Archive for category Ask J.D.
Development tips and links for iPhone apps
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., Work, computer tips on August 22nd, 2010
Description: This is a an entry where I keep a list of misc development tips for iPhone app development.
SDK
Buttons
Button creator (ZIP download)
Creating Screenshots
Useful classes and code in general
Fonts
Convert Mac OSX dfont files to ttf (TrueType)!
Windows 7 ethernet goes to sleep! [solved]
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., computer tips on August 21st, 2010
Question. Hello! I have a problem with my network connection in Windows 7. Everything works great until the computer has been at rest for a while, then my ethernet connection drops out! As soon as I move my mouse or keyboard the ethernet comes back on. My laptop is NOT in sleep/hibernate mode when all this occurs! Please help!?
Answer. Great question 
. Here’s a potential solution for your Ethernet woes 
- Go to Control Panel -> Network and Internet -> View network status and tasks -> Adapter settings
- Double click on the network connection that is giving you problems. In this example the “Local Area Connection” which is the Intel82567LM Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
- Click the “Properties” button
- Click the “Configure” button
- Go to the “Power Management” pane
- Uncheck the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”
Hopefully that will do the trick for you!
PS one more Control Panel area to checkout:
Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Power Options\Edit Plan Settings
And then the “Change advanced power settings” option, there you will find a plethora of power related settings that you may want to adjust, especially the “wireless adapter settings”:
Windows 7 x64 driver for “ACPI TOS6205″ (bluetooth)
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., computer tips on August 18th, 2010
Question. from Laptop Nut:
Hello, I have a red Toshiba T135 Satellite laptop and I recently installed Windows 7 Ultimate on it. After running Windows update I still have ONE unknown device in device manager. It is called ACPI/TOS6205 and I don’t know what it is or how to get it working 
Answer. That is the bluetooth for your laptop. You should be able to get it working by installing the Toshiba bluetooth stack:
http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/bluetooth/?page=download
Since you’re running 64 bit Windows 7, you’ll want the driver version: 7.10.16 Windows XP x64 / Windows Vista x64 / Windows 7 x64 (or whatever the latest equivelant it). The filename will be BT-stack-64bit.zip
Hope this helps!
PS You have a cool laptop: nice battery life, decent performance and good looks!
UPDATE from Laptop Nut:
thanks that worked perfect! I like the laptop too only wish it had a nicer screen…
SOLUTION: Getting Broadcom Crystal HD decoder to work in Windows 7
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., computer tips on May 27th, 2010
NOTE: this is a first draft of this post, more info and some screenshots to be added.
After installing the Broadcom card and drivers I had a difficult time getting MKV x264 video files to play.
Solution:
- Disable all “internal filters”
- Set external filter to Broadcom
Applies to: GOM Player, Media Player Classic Home Cinema
Basic info to the Broadcom card itself:
Links that were helpful in finding that solution:
[end]
Upgrading/replacing a parity drive in unRAID
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., unRAID tips and tricks on May 26th, 2010
I’m preparing to upgrade my 2TB WD Green parity drive to a 2TB WD Black parity drive on my unRAID system. I did a lot of searching for resources on this topic and while there are some great forums posts out there, they are sometimes hard to find. So here is a consolidated list of useful links for parity drive replacement:
NOTE: many thanks to all the helpful and supportive unRAID users out there, the credit for all of this awesome info goes to them!!!
1 – Ran parity check last night, no errors. This step not really required, but a sanity issue
2 – stop the array
3 – go to devices tab, remove parity drive from configuration
4 – power down system via “powerdown” button
5 – remove existing 750 GB parity drive, replace with new 1 TB drive
6 – power on unraid
7 – go to devices tab, assign 1TB drive as parity drive
8 - start the array with the “start” button
9 – wait for parity rebuild to complete
10 – power off array and system
11 – install 750 GB drive removed in step 5
12 – power on machine, start the array
13 – go to devices tab, add the new/old 750 GB as a data disk
14 – start the array – disk will be formatted and added to the array.
NEW: jump straight to step-by-step photos of the entire process!
Answer from Joe:
You’ve done your homework.
The steps you listed look good. When you go to add the 750Gig drive back into the array as a data disk you will probably also need to check a checkbox indicating you wish it to clear and format the disk.
Once that checkbox is checked, press the “Start” button.
The rest is just a matter of time to let it build parity on the new parity drive, and then to clear and add the old-parity/new-data disk.
Answer by prostuff1:
unRAID will only see one parity drive as it will be the one assigned to the parity slot on the Devices page.
