■ All recent posts...

Protect hard links when saving files 19.Jan.25
Some programs destroy links when editing files; here's a workaround
Mobile phone free space the easy way [programming] 29.Dec.24
Stay within shell API and get android phone free space information
English bachelor degrees in EU 4.Dec.24
A quick glimpse on available undergraduate course paths in Europe
Backup phone photos preserving GPS location information 24.Nov.24
Extract photos using a file manager instead of sharing them out of the phone
Transfer e-books to or from your Amazon Kindle 27.Oct.24
Very easy using xplorer² dual panes and Kindle connected by USB
Discover picture PDFs for OCR processing 13.Oct.24
Some scanned PDFs aren't searchable; we discover which using this weakness of theirs
Combined author/title information for e-Books 16.Aug.24
Using the programmable column and some plugins we browse all popular ebook info
Where did that file disappear to? 28.Jul.24
A console tool that leverages the USN change journal to find file operation mistakes
Average wind speed by web scraping 21.Jul.24
Scrape the local weather station to calculate average wind speed with Python
Detect broken LNK shortcuts 10.Jul.24
Use programmable column to find all your broken desktop links in a jiffy
Block shell extensions from crashing xplorer² 23.Jun.24
A detour plugin that blocks faulty DLLs from running in xplorer² process
MS Outlook 2010 selection information 18.Jun.24
Outlook doesn't have xplorer² selection amenities but we can cheat around the problem
Folder size calculation with plugins 9.Jun.24
Continuous folder size calculation is bad but there are extensions to assist the process
Convert old AVI to MP4 for your smart TV 21.Apr.24
Combine the power of ffmpeg and xplorer² to batch convert your AVI movies of yesteryear
A minimalist DLL blocking solution [programming] 12.Mar.24
Prevent unwanted DLLs loading in your process detouring just LoadLibraryEx
Dark mode themes for listview controls [programming] 17.Feb.24
Still in the dark about dark mode listview controls
How to plot 2 excel columns against each other 18.Jul.23
Via an intermediary scatter plot to pick the correct X-axis
How to split a big MP3 album file into its constituent songs 4.Jun.23
Step by step guide using a free tool called mp3DirectCut
Free offline XML sitemap creator 10.Mar.23
If you maintain a small static website here's a free tool that manages your XML sitemap
Review: the best similar music file cleanup software 11.Feb.23
i-DeClone is king of the hill, but we can scientifically prove it!
Kids science: 90 sunsets 4.Jan.23
Even ChatGPT knows that the smallest day of the year is 21st December... or is it?
win32 string comparison performance [programming] 3.Jan.23
It is possible to compare file paths much faster than using lstrcmpi windows API
snake cube puzzle solver 11.Sep.22
Algorithm and source code for automatic solution of these wooden puzzles
Remove the beginning part of a filename, in bulk 17.Jul.22
Mass rename examples for removing fixed and variable leading filename parts like album artist
Sumatra PDF text extraction filter 12.Jun.22
If you have Adobe reader, install this plugin to allow xplorer² to search in PDF documents
back to basics with filename wildcards 29.May.22
xplorer² automatic wildcard expansion explained: how to take advantage of it or turn it off
Windows SFTP connection using a mapped drive letter 22.May.22
Securely access your remote files in xplorer² using WinFSP
The small but information-packed status bar 27.Apr.22
The bottom line of xplorer² is packed with useful information
Modernize old desktop apps to per-monitor DPI awareness 13.Feb.22
Legacy code can look good in high DPI monitors with the assistance of permonitorv2 manifests
extract uncompressed sound wave from audio files [programming] 28.Nov.21
using Windows media foundation API and 100 lines of C++ (source code included)
extended audio information properties 21.Nov.21
How to show and search media files for sampling frequency and stereo/mono channels
setup home WiFi network for file transfer 8.Nov.21
Step by step instructions for wireless file copy between your computers
increase MP3 year information en mass [advanced] 24.Oct.21
Change MP3 year tag relatively to its present value using programmable column
C++ fix for SHBrowseForFolder starting folder [programming] 29.Aug.21
For yonks this API has a bug which won't show the starting folder... not anymore!
