How to change the color of alternative rows in excel

today i came across a situation like, i wanted to change the background color of alternative raws in an excel sheet.i'd seen it in many web pages.

the trick is

1.select the needed area in your excel sheet
2.go to Format > Conditional Formatting
3.select 'forumla is' from the combo box
4.give the formula =mod(row(),2)=1
5.select the color
6.click ok

Got the trick? it was a new information for me, and its really a cool trick.

Contol Escape in vi editor

Control Escape is a special charecter, which used for many PCL commands, its prerry hard to copy paste these in to a vi editor directly from a html/pdf/text PCL documents.

But you can simulate this charecter in vi editor. for that press

control+v and then escape, ( press the keys in the same order donot release any of the keys till you pressed the escape ). the equivalent ASCII is '\033'.

Reduce the size of a wav file

.wav files are usually big in size, and it comes in to problem when you wanted it to use in some interactive systems, like the voice interaction software or IVRs.

today i found a very handy way to reduce the size of the wave file with out using any third party software. windows has a tool called sound recorder ( Programs>accessories>entertainment>Sound Recorder ) or sndrec32.exe ( type it in Run window )

To reduce the file size or change the attribute of your .WAV file, you can go to file>properties> and click to the convert now button. this will open up a new window

from there you can select the target format, there are a variety of target formats which allows you to convert your WAV files in to 1/10th of the actual size.

Choose your desired format by looking the KBs/second( which is displayed at the right side of each entry).

Display line numbers in vi editor

To display line numbers in vi editor by giving the command

:set nu or :se number

to disable the line numbers, give the command

: set nonumber

NetGear wireless issue - windows cannot find wireless network

One of my laptops are pretty old and having no built in wireless Lan, so i bought one USB NetGear wireless lan adaptor, and when installed it in my laptop.

then i experienced a problem like the netgear utility is not smart enough to enumerate all the wireless networks nearby. and it sounds not good for me. and it denies the windows to enumerate wireless networks. ( windows network finder is easy and hassle free, so i prefer that)

How can we enable windows to enable the wireless networks ?

Enable the windows service named Wireless Zero Configuration, go to control panel>Administrative Tools>Services and find Wireless Zero configuration service, and start it.

or Run services.msc to reach in to services in an easier way!

creative vf0040 webcam driver - From where you can download it?

Today I searched a lot in the web to get the driver for creative vf-0040 webcam drivers. all the top google results were damn waste. some how i got the actual driver . this particular model belongs to 'instant' category.

driver for creative vf 0040 webcam drivers can be get from
http://support.creative.com/downloads/download.aspx?nDownloadId=8179

Boradcom wireless card and compaq laptops

This is the solution which i've got today...i will update the progress...



I know the feeling.I have just spent all week trying to fix the same problem with my new DV6152EU.
I have just solved the problem with the adapter and i have restarted the laptop ten times and it is now finding the Broadcom 802.11 wireless WLAN everytime.
My solution is as follows:
Insert the battery with power off.Turn laptop on and allow to start normally.Once fully loaded up,select shutdown from start menu.Remove power and then the battery.
IMPORTANT STEP AS FOLLOWS:
Leave mains power switched off and keep the battery out of the laptop.Press and hold in the POWER ON switch on the laptop for 20 seconds and then release.
Plug the laptop to the mains socket with battery still left out and power up as normal.The adapter should now be visible.
THE REASON:
The motherboard,battery and adapter are having an undiagnosed conflict as stated in another responce.Pressing and holding the POWER ON button with no external power source clears the motherboard and any internal power storing devices of their power,allowing the adapter to reset and work.This must be a problem with thousands of laptops made by HP and i was surprised that no information on patches or updated drivers are available for this particular fault as it has occured in many countries.
I really hope this helps all of you as i was going dizzy trying to cure this fault and the feeling of relief when it worked was immense.
HP dont seem to be responding as a few of you have stated,very very very poor assistance from them.Broadcom also are not blameless and both companies should get together and come up with a solution as laptops are designed to be mobile,but that isnt the case if the wireless function is faulty.

