I ran into an issue where I was getting an error on send/receive: RSS feeds error "Object cannot be found." The offending feed had been removed from Outlook, but was somehow causing an issue.
To resolve these problems, you can backup your feeds, remove all of them, and then only add back what you want.
First back up your feeds. If you don’t want any of them, you don’t need to do this. To backup feeds, open Outlook and go to File > Import/Export > Export RSS Feeds to an OPML file.
Next, remove all feeds from Outlook and IE. Note that you've only backed up the Outlook feeds, so you'll have to make a note of the IE ones you want to get back (e.g., the URL to the feed).
1. To remove feeds from Outlook, go to Tools > Account Settings > RSS Feeds.
2. To remove feeds from IE (Tools > Toolbars > Favorites. then switch to the “Feeds” tab and remove the feeds you don’t want.
3. You may want to delete the folders that contain RSS posts that were already downloaded by Outlook, to do this, find the “RSS Feeds” folder in Outlook and delete the sub-folders you don’t want.
Once you have done this, you can add your feeds back by opening the OutlookRSSFeeds.opml file and taking out the ones you don’t need. Be sure you create a copy of your OPML backup files in case you make an error.
Sample Exported Feeds File:
<?xml version="1.0"?><opml version="1.0"> <head> <title>OPML exported from Outlook</title> <dateCreated>Wed, 1 Oct 2008 11:41:17 -0300</dateCreated> <dateModified>Wed, 1 Oct 2008 11:41:17 -0300</dateModified> </head> <body> <outline text="Metalogix Blog" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://blog.metalogix.net/?feed=rss2"/> <outline text="MSNBC.com: Top msnbc.com headlines" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=44406"/> </body></opml>
I only want the Metalogix feed, so I removed the other one (which was causing the error) and import teh file back into Outlook (File > Import/Export). This is what my altered OPML file looked like:
<?xml version="1.0"?><opml version="1.0"> <head> <title>OPML exported from Outlook</title> <dateCreated>Wed, 1 Oct 2008 11:41:17 -0300</dateCreated> <dateModified>Wed, 1 Oct 2008 11:41:17 -0300</dateModified> </head> <body> <outline text="Metalogix Blog" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://blog.metalogix.net/?feed=rss2"/> </body></opml>
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Augmented Reality in the Olympics
good to see that more great uses of Augmented Reality are being discovered. in the shot below, you can see Michael Phelps and company racing well ahead of the green AR world record line. football fans see this sort of technology every game, but now you can see it in swimming, javelin, and probably some other events that I haven't been fortunate enough to watch.
- click to view full size
as the US team turns, another AR element is added to show that they are leading. this one is a banner positioned and layered to appear as though it is floating on the water.
- click to view full size
- click to view full size
as the US team turns, another AR element is added to show that they are leading. this one is a banner positioned and layered to appear as though it is floating on the water.
- click to view full size
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
XNA second edition
I'm happy to say that my next book project will be a second edition of the XNA Game Studio Creators Guide (McGraw-Hill) that I co-wrote with Pat McGee.
XNA has undergone some significant changes since our book came out, so we're working to update and improve the text. along those lines, we are lucky to have Nick Gravelyn (XNA MVP) doing the technical review.
if you have any suggestions, feel free to contact Pat or me.
- new second edition cover
- cover of the first edition
XNA has undergone some significant changes since our book came out, so we're working to update and improve the text. along those lines, we are lucky to have Nick Gravelyn (XNA MVP) doing the technical review.
if you have any suggestions, feel free to contact Pat or me.
- new second edition cover
- cover of the first edition
Friday, June 13, 2008
C# ListView empty after add
this was driving me mad, so I just have to write a post in the hope that someone will find it and not have to go through the head scratching I've experienced tonight.
