Consolidated E-Gadgets/Alpha Solutions Blog
Maintained by Brana
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Tuesday, November 17, 2009
64-bit edition of Delete Duplicates for Outlook Express & Windows Mail has been released. Both 32-bit and 63-bit installers are shipped together, so there is only one file to d/l.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Much anticipated Delete Duplicates for Outlook 5.6 has been released.
Sequential Mailbox Access allows us to scan large mailboxes in sequences. So first fraction of messages is compared on the next scan, second on the second scan an so on. It's phenomenal for overnight/scheduled scans.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Memorize Open Windows (internally referred to as MEOW) for Ms Office Outlook and Word is now available for download. This is the first public release of the program.
What MEOW does? When the new (Outlook/Word) session starts, MEOW reopens message windows (for Outlook) and documents (for Word), that were open when the last session was ended. Does it make sense?
MEOW also periodically saves the list of open windows: If the crash occurs (if Outlook or Word crashes) -- MEOW will reopen windows from the last save.
Installation is easy, but do make sure to read the help file, before start using it.
Attacher 5 for Windows Eudora is available too. I rewrote the Orphaned Attachments Tool for this release. Never liked how the previous version worked, yet didn't have enough of free time for the update. Previous version was using Eudora's COM server to obtain information about the attachments, and that info is often not accurate/dated.
Finally, new release of Delete Duplicates for Eudora if done. It contains new Delete Duplicate Nicknames tool and other cool stuff. Despite all laws of nature Windows Eudora continues to be an e-mail program of choice for many people -- too bad it's gave up on.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
New installment of Delete Duplicates for Outlook Express (and Windows Mail 32-bit) is available now. It contains two types of auto-stop scanning options and graphical enhancements.
First group of options is there to prevent Outlook Express from "spinning" (or having problems with huge Trash mailfoldrer) when deleting or transferring large amount of duplicate messages (50 000 and more). The second group - time related auto-stop options are there so when can halt the scan after X hours, or at particular time, so the system resources are available for standard daily routines. Time related auto-stop options are very convenient for overnight/scheduled scans.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
New release of Delete Duplicate Files is available for download now. It features new tag comparison options, an addition to the Light Comparison. So, beside the file names, sizes, dates and other criteria we can compare file tags for corresponding file-types. As of this release, supported file-types are Microsoft Office files (Summary tag) and mp3 files (IDv1 tag). We can also choose which fields should be compared (for the corresponding tags), so we have Author, Title etc. for Summary, and Artist, Album, Year etc. for IDv1. In some of the future releases I'll probably expand it, so we'll be able to compare more types of tags - now when the tag support is integrated into the main architecture (and it fits there so well I have to say) it's almost the matter of copy/paste.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Several interesting caching/indexing applications were released few years ago. You know those that slow down your system while you are working on something, so you can save couple of seconds on file searching every now and then?
Even so, I liked the idea, and thought it would be good to have something like that for my duplicate files operations. Another interesting, not related trend started recently: Developers started to distribute plain text sfv-files, which contain installers checksums, so users can check out the integrity of installers. That gave me the idea, so instead of the huge media-library alike database, we have large number of small plain text files containing files hash-values. It was introduced discretely in previous release of Delete Duplicate Files. Now with the latest release we go step further, and we can specify the file types where such caching should be used. Those should be the files that are never edited or updated. For example program files or DLL-files. Files that should not be cashed are HTML/Word/Excel/Text documents or configuration files. Anyhow, Cache feature requires some management, so it's off by default. Be careful. What we gain by using the cashed values (vs. dynamic calculation): Speed and lower memory consumption. In addition, hash values are calculated for the comparison purposes, during the scan, and no operations are performed "in the background".
This release also contains more GI updates, which are all about the good ergonomics. Does style goes against the ergonomics? Maybe not after all. :-) Anyway, get Delete Duplicate Files 3.6 from here.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Rooster 3.2 has been released. A major new feature is called a News-Strip. It's my another take on news-ticker alike program. Slightly different philosophy thought. It actually resembles one of my first programs ever, called Special Delivery. This is now Delivery Royal, that's what it is.
