Category: Tech Tips

What is Docker? In Simple Terms

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On 2024.04.30

In Tech Tips

In simple terms, Docker is a software platform that streamlines the process of building, running, managing, and distributing applications.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Virtualization: Docker virtualizes the operating system of the computer where it’s installed. Imagine it as a lightweight, portable container that holds everything your application needs to run.
  2. Containers: These containers package up your application along with all its dependencies (like libraries, configurations, and other software components). Each container is isolated from the others, ensuring that different applications can coexist without conflicts.
    • Usually those containers also run the smallest possible version of the software, you can theoretically install an operating system like Ubuntu 20 with all its bells and whistles in a container, but what is typically done by professionals is that they build a stripped down version of the operating system that can do one job only.1
  3. Benefits:
    • Consistency: Docker ensures that your application runs consistently across different environments (development, testing, production).
    • Efficiency: It optimizes resource usage by sharing the host OS kernel across containers.
    • Portability: You can move containers between different systems without worrying about compatibility issues.
    • Scalability: Easily scale your application by creating more containers.
  4. Use Cases:
    • Development: Developers use Docker to create consistent development environments.
    • Deployment: Docker simplifies deploying applications to servers, cloud platforms, or even edge devices.
      • When time comes to deploy my app to production, I don’t need to set up separate servers and what not. I just save my containers into image files then just go to Amazon and deploy with docker to the server instances I choose. I don’t care what operating system Amazon is running on those servers, because docker will build me containers that are identical to those I saved on my own computer and run them.1
    • Microservices: It’s ideal for building and managing microservices architectures.

In summary, Docker makes application deployment and management easier by encapsulating everything needed for an app to run within a container. It’s like a magic box that holds your app and its dependencies, making it portable and efficient! 🚀

For me… I’m considering user Docker in conjunction with Playwright to setup automated testing. Then I can deploy the parts into Azure or whatever makes sense for the client.

References:

  1. Reddit Article from SnitchesStitcher ↩︎
  2. FreeCodeCample article – Docker Simplified ↩︎


HELP! Blue Yeti mic is always muted.

By

On 2023.04.16

In Music, Tech Tips, Uncategorized

I recently knocked my Blue Yeti over. That’s it… it fell sideways (didn’t drop on anything, etc. – just fell sideways).

After that, it wouldn’t come out of “mute”. I tried reinstalling drivers, fiddling with Logitech G-Hub, unplugging it, plugging it in. Restarting Windows, etc. Nothing helped.

Then I found a video that explained it. You have to Factory Reset the mic. And it’s a simple process.

1) Unplug the USB.

2) Hold the two buttons (front and back) and plug it in.

3) Wait about 7-10 seconds, and the front ring will start rapidly flashing.

4) Let go and VOILA!

Simple process… worked very quickly and now I can properly mute and unmute my Yeti.

Using WinMerge with Sourcetree

By

On 2021.12.10

In Tech Tips

For work, I often use Sourcetree as my UI for dealing with BitBucket.

I’ve been using WinMerge for more years than I can count.

You can setup WinMerge as the Diff tool really easily in Sourcetree. Just pick it in the settings. :)

But, if you want to use WinMerge as your Merge tool, you need to set Custom settings.

External Diff Tool: WinMerge
Diff Command: C:\Program Files (x86)\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
Arguments: \”$LOCAL\” \”$REMOTE\”

Merge Tool: Custom
Merge Command: C:\Program Files (x86)\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
Arguments: -wl -wm -dl PreviousVersion -dm Base -dr Local $LOCAL $BASE $REMOTE -o $MERGED

LightFactory Shortcuts and iOS

By

On 2021.06.07

In Tech Tips

As I mentioned recently, our church just started using DMX lights for our platform lighting.

One of the bonuses from LightFactory, is the iOS app for controlling shortcuts. In LightFactory, you can set just about ANYTHING to a shortcut. And then just click the right button to do what you want. We have a Windows PC we run this on, and the Shortcut screen is just a big list of buttons. Seems to work well for what we want.

Except… most of the people who will be managing the lights… are Mobile/Tablet folks… and not PC users.

So, when I saw LightFactory had an app to launch your shortcuts for the iPad (we use a lot of iPads at church for OnSong and such).

LightFactory Shortcuts for iOS

Yup… just a big ‘ol screen of buttons. You setup your shortcuts in LightFactory and then you can use them via the iPad.

However, every time we went to start the app… it found my LightFactory software on the local network, and then hung and crashed.

According to everything I was reading, it Should Just Work ™.

