snydersoft.com http://snydersoft.com Sharing Web Development Information Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:08:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Missing Rules and Alerts in Outlook 2003 http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/25/missing-rules-and-alerts-in-outlook-2003/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/25/missing-rules-and-alerts-in-outlook-2003/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:08:38 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/25/missing-rules-and-alerts-in-outlook-2003/ If you are missing option “Rules and Alerts” in the tools menu of Outlook 2003, make sure that you have a email account created.  I discovered today, that the option isn’t available until you have an email account setup.

Other options that I tried, that didn’t work, but might be useful:

  • Run the “Detect and Repair” for Outlook
  • View->Toolbars->Customize, and then try to add the option back to the menu by looking for “Rules and Alerts” under Commands tab, Tools

So if you don’t have the “Rules and Alerts” option available to you, try one of these suggestions.

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/25/missing-rules-and-alerts-in-outlook-2003/feed/ 0 Re-center (move) content after resizing stage in Flash http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/16/re-center-move-content-after-resizing-stage-in-flash/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/16/re-center-move-content-after-resizing-stage-in-flash/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:09:23 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/16/re-center-move-content-after-resizing-stage-in-flash/ When you have your flash application 90% developed and then a new requirement is presented that requires you to enlarge the stage size, you will find that it puts the additional space on the bottom and right sides of your document.  I haven’t found a way to specify where the additional space is placed, but I was able to find a way to move all my existing content (symbols, tweens, etc) intact together to a new location on the larger stage.

Edit Multiple Frames Screenshot

If you click on the edit multiple frames button (arrow pointing to it in screenshot) below the timeline you will get two brackets above the timeline (in the frame numbers, circled in screenshot), put the [ at frame 1, and the ] at the last frame of your timeline and then do a select-all.  This will select everything in every frame within the brackets.  Then you can drag or use the arrow keys to reposition everything.  When you are finished moving the content, just unclick the edit multiple frames to return to the typical editing mode.

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/16/re-center-move-content-after-resizing-stage-in-flash/feed/ 0 Get parameters to HTML page with JavaScript http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/14/get-parameters-to-html-page-with-javascript/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/14/get-parameters-to-html-page-with-javascript/#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:19:05 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/14/get-parameters-to-html-page-with-javascript/ If you have a static HTML page that you need to pass a parameter so that it can be updated easily or work in different instances, this post will show you how to get the parameters via the URL into JavaScript without the use of a backend server.

document.URL contains the entire address bar of the browser, and you can parse this to get the parameters and do something useful with it.

Below is the snippet of code I worked up to do this for a mockup/demo that we were working on for work.  Specifically, we wanted to have a single HTML page that would load the same Flex player with different parameters (and wanted to pass those parameters in via the URL) so that we could test with current and future streams/video sources.

<html>
<head>
    <script>
        function pageLoaded() {
            var qAt = document.URL.indexOf("?");
            var params = document.URL.substr(qAt+1);
            // Use params as needed (parse, or pass along to flash swf):
            alert(params);  // just echoing in this example.
        }
    </script>
</head>
<body onload="pageLoaded()">
</body>
</html>

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/11/14/get-parameters-to-html-page-with-javascript/feed/ 0 Windows 7 and Symantec Endpoint Protection http://snydersoft.com/2009/09/23/windows-7-and-symantec-endpoint-protection/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/09/23/windows-7-and-symantec-endpoint-protection/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:02:15 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/2009/09/23/windows-7-and-symantec-endpoint-protection/ Symantec released on Monday, Sept 21, 2009, the update to Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) that supports Windows 7 RTM.  If you are a corporate account you can download the software at their updates site:

https://fileconnect.symantec.com

You will need your serial number to get access to the product download. 

SEP version 11.0.5 has official support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

I experienced the following error message while attempting to install the update:

“Pending system changes that require a reboot have been detected” 

Rebooting didn’t resolve this issue.  However, I did find on Symantec’s website a Knowledge Base article that explains the issue and a resolution.

