Recent Posts

676

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: Copy one particular file into every folder in a subdirectory

« Last post by rjbull on April 05, 2013, 03:02 PM »

We could write a 100-line batch file to do this.

-nkormanik (April 04, 2013, 05:59 PM)

It could be made smaller than that with a "SWEEP" aka "GLOBAL" type utility that repeats a command in every directory matching a filespec.  Some can be found in the Fidonet batch programming echo's file depository, http://www.filegate.net/bfds/  These are old, though, and I don't know how well they'd work in current Windows consoles.

677

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Close All Windows

« Last post by rjbull on April 04, 2013, 02:26 PM »

I don't know how much this helps.  Do you know PowerPro?  It has numerous features for controlling windows under Help > Actions for the *Window command

Alternatively, another hotkey program, HotKeyz.  Online help is here.  Scroll down to 3.5.3 Desktop Window:

Desktop Window

Close
Close the active window with a hotkey.

Hide
Hide the current window with a hotkey. Use the hide as a boss key to hide a private window from others as they walk into your office or study.

Kill
Kill the process of the current window.

Maximize
Maximize the current window with a hotkey.

Minimize
Minimize the current window with a hotkey.

Minimize All Others
Minimize all other windows except the current window (top most desktop window). Specify additional window titles not to be minimized in the parameter box.

Restore
Restore the current window with a hotkey.

Stay On Top Enable
Enable the current window's stay on top property to ensure that it will always be on top of all other windows.

Stay On Top Disable
Disable the current window's stay on top property.

Unhide
Use Unhide to display hidden windows or right click on the HotKeyz system tray icon to view a list of hidden windows. You can also unhide any hidden windows with the unhide hotkey.

Unhide Pick List
Use the Unhide Pick List to choose from a list of hidden windows.

Both PowerPro and HotKeyz are freeware.

HTH...

678

Living Room / Re: Cheap LED torches/flashlights - any good?

« Last post by rjbull on April 04, 2013, 11:42 AM »

Thanks, folks...  I'd decided the common claim of "aircraft grade" aluminium given for low-end torches was (usually) specious, but didn't know about "LED fade," nor thought about switch quality.  I realise you get what you pay for, but as you can often buy 10 cheapies for the cost of one high-end torch, it becomes harder to decide what's the better deal.

I hadn't thought about hand-cranked torches either, but having one around would clearly be a good idea.  They're widely available in the UK, but look very low-end.  I checked both Brinkmann and Garrity on Amazon UK; the former look the same price as other top brands, and Amazon don't offer Garrity hand-cranked models.

To light up a room, I have a fluorescent camping lantern that takes 4*D batteries, but it only really gives enough light to see your way around, not enough to actually do anything.  Fluorescent tube lanterns have also been superseded by LED lanterns, but look quite large.  I've seen a recommendation for the pen-sized RIL50 8 LED Mini Inspection Light.  It doesn't really look big enough to light a whole room, but good for working in small areas, like vehicle engine compartments.

An expensive recommendation I saw recently, and that appealed to me, was for the LED Lenser V2 Aviator Torch because it has a ring of white LEDs surrounding a single separately-switchable red LED.  The idea is to use the latter for things where you don't want to affect your night vision, like map-reading, but to have full illumination readily available as well. 

LED torches are making my old incandescent Petzl head torch look decidedly dim, so maybe I'll start looking at head torches again.  Sigh...

I think skwire's right about LED light quality.  It may be something to do with the output not being full-spectrum, just a narrow band of frequencies.  I've even seen that stated as a reason why they can't be used for hunting at night, the lack of full-colour vision also spoiling one's depth/distance perception.

679

General Software Discussion / Re: TwinkiePaste: Paste commonly used text phrases with hotkeys from menu anywhere

« Last post by rjbull on April 03, 2013, 03:00 PM »

Be aware of the "creative" definition of the word lifetime

-Curt (April 02, 2013, 04:58 PM)

Personally, I'll cut them at least some slack, because they're Russian and their English isn't very good, as seen in much of the rest of their English-language text.  The more so as I don't speak any language other than English...

680

Living Room / Cheap LED torches/flashlights - any good?

« Last post by rjbull on April 02, 2013, 04:11 PM »

A few years ago, I got mildly interested in modern LED torches (flashlights, to those of you west of the Atlantic).  I settled on a Fenix L1D, a model I think they no longer make, and was very impressed with the light output from a small torch with a single high-quality LED and a single AA battery.  Indeed, sometimes it's too bright.

There are still plenty of premium models around from the likes of Fenix themselves, LED Lenser, Maglite, Ansmann and others, but lately I see every outlet rife with dirt-cheap multi-LED torches that may not be of such quality, but still deliver a lot of light at low cost.

