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Archive for the ‘e-infrastructure’ Category

How to shoot movies with the Canon Eos Rebel T2i

2011/04/08 1 comment

Note: Also read the recording stops FAQs.

Here are the most relevant pages for movie shooting from the manual/quick which can be downloaded from the products page:

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Playing Video/DVD continuously/repeating in VLC-Player

2011/04/08 1 comment

Open the main VLC Player interface, in top menu: tools, item: preferences, radio-button: all, tree-node:playlist: check the top 3 checkboxes.

vlc-player-tools-preferences-advanced-playlist-repeat-checkboxes

Categories: e-infrastructure Tags:

How to: Send email with non-western (e.g. Japanese) characters in Outlook Web Access (e.g. 2003, e.g. from Safari)

  1. If your emails with Japanese sent from Safari arrive with unreadable characters (squares or question marks, meaning the recipient’s computer cannot decode how to display the character your computer sent), you may have set your browser to the wrong characterr encoding.
  2. However, the encoding Unicode (e.g. UTF-8) can handle both western and .
  3. Simply go to Safari (similarly in other browsers)/ Preferences / Appearances / Default Encoding and change to UTF-8, like so:
  4. charinput-japanese-outlook-owa-2003-utf8-sender1
  5. charinput-japanese-outlook-owa-2003-utf8-sender2
  6. charinput-japanese-outlook-owa-2003-utf8-sender3
  7. This has been tested to work already from/to OWA 2003.
  8. charinput-japanese-outlook-owa-2003-utf8-recipient4
  9. However, for your reference, here a matrix of imminent upgrades of email clients on your computer and the corresponding university server software:

When?

Your office computer

recommended?

Any computer (travel, home)

University server

mac

pc

 

soon

Outlook 2011

Outlook 2010

is better than

Outlook web access 2010

Exchange 2010

recommended?

is better than

is better than

 

is better than

is better than

now

Entourage (limited support for Exchange)

Outlook 2007

is better than

Outlook web access 2003

Exchange 2003

Computer Lab Imaging with Ghost Console and Deepfreeze Console

0.     As of Winter 2011 Novell – AD and Deepfreeze 7 upgrade, flagged for updating: TBA.

1.  DEEPFREEZE console

1.1.    Unfreeze the image source client

2.       Client  PREPARE THE IMAGE

2.1.    Login as labadmin,

2.1.1.NAL [tba], labtools, icon Microsoft Update (be sure to use icon in launcher it will disable policies that won’t allow it otherwise use windowsupdate.com

2.1.2 Remove the machine from the domain: My Computer / System Properties / Computer Name / Button: Change / Member of: Workgroup: LRC (if it asks for a user/pwd, leave both blank and click OK), restart as prompted using Ghost Console / Add to workgroup

2.2.    Login as ITSadmin (work station only)

2.2.1.Create user testuser (Administrator), will be based on past default user template

2.3.    Log in as testuser

2.3.1.Document what you are doing by running c:\temp\labscreencastfullhighaudio.wme / menu button: start encoding / when done, menu button:  stop encoding, rename output file to not overwrite existing output,

2.3.2.Make changes ß centre_image_request_list_allda

2.3.2.1 if software installs complain about missing H: (home) drive, plug in a thumbdrive and change its driveletter to H: ghost-client-update-fails-outside-domain-since-no-h-drive

2.3.3.Clean before making testuser default user:

2.3.3.1.              control / internet options / clean history and temp files

2.3.3.2.              recycling bin: empty

2.3.3.3.              right-click start button: / menu item:properties / button:customize / tab:general / button:clear list + tab:advanced: clear list  

2.3.3.4.              C: / properties  /disk cleanup, all, except: “Compress old files”, “cached installers”, “Office setup files”

2.3.3.5       Firefox: menu: tools / clear recent history / time range: “everything”/ check everything and click button “clear now:” image

2.4.    Log in as itsadmin

2.4.1.Document what you are doing by running c:\temp\labscreencastfullhighaudio.wme / start encoding / rename to not overwrite existing output,

2.4.2.Manage testuser – default user transition

2.4.2.1.              USERS

2.4.2.1.1.                     Make testuser default user:

2.4.2.1.1.1.   Unhide: explorer / tools / folder options / tab:view / show hidden files and folder, unhide protected operating system files

