Windows on Lin's Blog

Python 3 CP950 Error When Printing to the Windows Command Prompt

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 23:59:09 +0000

Today, while teaching some juniors how to program, I tried to print a line of Chinese text to the Command Prompt with Python, but I got the error “UnicodeEncodeError: ‘cp950’ codec can’t encode character”. I tried all kinds of methods without success, and in the end I found the answer by searching online.

When experienced developers see this error, their first instinct is to assume the string contains a special character, so they immediately add the ignore parameter, but that does not help. When I checked, the character that caused the problem was a Japanese character. As everyone knows, Python 3 uses Unicode strings by default, so it should not have trouble printing anything. It’s not like we’re dealing with the notorious Big5 again…

Some Tricks You Probably Didn't Know That Make Using Your Computer Faster!

Sat, 21 May 2011 01:26:16 +0000

Actually, I first learned these tricks while studying vi, a plain-text editor under Linux. Later, when I tried them in other text editors (basically anywhere you can type text~), I found they worked the same way. These little tricks can speed up how quickly you process documents a lot. Also, I’ve recently been preparing for the TQC Chinese-English typing test, and practicing these tricks has helped my typing to some extent.

Launchy - A Handy Helper for Quickly Opening Programs

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:56:13 +0000

I introduced Google Desktop to you before. It can quickly open files and programs. Launchy works in a similar way, but it focuses on quickly launching programs, so it doesn’t have as many features as Google Desktop. Google Desktop can search files and has a sidebar, while Launchy only does file search. Its file search works differently, though. You specify folders, and Launchy builds an index of the files in those folders before you search. Google Desktop indexes the files on every hard drive. The difference is that when you type a keyword, Launchy may show more accurate results, while Google Desktop may show results you don’t want.

Does Your Program Need to Run as Administrator? Make a .NET Program Run as Administrator by Default~

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:03:57 +0000

Sometimes when you develop a program in Visual Studio, it may need administrator privileges, for example to access system folders or to use certain high-level WinAPIs. On Windows XP, using administrator privileges is not a big deal. But if you want your program to run on Windows 7 or Vista, you have to grant the program administrator rights, or it will run into problems halfway through. Generally, you can ask users to right-click the program and select “Run as administrator,” but that feels odd, because users would have to set it up themselves. Actually, there is another way to make your program run as administrator by default, so users don’t need to configure anything.

How to Read Windows Environment Variables (System Variables) in a .NET Program - VB.NET Example

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:55:35 +0000

Anyone who has written CMD knows about environment variables. They let you easily get information that differs from one computer to another, such as the user name. In CMD, using an environment variable is simple: you just write it in the %environment variable name% format. In a .NET program, though, it isn't that simple. You need to use the Environ function.

[C++] Sending a File to a Console Application via CMD and Returning Data

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 10:00:16 +0000

Actually, in C++ there's another way to read files besides simply using fopen, and it's much easier to implement than fopen: feeding the file to your C++ program through CMD. For example, say you have a program called test.exe and a text file called x.txt, and you want test.exe to read the data in x.txt and display it. You open CMD and type test.exe<x.txt, and it reads and displays the contents of x.txt. This article teaches you this way of reading files. Thanks also to a reader named Canghai, who taught me this technique.

Simulating Internet Café and School Restore Cards with RVS 2011's Shadow System

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:25:58 +0000

What is a shadow system? I'm sure you've all seen school or internet café computers that come back perfectly clean every time they restart, with every non-default file wiped out. That's thanks to a hardware device called a restore card, which internet cafés install. The shadow system I'll introduce here gives you the same effect as a restore card without spending money on one, and it's even easier to use than a restore card. With a shadow system, you don't have to worry about viruses either. Just restart and the computer is back to normal~

In this article, the shadow system we'll introduce is Returnil Virtual System (hereafter RVS)

Won't Boot After Installing a Dual-Boot System? Let's Repair the MBR~

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:19:31 +0000

Recently, while playing with Ubuntu, I ran into something: if you manually format the hard drive that Ubuntu is installed on, your computer will no longer be able to enter the operating system. This happens because the system’s MBR file has been damaged. Formatting Ubuntu directly isn’t the only way to hit this; sometimes it happens when installing a dual-boot system as well. When it does, don’t panic, because the MBR file can be repaired, and the steps aren’t very difficult. First, prepare a Windows installation disc, then set the computer to boot from the disc….

