my Computer Quest: Laptop

Showing posts with label Laptop. Show all posts

28 March, 2018

Make App Disappear From Taskbar On Minimize

Screenshot showing Windows 8's ability to pin apps and show different wallpapers on different monitors, as well as displaying the new Explorer file browser interface, Task Manager, and multi-monitor taskbar (in "Duplicated on all taskbars" mode). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

28-March-2018

I wanted to completely hide an application after it is minimized. Hide() is not enough. [ShowInTaskbar = false] did the trick.

Well, I could say that I struggled a bit finding out what would really make the application disappear from the taskbar.

I used Hide(). Didn't work. I also tried Visible = false. Also did not work. I combined both, but still, it did not work. I combined both Hide() and Visible = false, and even then, I still did not see the job done. App icon still shows in the taskbar when it was minimized.

I should mention that I already have the application creating an icon in the System Tray as I have previously created a NotifyIcon to handle that. And what I am adding now is to minimize the window via code, which also requires the app icon to be not shown in the Taskbar.

I couldn't find many articles that provided help. What came up usually just mentioned Hide() or Visible, and some of the old stuff about adding a NotifyIcon function. I found one that did mention about making use of the property ShowInTaskbar. So I grabbed that one-liner code, tried it, and it worked!

So now my program is complete! Now I can hide an application after it is minimized. Thanks to ShowInTaskbar, I could declare it a holiday!

Till then!

[Late posting; drafted on 04-October-2017]

02 May, 2014

Fixing BCM4352 driver in Ubuntu Linux

Broadcom (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

02-May-2014

I needed to reinstall Ubuntu Linux 14.04 Trusty Tahr in my laptop, as the program that I needed to use doesn't run. I believe I messed it up - part of my learning, I would say.

As in my previous installation, the Wireless Network Adapter wasn't working, and that is the one I had to fix first and foremost.

I searched again, and I don't think I found the same article that I used before, but now, I used one which I followed to the letter, and after reboot, I find that the Wi-Fi connection is still not working.

Since I had to go and send my K1 girl off to school, I shut down the computer. And my wife and I had to go to the grocery to grab some things. A couple of hours, we were back.

Computer Home Business

So now I am on my second time to start the laptop after installation. I tinkled with the system settings, specifically on the profile photo, date and time settings, battery life indicator, etc. When I came to the 'Software & Updates section, I did my usual tinkering, checked the boxes on the Other Software and Updates tabs, and surprisingly, coming to the Additional Drivers tab, there was a choice to use the proprietary driver for the Broadcom wireless network card. That means what I installed was recognized by the system!

So, I have to take note of it now, lest I can't find it again should the need arise - to reinstall once again, or do another box.

Here's the link: Fixing Broadcom BCM43xx cards Ubuntu 10.04 and later

Hope this helps others who would run into the same problem: my machine is HP Envy-15 TS.

Till then!

27 May, 2013

Mouse setting resets on reboot

A computer mouse (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

27-May-2013

I have been struggling with the problem of my mouse setting resetting to default whenever I restart my laptop. And since it only happens on my laptop, with whatever mouse I plug in, I have come to believe that the problem was only on my laptop, not on the mouse or other pointing devices I have tested.

I am using an HP Probook 4430s machine, and I think that is where the problem just lies…

No, it is not the machine itself, but you see, searching for solutions to the problem in the web, I came across many, many articles, but summing things up, they offer these solutions, of course, suggestions, to be safe, as not everyone got to fix their problem – not me, definitely.

Create a new user account – just not something that would be workable if you are talking about a company workforce of 5,000 or so employees and all of a sudden their mouse gets into this kind of problem. Or course, my case is hypothetical, but this is really not for the faint-hearted.
Uninstall mice driver from Device Manager – well this did reinstall the device driver upon reboot, and surely that also didn’t solve the problem – in my case.
KHALMNPR – just what is this thing with the weird name? Okay, I didn’t get to the point of pulling my hairs out of frustration, because searching high and low, opening all tabs in System Configuration dialog box, I didn’t get to see this dreaded witch, the unsuspecting culprit, as to why my mouse gets into a default setting after reboot.

So what did solve my mouse problem after all?

Mobile Monopoly

I mentioned that I am using an HP machine, so after many rounds (really, many…) opening and closing System Configuration box, looking at Startup tabs almost a hundred times, my eyes wandered up and down, back and forth, and finally, sorting by Manufacturer, I saw, for the first time (of course, really not the first time) that instead of KHALMNPR, I have ‘hpwmsd Application’ in the Startup Item column, belonging to Hewlett-Packard. Under Command column, it is in some *MOUSE* folder. I did a guess, basing on the KHALMNPR idea, that this could be the driver for mouse in HP machines.

I wasted no time unticking the boxes (yes, 2 .exe programs were there), and rebooted my machine ASAP, logged in, and voila!

Setting is intact.

Maybe yours is the same manufacturer, or different. The thing is, you could hunt for the manufacturer's mouse drivers, and unticking them so they don't get loaded on reboot, that may well be the solution to your specific mouse-reset-on-reboot problem.

Why not give it a try?

Till then!

04 February, 2013

I rooted my GT-P3100 – EASILY!

English: samsung-galaxy-tab (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

04-Feb-2013

A week ago, I went to the telecom service provider that services one of my mobile phones (I don’t use more than one; this line is used by one of my daughters). Since it is already one year, I am now eligible for a re-contract, which, primarily, is geared towards having a new phone, while all other things remain the same.