  1. Locate the following registry key:
    HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\
  2. Locate the PendingFileRenameOperations registry value in the right pane.
    Note: If you do not find the PendingFileRenameOperations value in the location above, this error message can be generated if there are pending changes in:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentSetXXX\Control\SessionManager\PendingFileRenameOperations
    Note: This value may be hidden. Make sure that your user account has permissions to this key.
  3. Delete the value date from the pendingfilerenameoperations registry value.
  4. Attempt to install the SEP client again.

After clearing my PendingFileRenameOperations registry value, I was able to complete the installation of SEP v11.0.5 on my Windows 7 computer.

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/09/23/windows-7-and-symantec-endpoint-protection/feed/ 1 iPhone leaving POP3 lock on mail server until powered off http://snydersoft.com/2009/08/04/iphone-leaving-pop3-lock-on-mail-server-until-powered-off/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/08/04/iphone-leaving-pop3-lock-on-mail-server-until-powered-off/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:55:00 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/2009/08/04/iphone-leaving-pop3-lock-on-mail-server-until-powered-off/ Yesterday, I had a new iPhone user complain that they were getting a message about a POP3 lock when attempting to get new messages from the mail server after checking email on their iPhone.  I have been doing this for sometime and never noticed this issue, but decided to investigate further when I had time.

This morning, I ran a number of tests and was able to easily reproduce the lock message when attempting to check email after the iPhone had checked the POP3 server for email.  This is typical behavior that I have experienced when using multiple computers and one POP3 account.  The lock file is used to ensure that only one computer is updating the mailbox at one time (since typical POP3 behavior is to download messages AND remove them from the server). 

What I was surprised to find was that after I exited the Mail application on the iPhone and left it at the Home screen… the lock persisted on the mail server.  I waited a minute, and was still getting the message about the lock existing on my POP3 mail server.

I found through trial and error that it appears the iPhone continues to maintain the lock on the POP3 server until the phone is powered off.  In our case, 15secs after the iPhone is powered off, the lock is removed from the mail server (or at least allows the desktop mail client to download mails from that POP3 account).

After finding this, I realized that my common behavior would have never caused this to appear (for me).  My typical use case is that I check emails while out-and-about, or in a meeting.  When I have checked messages, I power off the phone.   I return to my computer and press Send/Receive (or Get Messages) and the new emails come down without an issue.  I guess I have never checked my email on my iPhone and while the phone is still on try to check them from my computer.

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/08/04/iphone-leaving-pop3-lock-on-mail-server-until-powered-off/feed/ 2 Wordpress Updates with 1and1 hosting http://snydersoft.com/2009/04/02/wordpress-updates-with-1and1-hosting/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/04/02/wordpress-updates-with-1and1-hosting/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:04:38 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/?p=181 If Wordpress automatic updates fail using 1and1.com hosting with the message: Wordpress 2.7.1 Upgrade Failed.

All you need to do is add this line to your .htaccess file:
AddType x-mapp-php5 .php

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/04/02/wordpress-updates-with-1and1-hosting/feed/ 7 Limited user rights should be viable for everyone http://snydersoft.com/2009/03/11/limited-user-rights-should-be-viable-for-everyone/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/03/11/limited-user-rights-should-be-viable-for-everyone/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:48:56 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/2009/03/11/limited-user-rights-should-be-viable-for-everyone/ While reading the March 2, 2009 issue of eWEEK, I enjoyed the commentary by Andrew Garcia in “Windows in the way? UAC is not a reason to reject Vista or Windows 7“.

“Alas, I admit I have been complicit in furthering these bad practices with shortcomings in my own testing and analysis for eWEEK. Therefore, I make this pledge — from here on, in my reviews, I will ensure all software I test designed to run on Windows desktops operates as advertized with only limited user rights. And I will call out those that fail this litmus test.”

Kudos to Andrew for championing the ability for users to run Windows software under limited user rights. With magazines and technology analysts documenting the shortcomings of various software packages, we have a chance of getting Windows software that works better for all of us. I look forward to seeing these details included in future reviews in eWEEK.

