Sunday, May 31, 2015

Google Tutor

User advice


Mark Fleming has started a new omnibus site/blog dealing with the vagarities and varieties that make up Google.
"In my discussions with other Google users, I am always amazed at how few of Google's tools they have heard of. For the most part, people are only familiar with the main search areas such as the web, news and images. And even in these areas, their knowledge of all the options that would allow them to better harness the power of Google is limited.

When I've told others of the vast features and formidable power of Google tools, they are quite frankly astonished. Compounding the problem of this unfamiliarity is the fact the Google does not make much of an effort to even tell us what's new and what's in public beta. You've usually got to hear about it somewhere else or just stumble upon it."

GoogleTutor.com
Google Tutor and Advisor

One entry, for instance, points to the Google Cheat Sheet

Also see:
Google Guide



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Saturday, May 30, 2015

Friday, May 29, 2015

Don't Check Spelling

Avoid the squiggles


Omitting text selections from Word's spell checking process

If you frequently include macro code listings or other chunks of cryptic information in your documents, Word's spell checker is likely to have a field day pointing out unrecognized words.

You can make Word's spell checker skip over code listings and other information that it is likely not to recognize by applying the No Proofing language setting.
  1. Select the text you would like the spell checker to skip.
  2. Next, select Tools>Language Set Language from the menu bar.
  3. In the Mark Selected Text As list box, select the (No Proofing) option and then click OK.
From now on, the spell checker will skip over the text you selected without flagging any spelling or grammatical errors.
Alan Wyatt's WordTips site has a comprehensive list of spell checker links: Spelling and Grammar Checking

BTW: If you want to spell check Web forms and information boxes you fill out using Internet Explore, look at ieSpell:
"ieSpell is a free Internet Explorer browser extension that spell checks text input boxes on a webpage. It should come in particularly handy for users who do a lot of web-based text entry (e.g. web mails, forums, blogs, diaries).
Even if your web application already includes spell checking functionality, you might still want to install this utility because it is definitely much faster than a server-side solution. Plus you get to store and use your personal word list across all your applications, instead of maintaining separate ones on each application."




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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Run a Macro From a Cell

How to do the impossible (almost)



There are times when it might be nice to run a macro from a cell function.
Something like : if a cell has a certain value, a macro will run:

=IF(A1>10,Macro1)

You can not initiate a macro from a worksheet cell function. However, you can use the worksheet's Change event to do something like this:

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
If Not Application.Intersect(Target, Range("A1")) Is Nothing Then
If Target.Value > 10 Then
MsgBox "Put your macro code here in place of the MsgBox line"
End If
End If
End Sub

When A1 is changed to a value greater than 10, the macro code will run.

To get to the Worksheet Event code, right-click the sheet tab and choose View Code.


Worksheet code

From CPearson.com
Also see:
Change Events

Also:
Microsoft KnowledgeBase:
How to Run a Macro When Certain Cells Change

After posting this, Ross Mclean came up with a great work around using a User Defined Function.

Public Function RMAC(ByVal Macro_Name As String,  _
ByVal Arg1 As Variant)
RMAC = Application.Run(Macro_Name, Arg1)
End Function


Keep in mind that some commands will be ignored. A macro run from the worksheet like this will not change the Excel environment.

For example (watch line wrap), this VBA code:
Public Function RMAC _
(ByVal Macro_Name As String, _
ByVal Arg1 As Variant)
RMAC = Application.Run _
(Macro_Name, Arg1)
End Function

Sub MyMacro(arg As String)
ActiveCell.Interior.ColorIndex _
= 3
Beep
End Sub


when invoked by this worksheet formula:

=rmac("MyMacro","yada")


runs the sub MyMacro with some modification. The Beep is executed, the cell color change is not.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/



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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Signing Macros

Security levels


There are three levels of Macro security:

High:
A computer user can open without a prompt a digitally signed project from a trusted publisher. Otherwise, the application blocks opening signed projects from untrusted publishers as well as unsigned projects.
Medium:
A computer user can open without a prompt a digitally signed project from a trusted publisher. In addition, you can also designate the publisher of a signed project as trusted so their projects will open without a prompt in the future. Unsigned projects are always prompted with a reminder that the file may contain potentially harmful code, but users can elect to open them anyway.
Low:
A computer user can open an unsigned project without a prompt. When users make a Low security setting, they're reminded that they aren't protected from potentially unsafe macros.
Securing Access Databases
"If you've used Access 2003, you've probably seen several security warning messages - Access 2003 cares about your security. An important part of Access 2003 security is digitally signing your code. As Rick Dobson shows, you can do it, but preparing for digital signing is critical.

