Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2006 November 19

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November 19

DVD to CD

Hi everyone. Love reading the reference desk. This is probably really basic, but I'm wondering if anyone could tell me how to convert the audio off a DVD and convert it into MP3 or .wav or something so it can be copied to CD. Mix Lord 04:23, 19 November 2006 (UTC)Mix Lord

A quick and tired answer would be Windows Media Player, though it outputs WMA files? Splintercellguy 09:34, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

iTunes has built-in mp3 conversion. Just change ripped format from AAC (standard) to MP3. You could also try CDex. TERdON 23:36, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Sorry, you said DVD? Do you mean a DVD Video or DVD Audio? For the first one, the simplest would probably be to rip it with standard DVD ripping software, thereafter you could use video editing software, like VirtualDub, to extract the audio track. If you're talking DVD-Audio, as far as I know it's not possible to extract it (DRM at work...). TERdON

Thanks everyone.Mix Lord 04:23, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

Inserting images into tables with Open Office.

I'm producing a number of GCSE worksheets on physics for the classes I teach using Open Office. Because I'm making them available on the web, I'm being careful to use only images with licenses that allow me to do so.

My question is this: to properly credit the authors, I'm including at the end of each document a table that contains on one side the image and on the other, the author and relevant license information. However, there seems to be no way I can find in open office to insert an image inside a cell so that if I move the table or adjust its size, the image adjust as well. Right now, I have the images float above the cell, which is an ugly and inconvenient fix. Anyone know how to do this?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

--CGP 11:14, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Could someone make a very simplistic app for me?

Okay, I've got an Xbox running XBMC. If I enter the URL

http://10.1.1.8/xbmcCmds/xbmcHttp?command=ExecBuiltIn&parameter=Notification(HELLO,YOU!)

, it will make a notification appear on the Xbox with the IP of 10.1.1.8 saying "Hello" (title) and "You!" (text). This is very handy, as I can notify the Xboxes whenever a new TV show is available in my SMB shares. Is there any possibility that someone could make a script, java or something, that has three fields in it: IP, Heading and Text, that when filled in, will create a URL like the one above and activate it, eliminating the ned for me to copy+paste the URL from the manual and type each field in seperately (it's also a pain in the arse to use %20 for each space)? thanks.

check out www.xbmcscripts.com/ and see if they already have something that can do what you want. If not it would probably be better if you ask them. Jon513 19:29, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Making the URL is trivial in Javascript:

function notificationURL(ip,title,text) {
  return 'http://'+ip+'/xbmcCmds/xbmcHttp?command=ExecBuiltIn&parameter=Notification('+escape(title)+','+escape(text)+')';
}

The only potentially inobvious thing here would be the use of the escape() function to do percent-encoding. To "do" the URL, that is, to make a request for it, you have many options: use AJAX, open a new window with the URL, or (if this isn't disruptive) just assign it to document.location. Or, outside of a browser, you could invoke a browser, possibly a simple one like wget. Then you'd want to do something like the system() call in C, but I don't know what languages you want to use, and then you'd probably have to do the encoding yourself. --Tardis 17:31, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

What might cause my new PC to refuse to Boot when I switch it on?

I bought a new desktop from a well known multinational brand and set it up 2 days ago, but it refuses to start up on the first attempt, succeeding only on the second or subsequent try. I get a message telling me NO BOOT DEVICE DETECTED. I reported this to the customer helpline who kept me talking for over an hour but the problem is now persistent, though when working, it performs magnificently. I have again reported the problem by e-mail and am expecting a response soon. I live in the UK and also purchased an extended at-home warranty alongside the PC. Any advice on what I might now expect or what I should do to avoid repetitive attempts at phone fixes would be greatly appreciated. Forewarned is Forearmed. If all else fails, can I demand my money back or a replacement? Thanks White Squirrel 18:05, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Check disks in the drive (make sure it isn't trying to boot from CD or floppy). --Wooty Woot? contribs 19:32, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

I had something quite similar happen. In my case, the cable wasn't completely plugged into the boot hard drive, and apparently had an intermittent connection. I suspect that it was temperature dependent, as it seemed to work OK once it "warmed up". StuRat 07:20, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Ok StuRat, I definitely owe you a drink of your choice. I am a a cynical bast..., who inherently distrusts humanity to do what it says on the tin (sic). So in advance of any response from my supplier, I went into a local (local) IT shop, and asked them what might happen next and was advised of 2 scenarios, 1) that the BIOS had been inadvertently set to boot from another drive than Windwos; or else, 2)as you suggest, that there was an inherent power problem, which I am technologically unable to verify. So once again, I owe you a large one - metaphorically speaking-as I know we may not know where we may meet.

