Saturday, December 05, 2015

TortoiseGit Tips

This article hold tips I want to remember for TortoiseGit

TortoiseGit save user authentication / credentials

This will keep you from having to enter your github credentials

Right click -> TortoiseGit -> Settings -> Git -> Credential. Select Credential helper: 
wincred - this repository only


How to set default remote ref in TortoiseGit?

In the Push dialog
- Select the remote branch you want to push to in the drop down list.
- Check the "Always push to the selected remote branch for this local branch" checkbox

Setting up VS 2013 and GitHub Locally

Install VS 2013

Set up source control provider Tools\Extensions and Updates. Choose Online, Search for git.
  • Choose "Git Source Control Provider" and install.
  • Switch to this provider in Tools\Options\Source Control
Add Pending Changes to Standard toolbar.
  • Right-Click on white space in tool bar, choose customize at the bottom
  • Pick Commands tab, choose the tool bar radio button, select the standard toolbar Click Add Command button, Choose the View Category, scroll down to Pending Changes Click the move down button until it is at the end of the standard toolbar.
Set Keep tabs. Tools\Options\ Search for "tabs" Find in Text Editor\All languages Choose the Keep Tabs radio button.
Show Line Numbers, Search for Line number in Tools\Options. Check "Line Numbers" in Text Editor\All Languages\General\

Install Git For Windows "Full installer for official Git for Windows"

  • Use defaults except for the following
  • In Select Components, choose Windows Explorer integration "Simple context menu (Registry based)" Git Bash Here
    "Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt" For Configuring the line ending conversions, choose "Checkout as-is, commit as-is" ### Install TortoiseGit Set User Info in TortoiseGit Settings\Git. Enter a user name and email.
Sample GitHub workflow:
  • Click Pending Changes button in VS 2013 standard toolbar.
  • check the files you want to commit
  • Enter comments and click the Commit button.
When you are ready to push
  • From the VS 2013 Pending Changes page Choose synch from the TortoiseGit drop down menu. Click the Push button.

TortoiseGit settings

Updated 2020-10-22
To use BeyondCompare4 for your diff and merge tools in TortoiseGit make the following changes in your settings. To get to the TortoiseGit settings, right-click on any folder and go to TortoiseGit\Settings.
Under Diff Viewer put this in for the External path
  • "C:\Program Files (x86)\Beyond Compare 4\BCompare.exe"
The child node under Diff View is Merge Tool. Use this for the External path
  • "C:\Program Files (x86)\Beyond Compare 4\BCompare.exe"

Add Programs to Startup

Windows 8.1 Adding Programs to Startup

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Permanently Remove the 'Get Windows 10' Icon

I have a laptop that I upgraded to Windows 10. The sound then stopped working and I could not find a driver that would work. I had passed the 30 days to uninstall windows 10. So I reinstalled Windows 7 from scratch.

I used this article and utility to ensure that my kids to not inadvertently re-install windows 10 on it.

Monday, November 02, 2015

Shell:startup

In Windows 10, type this to open the startup folder, “shell:startup”
C:\Users\RichA\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

How To Set Up a Second Monitor in Windows 8.1

From How To Set Up a Second Monitor in Windows 8.1

Press the Windows icon and the letter "P" on your keyboard at the same time. This will take you directly to the Second Screen options. Like on Step 4, click "Extend" to enable the external monitor.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

How do you prevent Google Music from importing all .mp3 files on the device?

I'd like to have several audiobooks and/or podcasts on my Nexus 7, but every time I put any MP3 files onto the device, even if I make my own folder for it or some such, Google Music detects them and then adds them to its list of files. 
This is a problem, because I'd love to be able to use the "Shuffle All" feature, but then it ends up shuffling in chapters from the Audiobook. I don't want it to do that at all. 
Any advice?
I am trying this answer.
I put .nomedia in the folder and ALSO renamed the folder to be ".audiobooks" instead of just "audiobooks". When I rebooted the device, the audiobook was gone from google music's list. So, one or the other of those things does work. Which means a mod should close the question I guess? I'm not sure how it works if the answer was in the comments and not as an answer. – Lokathor 

initially by adding a file name ".nomedia" where I have mp3 files.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

How to add or remove startup apps in Windows 10

- Press Win + R shortcut keys together and type the following into the Run box:
shell:Startup
- Add or delete shortcuts to the programs you want running to this folder.

Adapted from How to add or remove startup apps in Windows 10

Sunday, August 09, 2015

Speed Up Windows 10

Disable Shadow and Animation Effects to Improve Performance: 
By default, Windows 10 and all its previous version comes with eye catching shadow and animation effect that looks beautiful but this feature compromise with system performance. Extra effects and animation increase CPU and RAM loads, which results in slow system performance (High Speed CPU and Higher RAM works well). The situation became worse if you have got no great power CPU and and have minimal RAM.
But hey! Microsoft has added few options to disable shadow and animation effect. 
Open System > Properties > Advanced system settings. Now click on Settings available under Performance group in Advanced Tab. 
Quick Tips: You can also run sysdm.cpl command in Windows RUN (Win +R) box to open System Properties. (Speed Up Windows 10 – Master Tutorial to Make Windows 10 Super Fast)




Monday, July 20, 2015

Google Maps Location History

  1. Turn Location History on or off with Google Settings
    1. From your device's apps menu, open Google Settings app or the Settings menu .
    2. Touch Location > Google Location History for the account you want to change.
    3. Turn Location History on or off for your account or devices:
    (Manage your Location History, Google Help)

This will allow you to see the location of your device or your loved one.
https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0

Google Maps Can Now Send Directions From Your Desktop to Android

- Google a location in desktop google maps
- On the card for the location there is a "Send to device" link
- Click it and send it to your device.