A digital signature acts like shrink-wrap on your project: Clients know that they're getting a copy directly from you that no one else modified. Clients will also know that they're working with "your" code and not any version of it modified by a third party. As computing moves forward into a "security conscious" era, learning how to acquire and use a digital certificate is also important for interfacing with organizations that adopt policies of only running digitally signed Access 2003 projects: Your users may refuse to accept software from you that isn't shrink-wrapped."
Also:
Signing Access Projects
Other links:

How to make sure that your Office document has a valid digital signature in 2007 Office products and in Office 2003



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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Free Statistical Display Software

World wide Economic Data


"Gapminder is a non-profit venture for development and provision of free software that visualize human development. This is done in collaboration with universities, UN organizations, public agencies and non-governmental organizations.
It all started in 1998 from an idea to enhance the understanding of world health. We developed prototype software showing time series of health statistics as moving graphics and varying life conditions as 360° photo panoramas from homes, schools and health facilities. From the prototype emerged the Dollar Street project with Save the Children Fund in Sweden and the World Health Chart project with WHO. Within the later project, Gapminder developed the free software Trendalyzer that turns boring time series of development statistics into attractive moving graphics."


GapMinder.org




"Gapminder offers some interesting interactive uses of technology to humanise economic data. These include "Dollar Street", in which you tour homes that are representative of various incomes, as well as several colourful interactive graphs of health, income and education."
The Economics Subject Centre of the UK's Higher Education Academy, 2004




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Monday, May 25, 2015

Troubleshooting Windows Shutdown

I said shutdown!


" Have you ever tried to shut down Windows, only to have the shutdown sequence hang, or to have the computer reboot instead of shutting down? Shut down problems are one of the most common types of problems with the Windows operating system. At the same time though, they are also one of the problems that is most seldom resolved because shut down problems tend to take a back seat to more serious issues. Troubleshooting operating system shut down problems is easier than you might think though. In this article, I will share some techniques with you that you can use to resolve shut down problems on machines in your office."

WindowsNetworking.com:
Troubleshooting Windows Shutdown Problems

Also:
Windows Support Center:
Windows Shutdown & Restart Center



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Sunday, May 24, 2015

Broadcast PowerPoint

Shows on the Internet



"There are many different ways you can deliver a presentation. You can make an on-screen presentation using a laptop or desktop computers and a multimedia projector, you can use an overhead with transparencies, you can generate paper printouts and use a flip chart, or even present using 35mm slides.

But, with the amazing growth of the World Wide Web, more and more people are opting to copy their presentations to the Internet. PowerPoint has built in facilities that allow you to convert your PowerPoint presentations to a series of web pages that can be published to the Internet or an Intranet then viewed by anyone with a Web browser!"
YouTube:
Broadcast PowerPoint Presentations


Microsoft Office Assistance:
PowerPoint 2003 Add-in: Presentation Broadcast

"The presentation broadcast add-in, which synchronizes the audio and video delivery in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 and earlier presentations and enables you to deliver presentations to participants in different locations, is not available in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007. Instead, Microsoft Office Live Meeting can help you collaborate online and share presentations with individuals or large groups in different locations. All that you need to use Live Meeting is a computer and an Internet connection. "

Presentation Broadcasting documentation



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Saturday, May 23, 2015

Column(s) Function

VLOOKUP



"Excel will adjust cell references in formulas when you insert or delete rows or columns.

For example, if the cell C1 contains the formula =A1/B1 and you insert a column to the left of column A; the formula will change to =A1/C1.

The problem then occurs with VLOOKUP. Its column index number argument is a simple number, not a reference.

VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,range_lookup

For Example:
  1. Choose a blank worksheet
  2. In cells A1 and A2, enter the values 1 and 2.
  3. In B1 and B2, enter Jan and Feb.
  4. Select all four cells and drag the fill handle at the bottom right-hand corner of the selection downward to row 12.
You should now have the numbers 1 through 12 in column A and the months Jan through Dec in column B. In cell D1 enter the formula =VLOOKUP(C1,A1:B12,2). Now enter any number from 1 to 12 in cell C1. The formula will select the corresponding month name. To demonstrate the problem, right-click on the heading of column B and choose Insert. The formula changes to =VLOOKUP (D1,A1:C12,2), which returns 0. Excel correctly changed the cell reference from C1 to D1 and expanded the lookup range to include the inserted column, but it cannot change the column index number. Press Ctrl-Z to undo the column insertion. The solution is to modify the formula so that the column index number is not hard-coded but instead is calculated from cell references. You could use the COLUMN() function that returns the column number of the reference and, as in this example, compute the number of columns between the first and last columns: =VLOOKUP (C1,A1:B12,COLUMN(B1)-COLUMN(A1)+1). A more esthetically pleasing, or sophisticated, function might be: COLUMNS(array) This returns the number of columns in an array or reference. The modified lookup function looks like this: =VLOOKUP (C1,A1:B12,COLUMNS(A1:B1)). Either way, now if a column is inserted in the middle of the range, the column index will be adjusted."
From a PC Magazine article By Neil J. Rubenking

Also: eHow: Using the Column Function

OzGrid: Copy Rows (Scroll down to about the middle of the page)



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Friday, May 22, 2015

Sequentially Number Invoices

Creating sequentially numbered documents


Use an Autonew macro to add a sequential number to a document and save it with that number.

In the template from which you create the document, insert a bookmark named Order in the location where you want the sequential number to appear and create an AutoNew macro, as follows:


Sub AutoNew()
Order = System.PrivateProfileString("C:\Settings.Txt", "MacroSettings", "Order")
If Order = "" Then
Order = 1
Else
Order = Order + 1
End If
System.PrivateProfileString("C:\Settings.txt", "MacroSettings", "Order") = Order
ActiveDocument.Bookmarks("Order").Range.InsertBefore Format(Order, "00#")
ActiveDocument.SaveAs FileName:="path" & Format(Order, "00#")
End Sub 


If you do not need to display the number in the document, but just want to save it with a sequential number, there is no need to create the bookmark in the template and you should then delete the second last line of the code.

Article contributed by Doug Robbins
Word MVP Site


Microsoft Knowledgebase:
Macro to Increment Invoice Number to New Form Document



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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Leave on Server

Why does it do that?


"All the e-mail messages that you receive go through an e-mail server for your e-mail account. Depending on the type of e-mail account that you use, your e-mail messages are processed in one or more of the following ways.
  1. Messages remain on the server. Outlook connects to the server, and you can read or delete your messages.
  2. Messages are downloaded to a local data file called a Personal Folders file (.pst). Outlook connects to the local .pst file so that you can read and delete your messages.
  3. Copies of messages are downloaded and synchronized with messages on the e-mail server. Microsoft Exchange Server accounts provide this functionality by creating a local Offline Folder file (.ost). This file is used for working offline when you can't connect or don't want to connect to the e-mail server. This file is also used by the Cached Exchange Mode feature in Outlook 2003.
E-mail account types differ in how e-mail messages are saved and synchronized with the e-mail server. For example, by default POP3 e-mail accounts delete e-mail messages from the e-mail server when downloaded into Outlook. However, you can customize how e-mail messages are retrieved and saved."
For information regarding how different e-mail accounts handle e-mail message, see the following:
POP3 e-mail accounts
When you retrieve e-mail messages from a POP3 ( Post Office Protocol. A common protocol that is used to retrieve e-mail messages from an Internet e-mail server.) e-mail account, the messages are deleted from the e-mail server by default after they are downloaded to your computer. For many people, this works great. However, if you want to check your e-mail from multiple computers, you must configure Outlook to not delete the messages on your e-mail server. This scenario is most common for people who want to check their home Internet service provider (ISP) e-mail account from work and download the messages for permanent storage on their home computer. When you leave messages on your e-mail server, you can choose from several options to delete your messages. To make your choice, you need to consider several factors about your e-mail usage, such as how long you want the messages to be accessible from multiple computers and the storage limits imposed by your e-mail server administrator. If you exceed your storage limit, you might be unable to receive new messages or might be charged additional fees. Typically, it is best to have one computer set to the default setting that doesn't leave e-mail messages on the e-mail server. When you use the computer to retrieve your e-mail messages, they are downloaded and deleted from the e-mail server. If you choose not to do this, Outlook allows you to select a time duration for leaving e-mail messages on the server.
 Also: Wikipedia.com: POP3
IMAP e-mail accounts
When you access an IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) e-mail account, your messages are copied locally. However, the messages also remain on the e-mail server until you mark them for deletion and use the Purge Deleted Items command. Also:
HTTP e-mail accounts
When you access an HTTP e-mail account, such as MSN Hotmail, your messages are saved on the e-mail server until you delete them.
 Also: Free email providers
Exchange Server e-mail accounts
When you access an Exchange Server e-mail account, your messages are saved on the e-mail server until you delete them.
 Also: Slipstick.com: Exchange Server and MS Exchange.org