ANN: i-DeClone removes duplicate and similar files 22.Aug.21
Announcing a new program from zabkat, AI powered duplicate files cleanup
customize file date and time format 9.May.21
File ages, friendly dates or customized date and time format strings, all explained
browse and search in JAR, DOCX and other compressed documents 2.May.21
Many documents are just disguised ZIP archives; xplorer² can browse into them using WCX plugins
Solving 15-puzzle with A* heuristic search and pattern databases 18.Apr.21
All you wanted to know about heuristic search algorithms (AI)
Bayes on rapid testing for Covid-19 11.Apr.21
Mass rapid testing of the entire population does not make sense, and this is scientifically proven
Add spice to your toolbar icons 28.Mar.21
Get a tool to discover icons in system DLLs and use them for xplorer² custom commands
How can an analog watch tell compass directions? 21.Mar.21
Scout tricks exposed in this equinoxial special inquiry
Exclude folders from search scope 14.Mar.21
There are a few ways to exclude some folders from a search operation, here's how
Is Aeolus hibernating all winter? 7.Mar.21
Winter wind, summer wind, is it all the same wind? We can't sail so let's philosophise!
ETF investment for beginners: summary walkthrough guide 27.Dec.20
Buy high, sell low... or is it the other way round?
Coronavirus: stuck between a rock and a hard place 1.Nov.20
Can anybody think of a realistic plan to get on with our lives? Here are my 2 cents
Eliminate weird characters from filenames 20.Sep.20
Use mass rename (search and replace) to rinse funny characters off your filenames
how to disable IEtoEdge BHO 10.Aug.20
A simple registry tweak to stop Internet Explorer launching Edge automatically
reset program settings without uninstalling 9.Aug.20
Troubleshoot xplorer² startup and DPI problems without losing too many of your favorite settings
Large folder read speed statistics 19.Jul.20
Browsing in thumbnail mode is much slower than details or plain list view mode
All you need to know about xplorer² settings 17.May.20
Most settings go to registry but some are in APPDATA folder
AI self-taught checkers player (with source code) 19.Apr.20
AI is not rocket science, here's some source code to help you understand how it works
A better AI backgammon player using rollouts 22.Mar.20
Stranded inside due to corovavirus pandemic? Try beating this self-taught backgammon player!
How to foil a DDOS attack using Apache .htaccess 16.Feb.20
All about referrer and IP blocking to rescue zabkat from the petty hackers
inverted pendulum control [AI] 26.Jan.20
Using MatLab and a number of policies to keep a moving pole upright on a cart
xplorer² and MS Excel parallel lives 3.Nov.19
In many basic ways a folder listing is a spreadsheet
Highlight text in PDF documents with Sumatra PDF reader 21.Jul.19
Make PDF book reading more natural adding annotations
Safely extract and examine suspect email attachments 16.Jun.19
Use plain text extraction to foil evil email phishing attempts
Compare PDF documents side by side for changes 2.Jun.19
No special program required, just your windiff tool and xplorer² to extract the text
free desktop cloud drive shootout 26.May.19
Many cloud drives come with free storage, but which ones work best with xplorer²?