"Google Maps Can Now Send Directions From Your Desktop to Android" (Eric Ravenscraft
Lifehacker.com, 7/11/15)

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

How do I turn off the click sound when closing a tab in Chrome?

From SuperUser.com

- Go to Control Panel.
- Open Sounds. (In Windows 7 It's called Sounds not Sounds and Audio Devices)
- In Sounds tab on Windows Explorer section, select Start Navigation
- On Sounds section, select (None) on the drop down menu.
- Apply then OK

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Step one: Run the app, then load any book.
Step two: Tap the lower right corner of the screen. You should see a little padlock icon.
Step three: While it's still visible, tap that icon to toggle between locked and unlocked settings. When it shows locked, the screen will not rotate from whichever orientation it's currently in. When it shows unlocked, the screen will rotate when you tilt your device.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Cut and Merge Video Excerpts

There is a talk that I wanted to take parts of and merge them together into a shorter video. Here is how I did that.

- I downloaded the video from YouTube.
- I used VLC Player to cut out the parts of the video I wanted
- I used MS Movie Maker to merge the parts into one video
  I followed the instruction here
  * Click the Add videos and photos button for all the parts
  * Use the Save Video/Recommended for this project dialog to save it to a mp4 format that YouTube will accept

Cut Parts of a Video with VLC Player

1. Open VLC Player
2. Click on the View menu and check Advanced Control
3. Select the video you want to cut
4. Press the Record button to cut, or record, the part of the video you want and to stop press the record button to end the cut. This is a little tricky in that it seems to take a second or so to actually start recording after you press the record button. I found that I had to click the button on the word before to get it to start recording at the correct place.
5. The Videos will be automatically saved in the My Videos folder

(Transcribed from "How to Cut or Record Video with VLC Media Player 2013 Exclusive Video HD", DrTheComputer, YouTube Feb 12, 2013)

Friday, April 17, 2015

Direct Dial in Android

To add a direct dial shortcut on a device running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich):

1. Press the main app drawer icon (middle icon in system tray)
2. Scroll to “Widgets” folder (on the right) until you reach the “Direct Dial” widget
3. Press and hold the “Direct dial” widget until you see the home screen grid
4. Release the direct dial widget wherever you’d like your widget (shortcut) to appear on the home screen
5. Once you release the widget (shortcut) it will pull up your Contacts list
6. Select Contact you wish to have as a direct dial

From How To: Add A Direct Dial Shortcut To Your Android Homescreen at CultOfAndroid.com

Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Google Drive Automatic Download

I made a mobile version of a PDF file and I wanted others to be able to download it on their devices. Here I found some instructions that helped me craft a url to do it with.
You have a file (say a 100mb presentation) in Google Drive (aka Google Docs) and you want to share it with your friend who does not have a Google/Gmail account at all.
1) In Google Drive,  seeing the file listed, put a check in front of it, and at the top of the list of files, click More--Share--Share
2) On the Sharing settings for the file, where you see "Private - Only the people listed below can access"  - Click CHANGE
3) Change default sharing to be "Anyone with the link" then click SAVE
4) Now you should see a link to the file (copy this with Ctrl-C or by the mouse)
something like this:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4OExGgOTeXXXXXXXXXXYYYYYZZZZZGU4OGJlMTNlNzBh
5) Click DONE
6) Create your new email
7) Now you need the link from the other step (unique to each file) you share
8) Make a link in your email based on putting your like and this new prefix
Yours: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4OExGgOTeXXXXXXXXXXYYYYYZZZZZGU4OGJlMTNlNzBh
New Prefix: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=
Result Link to email: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B4OExGgOTeXXXXXXXXXXYYYYYZZZZZGU4OGJlMTNlNzBh
9) Email it to your friend, when they click the link the file automatically downloads.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Republic Wireless

Here are some of the settings I use with our Republic Wireless phones.

From Using Google Voice with Republic Wireless
Using Google Voice for Voicemail 
If you want to use your Republic Wireless number as your public phone number but still want to get the benefits of GV voicemail (transcribed messages, forever storage) you can activate GV voicemail on your phone. 
The Republic Wireless Community has a page with images for this. 
1. Open the Republic app.
2. Tap Republic on the top left corner to access the app's menu.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Under Voicemail, tap Voicemail forwarding.
5. Enter your Google Voice number. 
If you want to use your Republic Wireless number as your public phone number but still want to get the benefits of GV voicemail (transcribed messages, forever storage) you can activate GV voicemail on your phone. 
Set up your voicemail greetings at the GV site