Wednesday, December 24, 2008

I use Wikipedia.

I use it a lot. Like today, for example, when I was curious about how the double-switch works, in baseball.

So after I read the article which Explained It All For Me, I clicked the link in the header and read the plea for donations. And I donated.

I don't donate often, even for good causes, but Wikipedia has made my life easier, and I'm grateful.
Wikipedia Affiliate Button

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Open in New Window Size

It can drive me crazy, how sometimes you choose the option to open a link in a new window, in Internet Explorer, and the new window isn't the size you want.

I was dealing with that just a few minutes ago, because I had a list of links open in one window, and I was one-by-one right-clicking them and choosing Open in New Window.

Here's how I solve the problem. (I still have Internet Explorer 6.)

1. If the source window is maximized, restore it to its sizable state. You can do this by double-clicking the title bar, for example.

2. Now, make this window be the size you that want new windows to be. Position it where you want new windows to be positioned.

3. Maximize the window. Restore it again, and notice how the size and position are as you left them. Re-maximize it.

4. Now, right-click a link and choose Open in New Window. It opens in the position that you set, and in the size that you set.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Where is the SQL Express install log?

The SQL Express installer (unlike MSDE) produces a log file by default. There is no need to specify extra parameters when running setup.exe.

The log gets written to:

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Summary.txt

For example, on my machine,

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Summary.txt

Multiple other log files are written to the same folder, because the SQL Express install actually comprises multiple other installs.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Where is the MSDE install log?

Where you can find the MSDE install log depends on what options you chose when you ran your install.

By default, no log is produced when you run setup.exe to install MSDE. To get a log, you have to add the /L parameter.

To get the MSDE install to log:

1. In the MSDE installer folder, right-click Setup.exe and create a shortcut

2. View properties for the shortcut, and at the end of the Target string, add

/L*v C:\MSDE_setup.log

For example:

"C:\MSDE\setup.exe" /L*v C:\MSDE_setup.log

3. Install by running the shortcut.

Note that /L tells setup to produce a log. The *v parameter makes it a verbose log. And C:\MSDE_setup.log is the location of the log that will be produced.

You can use a different location and/or filename. Setup will overwrite the file if it already exists.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Microsoft Jet database engine could not find the object filename.

I got this error trying to open DBF files using Access: The Microsoft Jet database engine could not find the object filename. Make sure the object exists and that you spell its name and the path name correctly.

I had a folder full of dBASE IV DBF files. Turns out the problem was that my file names were longer than 8 characters.

For example, after I renamed "My Customers.DBF" to "CUST.DBF", it opened just fine.

I had a lot of files I had to rename, which sucked.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Password for the NETWORK SERVICE account

The NETWORK SERVICE account does not have a password. When you're configuring a service to run using this account, you can blank out the password fields, or enter anything and it will be ignored.

What you CAN'T do is leave the original placeholder dots. If you do, it'll keep telling you to enter a valid password.

In the past, in order to document necessary permissions for files and databases, I have had to test running the same service using the local SYSTEM account, the NETWORK SERVICE account, and a local or domain account.

To change to SYSTEM, you just select the radio button. But when it's time to switch back to NETWORK SERVICE, it's confusing. It is not obvious, what you should enter for a password.

If you explicitly blank out the password fields, you'll be good.