12/30/2015

Fireshot Pro, How to revert to Lite after Trial


The Fireshot Pro 0.98.77 browser add-on has a problem on Firefox 41.0+ reverting to Lite if you decide not to license it on every machine you use. Here's how to fix that.

The add-on is a tool for archiving or capturing web content and then editing, saving or sharing it via more conventional means other than as url.

When installing the Fireshot add-on whether downloaded from the authors website, or through the feature Tools : Add-Ons > Add-ons Manager >  Get Add-Ons 

It "currently" installs as the FireShot Pro version in Trial mode.

You can also run into the problem if you already have it installed and "ever" clicked on the   FS Pro!   button after capturing, or use the menu option in the browser Tools : FireShot >  Switch to Pro! 


Once it is in Trial mode at the end of the 30 day trial it will begin tossing Pop Up messages that cannot be easily dismissed. They take you to a purchase page, however the mechanism there for reverting to a Lite edition appears to have some problems.

The add-on is a wonderful product and worth the cost, however it is limited per user and per users personal systems. If you need a copy on a co-workers personal computer, or family member who perhaps isn't going to use it as much. The Lite version is more than enough.

The fix is to close all open browser windows, open a regedit tool and "delete" the key string and value

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Screenshot Studio for Firefox\fx_prokey

Do not attempt to modify the value from "yes" to "no" it will not be enough. In fact after proving this doesn't work returning to the key will reveal it has been "set back" to "yes".

The entire "fx_prokey" key must be deleted.

Note: This is an evolving bug/problem. It can arise for a number of reasons and conflicts and interacts with various features of  >= 41.0 of Firefox. So this "may work" for you.. or it may not, it may only be contributary. The author is aware of the issue and appears to be trying to debug and help those that run into this bug on the products forums.

Windows, How to firewall block a list of IP addresses

Sometimes you need to block a list of IP addresses in a file from connecting to your server or workstation. Here is one way to do that using the Windows firewall and a cmd batch file.

The method is not original, its described in many places. This was described in a posting here.

Step 1 - save the following to blockit.bat
@echo off
if "%1"=="list" (
netsh advfirewall firewall show rule Blockit | findstr RemoteIP
exit/b
)

:: Deleting existing block on ips
netsh advfirewall firewall delete rule name="Blockit"

:: Block new ips (while reading them from blockit.txt)
for /f %%i in (blockit.txt) do (
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Blockit" protocol=any dir=in action=block remoteip=%%i
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Blockit" protocol=any dir=out action=block remoteip=%%i
)

:: call this batch again with list to show the blocked IPs
call %0 list

 Step 2 - save a list of IP addresses to blockit.txt
5.9.212.53
5.79.85.212
46.38.51.49
46.165.193.67
46.165.222.212

Step 3 - run the batchfile
a. [to read] blockit.txt and block ip addresses
c:\> blockit.bat blockit.txt
b. [to list] the ip addresses currently blocked
c:\> blockit.bat list
c. [to unblock] all of the ip addresses that were blocked
c:\> netsh advfirewall firewall delete rule name="Blockit"


12/19/2015

Open Live Writer, Can now edit Blogger Blogs

The Open Live Writer “opensource project” can apparently edit Google Blogger based blogs again. Version 0.5.1.2

This was formerly the Microsoft Live Writer which I believe came about as a result of the acquisition of Jeremy Allaires old company or project.

Earlier this month Google was turning off the authentication API that the former Microsoft Live Writer application was using to support logging on and editing Google Blogger Blogs for the owner of the Blog. Coencidentally that appeared to have happened the same day Open Live Writer became available as open source.. leaving users stranged between an old tool that could no longer auth to Google, and a new tool that didn’t yet support the new Oauth2 that Google had switched.

Today 12-19-2015

I attempted to install the latest edition of OLW.. it crashed.. but then I rebooted and opened it again. It spawned an instance of my default browser “FireFox” and proceeded to ask me to logon to Google, presented me with my logon and a confirmation box that asked if I wanted to grant OLW access.. I clicked Accept.. the page cleared and said I could close it.

OLW then proceeded to enumerate my different Blogs and asked me which I would like to work with and now it appears to be working.

I don’t know if anything actually got fixed or Google temporarily turned the old auth system back on, or the open source OLW team completed the new code to support the new auth system. But if this posts.. then I guess its working.

olw

12/18/2015

Windows 7, Notepad++, fixing drag and drop, right click, default to open


Notepad++


Problem Unable to Drag and Drop

  fundamentally this is a "security" problem  

Fix  - make sure it is not started [as Administrator] < this  "Prevents" Drag and Drop Open File 

Fix  - open shortcut > Compatibility [tab] (uncheck) the box at the bottom Privlege Level:  
[ Run this program as an administrator ]

Fix  - open shortcut > Shortcut [tab] : Advanced (button) (uncheck) the box  
[ Run as administrator ]


Problem Unable to Right Click, Open "with"

> Choose to open [txt] files in Notepad++ > Using right click (Open with)
(Notepad++ does not appear as a choice)

 > Choose default program... > Recommended Programs >
(Notepad++ "selection" does not "stick")

> Choose default program... > Other Programs >
(Notepad++ does not appear)

> Choose default program... > Other Programs > Browse to > C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
(Notepad++ does not work)

  fundamentally this is a "missing" registry entry [program capable of..] registration issue, its managed by the program itself and isn't "set up automatically" during install  

Fix  - open Notepad++ : Settings : Preferences : File Associations : Supported Extensions : Notepad > "Select" .txt  then [Move to >] Registered Extensions [box] then Close