I've been working on a utility for managing Metalogix batch files. these files store migration and copy operations from one SharePoint server to another.
as part of this app, I'm using a .NET ListView control to show the files. the control worked fine the first time I loaded data, but after it had been cleared once, it wouldn't work again. the ListView control showed nothing--no data, no columns, nothing...
it was actually the lack of columns that led me to the solution. it turns out that I had been a bit sloppy and used: ListView.Clear(); instead of ListView.Items.Clear();.
the ListView.Clear() method clears everything from the control--including the columns that I had created to hold my data. this isn't what I wanted. I meant to clear the items in the control. after doing this, I messed up the columns so that even though I was adding items with
ListView.Items.Add(ListItem), the control wouldn't show anything.
some tell-tale signs of this issue were that the ListView.Items.Count was not zero, but the control didn't display anything.
to help people find this, I'm going to add some text below.
ListView empty
ListView shows nothing
ListView displays nothing
ListView problem
ListView.Items.Add problem
ListView has no columns
ListView.Clear() removes columns
I've been working on a utility for managing Metalogix batch files. these files store migration and copy operations from one SharePoint server to another.
as part of this app, I'm using a .NET ListView control to show the files. the control worked fine the first time I loaded data, but after it had been cleared once, it wouldn't work again. the ListView control showed nothing--no data, no columns, nothing...
it was actually the lack of columns that led me to the solution. it turns out that I had been a bit sloppy and used: ListView.Clear(); instead of ListView.Items.Clear();.
the ListView.Clear() method clears everything from the control--including the columns that I had created to hold my data. this isn't what I wanted. I meant to clear the items in the control. after doing this, I messed up the columns so that even though I was adding items with
ListView.Items.Add(ListItem), the control wouldn't show anything.
some tell-tale signs of this issue were that the ListView.Items.Count was not zero, but the control didn't display anything.
to help people find this, I'm going to add some text below.
ListView empty
ListView shows nothing
ListView displays nothing
ListView problem
ListView.Items.Add problem
ListView has no columns
ListView.Clear() removes columns
Sunday, May 25, 2008
SQL Server service won't start
this problem came up twice this week for two different reasons, so I thought I'd help anyone trying to Google the error message.
the first problem occured when I tried to install Business Contact Manager (BCM) for Outlook. when running the configuration wizard, I would get the error: "Unable to start service: MSSQL$MSSMLBIZ."
when I uninstalled Business Contact Manager for Outlook. it seems that removing the MSSMLBIZ database messed up SQL Server Express. when my machine started, I'd see the error: “SQLDUMPER library failed initialization. Your installation is either corrupt or has been tampered with. Please uninstall then re-run setup to correct to correct this problem.” to solve this issue, I had to re-install SQL Server Express and this required configuring the service again.
to resolve these issues, I changed the SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS) to run as a local account instead of a network account. to do this, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services and find the service.
- click for full-size image
right-click the service, choose Properties and then switch to the Log On tab. once there simply change the "Log on as" option to a local administrator account. this allowed me to start the service, therefore allowing me to install BCM for Outlook and reinstall SQL Server Express.
the first problem occured when I tried to install Business Contact Manager (BCM) for Outlook. when running the configuration wizard, I would get the error: "Unable to start service: MSSQL$MSSMLBIZ."
when I uninstalled Business Contact Manager for Outlook. it seems that removing the MSSMLBIZ database messed up SQL Server Express. when my machine started, I'd see the error: “SQLDUMPER library failed initialization. Your installation is either corrupt or has been tampered with. Please uninstall then re-run setup to correct to correct this problem.” to solve this issue, I had to re-install SQL Server Express and this required configuring the service again.
to resolve these issues, I changed the SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS) to run as a local account instead of a network account. to do this, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services and find the service.
- click for full-size image
right-click the service, choose Properties and then switch to the Log On tab. once there simply change the "Log on as" option to a local administrator account. this allowed me to start the service, therefore allowing me to install BCM for Outlook and reinstall SQL Server Express.
Friday, May 16, 2008
favourite outlook 2007 feature
I just started using the new Outlook 2007 "Quick Parts" feature and I'm addicted. it's like autocorrect on steroids.
Quick Parts allow you to select anything in an e-mail and save it for later re-use. this is very handy when you are in a position where you frequently need to answer questions.
in this example, I am responding to a question about the log files for the Metalogix SharePoint migration solution called SharePoint Site Migration Manager. my Quick Part contains a text explanation, a screenshot and hyperlinks. soooooo nice.
