Author Topic: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help (Read 478,506 times)

mouser · « **Reply #325 on:** February 19, 2008, 02:46 AM »

i would encourage all authors of programs that do system work to decide, is your tool ever going to be used by novices who arent computer experts? if so then you have to do everything in your power to make it impossible for them to do harm to their pc.

you are going to set yourself up for some real pain when people start emailing you asking why program X no longer works on their pc because you "cleaned" something like an empty folder from the program when it expects it to be there, etc.

avoid any operation that could break something.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #326 on:** February 19, 2008, 05:40 AM »

(Mouser posted somewhat generically, but below is my personal situation)

That is what I am to make my primary audience, basic PC users. Turn it on and it works.

Personally, I haven't had any issues yet (and I have very few tech-savvy people I ask to test, apart from people here at DC) with computer programs/hardware malfunctioning, but yes that is a concern. But it is impossible to make sure that every combination of programs and hardware will work with what I run every time no matter what.

IMO, the simpler it is to the user, the less harm they themselves can do, so the chance of damage declines. No options to worry about, no 100 checkboxes to look over, just run it and it works. That is the idea.

As per DelEmpty, I will distribute the above version, however it will be in the Advanced section so that most users won't worry about it (or ever see it).

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #327 on:** February 22, 2008, 02:35 AM »

OK, little update. I have not worked much on SnapSuite due to large amounts of other boring things to do that must, unfortunately, take priority.

I have made a small logo in my media technology class that I think is quite nice, and I might put it on the website if I can't make something better in a short amount of time. It is just my initials (BS) in an ice-type of display. You can view it here... http://mazecraze.dcisv.com/Logo.png

Other than that, I have made this tiny AHK program "EasyFix" that simply runs Disk Cleanup, Checkdisk and JkDefrag, and gives the user a list of things they can do to clean up their PC. It is meant to be run pre-setup to SnapSuite. You can download it from the updated website... http://incredisims.com/default.aspx

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #328 on:** February 22, 2008, 03:10 AM »

Also, I just added a much-requested feature from some friends at school: the ability to clean up SmartBrowse internet traces. It REQUIRES IE7 to be installed, but it works like a charm. One click and all traces are deleted.

Here is an image of the added button, I unfortunately had to shorten the URL bar but I don't think it will bug anyone too bad...
Image: http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7259/screenshot221200880231pbb8.png

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #329 on:** February 26, 2008, 05:21 AM »

Alright, I am still kind of stalling out on updating SnapSuite, but I will probably do so either tonight or tomorrow (as a stable release, not beta). I have late start in school tomorrow and Wednesday (AIMS standardized testing) so expect an update then. I have to reconfigure and/or temporarily disable CCleaner until I get that sorted out, though.

In the meantime, I am getting CS3 back on my desktop machine, and am going to do what I can do make the MazeCraze website as basic as possible (to allow space for SnapSuite). I will be scaling down images, making new buttons, and all that good stuff. Don't be surprised to see a major change when it is done

As far as SnapSuite goes, though...
Please, PLEASE if you run into any errors or problems or things that don't work (mainly the AHK sub-programs cause issues) PLEASE post the problem here. I am trying to do my best to make this the best VB project I can make it. ANY feedback is great

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #330 on:** February 26, 2008, 05:33 AM »

Alright, as my brain explodes from packing myself full of things I need to do and change and edit and add and delete and everything...

CCleaner will now autoinstall the same as the old way. All other programs are bundled with SnapSuite. JkDefrag has been updated. I did slight GUI work. I deleted some 15MB of stuff off the FTP server. I am going to fix the website and upload the new version ASAP, assuming I don't go insane from stressing myself out first.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #331 on:** February 27, 2008, 01:12 AM »

Alright, now we're talking!

Everyone should check out the just renovated Maze Craze website (no game changes...yet) - I did all 3 graphics myself in Photoshop CS3 (took about 20 minutes total). I think it came out quite nicely. There are no other pages (I have them in an archive just in case, but I will delete them if there is no longer a need for them) except the main one. I did this for 3 reasons:
1) Better looking website
2) Faster loading website
3) More web FTP space for SnapSuite things (I just noticed I was at something like 65% a week or so ago, and started cleaning things up a bit).

Please let me know what you think of the site, if I should change the font, etc.

http://mazecraze.dcisv.com/

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #332 on:** February 27, 2008, 07:09 AM »

Alright, I have everything going well with the exception of autohotkey not clicking a button? (question mark because I am not sure if that is the issue or not yet) - so I will not yet upload the new version. As soon as I fix that I will post and you can happily update

tomos · « **Reply #333 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:12 AM »

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on February 27, 2008, 01:12 AM

Please let me know what you think of the site, if I should change the font, etc.

http://mazecraze.dcisv.com/[/quote]I like it -the buttons and title text :up:I have no idea how websites work ... is the text font Times New Roman ?Looks a bit academic at any rate I would change that if possible ;)maybe some sans-serif font ? or maybe not :-\Also I think it would look better with a [i]little[/i] bit of a margin on either sideI'm no designer though....so just the old two pennies

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #334 on:** February 27, 2008, 04:39 PM »

The text is Arial I believe (I had to pick a generic font for the main text)

More casual font? Comic Sans is always my favorite, but there are a few others built into Windows...

A margin- don't know how I can do that, but I am sure I can

Thanks! - I will work on it some more after school today

tomos · « **Reply #335 on:** February 27, 2008, 05:26 PM »

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on February 27, 2008, 04:39 PM

The text is Arial I believe (I had to pick a generic font for the main text)

not here it isnt

[attachimg=#]

looks like Times here - something serify at any rate - maybe it's Arial there

half the world hates comic sans (at least half the world) - I wouldnt use that...