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/03/11/limited-user-rights-should-be-viable-for-everyone/feed/ 0 Web Development Tools and Wikis http://snydersoft.com/2009/01/17/web-development-tools-and-wikis/ http://snydersoft.com/2009/01/17/web-development-tools-and-wikis/#comments Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:15:16 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/?p=174 I recently did a couple of presentations work, as part of my new role as Manager of Web Technologies. These presentations were focused on sharing knowledge and help them be more productive with these technologies.

In July (2008), the presentation was on Web Development tools. Background: The company has been using web interfaces (and Ajax) for more aspects of its products and more software engineers are being asked to know something about the User Interface development/functionality. Since I was one of the key UI developers, I was asked to share some of the tools that I use regularly that makes the job easier.

The slides will not have the same impact as it did when presented, because a large portion of the time was used in examples or discussion of ways each tool is helpful. The lunch-time presentation lasted about 1.5 hrs.

Slides: Web Development Tools

This past Friday (Jan-16-2009), I also presented on Wikis. Background: A number of engineers had tried using wikis without much success. However, each attempt had been aimed at a very narrow use-case (maybe one project, or one product). Our VP of Engineering had become interested in trying to make it work on a larger scale (all of Engineering, or further). So this presentation was intended to provide the entire engineering staff with an introduction to the internal wiki, and enough training to get started building the wiki.

The first half of the presentation covers a general explanation of what a Wiki is and Good/Bad uses of them. And the second half covers how to create pages and use the Wiki. This lunch-time presentation also lasted about 1.5 hrs.

Slides: Wikis

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2009/01/17/web-development-tools-and-wikis/feed/ 1 How I listen to podcasts (and keep up) http://snydersoft.com/2008/12/05/how-i-listen-to-podcasts-and-keep-up/ http://snydersoft.com/2008/12/05/how-i-listen-to-podcasts-and-keep-up/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:37:06 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/?p=163 I have had a number of discussions recently about podcasts and how I listen to them, or find the time to invest in listening to them. After these impromptu discussions, I realized that I may have not provided the complete answer to the question.

To completely answer the question, I am providing this list of ways that I consume podcasts. One note, I am talking only about the audio podcasts since I use my TiVo to watch the few video podcasts that I subscribe to (TekZilla, Cranky Geeks, Diggnation, etc).

1) In the car, during drive time (most commonly, to/from work). I have a 20min commute, each way, to work and find that this is the easiest way for me to keep up with my podcasts. I use the Griffin Technologies iTrip AutoPilot which provides both power and an FM transmitter compatible with my iPhone 3G. The added benefit is that it provides on the cigarette lighter portion, it provides a Play/Pause, Previous and Next Track buttons. This allows me to easily stop the podcast, so I don’t miss anything :-) , if I am in a drive thru, or need to focus more on the road/traffic. http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itripautopilot I purchased mine at Amazon, but you may find it cheaper elsewhere. I highly recommend this device, for those that don’t have a line-in jack on their car stereo. There is a trick (http://store.apple.com/us/reviews/TQ045LL/A?fnode=MTY1NDA2MQ&rs=mostUseful) to allow it to use channels below 88.1 in the US, and that provided me with a single channel that is clear throughout the Cleveland metro area. I use 87.7, for those interested.

2) Outside, while walking/exercising (most commonly lunchtime walks, or evening walks by myself). At work they have been promoting this “know your numbers” health related consciousness and touting that walking 10K steps a day is a good way to stay healthy. In an effort to maintain my health and be a good example, I have been making an effort to get up and walk more around the office as well as taking a daily walk at lunchtime. This is a perfect opportunity to get some podcast listening done, since I am walking along a dead-end street in the industrial complex that our office is located… so traffic is light, outside noise is rare, and there are few people out walking at the same time. I also have been trying to add a walk at night around our housing development. The typical “joke” at this point is that my wife enjoys walking with me while I listen to my podcast and ignore her….. Well, to be honest I take these walks by myself. My wife is on her feet all day keeping up with our two boy’s events, school, and housework. So she doesn’t want to take another walk at night, and with winter coming quickly to the Cleveland area right now, she has no interest in going for a walk with it is just 20-30degrees out.