- selecting a Quick Part to insert into the body of an e-mail. click for better view.
one caveat: when I opened my mailbox on a machine running Outlook 2003, my quick parts were lost.
Quick Parts allow you to select anything in an e-mail and save it for later re-use. this is very handy when you are in a position where you frequently need to answer questions.
in this example, I am responding to a question about the log files for the Metalogix SharePoint migration solution called SharePoint Site Migration Manager. my Quick Part contains a text explanation, a screenshot and hyperlinks. soooooo nice.
- selecting a Quick Part to insert into the body of an e-mail. click for better view.
one caveat: when I opened my mailbox on a machine running Outlook 2003, my quick parts were lost.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
ARTag SDK download
if you purchased the book you can download the Rev2K SDK for Windows, Linux, or MacOSX for free (for non-commercial private use that is) at the following link: http://www.artag.net/sdk_download/artag_sdk_download.php
there is Windows, Linux and OSX code in the SDK and there is more in the book specific download which is available from the AR book page on the pragmatic site: http://www.pragprog.com/titles/cfar (look for the "code" link)
there is Windows, Linux and OSX code in the SDK and there is more in the book specific download which is available from the AR book page on the pragmatic site: http://www.pragprog.com/titles/cfar (look for the "code" link)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Dal Water Polo Tournament
Dalhousie Water Polo Invitational Tournament
Come join the Dalhousie Water Polo Team @ Dalplex as we host our annual invitational tournament!
Start Time: Friday, March 14, 2008
End Time: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Location: Dalplex Pool, Halifax, NS
Come join the Dalhousie Water Polo Team @ Dalplex as we host our annual invitational tournament!
Start Time: Friday, March 14, 2008
End Time: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Location: Dalplex Pool, Halifax, NS
Saturday, March 08, 2008
SharePoint Upgrade with Metalogix
after exhibiting at the SharePoint 2008 Conference in Seattle, I came away reassured that the best SharePoint to SharePoint upgrade solution is Metalogix Site Migration Manager.
using Site Migration Manager, our customers are able to simply copy and paste from one SharePoint server to another. it's a user-friendly solution to something that has been traditionally in the hands of the IT department.
- Metalogix SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.5.4) (click for full size)
as you can see in the screenshot above, you easily open your source server in one pane (in this case SharePoint Portal Server 2003) and the target (MOSS 2007) in another. the content owners can then choose to migrate their content as it appears on the source server, or they can restructure/reorganize elements on the target.
when I attended the conference session about the out of box upgrade, the presenters made a point of stressing the value of a "clean" install. they made it clear that doing an upgrade with the out of box tools can have a significant negative impact on the performance of your server. with Site Migration Manager, you can use a completely new (read: better) server as your target.
Site Migration Manager offers all sorts of features that you won't find in the out of box upgrade. for example, you can merge lists, split lists, move sites, promote sites, and the list goes on (pardon the pun). elements can be copied at the item level, list, or the site level. in the new versions of Site Migration Manager, we have added even more support for site collections.
since 2001, Metalogix has offered best of breed migration solutions--the future is bright for Metalogix as the go to solution for SharePoint upgrade.
using Site Migration Manager, our customers are able to simply copy and paste from one SharePoint server to another. it's a user-friendly solution to something that has been traditionally in the hands of the IT department.
- Metalogix SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.5.4) (click for full size)
as you can see in the screenshot above, you easily open your source server in one pane (in this case SharePoint Portal Server 2003) and the target (MOSS 2007) in another. the content owners can then choose to migrate their content as it appears on the source server, or they can restructure/reorganize elements on the target.
when I attended the conference session about the out of box upgrade, the presenters made a point of stressing the value of a "clean" install. they made it clear that doing an upgrade with the out of box tools can have a significant negative impact on the performance of your server. with Site Migration Manager, you can use a completely new (read: better) server as your target.