Folder browser dialog in c#

First you need to set a reference to the Shell32.dll in your .NET project. In Solution Explorer right click the References entry, select Add New... and browse to the System32 folder and select Shell32.dll.

Then add the following C# code:

  
  string strPath;
  string strCaption = "Select a directory.";
  DialogResult dlgResult;

  Shell32.ShellClass shl = new Shell32.ShellClass();
  Shell32.Folder2 fld = (Shell32.Folder2)shl.BrowseForFolder(0, strCaption, 0,
              System.Reflection.Missing.Value);

  if (fld == null)
  {
      dlgResult =  DialogResult.Cancel;
  }
  else
  {
      strPath = fld.Self.Path;
      dlgResult = DialogResult.OK;
  }

Innovation - the new corporate mantra!!!

Creativity Vs Innovation ?

What are creativity and innovation? There are several definitions. Often they are not distinguished. They are simply seen as part of the process by which knowledge is developed and transformed into business value or even as a business. this is a perfectly acceptable definition but like the failure to differentiate between information and knowledge - it is not very useful for practical purposes.

A more useful approach is to view creativity as the process of generating ideas whilst seeing innovation as the sifting, refining and more critically - the implementation of those ideas. creativity is about divergent thinking. Innovation is about convergent thinking. Creativity is about the generation of ideas and innovation is about putting them into action!!!.

Creativity - coming up with new ideas - is not enough. we need innovation - the taking of new or existing ideas and putting them into action. This requires the application of existing knowledge and the development of appropriate new knowledge. Coming up with new ideas is the food of innovation. innovation is a far tougher proposition than creativity.

Why it is so important in corporate world ?

Daily we read in the news that creativity and innovation are critical for an organization's success in maintaining its competitive advantage and in surviving. many surveys identified creativity and innovation as a "top two priority for business strategy". A recent survey of 500 top CEO’s in USA asked them what their organizations needed to survive in the 21st century. Top answer was "to practice creativity and innovation"!!!!!

We all are entrepreneurs..(Yes..believe me )

Who is an entrepreneur??? - A dynamic person who gets the right people together to make something happen.someone who knows the right people, can motivate and wants action / results on a daily basis as in a typical IT project. we all are entrepreneurs means, we are working in such a large corporation takes direct responsibility for turning a project requirements into a profitable finished work product through assertive risk-taking and innovation.many entrepreneurial qualities of us often loose their innovative edge as they grow into such an established environment.It is therefore recommended that business organizations create a culture that provides employees with both freedom and encouragement to develop new ideas


Why the Management system?

There is no magic bullet for successful innovation, but nurturing a corporate culture that values innovation and creativity is important.that depends our corporate culture and what target we set for growth. But first of all we need to put innovation on our agenda, start by designing an idea management system.

The real challenge for our organization may not be finding a way of getting people to come up with ideas, but finding the best, most practical way of tracking and implementing those ideas. More than one hundred years ago the first traditional employee suggestion system -the suggestion box was introduced around the world. the suggestion system has had it ups and downs( we've experienced it already), but today it has developed into a powerful tools as a method to encourage, nurture and acting on employees ideas.

Append a path variable in DOS

SET PATH=C:\DOS;C:\MOUSE

PATH=%PATH%;C:\LOTUS

one mistake everytime i makes is like i put it like $PATH! its not $Path, its %PATH% :)

Why OpenSource ?

I'm a hardcore opensource person. It is the regular question ppl usually ask to me, and here is the best description which i can

OpenSource software gives you the flexibility and reliability that you need. You can be really sure, that noone has placed spyware or other malicious software in it, because you can look into the source. You can also extend the software for your needs, crop unwanted features or make it look nicer in you environment. OpenSource software also has a large community, that contributes experience and improvements. With this amount of testing bugs are found and fixed quickly.The best example for successful open source development might be the new internet browser Firefox. If you do not know Firefox, then we have some more information for you.

C++ 09: fulfillment of expectations?

I'm a great fan of programming especially when it is in c++. I admire and love Stroustrup as a philosopher more than an inventor or programmer. and i think no i feel the language is not just a combination of keywords or logics, but it is a philosophy. see a very recent inntreview with Stroustrup, it shed up some lights on the latest trends and happenings in c++.

