How To Extract All Images From MS Office Documents

Microsoft Office is one of the most widely used productivity suites in the world. Online suites are gaining in popularity as is Apple’s iWork but Office still enjoys wide appeal. MS Word is one of the go-to apps we use today for just about any and all documentation needs; CVs, reports, research papers, short stories or novels, and what not can all be written in the app. That said, and this is bound to have happened to you, if you ever got a report or even a presentation that contained lots of images that you wanted to use, you would have to save them individually. Fortunately, there is a simple little trick that lets you extract all images from an MS Office file in one go instead of having to save them one by one. This trick works for files with the DOCX, PPTX, XLSX extensions only. Your original file will remain intact and uncorrupted.

What you essentially need to do is change the file extension to ZIP. Regardless if it is a PPTX, XLSX, or DOCX file, simply rename it so that the original name is intact by the bit after the period (.) is changed to ZIP.

Your OS will automatically recognize it as a zipped file. Next, right-click and extract the file to a folder and look inside. You will find a folder called Word (if you renamed a MS WOrd file) or PPT (if you renamed a MS PowerPoint file) etc. In this folder, look for a sub-folder called ‘Media’ and inside will be every single image used in the file.

Once you’ve extracted the zipped file, you can revert the extension of the original file back to DOCX, or PPTX etc to read the file. You will not be able to do this for files that do not have the ‘X’ extension i.e. this will work for DOCX but not for DOC. The reason is DOCX, PPTX, XLSX etc, files are built on XML. This works on both Windows and OS X.

Get Guided On-Screen Instructions To Compose A Better Photo

The rule of thirds is a fairly popular rule that people can easily learn to compose better photos. There are of course other layout rules and options that you can try but knowing a rule often isn’t enough to compose a good photo. You must have some understanding of how to position the main object. Camera51 is a free iOS and Android app that comes to the rescue; it provides an on-screen guide to help you frame all objects you want in a photo such that you have a nicely composed photo in the end. It’s incredibly easy to use and can serve as a good learning tool.

This app has been available for Android for a year now and the iOS version has just rolled out. The app works with both the front and rear facing camera. A rectangle appears on the screen once the app has analyzed the objects in the view finder. Your job is to position the phone icon on the screen inside this rectangle. The app will automatically select an object as the main focus of the photo but you can manually select one by tapping anywhere on the screen and the rectangle is positioned accordingly.

When used with the front facing camera, the app enables an automatic ‘Selfie-mode’ which will help you take a better selfie and will automatically snap the photo when you have correctly positioned the phone inside the rectangle. The app also supports video recording but we found the video it recorded to be at par with most other video recording apps.

You can turn the automatic selfie-mode off from the app’s settings. Tap the more button on the view finder and then the cog wheel. From the app’s settings you can select the picture and video size and enable the Peripheral Object alert which will tell you if an object in the vicinity or within the current view is big enough to impact the composition of your photo. The Multi Object Select option lets you select multiple objects in a photo to focus on.

Camera51 also has a quick sharing mode that will allow you to share photos to Twitter or Facebook, or via email.

Install Camera51 From The App Store

Install Camera51 From The Google Play Store

Use Facebook’s Web Based Messenger As A Desktop App

Last week, Facebook released a stand alone web interface for its popular chat service aptly called Messenger after the mobile apps that are built exclusively for the feature. The web interface can work without users needing to keep Facebook open in a separate tab. This means you can use Facebook as a chat platform and effectively avoid the distractions it has on offer. Since it’s launch, developer Alexandru Rosianu has ported the web interface so that you can use it as a stand alone app on OS X, Windows, and Linux. The app is basically the same browser based version that you can now pin to the Taskbar or Dock, only now it isn’t tied to your browser.

Install the app and sign in to it using your Facebook ID or your phone number. Once you’re signed in, you can start chatting. Your chat history is all present and you will hardly notice that you aren’t using Messenger in your browser.

Strictly speaking and if you use Chrome, you can port Messenger as a Chrome app. With this app, there are two main advantages; the notifications for new messages are sent through the operating system’s own notification feature, and you can pin the app.

The ported desktop versions have the same features as the web based version but are far more convenient to use (especially if you sometimes accidentally close your browser window).

New Features In Firefox 38 For Desktop And Android

Firefox 38 is out and the release brings a few noteworthy features for both desktop and mobile. Desktop users get a new Preferences UI. The window is now displayed in a tabbed format. It seems to be far more functional that what Firefox previously offered and allows you to quickly jump to a particular tab. Support for the autocomplete=off attribute has been removed, a copy option has been added to the Console, and then there are the usual security fixes. For Android users there is a lot to look forward to. Firefox 38 now has Material design, allows you to send a tab to any one of your synced devices, and lets you send a URL open in other apps to your Firefox bookmarks or reading list. Here’s a quick look at these features.

