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Excel Dynamically Select Input from Closed Files
4 September 2025 @ 7:50 am
I have searched high and low, and have found the only way to get input from a "closed file" is to use INDEX with a named range. This has worked perfectly for me. My next step, is to automate the report file to take input from multiple files.
Setup:
Sheet 1 has a table of dates (weeks) with each week having a corresponding input workbook that has lots of data that is extracted.
Sheet 2 Summary report that will choose the week number, and dynamically populate a report with information from the sheet based on the corresponding input workbook from the table.
Current Solution:
All files are currently on a SharePoint site
Sheet 2 has a dropdown with the dates from the table in sheet 1
Named Range "vJOFRange" references the data from the currently selected file.
I have a trigger event for when the date changes to change the Named Range to the correct file.
Best way to transfer video files from an iPhone to a PC?
4 September 2025 @ 7:47 am
So, we all know Apple likes to keep their users on their systems but I like my Windows machine better than any Mac, but prefer video quality on my old iPhone, so it's always tricky to send the files over to my PC for editing etc. My best solution is to email them over, as wired connections don't natively work and there's a lot of dodgy looking transfer apps out there that I'd rather avoid, but is there a sure way to just drop files from my iPhone to my PC?
HomeLab: How to expose different folders per different user using SSHFS and how to connect to those from Windows?
4 September 2025 @ 6:00 am
I have home server where I'm admin and in my network I have couple of PC (kids/wife). On those PCs with Win10/11 I have also dedicated admin account to which I'm able to connect with SSH, and I wrote simple Python script which can accepts shell commands to execute. Also I have Ansible (SemaphoreUI) server which of course can reach to those PCs.
How to securely and automatically setup SSHFS from PC to Server, per user (I know email address of current session user on Win) and by Securely I mean:
no passwords should be stored in plaintext
mounted SSHFS within particular session should be visible only in this session (optionally but highly preferable)
Each user will have its own folder on Server (location controlled by Server)
Cmd prompt won't recognise certain internal commands from a batch file
4 September 2025 @ 2:54 am
...but recognizes 'em just fine when manually entered on the command line.
First time I've seen this in four decades. A new install of win10 Pro 22h2. The batch file in question has run just fine for years on earlier installs. But now? I get this error:
'timeout' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'cmd' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Using 'cmd /c' to call another batch file, so nachurlly the thing just dies. Have checked a couple of other BAT files and those two commands are always kicked out. And, just discovered the that 'taskkill' is not recognized when using 'call' instead of 'cmd /c', though it is, when the called file is run from the command line! (???) Have run SFC with no joy.
How to send documents from computer to a remote location
3 September 2025 @ 7:34 pm
We are Christmas tree growers. I need to send documents from QuickBooks from a computer to a location 10 miles away that does not have internet or direct phone line. I would like to set up a printer to print out documents needed for trucking without having to drive them there each time. I have been using neighbors’ shop with a direct line and fax machine, but it is no longer an option. There is power but no phone line. Starlink? A cell phone with its own phone number with a Bluetooth fax/printer?? The other thing is we only need it for 6-7 weeks a year, so we are trying not to pay a monthly fee year around. Several different people will be going to get paperwork (and I never know who so can’t send to a specific person all the time) so need one place/phone number/printer to automatically print out. Any suggestions?
bc command results are not what are expected when changing from ibase to obase
3 September 2025 @ 7:20 pm
I am trying to convert non-base 10 (non-decimal) numbers to each other by using bc command in Linux, but the answers are different from what I expected.
ibase = 3
obase = 7
23
11
Why is the answer 11? How did bc calculate it?
Is there a way to prevent Windows from periodically deciding that my device is a tablet, when it is actually a laptop?
3 September 2025 @ 5:17 pm
On Windows 11, the setting "Optimize taskbar for touch interactions when this device is used as a tablet" causes the taskbar to become massive and take up one fifth of the screen. Periodically, it keeps re-enabling itself, even though my device is not a tablet, and I never use the touch screen functionality. Is there a way to make it stop re-enabling itself?
How can I connect to a Linux machine without SSH and without Ethernet?
3 September 2025 @ 10:27 am
I have an Intel NUC box with Linux running that I need for work (code and running some Linux-only programs). I also have a work laptop with a strict VPN/Firewall that only allows me to SSH to a few servers owned by the company. I tried to SSH into the Linux box from the work laptop without any luck. I also tried to SSH through an Ethernet cable between my laptop and the Linux box and got the same problem.
Is there is a cable or a technology that allows you to directly connect to the terminal of the Linux without using SSH (and without Ethernet)? I read somewhere about serial cables with a null modem, but I am not sure if this would help.
Disk formatting with PSID revert function
3 September 2025 @ 4:12 am
Have a question regarding formatting HDD using PSID.
I purchased two Western Digital 14 TB SATA HSH721414ALE6M0 hard drives.
I want to reformat the drives and use them in my mac (APSF).
They were used in a Linux host. The seller says that they are both compatible with btrfs & f2fs, hinting Linux only. I can't just plug&play on Mac.
Would it be possible to create a bootable Ubuntu USB stick and boot my pc from it, use sedutil-cli with PSID to erase the drive (sudo sedutil-cli --yesIReallyWantToERASEmyDriveWithPSID XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /dev/sdX)?
The letter "E" in HSH721414ALE6M0 stands for Encryption and clues that the drive supports the security commands that allow me to use PSID revert function.
Using FFmpeg to Handle and Automatically Correct Audio Delay Issues
2 September 2025 @ 7:38 am
everyone! Am a first time poster here, so I apologize if I make any mistakes.
So, long story short, I have been using FFmpeg-CLI and other FFmpeg-tools like LosslessCut for (usually lossless) cutting and trimming of videos. However, I've noticed that sometimes, the audio and video tracks aren't always of the same duration. For example, the audio track can be a second longer than the video. Also, there's almost a very high value for "delay relative to video" under audio in MediaInfo. Using Avidemux to remux the file usually fixes those problems, but I was wondering how to do what Avidemux does using FFmpeg's CLI, because Avidemux doesn't support a lot of the codecs I work with, and I would love to be able to correct audio delay issues on all of my files. For a better idea of what am describing, I'll be providing the MediaInfo logs for both files (I wasn't able to post them fully due to the system thinking am spamming).
The MediaInfo for the "faulty"