( courtesy : InformIT )

Danny Kalev interviews C++ creator Bjarne Stroustrup about the C++09 standard, why C++ was never meant to be just for OOP, and his affinity to Tolkien's hobbits.

1. Congratulations on your forthcoming book Programming: Principles and Practice using C++! This is the first time you’re writing an introductory book. What has motivated you to write a book for beginners?
   
   

   → I had long found the C++ books for beginners unsatisfactory, but I couldn't do anything about that because I didn't have sufficient experience with teaching beginners. Then, more than three years ago (after I had moved to Texas A&M University to become a professor), I was a bit too loud in expressing my opinion of the programming skills of students and what I saw as the lack of focus on programming in their curriculum. Someone asked if I thought I could do better and I had to deliver. I designed a course, delivered it again and again together with an experienced lecturer who saved me again and again from my inexperience and overambition. The current course and the book that goes with it is the result. We have now taught well over 1,000 students, so we know that the approach works.

   My basic idea for the course was to list the knowledge and skills needed to start a project to produce code for the use of others than the programmers themselves. That list became the initial definition of the course. The point about "code for the use of others" is key. This leads to an emphasis on professionalism. When writing code that others rely on you need a responsible attitude to the structure of the code, the correctness ("how do you know it works?"), testing, and maintenance. It also implies that we can't let the student get stuck on obscure language-technical details (such as "exactly how does an unsigned short gets converted to an int?") beloved by teachers who like to set tricky tests. We have to get to the point where the students use object-oriented programming and generic programming because that's required for real-world applications. I also had to add something on graphics and GUI, but that's fun and helps in the appreciation of object-oriented techniques. Similarly, the STL features prominently to allow handling of data and to demonstrate generic programming techniques.

2. In what ways was this writing experience different from writing a book for experienced programmers?
   
   

   →There was far more direct feedback. Often, I was writing and making slides well into the night to have something for the students in the morning. Seeing a blank wall of faces is a great incentive to do better. Conversely, to see those faces light up is a very direct reward. Another difference is that I have had to think harder about what I wanted to communicate. I also had to articulate how to get the ideas across. The latter becomes essential when I don't teach all the classes myself. For a teaching approach to scale beyond what an individual can do, its aims, principles, techniques, etc. must be articulated.

   I had to think hard about what I wanted to teach and how. Most people thought – and insist to keep thinking – that I was/am doing a C++ course. Actually, it is a course in programming. I use C++ to teach the principles and practical skills of programming. The teaching of programming language features is secondary. Obviously, C++ reflects my view of what programming should be so there is no major tension here, but I hope – and have reason to believe – that the skills can be applied with other languages.

   When writing for beginners, you also have to provide more support than for professionals. So there are more exercises, more repetition, more emphasis, more summaries, more diagrams, and more color than people are used to from my other books. The style is ever so slightly lighter than in my other writing. However, it is still a demanding book. I did not set out to write the simplest book on programming because that would not teach people enough to be useful. My aim is eventual professionalism – the ability to write code others can rely on. Obviously, not all of my students will become programmers (I started out with electrical and computer engineers), but I do not want to give the impression that programming is a shallow art for dilettantes.

   For many, my new book will actually be a second book on programming, but the first that aims at professionalism. I suspect that many will use the book for learning on their own, without the support of teachers and fellow students. That's hard, but I try to support that with detailed examples and condensed reference material. There is also material beyond what can be covered in a semester: text processing using regular expressions, numerical computation using an N-dimensional Matrix library, the basics of embedded systems programming, testing, and an overview of C programming from a C++ perspective.

3. Has your experience as a professor at Texas A&M University brought new insights on how programming languages should be designed (for example, how to make programming languages easier to teach and learn, which features students find too confusing etc.)? If so, have these insights inspired you to design new C++ features?
   