EDIT/ it is Times New Roman (here)...

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #336 on:** February 27, 2008, 11:25 PM »

Yes, it was Times New Roman (I told it to change to Arial but didn't Select All first, so it didn't do anything...). My mistake.

I was Googling (if that is a word) info about web-friendly fonts, and it is surprisingly...sucky (quite frankly). So, I will just make another image in Photoshop (text only), and set it up to look like normal text- with the exception of an interesting font, that is. That way, no one has to have the font, and it still looks good.

(Will post again when new page is uploaded)

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #337 on:** February 27, 2008, 11:51 PM »

How is this?

http://mazecraze.dcisv.com/

New font, edited the text a bit, added a KompoZer button, and got the margin working on both sides

Anything else I should add/change/do?

Veign · « **Reply #338 on:** February 27, 2008, 11:57 PM »

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on February 27, 2008, 11:51 PM

Anything else I should add/change/do?

Yeah, remove that font. Its way to hard to read and non-standard. Don't use images for text. Stick with actual text in the proper tags. In your case an H1 followed by a P

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #339 on:** February 28, 2008, 01:05 AM »

I was aiming to get rid of the dull, usual fonts that are "web-safe", and the only way to do that is to use an image. The only other option would be to restore the normal text, but make it Arial. $:-\$

EDIT: And I don't mess with the HTML, just WYSIWYG

tomos · « **Reply #340 on:** February 28, 2008, 09:29 AM »

me, I think Arial would be good - give it a go and see,
Macs dont have Arial so I dont know what happens there...prob gets replaced by courier think that's their default font or maybe depends on browser.
But you're mainly windows at the moment so I wouldnt worry bout that

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on February 28, 2008, 01:05 AM

I was aiming to get rid of the dull, usual fonts that are "web-safe"

you've done that with the header or whatever it's called, after that, you're allowed be dull

Anyone else know which fonts are fairly universal on windows PCs ?

Veign · « **Reply #341 on:** February 28, 2008, 05:06 PM »

Quote from: tomos on February 28, 2008, 09:29 AM

Macs dont have Arial so I dont know what happens there...prob gets replaced by courier think that's their default font or maybe depends on browser.

What you do is define a font-family where if one font is not available another is the list is selected.
like:
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana;

Just add this to your CSS stylesheet in the body tag like:
body {
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; }

CSS:
http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp

CSS Reference Guide (bottom of the page):
http://www.veign.com/development-center-web.php

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #342 on:** February 29, 2008, 11:32 PM »

Arial it is then!

I will ask my Macintosh friend on AIM what the default font is for Safari- I never paid attention on mine at school.

Veign, I would do that, but I would most likely end up with a headache from confusion, as I haven't done anything web-related in about 2 years (and that was basic stuff, baby HTML- editing and ad-removal for the most part). And I am using KompoZer, not Frontpage 2003.

Website should be updated in about 10 minutes, provided I can remember to do it between now and then.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #343 on:** March 01, 2008, 01:10 AM »

An hour and a half later, once again, the update will be up in 10 minutes. I promise this time.

(really, I do

)

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #344 on:** March 01, 2008, 01:13 AM »

There. Arial. And it *almost* fits on one screen when viewed in 1280x1024

Visit the updated site here: http://mazecraze.dcisv.com/

EDIT: Added link

tomos · « **Reply #345 on:** March 01, 2008, 05:51 PM »

you were saying somewhere it almost fits in (...) screen (cant find it now)
you could try reducing the font a bit - I like it large but think it would look better a bit smaller
that way too it would fit better

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #346 on:** March 01, 2008, 07:30 PM »

Good idea, might just do that. I feel stupid now, I was right next to the font size menu...

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #347 on:** March 02, 2008, 06:56 AM »

I am so mad at myself right now...

I have had no time at all to fix this one last issue I am having with WindowsCare, so I can't upload the update. And my dad is pushing for the new update (he relies on SystemCare like as if it was food- if it isn't there, get it there, and fast) as well, and I have like 2 essays due, and <insert list here>...so I have been a *tiny* bit stressed

. Well, maybe a lot. But it doesn't matter, I am staying up tonight until I fix this problem!

Oh, and I need to remember to update the font size for the Maze Craze website- better do that now.

Will send off a post when all is well!

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #348 on:** March 02, 2008, 05:02 PM »

It would appear that I have fixed the problem - I fell asleep 2 minutes before the time when the bug appears

(I am referring to a problem where AutoHotkey doesn't seem to click on the Close button in WindowsCare)

However, WindowsCare is no longer on my screen (I just got up), so it seems that I have fixed it (bad coordinates, clicking just to the right of the button).

I will build and upload immediately - oh, and while I am at it, I will fix that annoying Update bug when using Beta versions.

Let me know what you think!

/

-

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #349 on:** March 02, 2008, 05:08 PM »

Update published- run SnapSuite and select OK when prompted to get the new version!

(Note: FastNote still doesn't work, despite the removal of the construction icon. I had to do that for testing purposes.)

EDIT: AH! You may encounter a problem where DEP kills SnapSuite. I don't know why this happens. Will edit this post when I have a fix.

EDIT 2: Fix for DEP is to uninstall from Add/Remove programs (click Uninstall, not restore) and install a fresh copy. Uninstall takes about 2 seconds.