Entries for RichardRudek

Spur of the moment quips [Spur of the moment quips]

RichardRudek — Sat, 24 May 2008 06:50:53 GMT

[removed for being inappropriate]

Sorry all.

(C++) Getting std::find_if working with std::string and string.compare() [(C++) Getting std::find_if working with std::string and string.compare()]

RichardRudek — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:04:03 GMT

I was wondering whether anyone has been able to get find_if working when using a vector of string, searching for a paritcualr string.

[I've documented what I've found so far on my blog], and would be interested if any of you have found a solution - although it's just an academic one, now.

Thanks.

in reply to (C++) Getting std::find_if working with std::string and string.compare()

Is this dummy bidding ? [Is this dummy bidding ?]

RichardRudek — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:29:55 GMT

I got this curious email from someone claiming they are from, or related to QuickDrop (I won't link to them).

From what they say on their web site (and the email), they act as agents for people wanting to sell their goods on ebay, taking their cut after the sale. Personally, I can't stand auctions, so I can understand how there might be a business case for this. But is this morally right ? It feels a bit icky.

What's even more suspicious (apart from it being flagged as spam) is that they say they are responding to my Resume from an employment site, but I took that down (from that site) well over a year ago.

Anyway, they are "offering" full-time and part-time positions as "Virtual Office Assistants". WTF. What were those wipes Rory used to use...

Thoughts ?

in reply to Is this dummy bidding ?

SafeBoolIdiom VS2005 project 01 [SafeBoolIdiom VS2005 project 01]

RichardRudek — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 10:58:13 GMT

Here is a ZIPped VS2005 solution, relating to [the safe bool idiom article], and specifically, i found the error implementing the OperatorNot class:

// operator! version
class Testable {
  bool not_ok_;
public:
  explicit Testable(bool b=true):not_ok_(!b) {}

  bool operator!() const {
    return not_ok_;
  }
};

Notice the not (!) in the initialiser.

When run it does not initialise the not_ok member to false, when instanitating the class like:

 Testable test;

Here's the disassembly of the constructor:

public:
  explicit Testable(bool b=true):ok_(b) {}
004115F0  push        ebp  
004115F1  mov         ebp,esp 
004115F3  sub         esp,0CCh 
004115F9  push        ebx  
004115FA  push        esi  
004115FB  push        edi  
004115FC  push        ecx  
004115FD  lea         edi,[ebp-0CCh] 
00411603  mov         ecx,33h 
00411608  mov         eax,0CCCCCCCCh 
0041160D  rep stos    dword ptr es:[edi] 
0041160F  pop         ecx  
00411610  mov         dword ptr [ebp-8],ecx 
00411613  mov         eax,dword ptr [this] 
00411616  mov         cl,byte ptr [b] 
00411619  mov         byte ptr [eax],cl 
0041161B  mov         eax,dword ptr [this] 
0041161E  pop         edi  
0041161F  pop         esi  
00411620  pop         ebx  
00411621  mov         esp,ebp 
00411623  pop         ebp  
00411624  ret         4

WTF.

I've checked multiple times, and the original source does have the !.

Yet when I switch to the disassembly view, and single-step into the constructor, it shows it (the bit marked in red) without the !. The bit embolded is the actual native code setting the member.

Am I missing something ?

This is using VS2005sp1 (c1xx.dll version 14.0.50727.762)

in reply to [solved] C++ Compiler Bug with ! bool initialisers ?

WORKED AROUND - Has the coding of Links within a web page changed ? [WORKED AROUND - Has the coding of Links within a web page changed ?]

RichardRudek — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:08:33 GMT

I'm trying to make a small contents table for a recent blog entry, but live.spaces keeps deleting the name attributes.

eg
<a href="#jumphere">Go There</a>
...
<a name="jumphere"></a>Whatever...

The underlined bit above gets deleted out of the html after it's published. WTF. Is this not the way it's done anymore ?

in reply to WORKED AROUND - Has the coding of Links within a web page changed ?

Vista SP1 symbols build 6.0.6001.17052 [Vista SP1 symbols build 6.0.6001.17052]

RichardRudek — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 08:51:20 GMT

I've searched and have noted a number of people are requesting it. But as yet, I've been unable to find them. So, does anybody know where the symbols for the latest Vista SP1 RC are ?

I'd prefer an Internet based symbol server, but standalone symbols would be better than nothing.

