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776

General Software Discussion / Re: Database Design Software

« Last post by steeladept on May 12, 2008, 04:16 AM »

Thanks for the info.  I kept looking and found one that looks promising, though I am pretty well stuck with MySQL if I go this route.  It is called DB Designer 4 from fabForce.net.  I just started playing with it and it looks very professional, yet very easy to use thusfar.  It also supports some of the drawbacks you mentioned such as cascade on update/delete rules for foreign keys.  The rest I am not sure about though, and I haven't tried the actual database creation yet, since I am still trying to define a table or two.  Some tools seem simplistic, but most are readily available.  For example, I can't copy a field and make it field2 with the same properties.  On the plus side, with support for enumerated types and sets, I may not need that.  Well that and I can always type it manually 

I will check out Power*Architect soon as the web/interface programming will either be in Java or C# (depending on the system I use, as these are the two languages I know best).  My one question though, for any of these tools, since they tend to be designed for integration with specific databases (via support for the data-types), what happens when you use an ODBC/JDBC driver to connect to a different DB?  For example, MySQL supports the aforementioned SET and ENUM data-types, but OoBASE does not.  If I were to try to use the driver to make that connection, does the driver translate the data-type to a primative that the RDBMS can understand, or does it just blow up?

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General Software Discussion / Database Design Software

« Last post by steeladept on May 11, 2008, 11:45 PM »

Okay, I have a very complex database project I would like to start, and I found I can't exactly just create the tables and run with it like other projects I have accomplished.  In my college days, we used PowerBuilder for these types of things; and while I didn't like or understand it's use at the time, I knew it was widely used.  Today I have looked around for a tool like this and found precious few choices that are reasonably priced (<$500 US) for individual use.  What to the designers here use? 

Ideally, I would like free w/ connectivity to SQL Server 2008 Express database, but I think that is something of a pipe dream.  I have found a few FOSS designers, but considering my limited knowledge on these types of software, I need to be certain that it is well documented - a serious issue with ALL FOSS software I have seen.  Also, all FOSS software I have seen limit their connections to MySQL or Postgrl, whereas I would like to see connections to SQLServer and/or Oracle (without too many hoops).  I would think that a simple ODBC type connection should allow these connections, but they do not seem supported from what I have read (note this does not imply it is impossible).

Short of the ideal, I have access to SQL Server 2008 (std & express editions), Oracle (10g personal), Access, OoBase, and any FOSS databases that I can download and install.  All I am looking for is cheap or free design software to connect to any one of these databases that will allow me to visually design and change the database without having to rebuild it.  I have attempted using the OoBase for this project twice already, and both times it has blown up and forced me to rebuild it from scratch.  I am not willing to do that anymore.

Any suggestions?  Answers?  Experiences that would help?

778

General Software Discussion / Re: View download traffic grouped by site...

« Last post by steeladept on April 03, 2008, 12:54 PM »

I can't point you to anything, but it sounds like a GREAT Firefox plugin.  Perhaps someone there has already made something like this?  For Opera, on the other hand, I can't imagine where to start looking since they don't have a plugin architecture.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Text outliner/organiser/editor

« Last post by steeladept on April 03, 2008, 12:07 PM »

Here is an idea on how to use Word. I have played with this idea many times, though my needs are not as complex as yours.  What's more, if you can make it work, it should work with every version since Word95, maybe earlier.

Try giving each section a different style.  The styles can be the same but use a different name.  Then, with a little macro, you can select all text with the given style.  Once selected, you can cut, paste, move it around, or change it without affecting the rest of the document.

I never actually did this, but I did something similar with excel and it worked reasonably well.  It may just be a thing with excel, but I would hope not.  Perhaps that is all you need with what you already know and do.

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Living Room / Re: questions for programmers

« Last post by steeladept on March 29, 2008, 03:57 AM »

This might be a good opportunity to remind people about the Self-Teaching Programming Section on this forum:
https://www.donation...index.php?board=77.0

-mouser (March 14, 2008, 04:46 AM)

Yeah, guess I aught to get back to that, huh.  I got hung up on the mathmatics of my code and sort of let that slip.

Okay Nikki, you and me learning together on this - I was (am) trying out Java because I have had a class on it and it may prove useful at work.  I will try AHK as well and see where I get there.