After some thinking and contemplating… I had an epiphany. It’s seeing my install, but not communicating over the network properly. And then I remembered the Firewall notice when I first launched the LightFactory app.

So I checked… and noticed that the Firewall was set to block traffic on the Private connections and allow on Public. That got me thinking…

And I realized that my internet connection was Public, and it should be Private (since I was one the private church wifi. I switched the WiFi to be Private Network (which makes devices discoverable on the network).

After making that change, I restarted LightFactory and tried the iPad Shortcuts for LightFactory app again. TADA! Worked great!

So… if you are using LightFactory and the iOS app (or their Android control app) and it just seems to hang… check to make sure that your Firewall settings and Public/Private network settings are all correct. :)

The Search for DMX Lighting Control Software.

By

On 2021.06.06

In Reviews, Tech Tips, User Interfaces

At my church, we recently started upgrading our platform lighting system. Our original platform lights, consisted of some old flood lights on a light bar. Over the years, they have slowly died. When we replaced them, we had 3 working lights left. Our platform looked a little anemic. :)

The decision was made to upgrade, so we talked to Sweetwater, and they recommended using DMX controlled lights. That basically meant we could control those lights from a control board or software. We bought their recommendations… Full RGB and some moveable spotlights.

We chose to use software to control the lights. So we purchased the Enttec DMX USB Pro Mk2. It’s a USB to DMX device. A very nice little piece of hardware that does what it should… and does it well.

Enttec DMX USB Pro Mk2

Then began the long and arduous process of finding software to control the lights. Enttec provides a list of compatible software on their website. Unfortunately, much of the software for controlling DMX systems looks like it was designed by engineers. Drunken engineers who wanted to see how many buttons they can put on a screen. And use some really old developer UI tools to do it. I suffered through some truly horrible UIs.

After trying several tools, I found LightFactory. It had a couple of things going for it. 1) a working demo. You get a 1 minute delay on startup… and then you can use the software “unlimited” for 30 minutes. 2) it was reasonable priced. 3) it was one of the few that just worked. (you’d be surprised how many of the software options I tried just did not work)

We are now in the process of tuning and tweaking our lighting. I’ll try to post another piece with some pictures of our new lighting setup.

Keyboard Shortcuts? You need training!

By

On 2017.07.06

In Tech Tips

Keyboard shortcuts are important.  They speed up just about any computer task you are working on.

If you want to train your skills, you need to train.  Check out shortcutFoo!

 

A Magic Trick with Windows Explorer?

By

On 2017.02.26

In Tech Tips

  1. Open Windows Explorer (WIN+E is a handy shortcut)
  2. Click into the Address Bar (ALT+D)
  3. Type the name of an application that is in your PATH
  4. Press Enter.

Your application can be anything that is in the PATH.

Here are some examples:

  • CMD – Launch a command window.
  • winword – Launch Microsoft Word.
  • powershell – Launch Powershell.
  • notepad – Launch notepad.

There are more applications that you can launch. Here is the article form Channel 9 that goes into more detail.

Windows 7 – Background Image gets stuck

By

On 2010.05.12

In Tech Tips

OK. A bit of the background.

I have Win7 Ultimate. I have my background pictures set to auto-rotate every 30 minutes.

Every week or three, I change the folder that the pictures rotate through. I’ve done this for a couple of months, and it’s been fine so far.

Yesterday, I grabbed a couple more images from Digital Blasphemy out of the “free bin”. I then told Win7 to rotate through these.

It wouldn’t. It stayed permanently on the last image from the prior choice. I started checking everything. I tried changing folders, changing themes, rebooting, changing screen resolution… nothing.

So I asked Google… after much digging on an old forum post, I found this:

C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\TranscodedWallpaper.jpg

If you delete that file, it fixes whatever was broken, and now my images shuffle again like I want.

Virtual Machines

By

On 2008.09.20

In Tech Tips

Since I’m a contract developer, I work for many different clients.  That means, I need many different work environments.  The simplest solution to this, is to use Virtual Machines.

I used to use VMWare.  Now that I have a TechNet subscription, I’m playing with Virtual PC 2007.  So far, it works pretty well.  Very similar to VMware.

I’ll be researching tips on how to keep the VM’s as small as possible, yet still fast.  I plan on setting up a base Windows XP with SP3, and then copy that as my starting point for each client.  It’s rare that I use any OS other than XP. 

I will make a VM of Ubuntu though.  I want to play with that some more, and I don’t want to dual-boot at this point.

Note: To get the Virtual PC to release your mouse, hit the [hostkey].  By default, this is the Right Alt.

There are more Virtual PC Tips here.

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