PS: They don't seem to be on http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

in reply to Vista SP1 symbols build 6.0.6001.17052

Re: I just blew my 360! :-) [I just blew my 360! :-)]

RichardRudek — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:23:28 GMT

Ha ha.

Brings a new insight to the [Hokey Pokey]... and you turn around... Oh the depravity... [A]

in reply to I just blew my 360! :-)

AVG AntiVirus problems [AVG AntiVirus problems]

RichardRudek — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 03:02:22 GMT

Anyone else having problems with AVG (Resident) shell extension, since the latest update ?

I've had to diable the Resident protection, otherwise the whole Windows UI eventually blocks. I've created a screencast of me fumbling around with Process Explorer, etc, reproducing the problem~~, if anyone is interested~~.

PS: I probably should send the screencast to Grisoft, but, I'm not using their full version on the particular laptop, and so it's just so much of a bother to figure out how to email 'em, otherwise. PITA...

We'll see what happens, I suppose...

EDIT: I retract the offer of sending this screencast, as I would need to carefully go over it to see wether I'm exposing anything that might be considered a little too confidential... don't really have the time, ATM.

in reply to AVG AntiVirus problems

Screencast of silverlight problems on Ch9 [Screencast of silverlight problems on Ch9]

RichardRudek — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:16:36 GMT

Screencast of silverlight problems on Ch9, showing a working Firefox 2.0.7 setup with Silverlight 1.0 workingon microsoft.com/silverlight, but not on beta.channel9.msdn.com

in reply to Screencast of silverlight problems on Ch9

Setting Time Server onVista Enterprise, to NTP Server [Setting Time Server onVista Enterprise, to NTP Server]

RichardRudek — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 04:47:17 GMT

This is a very short screencast stepping through the process of setting the Time Server in Windows Vista Enterprise.

I've captioned it, so Turn on captions in Media Player (Play menu, Captions and Subtitles).

in reply to Setting Time Server onVista Enterprise, to NTP Server

SOLVED: I need a PDF translated from Japanese [SOLVED: I need a PDF translated from Japanese]

RichardRudek — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 03:40:47 GMT

I can't get google to work, pasting text in, so I was wondering wether someone would be so kind as to translate this Electronics datasheet for me [Mitsumi MM1414 PDF]

Or at the bare minimum, I need to know how to reconfigure the device to operate in 3-cell, instead of 4-cell mode. I can guess, but I'd like to know for certain, if possible.

Thanks.

in reply to SOLVED: I need a PDF translated from Japanese

Anybody interested in Embedded Electronics ? [Anybody interested in Embedded Electronics ?]

RichardRudek — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:36:12 GMT

As I can't seem to get a job in that field (probably due to lack of formal qualifications) I'm thinking about starting up an online business to cater for weekend-type embedded Electronics projects, which is something I find I am starting to crave (again). Specifically, the mix of electronics and embedded programming. As in, using micro-controller chips in various novel ways.

So I'm wondering whether there's any interest in this type of thing amonst users, here, and how much you'd be willing to pay, per project ?

I haven't fully thought this out yet, but I'm thinking along the lines of $5 per project. For that, you would get the Electronic circuit board diagrams and schematic, and a license to reproduce up to 5 copies of the runtime code. I don't know that I want to get into manufacturing, given the bad economics of it from Australia, especially considering places like Eastern Europe, China, etc. Given that I believe the money is in the source code, I'm thinking that if I give that away, then I'm basically giving away the business, so I'm not sure this would work. If your interested in this type of thing, would not getting full access to the source-code be a deal-breaker ?

in reply to Anybody interested in Embedded Electronics ?

Remote Access Service WMI provider [Remote Access Service WMI provider]

RichardRudek — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:38:28 GMT

Does anyone know wether there is a WMI provider for [RAS] ?

Basically, I would like to be able to write WSH scripts which create and configure VPN connections. All of my searches lead to CMAK (Connection Manager Administration Kit) which I find is not suitable for the senarios where I need it, or they basically say: "yeah, doesn't exist" (yet).

PS: I'm finding lots of little problems with CMAK. My biggest one (so far) is that you can't use the RASDIAL (executable) command. Using RASPHONE, instead, only works when run from an interactive session, which means I can't schedule it using the AT command.

in reply to Remote Access Service WMI provider

DirectX SDK June 2007 Corrupt ? [DirectX SDK June 2007 Corrupt ?]