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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Checkmark ü vs. Checkbox

Just the check


Use of a Boolean Yes/No checkbox is pretty common.

Here is a way to place just a checkmark next to an entry.
Not Channel 9 material, but good to know.

Display ΓΌ
  1. Use the Report Wizard to create a report that is based on the Northwind Products table. Use the ProductName field and the Discontinued field.

  2. In Design view, add a TextBox control to the Detail section.

  3. Right-click TextBox, and then click Properties.

  4. In the TextBox properties dialog box, click the Format tab. For Border Style, click Transparent. For Font Name, click Wingdings.
    Note You can adjust the size of the check mark by changing Font Size.

  5. Click the Data tab.

  6. For Control Source, type =IIF([Discontinued]=-1,"Alt+0252")
    Note "ALT+0252" is the check mark character. To enter this character, hold down ALT, and then type 0252 by using the keypad. The check mark character appears as "ΓΌ" in the IIF statement.


    Note If you want to display an "X" instead of a check mark,

    1. In the TextBox properties dialog box, click the Format tab. For Border Style, click Transparent. For Font Name, click Arial.

    2. Click the Data tab.

    3. For Control Source, type =IIF([Discontinued]=-1,"X")
  7. Close Design view.

  8. Click Preview.
Microsoft Knowledgebase: How to print a check box without borders on a pre-printed form in Access



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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Aulochrome

A new sound
"For the last year, Fabrizio Cassol (best-known as leader of AKA Moon) has been practicing intensively on the aulochrome. As there is only one model in existence, he is the instrument's only practitioner. Early this year, he premiered a composition by Philippe Boesman written specifically for aulochrome and the night before this presentation played the aulochrome in an improvised music context for the first time.

So, what does it sound like? Well, the aulochrome is essentially two soprano saxophones brought together by a double mouthpiece (with two reeds) and a common key mechanism. Each key is split in two, so the tubes can be played in unison or separately at will. The double mouthpiece means that the saxophone player's mouth muscles get much more of a workout than on a regular mouthpiece. Fabrizio said that he was observing trumpet and trombone players and asking them how they dealt with the demands of their instruments on their embouchure."







Be.Jazz Blog:
Aulochrome - Antwerpen

Introduction to the Aulochrome
Jazz Review.com:
The Aulochrome
The Instrument of the Third Millennium
Also:
Francois Louis.com



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Monday, May 18, 2015

Customize Envelopes

Your own #10


The default layout for envelopes is not sacrosanct to anyone but the postal service.
You can move objects around; add text and pictures.

GMayor.com:
Changing Word Envelope Layouts
Graham Mayor

PC Magazine.com
Custom Envelopes in Word


Microsoft Support:
Create and print envelopes for a mass mailing
40 minute lesson

About.com:
Customizing Envelopes with Pictures


Slipstick.com:
Printing Labels or Envelopes for Contacts
Inserting Addresses into Microsoft Word Documents

"One of the advantages to using Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Outlook is the ability to use information from the Address Book in Microsoft Word documents. Exactly how to do it, though, isn't obvious. The key is an AutoText entry called AddressLayout. This article shows you how to change this entry and how to add an Insert Address button to the Word toolbar."


From Answers.com:

"USAGE NOTE The word envelope was borrowed into English from French during the early 18th century, and the first syllable acquired the pronunciation (on) as an approximation to the nasalized French pronunciation. Other similar words borrowed from French in the modern period include envoy (17th century), encore, ennui, ensemble, entree (18th century), entourage, and entrepreneur (19th century). Most retain their pseudo-French pronunciations, with the exception of envoy, which, like envelope, is mainly pronounced with (en) now."




