More on importing dbf file into Microsoft Access 2007

I was puzzled for an hour about why the Microsoft Access 2007 kept complain that the file ThisIsMyDefiniteCatalog.dbf doesn't exist when I tried to open it. It turned out that the filename of a dbf file cannot be long than certain length (probably not more than 8 character since this is the file format inherited form the DOS days). After I change the file name to present.dbf, Access has no problem access the file.

Here's my procedure of getting Advance Disc Catalog database converted to a Access file which can be accessed by the Server Explorer in Visual Studio 2008:

• Export database form Advance Disc Catalog to .dbf foramt. Make sure you EXCLUDE comment when you export. Use a less than 8 character file name, like export.dbf.
  
• In Access 2007, create a new empty database. I chose .mdb format instead of the new format in case I need to access the database through Access 2003.
• Import data form the export.dbf file.
• Rename the imported table to something meaningful, like DiscCatalog.
• Save the newly created database.

Trying to export database of my disc catalog

I am using Advanced Disk Catalog version 1.51 to catalog all my discs. While I am pretty OK with it's general performance and it's ability to handle all my disc, I always found it's search capability sort of on the weak side. Since the application allows me to export the disc catalog database content to either CSV, Access or SQL dump format, I was always thinking of exporting the database and search the content using SQL Server's search engine.

So today I was trying to exactly that, so I exported the database as a SQL Dump, found that the data file is about 350Mb. Not too bad I thought. And then I realized that the SQL Server Express on my laptop did NOT support importing SQL Dump. Only the standard version of SQL Server comes with the Integration Service. I was a bit disappointed, but then I read this blog and found out an utility that allows me to import Access database data into SQL Server. All I need is download the software below and then register in order to get a free license key.

• Microsoft Visual J Shape Version 2.0 Redistributable Package
• SQL Server Migration Assistant for Access

I even download the Management Studio for SQL Server Express so that I can manipulate the database at ease.

Well, turns out Advance Disc Catalog has some issues when exporting database in MS Access format:

• it export the database in DBF format
• it has problem exporting to Access database if you also export Comment since the file size of my disc database suddenly grow into more than 2 Gb.
  

I solved the problem by NOT exporting comment. Now the file size is about 350Mb, which is about right.

But somehow the Access to SQL Server conversion software still has problem converting this .dbf file into SQL Server.

So as of now, I am settling with just leaving it as Access database, and simply write SQL to access the data under Visual Studio 2008.

By the way, I was also surprise that Microsoft Access 2007 is such a totally different animal than what I used to know. Pretty scary when I attempted to use it, and I really hope that I can just use the old interface instead of the new one.

Lousy home network

Very once in a while, I will find my home Net accessing being slow like hell, and I have to:

• Power down and power up the DSL modem.
• Power down and power up the WiFi rotuer

.. in order to solve the problem.

Takes forever to defragment

I couldn't believe it, but it took hours and hours to defragment the Q driver of my Tablet PC, and it only has 46Gb of content. I guess it's because there are tons of tiny tiny files in that directory.

Lenovo X60T Too slow for HD

Yep tried putting Yahoo HD movie trailer in my X60T. They all play in a kind of slow way ...

Portable Office 2007 sucks

All the Tablet and Inking feature failed on Portable Office 2007. I installed Office 2007 Professional, and now all the Tablet features worked great.

Try to resurrect my Pocket PC as Internet Tablet

My Pocket PC was failed to access Internet thru WiFi for a while. And I wasn't dare to fix it until today. I resolved the problem simply by updating the ROM to WM6 A03. Now the device can access the Net, but the Internet Explorer is still slow slow and slow when accessing the web, and honestly I think it's Microsoft to be blame. Using Safari on iPhone is so much better an experience on surfing the web.

Tried new PSP

I wasn't intended, but I tried the lighter PSP in Sony store today. It really is light, and the screen is amazing. The only question, though, is whether I have time to play this new game device even if I get it. I have a feeling that it will continue staying in my "good to have" list, just like PLaystation 2 and XBox 360, until the end of the world.

I also tried Sony Mylo 2. It's very little, a fairly OK music player, and the text editor doesn't suck way too much, and ...... Geee... I don't know too much good stuff to say about it. I will use it if it's free, but for US$299.... I rather get a Pocket PC.

Another day in AppleStore

If there's one thing that I complain the most about the iPhone and iPod touch, it's probably the input capability. I had no problem using it to browse web, browsing photos, and use the web apps. It's a great device for viewing content. When I need to enter data, be it something as simple as entering some data in a web form, suddenly all hell breaks out. This is definite not my total portable internet appliance simple because the handwriting recognition I am using right now on my Pocket PC seems far superior than the virtual keyword. Oh and did I mentioned 手寫中文輸入能力? IPhone is completely handicap to that aspect.

