Software utilities

While debugging an ASP.NET application under Windows Vista, I noticed I could not debug it, because the green arrowhead button next to debug remained green after pressing it, meaning I was not in debug mode. Finally I found out this interesting tutorial. It basically suggests to open Control panel, then program and features, then click on Turn Windows features on and off, and then set the checkbox as the following figure:

That’s it!

PS: don’t forget to run Visual Studio 2005 as administrator, clicking on the icon with the right button!

As you may know, Internet Explorer 6 CSS rendering had many flaws. Some of them may be corrected using some trick, such as adding an underscore before the property name:

div

{

    width: 20px; //for Firefox

    _width: 30px; //for IE6

}

IE7 solved some of this bugs, butyou may still find some differences between it and Firefox or other browsers. In thi case, you may use another trick, incompatible with IE6:

div

{

    width: 20px; //for Firefox

    _width: 30px; //for IE6

    .width: 30px; //for IE7

}

Yes, adding a point is enough to make aware IE7 only of this rule!

I think that Microsoft guys knew the CSS problemsof IE6 and IE7, and they also knew that theuy were different bugs, so they added this “feature” to create differnce tricks for the two browser. What do you think?

I know this might be pretty straightforward for some people to do, but for others, it isn’t. And there’s no shame in that. We all have to start somewhere, after all.

So here are step-by-step instructions on how to convert information from a spreadsheet (in Excel) to a database (on Access).
 
1] Open Access

2] Create a new database (by clicking File then New;  Give the database a name. Then click Create.)

3] Click on File, scroll down to External Data and click on Import

4] A search window will open.

(You’ll need to choose from the dropdown menu ‘Files of Type’ either *.csv or *.xls for the files of that extension to show)

Then search for the spreadsheet you want to import

5] Click Import

6] A wizard will open to guide you through the rest of the Import process

At the bottom half of the window, you’ll see a sample of the table you want to import.

If there are headings in the spreadsheet you’re importing, click the box that says ‘First Row Contains Column Headings’.

7] Click Next

8] Click ‘In a New Table’ (this will probably already be chosen by default)

9] Click Next

10] If there are no headings in the spreadsheet, this section asks you what headings you want to give each column. By default, these columns are called Field 1, Field 2, Field 3, etc by Access. Change these names to something more appropriate.

To name each column, just click on the column you want to rename, then type in your chosen name in the Field Name box.

11] When you’ve finished naming each column, click Next.

12] It will ask you if you want to create a primary key. Leave it at the default option ‘Let Access Add Primary Key’.

13] Click Next

14] Give the table a name – do this in the ‘Import to Table’ text box.

15] Press Finish and a message confirming that the import is finished will appear.

16] Once you click on OK, you will see the imported table. Double-click on it to take a look.

And that’s it! You’re done!

Poor poor thing. I almost feel like singing him a lullaby and rocking him ever-so gently ‘til he falls asleep with his thumb in his mouth and a drool a mile long.

But I won’t.

‘cos …well….I think he’s got a gazillion million millions stuffed in his pillow for comfort.

You made the decision to leave, Billy Boy, so what’s with the choked-up speech and the misty eyes? You’re not dying, you’re just leaving, moving on. Change is necessary as you very-well know, Billy. All you have to do is look at all the different versions of Windows, Office, yadda-yadda-yawn, you’ve piled out to know that what I’m saying is true. One minute, it’s Windows 2000, then it’s XP, then it’s Vista. If we can live through those dramatic versions/changes, then you, my friend, can live with the almighty big one you’re about to embark on.

Imagine all the things you’ll have more time to do now. You could go on a holiday. Ever heard of that, Billy Boy? Hol-i-day?

No, not the song by Madonna, dufus.

Well, a holiday is when you jump on a plane (erm, in your case, I guess it would be one of your private jets) and go to a place where you can leave the world behind, relax, reflect and have fun. I heard the mangoes are really good in the Caribbean. Greece is heaven on earth. And Brazil will make you smile all over.

So how about it, Billy Boy? Go on a holiday and thank the heavens that you still have enough of your life (and your money) to enjoy the journey ahead (whichever path you choose to take).

It’s not the end, old man – it’s just the beginning.

You’ll be fine, Billy Boy. We’ll miss ya, but you’ll be fine.

Just fine.

.