Site Migration Manager offers all sorts of features that you won't find in the out of box upgrade. for example, you can merge lists, split lists, move sites, promote sites, and the list goes on (pardon the pun). elements can be copied at the item level, list, or the site level. in the new versions of Site Migration Manager, we have added even more support for site collections.
since 2001, Metalogix has offered best of breed migration solutions--the future is bright for Metalogix as the go to solution for SharePoint upgrade.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
SharePoint Conference 2008
as I sit in the Washington State Trade and Convention Center--waiting for my flight--I find that the obvious use of my time would be to create a blog post about the most successful SharePoint conference ever.
- the busy Metalogix booth
the company I recently joined, Metalogix Software, was there representing the best of breed software for migrating web content, files, and upgrading previous versions of SharePoint to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.
the conference was especially enjoyable for me since I haven't been to the SharePoint conference since I left the Microsoft SharePoint team in 2004. In fact, in 2004, I actually presented a talk at the conference about Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS).
- the Washington Trade and Convention Center in Seattle
after writing for a few years (which prompted a couple of Microsoft people to comment that I had "disappeared") this show gave me a chance to catch up with some old friends, and make some new ones. most of my co-authors for the MCMS Complete Guide were there: Bill English and Todd Bleeker (co-owners of Mindsharp a high-profile SharePoint training group), and Shawn Shell (a principle with Consejo, Inc.) was also there. I also caught up with some of my former Microsoft team and some of the SharePoint MVPs.
I had a short chat with Lawrence Liu (the Social Computing Product Manager for MOSS). it's a really interesting area and it seems that SharePoint is only now getting recognition for the potential there. after collaborating with various individuals and groups (such as the Halo community) on book projects, I fully understand the value of enterprise social computing.
it was no surprise that the conference was popular; MOSS has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. what was somewhat surprising was just how crazy popular this show was. rumour has it that the 3900 attendee limit was (just slightly) bent to allow close to 5000 people to attend the conference.
- sold out indeed
and with that number of people, you know that there are a lot who need the SharePoint migration and upgrade solutions from Metalogix Software. my feet are still sore as I sit here, and my voice was hoarse after just one day of talking to the constant flow of SharePoint customers (and future SharePoint customers) who want to migrate to SharePoint or upgrade from an earlier version of Sharepoint (e.g., Windows SharePoint Services [WSS] or SharePoint Portal Server 2003 [SPS]).
but it wasn't all business. we had a great time at the official parties (such as a visit to Seattle's Museum of Flight and the Xbox game night with the Master Chief, see cheesy image below), and the not-so-official ones as well.
- the museum of flight's unique M-21 Blackbird.
- a daylight shot of the M-21 Blackbird taken by "innocent bystander"
- the museum of flight... enough said
- Xbox 360 game night. the pose was his idea. I have this same photo with Andre Arlovski--MC vs. Arlovski, now there's a match-up
- the busy Metalogix booth
the company I recently joined, Metalogix Software, was there representing the best of breed software for migrating web content, files, and upgrading previous versions of SharePoint to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.
the conference was especially enjoyable for me since I haven't been to the SharePoint conference since I left the Microsoft SharePoint team in 2004. In fact, in 2004, I actually presented a talk at the conference about Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS).
- the Washington Trade and Convention Center in Seattle
after writing for a few years (which prompted a couple of Microsoft people to comment that I had "disappeared") this show gave me a chance to catch up with some old friends, and make some new ones. most of my co-authors for the MCMS Complete Guide were there: Bill English and Todd Bleeker (co-owners of Mindsharp a high-profile SharePoint training group), and Shawn Shell (a principle with Consejo, Inc.) was also there. I also caught up with some of my former Microsoft team and some of the SharePoint MVPs.
I had a short chat with Lawrence Liu (the Social Computing Product Manager for MOSS). it's a really interesting area and it seems that SharePoint is only now getting recognition for the potential there. after collaborating with various individuals and groups (such as the Halo community) on book projects, I fully understand the value of enterprise social computing.
it was no surprise that the conference was popular; MOSS has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. what was somewhat surprising was just how crazy popular this show was. rumour has it that the 3900 attendee limit was (just slightly) bent to allow close to 5000 people to attend the conference.