   

   → Not really. I had done enough teaching at all levels – from middle school students to executives – even before I came to Texas that I had a pretty good idea what language ideas would help students. Unfortunately, the standards process is quite resistant to dramatic changes for the benefit of novices (of all backgrounds). The best thing that can be done for students is to provide more and better libraries. After that, anything that makes the language (and libraries) more consistent and less surprising helps.

   In particular, I'd give a lot for a very simple graphics and GUI library, a simple library for accessing a few web resources, and (for my engineering students) a good linear algebra library. In my class, I supply the graphics and the matrices myself, but it would be so much better to use someone else's – especially to use standard versions.

   However, we must be careful not to give the impression that calling other people's libraries is all there is to programming. One of the observations that influenced the design of my course and led me to present it as a book was repeated loud complaints from industry about the lack of capable systems programmers. Too many students graduate without exposure to the problems, tools, and constraints on solutions they will face in industry.

4. The C++09 standard, which is due to be finalized within months, is the biggest standardization endeavor since 1998. In your opinion, what are the most important changes and additions that it includes? How will C++09 affect everyday the design, implementation and testing of new C++ projects?
   
   

   → If all goes well, we'll vote out a standard in October. After that comes a public review period and time for dealing with the comments. After that comes a lot of standards bureaucracy procedures. Even if we deliver the text on time, it's touch and go whether the 'x' in C++0x will be '9'. I fear we'll have to go hexadecimal.

   That said, I think that the new standard (C++0x) will be a boon to the C++ community in many ways. We'll have better tools for dealing with the (for most people) brave new world of concurrency. We'll have a few new libraries (regular expressions, hash tables, threads, etc.) and all the libraries will be easier to use and run faster thanks to new language features such as initializer lists, a more concise for loop, auto, etc.). Look at a few C++0x examples and consider what it would take to write them in C++98:

   // C++0x code:
   
   
   
   
   
   vector v = { "Nygaard", "Kernighan", "Stepanov" };
   
   unordered_map index;		// hash table
   
   for (auto p = v.begin(), p!=v.end; ++p) index[*p] = p-v.begin();
   
   
   
   enum class Traffic_light { red, yellow, green };
   
   enum class Alert_color { red, blue, green };
   
   int red = 2;
   
   Alert_color c2 = red;		// error: no int to Alert_color conversion
   
   Alert_color c2 = Traffic_light::red;	// error
   
   Alert_color c2 = Alert_color::red;
   
   
   
   template	// concepts
   
       requires>
   
             void sort(T&);
   
   sort(v);
   
   sort(red);	// error: int is not a Container
   
   vector> vp
   
        = { {"Nygaard",75}, { "Kernighan",66 }, {"Stepanov",57} };
   
   
   
   sort(vp);	// error: pair is not Comparable (no operator<)

   Obviously, I'm restricting myself to tiny examples using the more obvious extensions. Note the absence of explanatory comments. Did you need any? It was hard for me that I could not use the C++0x in my new book. There are quite a few new features that help novices by simplifying notation and improving error handling.

5. Some features are still missing in C++09: a networking library, object persistence, GUI, and database connectivity. In contrast, the new standard includes features such as rvalue references whose usefulness for the average C++ programmer is moot, in my humble opinion at least. Is the C++09 standard complete enough to suit the needs of the average C++ programmer in 2008?
   
   

   → No, there will not be nearly enough standard libraries for my taste. However, the C++0x will much more supportive than their C++98 counterparts. Simple C++0x library components, such as regular expressions, unordered maps (hash tables), and smart pointers are already being shipped by some vendors. The main contribution of the C++0x standard library will be to set concurrent programming on a firm basis with a machine model and a threads ABI . I would have liked support for higher level concurrency abstractions – directly using threads and locks is just about the worst way to try to exploit multi-cores. However, such higher-level support will come soon – standard or not – and the C++0x facilities provide a base. For example, the threading in Intel's TBB (Threading Building Blocks) is directly based on the (draft) C++0x threading ABI.

6. Speaking of the average C++ programmer, what are C++’s major advantages over its newer rivals? In other words, what makes C++ relevant today – and tomorrow?
   