 Firefox 38 – Desktop

New Preferences UI 

The new Preferences UI is now tabbed based. It looks good and you can jump directly to a tab by writing about:preferences#general or about:preferences#search in the address bar.

If you miss the old Preferences window, go to about:config and set the value of the browser.preferences.inContent preference to False.

Copy Command In Console

Open the Console and you will now be able to copy a string or the outerHTML of a DOM node to your clipboard by right-clicking it and selecting the new ‘Copy’ option added in this version.

Autocomplete=Off Support Removed

I’m not sure if this change is a good one or a bad one. What the autocomplete=off attribute did was prevent browsers or other password managing add-ons from saving username and password information even when the user wanted it saved. This was used as a security precaution. With Firefox no longer supporting it, the built-in password manager or a third-party one will be able to save form data filled in any fields that have this attribute added to them. This has also been implemented in Firefox Android.

Firefox 38 Android

Send Tab To Device

Let’s say you’re reading something on your phone and want to continue reading it when you switch to your desktop. Simply tap the Share button and tap the new ‘Send to other Devices’ button. A menu of all connected devices will appear and you can choose which one you want to send the tab to.

 

Bookmark Websites From Other Apps

Let’s say you tapped on a link in the Facebook app, or the Twitter app. You want to bookmark it or read it later. Tap the Share button and you will see a ‘Add to Firefox’ option. Tap it and add the link to your Firefox reading list or bookmark it in Firefox.

 

To learn more about the other changes made to Firefox Android and Firefox Desktop, read the release notes.

Download Firefox 38 For Desktop

Download Firefox For Android

Use Voice Commands To Launch Apps & Run Scripts

Personal assistants are fast becoming part of desktop and mobile operating systems. We’ve seen Siri, Cortana, and Google Now and they all seem impressive in their own right. The desktop still has a bit of way to go before it gets a personal assistant to match anything on mobile but the future does look bright. If you aren’t too keen on waiting for the future of voice commands and would like something now rather than later, give VoiceBot a try. It’s a free Windows app that lets you associate voice commands with actions like launching an app or running a script (among other things) and then executes them on command. The app lets you create profiles that you can associate different commands to. It has both a free and a paid version. The paid version lets you sync your profile between computers, run multiple actions in a single macro, and create unlimited profiles.

Install VoiceBot and when asked if you want to use the trial version or enter a license key, select the trial option. It will automatically revert to the free version once it has been installed.

After installation is complete (the app does not try to sneak in anything extra), create your first profile from the app’s settings. The app comes with some pre-set profiles mainly for gaming but you can create your own custom profile. Click ‘Add’ and name the profile. Next proceed to adding Macros to it.

Each macro has a name and you can associate actions with it such as running a program, pressing a key, and even typing text. For apps, you will have to select the app’s EXE file. Once you’ve added commands, save it to your profile and allow VoiceBot to run in the background.

It will constantly be listening for commands. When it recognizes a command, it duly launches the app or performs the action associated with it. VoiceBot keeps a log of the voice commands it has recognized. Bear in mind, recognition can become distorted by noise around you.

Voice recognition isn’t bad but the app is in Beta so taking that into consideration, it does a pretty good job at recognizing and executing commands.

How To Check Device & App Compatibility Before Reserving A Windows 10 Copy

Windows 10 is coming July 29, 2015. Rejoice. Microsoft has taken just everything you hated about Windows 8/8.1 and made it all better. Microsoft is also being considerably more aggressive about getting people to upgrade to the next version and I for one am very impressed with the effort they’ve put in. A recent Windows update will have added a new app for reserving a copy of Windows 10, which is free for everyone on Windows 7 and 8/8.1. The app includes a very useful feature that will check if your PC is compatible with Windows 10. Most PCs will be compatible but the app is still really useful because it tells you if a certain device or app that you’ve currently installed on your system will work once you’ve upgraded. Here’s how to run the check.

Open the Get Windows 10 app by clicking the Windows icon in the system tray.

Before you rush on ahead and reserve your free upgrade, click the hamburger icon at the top left and in the panel that slides open, click Check Your PC.

The app takes very little time to run the check and you don’t need to do anything on your part. The results are separated into two sections; devices which lists incompatible hardware and Apps which will list incompatible apps. Your PC might still be compatible but some devices will not and it’s important to check which devices aren’t, the reason being that sometimes a critical device might not be supported.

For example, Broadcom’s virtual wireless adapter isn’t compatible yet with Windows 10 and for the system I ran the check on, and that is a vital device needed to connect to a wireless network.

You might see any sort of device listed in the results so before you go ahead and make the reservation for your new Windows 10 copy, check with your PC manufacturer to see just how essential that particular device is. Despite this one critical device not being compatible, if I were to reserve a copy, Windows would be upgraded and leave me with connectivity problems.