- sold out indeed
and with that number of people, you know that there are a lot who need the SharePoint migration and upgrade solutions from Metalogix Software. my feet are still sore as I sit here, and my voice was hoarse after just one day of talking to the constant flow of SharePoint customers (and future SharePoint customers) who want to migrate to SharePoint or upgrade from an earlier version of Sharepoint (e.g., Windows SharePoint Services [WSS] or SharePoint Portal Server 2003 [SPS]).
but it wasn't all business. we had a great time at the official parties (such as a visit to Seattle's Museum of Flight and the Xbox game night with the Master Chief, see cheesy image below), and the not-so-official ones as well.
- the museum of flight's unique M-21 Blackbird.
- a daylight shot of the M-21 Blackbird taken by "innocent bystander"
- the museum of flight... enough said
- Xbox 360 game night. the pose was his idea. I have this same photo with Andre Arlovski--MC vs. Arlovski, now there's a match-up
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
interesting Augmented Reality
check out this video of the NTT DoCoMo U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi robot. Augmented Reality (AR) is used to superimpose the avatar image on the robot skin.
"Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has released this video of their U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi green skinned robot. When viewed through a head-mouned-display ..., a video avatar is overlaid and mapped to the robot so it looks like a real person from any angle."
"Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has released this video of their U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi green skinned robot. When viewed through a head-mouned-display ..., a video avatar is overlaid and mapped to the robot so it looks like a real person from any angle."
Friday, February 22, 2008
MS SharePoint conference 2008
I'm happy to say that I'll be returning to my old stomping grounds. In March, I'll be attending the Microsoft SharePoint conference in Seattle, Washington. Not only a chance to visit an area where I used to live, but also a good excuse to visit some old friends.
Now that I work for Metalogix Software SharePoint is back in my daily routine. Writing books has been great--and I'll keep doing it--but connecting with live people every once in a while is also good. :)
SharePoint Products and Technologies
http://blogs.msdn.com/arpans
SharePoint Team Blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint
Now that I work for Metalogix Software SharePoint is back in my daily routine. Writing books has been great--and I'll keep doing it--but connecting with live people every once in a while is also good. :)
SharePoint Products and Technologies
http://blogs.msdn.com/arpans
SharePoint Team Blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
go MinWin
two years ago, one of my relatives sent me an article (which, sadly I can't find today) about the future of Windows and asked me what I thought. the article suggested that the solution to the woes of Windows development was to move towards a virtual machine-based operating system (note: this is different than the Virtual PC application which many people use). well, I guess I was wrong about the virtual machine plan being a bad idea because that is still coming up, but some other things I wrote have aged a little better.
my response included talk of a leaner and cleaner version of the O/S. according to ZDNet (Stripped-down ‘MinWin’ kernel to be at the core of Windows 7) it seems that this may actually happen.
first my response:
"as for the article, I think that the bugs and security holes (or maybe that should be 'bugs like the security holes') are a clear indication that windows is getting into a space that has been previously unexplored in the history of software. however, the DLL example isn't as good since the .Net framework does away with a lot of the 'DLL hell' that existed previously. instead of coders having to try to nest references to DLLs, they can use the .Net framework to add their needed librairies to the GAC (global assembly cache). it's a much cleaner system and pretty much all code that can be written in .Net code (a.k.a. managed code) is written in managed code --with C# being the language of choice for lots of people.
the article seemed to skirt the fact that windows contains so much code that isn't strictly OS code. all those little add-ons, that have made it such a killer in terms of business, have also added many of those millions of lines of code.
...
right now what they need to do is pull off every layer of the OS and get down to the kernel (to use the UNIX term). spin off those millions of lines of code into truly compartmentalized add-ons (like minesweeper). maybe after they have shipped one release of the stripped down version then they could think about something as ambitious as virtual machines.
if you're looking for a bright light in the future of desktop operating systems, take note that Vista will ship with a desktop clock."
and now the ZDNet article:
"Microsoft has created a stripped-down version of the Windows core, called MinWin, that will be at the heart of future Windows products, starting with Windows 7, the Windows client release due in 2010.
While the Windows team has been working for years on reducing the dependencies in Windows which have made the operating system increasingly bloated and difficult to maintain and upgrade, it’s only been recently that the team has been able to create a separate, usuable new core.