2.4.2.1.1.1.1.          make a backup of old documents and settings/default user (entire directory, not only ntuser.dat): zip onto thumbdrive with date/version number )

2.4.2.1.1.2.   xp copy profile windowskey+pause/break /tab:advanced / section:user profiles / button:settings, select the profile [you cannot copy the active profile, so log in as itsadmin], button: copy to, new window: copy to, section:copy profile to, button:browse, select c:\documents and settings\default user, button:ok

2.4.2.1.1.3.                   [not even the ntuser.dat seems necessary, since even the ntuser.dat gets updated by copy profile] c:\document and settings\testuser\ntuser.dat [+dolater:subfolders?]: back up ntuser.dat to ntuser.old, then  copy into default user

2.4.2.1.1.4.Re-hide: explorer / tools / folder options / tab:view / do not show hidden files and folder, hide protected operating system files      

2.4.2.1.2.                     Remove other accounts:

2.4.2.1.2.1.   system / advanced / user profiles / clean profiles: delete all accounts except default user (it if shows) and itsadmin

2.4.2.1.2.2.   administrative tools / computer management / treenode:local users and groups management / delete non built-in users and non-administrative users

2.4.3.Uninstall deepfreeze (by re-running the installer from unccapps/installs / df#wks.exe) (this will restart the computer; log in again as itsadmin)

2.4.4.delete c:\nalcache

2.4.5.backup the c:\temp \*.wmv screencasts onto a thumbdrive

2.4.6.do this as last step: run c:\windows\system32\trend\ImgSetup.exe, which gives a message: “this program has been configured to start whenever the system is restarted.”

2.4.7.if sysprep required (deploying to non-uniform hardware, e.g. dell optiplex 760 vs 780), run

2.4.8.Reboot to login screen

3.       Ghost console configuration

3.1.    Ghost console: upload/backup and download/deploy/clone the image

3.1.1. configuration resources / images / right-click: new / image pointing to a file with the NAME that includes today’s date in the format MMDDYY

3.1.2 task: “CAPTURE IMAGE” (not run): open

              3.1.1.1.              ISource machine: set to machine you have created the image on

              3.1.1.2.              Image: set to  config resource that you have just created

              3.1.1.3.               [IF NOT CHECKED]check tab:general /checkbox: Remove machine from Domain before taking an image. You must remove the computer from its domain if you are going to roll out the image file to a number of computers. [except if using sysprep].

              3.1.1.4 button: save, button:execute

ghost-upload

4.       DEEPFREEZE console

4.1.    UNFREEZE ALL CLIENTS [LRC must be closed]

5.       Ghost console configuration

5.1.    Deploy task:

5.1.1.DEPLOY IMAGE TEST”: 

5.1.1.1.              [ITEM IS ONLY FYI]tab:general / check: clone,  but uncheck: configuration [tba: NOT unchecked now?] , refresh configuration, refresh inventory [tba: why?]

5.1.1.2.              [ITEM IS ONLY FYI]tab: clone: check “use Ghost walker to perform a sid change”

5.1.2.configuration task “ADD TO DOMAIN”

5.1.2.1.              [ITEM IS ONLY FYI] Alternative individually: ghost console / default configuration / right click computer / properties/  configuration / edit default configuration / tree: workgroup/domain membership

5.1.2.2.              [ITEM IS ONLY FYI]alternative via batch configuration template:  task “Add to AD group” to add to AD [for lcs? Is this why we do this separately from the domain?]: tab:general, check configuration , target machine group: browse for your default group / coed434, tab;configuration:  browse for “add machines to ad”  – based on template “add machines to ad”, check allow template settings, tree: workgroup/domain membership  / check apply member of , check uncheck computer name which is already set, no description , workgroup/domain: its.uncc.edu, container:unccharlotte / labs / clas / lcs / workstations, uncheck: Move computers that are currently in a container.    

6.       Ghost console: TEST DEPLOY/ADD AD with 2 computers:

6.1.    Test: template task: download/deploy to 2 clients

6.2.    Test: on client:

6.2.1.Are clients joined to domain [cannot log in with domain account if not; global test: tba]

6.2.2.logging in (creating profiles based on default user) as staff and labstudent: language & translation apps coming up?

