How to Indicate Blank Results in Crystal Reports
When we print a report in any database-connected situation, we sometimes get blank results, i.e. nothing to report. But we certainly don’t want to waste paper on such a thing. So how can we let a user know about it without sending more than one page...
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Substr vs Substring in JavaScript
JavaScript has some slick ways of dealing with strings (words, sentences, etc.)  There are a couple of methods in JavaScript called substr() and substring() that do similar but very different things.  Both are able to extract certain parts of a word or sentence to be used...
Using Fields in Text Objects in Crystal Reports
Fields, in Crystal Reports, are the way we bring data from a source into a report. Sometimes, we need to combine the data with text even more directly than placing them side by side. The technique we can use is similar to creating a mail merge...
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How to Loop Through an Array in JavaScript
Video version of this post: In JavaScript, there's a helpful way to access every item that's in an Array and it's called a for in loop.  It has the functionality, by default to go through and only run however many times there are items in the...
How to Create an Action in Adobe Photoshop
An Action is the Photoshop equivalent of a macro in programs like Word and Access. It allows consistent repetition of a sequence of steps. So it’s easier to do the same thing in different files, if one wants. As usual, the thing which helps most is...
jquery toggle effect
JQuery Toggle Drop Down Effect
jQuery is a pretty amazing JavaScript library.  It allows you to do things with JavaScript that were, back in the day, pretty tough to pull off.  Today I want to show you how to do a simple toggle drop down effect using jQuery.  The first thing you'll...
How to Use Quick Mask Mode in Photoshop
Of all the “beyond-the-basics” tools in Photoshop, the Quick Mask feature is probably one of the most nitpicky to understand. But it can provide the user with a fairly easy method of doing something complex, namely, making selections. So it’s worth the time. It’s normally easiest...
JavaScript Regular Expressions
How to use JavaScript Regular Expressions – Video
Video of regular expressions with phone numbers:
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Using the Gradients in Photoshop—Additional Info
In an earlier post, I went through the basics of creating gradients in Photoshop. In this one, I want to mention a couple more details which might be helpful in their use. There are five patterns, or appearances, which gradients can follow, shown to the right...
html video autoplay
How to autoplay a video using HTML 5 in Chrome
Chrome is a great browser but sometimes it has a lot of security features that end up conflicting with your code and what you're trying to do.  For example, they added a feature that won't play a video on a website if the sound is enabled. ...
apply css to xml
How to apply CSS to XML
Sometimes there will be times when you'll need to take a body of XML information and apply CSS styles to it.  Luckily, it's not too hard to do.  Let's say you have an XML document that looks like this (the content about the movie is not...
How to Create an Adobe Photoshop Gradient
Setting up a Photoshop gradient works a little differently from its cousin, Illustrator. The concept is the same, but the tool involved, and how we create and fine-tune a gradient, changes. The first thing to do is select the Gradient tool in the Tools panel/Toolbox. Looking...
fade content css html javascript
How to fade in content using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Sometimes we want our content to make a cool entrance on a webpage.  Luckily, using CSS and HTML, we can do just that by easily fading something onto the page.  First thing we'll need to do is create a HTML page like so: <!DOCTYPE html> <html>...
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Create unselectable instructions in a HTML select drop down menu
Today we are talking about how to create unselectable instructions in a HTML select drop down menu.  In HTML, when you create a drop down menu using the <select> tag, there will be times when you'll want to give the user instructions inside the menu itself...
Using the Section Break in Microsoft Word
When putting together a complex document in Word, a section break can help us put together documents such as a book or manual, where one sometimes has to create multiple headers and footers, or allow for single columns, then multiple, then single again. A section break...
smart focus camtasia
Camtasia SmartFocus Editing Dimensions Error Fix
In Camtasia 9, there is a feature that has been around for a while called "Smart Focus."  What it tries to do is read the video and zoom in and out when Camtasia feels it's necessary.  For example, let's say you were making a screen recording...
How to Create a Gradient in Adobe Illustrator
The recent post on meshes in Illustrator kind of leads into a related subject, namely the gradient. Sometimes meshes aren’t necessary, or a little too complicated to set up, but there’s still a need for (at least simulated) shading, and gradients can provide some of this....
How to Create a Theme in Microsoft PowerPoint
In PowerPoint, themes are an important part of the presentation. Even if nobody directly notices them, they are as necessary to the slide deck as the foundation for a house. Consistent appearance throughout the show improves understandability, and its professional look. Creating a theme is fairly...
Microsoft Access Keyboard Shortcuts
SkillForge SkillSheet Microsoft Access 2010/13/16 Keyboard Shortcuts Click here to download the PDF version. Frequently Used Shortcuts   In order to… Press Select the active tab of the ribbon and activate KeyTips Alt or F10  (to move to a different tab, use KeyTips or the arrow...
Microsoft Excel Keyboard Shortcuts
SkillForge SkillSheet Microsoft Excel 2010/13/16 Keyboard Shortcuts Click here to download the PDF version.   Frequently Used Shortcuts In order to… Press Close a spreadsheet Ctrl+W Open a spreadsheet Ctrl+O Save a spreadsheet Ctrl+S Copy Ctrl+C Paste Ctrl+V Undo Ctrl+Z Remove cell contents Delete key Choose a...