DomQuery for Windows Forms in .NET

Seems like it would be useful to be able to say, "Give me all the controls on this Windows Form that are check boxes," or add other critera and have the system return a collection of those objects that one could act upon.

Anyone know if such functionality exists?

Once again the last person on earth to hear about a cool application

How did Apple's Quartz Composer never come up on my radar? I had to find out about it from this post on CreateDigitalMusic.com:

Lily: Browser Beatboxes and the Rebirth of Max-Like Patching

...and that was posted in August of last year.

Anyway, here's the official Apple intro page for it, and QC looks very interesting.

Working with Quartz Composer

Additionally, it comes free with Apple's development tools on Mac OS X, so that makes it even better!

Here's a quote from CDM that I particularly liked:

First, Apple quietly acquired the developer of a little-known live visual/VJ app called Pixelshox, transformed it into a new app called Quartz Composer, made it part of the Mac OS X developer tools, and made it central to their UI efforts. One day, a tiny VJ app with a cult following, the next, central to Cupertino’s OS strategy? Interesting.

Mac OS X - Keyboard Shortcuts for Screen Captures

I had recalled that there were keyboard shortcuts for doing screen captures (instead of always using Grab). The following is from the Apple Help that describes how to do it. The important part is holding down the Control key so that the image goes to the clipboard instead of as a file on the desktop...

Shortcuts for taking pictures of the screen

Use these shortcuts to take pictures of the screen in Mac OS X.

• {Command}-Shift-3

Take a picture of part of the screen

• {Command}-Shift-4, then drag to select the area you want in the picture.
• To cancel, press Escape.

To Take a picture of a window, a menu, the menu bar, or the Dock.

• Press {Command}-Shift-4, then press the Space bar. Move the pointer over the area you want so that it's highlighted, then click.
• To drag to select the area instead, press the Space bar again.
• To cancel, press Escape.

Screen shots are saved as files on the desktop. If you want to put the screen shot in the Clipboard, rather than create a file, hold down the Control key when you press the other keys. You can then paste the picture into a document.

I just needed this in a convenient spot that I could reference later (i.e. here).

Dilbert goes Agile!

Dilbert - November 26, 2007

Skype for iPhone

Shape Services has created a Skype client for iPhone:

IM for Skype :: Products

...and it apparently enables IM and voice!

XNJB - Use your Creative MP3 player on Mac OS X

While considering purchasing a Creative Zen Micro MP3 player, I found that they do not (unbelievably!) list Mac OS X compatibility on their system requirements.

Be that as it may, all hope is not lost. Thanks to the guys on the XNJB OpenSource project, Mac compatibility is a reality with most Creative devices (like the Zen Micro & various Nomad models):

XNJB

So it may not be a really interesting name, but this is just another case where intelligent, benevolent developers saw a need and filled it.

Thanks, guys!

Third Party Applications on the iPhone! Yay!

This just in from the Apple Hot News page:

Third Party Applications on the iPhone

Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers.

It will take until February to release an SDK because we’re trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this is simply not true. There have been serious viruses on other mobile phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone over the cell network. As our phones become more powerful, these malicious programs will become more dangerous. And since the iPhone is the most advanced phone ever, it will be a highly visible target.

Some companies are already taking action. Nokia, for example, is not allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known developer. While this makes such a phone less than “totally open,” we believe it is a step in the right direction. We are working on an advanced system which will offer developers broad access to natively program the iPhone’s amazing software platform while at the same time protecting users from malicious programs.

We think a few months of patience now will be rewarded by many years of great third party applications running on safe and reliable iPhones.

Steve

P.S.: The SDK will also allow developers to create applications for iPod touch. [Oct 17, 2007]