7.       Ghost console : PRODUCTION DEPLOY/ADD AD

7.1.  checks: are you deploying the right image? Are all computers turned on? Cancelling a Ghost deploy task is a pain, if it does not reboot to the login screen, run a token task like deepfreeze-boot-unfrozen  

7.2. Clone/Download, Add to Domain/AD

7.3.    Test the clients are joined to domain

7.3.1.For all: ghost console / default configuration / right click computer / properties/ configuration

8.       Clients

8.1.    Login as labadmin staff account (domain account ß uncheck “workstation only”, to freeze with this default)

8.2.    DEEPFREEZE: install from novell-delivered application, from Ghost console: deepfreeze7-install, reboot to frozen install: from Ghost console:deepfreeze7-bootfrozen

9.       DEEPFREEZE console

9.1.    Test the clients are frozen (exclamation point denotes "not sure")

9.2 Add your scheduled maintenance window, again, to avoid domain trust issues .

Improved Lighting situation in the LRC

  1. The lighting situation in the LRC caused problem both when using the teacher computer and when showing videos.
  2. We removed the fluorescent tubes right above the teacher screen. You can get an idea how strong the glare from the ceiling lights was from the next picture:
  3. CIMG0005
  4. The teacher screen which was flickering has been replaced.
  5. By clicking on the button”menu on the Sympodium screen of the teacher computer, you can adjust the screen more to your liking. While not an optimum display setting, under the current ambient light circumstances, we found it an improvement to the brightness and also the contrast.
  6. lrc-lighting (2)
  7. You can also adjust the projector by accessing the projector menu from the NEC remote control.
  8. lrc-lighting (5)
  9. Note that increasing the projector brightness will  lower the life-span of the expensive projector bulbs.
  10. image
  11. Note that the menu also contains presets for displaying video, computer and other sources. image
  12. Presentation …… Recommended for presentations from a computer.
    Video …………….. Recommended for standard video such as a TV program.
    Movie ……………. Recommended for film based video such as a movie (DVD or HDTV).
  13. Finally, we made sure that the blinds cannot be raised, just tilted, to make it easier and quicker to darken the room as much as possible.

Tools for Search-Replace text with Regular Expression on Windows

Just a quick thumbs up for a free tool:

To examine licensing files, I am looking for a tool that can massage the computer-readable file (no XML) into a friendlier format (that can be imported into Excel).

The regular needed to achieve that I too complex for TextPad or MS-Word.

Other tools I have used have not been updated in a long ime (RegEx Workbench).

Grep for Windows? I have just revitalized my cygwin installation, but would like something a little more user-friendly, with a GUI .

That also rules out PowerShell’s 2.0 Select-String.

PowerGrep, as recommended on stackoverflow, looks nice, but is not free.

inforapid-searchreplacer looks not bad, but I went for grepWin, which got the job done quickly and nicely:

Click Button “Test” to preview results:

grepwin-flexlm3

Click Button “Search” to file the matching files list:

grepwin-flexlm1

Limitations of GrepWin: Is there a size limit in the test regex text input field – here is how my test text got truncated:

image

Classroom management system: Netop School Software Install, Configuration and Test

  1. Uninstall the test install  of Netop first from “Add/Remove Programs”
  2. netopschool-add-remove-programs
  3. The install should be made under the account that will before imaging copied into the Default User Profile.
  4. The install files are here (you need to be logged into, as well as for the videos).
  5. Both the teacher and the student software are recommended to be installed on the teacher computer.
  6. The basic settings for teacher:
  7. lrc-class: The name of the class that the Student module should join.
    YES:Whether the Teacher module should use the Windows login name of the Student computer as student primary display name.
    [see lrchelp mail account] =Protection password
    NO:Whether the communication profile should be changed to something other than the default TCP/IP, for example wireless.
  8. The basic settings for student install:
  9. YES:Whether the Student module should join a class automatically when started.
    lrc-class:The name of the class the Student module should join. Note: This class name must match the class name defined in the Teacher module.
    NO:Whether the communication profile should be changed to something other than the default TCP/IP, for example wireless
  10. There are more configuration choices in the screencasts here:
  11. Teacher software Install Screencast
  12. Student software Install Screencast
  13. Functionality Test Screencast: (testuser needs to be logged in on PC05. Skip the waiting section before the results come in at the end; this is when I took the test on the student computer).
  14. In addition, try to point the shared folder for teachers J:\LRC\Plagwitz (try alternatively  UNC: ). Try this first as labadmn (labadmn has no access to this share) and alternatively with your staff/teacher login (where Netop will likely accept it, but may not carry over from the labadmn into the Default User Profile).
  15. Try to add  a copy of the “Teacher” program from “Startup”/ “All programs” to All Users / Startup