As I found out, the plan had a change, some that used to be free are now chargeable, some limits reduced, etc., etc. Anyway, bottom line is, we got a new phone. And it was a Samsung Tab 2 7.0, paying just a minimum sum, since my plan is a bare essential one, not having data at all. Just the basic set: phone line, talk time, SMS. No internet.

With everybody in the house having a mobile phone, except the 3-year old, our youngest thought to herself, and declared, that the new phone is hers. Who would argue with that?

The phone was broken in, and it was used, charged, installed with apps, recharged, played with, until I can’t hold on any longer, then on Saturday, I stole it away from my daughter while she was busy watching TV, and she didn’t notice that the Tab was gone, and that she had something else to busy herself with.

I took the Tab in the room, and went to search for rooting procedures. Found one that is for beginners, and I said, “What the heck. I ain’t a beginner!” and looked for something more complicated. I did find out, and when I checked through, it was way too complicated, so I went back to the beginner’s method.

I followed the procedure, downloaded the files, and without batting an eyelash, went straight away to rooting the device. I used Odin before, and I used Odin now. I am not new to the procedure, so I did as I can remember, and i believe I did everything correctly, but it hanged!

Before I started with the rooting procedure, I plugged in Tab in, and it was recognized by my personal laptop. However, when I disconnected my Tab, and put it to download mode, plugged it back in, Odin, or rather my laptop, don’t see it anymore. I almost panicked!

At this point, I did about 2-3x cycle of unplugging and plugging back, but still my laptop couldn’t see the Tab. So no choice, I needed to open it so I can take out the battery and hopefully, start all over again.

Problem!

The Tab isn’t easy to open up. The back cover is quite seamlessly attached to the body, without any nick or opening that is designed for taking out the cover. So I searched the web, then I found one on YouTube, and it was easy, so easy. But when I tried it myself, I had to give up – it isn’t easy after all.

A Chinese would say “Luckily,” but I ain’t Chinese, but I’ll say it anyway, “Luckily...” my work laptop was at home, and it will always be home when I am home, for such is the purpose if being issued a laptop, to be able to support even at home, even from home. I would recall that the other phones were rooted using the work laptop, while some others were rooted using the home laptop.

I took the cables and plugged it in my work laptop, with Odin already open and waiting. Boom! It was recognized ASAP. So I just searched for the same rooting procedure, downloaded the files, and went right to root my Tab 2 phone, a Samsung GT-P3100 unit.

How do I describe what happened next? It was a breeze! And with the initial problem that I went through, it seems that the quick rooting of the Tab was unbelievable, so much so that I can’t believe it at first. I had to install all those apps that is applicable only to rooted devices, and without a single complaint from the apps, my doubt was gradually replaced by a confirmation – the Tab 2 phone has been rooted!

Below is the link on the Rooting Procedure for Beginners, well, there will be times that it pays to go down low, again. Like this time.

Root Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

Till then!

29 February, 2012

Can tablets give you a pain in the neck?

Read this. Are you getting it (the neck pain, I mean...)? I get 'inflamed' eyes right after playing with race car on my android phone, so I don't do this frequently, just once in a while...
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Posted: 26 January 2012

PARIS: Users of tablet computers should place their device on the table and tilt its screen, rather than have it flat on their lap, to avoid potentially painful hunching of the neck, a study suggested on Wednesday.

"Tablet users may be at high risk to develop neck discomfort based on current behaviours and tablet designs," it warned.

A team led by environmental health researcher Jack Dennerlein of the Harvard School of Public Health asked seven men and eight women who were experienced tablet users to carry out tasks on an iPad2 and a Motorola Xoom.

Using a motion-analysis system, the team filmed the 15 volunteers as they worked on the tablet in four common configurations.

In the first position the tablet was not placed in its proprietary case but held on the lap in one hand while the other was used to touch the screen.

Tennis Serve Instructional Video

In the second the tablet was placed on the lap, but stayed in its case. The user worked with both hands on the screen.

In the third, the tablet was set up in its case on a table, with its screen set at a lower angle, and the user worked with both hands.

The last configuration, dubbed "table-movie," entailed placing the tablet on the table in its case, tilted at a higher angle. The user did not work on the screen and instead watched movies or other programming on it.

The experiments showed the angle of the head and neck varied hugely across the four configurations and between the iPad and the Xoom.

Compared with the Xoom, the angles were more acute in the iPad, which the researchers attributed to the different case designs.

The study found that tablet users generally had more acute angles of head and neck flexion than with desktop or notebook computers.

Only when the two tablets were in the "table-movie" configuration - when the screen's angle was at its steepest - did the user's posture approach a neutral position.

"This suggests that tablet users could place the tablet higher, on a table rather than a lap, to avoid low gaze angles, and use a case that provides steeper view angles," the scientists said.

A 2009 study found that the "gaze angle" for looking at computers should be roughly 45 degrees or more to avoid straining the neck's extensor muscles.

The gaze angle is calculated as the downward direction of the eyes in relation to the horizontal.

The paper, published in the accident-prevention journal Work, did not assess the impact of tablet use over a long period, nor did it address the positions of the arms, wrists and hands, an issue it said needed further research.

But it noted that tens of millions of tablet computers have already entered circulation and there remained no posture guidelines for using them safely.

The history of ergonomic science is littered with designs, from car seats to office desks and phones, that can cause discomfort or even pain if the user uses the wrong posture over time.

- AFP/de

Taken from ChannelNewsAsia.com; source article is below:
Can tablets give you a pain in the neck?

my Computer Quest

28 March, 2018

Make App Disappear From Taskbar On Minimize