Another important feature is the option where we can download headers only, and retrieve the full article(s) on another check. So, for the feeds where articles contain just few lines of text and for Usenet articles, that option is very convenient. Keep in mind, it's rough on the edges still. As is the support for Usenet newsgroups. I am refining it with every release as we go, but we have a lot to cover yet.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Lo and behold Exporter for Outlook Express has been released! This tiny web site contains download-links and some basic info. Program will soon be available via download.com and other major distributers. I think I'll have one of those Cohibas now. Don't call... :-)
Note on 64-bit edition: 64-bit edition may be available by the time Windows 7 is released. Major related priority right now is the first update. It will be a big one. Second, there will be free utility that will be distributed with all Exporters. That utility (code name is Mail Shell) allows us to browse RFC/MIME messages or mailboxes without restraints, 3rd party programs or any other limitations, in a super efficient way.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Exporter for Outlook Express is almost done now. With different IDE, new linker, SDK and libraries, new monitor and nearly 45C in the shade outside, it took me freakin forever to close this one in. It was worth it thought -- it rocks. Also, because of the way OE stores it's messages it's a clean cut -- all data is pasted directly into the exported messages without the adjustments in MIME structure. Top MIME-headers can be preserved AS IS.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Delete Duplicate Files 3.5 has been released. This Summer Edition addresses almost exclusively GI features. As XP/Vista themes are supported now I was surprised to see how pale, and quite often non-ergonimical those themes are. Two radio-buttons, with graphical layout, look almost the same on and off. So, as I want main Scanning Method buttons to look distinguishable (1) and exactly the same (2), on all flavors of Windows, I made them manually from the scratch. BTW, going with the custom made elements takes less of your time these days. It also gives you freedom to add your own graphics, draw dynamically, handle all types of event, and do anything you want basically. I think you'll see more of that in the future.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
I have a very special treat for you today: Third installment of Rooster RSS/ATOM News Agent is ready to go now. Will be available World-wide soon.
Now you can post.
PS. For those of you who haven't heard for Rooster yet: (where have you been?) Rooster is a desktop application that makes it easy to post articles to your blog. Get offline editing, and more.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
RDF-format is considered depreciated, by many. Apparently, it's not, as some prominent publishers (Dark Horse for example) are using it. I discovered it accidentally by the time I was already wrapping up the 2.9 release. So, I added the support for RDF-feeds, and as one thing leads to another, updated several other related features.
The main thing about this update is the option to Edit/Save the articles. In addition, there are basic editing operations (cut, copy, paste, insert text etc.), basic formatting operations (for HTML-formatted articles), option to switch the format and Rot13 encryption. What on Earth Rot13 is, you ask.
If you want to encode/decode text using Rot13, just replace each English letter with the one positioned 13 places forward/backward along the alphabet, and you've got it. What's the point of such a simple encryption you ask? Well, that's precisely why it's commonly used: because of its simplicity. If you want to hide part of your article temporarily, and "force" recipient(s) to read the rest of the text first, Rot13 is a perfect option. Use it for movie spoilers and other fun trivia.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Delete Duplicate Files 3.4 - Spring Edition is available for download now.
This release features auto-stop scanning options, which are primarily designed for Scan on Schedule service. It's like the exercise: You'll be probably much better off if you practice 15-30 minutes every day, instead of spending, say 2h every Monday afternoon, right.
One of the future releases will feature "Save/Resume scanning position option", which will be very beneficial in conjunction with Auto-Stop options.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Windows Manager for Outlook brought from death!
For downloads, visit Outlook Addins page; major download-sites will pick up soon. On how to install, read Windows Manager for Outlook Release Notes.
Windows Manager for Outlook re-opens message-windows that were not closed during the last session, when the new session starts.
New version of Exporter for Outlook has been released.
It's "business as usual" release:
Couple of new features, couple of improvements, salt and pepper...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Hey there. It's Brana. Spring is comming. It brings us new release of your favorite RSS reader. Explore it.
Friday, February 6, 2009
New release of Draft It! Eudora plugin has been released
this morning.