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Living Room / Re: Wide Open License

« Last post by steeladept on March 29, 2008, 03:40 AM »

the WOL assumes we live in a more benign world in which enlightened self-interest leads people to voluntarily share significant improvements with the community

can someone direct me to this planet? how much does it cost to go there? do cute girls live there? how is the weather?

-mouser (February 28, 2008, 09:13 AM)

It costs Bill Gates fortune X2 to go, the weather is exactly what you don't want - EVERY DAY, and the best looking (dare I say, Godess) is Ugly Betty.  It is still worth it!

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Developer's Corner / Re: super simple language?

« Last post by steeladept on March 29, 2008, 03:04 AM »

It's a bit of a programming term, sorry for not explaining myself. Basically, because AHK was originally very limited and basic, language design wasn't taken as seriously as it ought to have been, which is to say they didn't keep in mind things like future features or extensibility when they created it, thus ending up with a language that is not as uniform as it could be. In AutoIt's case however they took it a bit more serious and have ended up with a language that is much neater and easier to read and write. Also, if you're not adverse to having a slightly more complicated language to deal with, I would recommend Perl over both of these, though you have far more overhead if you want to compile your scripts to executables at any point, but then Perl scripts are cross-platform compatible unlike AHK or AutoIt.

Hope this helps, Ehtyar.

-Ehtyar (March 22, 2008, 04:37 PM)

Uh, maybe I missed something, but the two are the same basically.  AutoIt was first, and the developers had a disagreement which led to AutoHotKey as a fork.  Much of the code (especially prior to AutoIt3) is completely compatible with each other from my understanding.  So I REALLY don't understand what you mean.

Oh, I will say this from what I saw at their support forums (I tried both).  AutoIt is much more fanatical in a bad way.  They seem to hold much more of a grudge against AHK users than the other way around.  Maybe it is just me, but that really turned me off AutoIt more than anything with the code.

783

Living Room / Re: Timeline Software

« Last post by steeladept on March 28, 2008, 03:42 AM »

I think it's hard for some people to be straight about things. They seem to think that there is some kind of shame, or that they'll be accused of spamming. I've never seen anyone accused of spamming when being upfront and direct about things.

My first post to DC is here. My first 2 paragraphs in that post were specifically to let people know who I was. The next post from mouser started, "what a fantastic post!"

Being transparent about things is virtually guaranteed to earn you points with people, and I think that's a pretty general thing that extends beyond DC in a lot of other places as well.

Just my $0.02 though.

-Renegade (February 29, 2008, 09:31 PM)

<threadjack>Huh, Ryan, I knew you worked for them but never saw that post.  I didn't realize most of what you put in there.  Thanks for accidentally bumping the thread</threadjack>

784

Living Room / Re: Game: Traveler IQ Challenge

« Last post by steeladept on March 26, 2008, 04:56 AM »

I found it fun too.  I was amazed to find out 1) how well I knew approximately where everything was, and 2) how far off from the borders I thought the cities were.  The first time playing I got to level 6 and missed 7 by about 500 points.  The second time, I got to level 12 before failing.  Not too bad.  Air Force career certainly went a long way to achieving that - no doubt.  On my third attempt - Got to go do it.  Later

785

Coding Snacks / Re: DetachVideo - Give embedded videos their own window!

« Last post by steeladept on March 26, 2008, 02:05 AM »

Can it also save the video stream locally (or at least put the filename of the stream below it)?  I currently use a plugin called unpluged to capture the files I want, but your method would be MUCH easier, as it doesn't force you to figure out which file is the one you want.  Just a thought.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Raxco - Amazing customer service

« Last post by steeladept on March 26, 2008, 12:07 AM »

I too will throw in for support of Raxco support.  I tried some of their software - namely the online version of PerfectDisk - and was reasonably happy with it at first.  However, the problems mounted (financial ones not the least at the time, and the main one for me to request my subscription end) and they happily stopped my subscription without charge.  Well, maybe not happily, but I hope you understand what I mean.  I expected that to occur, but not with the speed and attention received, and not without really pushing the product first to avoid my stopping it.  Yet they professionally and curiously did so without so much as a "Well did you try <select a feature> - do you really understand what you are missing?"  It was so refreashing.  I agree, their products are good and the Customer Service is top notch.

787

General Software Discussion / Re: File Types Manager

« Last post by steeladept on March 24, 2008, 04:12 AM »

I thought I read somewhere that DCUpdater handles NirSoft files too.  Please correct me if I am wrong though!

