RGdot

Author: Reza

  • FileSearchy For File Names And Content

    FileSearchy

    FileSearchy is a new beta software that searches and indexes Windows drives. It can also search in files including Office and pdf formats and present highlighted results. It features a tabbed interface to keep multiple searches open.

    FileSearchy indexes attached drives automatically unless this is unchecked in its options. The program has an Instant mode to show search results as you type but the Advanced mode – wait until Enter is clicked – is the default. Also by default is FileSearchy’s use of a built-in pdf converter that it uses to look in pdf files.

    FileSearchy

    The program interface is divided into searching for file names with support for substrings, dates, size, case restriction, whole words and regular expressions. There is support for ; to separate words or folders and ! to exclude them. FileSearchy supports a whole set of regular expression patterns to narrow down searches. Searches can be restricted to directories as well. For the In directory and In content options the right most buttons allow the user to exclude folders or words from the search via a pop up window.

    FileSearchy runs on Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8. As of this 0.9 beta version I was not able to browse to a folder when using the In directory option, the program would browse to a file instead.

  • End Of An Era: Winamp Shutting Down

    winamp-shutting-down

    One of the must downloads of the early days of the internet, Winamp, is shutting down. End of an era for sure.

    Personally remember the Windows 98 days of using it and downloading sometimes ugly skins to go with it, it lost its way when it was bought by AOL and became less and less relevant as we entered the cloud era.

    Update: Please read the links to petitions and the other good points made by commenter smaragdus http://www.rgdot.com/bl/2013/11/20/end-era-winamp-shutting/comment-page-1/#comment-49138

  • System Ninja: Info And Optimization

    System Ninja

    System Ninja (version: 2.4.4) is a freeware system tool that not only cleans and optimizes but also provides information about the PC.

    It includes a Junk Scanner and remover that looks for and cleans cache, history, log, dumps and other temporary or unnecessary files. The system tools section has a Startup Manager, App Uninstaller, Process Manager and additional tools with access to a very limited set of plugins that are currently FileRenamer, Windows Service Manager, FileAnalyzr and Registry Cleaner. The PC Analysis section, like most other system information tools, provides details on the operating system, hard drive, processor, disks, motherboard, bios, memory and network hardware.

    System Ninja

    System Ninja runs on XP and newer and is available as a portable download as well.

  • Sisma Password Manager

    Sisma

    Sisma (version: 4.1) is a lightweight freeware password manager that is encrypted using 256-bit AES and is a good alternative to the more popular KeePass and the famous web based LastPass.

    It of course features the familiar password grouping and also supports hiding and showing passwords. It also has options to lock the program to prevent edits and can also generate passwords with user set options for number of characters and exclusion or inclusion of lower, upper, digits and symbols.

    Sisma can separately copies account title, password or url to the clipboard and can also launch the default browser. Clipboard content can be cleared on program lock, exit or after a number of seconds. There is also a configurable – default is set to less than 8 characters – warning for weak passwords and a setting for a user determined password expiry. In addition to adding notes for each entry the user can also add custom properties. This may be best used for personal reminders(?)

    Sisma is available in both portable and installer versions, runs on most Windows versions and requires .Net Framework 2.0+

  • ImBatch Version 2.0 Released

    ImBatch

    ImBatch is one of the better rated freeware image editors. As its name and tagline imply it makes it easy to work on a number of images. This latest version 2.0 adds to its power with a folder monitor, what it calls ImageMonitor, and a ContextMenuEditor. These new features can be accessed from the Tools menu. The first makes it easier to automatically work on images added to any chosen folder and the second makes it easy to apply ‘tasks’ or edit images via a right click.

    Both of the new features work by reading a .bsv file. The .bsv file is created by adding tasks in the program’s main interface and saving them using the big save button. Then in the  ImageMonitor and/or ContextMenuEditor loading and setting the saved .bsv file.

    imbatch2

    ImBatch has some of the more common and useful filters and edits for images. These include rotate, resize, shadow, crop, flip, round corners, remove exif, shift time, gaussian blur, 3D effect, watermark, color balance, rename and more.

    It supports 100+ image format, some read only, and it has a few command line parameters too. It runs on Windows 2000 and newer.

     

  • Five Android Apps I Installed

    Presented without comment. Five free apps downloaded to the Nexus 5.

    Wifi Analyzer, Kindle, Swiss Army Knife, A.C. Milan, and Simplenote

  • Nexus 5 Unboxing

    The Nexus 5 is here. One of the most anticipated phones of the year. Some of its specs and a quick unboxing below.

