Sat, 15 Jul 2017
Keywords: Windows setup
I needed to set up a new Windows 10 box. In case I need to do it again, I'm making a few notes.
Install:
- https://conemu.github.io/
- https://chocolatey.org/
- https://joelpurra.com/projects/X-Mouse_Controls/
- in chocolatey:
- 7zip
- autohotkey
- clementine
- Firefox
- GoogleChrome
- jdownloader
- logitechgaming
- Revo.Uninstaller
- vim
- virtualbox
- VirtualBox.ExtensionPack
- windirstat
- to swap cpas lock and escape
- download Interception: https://github.com/oblitum/interception/releases/latest
- as administrator, run install-interception /install
- add a shortcut to caps2esc.exe to the startup directory
- Windows-R / shell:startup / add link
[/software/windows] permanent link
Sat, 22 Oct 2016
Swapping caps lock and esc keys
Keywords: Windows capslock escape control caps2esc
On almost all modern keybaords the useless capslock key is right where something useful should be. Initially the control key would have been there. On some keyboards the escape key was there and this influenced the design of vi.
The escape key and the control key can actually be combined such that if you press the key on its own then you get an escape, and if you press it with something else you get the control key. Then you need to put this key where the capslock key is now and move the capslock to the escapse key.
On Windows the Interception library can be used to do this. The steps for Windows 7 are:
- Download and install the Windows Driver Kit from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11800 - Set WDK to C:/WinDDK/7600.16385.1 (or wherever it was installed) - git clone https://github.com/oblitum/Interception - run buildit.cmd in the library directory - run buildit.cmd in the samples/caps2esc directory - copy caps2esc/objfre_wxp_x86/i386/caps2esc.exe and library/objfre_wxp_x86/i386/interception.dll into a new directory (I use C:/caps2esc) - add a shortcut to c:/caps2esc/caps2esc.exe to the startup directory
For linux use caps2esc, but this won't work well inside a VM.
I suppose you could download the version I compiled for Windows 7. I have no idea whether it will work for anything else, amd you will need to make sure you are within the licence.
For Windows 10 tihngs are somewhat simpler:
- download Interception: https://github.com/oblitum/interception/releases/latest - as administrator, run install-interception /install - add a shortcut to caps2esc.exe to the startup directory - Windows-R / shell:startup / add link
[/software/windows] permanent link
Sat, 03 Jul 2010
Floating menu items left on screen in Windows
Keywords: Windows floating menu items left screen dwm
Sometimes, under Windows, a floating menu item gets left on the screen. It's possible it may have something to do with Chrome. The only way to get rid of it is to reboot the machine. (Or maybe logging out works, I don't think I ever tried.) Well, obviously neither of those options is particularly attractive, but it turns out there is another. better option. Killing the dwm.exe process fixes the problem far more satisfactorily.
dwm.exe is the Desktop Window Manager which looks after thiings such as the 3D effects and transparencies. When it is killed it simply restarts itself.
[/software/windows] permanent link
Tue, 30 Jan 2007
On Windows XP the hosts file has the same format as /etc/hosts (it can be directly copied from there) and lives in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Or, at least, it does on the machines I had to deal with.
