Friday, May 23, 2014

Outlook 2013 Forms are Blank when Sent

I tried my hand at designing an Outlook Form.  The most frustrating thing for noobs seems to be that when they send the form, it appears blank.  For me, the fix wasn't in the first page of Google results.  Here's where I got my fix: http://www.slipstick.com/developer/designing-custom-forms/

The problem was the Page setting.  By default, the layout for Compose (when entering data into the form) and Reading it (after being sent) are separate.  To fix this, uncheck "Separate Read Layout".  This will cause the form to be displayed even after it is sent.


Behat Error: PHP Warning: array_combine():

When I attempted to run a Behat Feature with multiline arguments, I kept getting an error.  In the console, the Feature Description lines would print, but the following error would print 3 times thereafter.

PHP Warning: array_combine(): Both parameters should have an equal number of elements in /home/testadm/LbX/vendor/behat/gherkin/src/Behat/Gherkin/Node/TableNode.php on line 133

After hours of searching, I found that it was caused by my arguments and the PHP function array_combine().  This function requires all arrays to be combined to have the same number of elements.  I can't reproduce it now, but these are possible solutions:

  • The simple solution: make sure all your cells have values.
        | Good  | Data | Data |
        | Bad   |      |      | 
  • Don't put comments after a line in a multiline argument.
        | key   | value    |  # No comments after a cell 
  • Make sure your scenarios containing multiline arguments have a semicolon after them.
    Given you have a multiline argument:
        | Data | Value |
        | Data | Value |
    Then make sure you have a semicolon at the end of the line

I'll update this post when I figure out the true cause.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

My Github

https://github.com/RangerDan

And my first project:
https://github.com/RangerDan/rainbow-guess

The work in progress shots from the Misc Electronics post are for this repository.  Need to restore some changes lost after a kernel panic on my raspberry pi dev station and then it is a hop, skip and jump to release.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Arduino and Other Electronics Projects

Miscellaneous electronics and microcontroller projects:

Make and RadioShack's Drawdio:
Initial test of this 20x4 character screen.  Notice the Haiku
Small Screen Blues
Screens 20 by 4
Focus encoded messag
As haiku does

 First fully custom project.  Writing a 'guessing' game that uses a RadioShack RGB LED Strip, the screen, LEDs, and 6 buttons.  Already maxed out the memory of the little chip on the Uno R3.
 Moving my dev environment to Raspberry Pi.  The borrowed laptop I was using is going to be repurposed and will live in an inaccessible place.  Here is the Pi running the Arduino IDE.
 Used Google, and knowledge from a class at SYN Shop, the local Hackerspace, to remove and troubleshoot this module.  It is a Blower Motor Speed Controller from my car's AC.  I found out the transistor in it is bad, but replacing it would take more effort than it is worth.

Table Saw Rehab Results

Executed the checklist from a previous post.  Here are before and after picks of the absolutely filthy top.  Ended up going at it with Krud Kutter, then a palm sander with WD-40, then razor blades.  It is sealed using Minwax Paste Wax and is as smooth as glass.

These stains were caused by paint and primer used for preparing Warhammer miniatures:
 I may have abused the garage lights to maximize shininess:
I still need to fabricate something to choke off the cabinet and force more dust through the vacuum hose.  Also, the router table needs some work to make sure the melamine has all residue removed.

Random Board Gaming Shots

Jenga: 32 levels with my son

Alea Lacta Est - Press your luck game with a Roman theme.  Translation: The Die is Cast.  Very fun!

Kremlin, a reprinted Avalon Hill game.  Note the prototype OFBC illuminating the board

Forbidden Desert with Ethan.  He loves this game, and it is awesome to see him strategize.

Telestrations with Ethan and my Grandparents.  Considerably less innuendo than usual.

Dominion Case from Hobby Lobby Box and Baltic Birch 6 Ply, 5/16ths

Build

Box is a generic Wooden Artist Case from Hobby Lobby.  The case fits Dominion and all expansions.  Walls are Baltic Birch 6 ply.  The exterior walls are glued in place, but the interior ones are not.  It is designed to hold at least 3000 cards.  The card separators are sized for sports cards and will get labels eventually.

To add detail to the cover, I used a Harbor Freight Wood Burning Kit similar to this one from Amazon and a blown up card back image.  I taped the image in place and traced over it with a ballpoint pen.  After going over the trace lines with the wood burner's pointed tip, I shaded it with the wedge tip.
I still need to put finish on the cover of the case.  I'm worried about the burning rubbing off over time.  I also need to add labels to the card dividers.

Take Aways

  • I would make the outside edge of the exterior walls come below the edge of the box.  This would allow the box to close more easily.  Right now, it is a tight fit.
  • I would sand off the finish from the cover before wood burning.  I probably will get lung cancer from the fumes I breathed in while doing this.

Bonus Shots