    Android 4.4 KitKat
    Snapdragon 800, 2.26GHz processor
    2GB RAM
    Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G)
    2G/3G/4G LTE
    69.17 x 137.84 x 8.59 mm
    4.59 ounces (130g)
    4.95” 1920×1080 display (445 ppi)
    1.3MP front facing camera
    8MP rear facing camera with Optical Image Stabilization
    2300 mAh battery

  • KuKnet FileRenamer: Freeware File Renamer

    KuKnet FileRenamer (Version: 3.4) is a freeware file renamer. It is portable and does not require installation.

    KuKnet FileRenamer

    The first step in using KuKnet FileRenamer is to add files or folders to be renamed, click the upper add button and choose any files or folders. Move the files up and down or remove those not needed. The next step is to add renaming rules, click the lower add button and choose all those required. Multiple operations can be added, and rearranged, which will then be applied to file names in the order they appear.

    The renaming rules are divided into three categories. Text, Metadata and Other. The text operations available are Replace, File extension, Truncate, Numeration, Numeration (letter), Prefix/Suffix, Regular expression, Upper/Lower case, Insert and Delete. The metadata operations include Date/Time, MP3 ID3 tag, WMA tag, Vorbis comment, Exif and File size. The Other category adds hash or UUID info to renamed files.

    The text rules or operations each have their own options. For example Truncate can remove letter(s) from beginning or end of file names, Insert can add or insert text at any position in the file name, Delete can delete letters from and to any position in the file name, Numeration is similar to applying increments and Numeration (letter) can replace the file name with letters in upper or lower case.

    There are also variables that can be inserted into file names and they are available from the drop down in the different Edit Rule windows. These variables are %n% which is the ‘now’ file name, this is the equivalent of keeping the file name of the file at the time a rule is being applied to it. %o% is the very original, pre any renaming rules, file name. %d% is the name of the file’s parent folder and %p% is the file path.

    After done adding rules a preview is available as is an export feature to save a list of files (right click anywhere on the file list). Rules can be saved for re-use later.

    It requires the .NET Framework 4, KuKnet FileRenamer runs on XP and newer.

  • Note Shell: Simple Notes Manager

    Note Shell (version: 1.5) is an open source, multi platform notes manager or note keeper as its author describes it. It is bare bones with nodes and sub nodes holding text with only color and font size as options.

    Note Shell

    Create a new node or child node by clicking the add button and start typing. To make sure a child node – instead of a sibling node – is created click the check box to the right of the the add button. Click on the node name to rename it to something more descriptive. Note Shell does require using the Save button, text is not auto-saved.

    The button with the question mark on it is not only the help file for the program but also where the settings are found. The settings include the aforementioned color and font size settings and the option to change the default files location. Changing the files location comes with two warnings:

    when setting different path to folder, first copy folder to destination, then set the path in program, else you can destroy node structure

    and

    be careful when setting different path to folder don’t forget / at the end of line

    There are a few keyboard shortcuts as well, the most notable is Ctrl+F to search inside the current node.

    Every node is saved as a text file in the program’s files folder. Note Shell does not require installation and is available for both Windows and Linux.

  • iPhotoDraw: Freeware Image Annotations

    iPhotoDraw (Version: 1.6 Build 4837) is a freeware image editor. Its main feature or purpose is to make it easy to add objects to images.

    iPhotoDraw

    Open an image and the ruler is on by default, optionally add grids and guidelines from the View menu to be able to place objects more accurately. Beside adding text  iPhotoDraw features all kinds of shapes. Shapes can be arrows, dimension lines, straight lines, arcs, curves, circles, rectangles, callouts and virtually any type of polygon. Polygons can be simple like a triangle or not like an ‘explosion’ or a 32 point star. Using the Polygon tool one can create any random shape by clicking (end of) line points and double clicking to finish.  There is also pixelation and blur tools that can be rectangular, oval or polygon shaped.

    Any shape or image will have its own properties, accessed via right click or double click. These include adding text to them, aligning them, adding fill color, changing opacity or line thickness, among others. Drag the mouse over several objects and they can be grouped so they move together for example.

    Objects or annotations added are flattened into one image when it is exported. Simple saving a file doesn’t destroy the original. Unlimited undo is available to make it even easier to play with an image.  iPhotoDraw requires the .Net Framework 3.0 and runs on XP and newer.