Thanks ! I'd suggest mailing me a drink, but the alcohol might evaporate, leaving me with only near beer. :-) StuRat 07:09, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

Wii broadway IBM proc

From this source http://www.popsci.com/popsci/whatsnew/2526081bfbcfe010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/14.html

The CPU reads:

IBM Broadway 39X6735 IBM9316 BWYC-72914 06310636V 14 CANADA

Anyone know enough to interpret these numbers to give more info about the type of proc used? Thank you.

Uh that looks like a lot of arbitrary serial numbers and stuff --froth^{T C} 18:35, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

thats what I thought of the last two numbers - first two mean nothing too? Also I thought that these things were made in East Fishkill, New York? New York is USA not Canada right? Does IBM8316 or 39X6735 ring any bells?

See Broadway (microprocessor) Seejyb 21:36, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

The current article tells me very little...

Very little is known about it --froth^{T C} 18:07, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

OK Fair enough, thanks.87.102.16.174 19:07, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

Automatic Calling of JavaScript Functions

Say I had a website with a JavaScript function called 'Thing()' that took one argument. I know I can call it from the address bar using 'javascript:Thing(<argument>)' but how can I do this but change the argument automatically, say first have it as 1, then 2 and so on? Thanks for your help --80.229.152.246 18:39, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Are you saying that you want to call "Thing(1)" and then have "Thing(2)" automatically run? If so, at the end of the Thing function have it check to see if the paramter was 1, then, if so, call Thing(2). --Kainaw ^(talk) 18:48, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

I mean that I have a function on my webpage, but I want to call it from the address bar, so it will look like:

javascript:Thing(1); Then I want it to automatically do Thing(2), but without changing the function. Actually, I think I know what I will do. Nevermind... --80.229.152.246 19:01, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

It didn't work so I will give another go at explaining what I want to do. Say I have a webpage at http://www.somewhere.com/somepage.html and that on this page I have a JavaScript function called Thing(). If I browse to this webpage I can execute the Thing() function by typing javascript:Thing() into the address bar in the browser. However, I want to call the function with the argument "1", then "2" and so on automatically, from the client side. This will stop me from having to type in javascript:Thing(1) then javascript:Thing(2) and so on. Does anyone know how I can do this (bookmarklet, script, anything)? Thanks very much --80.229.152.246 19:08, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Oh, and I want it to stop when a certain value is passed back from Thing(). --80.229.152.246 19:10, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

I am not sure what you want to do but there is a good chance that you can do this better another way. Perhaps if you tell us your exact application we could suggest a better approach to the problem. Jon513 19:25, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

It appears that the questioner doesn't understand that a function can call itself with a different parameter. Please re-read my answer. At the end of Thing(), call Thing() again. Let's assume you called the parmeter "p", you would end Thing() with "return Thing(p+1);". It will call itself over and over again. Keep in mind that your assertion that a user on the web can type "javascript:Thing()" into the address bar is incorrect. --Kainaw ^(talk) 13:36, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Don't you just want a for loop? javascript:for(i=1;Thing(i)!="foo";++i); will call Thing(1), then Thing(2), etc., until one of them returns the string "foo". --Tardis 17:14, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Okay, here goes. I have a webpage with 11 buttons on it. 10 buttons are numbered 1 to 10, while the eleventh is labeled 'Okay' (see diagram):

  ___ ___ ___
 |   |   |   |
 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 |___|___|___|
 |   |   |   |
 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
 |___|___|___|
 |   |   |   |
 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
 |___|___|___|
 |   |       |
 | 0 |  Okay |
 |___|_______|

When one of the numbered buttons is pushed, it calls a JavaScript function called ButtonPress() and passes the button that has been clicked as an argument. For example, if the button numbered 1 had been pressed, ButtonPress(1) would have been called. After 4 numbers have been inputted, the Okay() function (which is called by the Okay button) must be called. I would like to formulate a way so that I can automatically loop through all possible numbers from the client side (so changing the function to make it recursive will not work!). For example, it should go:

 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) Okay()
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(2) Okay()
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(3) Okay()
 ...
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) Okay()
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(1) Okay()
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(2) Okay()
 ...
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) Okay()
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) Okay()
 ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(2) Okay()
 ...
 ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) Okay()
 ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) Okay()
 ButtonPress(1) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(0) ButtonPress(1) Okay()

