Showing archive results for 2008

Jan 18, 2008
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Can't sing? Can't dance? Can't act? Try the opera.

Raymond Chen

Writer Shannon Dunn can't sing, can't act, can't even dance a little, but she was determined to perform in the opera. And being rejected at the audition didn't stop her. It's a fascinating story.

Non-Computer
Jan 18, 2008
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Why do registry keys have a default value?

Raymond Chen

In addition to all the named values you can create underneath a registry key with the function, there is also the so-called default value which you obtain by passing or a pointer to a null string as the . This default value is also the value set and retrieved when you call and . What's the deal with this default value? The original 16-bit regis...

History
Jan 17, 2008
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How did registry keys work in 16-bit Windows?

Raymond Chen

Back in 16-bit Windows, the registry was a very different beast. Originally, the only registry hive was , and the only things it was used for were COM object registration and file type registration. (Prior to the registry, file type registration was done in , and the only verb you could register for was "open".) The registry was stored in a singl...

History
Jan 16, 2008
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Jerry Springer: The Opera crosses the pond to visit Carnegie Hall

Raymond Chen

Back in 2002, I noted with some fascination the opening of Jerry Springer: The Opera in London. (Here's coverage in the New York Times. If you're going to skim the article, at least skim all the way to the end, wherein the real Jerry Springer is asked for his opinion.) Opening with the onstage studio audience chanting "Jer-ry! Jer-ry!", a parade...

Non-Computer
Jan 16, 2008
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Use WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGING to intercept window state changes

Raymond Chen

The message is sent early in the window state changing process, unlike , which tells you about what already happened. A crucial difference (aside from the timing) is that you can influence the state change by handling the message and modifying the structure. Here's an example that prevents the window from being resized. Before the message...

Code
Jan 15, 2008
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Use WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGED to react to window state changes

Raymond Chen

The documentation for the message points out that the message is not sent under certain circumstances. But what if you want to know when the window is shown, including in the cases where you don't get ? The message is sent at the end of the window state change process. It sort of combines the other state change notifications, , , and . But it ...

Code
Jan 14, 2008
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No matter where you put an advanced setting, somebody will tell you that you are an idiot

Raymond Chen

There are advanced settings in Windows, settings which normal users not only shouldn't be messing with, but which they arguably shouldn't even know about, because that would give them just enough knowledge to be dangerous. And no matter where you put that advanced setting, somebody will tell you that you are an idiot. Here they are on an approxima...

Other
Jan 11, 2008
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In order to serve you better: Chase resets your marketing preferences

Raymond Chen

Whenever a company says "In order to serve you better", you can be pretty sure they're about to do something that will make your life more miserable. This time, I'm going to call out Chase Financial Services, who recently sent out notices to customers who had specified that they did not want to receive marketing materials informing them that they ...

Non-Computer
Jan 11, 2008
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Windows is not an MFC delivery channel

Raymond Chen

Depending on what version of Windows you're running, there may be a variety of support DLLs for things that aren't formal product components, but which are merely along for the ride. For example, Windows 95 came with MFC30.DLL because the Fax Viewer was written with the help of MFC 3.0. But if you look at Windows 98, MFC30.DLL is gon...

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