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Sunday, May 17, 2015

Hidden Tables

Don't peek


If you do not want the ordinary user to see a table in your database, you can hide it in the database windows so that other users cannot select it.

Preface the table's name with the four letters 'Usys'. For example, if your table's name is ProprietaryCosts , change it to Usys ProprietaryCosts. This makes your table into a system object which Access does not display.

To see this table later, in Tools>Options, on the View tab in the Show section, put a check mark by System objects.
If we agree among ourselves not to tell the uninitiated, no one need be the wiser.

Microsoft Office Online:
How to Hide Objects in the Database Window

Here's how it works in 2007:
Hide tables as system tables in Access 2007



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Saturday, May 16, 2015

Fade In/Fade Out

How to create the effect



"It is relatively simple and can be done quickly. The only part that slows you down is setting the colors. The Fade in technique is explained below. You can apply the same and reverse the color scheme to attain the Fade out effect."

Create multiple copies of an object. You can Copy the object and then use Ctrl+V to Paste it multiple times.

Change the color or shade each time the object is pasted, or using the Tab key, go through the objects and format each with a different degree of color.

Next select all the objects. Drag the mouse around the collection of objects.

With the objects selected, use the Align or Distribute option on the Drawing toolbar to Align Middle . You may also have to use Align Center .

The objects will be perfectly aligned, one on top of the other.

With the objects still selected set the animation to Appear 0 seconds After Previous event. You may have to change the timing to 0.1 seconds.

MVPS.org:

Fade In/Fade Out effect

Download a sample here



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Friday, May 15, 2015

Windows Media Encoder

Screen capture plus


You can capture motion and sound or compress existing video files for use on the web/pod or screen.

PC Magazine:
Show and Tell
" Windows Media Encoder can capture the screen as you perform a task such as editing a photo; in fact, almost anything you can do on the screen can be recorded as a video. You can even narrate the demo as you record the steps you're performing. It's surprisingly easy to achieve good results in minutes. Probably the only reason the program isn't more widely used is that few people know it exists."


Microsoft Windows Media:
Windows Media Encoder 9



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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Show Formulas in Cell Comments

Display properties


Select the cells and then run this macro:

Sub CommentThem()
Dim cell As Range
On Error Resume Next
Selection.ClearComments
On Error GoTo 0
For Each cell In Intersect(Selection, ActiveSheet.UsedRange)
If cell.Formula <> "" Then
cell.AddComment
cell.Comment.Visible = False
On Error Resume Next 'fails on invalid formula
cell.Comment.Text Text:=" Address:  " & cell.Address(0, 0) & Chr(10) & _
" Value:  " & cell.Value & Chr(10) & _
" Format:  " & cell.NumberFormat & Chr(10) & _
" Formula: " & cell.Formula
On Error GoTo 0
End If
Next cell

End Sub

Formulas in Comments

by David McRitchie

Also:
Show FORMULA of another cell in Excel



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Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Very Clever CSS Playground

I didn't know you could do that!


"This site documents my attempts at understanding and exploring the possibilities of CSS. From standard navigation links to my more bizarre experimental techniques.

All my examples are produced with JUST CSS, no javascript, or any other language, has been used in any of the examples. The demonstrations are designed to work in all the latest browsers, but, if you're lucky, some may also work in earlier versions."

Stu Nicholls' Navigation Gallery.
Here are two of the examples demonstrated:

Messing about in boats
Hover over a picture and it enlarges to 100%
Also:



The Streaker
A piece of animation done with CSS alone, no Java.
(I haven't figured out how to use situational CSS in a blog, so you'll have to go to Stu's site to see if the guy gets to the other door.)



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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Selecting Hidden Objects

Where's the doggy?


Constructing a presentation can involve multiple images or shapes on one slide. Objects are piled on top of each other in the order that they are created.

You can move items forward or back by using Draw>Order on the Drawing toolbar. (Drawing Tools> Format in 2007). However, how can you select an object if it is buried under other graphics?

PowerPoint allows you to cycle through every object on the slide by selecting one object and then using the Tab key to cycle through all of the objects on the slide. Objects can be graphics or text boxes; Shift+Tab cycles backwards through the objects.

Click on any visible object; press the Tab key until you see the selection boxes that indicate which object is selected.

Here's a tutorial by Sonia Coleman.
Selecting Objects

Also:
Selection Pane



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Monday, May 11, 2015

Personal Information

Clean it up


If you have enabled the "Allow fast saves" feature, earlier versions of your document, that you thought had been deleted, may still be readable.