Show photo on a map using Windows Explorer menu 19.May.19
A simple context menu extension that puts JPG with geolocation info on a map
Custom folder settings and how to get rid of them 5.May.19
Overdosed on custom folder view settings? Here's how to get rid of all the DESKTOP.INI files
Search for missing files 21.Apr.19
How to find music folders lacking album art revisited
Advantages of xplorer² ultimate over professional edition 24.Mar.19
Fast search, portability and better performance, that's where the extra $$$ go into
Cleanup poor quality and similar photos 17.Mar.19
xplorer² AI-driven picture cleanup tools can help discover the junk in your photo collection
AI-powered blurry picture cleanup 20.Jan.19
Discover and remove poor quality photos in your collection using a free tool
DIY theft monitor for your laptop 9.Dec.18
Two simple scripts to monitor laptop's location (IP address) each time it boots
Find files in disconnected external storage media 2.Dec.18
Deskrule's offline catalog can find & preview your movie collection without attaching external storage
Reinventing Tesauro's world champion backgammon AI step by step 14.Oct.18
Rise of the intelligent Machines (reinforcement learning)
Touch picture date to match its date taken property 7.Oct.18
Repair JPGs transferred via bluetooth from your phone to your PC
Improve number crunching performance by switching C++ compiler 3.Oct.18
Very easy code optimization dumping VS6 for VS2012!
10 little free useful tools for windows desktop 30.Sep.18
Everyone's got their favorite apps and programs; here are mine
extract text from PDF book for Kindle e-reader 20.May.18
Bypass kindle's rubbish handling of PDFs using xplorer² text extract command
A dozen tips to power charge your everyday file management 13.May.18
It is the small details that make the difference
Artificial Intelligence 101: Computer learns itself to play Tic-Tac-Toe 25.Mar.18
Terminator learns Tic-Tac-Toe with reinforcement learning
Add any menu command on a toolbar for quick access 18.Mar.18
Even commands without icons can be coerced using the new macro feature
Volume mount points for backup (instead of drive letters) 11.Mar.18
Connect to an external hard disk without relying on a drive letter
How to discover progressive JPG images 4.Mar.18
Use the new programmable column to scan file bytes for the SOF2 progressive image marker
Image thumbnails and preview troubleshooter 11.Feb.18
If xplorer² cannot show thumbnails for your pictures, your thumbnail cache may need resetting
Add more colors for tagging files through registry 28.Jan.18
A step by step guide on tweaking advanced program settings
search filter for Kindle MOBI/AZW ebooks 17.Dec.17
Free IFilter text extraction plugin, for searching in your collection of Kindle ebooks
HTTPS demands your attention to safeguard online security 19.Nov.17
practical tips to keep your online banking and other secure account passwords safe
rename ebook filenames using author and title information 5.Nov.17
put xplorer² mass rename wizard to good use
EPUB ebook explorer thumbnails and column handlers 29.Oct.17
Calibre-beating shell plugins to preview EPUB books and extract author/title information
manage static website content with C preprocessor 26.Oct.17
A wordpress beater for the webmaster-cum-C++-geek
search filter for EPUB ebooks 22.Oct.17
enable fast text searches in EPUB ebooks with an IFilter component for windows search
media previewer panel troubleshooting 15.Oct.17
If you cannot preview any music and video files make sure you download a good codec pack
Should I buy or dump bitcoin sharpish? 24.Sep.17
It pays to be a naysayer
optimal toolbar settings for high display resolutions 17.Sep.17
If you run an older xplorer² version on a 4K display, here's how to improve toolbar fonts
Is Boyer-Moore algorithm worth it for file text search? 9.Jul.17
quick answer: NO!
Find that menu command with the finder tool 11.Jun.17
If you don't remember the location of a command, search for it by keyword
Tweaks for stress-free LAN/NAS network file management 2.Apr.17
Some configurable policies that will make your slow or intermittently available network more bearable
xplorer² registration troubleshooting 12.Mar.17
You bought a license for xplorer² but find yourself at a loss how to use your key?
xplorer² dark window background theme 26.Feb.17
Give your eyes a break with a dark window theme for xplorer²
Code to check MS Store license for a converted desktop app 21.Feb.17
Sample source code provided in C++/WRL [programming]
Leverage negative matching in file search 19.Feb.17
Test the mere existence (or not) of file properties, e.g. files that do/don't have tags and comments
Free tool to check shell extensions for a file type 19.Feb.17
Find out if you have text search, preview and thumbnail capabilities for any kind of document
to MAX_PATH and beyond (programmer's deep path cookbook) 8.Jan.17
some tips to make your programs long path ready, like xplorer² does it
convert desktop apps for inclusion in the Store [programming] 20.Nov.16
Interop your win32 program with store WinRT API (Part 1: visual studio toolset)
In private folder browsing 6.Nov.16
If you worry about privacy too much, you can erase your folder browsing tracks
FIX IT: Windows update choked up my computer 23.Oct.16
Updates don't work eating up 100% CPU? Better call (chat to) microsoft support!