Turning a Laptop into a Wireless Hotspot

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 10:21:01 +0000

Remember the iPod Touch I bought a while ago? The iPod Touch has to be slim and light, so it only supports wireless networking, not the Ethernet connections (such as ADSL) that are more common. So I’d been looking for a way to turn my home ADSL into a wireless signal. I originally planned to buy a broadband router, but the price was a bit high, so I held off. Then I did some research of my own and found that Vista (XP and Windows 7 work too) can use a wireless network adapter to turn the ADSL connection directly into a wireless signal, with an effective range of 30 feet. For someone like me who needs wireless internet, that’s really convenient.

Windows 7 (Win7) Overview and Installation Tutorial

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:50:19 +0000

There are already many nearly identical introductions to Windows 7 (Win7) online, so I'll keep this brief. Windows 7 is Microsoft's recent operating system. In many ways it's better than Vista (after all, Windows 7 was basically made to rescue Vista). It doesn't use many resources, either. For example, when I installed Windows 7 in a virtual machine (VirtualBox), I only gave it 1 GB of memory and it still ran without any lag. That said, even though Windows 7 doesn't consume much, I still recommend not installing it on a really old computer XD. Windows 7 (Win7) also fixes many of the shortcomings of XP and Vista, and file search is much faster too.

Windows 7 Features:

Supports DirectX 11
Full support for 64-bit CPUs
Supports more Aero effects without consuming too many resources
Better UAC protection
Built-in Windows XP compatibility mode

Changing Keyboard Mapping

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:26:41 +0000

Sometimes when you’re using a computer, you’ll notice the input method starting to act strangely, like pressing the A key and getting a B. What’s going on? It might be that the “mapping” setting of your input method has been messed with! Who would do that? Maybe someone else who uses the same computer, or maybe a virus playing a prank on the PC. Either way, this problem is actually easy to fix.

Emergency Measures When Your Computer Freezes

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:55:40 +0000

My computer froze. What do I do? Surely I’ll have to restart again……………

Here’s a method for you that clears a freeze without restarting.

The only requirement is that your keyboard works and your mouse can move XD

P.S. You can press Num Lock on your keyboard to check whether the keyboard is working.

To clear the freeze, first open Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Delete).

Make Your USB Drive Last: How to Safely Remove It

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:10:46 +0000

Did you know that USB drives break down easily? If you always pull them out without ejecting (hot-unplugging, like I do, XD), your drive may not last very long. If you remove a drive while it’s still reading or writing data, the data on it can easily be damaged. You might not notice right away, but after a while you’ll suddenly see strange files, such as filenames turning into gibberish or files that can’t be deleted… When that happens, be careful, because the drive is warning you. I’m the kind of person who loves hot-unplugging, because it’s really convenient. But yesterday, while using a USB drive, I suddenly found a pile of garbled files = =

Desktops V1.02 - Microsoft's Native Virtual Desktop Tool, Bringing Ubuntu-Style Virtual Desktops to Windows

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:57:00 +0000

Desktops is a very practical virtual desktop program. It was developed by Microsoft, so you don’t need to worry too much about compatibility. Personally, I really like using Desktops, because Desktops can open up to 4 windows at once, and the computer doesn’t slow down much. That means you can quietly write a report while chatting on instant messaging! Also, Desktops doesn’t need to be installed, so you can put it on a USB flash drive and use it anywhere.

Update (12/12): Lately, something called a boss key has become very popular. Desktops can also work as a boss key program. A boss key is a shortcut that hides whatever you shouldn’t let your boss see when he walks over to check on your work. So Desktops is also a great fit as a boss key.

Windows Handwriting Input - Typing Without Knowing Zhuyin

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:50:01 +0000

Honestly, I rarely use the handwriting input method built into XP anymore, because I can already type XD. I was reminded of it because our science teacher once ran into a character whose pronunciation they didn’t know and went to ask the Chinese teacher, and that made me remember this fun handwriting input method.

So what’s the benefit of handwriting input? Of course there is! Otherwise, why would I write a whole post about it ^^. Handwriting is slow for typing, but it lets you enter “a character you can recognize but whose pronunciation you don’t know.” Some characters are rarely seen, so you might come across one somewhere and have no idea how to read it. In that case, you can draw it into the computer to use this feature~~~ (Very few people actually use it to type. Most people use it to look up characters.)