If the document was edited with "Track Changes" enabled, a name is associated with each change. You can get rid of all the personal information with a few simple settings.

Choose Options from the Tools menu, click on the Save tab, and uncheck the box labeled "Allow fast saves". Now click on the Security tab and check the box titled "Remove personal information from this file on save".

In Word 2003 the check box's title is: "Remove personal information from file properties on save". When you save the file, the Author, Manager, Company, and Last saved by fields are cleared. Names in comments or edits are changed to simply Author. Any routing slip or e-mail header information is also removed. If the document contains tracked changes, you may want to accept them all before saving.

The Allow fast saves option is global. The Remove personal information option is specific to the current file and is present only in Word 2002 and later. If you want that option to be the default, click on the File Locations tab in the Tools> Options dialog and note the folder containing user templates. In that folder, open the file Normal.dot. Check the Remove personal information box as noted above, then save and close the file. All new files created from this point on will have that feature enabled by default.

Also see:
Charles Kenyon's Word Users Guide:

Confidentiality and MetaData in Word Documents



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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Customize date in footer

Formatting



This subroutine inserts the current date in the footer of all sheets in the active workbook. This process can be accomplished without a macro, however, you'll need the macro if you want to specify the formatting of the current date. An example of the return generated by running this macro is Saturday, May 10, 2015.

Sub PutCurrentDateInCenterFooterAllSheetsInWorkbook()
For Each oSheet In ActiveWorkbook.Sheets
oSheet.PageSetup.CenterFooter = Format(Now(), "dddd mmmm dd, yyyy")
Next
End Sub


You can change the word CenterFooter to CenterHeader. You could also use LeftHeader, RightHeader, LeftFooter, or RightFooter.

Microsoft KnowledgeBase:
Macro to Change the Date/Time Format in a Header/Footer



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Saturday, May 09, 2015

Stuff to Buy

After Rent and Groceries


Tosterbag
(not available)
..."a 'thick, A5, black plastic bag'.. With little handles, of course - can't forget those.
But hidden behind this mini-bin liner facade is a thermological, nutrition preparation device of truly impressive proportions. For, as its name suggests, the Toastabag allows you to cook things in a toaster. Not in every toaster, just the thick-and-thin kind that most people have nowadays. All you do is bung the ingredients in the bag, pop it down in the toaster and wait."


Here's a video of a sandwich that might have been made with spam.





PawSense
Catproof your PC. No more having your cat hanging out in chat rooms while you're at work.
Stop the beasts before they take over.
"When cats walk or climb on your keyboard, they can enter random commands and data, damage your files, and even crash your computer. This can happen whether you are near the computer or have suddenly been called away from it.

PawSense is a software utility that helps protect your computer from cats. It quickly detects and blocks cat typing, and also helps train your cat to stay off the computer keyboard."




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Friday, May 08, 2015

Avoid AutoComplete Errors

Don't start

When you type an entry in a ComboBox control Access will attempt to complete the entry based on the control's lookup list. This is controlled by the AutoExpand property, which is set to "Yes" by default.

If your value list contains several items that are close in spelling, it is easy for users to let Access choose the wrong item by accident.

You can avoid errors by setting the control's AutoExpand property to "No" in Design view.

Once the change has been made, users will be forced to type the entire entry or select an item using the ComboBox control's dropdown list.

3>

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Thursday, May 07, 2015

Troubleshoot Outlook

When all else fails



How to troubleshoot error messages
in Outlook and in Outlook Express
  • Confirm that your e-mail server settings are correct
  • Examine the configuration of your firewall software
  • Check your antivirus vendor's Web site for additional suggestions
  • Determine whether your modem is functioning correctly
  • Verify the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size that is set on your router
  • Remove and then reinstall Outlook Express
  • Create a new e-mail profile
  • Delete suspicious messages from your mailbox
10 tips for troubleshooting Outlook problems

Slipstick.com: Mail Issues with Microsoft Outlook



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Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Kearning

More typography


At larger point sizes, it is aesthetically pleasing to move some letters closer together than they would normally appear. For instance, the word "To". The letter "o" can be nudged under the arm of the "T":


Kerning
Adjusting (increasing or decreasing) the space between adjoining type characters.
Kearning pair
Two adjoining type characters to which a particular kearning value is applied.
Kearning value
The space between two adjoining type characters. This value is usually measured in em.