The long and the (8.3) short of it in path names 16.Oct.16
Windows 10 had to enable long filename support and simultaneously disable 8.3 names. Go figure!
Best music tracks ever 4.Sep.16
... according to his master's voice <g>
Search DOCX documents with the "wrong" (32/64) Office installed 14.Aug.16
A simple registry fix allows xplorer² to find text in DOCX files when there's 32/64 bit mismatch
Change file time by offset for DST adjustments 10.Jul.16
We use a simple windows VBS script to move file times ahead or backwards
How to convince Outlook that Monday is the first day of the week 19.Jun.16
Use advanced search rules for patching outlook week search glitch
Transfer TortoiseSVN repository from one computer to another 5.Jun.16
How to move a simple Tortoise SVN source control (repository and working folders) to a new PC
Migrate from Virtual PC 2007 to VirtualBox 22.May.16
VPC2007 is no good for windows 10, so how do we migrate those VHDs to virtualbox?
How to restart a failed copy operation 15.May.16
Use robust copy options to resume a failed copy operation without copying all the files again
Getting started with Deskrule toolbars 6.May.16
A simple guide to get familiar with deskrule search engine toolbars
Mount VHD/ISO images and browse their folder contents 3.Apr.16
Windows backup and virtualization tools use VHD files. It's easy to access them without extra tools
Convert Wink SWF to MP4 video 20.Mar.16
Flash video days are numbered, so xplorer² help requires mass conversion for the youtube era
Browse 7z/RAR etc archives in xplorer² — now in winXP too! 7.Feb.16
It was a bit of a programming adventure but the end result made it all worthwhile
Comparison of PDF reader software in terms of shell integration 10.Jan.16
Which PDF reader works best with xplorer² ?
Find files like you worked for the FBI 27.Dec.15
DeskRule's desktop detective mode: combine file attributes in arbitrary search expressions
SHA1 to SHA2 authenticode planned changes explained 20.Dec.15
If you are a software vendor you should be reading this important information affecting your business
total commander preview, attribute and search plugins for xplorer² 8.Nov.15
Utilize the great variety of total commander WLX and WDX plugins in xplorer²
preview EPUB ebook contents with explorer 1.Nov.15
Peek into EPUB book format using a simple registry tweak
You can get rid of that annoying antivirus program 18.Oct.15
You don't need an intrusive antivirus to protect your computer, only common sense
Browsable compressed archive NSE (for 7z/RAR) 3.May.15
Shell extension to browse into 7Z/RAR/ISO archives like zipfolders (for windows explorer and xplorer²)
When and why does your xplorer² get slow? 1.Feb.15
xplorer² is fast and efficient but if you ask too much of the program then things will slow down
Fast desktop search with rich file attributes 25.Jan.15
DeskRule is almost ready for prime time, with fast indexed searches
Of ribbon toolbars and command UI updates [programming] 11.Jan.15
Ribbon toolbars hide the menu with very subtle yet important effects on command UI updates
New xplorer² v3.0 with ribbon UI and redesigned bulk rename function 1.Jan.15
A major version upgrade for xplorer² professional/ultimate with lots of goodies for the new year 2015
Find pictures with exact dimensions 21.Dec.14
Numeric rules are easy for ranges or less than/bigger than searches, but how do you find equal?