RichardRudek — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:16:38 GMT

I'm having trouble downloading the latest DirectX SDK, which I've downloaded twice from my Network, and twice another Network (Remote Desktop).

Each time, the Self Extracting ZIP is corrupt. Testing the file(s) using 7-Zip also states the file is corrupt, but having 7-Zip compute the checksum (CRC32 I beleive) they each produce the same result for the data:

CRC checksum for data: 79A9A963

Has anyone else run into this ?

I'm suspecting a corruption in Akamai cache. My ISP seems to have a transparent proxy. However the remote one is directly downloading from Akamai:

canonical name:  a-61-9-193-142.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com.

in reply to DirectX SDK June 2007 Corrupt ?

Using C# for Dispatch-only COM objects [Using C# for Dispatch-only COM objects]

RichardRudek — Sun, 27 May 2007 13:28:38 GMT

Hi peoples, I've recently started to tinker using C# for various things. But one thing which seems to be evading me is how I can use C# to interop with Dispatch-only COM objects.

For example, in VB you can make use of Object, and just let the VB runtime deal with the dispatching details, at runtime:

Dim acroDoc As Acrobat.AcroPDDoc
acroDoc = CreateObject("AcroExch.PDDoc")
acroDoc.Open("C:\TEMP\test1.pdf")

Dim jso As Object
jso = acroDoc.GetJSObject()
jso.console.show()

So far, the equivalent C# is rather ugly:

CAcroPDDoc acroDoc = new AcroPDDocClass();
acroDoc.Open("C:\\TEMP\\test1.pdf");
object jso = acroDoc.GetJSObject();
if (jso != null)
{
  object con = jso.GetType().InvokeMember("console",
    BindingFlags.GetProperty, null, jso, null, null);
  if (con != null)
  {
    con.GetType().InvokeMember("show",
      BindingFlags.InvokeMethod, null, con, null, null);
  }
}

Surely this can't be the best way to do this. Can someone point me in the right direction ?

PS: The code is for Acrobat professional, which recovers an Acrobat Javascript object, and then opens (shows) Acrobat's javascript console window. Note how you need to specify the COM object twice for each invoke (shown in red). PITA.

in reply to Using C# for Dispatch-only COM objects

Visual Studio Orcas, Beta 1, and VPC security policy [Visual Studio Orcas, Beta 1, and VPC security policy]

RichardRudek — Mon, 07 May 2007 01:30:07 GMT

I thought I would give you guys a heads up on the default security policy, of the Orcas Beta 1, Virtual PC release. I have my systems all setup up to refuse NTLM(v1) and found to my surprise, that the Authentication level (of Server 2003) is to use only NTLM(v1). D'OH !!

Symptoms are that you cannot login, regardless of which user account you use, the error message stating that the username and/or pasword is incorrect. If you are logging failures on the "server" to which you are trying to access, the Logon Process will be listed as NtLmSsp.

PS: I tried to use the Orcas Feedback page, but as I found out, even though I can login using my LiveID, I've still have to apply to be able to participate in the Feedback... :|

EDIT: changed subject to something a little more understandable... :)

in reply to Visual Studio Orcas, Beta 1, and VPC security policy

One Laptop Per Child thoughts [One Laptop Per Child thoughts]

RichardRudek — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 23:11:16 GMT

Hi peoples, over the weekend, I started thinking about the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative.

Having gone over the (updated) Hardware specs, etc, the bit that interests me the most is the Wireless Mesh Network. You know, the controversial bit that uses an embedded ARM-9 (clone) CPU. I reading over the various third-party articles, as linked to by Engadget, etc, but wouldn't mind other thoughts about it.

I suppose another issue (for me) is the actual reality of wether this hardware could be misused by "bad people". That is everything from mischievious children, right through to criminals and terrorists, and wether some form of "emergency-stop" feature should be considered, let alone possible.

in reply to One Laptop Per Child thoughts

So who should we notifying about SPAM which appears on video threads ? [So who should we notifying about SPAM which appears on video threads ?]

RichardRudek — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 03:10:39 GMT

See subject.

[Hosting Day], here in Sydney.