How to Add Programs to Windows Startup

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:01:39 +0000

Plenty of computer experts will tell you not to set too many startup programs, because it makes the computer slow. That may have been true in the past, but with today’s much more powerful hardware, having a few programs launch at startup is actually convenient. Just don’t go overboard. It depends on your hardware XD

In this post, I want to show everyone how to add programs to startup on Windows XP. It’s really simple. Just follow the pictures below and you’ll definitely get it :)

WFlip: Simulating the Vista Window Switcher Effect

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:40:17 +0000

As everyone knows, Vista’s most famous feature is its gorgeous visual effects. The best of them is the 3D effect when switching windows. However, the 3D effects aren’t available in Home Basic. So I went online and found a program to simulate this effect on XP. That program is WFlip.

As far as I know, WFlip has only been updated up to version 050. It does have a Chinese language option, and it doesn’t need to be installed, so you can run it from a USB flash drive. Some people think WFlip slows down the system. I tested WFlip myself, and installing it doesn’t really hurt performance. WFlip uses very few system resources.

My Experience with Windows Vista

Mon, 25 May 2009 19:49:52 +0000

I’ve always heard people say Vista is terrible.

Today Mom bought a new laptop, and now I finally see where Vista falls short!

The speed is fine, though my computer was already fast to begin with.

But there’s one thing that’s really annoying.

Every time I install a program, it pops up and bugs me. It’s something called UAC, I think. And I’m not used to the new operating system at all.

How to Defragment a Windows Hard Drive

Fri, 15 May 2009 18:05:25 +0000

I think anyone who has used a computer for a long time has noticed that it gets slower the more it’s used.

Here’s a method I recommend that can make your computer a bit faster.

It can also extend the life of your hard drive.

First, click “Start” - “All Programs” - “Accessories” - “System Tools” - “Disk Defragmenter.”

Or click “Start” - “Run,” type dfrg.msc

How to Set the Screen Resolution in Windows XP?

Fri, 08 May 2009 11:01:00 +0000

Today I’ll teach you how to change the screen resolution.

It can also be described as the screen size.

I’m not very good at explaining, so…

Anyway, changing this changes what’s shown on your screen (bigger or smaller)

It’s useful for people who find the screen hard to read.

Fixing Errors Caused by a Virus

Sun, 03 May 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Some viruses use the registry to damage computers. Basically, I’m only posting one example here; the registry has many other places where things can be hidden,
so if you don’t know much about computers, don’t try to change other places. At best nothing happens, at worst the computer is ruined. Following the steps below is safe.
“Start” “Run”, type “regedit”
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT –> exefile –> shell –> open –> command

Then check the “(Default)” value. If it is “%1” %* it is normal. If it isn’t, your computer has been infected.
Double-click it and change it to “%1” %*

Also, pay attention to other places!!

Fixing Hidden Files That Won't Open

Sun, 03 May 2009 05:38:00 +0000

If you’ve ever been infected by a USB virus, some of them make your hidden files stop showing up.
This post shows you how to fix the problem of hidden files not appearing, which covers most cases.

First: “Start” –> “Run” –> type “regedit” –>
“HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL”
I’ll expand these one level at a time so beginners don’t get lost.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER → SOFTWARE → Microsoft → Windows → CurrentVersion → Explorer → Advanced → Folder →
Hidden → SHOWALL

Once expanded, do you see “CheckedValue” on the right? Double-click it, choose hexadecimal, and enter 1 in the box.

Next, either restart the computer, or open Task Manager –> Processes tab –> end “explorer.exe” –> at this point the desktop and taskbar will disappear.

Then, on the Applications tab, right-click on a blank area –> “New Task (Run)” –> enter “explorer.exe” and you’re done.

Windows Edit Tool: A System Tweaking Utility Every Power User and MIS Admin Needs!

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Windows Edit Tool has many built-in tweaks that let you configure your computer’s registry settings. The features I personally like best in Windows Edit Tool are automatic logon for XP accounts and its basic optimization functions. I’ve tested these myself and they work fine, since they only make simple changes to the registry. Windows Edit Tool also has a drive-hiding feature. Put simply, if you’ve downloaded some things you’d rather keep private~ you can store them on a hidden drive so the wrong people won’t see them.

How to Fix the "0x000000 Memory Cannot Be Read" Error

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:24:00 +0000

Recently I keep running into a problem while playing games.

Programs sometimes show an error.

The message says “0x000000 memory cannot be Read”.

I saw in a book that it indicates the memory read error location.

But the book didn’t say what to do about it.

So I looked online.

One method I found online is to use a cmd command to re-register the DLL files.