Assign a custom icon to your flash drive 26.Oct.14
Tell your external drives apart using different icons and the AUTORUN.INF file
Extract photos and video from Android phones without extra software 5.Oct.14
Why install junk software when all you need is your xplorer² file manager?
The rolling eyes of the moon explained 14.Sep.14
Why does the moon rotate its face while shooting across the heavens?
Search, select and filter files using regular expressions 7.Sep.14
Learn about regexp usage in various xplorer² commands
God please deliver us from mosquitos [rant] 31.Aug.14
All this scientific progress and nobody can think of a solution that works against mosquitos?
Find music albums ripped with a poor (low) bitrate 17.Aug.14
We use a visual basic script to discover which of our MP3 track folders have low bitrates
How to cleanup your hard disk space thoroughly 10.Aug.14
When your disk space becomes critical you have to go beyond the disk cleanup applet
Search for files ignoring accented letters in their names 27.Jul.14
Use fuzzy search mode to get rid of umlaut and circumflex complications
How to FAX a document using your windows computer 20.Jul.14
Stuck in a retro country? here is how to send FAX without a fax machine
Email attachment fundamentals 13.Jul.14
Attach and email files using Send To Mail Recipient menu command
How much space does WinSXS folder take on your disk? 22.Jun.14
Using hard links to minimize winsxs size isn't really making much difference
store network items in the miniscrap pane 15.Jun.14
Store local shortcuts in the miniscrap instead of intermittently available network items
unattended newsletter delivery using phpList 18.May.14
How to setup a cron job for phplist, the open source mailing list manager
Hung processes part 2: wait chains and WhatIsHung 11.May.14
More ways to figure out why some program has stopped responding
New xplorer² beta version for complete explorer replacement 16.Mar.14
Operation replace windows explorer is now achieved thoroughly!
Is xplorer² ultimate edition worth its extra cost? 9.Mar.14
Yes, if you do a lot of searches and you need fast and reliable results
thunk a CBT hook callback into a C++ member function [programming] 2.Mar.14
A simple thunk class that works for both 32 and 64 bit programming (with source code)
DeskRule: A new kind of desktop search engine is born 23.Feb.14
Find needles in a haystack (or files on your desktop with pin-point accuracy)
Optimal I/O buffer for sequential file reading [programming] 26.Jan.14
A more realistic experiment that takes windows caching out of the picture
Use window layouts for different file management tasks 8.Dec.13
Change the look of your xplorer² workspace (toolbars, panes etc) easily using layouts
How to delete duplicate files 1.Dec.13
This trivial question turns out to be nothing but in case you discover many duplicates
Debug your C++ code without installing Visual Studio [programming] 17.Nov.13
VS-style debugging with windbg, a debugger that can fit in a floppy disk!
Extra-ordinary file management: optimal file packing 10.Nov.13
xplorer² can select automatically files up to a desired total size so you don't have to do it manually
Find music folders with missing album art 22.Sep.13
Use a WSH script to find which folders under My Music lack album art
PDF attributes in detailed view mode (windows vista/7/8) 8.Sep.13
Properties like Author, Subject and Keyword now available in xplorer² through a free shell extension
Are all file managers the same? 1.Sep.13
Everyone's fanatic about their file manager, but does your desktop explorer offer you all mod cons?
Find duplicate files in two folders 11.Aug.13
Locating duplicate documents is much easier if you only need to consider two folders
How to extract text from PDF files [programming] 21.Jul.13
Adobe's PDF IFilter cracked open and made available for everyone to use
Use hard and symbolic links to rename files 14.Jul.13
Rename files without affecting the original names and without incurring the cost of creating file copies
Merge videos in chronological order 30.Jun.13
Media editing programs are awkward reordering media files you put in them — xplorer² to the rescue!
Optimal buffer size for Windows file I/O [programming] 23.Jun.13
ReadFile API can be affected dramatically by choosing a wrong (small) buffer size
C++ regular expression performance shoot-out [programming] 26.May.13
Which is the fastest regular expression C++ class?