And so on so that all the numbers from 0000 to 9999 are tested. However, this must be done from the client side, like typing 'javascript:Okay()' into the address bar when the site with the function Okay() is currently open in the active browser window/tab. Can anyone help me? --80.229.152.246 17:36, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Notice - the user is not typing ButtonPress(1) in the address bar. You are passing that in the URL (a bad thing to do). You should use "<a href='#' onclick='javascript:ButtonPress(0);return false;'>" or, use "input type=button" elements. Next, when the page is loaded, set "var pin='';". When a button is pressed, the "function ButtonPress(i)" function will have "pin+=i;" to concatenate i to the pin. Then, "if(pin.length == 4) Okay();" will call Okay when you have 4 digits. --Kainaw ^(talk) 18:17, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

I get the impression that the OP doesn't own or otherwise can't change the code of the website, and thus needs to use javascript by plugging it in the address bar. I guess a simple way would be like javascript:for(a=0;a<10;a++)for(b=0;b<10;b++)for(c=0;c<10;c++)for(d=0;d<10;d++){ButtonPress(a);ButtonPress(b);ButtonPress(c);ButtonPress(d);Okay()}

Thank you! That is exactly what I wanted! I tried doing something like that before but it didn't like it. Once again, thanks! --80.229.152.246 22:22, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

RealPlayer file from website not playing

I'm trying to play this .ram file (the "Watch" link on this page), but it keeps giving me error messages saying RealPlayer can't connect to the server and that I "may be experiencing network problems." I've tried in in Firefox and IE: same thing in both.

Is it just me, or is something wrong at the website's end? --zenohockey 18:53, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Ugh, I hate RealMedia *brr* (sorry, bad experiences with the early versions of theyr player software)... Anyway, yeah probaby a problem on theyr side, asuming you have a fairly up to date player. --Sherool (talk) 07:57, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

I have the latest free version. I was shocked to see the plethora of ads on its home screen... Have they learned nothing from WMP or iTunes? I might e-mail C-SPAN about this. Thanks. --zenohockey 22:08, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Database in Latin

Does anyone on this desk know the Latin term for "database"? Thanks. -THB 19:39, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

The database article begins with The term database originated within the computer industry. Considering Latin has been a dead language for just a little longer then that all you are likely to get is an approximation. Having said that, Data is the plural of the Latin word Datum and base is derived from basis which also has roots in Latin, so, you could probably say that database in Latin is Database haha ;). Vespine 23:51, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Yup, but the Vatican and others institute Latin words or phrases for modern concepts like telephone, hot dog, football, etc. Someone asked the question at the Misc. Desk and I thought maybe someone over here might know. -THB 02:28, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, and as with many things, a literal translation isn't necessarily the most transparent. The latin words for 'dynamic data table' or some such might be the closest approximation. Anchoress 02:39, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Apparently "datorum ordinatrum" is in use. -THB 04:43, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

I don't believe "ordinatrum" - that must be a typo, but I can't quite see what was intended. --ColinFine 12:47, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Trouble opening zipped files

When receiving multiple attachments within one e-mail message, Gmail gives you the option of downloading them all at once. However, the service downloads them as a ZIP folder. When I try to extract the files within, Windows gives me a message saying that it has blocked access to them because they could contain malicious code. To unblock them, Windows says I should locate the folder using My Computer, right-click it and open the Properties menu, and then clear the "Blocked" option. The problem is that I don't see that option when following the instructions. Is there any way I can gain access to these zipped folders/file by making Windows open them? --Impaciente 20:18, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

It's there. But I thought windows gave you a nice little prompt asking you if you want to unlock it.. --froth^{T C} 23:58, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

This is amateur advice, so follow at own risk. Your attachment should not be lost. Assuming you are running XP SP2, and your disk is NTFS formatted, your attachment manager seems to have been set to deny you the option of changing the blocking. In this Microsoft article, under the heading "Hide mechanisms to remove zone information", you will see where you can change group policy (or the registry itself) so that you have the unblock choice again. You may need to login as a user with adminstrator priviledges. If you are not pretty sure of what the article is saying, or comfortable with changing group policy or registry settings, it may be wise to get someone who knows to show you. If you are unsure, but are happy to take risks: Click "Start" > Click "Run" >type "gpedit.msc" without the quotes > click on "OK". In the left-hand panel, click on "Administrative Templates", then "Windows Components", then "Attachment Manager". You will see a list of setting in the right panel. Rightclick on "Hide mechanisms to remove zone information" and click on the "Properties" choice (or click the "Properties" link next to the list). A panel appears in which you can select "Enabled" or "Disabled" (or "Not configured", I see). For you to be able to change the file blocking, this should be set to "Disabled" (off), so select "Disabled":). Close all the windows. Then it is your choice what to do with the zips, i.e. the "unblock" choice should now appear. Seejyb 00:16, 20 November 2006 (UTC)