you reach outside you notice an untrimmed hedge maze and a small puddle of muddy water. Fog is everywhere, limiting your viewing distance to several feet (~5 meters). To your right is empty, grassy landscape. To your front is more empty grassy landscape, and the entrance to the hedge maze. To your left is the roadway leaving/entering the park, and behind you are 3 parking spaces, marked with the glowing green words "PARKING". There is lighting placed within the tunnel and inside the hedge maze. Entrance to the maze does not guarantee survival. Entering the maze, the dimly lit ground lighting only illuminates 3-5 feet (1-1.75 meters). The ground is covered with leaves. The way out is the way in. The question is: how long will you survive?

There is also an easter egg hidden within the map, and weapons/powerups are accessible. Now, turn off the lights, make the room silent, and read that last paragraph over again. Muhahahahahaha....

(NOTE: To play this map as intended, game settings must be altered. These are temporary and will revert back, however playing without the altered settings can be considered cheating, and it takes much away from the feel of the environment.)

Settings to change (enter into console via ` (Grave - the irony, I know ) or T):
/waterspec 50
/fog 75

By the way...

You are not ALONE

OK, seriously, go outside and try not to soil yourself any further. It's embarrassing!

-Brandon

P.S.: The map is only partly finished, and I want to, if possible, add custom sound effects (I got some ideas that can REALLY give people the creeps). It is in a playable state, although once the scare passes by, it can get a bit boring fast (unless you have stealthy opponents... )

Images to come soon!