So, another day of visiting AppleStore. Another day leaving the store without buying anything. Still it was a fun hour that I spent, and kept me from buying something that I will regret after days.

iPod Classics 80Gb with cheesy speaker: works surprisingly well

I have one of those chesy speaker left over from the eMachine I brought 10+ years ago. It was one of those speaker that doesn't require any external power, and instead using the power drawn from the audio device that it hook up to (through headphone jack) to driver the speaker. I was not expecting anything from it, and simply left that pair of speaker in the restroom in case I need to play some music using mp3 player.

To my surprise when I hooked it up to my iPod Classics 80Gb before I took a shower, and found that the sound from the speaker was actually loud enough for me to hear it while I was showering. And for that I think I need to give credit to my iPod Classics 80Gb because it's the power it provides to make the loud volume possible. Nice, Apple.

UPS is awesome

I was doing the right thing when I put down that US$45 to buy a APC UPS for my desktop PC at home. I am working at home today, and suddenly there's 1 second power outage. Screen flicked and so was the light, but the machine just work as usual. If I don't have UPS, I will have to reboot, setup VPN and whole 9 yard. Money well spent I have to say.

KMPlayer is much better a Mp3 player than winamp

All I want to do is a simply task: to drag and drop a bunch of file in the player so that I have listen to all of them. Winamp 5 failed, partly because the files are extracted form flv to mp3 and maybe there's some mishap in the file, but KMPLayer plays them flawlessly. So from now on I will use KMPlayer as my primary mp3 player.

How I use my iPod Classics

I am always conscious about how I use my iPod Classics 80Gb in order to gain better understanding about how to build a better product. I know that I am not an extremely typical user, but at least by avoiding the issues that I hated or frustrated by, I can gain knowledge of what NOT to put in the product that I design.

So these are a few items that somehow surprised even myself:

• Form Factor over functionality: I always crave for better features on my media device. For instance, I like my Pocket PC because it does multiple things, and even allow me to play divx and xvid video without conversion. However, it turns out that I use Pocket PC much less than using the iPod Classics. Besides the fact that the user interface on all of the media players on Pocket PC are much inferior comparing with the one on iPod Classic, it's the form factor on iPod Classics that caused me to use it more than the Pocket PC. My iPod Classics is thiner, lighter, have much better battery life, and easier to use. In fact I am glad that I didn't buy the 160Gb one, because I will not like the size. I also may not like Archos 160Gb because it has twice the weight of iPod Classics and twice the thickness.
  
  
• Ease of use over Functionality: Again, what good is a device if I have to work on it in order to get it do stuff that I want it to do. I usually use media on consumption while driving as a test to see if a device works for me: if I can't choose and play the content I want to consume while I am in a traffic jam, then the device is just complicate to use. My iRiver i140 passed the test, and so was the iPod Classic 80Gb. Pocket PC, on the other hand, failed miserably.
  
  
• Prefer bundle than individual: If music industry wants to get my money, they really need to push subscription service like NOW. Even though I am not young, I am the type of music listener who love to experiment various kind of music. I don't mind new music, but I hate commercialize mainstream junk released by music industry these days. 2 months earlier, I started to listen to music from a very well package torrent. That torrent, which released monthly, basically packaged the best 100 indie music. I found rock, pop, experiment, dance, hip hop and so on in that torrent. It was so well made and really made me want to pay for those artist. But instead of paying song by song, I want to pay it as bundle, knowing that when the new month comes, I will ignore the batch in last month as I only have so much time to enjoy new music. So the iTune model is definitely not for me. The Zune subscription model is more for my taste, but I don't have a Zune, and probably won't until they reach the ease of use and prettiness level the same or above iPod line.
  
  
• New way of consuming movie: now this is something strange and probably only happens to me, but I found that I enjoy watching movie WITHOUT sound while I have a little bit time here and there, like waiting in line for paying grocery, sitting on a john in the restroom, or anything that involves a few minutes of waiting. Usually under those situations I don't have time to put on and take off headphone. I also need to pay a little attention to the environment, like moving forward in a line, for instance. At the same time, though, I want something to entertain me so that I don't have to suffer from boredom. A Classics loaded with a few movies with subtitle helped me to have a bit enjoyment during that kind of moments. I finished Perfect Blue the animation that way, and I am working on Run Lora Run now. I know it will be even better if I could have a iPod Touch, but I rather wait for a while and buy it when Apple finally wake up and release a iPod Touch with a 80Gb harddisk and then sell it at around US$349.
  

Yahoo Widgets 4.0 keeps machines from Hibernation

I just found out that in order to successfully bring my laptop to Hibernation, I have to first quit Yahoo Widgets 4.0, otherwise the system will be stuck, and get into Stand By mode instead. And even then it will be trouble because later the system will still try to get into Hibernation, thus causing the machine to stay up again. Not good.

So, just remember to shut down your Yahoo Widget 4.0 before getting into Hibernation mode.