Enabling Inline AutoComplete for Windows Explorer (XP)
When I'm going through folders on my computer, I like to have the ability to type what I'm looking for in the address bar and have suggestions come up. My old computer would do it automatically, but when I got a new one, it was disabled. Here's how to turn it back on (or off if you're some sort of freak):
To enable the Inline AutoComplete feature:
- Click Start, point to Settings, point to Control Panel, and then click Internet Options.
- Click the Advanced tab, and then click to select the Use inline AutoComplete check box.
- Click OK.
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;237553
Keyboard Shortcuts for Microsoft Products
While search for the the functionality of the Function (F1-F12) keys in Word 2010, I came across this page:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/keyboard.aspx
It's actually pretty useful for speeding up your work in Microsoft Products, there's even a "Show All" Option for those of you that would rather print the document.
For the record, here's the list of what the function keys do in Word 2010 (I was looking for the shortcut for how to update a text field):
| TO DO THIS | PRESS |
|---|---|
| Get Help or visit Microsoft Office.com. | F1 |
| Move text or graphics. | F2 |
| Repeat the last action. | F4 |
| Choose the Go To command (Home tab). | F5 |
| Go to the next pane or frame. | F6 |
| Choose the Spelling command (Review tab). | F7 |
| Extend a selection. | F8 |
| Update the selected fields. | F9 |
| Show KeyTips. | F10 |
| Go to the next field. | F11 |
| Choose the Save As command. | F12 |
Internet Troubleshooting for Parents
After having my mom call again, waking me up on a Saturday morning (it was before 11!) to tell me that she couldn't get on the internet, I decided they needed a flow chart to troubleshoot problems before sending for help.
Granted, this doesn't take into account the potential need for a hard reset of the router, but I really don't want them doing that anyway and they can always call if it gets to that point.
Click each image for a larger view
Basic Troubleshooting
Advanced Troubleshooting
Transferring Office 2010 Settings Between Computers
Note: This is a tutorial that I think will apply to more people than just my dad, but since he asked for it first, here's to you dad.
So you've setup Office 2010 just the way you like it at work, probably spent a few hours getting every ribbon tab and Quick Access Toolbar setting to your liking, but now you want to use those same settings at home. Do you really want to have to go through that entire process all over again so that your User Interface is the same? I didn't think so. Here's a guide on how to transfer those files between computers.
1. Open Microsoft Word 2010 (The steps will be the same for each Office 2010 Program, but we'll go through the process on Word.)
2. Go to the [File] tab, then click the [Options] button
3. Click on the [Customize Ribbon] settings page (I have to assume you've seen this page if you've customized your Ribbon and/or Quick Access Toolbar), select the [Import/Export] dropdown menu, and choose "Export all customizations"
4. Save the .exportedUI file to your computer or a flash drive, and either email the file to yourself or take the flash drive to your other computer. One note, if you try to email the file and use Outlook at home, it might automatically block the file extension, so you might need to put the .exportedUI inside of a zip file (Right-click on the file and select [Send To] --> [Compressed (ZIP) File]).
5. Repeat steps 1-3 on the computer you would like to transfer the files to, except instead of choosing "Export all customizations" from the [Import/Export] Dropdown menu on the [Customize Ribbon] page, choose "Import customization file" and then select the file that you either emailed to yourself or put on the flash drive.
6. That's it! Now repeat steps 1-5 for each program that you would like to transfer your customized User Interface settings between (e.g. Excel, Powerpoint, etc.)
Dog Tea Crate
Our 100-lb 11 month old South African Boerboel needed a new crate to sleep in, and the wife wanted something resembling a shipping/tea crate.
I don't have any build pictures, so here's the final product. A note: don't try to use enamel paint on top of wood stain or polyurethane. It doesn't stick well and it tends to bleed.
Dr. Horrible’s Death Ray
For Halloween this year, I wanted to be Dr. Horrible from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and one of the main elements of this costume was the Death Ray. Here's the process I used to build it.
First off, I shamelessly used the MDF build process that Harrison Krix used to make his M8 Avenger Assault Rifle from Mass Effect 2, so if you've seen his awesome work and thought that this looks familiar, it is.
Dr. Horrible's Death Ray is actually the same prop as the Sonic Rifle from "Firefly/Serenity" and also the movie "The 6th Day". One of the members over at The Replica Prop Forum owns a screen-used copy and was nice enough to post the reference pictures that I worked from.
Source: http://fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=141&start=0
To get an idea of how big this thing is, I used a screen capture of Nathan Fillion holding the Death Ray, looked on IMDB to see how tall he is, and then estimated from there. I ended up figuring 24" for the main body and another 6" for the front beam concentrator assembly.
Here's the first rough cutout using a jigsaw on 3/4" MDF. The only problem with the jigsaw is that the blade tends to bend, giving you slightly angled cuts, but it was a bit more useful than just a bandsaw or a scroll saw for the interior cuts.
I used more 3/4" MDF to make the larger details on the rifle, and 1/4" MDF to make some of the smaller details. This gave the ray some width (and some weight!) You can see my reference picture in the background, I was working on a 3.31 multiplication factor between the printed out images and the real thing.
The butt of the rifle as depicted by 3/4" MDF:
For the canisters attached to the side, I used 1" dowel sawed in half lengthwise with 1" pvc straight coupling glued to the outside of the dowel.
After a bunch of sanding/priming, and about an hour at Home Depot finding the right combination of PVC pipe fittings, here's what it looked like with the pieces mocked up.
I used Bondo Spot putty for the fill-in work on the scope with Krylon Ruddy Brown primer
Of course this thing would need to be wired up for lighting (I decided sounds would be a bit annoying but will probably put some in my next project), so I cut a channel in the base body with a router and fed the wires throughout the body. I used a 9v battery to power the LEDs
The beam concentrator was cobbled together using a 4" PVC end cap, some threaded lamp pipe nipples, and Apoxie Sculpt
The body after primer/bondo/sandpaper/primer/bondo/etc.
The front of the beam concentrator consists of 1/4" MDF cutout using a hole saw with more Apoxie sculpt and 1/2" PVC pipe pieces
Fit together and mocked up
All the greeblies painted up and ready to be attached
First round of black paint and the Beam Concentrator attached using epoxy:
The scope was attached using more threaded pipe nipples
More of the pieces attached and some of the details. I used pieces of Sintra for the finder detail lines, since it can be cut with scissors. You can see the picture from the show in there too.
The internals came from an old motherboard that I cut up
We have lights!
I made a small box to go around the 9v battery out of Sintra. This is on the back of the "Death Ray" label panel
The panel with some weathering done. All of the weathering was done with an airbrush. I'm still trying to perfect my technique, but it was a start
Detail Shots after a coat of Krylon Matte Finishing Spray
I'll take some better pictures and post them, but in the meantime, check out my Flickr Page for more shots of the build
Edit:
Here's a picture from the night of Halloween with the completed costume. I need to take some better pictures, but it gives an idea of the size.
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Picture of the Day – 10/25/2010
Seriously? They could have at least pretended not to ripoff The Captain