I can't seem to find it anywhere anymore.

788

General Software Discussion / Re: Send link and/or webpage?

« Last post by steeladept on March 23, 2008, 08:39 PM »

I lined it out coz I realised that the browser, though loaded from the remote machine, would still run on the local machine where the command was issued.

-nosh (March 22, 2008, 08:15 AM)

Well Duh.  Hmmm.  Maybe I should wait till I am thinking more clearly to respond.    I alway get lost in little details like that.  Still, I think it might be possible using something like autohotkey and  remote computer access...Not unlike opening the CDRom drawer on a remote machine.  I had a co-worker who used to do that to people all the time just to see if they could figure it out.  I know the difference between hardware and software with this kind of thing, but it still seems like there should be an easy way to do this.

Anyway, thanks Nosh for the reminder.  I guess since that was a no-brainer, that means I have no brain?

789

General Software Discussion / Re: Send link and/or webpage?

« Last post by steeladept on March 22, 2008, 07:38 AM »

Is it just me or am I missing something?  Couldn't you just write a batch file that you have in the right click menu then it just pass the address to the file that opens the page on the remote PC?  I mean you already know the machine name and location of the program...

Something like:
<psudocode>
Get %URL%
Run //MyPC/Program Files/Firefox/Firefox.exe "%URL%"
</psudocode>

Then you add the batch file to the right-click menu.  When it is time to use it, just highlight the code, right click and run the program on the other machine.

EDIT - Just noted that this is what NOSH started to suggest before lining it out.  Can someone explain why it would be lined out?  I could see if you were trying to make it happen on any PC - you need to target it and verify location of software, etc.; but in this case these things are known.  Just "hardcode" them into the target.  In fact, for windows, most default browsers are defined in the %path% IIRC.

If not with a batch file, I know we could do it with AutoHotKey.  In fact, maybe I will look into making it tonight just for practice.  Until then, I am off to bed.  Rotating midnight shifts are no fun.

790

Living Room / Re: Would anyone want a free DonationCoder.com bumper sticker?

« Last post by steeladept on March 11, 2008, 03:55 AM »

I wouldn't go for a bumper sticker (because they're such a PIA to remove!) but how about those (electro-static?) stickers that University alumni put in their rear windows instead? Of course, for all I know these are much more expensive...?

I'd put something like that in my window and drive around displaying it with pride!

-Darwin (February 13, 2008, 06:29 PM)

ME TOO!  For all the same reasons.  I also agree with everyone else on this, but Darwin summed up my thoughts precisely.

791

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Vista Creating Duplicate Files of Everything?

« Last post by steeladept on February 18, 2008, 02:55 AM »

Can anybody confirm if it will allow you to delete that restore folder on XP & Vista?

-app103 (January 09, 2008, 04:21 AM)

Not necessary.  I just turned it off (Since I use TI9 anyway, I hate when I forget little things like that on "new installs") and recovered 2.1GB of space.  It apparently deletes it automatically, at least that is what the popup box says.  It also can not recreate those points and has recycled the space as free, so even if it doesn't delete it, it is effectively the same.  The only reason I can see to go further would be if you needed to shread it, but then you need to use other tools for that.

792

General Software Discussion / Re: Time to Wipe this Machine! Clean install? Or XP Repair?

« Last post by steeladept on February 15, 2008, 12:53 PM »

I too have built a few and the only thing I can say is a reinstall from scratch is definitely in order.  If you can't get a better response out of the system, it could be the parts just aren't AS compatible as one would hope.  I have heard of (and actually seen in one instance) where hardware and drivers conflict with one another.  That is one of the good things about going with an brand name machine instead of a custom build.  Although, I still prefer custom builds as this is becoming more and more rare.

793

General Software Discussion / Re: Digital ink/tablet pc: worth the effort?

« Last post by steeladept on February 07, 2008, 02:37 AM »

It's a shame that there isn't a "lending program" for such items - we could really benefit from something like that!

-J-Mac (February 02, 2008, 03:45 AM)

Actually, under certain circumstances, there are programs like that.  HP, for example, has a demo program where customers (Enterprise level anyway) can request demos and actually use them for up to 6 weeks I believe.  We use it at work frequently to create images and test systems before we decide what we will buy for an upgrade path.  In fact, my last flat panel monitor and laptop were both demos that the company decided not to purchase, but allowed us to purchase independently at their cost for the demo.  It wasn't at much of a discount since it was still essentially new, but it allowed us to try before we buy.  I don't know of anything like this on the consumer side, but if you have a business and buy computers regularly for it directly from a supplier like HP or Dell, it is worth an inquiry.