My suggestion when upgrading parity is to:
1. Run preclear on the drive a could of times (not necessary but will stress test the drive to find early failure)
2. Take out the old party by disconnecting it
3. Hook up new parity drive and assign it as parity once the computer is started back up
4. Let parity rebuild and then run a check on it to make sure nothing is going funky.
5. Shut down the server and hook the old parity drive back up
6. Run preclear on the old parity drive and let it complete
7. Assign the old parity drive to a slot and your all done.
The end, for now!
SOLUTION: Force Firefox to autofill username and password!
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., computer tips on May 24th, 2010
Q. Some websites (like Chase, Gmail, WordPress) won’t autofill my login credentials even though I saved them. What’s up with that?!
A. Good question. Sites can specify autocomplete=”off” to prevent browsers from filling in login info. This is what is causing your problem, thought it is meant to be a beneficial security feature to prevent someone from logging into with your saved/remembered info. However, it can be really annoying if you have to start typing your username password in each time! It is especially annoying if you’re using an autologin script (b/c that script won’t work if the login info isn’t autofilled).
So, here’s how to fix it by making FireFox ignore the “off” setting:
WARNING: after this modification, anyone using your browser may have your login info filled in if they visit a site where you’ve saved the info!
use your favorite text editor to edit the nsLoginManager.js fil located in C:\YOUR FIREFOX FOLDER\components\ folder (or C:\FirefoxPortable\App\Firefox\components\ for portable firefox)
Locate the following lines of code (use the find feature of your text editor), and comment out three lines by adding // (double slash) in front of the lines.
Before the change (honors autocomplete “off” setting)
if (element && element.hasAttribute(“autocomplete”) &&
element.getAttribute(“autocomplete”).toLowerCase() == “off”)
return true;
After the change (always sets autcomplete to “on”
// if (element && element.hasAttribute(”autocomplete”) &&
// element.getAttribute(”autocomplete”).toLowerCase() == “off”)
// return true;
More info…
Where I first heard about this solution:
The opposite problem:
Caricature drawing, two iPad caricature articles
Pairing Saitek A-250 bluetooth speakers with iPhone/iPod touch
Posted by J.D. in Ask J.D., computer tips on March 26th, 2010
Today I paired my old Saitek wireless speakers with my relatively new iPod touch. I’d paired the Saitek to a PC before, and the iPod to a different wireless speaker, but this was my first time with iPod + Saitek.
Here are two links that were helpful to me, one on iPhone/iPod Touch bluetooth and one on the Saitek (and how to pair).
NOTE: these instructions are for the iPhone’s and iPod touch models that have built in bluetooth.
![Hands on with stereo Bluetooth and the iPhone 3.0 update [Macworld]](http://www.jdhodges.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/141249-iphonea2dppairing_original.jpg)
Here’s an excerpt from the 2nd article, altered to be specific to the Saitek A250:
On the iPhone or iPod, launch the Settings app and go to General -> Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is On, and you’ll see the “searching” indicator next to Devices. Then you put your Bluetooth accessory into pairing mode; for most accessories, this involves holding down a connection button (the Saitek forward/reverse icons) until an LED flashes blue and red (or in this case, one of the LCD’s icons flashes faster). Tap on the accessory’s name (the Saitek A-250 is called “DM03 sink”) when it appears in the Devices list on your iPhone or iPod, and in a few seconds it should connect automatically. (The Saitek A-250 requires a passcode “8888″ when you connect; a keypad will appear on the iPhone or iPod’s screen.)
![Stream Audio with the Saitek A-250 Wireless 2.1 Speaker System [Geek.com]](http://www.jdhodges.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/logo1.gif){kind=logo}
Here is excerpt from the article, edited to be appicable to the iPhone/iPod:
Saitek A-250 passcode/PIN Number
“The passcode is 8888, but that won’t help unless you put the A-250 in pairing mode.
If you want to use your onboard Bluetooth[...] try the following”
1-Turn on the A-250
2-Initiate a Bluetooth device search from your iPhone/iPod. You should pick up a Headset “DM03-SINK” . That’s the A-250.
3- Now put the A-250 in device pairing mode, by pressing the Back (||) [forward/reverse] buttons at the same time for about 3-4 seconds. Pairing mode will be indicated by the flashing radio signal icon doubling in frequency.
4 – While the A-250 is in pairing mode, initiate a connection process from your iPod/iPhone for the DM03-SINK headset.
5 – when the PIN window opens enter “8888″ and you should get a connection.
6 – once you pair it with your iPhone/iPod, all the audio will play through the speakers
NOTE 1: you have to control volume ON the speakers, the iPhone/iPod won’t be able to adjust the volume
NOTE 2: the pause/play button on the speaker works wirelessly with the iPhone/iPod to pause/play, the forward/backward buttons do not work.
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