   

   → As ever: Performance, flexibility, generality, and access to hardware resources. When you encounter an application with "unusual requirements" you'll appreciate C++'s strengths compared to languages more finely tuned to a specific class of problems.

   Actually, the interest in C++ seems to be increasing again. For example, the C++ track at the SD conference in Santa Clara in early March was by far the largest track and significantly larger than last year (where is again was larger than the year before).

7. A new standard is also a good opportunity to part gracefully with features that backfired or never soared. I can think of exception specifications and exported templates as examples, but there may well be others. Is it time to take a brave decision and remove such features or at least deprecate them?
   
   

   → Unfortunately, we can't do that. The committee cannot ban features that are used in innumerable programs and deprecation is widely ignored. Even the very few features we do manage to ban must be supported by implementers and the users complain bitterly about having to use compatibility switches. It is not easy to "be brave" with millions of lines of code and not responsible to "be brave" with hundreds of millions of lines of other people's code. So, I think that such "bravery" will have to wait for universal availability of near-perfect source-to-source translation tools. One of the advantages of a formally standardized language, such as C++, over proprietary languages is that the standard is a long-term commitment. Today's standard C++ will with absolutely minimal modifications run in 20 years, just as much 20-year old C++ does today.

8. People (particularly those who do not use C++ as their primary language), still regard C++ as an object-oriented programming language. In practice however, state-of-the-art C++ switched to the generic programming paradigm years ago. Do the classic notions of OOP such as inheritance, virtual member functions, protected members and dynamic binding still matter?
   
   

   → It annoys me when I see recently written descriptions of C++ that would have been barely accurate in 1987. C++ was never meant to be just for OOP and certainly I never advertised it as such. See my publication list! Obviously, classical OOP still matters and will continue to do so. Kristen Nygaard (who invented OOP) used to comment that addition did not become useless or unused just because multiplication was invented and became fashionable. OOP serves a fundamental role that is not superseded by generic programming techniques. GP is currently fashionable and therefore over- and misused, but it is as fundamental as OOP and similarly has a permanent and prominent place in our programming and design tool chest. The interesting questions relate to exactly how to combine the two to get the best solutions for real-world problems (by "best" I mean things like correctness, maintainability, ability to reason about code, performance, and easy of reading and writing code). A classic example is the "draw all shapes" example that is usually seen as an example of object-oriented programming only:

   	void draw_all(vector vs)
   
   	{
   
   		for(int i = 0; idraw();
   
   	}

   But note that we are already using generic programming here. That vector is a parameterized type. In C++0x, we can write that a bit cleaner:

   	void draw_all(vector vs)
   
   	{
   
   		for (auto& x : vs) x->draw();
   
   	}

   However, we can also generalize draw_all() to apply to every data type that can be seen as a sequence:

       template
   
           requires SameType
   
     void draw_all(Iter b, Iter e)
   
   	{
   
           for_each(b,e, [] (Shape* p) { p->draw(); });
   
   	}

   Here, I again used C++0x features. In particular, I used concepts to get good type checking and the lambda notation for defining the operation to be applied to each element of a sequence. However, the point is that this is clearly generic programming that after a bit of conventional type manipulation invokes a virtual function on a class hierarchy. This is a prototype for a common and very general style of "mixed OOP and GP code" which (if you must) you can call multi-paradigm.

   We could call draw_all() like this:

   
   
   vector v = { new Circle({0,0},10), new Triangle(p1,p2,p3) };
   
   draw_all(v.begin(),v.end());
   
   
   
   set s = { new Elipses({0,0},10,20), new Square({10,10},p3) };
   
   draw_all(s.begin(),s.end());

9. Something more personal. You were born into a working class family in Århus, Denmark, as you state in your bio. In the last 30 years or so, you’ve lived in the US. My acquaintance with these two countries, however superficial, suggests that there are significant differences between those two societies. What do you miss most from Denmark and the Danish heritage?
   
