Sunday, December 04, 2005
MacUpdate: dozens of iTunes remote control apps
Hmm. I'm finding all kinds of partlyl implemented ways to control iTunes. There's quite a list to explore here on MacUpdate. VersionTracker has others too. I've got two more to try.
Controlling remote iTunes using Apache and a web client
Another chapter in my ongoing effort to control iTunes from a remote iBook. My prior posting was about a WAP client using Apache.
Ahh, once I changed my Google search for remote iTunes control to include the string "Apache" things are going better. This method is less secure than I'd like, but my server only runs internally: iTunes Web Based Remote Control. Yes, we're making progress now!
Ahh, once I changed my Google search for remote iTunes control to include the string "Apache" things are going better. This method is less secure than I'd like, but my server only runs internally: iTunes Web Based Remote Control. Yes, we're making progress now!
Remote control of iTunes using Apache, AppleScript, CGI and a WAP client
I've tried several methods for controlling remote iTunes from my iBook. TuneConnect and NetTunes failed for different reasons. You'd think remote AppleEvents would do the trick, but it turns out Apple hasn't yet revised AppleScript to deal with Fast User Switching, which was only introduced two or three years ago.
This hack is promising: MacDevCenter.com: Build an iTunes Remote Control. Running a web server might get around the FUS problems, since the UNIX infrastructure of a port is inherently multi-user. I don't have a WAP client, but someone must have done something like this for a web client ...
This hack is promising: MacDevCenter.com: Build an iTunes Remote Control. Running a web server might get around the FUS problems, since the UNIX infrastructure of a port is inherently multi-user. I don't have a WAP client, but someone must have done something like this for a web client ...
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Getting a rebate on the Canon Digital Rebel XT -- where's the UPC?
[This is really written for folks struggling with the rebate and searching Google for help.]
The Canon Digital Rebel XT comes with a $75 rebate.
As always, the process for getting the rebate is, unsurprisingly, confusing and complex. If it were easy, too many people would do it. The best way to proceed is to go this validation site and enter the UPC number. But which UPC number?
There are a plethora of UPC numbers on the box and in the box, and the directions don't help. They say "*Note: If you purchase an EOS 20D EF-S 17-85 Kit or Rebel XT EF-S 17-85 Kit, enter the UPC code from the camera body box located inside the kit packaging." Huh? There's no UPC inside the box holding my camera, but there are several on the box.
The trick is to look the UPC number up on Google, I found out that it's: "013803049640". Once I knew the number I could figure out where it was on the box. It is indeed on the kit box, not "inside on a camera box".
So if you use the web site, print out the form they provide, and follow all the rules religiously, you're probably okay. If you get stuck, you can phone the rebate center:
The Canon Digital Rebel XT comes with a $75 rebate.
As always, the process for getting the rebate is, unsurprisingly, confusing and complex. If it were easy, too many people would do it. The best way to proceed is to go this validation site and enter the UPC number. But which UPC number?
There are a plethora of UPC numbers on the box and in the box, and the directions don't help. They say "*Note: If you purchase an EOS 20D EF-S 17-85 Kit or Rebel XT EF-S 17-85 Kit, enter the UPC code from the camera body box located inside the kit packaging." Huh? There's no UPC inside the box holding my camera, but there are several on the box.
The trick is to look the UPC number up on Google, I found out that it's: "013803049640". Once I knew the number I could figure out where it was on the box. It is indeed on the kit box, not "inside on a camera box".
So if you use the web site, print out the form they provide, and follow all the rules religiously, you're probably okay. If you get stuck, you can phone the rebate center:
Canon USA rebate center toll free at (877) 862-6870 weekdays, 8 am to 8 pm EST.KW: rebate, missing UPC, cannot find UPC, Digital Rebel XT
OS X Services: an overview and DevonTech link
One of the annoying aspects of OS X are all the half-baked ideas. I guess it's a problem with having a creative design team that's more interested in invention then implementation. OS X Services is in this class; promising but undeveloped. Some applications support them, many don't. They don't work with Firefox, but in Safari you can highlight text and apply several services to the text. AppleWorks doesn't support Services, but TextEdit and OmniOutliner do.
Random Tech has a good article on how to get the most from services, including a link to some DevonThink freeware I'm going to try out: Random Tech: Mac OS X Services (the menu you never go to).
Update: I'm impressed with the great DevonTech gifts. This may push me from Firefox back to Safari!
Random Tech has a good article on how to get the most from services, including a link to some DevonThink freeware I'm going to try out: Random Tech: Mac OS X Services (the menu you never go to).
Update: I'm impressed with the great DevonTech gifts. This may push me from Firefox back to Safari!
OS X fix: hang when connecting to a network service or apple partner
This is an obscure fix. If OS X hangs when connecting to a network service, consider deleting a keychain file:
Aperture (Part 3)OS X has its share of obscure fixes: Delete cache. Delete preferences files. Try another user account. And now ... delete keychains. (Delete permissions is well known, but probably less useful than any of the above.
Ordering Prints from Apple did not work (I got a Connecting to Apple's Book & Print Ordering Server dialog with an endless progress bar). After a bit of googling I found an iPhoto tip to use the Keychain Access app to delete the keychain file for NetServices. The problem vanished instantly.
Open PDF as rich text in OS Cocoa applications
I installed this free DevonTech OS X service, and, as promised, I can now open a PDF in TextEdit and edit it. That's really kind of miraculous. So why is this so obscure?
DEVONtechnologies : Freeware : Services
PDF2RTFService 1.0
PDF2RTFService is a free filter service that enables many Cocoa applications, for example TextEdit or Apple Pages, to open Adobe PDF, PostScript and Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files as paginated rich text documents. The application just needs to be able to read rich text documents. The actual conversion is done by Quartz and the PDFKit of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, PDF2RTFService post-processes and paginates the output for better results.
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