How to Install and Build OpenCV on OSX

source: http://blogs.wcode.org/2014/10/howto-install-build-and-use-opencv-macosx-10-10/

General Dictionary File on Any Unix System

/usr/share/dict/words


source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4456446/dictionary-text-file

SolidWorks - Patterning Bodies using 'Linear Pattern' Command

After selecting Linear Pattern:
"You just need to expand the box under "bodies to pattern" and select the body (from your solid bodies folder) in its selection box. You were trying to pattern a feature, which SW will not allow to create multiple bodies."

source: http://www.cadforums.net/showthread.php/9084-Linear-Pattern-Problem

SolidWorks - Make a Drawing from Assembly

"In a part or assembly document, click Make Drawing from Part/Assembly on the Standard toolbar"


source: http://config.boxxtech.com/Downloads/partners/solidworks/drawings.v4.pdf

Windows Change Keyboard Layout

intl.cpl in the Start Search box

source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/258824

Mac Changing Video Playback Speeds in QuickTime

Option-clicking the forward button increases playback speed by 0.1. Clicking the backward button plays videos in reverse though. You can set the rate between 0 and 1 by running this in AppleScript Editor:

tell application "QuickTime Player" to set rate of document 1 to 0.8

source: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/10464/how-can-i-repeat-a-video-at-slow-playback-speed

Windows 7, 8 step recorder software

"LPT: Windows 7 and 8 has a hidden steps recorder software that you can use to record what you do on the screen and it turns it into step-by-step instructions next to screen captures."


source: http://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/2olncr/lpt_windows_7_and_8_has_a_hidden_steps_recorder/

Prevent Fonts From Changing in PowerPoint by Embedding in File

In PowerPoint 2007

1. Click the Office button.
2. Click the PowerPoint Options button.
3. Select Save in the Options list.
4. Check the box for Embed Fonts in File and make one of the following choices
• By default the selection is "Embed only the characters used in the presentation (best for reducing file size)".
• Second option - "Embed all characters (best for editing by other people)".

source: http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/powerpointtipsandfaqs/f/change_fonts.htm

Solidworks: Rotate Objects

[alt+arrow keys] to rotate objects in SolidWorks.

source: Manan

Check Wifi Login Information on OSX

If you've elected to store network passwords in Keychain:

1. /Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access.app

2. At the top, search for the name of your network

3. That should locate the network password entry stored in Keychain

4. Double-click that entry and click the "Show password" box

5. Enter your Mac's admin password

6. Your network password should appear

source: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1300026

Install Fish Shell on Mac OS X

Fish is an alternative shell for Unix environments.

"What is Fish and why would someone use it instead of another shell?

Fish has a number of advantages over other shells: Fish suggests commands as you type based on history and completions, just like a web browser’s search bar
Fish generates completions automatically by parsing your installed man pages
Fish has a more intuitive syntax
Fish has less historical baggage and technical debt"

source: http://hackercodex.com/guide/install-fish-shell-mac-ubuntu/

Enabling snap-to-grid in EagleCAD

"Hold down the CTL key as you select the part and its origin will snap to the displayed grid"

source: http://www.eaglecentral.ca/forums/index.php/m/142983/7ea249c7c9f68d49483d417435ab45d3/

Twitter privacy settings

"Twitter folks- why can i only retweet tweets from some people & not everyone?"

"You can only retweet people who do not have private accounts. So if you see their tweet and they have a little lock by their name, they have a protected account. You can't retweet their tweets with that button. BUT you can still retweet it simply by typing "RT @(username)" and copy & paste their tweet-- old school :)"

source: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100310225648AA2TTAn

OpenCV installation on Windows for java that is easy and works

http://docs.opencv.org/trunk/doc/tutorials/introduction/java_eclipse/java_eclipse.html

Latex: file ended while scanning use of @writefile.

