Adding Google Analytics to Blogger

Great info here on Kevin Sandlin's blog.
https://generalassemb.ly/blog/how-to-connect-your-blogger-account-to-google-analytics/

DMM SIM needs access point registration for data connection

I am temporarily using a SIM-free LG G2 mini (Japanese).

I inserted my DMM SIM card.  Phone and SMS worked fine, but there was no internet connection via 3G or LTE. I simply couldn't figure it out.

I thought about sending DMM a tech support ticket but before doing so went through their FAQs. It turns out you need to register the dmm.com access point for it to be able to work. 

Here is the info (Japanese):
DMM mobileのSIMを端末に入れても、通信できません

Gotta remember that.

Business hotels

If you are stuck in Japan without accommodation, there are actually tons of small hotels called "business hotels".

Generally you can always find vacancy in those somewhere in the city. The name sounds luxurious but they're actually low-priced and no-frills.

They typically don't have a restaurant or many amenities, and the rooms are small. However they are clean, comfortable and get the job done. They are mainly used by people on business trips.

I've used them a lot myself and was always pretty satisfied. However most of them don't have much info in English. If needed I can give you a hand with that when you're here.

Export iCloud Contacts fails on IE, succeeds on Firefox

Downloading iCloud Contacts on Windows does NOT work on Internet Explorer, but works fine on Firefox.  Which is weird since IE is the recommended browser for iCloud on Windows.

The steps to export your iCloud contacts on a Windows machine:

1. Log into iCloud.com
2. Go to the Contacts application
3. Click on the gear icon at the bottom-right. -> A menu pops up.
4. Select "Export to vCard"

When I tried it on IE, very simply, nothing happens whatsoever.  However when I tried it on Firefox it works perfectly.

My environment is Windows 8, running the latest IE and FF.

My wife got the exact same results.  She uses Windows 7 with whatever the latest IE is there.

Accessing MS SQL databases from classic ASP

I am writing a CMS (content management system) in classic ASP using Microsoft's JScript language (a server-side language based on ECMAScript3) with a database in Microsoft's MS SQL.

Why I am using such an ancient technology as classic ASP/JScript is a topic for another time.  Today I will focus on the steps it took to get it working, and the troubleshooting I had to do along the way.

First of all, you start by instantiating an ADO connection object as follows.
Next, connect to the database using a connection string.

try 

{

var objADO = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Connection");

var dbConnStr = "Driver={SQL Server};server=MyMachine\\SQLEXPRESS;database=MyDB;uid=MyId;pwd=MyPw;";

objADO.Open(dbConnStr);

... use database ...

}

catch(err)

{

Response.Write(err.description);

}

Note that the code is in a try/catch structure.  The output from err.description helps a lot in diagnosing problems.

First problem

err.description had value:

• [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Login failed for user 'MyId'.]

The solution to this was found here:

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/555332

The problem was that in SQL Server Management Studio I had set the authentication of SQL Server itself to

• Windows Authentication mode

It should be:

• SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode

Second problem

err.description had value:

• [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Login failed for user 'MyId'.  Reason: The password of the account must be changed.]

The solution to this was found here:

• https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/sqlserver/en-US/3174e9f5-5e51-4d95-89cc-bc81a9f16351/login-failed-for-user-please-what-am-i-doing-wrong

The problem was that I had set following property for the login for MyId in SQL Server Management Studio.

• User must change password at next login

It should be unchecked.

END

Unable to read downloaded compiled help (CHM) files?

A problem I keep running into and forgetting how to solve, so I will jot it down here for future reference.

You download some compiled help (*.chm) file from anywhere on the internet.  You open it and see the hierarchical Contents tree on the left panel, but no content on the right panel!

Steps to solve this:

1. Open the files Properties
2. Click the button Unblock, assuming it is displayed.
• The button should disappear after you click it.
3. Press OK.

You're good to go.

I think the reason the problem occurs is that later versions of Windows block them automatically as a security feature.   As with anything, make sure you are downloading them from a trusted site!

Windows 8 - Create a makeshift Start Menu

1. Right-click taskbar
2. Select Toolbars
3. Select New Toolbar...
4. Select folder C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

There are also some Start Menu shortcut items under the following:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

So repeat steps 1 to 3, and use the above path for step 4.   Don't forget to substitute <username> with your correct user name.

Bio-likeness

Went to this event.
http://www.design-lab.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/exhibition/biolikeness/

FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1438596953056344/

Cheetahs on the Edge

Check out the sheer beauty of this cat. Must be viewed in full screen, and preferably with good speakers!


 

Entry Bar in MS Project 2013

For a long time I used Microsoft Project 2007.  My main control for entering and editing text is the entry bar, which is the long horizontal bar just above the work area similar to the one in Excel.

A couple of weeks ago I upgraded to MS Project 2013.  Alas, no entry bar!  What was that about?

Anyway, I finally got around to Googling it.  I actually didn't even know what the hell it was called.  I learned that in Excel they call that thing the "formula bar", and from there that it was called the "entry bar" in Project.

I found this video, a kind thanks to the guy who made it:

Check out his channel, it looks like it has a bunch of useful tutorials.

It turned out to be in the Options, under Display.  Duh!  The video was about Project 2010 but is also applicable to Project 2013.

Japanese Portal Sites

In no particular order, and for no particular reason for that matter, here are some big portal sites in Japan in case anyone is interested.

A lot of them are properties of the large ISPs.

Will add to this list if other big ones come to mind.

http://www.yahoo.co.jp/
http://www.goo.ne.jp/
http://www.infoseek.co.jp/
http://www.livedoor.com/
http://www.aol.jp/
http://www.excite.co.jp/
http://www.nifty.com/
http://www.biglobe.ne.jp/
http://auone.jp/
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/
http://www.ocn.ne.jp/

Making Google Behave

It's always been a big annoyance that when I go to http://www.google.com it often redirects to http://www.google.co.jp based on my IP address.

The problem with Google Japan site is that it puts priority on results that are in Japan.  I usually want US-based results.

Anyway, I found an excellent post here:
http://www.withinjapan.com/how-to-keep-google-chrome-always-in-english-in-japan-2161

Basically, just add an "hl" language parameter as follows:
http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en
 

"Within Japan" looks like a great blog overall for us techie gaijin living in Japan.

Running Classic ASP on IIS 7

As if I'm not discussing enough different unrelated technologies in this blog, today's topic is Microsoft's IIS.

In the past couple of months I suddenly found myself having to write Classic ASP.  I had done such a project in the past, using IIS 5.   However this was IIS 7, and my old sample scripts were not working.

Here were the problems, and their solutions.

1) Classic ASP is not on by default.

You have to enable it yourself:

Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows Features on or off -> IIS -> WWW Services -> App Dev Services -> ASP : check

2) Set to send errors to browser

Problem: Was receiving in my browser window the following (the error itself was probably the one described in number 3 below).

An error occurred on the server when processing the URL. Please contact the system administrator

Solution:

IIS Manager -> ASP -> Debugging Properties -> Send Errors to Browser -> True

3) Must enable parent path expression ".."

Problem: Was receiving in my browser window the following.

Active Server Pages error 'ASP 0131'
Disallowed Parent Path
/NPCS/Transformer/Android/Restaurant/Transform.asp, line 6
The Include file '../../Common/Util.js' cannot contain '..' to indicate the parent directory.

Solution:

IIS Manager -> ASP -> Debugging Properties -> Enable Parent Paths -> True

Hope this helps anyone suffering through the same.