As time allows me, I will keep on updating some of the old plugins.
Feeds Aggregator for Eudora has been updated. Most likely the final/last release of this program.
It's been fun working on it, and I would like to thank all the people who participated
in development and provided valuable feedback. For those of you who are interested
in versatile and features rich stand-alone RRS/ATOM feeds aggregator, I suggest
you check-out Rooster RSS Reader. Although not originally
intended to be a prototype, Feeds Aggregator Plugin became a prototype for Rooster.
Rooster is way much superior program in all aspects, make no mistake about that.
This release (2.4) makes it a freeware, and it features couple of improvements
and bug-fixes.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Two Eudora plugins updated: Forward as Attachemnt & Roboto
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Delete Duplicate Files 3.3 - Xmas Edition is available for download now.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Roboto for Eudora 1.004 released.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Exporter for Outlook 2.4 released. This is, as movie people would say, "out of continuity" release.
It features:
Improved detection of message content type, if top MIME headers are missing;
Improved export of outgoing/sent messages (those are messages where Outlook
does not preserve top-level MIME headers, for some reason);
An option to substitute multipart/alternative part with it's Plain Text or HTML
parts;
Option to delete original attachments;
Option to link attachments (if extracted) and more.
Further development of "text-fields extraction functions" is postponed. This
is the list of most requested features:
Option to set custom headers, if original message does not contain those headers;
Extra headers derived from the message status (X-Unread, X-Forwarded, etc.);
Export/harvest web sites and other URLs;
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Delete Duplicate Files 3.2 uploaded.
November, 2008
Rooster RSS Reader 2.6.2.2 has been released.
Loads of new stuff. Download installed from Rooster Home Page. List of new features is available here: Release Notes.
Exporter for Outlook 2.2 released. Among other changes, this release features 'Export Text-Fields to Text Files' option.
This new option allows us to export standard (RFC) headers, and "message text headers", to CSV-files.
Here is an example usage of "message-text headers":
"Message-text headers" are present in messages, created and sent automatically,
by the server side scripts.
So, message text contains the web form ("send mail") data, similar
in structure to standard RFC headers.
step 1. You fill out some online form.
step 2. Server side script forwards submitted data, to system administrator,
via e-mail.
step 3. System administrator exports all the data from Outlook mailboxes to
relevant files.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Delete Duplicates for Eudora 8.1 released.
The legend rocks on! This release features new Special Scanning Method. That method allows us to detect messages in within messages, so called pseudo-duplicates. Those pseudo-duplicates are very common in e-mail correspondence, in situations where correspondents quote each others in their replies. So now we can clean up the threads from the past correspondence, which is included in most recent messages.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Delete Duplicate Files - Series 3 has been released! I'll spare you technical details (if you are into this, make sure you read the Release Notes / if you are a beginner read the manual), but I'll say this: You don't have to worry about duplicate files any longer. Enough said.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Delete Duplicates for Outlook 5 has been released! It
features:
• Numerous attachments comparison enhancements.
• New tools to delete duplicate Contacts, Calendar Items (Appointments), Tasks,
Journal Entries and Notes.
• New, Special Scanning Method. This method targets pseudo-duplicates (i.e.
messages in within messages). Use this method to clean up the threads from past
correspondence (i.e. from messages which are entirely quoted in more recent
messages) and keep just the latest messages.
• User interface enhancements, such as Scanning Method description label, tool-bars,
tool-tips, icons, etc.
• User manual.
• Scanning timeout option.
• Results grouping (by the originals).
• Extended logging.
and more...
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Delete Duplicate Files 2.8 released! Here is the list of changes from 2.4 to 2.8.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Delete Duplicates for Outlook Express and Windows Mail 3.8 has been released!
July 17, 2008
Delete Duplicates for Outlook 4.9 released. Now we can highlight results. This release also features number of interface updates, some new hot-keys and more.
Delete Duplicates for Eudora 7.7 released. Major new option is called Stats. Stats allows us to track key-word occurrences inside duplicates, which can help us figure out what caused duplicates creation in the first place. By successfully eliminating that cause, we can significantly reduce the number of duplicates we are dealing with on everyday basis. Beside Stats, there are number of interface updates. Enough said, just go and get it.
