GIMP and embroidery effect without additional plugins or patterns

This is as close as I could get with limited time:

1. Using your image make background transparent (cut out the background)
2. Duplicate this layer
3. Hide main layer and select dupe layer
4. Filters->Distorts->Engrave...: Height=4; Limit line width=on
5. Filters->Distorts->Emboss...: Function=Emboss; Azimuth=80; Elevation=140; Depth=5
6. Filters->Decor->Add Bevel...: Thickness=10; Work on copy=on; Keep bump layer=on
7. Show and select main layer
8. Filters->Map->Bump Map...:
   Bump map: select dupe layer
   Map type: Sinusoidal
   Compensate for darkening: on
   Invert bumpmap: on
   Tile bumpmap: off
   Azimuth: 17.56
   Elevation: 50.71
   Depth: 47
   X offset: 0
   Y offset: 0
   Waterlevel: 201
   Ambient: 193

Settings may vary depends on the original image or desired effect. I am sure there is a way of achieving a better result by tweaking and applying other effects, like shining, etc.

Notepad2 plugins/addons feature

I am using this feature to reformat HTML or XML source by tidy console application.

File->Launch->Open with... (Alt+L)

Then I have two batch files

tidyuphtml.cmd

c:\...\tidy\tidy.exe -config c:\...\tidy\tidyuphtml.ini %1 %2 %3 %4 %5

tidyuphtml.ini

indent: auto
indent-spaces: 2
wrap: 0
markup: yes
output-html: yes
output-xml: no
input-xml: no
show-warnings: yes
numeric-entities: yes
quote-marks: yes
quote-nbsp: yes
quote-ampersand: no
break-before-br: no
uppercase-tags: no
uppercase-attributes: no
char-encoding: raw
new-inline-tags: option, cfif, cfelse, math, mroot, mrow, mi, mn, mo, msqrt, mfrac, msubsup, munderover, munder, mover, mmultiscripts, msup, msub, mtext, mprescripts, mtable, mtr, mtd, mth
new-blocklevel-tags: cfoutput, cfquery
new-empty-tags: cfelse
tidy-mark:no
wrap-attributes:no
write-back:yes

tidyupxml.cmd

c:\...\tidy\tidy.exe -config c:\...\tidy\tidyupxml.ini %1 %2 %3 %4 %5

tidyupxml.ini

char-encoding:raw
indent:yes
indent-spaces:2
input-xml:yes
output-xml:yes
quiet:no
tidy-mark:no
uppercase-attributes:no
uppercase-tags:no
wrap:0
wrap-attributes:no
write-back:yes

While you have your HTML or XML opened in editor press Alt+L and browse to location of *.cmd files. Whether you need to reformat HTML or XML choose your batch file and click OK. Then you will be notified of file modification. Click yes and your file is reformatted (this operation is not undoable and all unsaved changes will be lost)

In Open with... window you can also set your default "plugin" directory.

IE8 RC1 changing of source code default editor/viewer

RC1 has new source code viewer.

While using Maxthon none of the tricks to change default viewer/editor works.

To do this:

- you have to run IE8 RC1 (I know...)

- turn on Developer toolbar: Tools->Developer Tools

- In File menu of Developer Tools there is: Customize Internet Explorer View Source

- ->Other... and pick your preferred app

Then you should be good to go in Maxthon without even restarting it.

Mentioned here, but not so straightforward...

Realtek Azalia High Definition Audio Codec version problem

Few days ago I upgraded my audio driver from Gigabyte motherboard manufacturer website for my P35-DS3R motherboard integrated audio. I have upgraded few other things at the same time so I was not sure if the audio driver is the problem.
Old driver: R1.87
New driver: R1.92
Problem:
From time to time while playing any continuous sound I've got noise like when computer hangs or when CD is scratched. Also audio sync was up and down (Current error) while capturing analog video/audio using VirtualDub. Even audio started earlier then video.

Running ProcessExplorer, watching CPU ussage I have noticed that Hardware Interrupts had about 10% CPU usage when noise happend.

Looking for related problems on the web I found Hardware Interrupts related problems in conjuction with "Microsoft UAA Bus Driver for High Definition Audio". Suggestions to turn off this driver would not solve the problem. I had the latest version available (which is pretty old).

I don't like downgrading so I looked on Realtek website and found newer version (R1.96) of HD driver. Anyway I tried to downgrade to R1.87 and problem was gone.
Then I decide to upgraded to Realtek R1.96. I was worrying as this in not the driver proposed by Gigabyte. Everything seems fine with R1.96.

However I still have sync problem in VirtualDub (1.8.1) when capturing long video (1.5h). While it starts in sync at the end audio is faster then video. I had only few (10-15) inserted frames only and even these were inserted in between when video camera stops/starts (blue frames) during shooting.
VirtualDub Timing settings are default... I am going to try different versions and also different capture software... and will see...
[Update 2008-07-15] Switching off Audio resampling helped a lot... Now I have a significatly less audio/video async problem...

Introduction

During my life as a computer enthusiast I was dealing with many different issues where some of them were solved just by searching the well known Internet and the others I had to solve myself. I have always appreciated someone else's effort to post their experience on the Web. This blog should be my contribution to the community.