Latex: file ended while scanning use of @writefile

"This can be eliminated by deleting all .aux files and recompiling the latex code."

source: http://ergodicthoughts.blogspot.ch/2009/10/latex-file-ended-while-scanning-use-of.html

Access the User Library folder on Mac and make it show permanently

In terminal:

chflags nohidden ~/Library/

source: http://osxdaily.com/2011/07/22/access-user-library-folder-in-os-x-lion/

Overheating Arduino Nano

Depending on the current draw of the circuit's load, can result in a large heat dissipation for a voltage regulator if its surface area and heat sink are insufficient.

For my use, dropping from 12V to 5V with microcontroller + air compressors + solenoids(~55mA each) is causing significant overheating on the Arduino board.

source: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=180819.0

Bring up the Force Quit menu on Mac

Command + Option + Escape

source: http://www.ehow.com/how_6924064_reset-frozen-macbook-air.html

Edit Chrome browser properties

Type into Chrome:

chrome://flags

source: http://macforums.com/34-os-x-applications/2895-how-do-i-remove-chrome-notifications-icon-menu-bar.html

Remove startup applications from OSX

Click on [System Preferences].
Find the accounts or user tab.
Click on the user for whom you want to change the settings.
Edit the list of login applications.

source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4501754_remove-start_up-applications-os-leopard.html

Code block in Blogger post.

<textarea cols="60" name="textarea" rows="8" wrap="VIRTUAL">
CODE HERE
</textarea>


Add this in the HTML view. Change cols to make it wider, rows to make it taller.

source: http://ilook12.blogspot.ch/2009/10/putting-code-box-on-blogger-posts.html

Using Arduino Uno to read Sparkfun Razor IMU (9DOF) output via Serial.

I had a lot of trouble with interpreting the output of the Sparkfun Razor IMU (9DOF) using Arduino Uno. Scouring the internet for previous solutions, I came to believe that the proper way to handle the output from the IMU required massaging the bytes obtained via Serial.read(). However, it turns out that the solution is as simple as interpreting each byte as an ASCII character (type: char). Here's what worked for me:

Hardware:
Connect the following pins.
Arduino --- IMU
RX --- TX
TX --- RX
3.3V --- 3.3V
GND --- GND

On the IMU board, CTS (Clear To Send) and DTR (Data Terminal Ready) do not require a connection for Serial. They are used for the FTDI Serial to USB connection.


Software:

On the Arduino Uno - Below is the simplest, baseline code you need to read the output from the IMU using another Arduino (I say another because the IMU contains its own ATMega chip):

char incomingData; void setup() { Serial.begin(57600); } void loop() { if(Serial.available() > 0) { incomingData = Serial.read(); Serial.print(incomingData); } }
When writing new sketches to the Arduino, you'll need to unplug the RX/TX 

On the Sparkfun Razor IMU - load the code found on here: https://github.com/ptrbrtz/razor-9dof-ahrs/wiki/Tutorial If you want to change the Serial output of the IMU, modify Output.ino within the Razor_AHRS folder in this conditional:
else if (output_format == OUTPUT__FORMAT_TEXT) { Serial.print("#YPR="); Serial.print(TO_DEG(yaw)); Serial.println(", "); Serial.print(TO_DEG(pitch)); Serial.print(", "); Serial.print(TO_DEG(roll)); Serial.println(""); }

Arduino: Convert String to int.

Serial.println(inString.toInt());

source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18200035/how-do-you-convert-a-string-to-a-float-or-int

Arduino: Convert String to float.

char floatbuf[32]; // make this at least big enough for the whole string
curLongitude.toCharArray(floatbuf, sizeof(floatbuf));
float f = atof(floatbuf);

source:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18200035/how-do-you-convert-a-string-to-a-float-or-int

Arduino FTDI Programming Problems

For errors relating to:

avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00

or

avrdude: usbdev_open(): did not find any USB device "usb"

---

If you are using a board version that contains an FTDI chip, you'll need to install the appropriate driver for your operating system. This software can be found at (http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm)


sources:
http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/MacOSX