Tuesday, July 7, 2008
Delete Duplicates for Outlook 4.8 released. It features is highlights:
• Combined Standard comparison (Raw/Hash).
• Now we can include Importance/Status/Read Status into our custom comparison
criteria.
• New scanning speeds: Very Slow (it's called "Relax to the Max")
and Very Fast (Turbo).
• Fixed couple of compatibility issues [Outlook 2007].
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Exporter for Outlook 2.1 released! More info on the site.
Delete Duplicates for Eudora 7.6
Now we have additional 2-passes hash implementations (CRC32+MD5, CRC32+SHA2 & MD5+SHA2), alternative comparison criteria for Light Scanning Method, Tip of the Day, option to always perform scans in the background, new Tweaks panels, Bookmark results feature, Results/Summary: Copy/Export to File/Bookmark/Remove, Results/View/Sort menu items and more.
Delete Duplicate Files 2.4. I'll tell you, I had a blast. Here is what's new:
Combined comparison criteria: Raw or CRC32.
Move originals option (Settings/Action).
Results/Rename file.
Getting Attention/Play Sound/Play custom file.
More detailed Status-bar Stats-pane information.
Tweaks: Ignore Files and Folders
[Ignore List is redefined (as file-pattern matching has been covered to the
great detail via Filters/we don't need a poor replica of existing feature);
Now it contains full (explicit) paths to files and folders that should be excluded
from comparison). BTW, Ignore List has the precedence over Filters.]
and much more!
Delete Duplicates for Outlook 4.7 released! I love summers! Can you tell? Anyhow, where is what's new:
Action: Move duplicates to custom mailbox.
Misc Tweaks: Resynchronize mailboxes-tree dynamically.
Startup: Fixed a bug that would cause slow program loading.
Scan on Schedule: Scan in the background.
Scan on Schedule: When the scan is over options: Exit/Log off/Turn off Windows
Results: Highlight items.
Results: Different text color for originals.
Results: Move selected items to custom mailbox.
Results-window toolbar buttons: Set Importance/Flag.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Delete Duplicate Files 1.9 has been released.
This release wraps up nicely the 1-series I think. It contains the updates in 3 areas: scanning, results and graphical interface. Now we can skip the folder, while the scan is in progress, or have the program run it's scanning in the background. There are numerous updates on visuals, such as new status bar, results file-type images, additional folder images and so on.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Delete Duplicates for Eudora 7.2 has been released. It contains Scan on Schedule Windows Service, better performances etc. If you are sorry mail junky, like some of us, you'll love it. For occasional cleanups, smaller number of duplicates, 6.7 is just fine, you need not to upgrade.
A note for Vista users: In order to run COM/automation you may need to disable some of the new Vista security features. Please read Help/Installation for more details. This applies for all releases of Delete Duplicates for Eudora.
Friday, November 16, 2007
R2.2 - Smooth Operator
Few months ago one friend of mine complained on reckless bandwidth consumption of all RSS readers and Internet browsers, and that the situation becomes awful while he's on the road where the Internet connection is already weak (he works in Australian deserts btw, extreme conditions). That brought me to think about the ways to make Rooster consume less of the bandwidth and allow other programs to use the Internet as well (and generally to provide more resources for system to assign to other programs). Furthermore, the issue raises number of other questions such as the higher bandwidth demands, connection stability, timeout options, network specific recourses consumption and others. After some testing I started with the implementation of the most critical features which now you have a chance to test and hopefully enjoy using.
As I was working on online tasks and inter-thread communication I added couple of features very convenient for debugging purposes, such as pause/resume/stop the task. As some of those features may come handy (especially if you are in Australian deserts), they are exposed now, and can be accessed through the tasks window. Then as I was already updating the Tasks window I added the progress bars, new images, tasks list options. I should also mention the task (thread) priorities which can be explicitly set now (from the tasks list), and an general (Options/Mode).