Going forward, MinWin will be at the heart of future versions of Windows Media Center, Windows Server, embedded Windows products and more.
Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Eric Traut described some of the work the Microsoft Core OS team has done to build the MinWin core during a recent talk he gave at the University of Illinois.
...
MinWin is 25 MB on disk; Vista is 4 GB, Traut said. ... The MinWin core is 100 files total, while all of Windows is 5,000 files in size."
this is fantastic! imagine the sighs of relief coming from every Windows developer on the project. "you mean I can just install MinWin and my component and not have to install the Beta version of every single component of Windows?!?! oh, thank you! thank you! thank you!"
my response included talk of a leaner and cleaner version of the O/S. according to ZDNet (Stripped-down ‘MinWin’ kernel to be at the core of Windows 7) it seems that this may actually happen.
first my response:
"as for the article, I think that the bugs and security holes (or maybe that should be 'bugs like the security holes') are a clear indication that windows is getting into a space that has been previously unexplored in the history of software. however, the DLL example isn't as good since the .Net framework does away with a lot of the 'DLL hell' that existed previously. instead of coders having to try to nest references to DLLs, they can use the .Net framework to add their needed librairies to the GAC (global assembly cache). it's a much cleaner system and pretty much all code that can be written in .Net code (a.k.a. managed code) is written in managed code --with C# being the language of choice for lots of people.
the article seemed to skirt the fact that windows contains so much code that isn't strictly OS code. all those little add-ons, that have made it such a killer in terms of business, have also added many of those millions of lines of code.
...
right now what they need to do is pull off every layer of the OS and get down to the kernel (to use the UNIX term). spin off those millions of lines of code into truly compartmentalized add-ons (like minesweeper). maybe after they have shipped one release of the stripped down version then they could think about something as ambitious as virtual machines.
if you're looking for a bright light in the future of desktop operating systems, take note that Vista will ship with a desktop clock."
and now the ZDNet article:
"Microsoft has created a stripped-down version of the Windows core, called MinWin, that will be at the heart of future Windows products, starting with Windows 7, the Windows client release due in 2010.
While the Windows team has been working for years on reducing the dependencies in Windows which have made the operating system increasingly bloated and difficult to maintain and upgrade, it’s only been recently that the team has been able to create a separate, usuable new core.
Going forward, MinWin will be at the heart of future versions of Windows Media Center, Windows Server, embedded Windows products and more.
Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Eric Traut described some of the work the Microsoft Core OS team has done to build the MinWin core during a recent talk he gave at the University of Illinois.
...
MinWin is 25 MB on disk; Vista is 4 GB, Traut said. ... The MinWin core is 100 files total, while all of Windows is 5,000 files in size."
this is fantastic! imagine the sighs of relief coming from every Windows developer on the project. "you mean I can just install MinWin and my component and not have to install the Beta version of every single component of Windows?!?! oh, thank you! thank you! thank you!"
Monday, January 28, 2008
AR book is out
Augmented Reality: A Practical Guide is out!
who will be the first to review it? will it be you?
the code download for the book is available on the Pragmatic book page
who will be the first to review it? will it be you?
the code download for the book is available on the Pragmatic book page
Thursday, January 10, 2008
CNN uses Augmented Reality
during the Iowa primary election coverage, CNN's Anderson Cooper held up a "magic pie chart." Jon Stewart showed the clumsy use of the technology on The Daily Show. it's actually an application of Augmented Reality, but the BBC was the first group (I know of) who used it for election coverage.
I haven't been able to find any images of the CNN example, so if you're reading this and you know of one, please post a comment.
update: wow, thanks to datadreamer for the quick reply.
- Anderson Cooper showing off Augmented Reality
(from http://www.flickr.com/photos/monoki/2165007234)
- Bill Gates tries out an ARTag AR system that uses a head-mounted display (our AR book uses ARTag but does not require anything other than a Windows PC and a webcam)
Mark put this short video up on YouTube, it's a good demo of what we're talking about in our book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItOtTdhDoto
this game shows a simple way of using the technology to enhance a card game experience.