3) Inside, when doing repetitive or “basic” tasks (resizing images, website updates, or just un-boxing equipment/etc). I love my Motorola S9 bluetooth headset for this type of listening. These headphones allow me to wirelessly listen to my podcasts from my computer (via bluetooth) while I roam around the immediate office area of my desk. It won’t work for everyone, but there are times when it is nice to have some background “news” going on while I am un-boxing an order of 8x 8port switches, 10x power strips, or sorting through all the cables/equipment that comes back from a demo or tradeshow. I am not tied to my computer, and I even have enough range to reach the kitchen while still listening to my podcast. I will say this is probably the “least” useful time to listen, and the hardest to make work for most people… but if you have a job that lends itself to it, and can multi-task in this way it definitely works.

As a bonus, I thought I would also provide the list of podcasts that I am currently listening to at this time. All of these are available through iTunes and all of these are free. Most are between 30mins and 1hr of total time per episode and only a couple of them are daily (noted below).

  1. Blog – Stack Overflow
    Jeff Atwood (of codinghorror.com) and Joel Spolsky (of joelonsoftware.com) discuss the development of their new programming community, StackOverflow.com.
  2. Buzz Out Load (daily)
    Molly Wood, Tom Merritt and producer Jason Howell give you their daily take on what’s happening in tech news throughout the week.
  3. CNET News Daily Podcast (daily)
    The CNET News team brings you this snappy podcast every weekday, covering everything from privacy to processors, iPods to Intel. Charlie Cooper, Leslie Katz, Erica Ogg, and Jennifer Guevin cover the top technology news of the day, and encourage listeners to be a part of the discussion in the forums.
  4. Engadget
    The Engadget Podcast, a one stop shop for all your weekly gadget needs. Hear editors from the leading technology blog discuss and dissect the latest news in cell phones, laptops, and more.
  5. Gadgettes
    Girl gurus Kelly Morrison, Molly Wood and producer Jason Howell give you the latest on hot gadgets, pop-culture tech, and shopping advice.
  6. gdgt weekly
    You may know Peter Rojas and Ryan Block as the guys behind Engadget and Gizmodo, but they’re back with gdgt – the ultimate online destination for all things gadgety and electronic.
  7. The InsideRIA Weekly Roundup
    Created for web developers and designers, the InsideRIA Weekly Roundup is a news recap on the ever-changing world of Rich Internet Application development, covering all of the major players and technologies, from Adobe to Microsoft, from Ajax to Google Gears and JavaFX, and lots more.
  8. MacBreak Weekly
    Get the latest Mac news and views from the top journalists covering Apple today.
  9. net@night
    What’s happening on the ‘net right now? Amber MacArthur spends every waking moment combing the net for cool sites, viral videos, and funny and moving moments online. Only a fraction of the stuff she finds makes it to her TV shows on Citytv – the rest she shares right here with us.
  10. The Onion Radio News (daily)
    The Onion Radio News is a daily podcast featuring a short news clip from The Onion’s award-winning 24-hour radio news network.
  11. Open Web Podcast
    Dion Almaer, John Resig, and Alex Russell discuss news and events coming in from the Open Web community.
  12. this WEEK in TECH
    Your first podcast of the week is the last word in tech. Join Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose, John C. Dvorak, and other tech luminaries in a roundtable discussion of the latest trends in high tech.
  13. Windows Weekly
    Windows expert, Paul Thurrott, of the SuperSite for Windows, talks about Windows Vista and more each week on this netcast – part of the TWiT Netcast Network

I highly recommend subscribing to a few podcasts that are of interest to you, and try them out with some of the suggested listening times above. You will be surprised with the nuggets of information you will hear/find and your ability to keep up with what is happening in the news that interests you without combing every news site. Enjoy!

]]> http://snydersoft.com/2008/12/05/how-i-listen-to-podcasts-and-keep-up/feed/ 0 Updated to iPhone software v2.2 http://snydersoft.com/2008/11/21/updated-to-iphone-software-v22/ http://snydersoft.com/2008/11/21/updated-to-iphone-software-v22/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:23:45 +0000 Jeremy Snyder http://snydersoft.com/?p=159 I updated my iPhone to software version 2.2 and took some screenshots of the latest features. You can check them out on my Flickr photostream here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14489567@N06/sets/72157609607880263/

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