Third major area is the feed groups. Feed groups are now accessible from the Check menu. We can also assign pre-defined notifications for member feeds, per group basis. There is the groups-toolbar, new hot-keys, and group-description text (Group/Properties).
I should also mention the Filter Report. Filter Report provide an overview of all filtered articles and corresponding key-words.
Aside from network, groups and tasks features, and the Filter Report, R2.2 brings us the handbag full of goodies we simply can not live without. There are new maintenance tools, date display options (newsbox summary), enclosures are now accessible from the newsbox summary, there is the new Idle Time category (more on idle time in future releases), Newsbox Properties - Linked subscriptions list, Link History additions, alternative tray icons and "New" menu/toolbar items.
Ooroo and cheerio,
Outback Yabberer!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Rooster 2.1 is available for download now! This release is specially dedicated
to the single most requested feature so far:
Rooster to have a single, main, Office Outlook-alike window, where we have Boxes
and Feeds pane(s) and only one (opened) newsbox at the time.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Rooster 2, it's done. This major update features Extended Delivery Service.
What is Extended Delivery Service? In a nutshell:
Rooster Extended Delivery Service is designed so that third party addins can
interface with Rooster, can operate in and on the Rooster environment. Addins
can provide functions that Rooster itself does not provide.
Addins can be authored by the end users, site administrators, third-party vendors, or just about anybody who wish to automate some process, add additional feature or simply enhance Rooster experience.
Rooster's EDS uses Component Object Model to communicate with the clients (addins). Clients can be programs (writen in any programing language) and scripts. The most transparent programming language for COM clients, for the Windows platform, is Microsoft Visual Basic, and the most common scripting languages are Python, Java Scripts, JScripts, VBS and others. (Enclosed are several samples.)
Rooster's COM Automation server supports any number of clients.
Rooster EDS interface is exposed via Properties, Standalone Functions and Events.
1. Properties
Properties lets you access miscellaneous program, session or configuration related
information. Information is requested by the addin, and is returned immediately.
2. Standalone Functions
Standalone functions are primarily intended to start particular action (import
or export subscriptions; validate, preview or subscribe to the feed; display
options; arrange or close windows etc.)
3. Events
Rooster's COM addins can apply for events. When the event occures, EDS fires
a notification function, which is implemented by the event sink interface on
the the client side, with particular data passed via parameters of the (notification)
function. There are 3 major types of events:
• 3.1 On Display
To trigger this event: Open the article from the newsbox summary.
[Article info is passed to our client via DisplayingArticles function.]
• 3.2 On Request
To trigger this event: Open the article from the newsbox summary and click Article/Pass To Addins.
[Article info is passed to our client via RequestingArticles function.]
• 3.3 On Delivery
To trigger this event: Select the feed of your choice and click Download Articles.
[Article info is passed to our client via GettingArticles function.]
4. Usage
Once the addin gets the article information, it can:
- Update the web site
- Display custom alerts
- Save article info to file(s)
- Open the newsbox
- Import the article to the database or e-mail client (enclosed if Feeds2Outlook
sample, check it out)
- Print the article
etc.
Thursday, July 4th, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Exporter for Outlook 1.1 has been released.
Friday, May 23, 2007
Delete Duplicates for Eudora 6.3 released!
Tuesday, March 25, 2007
RSS & ATOM Feeds Aggregator for Eudora 2.3 is done.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Due to the new ShareIt pricing model and new lower fees (more information
can be found here), all shareware prices will be reduced for 3-4 of Euros.
New prices will be in effect from tomorrow 12 AM CET.
Monday, February 12, 2007 4:20 AM
Screens page added.
Windows Manager for Outlook was pooled off due the following bug: Messages that are deleted or moved with the usage of hotkeys are re-opened when Outlook starts. I completely forgot about that event (which is strange since I am using hot-keys all the time). Anyhow, this program is not discontinued and will be updated as soon as I find some free time.
Sunday, January 13, 2007
Custom Quote for Eudora has been updated.
January 2007
Added Rooster - Tokens page
Message Exporter for Eudora has been updated.
ASCII Sigs Manager for Outlook released!
Privacy Shield for Outlook unleashed!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 8:08 PM