I haven't been able to find any images of the CNN example, so if you're reading this and you know of one, please post a comment.
update: wow, thanks to datadreamer for the quick reply.
- Anderson Cooper showing off Augmented Reality
(from http://www.flickr.com/photos/monoki/2165007234)
- Bill Gates tries out an ARTag AR system that uses a head-mounted display (our AR book uses ARTag but does not require anything other than a Windows PC and a webcam)
Mark put this short video up on YouTube, it's a good demo of what we're talking about in our book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItOtTdhDoto
this game shows a simple way of using the technology to enhance a card game experience.
Monday, January 07, 2008
augmented reality book is coming
the book that I co-wrote about augmented reality will be coming out soon.
Dr Mark Fiala, a researcher at the National Research Council of Canada, was my co-author and together we have written (what I believe is) the first book about augmented reality that is targeted at the average person. all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam.
BTW -- you can see ARTag videos on YouTube (just search for "ARTag").
from the publishers website:
"Augmented Reality is the fusion of real and virtual reality, where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real-time. AR creates the illusion that virtual, computer-generated objects exist in the real world. All you need is a computer and a webcam. This book will show you how, and teach you about game development at the same time. You can run the included demos, or use the ARTag API to customize your own AR applications.
About this Book
Augmented Reality is a natural way to explore 3D objects and data, as it brings virtual objects into the real world where we live, rather than forcing us to learn how to navigate inside the computer. With video-see-through technology, AR handheld devices such as tablet PC’s, PDA’s, or camera cell phones, (or in many cases just a webcam and our standard computer monitor), you hold the device up and “see through” the display to view both the real world and the superimposed virtual object. You can move around and see the virtual object, model, animation, or game from different views as the AR system performs alignment of the real and virtual cameras automatically.
This book will introduce you to Augmented Reality (AR), provide detailed explanations of how the technology works, and provide samples for you to try on your own. Code samples using the freely downloadable ARTag software SDK in C++ and C# are included; all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam."
- Pragmatic Publishing
Dr Mark Fiala, a researcher at the National Research Council of Canada, was my co-author and together we have written (what I believe is) the first book about augmented reality that is targeted at the average person. all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam.
BTW -- you can see ARTag videos on YouTube (just search for "ARTag").
from the publishers website:
"Augmented Reality is the fusion of real and virtual reality, where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real-time. AR creates the illusion that virtual, computer-generated objects exist in the real world. All you need is a computer and a webcam. This book will show you how, and teach you about game development at the same time. You can run the included demos, or use the ARTag API to customize your own AR applications.
About this Book
Augmented Reality is a natural way to explore 3D objects and data, as it brings virtual objects into the real world where we live, rather than forcing us to learn how to navigate inside the computer. With video-see-through technology, AR handheld devices such as tablet PC’s, PDA’s, or camera cell phones, (or in many cases just a webcam and our standard computer monitor), you hold the device up and “see through” the display to view both the real world and the superimposed virtual object. You can move around and see the virtual object, model, animation, or game from different views as the AR system performs alignment of the real and virtual cameras automatically.
This book will introduce you to Augmented Reality (AR), provide detailed explanations of how the technology works, and provide samples for you to try on your own. Code samples using the freely downloadable ARTag software SDK in C++ and C# are included; all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam."
- Pragmatic Publishing
Thursday, December 13, 2007
uniquely Canadian stocking stuffer
if someone can find a more Canadian stocking stuffer, I'd like to see it. the only issue I have with this advertising is that they show a losing cup in their demo.
the Lee Valley Rimroller™
"This product makes it easy to check for prize statements hidden under the rims of paper coffee cups in various contests... Push, pull and you’re done...
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.'...
When we were first shown the Rimroller many months ago, we recognized immediately that this was an elegant, well-designed, and well-manufactured product at a very reasonable price. It was one of those products that just delighted people when they used it...
Invented and manufactured in Ottawa, Canada, it makes a great stocking stuffer."
- DOH!
the Lee Valley Rimroller™
"This product makes it easy to check for prize statements hidden under the rims of paper coffee cups in various contests... Push, pull and you’re done...