   

   →Denmark is a wonderful country that it is easy to be homesick for. It's a small country where most natural and cultural phenomena are on a human scale. It helps that it's also a rich, stable country running a full welfare state at a consistent profit. I miss my friends and family – but email and the web editions of Danish newspapers help me keep in touch. I miss the food – but I can get herring, salami, cheese, etc. airlifted in from a Danish shop in California. Danes are rather fond of food – I feel an affinity to Tolkien's hobbits. Danes tend to be significantly more trusting than Americans – I miss that. On the other hand, I could not have done my work in Denmark. Something on the scale of Bell Labs could not be built and sustained in Denmark.

10. Finally, an inevitable question: Are you planning a C++09 edition of the The C++ Programming Language?
    
    

    →I'm thinking about that. I have to write a 4^th edition, but it is non-trivial to decide what it should be. Each edition has had a separate aim and scope as the C++ community evolved. Including the standard libraries, the C++0x standard might come close to 2,000 pages. I don't think my 4^th editions should compete with that in either style or size.

Vignette Opportunities in Technopark

A CMMI level 5 Technopark company is looking for vingette professionals with minimum 4 years of experience

• Expertise in Vignette V7 content management concepts.
• VCM development skills – Content Type Definition, Listener and Workflow Modeler
• Installation and Configuration of Vignette Content Management.
• Managing the Vignette V7 configuration space.
• Monitoring Vignette V7 components.
• Analyzing Vignette V7 Content Management log files.
• Troubleshooting techniques in the Vignette V7 environments.
• Authorization Techniques.
• File Source Scan creation.
• Vignette V7 topologies.
• Vignette Content Management Process and Dependencies.
• Deployment configuration and management.
• Use of Application Services APIs for delivery of content.
• Use of XML and XSLT for presentation of content.
• Create and deploy Java web applications for the CDA.
• Creation of Sites/channels and business units in Vignette
• Understand the business requirements and creating Templates based on the widgets available
• Installation and configuration of Vignette Content Management

Why free() is not reducing your memory footprint ?

It found very interesting to me, even after i free() d the some dynamically allocated memory with my program, the process seems not reducing any memory in my memory footprint.

And when i researched about this, came to know that, in almost all systems the freed memory will not go to the system heap. instead of it will be there in the process address space for the future memory allocations.

but there is a work around also, there is a function called mmap(), which is used for the private anonymous mappings.

when these are unmapped the memory really is released back to the system. some implementations of malloc()automatically use mmap() where available to perform large allocations; these blocks are then returned to the system on free()

How to withdraw your paypal money directly to a bank account in India

Some very good news for PayPal users in India. You can now transfer money from your PayPal account to any of your bank account in India directly from the PayPal website.

Earlier, the only option for withdrawing PayPal amount in India was a check that normally took 2-3 weeks for processing. The new e-transfer process should take less than a week.

PayPal has also scrapped the withdrawal fees for electronic transfer if the amount withdrawn is more that Rs 7000 and a nominal Rs 50 for small transfers. Earlier PayPal would charge $5 per transaction irrespective of the amount on the cheque.

To get your money from PayPal to a bank account in India, all you require is your bank account number and the IFSCI code of the bank branch where you have the account - call your bank customer care service and ask for IFSC code -it’s an 11 digit code maintained by The Reserve Bank of India.

The e-transfer facility from PayPal India is available to anyone having an account in HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, ING VYSYA Bank, Axis Bank (formerly UTI Bank), Standard Chartered Bank, State Bank Of India, Bank Of India, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, HSBC and Citibank India.

Before you withdraw the amount from PayPal to your Indian Bank account, ensure that name of the bank record and PayPal match character by character else the transaction will not go through and PayPal would also charge a INR 250 processing fee.

PayPal offers another option for Indians who hold a Visa credit card or debit card - you can withdraw funds directly to your Visa branded credit, debit or prepaid card.

Is PayPal Income Taxable in India - If you are earning web income through BlogAds, Text Link Ads, eLance, eBay or any other program where the money is deposited in PayPal, it’s very important that you declare the PayPal money while filing the Tax Returns in India.

Can I remit money to India Using PayPal - When you transfer money from PayPal to India, PayPal would pre-populate the surname field for Bank account holder though you are free to use any First Name. So if you are planning to remit money to some relative who share your surname, it is technically possible