794

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Deductoid puzzle game

« Last post by steeladept on February 07, 2008, 01:09 AM »

Took me a while to get it until I realized it was the same as the Einstein game I found a while back...may have even been here that I found it.  Don't remember.  It is, indeed, quite addicting.  However, I find that CluGrid is more likely to make me curse you out for taking away more time from my job, er, I mean free time... 

795

General Software Discussion / Re: Need help with a name for my new NANY program

« Last post by steeladept on December 26, 2007, 02:04 PM »

Have online leader boards and all that jazz. Make it a competition to be productive.

-Deozaan (December 19, 2007, 12:30 PM)

I was really conflicted about whether to make this an online application with such features, vs a desktop application.

I went the desktop app route, and i think i won't be adding online features to it.

If it proves to be something people are interested in it might be nice to make an online version (anyone want to try? it would be nice to share the same xml format files for describing activities, etc.)

-mouser (December 19, 2007, 04:03 PM)

I am glad you went this route.  There are many such online apps already, but I haven't seen a desktop app of this type until you made it.  My wife and I use an online app like this called ChoreWars which is a World of Warcraft like theme added to the online app.  There are several others as well, but none offer a desktop version that I know of.

796

Living Room / Re: Applications Stealing Focus...

« Last post by steeladept on December 25, 2007, 11:37 PM »

This gave me what I think would be an awesome idea for an application...I find most focus stealing applications downright evil and feel your pain for those of you who mentioned it.  Try having that happen in a mainframe session where it is time critical AND location/type sensitive!  It is horrible and can cost companies millions if not caught.  That said, certain notifications practically require it so that they can actually do what is intended - namely notify you.  Many people talk about the popup balloon being the best alternative, but I think that is crap.  It slows everything and stutters your screen if you are lucky, otherwise it is just as bad as any popup (sometimes worse as you can't always dismiss it).

Given all these things, my thought is this.  Create an app that puts a border around the edge of the screen.  Make it variable size, variable colors, whatever...  The goal of this border is to do a few things.  1) Make an unobtrusive border that the application fills the inside of in full screen mode and windows like normal in non-full screen mode.  2) It should intercept all focus theft attempts and redirect them as a flash of the border to notify the user without actually stealing the  focus.  Seriously, I don't know how much of this is doable, but it really makes the most sense to me.  Any ideas?  Takers?

797

Living Room / Re: DonationCoder.com Yearly Fundraiser for 2007 - Advice Requested Please

« Last post by steeladept on December 25, 2007, 11:18 PM »

argh! is there ever a good time to do a fundraiser   

-mouser (November 27, 2007, 10:17 PM)

New training in a new job has prevented me from posting sooner so I am sorry for that, but to answer your question - I think Feb/March is the best time in the U.S. due to tax returns for those who actually receive them.  Worldwide?  Good question.  Probably the same timeframe unless they have a disbursement at another time of year.  Why?  Anyone who gets paid on some type of monthly schedule gets a second paycheck half a week sooner than any other time of year.  Time paid (Hourly/Daily/Weekly) workers?  You get to join the tax return payers.   Any farmers out there that can point to a good time for them?  I am guessing after Fall Harvest or Spring Planting?  Just some thoughts...

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Living Room / Re: Another cody spotting? CAPTION THIS PICTURE CONTEST

« Last post by steeladept on December 07, 2007, 08:13 AM »

CAPTION:
"No Codys?  WTF?"

799

General Software Discussion / Re: File synchronization: moving away from incremental backup (HELP!)

« Last post by steeladept on November 26, 2007, 09:24 PM »

At work we use Tivoli Storage Manager for this type of thing.  I don't know much about it other than it is an effective and transparent way to backup specified files once it is set up.  I believe it is free too, though don't quote me on that.  For some reason I believe it is an IBM product now though.  At any rate, it is definitely something that will handle every requirement you have, as long as the price is right.

800

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Grouper

« Last post by steeladept on November 26, 2007, 08:59 PM »

Very interesting...It does indeed look very close to what I was looking for.  I will give it a shot and post back any issues I find.