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.'...
When we were first shown the Rimroller many months ago, we recognized immediately that this was an elegant, well-designed, and well-manufactured product at a very reasonable price. It was one of those products that just delighted people when they used it...
Invented and manufactured in Ottawa, Canada, it makes a great stocking stuffer."
- DOH!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
SharePoint Migration Manager
a while back, I wrote a short post about a Vancouver software company that I'm doing some work for, Metalogix Software Corp.. they develop sophisticated SharePoint migration solutions and I'm really impressed how much work they have put it since I saw the Microsoft Content Management Server version of their software--their current list of features is impressive. they have three software packages available for migrating to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server: Website Migration Manager, FileShare Migration Manager and SharePoint Site Migration Manager.
you can click the image below to see what one of their products looks like, and you can also watch some online video demos. SharePoint Site Migration Manager is so good that a lot of people actually use it for far more than just migration tasks. whether you're a dev or a SharePoint administrator, it helps to have such an easy-to-use, flexible and quick utility in your toolbox.
- SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.4.14) from Metalogix (click for full size)
you can click the image below to see what one of their products looks like, and you can also watch some online video demos. SharePoint Site Migration Manager is so good that a lot of people actually use it for far more than just migration tasks. whether you're a dev or a SharePoint administrator, it helps to have such an easy-to-use, flexible and quick utility in your toolbox.
- SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.4.14) from Metalogix (click for full size)
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
HTC S720 review
I recently invested in a new phone, the HTC S720 Windows Mobile Smartphone.
I love having a qwerty keyboard and I can't imagine going without one. the only issue I've had with this phone is that after installing Texas Hold'em Poker the phone would sometimes crash when I slid out the keyboard. I was told to check the task manager and shutting down things did help, but I simply decided not to install that app again.
my wish list for this phone is simple.
1. make it slimmer
2. longer battery life
I love having a qwerty keyboard and I can't imagine going without one. the only issue I've had with this phone is that after installing Texas Hold'em Poker the phone would sometimes crash when I slid out the keyboard. I was told to check the task manager and shutting down things did help, but I simply decided not to install that app again.
my wish list for this phone is simple.
1. make it slimmer
2. longer battery life
Monday, November 05, 2007
training with Royce Gracie
this past weekend I had the privilege to attend a Royce Gracie, Brazilian Jujitsu (BJJ) two-day seminar. Royce is the most famous grappler ever--winner of three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) titles. Royce inspired me, and countless others, to start training in Jujitsu and grappling.
- Royce Gracie and Stephen Cawood
six hours of high-level BJJ was great, but being able to learn from, and talk directly with Royce was worth the price of admission. Royce was all business during the three hour training sessions, but after we finished, he stayed to answer questions, and sign autographs. he was very candid when answering questions; when asked who the biggest jerk he fought was, he said "Ken Shamrock and Frank are both a__holes."
- Royce Gracie with my sensei, Ray McKinnon--the founder of the Bushido-Kai martial arts school in Halifax, Canada
- Royce demonstrates a technique for gaining back control
- Royce hangs around to sign autographs and answer questions
the seminar was hosted by Fitness Plus in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. "Fit Plus" is the training school for a number of local MMA fighters including TJ Grant (8-1).
here is a list (from memory) of what we covered:
Day One
---------------------------------
Defensive technique for getting up off the ground
Defense against double throat grab
Guard pass with label choke and stacking
Lapel choke and rear-naked choke
One arm headlock defense
Off balance and take-down
Ogoshi and Koshi Garuma (can't remember setup, possibly from choke)
Closed headlock defense with knee block and take down
Rolling an opponent to back control
Defending rear-naked choke
Escaping back control
Question period
Day Two
---------------------------------
50/50 inside trip take down (from swing out)
Guillotine defense no arm
Guillotine defense arm inside (shoulder down)
Guillotine in guard (arm in) defense (using wrist lock)
Kimura from guard
Counter to Kimura from guard with pass
Can opener and defense
Arm bar to Omaplata
Arm bar to Omaplata to triangle
Arm bar to Omaplata (roll) to ankle lock
Grappling matches
Question period
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