From the Word Help file:
  1. Select the text you want to change.
  2. On the Format menu, click Font, and then click the Character Spacing tab.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Expand or condense space evenly between all the selected characters

      Click Expanded or Condensed in the Spacing box, and then specify how much space you want in the By box.

    • Kern characters that are above a particular point size

      Select the Kerning for fonts check box, and then enter the point size in the Points and above box.
Note: Selecting Expanded or Condensed alters the spacing between all selected letters by the same amount. Kerning alters the spacing between particular pairs of letters.

Microsoft Typography: A Disagreeably Facetious Type Glossary
WebStyleGuide.com: Webstyle Guide - Typography
About.com: Typography Tutorials
Typographica a journal of typography featuring news, observations, and open commentary on fonts and typographic design. Here's the RSS connection: Typographica Feed



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Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Auto Filter

Only what you want


Excel has a tool to sort lists with a number of criteria.

Select a single cell in the table and go to Data>Filter AutoFilter.
Click on the down arrow next to the field name and choose Custom.

The illustration shows how to set up a filter that displays data between two dates.

AutoFilter

Contextures.com:
AutoFilter Tips

"Some tips and techniques for working with AutoFilters, and some workarounds for problems you may encounter."

Microsoft Assistance:
All about AutoFilters Video


Jay Walkenbach:
Displaying AutoFilter criteria



"The Display Filter Criteria doesn't work well. It only works when after set the filter, the cell with the formula is selected. Then press F2 after that push the Enter key. Then it works. but the cell with the formula isn't updated automatically..."

# posted by W. van Dam : 7/06/2005



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Monday, May 04, 2015

Font Yourself

Make your own




FontStruct
"FontStruct is a free font-building tool brought to you by the world's leading retailer of digital type, FontShop.

FontStruct lets you quickly and easily create fonts constructed out of geometrical shapes, which are arranged in a grid pattern, like tiles or bricks.

You create 'FontStructions' using the 'FontStructor' font editor.

Once you're done building, FontStruct generates high-quality TrueType fonts, ready to use in any Mac or Windows application.

You can keep your creations to yourself, but we encourage users to share their "FontStructions". Explore the Gallery of fonts made by other FontStruct users and download them or even copy them and make your own variations.

You can also use the FontStruct widget to show your FontStructions on your own website or blog."




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Sunday, May 03, 2015

Brainy Betty

Templates, Graphics and more

"Very simply, you can download anything on this site for personal or business or educational use. You can share these downloads with others as long as you give it to them and not "sell" it to them.

Tell others where you got the downloads.

Brainy Betty

What you can expect to find on this site:
  • Hundreds of free PowerPoint templates
  • Certificate templates
  • Free Flash PowerPoint Slides
  • 3D Graphics
  • Dingbats
  • Buttons and lines
  • An awesome icon collection
  • Free Flash and Swish
  • Sound clips




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Saturday, May 02, 2015

CSS Crib Sheet

Information rich site


When you get serious about web design, CSS or Cascading Style Sheets will add flexibility to your toolbox.

Mezzoblue .com has a wealth of information including:

CSS Crib Sheet

"You will no doubt come across many quirky layout issues when building a site with CSS. You'll end up banging your head against a wall time and again. This is an attempt to make the design process easier, and provide a quick reference to check when you run into trouble."
And:

A Roadmap to Standards
"The old-timers had to figure out the hard way all the tricks and techniques we now take for granted; lucky folks who came in later (myself included) can benefit from their sweat and tears.

In the end, when your skill using standard-based design eclipses your skill using old-school table-based methods, you’ll look back and marvel at how much more sense it makes to layout a page with CSS."


The RSS link is here



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Friday, May 01, 2015

Import Queries

As Tables


If you want to use the results of a query, and you don't need to update the underlying tables, you don't have to import unnecessary data.

You can import the query as a new table.
  1. Select File>Get External Data Import from the menu bar.
    (External Data tab, Import in 2007+)
  2. Select the appropriate database and click Import.
  3. Select the queries you want to import on the Import Objects dialog box's Queries sheet.
  4. Next, click the Options >> button and select the As Tables option button on the Import Queries panel.
  5. Finally, click OK
Access processes the queries and saves the results as a table with the same name as the original query.



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