What To Do If You Don’t See The Upgrade To Windows 10 App

If you’re anxiously waiting for Windows 10 (release date set for July 29, 2015) then it’s likely you try to keep up with the latest news about the new OS. Today, the internet is buzzing with news of a new app called Upgrade to Windows 10 that has ‘magically’ appeared to help them reserve a copy of the new OS when it becomes available. That said, some of you might not be seeing this new app. If that’s the case, here are a few things you can try.

This post has been updated with a new solution from Microsoft should the three listed, fail to work.

Basic Checklist

• You must be running a genuine copy of Windows (7 or 8.1)
• Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise, or Windows RT/RT 8.1 users will not be given the chance to reserve a copy of Windows 10
• You must have, at the least Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 installed

Check For Updates

If you’ve set Windows to not check for updates, even important ones, it may be one of the reasons you aren’t seeing the Upgrade to Windows 10  app. It appeared on users’ systems as part of an update, update KB3035583. If you’ve turned updates off or prevented Windows from automatically installing them, the app will fail to appear. Go to Control Panel>System and security>Windows Update and check to see if updates are enabled or not. If already enabled, click ‘View Update History’ and see if KB3035583 is listed or not. If not, force Windows to check for updates again and allow it install any new ones that are available.

Pending System Restart

If the update is duly listed like in the screenshot above, but you still cannot see the app icon in the system tray, try restarting your system. Some updates require a system restart and if you’ve put it off too long, it may be why the app isn’t showing up.

Check If GWX.Exe Is Running

Open Task Manager and in the Processes tab, look for a process called GWX.exe which should be running. If it isn’t, go to C:\Windows\System32\GWX and run the GWX.exe file.

What Microsoft Suggests

If all else fails try this, open Notepad and paste the following;

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Appraiser" /v UtcOnetimeSend /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
schtasks /run /TN "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser"
:CompatCheckRunning
schtasks /query /TN "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser" | findstr Ready >nul
if NOT "%errorlevel%" == "0" ping localhost >nul &goto :CompatCheckRunning
schtasks /run /TN "\Microsoft\Windows\Setup\gwx\refreshgwxconfig"

Save this file with the name Windows10Upgrade.cmd. You can name the  file anything but the extension should be CMD. Next, run this file as an administrator. It may take some time, up to ten minutes before you see the app

One of these steps should get the app to appear in the system try. Make sure you use it to check if your PC is fully compatible or not first before you reserve your copy.

Set Timer For System Restart, Hibernate, Sleep, Shutdown & Sign Out [Windows]

Some apps, those that handle long processes such as torrent downloaders, have a built-in feature that will shut down your system once a process completes. Unfortunately, where this feature is exceptionally useful, it is also rare to come by in most apps. PowerKit is a free Windows app, compatible with Windows 7 and 8/8.1, that lets you schedule system shutdown, restart, hibernate, and sign out. You can set the schedule for a specific time or after a fixed duration. The process, once initiated, can be aborted at any time.

Install PowerKit. It doesn’t try to sneak in anything extra during installation so you can breeze right through it. Once installed, launch the app and from the drop-down menu, select the power function that you want to execute. If you want to execute the power function after a fixed length of time, say ten minutes or three hours, select the ‘Set Duration’ option and then specify it in minutes.

If you want to execute a power function at a specific time, such as mid-night, or noon, select the ‘Set Time’ option and then enter the time when the function should execute.

PowerKit is a useful little utility that can be used in a myriad of scenarios. The app can be made exceptionally more useful with a feature that could schedule a shut-down when a certain process or application was quit.

Where PowerKit can schedule a system shut down and restart, it doesn’t do anything to preserve any work that might be in progress. What that means is if you have a document of any sort open, you should ensure it’s saved before PowerKit executes a shutdown or restart.

How To Remove ‘Get Windows 10′ App From Your System

Windows 10 is set for release on July 29, 2015 and we all know that Microsoft is taking this new version and pushing it aggressively to Windows users with the Get Windows 10 app. While a lot of users have reserved a copy of the new OS, there are some who aren’t on-board with the idea and the little Windows icon in their system tray is nothing more than annoying bloatware. If you’re one of the many people looking to get rid of this app or put it out of sight, here’s how you can do just that.

Hiding The System Tray Icon

This is the equivalent of sweeping dust under the rug but the icon is out of sight and no longer asking for your attention. Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Notification Area Icons and set the icon to always remain hidden.

Remove The App From Your System

The app can be removed from your system by uninstalling the update that installed the Get Windows 10 app in the first place. Go to Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update and click on Installed Updates at the bottom left. Find update number KB3035583, right-click it, and select Uninstall.

Let An App Do It For You

This is perhaps the easiest way to remove the Get Windows 10 app. Simply download and execute I don’t Want Windows 10 and the app will be gone in a matter of clicks. Of course, the app is a ‘use at your own risk’ deal but it doesn’t break anything and is open source.