If you aren't an emergency services professional, or the like, and just want a torch for around the house and garden, or for carrying in your car, is there really any point now in buying an expensive top-brand model?

681

General Software Discussion / TwinkiePaste: Paste commonly used text phrases with hotkeys from menu anywhere

« Last post by rjbull on April 02, 2013, 03:59 PM »

TwinkiePaste
[V0.59 Alpha 15 : Apr 01, 2013, freeware]

http://www.amlpages....m/twinkiepaste.shtml

Released: April 01, 2013.

Paste commonly used text phrases with hotkeys from menu anywhere.

TwinkiePaste saves hours of typing! It is the ideal solution for personnel in office, technical support, customer care, help desk, call center and medical or legal transcription settings. [...]

* Paste plain text or formatted text (RTF) into any applications
*  Start the any applications, web-sites, search on Internet and etc quickly
< http://www.amlpages....twp_googlesearch.gif >
* Macroses: selected text, clipboard content, date, username and etc < http://www.amlpages....kiepaste.shtml#Macro >
*  Clipboard history is included too
*  Customizable hot keys include diagnostics
*  Simple, lightweight and user friendly phrase editor
*  It works with almost all applications
*  Unicode support. Minimal system requirements
*  Multilingual user interface included English, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian < http://www.amlpages....aste.shtml#howto_loc >
*  No proprietary file format. Our database is simple XML only
* Check for updates: automatically every 1-2-3...X day or manually from menu < http://www.amlpages...._checkforupdates.gif >
*  Also we can suggest portable version

[...]

Reviews

Reviews have not yet been written. Maybe you'll write?  We suggest free life-time license for reviewers.

Write a review, publish on Internet (Your forum, Your blog, Your web-site and etc.) and send us link to Your publication at email.

Known reviews
* TwinkiePaste: paste text phrases into any application < http://www.ghacks.ne...nto-any-application/ >

* TwinkiePaste Software For Windows To Paste Text Phrases Into Applications < http://www.ilovefree...to-applications.html >

From the authors of the AML Pages notekeeper.  Appears to be popup boiler-plate text, rather than a text expander.  This alpha version appears to be freeware, but it looks like they may move to a payware version later.

682

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

« Last post by rjbull on March 19, 2013, 04:03 PM »

In case you have problem in finding the required feature, I am giving below the screen shots from my machine.

-anandcoral (March 18, 2013, 03:23 AM)

Many thanks!    I wouldn't have found that, even though I know perfectly well that my sticky notes program makes all its notes hidden windows.  Pistachio is an interesting utility; pity it doesn't show icons as well in that list.

@Tinman57: thanks - did a quick check on the original pages, but they don't seem to have a known solution for Vista.

683

General Software Discussion / Re: screenshot and video capture software

« Last post by rjbull on March 17, 2013, 04:05 PM »

I really haven't seen it get much easier than ScreenshotCaptor. And it's pretty hard to beat the asking price too!

-40hz (March 17, 2013, 01:57 PM)

kalos isn't a supporting member 

684

Finished Programs / Re: SOLVED: Command Prompt to Tray

« Last post by rjbull on March 17, 2013, 04:00 PM »

Do these help any?

• Starting CHS via batch file quandary
• Windows Batchfile can't recognize long file name...!!!!

(They're short)

685

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

« Last post by rjbull on March 17, 2013, 03:57 PM »

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.

-app103 (March 17, 2013, 07:24 AM)

Yes, that sounds about right; I haven't investigated fully, but suspect the apps are all there, I just can't see them.  Many thanks!

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

-app103 (March 17, 2013, 07:24 AM)

I already run WinPatrol Plus with some programs run Delayed, and should have thought of that    It's nice to see your free delayed-startup program; who better than that scary taskbar girl    As you point out, it may be tedious to figure out and organise the correct amount of delays.

@anandcoral:
I don't see that particular feature in Pitaschio's Features list, but I'll take a look.  Thanks for the pointer!

686

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

« Last post by rjbull on March 16, 2013, 04:43 PM »

I use Vista Home Premium, UAC On, user account.  Quite a lot of things are loaded into the tray at system startup.  However, Vista has a habit of missing some of them out every now and then, with occasional oddities like loading a service, but not the GUI that controls it, or loading an app correctly, but with a blanked-out icon.

This problem is known.  Various sites on the Internet suggest fixes that involve either re-starting Windows Explorer, which I don't think is a permanent fix, or, making a Registry hack, which I'd rather avoid.  So I decided I'd use one or other menuing program to mimic the Taskbar, but complete with everything the Taskbar should have.