First one, so I don't really know what I'm getting myself into, and I'm not really what you would call a sociable person - but there is a lucky door prize of a Zune :). Though I would prefer Vista, instead, so I can finally tinker with it... :D

EDIT: Added link... d'oh...

in reply to Microsoft Hosting Day 2007

Error in Win32 GetFullPathName() API documentation ? [Error in Win32 GetFullPathName() API documentation ?]

RichardRudek — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 14:09:03 GMT

I got caught out tonight with what I think is an error, or at the ~~least~~ very least, confusing API documentation for [GetFullPathName() Win32 API].

The bit that I have a problem with is where it documents the fourth, lpFilePart parameter. It currently says that it's an [out] parameter. I think it should be documented as an [in,out], because you are required to pass a pointer to a buffer into which GetFullPathName returns a TCHAR pointer.

Along a similar line, the example they give, I think, should also reflect this. Instead of this:

#define BUFSIZE 4096

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    DWORD retval=0;
    BOOL success; 
    char buffer[BUFSIZE]=""; 
    char * lpPart[BUFSIZE]={NULL};
...

I think it should be something like this:

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
   BOOL    success; 
   DWORD   retval           = 0;
   TCHAR   buffer[MAX_PATH] = {0}; 
   LPTSTR  lpPart[1]        = {NULL};
...

Note the last line in both examples.

In the original, the VS2005 debugger thinks that lpPart is an array of 4096 pointers. Also, I've deliberately limited the buffer size to MAX_PATH, rather than 4096 chars.

What do you guys think ?

It's time for bed...

Edit: Hmm, the negative ion hit I just got from my shower caused me to think, why do I even need that array syntax at all. As in:

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
  BOOL    success; 
  DWORD   retval           = 0;
  TCHAR   buffer[MAX_PATH] = {0}; 
  LPTSTR  lpPart           = NULL;

  // Insert executable's path in front of filename.
  if (GetFullPathName(argv[0], MAX_PATH, bufferPath, &lpPart) != 0)
    stdstr.insert(0, bufferPath, long(lpPartFName) - long(&bufferPath) );
...

Was the original example a mitigation for a buffer overrun attack ?

Now it really is time for bed...

EDIT2: Corrections shown in red. Hey, it was late... :)

in reply to Error in Win32 GetFullPathName() API documentation ?

Creating Independant Displays via GDI or DirectX [Creating Independant Displays via GDI or DirectX]

RichardRudek — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 01:57:59 GMT

Hi Peoples,

I have a need to create what's called an Independant Display.

I've written a C++ program that I'm using to test ways of doing this, initally as per the link above, via CreateDC().

The problem, however, is that whilst I have no trouble enumerating the Display Devices, [GDI] EnumDisplayDevices(), CreateDC() fails with an 1801 "The printer name is invalid", when I try it with an independant display.

I found various threads via Google, one of which where a Microsoft employee had looked into the problem (Rhett Gong), and responded to the effect that CreateDC no longer worked with Windows 2000 and above. He provided a workaround (that is a hack) in which you first attached the display to the desktop, then proceed.

This much works, but I really don't like it. I need to drive a high resolution LCD display (3840 x 2400), which has a film camera focused upon it. Obviously I cannot have Windows, or anything else touch this display, in ANY WAY !

In the course of researching this, I came across some suggestions of using DirectX. Reading up on this, I've seen various wordings which leads me to believe that it might be possible. However, I've found that I can't enumerate independant displays via DirectX API's. That is, I have to first attach the display to the desktop !! ARGH !

Any clues or suggestions ?

So far, I've tested this using an old Matrox G450 Dual Head, and a two adapter setup (nVidia Quadro FX2000 & Radeon 7000). Both exhibit the same problems with GDI, but I'm yet to check wether the DirectX stuff will enumerate independant displays using the two adapter setup - I need to go onsite.

Edit:
Increased Font size of Links, for Minh... :)

In short, an Independant display is one which is NOT used by Windows (Desktop/Shell). Typically, the display will be powered off because there are no signals being sent out the display port. Back in the DOS days, CAD programs drew upon these secondary displays, the primary being text-only.

So the trick is to enable this secondary display (called an Independant Display by the GDI docs) and then be able to draw to it without fear of anything else being able to draw on it.

Here is a screenshot of my DisplayProbe program, which I'm using to test this. Notice how the top ListView has three display devices, of which the first one has "Desktop" and "Primary Desktop" in it's flags:

in reply to Creating Independant Displays via GDI or DirectX