Calendaring: How students can view the LRC schedules

2011/02/24 1 comment
  1. As of Fall 2011, this is obsolete. View instead the new and improved procedure.
  2. Calendars you can subscribe to:

Ind.Instr.Spanish

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/6d826ffz2216669/COED_434-Tutoring-Spanish_Calendar.ics

Tutors French

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/6d826ffz2216669/COED_434-Tutoring-French_Calendar(1).ics

Tutors Russian

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/6d826ffz2216669/COED-434-Tutoring-Russian-2_Calendar.ics

Tutors Portuguese

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/m8qcbqfz1289583/COED-434-Tutoring-Portuguese_Calendar.ics

Tutors Japanese

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/m8qcbqfz1289583/COED-434-Tutoring-Japanese_Calendar.ics

Lab Assistants

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/6d826ffz2216669/COED_434-Lab_Assistants_Calendar.ics

Director Free/Busy

webcal://calendars.office.microsoft.com/pubcalstorage/m8qcbqfz1289583/Plagwitz_Thomas_Calendar.ics

  1. How?

  2. “You can subscribe to published calendars if you use a program that supports the WebCal protocol, such as Outlook, Windows Live Calendar, Google Calendar, or Apple iCal” (MS-Office online Help), as well as Yahoo Calendar.

    Is Windows Live Calendar available to everyone with a Windows Live ID?

    Yes, the Windows Live Calendar is available to all Windows Live ID accounts. To learn more about setting up and maintaining your calendar, open Windows Live Calendar Help. (Microsoft Live Services for Moodle User FAQ)

    Windows Live ID = UNCC Live@edu ID

    Using the “webcal://”-links (to be posted also on the LRC website), students will be able to view live LRC schedules  from live@edu  (and many other applications that support the iCalendar format, like listed on

    http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-outlook/archive/2007/08/08/publishing-a-calendar-using-office-online.aspx or here):

  3. Application

    Publisher

    Chandler (PIM)

    Open Source Applications Foundation

    Evolution

    Novell & GNOME

    Facebook.com

    Facebook.com

    Google Calendar

    Google

    iCal and iCal Server

    Apple Computer

    Kontact

    The Kontact Team

    Lotus Notes

    IBM

    Microsoft Entourage

    Microsoft

    Microsoft Exchange

    Microsoft

    Microsoft Outlook

    Microsoft

    Windows Calendar

    Microsoft

    Sun Java Calendar Server

    Sun

    Zimbra Collaboration Suite

    Zimbra

     

  4. How to set this up, taken from the Windows Live help:
  5. Sign into Windows live (or later live@edu) with your Windows live (or later live@edu) ID.
  6. On the toolbar, go to Calendar.
  7. Click Subscribe.
  8. Select Subscribe to a public calendar, and then, in the Calendar URL box, paste the “webcal://” link from the LRC website for the tutoring hours or other LRC schedule that you want to keep an eye on. You begin the link either with “webcal:” or “http:”. Note, however, that trying to subscribe to “webcalS” will result in this error: exchange-outlook-calendar-public-folder-office-live@edu-subscribe-webcals
  9. In the Calendar name box, type a name for the calendar.
  10. Next to Color, select a color for the calendar.
  11. Click Subscribe to calendar, and then click Done. Result:
  12. lrc-coed432-calendar-windows-live
  13. This calendar will be live, i.e. every subscriber will see any updates the LRC makes (like for late-breaking changes and cancellations of tutoring hours). Note however, that synchronization is not instantaneous. Give it up to 30 minutes, under normal circumstances.