DPI scaling ruined my app — sorted! 12.May.13
If you use large text for your screen you may need to disable DPI scaling for xplorer²
I don't like xplorer² opening ZIP files, I prefer my archive program 28.Apr.13
A registry workaround for disabling compressed folders in windows explorer and xplorer²
Why can't I find my files? 21.Apr.13
If you have problems finding documents on your PC then check out these common pitfalls
Quick & dirty duplicate document detection 31.Mar.13
Speed up searching for duplicate files using size and type properties
Undelete files from automatic restore points 17.Mar.13
We explore some quirky yet useful Previous Version (VSS) features to undelete files
version 2.3 released with quick filtering 3.Mar.13
A new xplorer² version is available featuring filter as-you-type and other improvements
Delete files using wildcards 24.Feb.13
You can delete only files with matching filenames or old files, using robust delete command
NTFS Network junctions don't work 10.Feb.13
If you want to link to a network folder use a symbolic link instead
Firewood cost benefit analysis for the 3rd world 20.Jan.13
Would you pay more to get better quality wood for the fireplace? How much would make sense?
Most popular blog posts in 2012 13.Jan.13
It is the time of year to reflect and assess on last year's achievements
Why you should always eject USB drives 6.Jan.13
Removing a USB stick without properly ejecting it can result in lost data and corruption
How to suppress delete confirmation dialogs 11.Nov.12
Delete confirmation dialogs are annoying but serve a good purpose. You can turn off one of them that warns about sending files to the recycle bin
Use PROCDUMP to debug program hangs [programming] 21.Oct.12
If your program hangs on some user's PC you can find out why with sysinternals ProcDump tool
Broken RSS feed? Check your GUIDs 14.Oct.12
If some of your RSS news items won't publish as new, you need the <guid> RSS tag
Unleash your windows search power with xplorer² ultimate 7.Oct.12
xplorer² version 2.2 ultimate integrates with windows desktop search, for fast and easy searches
Make the most of windows desktop search 23.Sep.12
Forget about windows search's bad reputation, it can really improve your search productivity
The swing of the pendulum [OT] 2.Sep.12
How fast is a child swinging in the playground? Answer by Galileo the great!
Why can't I search in APPDATA folder? 19.Aug.12
xplorer² has a list of folders excluded from search. You can tweak it with the settings editor
How to customize xplorer² details pane 12.Aug.12
We learn how to add extra properties in the details pane customizing the HTML definition file
Common gotchas with xplorer² settings persistence 5.Aug.12
Why does xplorer² occasionally develop amnesia with its settings?
Discover and remove duplicate files 29.Jul.12
Discover duplicate files located in different places, e.g. on different hard disks or partitions
A mid-summer nightmare induced by windows 8 15.Jul.12
You've all heard about the missing start button in windows 8, but this is just the tip of the iceberg
And the winner of Greek elections is... [politics] 17.Jun.12
Greece has suffered an all system crash at all levels; press <Ctrl+Alt+Del> to continue
xplorer² v. pirates latest score: 1-all draw 10.Jun.12
The latest xplorer² 1024 bit RSA encryption seems to be winning the war against piracy... or is it?
VirtualBox VM convinced to run Windows 8 consumer preview 8.Apr.12
Running Windows 8 on a virtual machine is full of warts as VMs are being updated for the new OS. Here is how we did it for Oracle's VirtualBox
Sending emails with CDOSYS [programming] 25.Mar.12
There is an easy way to send emails programmatically with the readily available CDOSYS.DLL library
How secure is your email client? 18.Mar.12
If you stick to default communication ports and settings then your email password is exposed
Undocumented notifications from collapsible listview controls 5.Feb.12
The mystery behind listview control LVGS_COLLAPSIBLE style is revealed [programming]
Search for strange characters in text files 29.Jan.12
xplorer² has a near perfect engine for searching text in plain text files, and does most of the encoding work automatically — except for a few curious characters where raw mode is required

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