I know where the .EXEs are for programs I installed myself, and where I had to go look, usually Chameleon Task Manager was a good helper.  But, some tray programs were pre-installed, like Volume, connection status, Bluetooth, etc.  Given that .EXE names can be enigmatic, how can I easily match a tray icon to its .EXE?  I'm envisaging hovering the mouse over an icon and having something pop up to tell me what I'm looking for.  That looks problematic as most icons offer tooltips when you hover over them.

Please, does anyone know an easy way to solve this?  Or have I overlooked something obvious?

687

General Software Discussion / Re: Listary 4 released - tons of new features

« Last post by rjbull on March 14, 2013, 03:44 PM »

@evamaria:
It sounds like you're complaining because Listary isn't a project manager in the sense that you want it to be.  Don't overlook that some editors, including free ones like Crimson Editor, can organise files in "projects" that might be closer to what you mean.  Likewise, I believe some of the organisers can, with virtual nodes; e.g., RightNote, quoting Help > Virtual notes:

A virtual note means that the contents of this note are not stored in the database file, but instead in an external file, the location of which is set in the "URL" field of the note properties.

Working with virtual notes allows you to centralise your work with a number of files that may be scattered in different locations on your computer.

Neither should you overlook the fact that Listary is free for personal use, with bonus features in the payware Pro, and that it has a portable version.  Therefore you can try out some features without cost or the tedium of a full installation.

I think Listary is terrific; my only regret is that it wasn't invented earlier.  Two of the killer features are its ability to integrate Windows' standard File Open/Save dialog with the vastly greater convenience of several important file managers, like my own favourite Total Commander.  Use your FM to point your text editor or whatever to the directory and file you want.  Back in the days when I was using WinXP at work and having to edit series of hundreds of PDFs with Foxit PDF Editor, I had to continually open files in turn- and having to find where I'd left off.  Listary puts the cursor on the current one, so you can continue easily.  I don't know what recent versions of Windows are like in that respect, but back then that alone would have been worth the price of entry.

688

General Software Discussion / Re: Listary 4 released - tons of new features

« Last post by rjbull on March 11, 2013, 03:32 PM »

I hate trying out new hotkeys, mainly because there is no way to know what is taking up my existing hotkeys! I do use Marek's hotkey tool but that only tells me if a particular hotkey is in use; not what it is for.

-J-Mac (March 11, 2013, 11:21 AM)

I feel the same pain    But didn't Marek say there's no reliable general way to extract that information from Windows?

689

General Software Discussion / Listary 4 released - tons of new features

« Last post by rjbull on March 07, 2013, 02:44 PM »

Listary

Files at your fingertips

Listary is a unique search utility for Windows. Not only does it make file browsing truly flexible -- thanks to its multi-file managers support -- but the ultra-compact UI also redefines minimalism. The lightweight design doesn't stop it from providing various advanced features however, that may fit the needs of both casual and power users alike. All you have to do is just type the file name that you’re looking for, and Listary will display the search results at breakneck speed.

* Current Version: 4.00 (Build 1161)
* License: Freeware (for personal use only). For commercial purposes, please purchase Listary Pro.
* System Requirements: Windows 8 / 7 / Vista / XP SP2 (64-bit supported)

What's new in this version?

Listary 4 is rewritten from scratch with tons of new features and tweaks.

* New: Disk and subfolder search
* New: Projects
* New: Actions
* New: Fuzzy navigation
* New: History
* New: You can now use Shift + Up/Down to jump to the next/previous section
* New: Fuzzy match
* New: Clover support
* New: FreeCommander XE support
* New: Latest version of xplorer2 support
* New: XYplorer find-as-you-type support
* New: Everything support
* New: Tutorial
* New: Toolbar and menus can be customized
* New: Both panels of Directory Opus are listed in Currently Opened Folders
* New: Both panels of Total Commander are listed in Currently Opened Folders
* New: Currently Opened Folders can be added to toolbar
* New: Setting to disable find-as-you-type
* New: Setting to disable fuzzy matching
* New: Invoke command by keyword
* New: Add many new commands
* New: Support using Total Commander 8.x to replace file dialogs (7.x is no longer supported)
* New: Delphi list control support
* New: XnView support
* New: Check for updates automatically
* Improved: Search performance
* Improved: Search ranking
* Improved: File dialog file name textfield will restore its previous text after unselecting a list item
* Improved: Auto-expanding folder
* Improved: Change portable version user data location
* Improved: The same folder will only be listed once in Currently Opened Folders
* Improved: Improve search performance
* Improved: Improve Options dialog layout
* And many many more…

690

Screenshot Captor / Re: [Request] File renaming with more comfort

« Last post by rjbull on March 03, 2013, 03:35 PM »

I agree this is useful.  To rename a file in Total Commander, you press Shift+F6, and the entire filename+extension is marked.  Press Shift+F6 a second time, and the mark contracts to just the rootname.  This is actually a toggle, keep pressing to cycle between modes.

691

Screenshot Captor / Re: having trouble with undo

« Last post by rjbull on February 28, 2013, 03:20 PM »

Thanks for the suggestion!  I actually have WinSnap, which would be nice for a simple lightweight app but won't save snaps on my PC, and Hypersnap 6, which works well.

692

Found Deals and Discounts / Serif PagePlus X6 30% off until 28 Feb. 2013

« Last post by rjbull on February 25, 2013, 02:43 PM »

PagePlus X6
Professional Desktop Publishing Made Easy

PagePlus X6 is the #1 desktop publishing software* that provides all you need for business-class digital publishing and print design – with no experience required. Create stylish promotional materials and stationery, fully edit PDFs, publish eBooks for iPad® and Kindle™, and make interactive multimedia brochures like no other office software!

Watch the overview video now

Until the end of February, you can get 30% off PagePlus X6, the Resource Guide, and all the PagePlus templates!

That means you can start make professional-quality printed items like business cards, flyers, posters, and booklets for only £57.18. You can even make e-books and web-ready PDFs.

If you need some guidence or inspiration, pick up the PagePlus X6 Resource Guide for only £20.99. All of the templates are reduced too, and start from as little as £5.71.

Just go to the Serif website to get your copy of PagePlus now!

693

Screenshot Captor / Re: having trouble with undo

« Last post by rjbull on February 25, 2013, 02:31 PM »

Object select mode might be why I couldn't get it to work.  But as I've said before I find SSC complex, perhaps too much so for my casual use.

694

Screenshot Captor / Re: having trouble with undo

« Last post by rjbull on February 24, 2013, 02:57 PM »

I dropped SSC largely because Ctrl+Z Undo didn't work for me after adding something to a screenshot, so hope the beta will fix it.

695

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: super word counter

« Last post by rjbull on February 17, 2013, 11:33 AM »

Not sure it's quite what you want, but you might find TextSTAT - Simple Text Analysis Tool useful:

Concordance software for Windows, GNU/Linux and MacOS

TextSTAT is a simple programme for the analysis of texts. It reads plain text files (in different encodings) and HTML files (directly from the internet) and it produces word frequency lists and concordances from these files. This version includes a web-spider which reads as many pages as you want from a particular website and puts them in a TextSTAT-corpus. The new news-reader, too, puts news messages in a TextSTAT-readable corpus file.
TextSTAT reads MS Word and OpenOffice files. No conversion needed, just add the files to your corpus...
In TextSTAT you can use regular expression which provides you with powerful search possibilities. The programme is multilingual. Because it uses Unicode internally, TextSTAT can cope with many different languages and file encodings.

696

General Software Discussion / Re: how to get rid of an unwanted shortkey

« Last post by rjbull on February 13, 2013, 03:36 PM »

Don't overlook New program: Ethervane ActiveHotkeys (freeware)

ActiveHotkeys detects what global keyboard shortcuts (hotkeys) are currently registered on the computer by various applications. This helps you determine which hotkeys are in use, and which are still available.

697

Living Room / Re: Adobe Flash Player - Update/Fix emergency security patch for 2013-02-08

« Last post by rjbull on February 11, 2013, 04:53 PM »

I thought Flash always tried to install an update checker that started with Windows?  I block it on my system - have enough things starting at once already...

698

Clipboard Help+Spell / Re: Starting CHS via batch file quandary

« Last post by rjbull on February 11, 2013, 04:51 PM »

See this message: Re: Windows Batchfile can't recognize long file name...!!!!

Strange to have two threads on the relatively unpopular area of command lines at the same time...

699

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows Batchfile can't recognize long file name...!!!!

« Last post by rjbull on February 11, 2013, 04:49 PM »

As far as I know, that's only if using the "start" command. "start" takes it's first argument as a window title if that argument is enclosed in double quotes.

-mwb1100 (February 11, 2013, 12:59 PM)

I was thinking too much of the other thread, and yes, it was using Start.  I think this situation is poor practice on Microsoft's part.  They should make things clearer.

700

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows Batchfile can't recognize long file name...!!!!

« Last post by rjbull on February 11, 2013, 09:50 AM »

If you need to use quote marks, it's possible you may also need to add a widow "title", else Windows can get confused.  If you have problems with a command prompt opening for the batch file, and then hanging, it may help to review this short DC thread: Starting CHS via batch file quandary