Is there any hardware or software that would let me edit text documents and simulate mouse clicks using just a stylus? I want to be able to write programs in Visual Studio using a stylus for keyboard and mouse input. Hardware cost isn't an issue. Thanks.
P.S. I have an wrist RSI that is making typing on a keyboard impossible but I really don't want to end my programming career. I know there are other input methods but this is the one I'd most prefer.
There was a Tablet PC edition of Windows XP that offered stylus support, including handwriting recognition. Since then, tablet functions and handwriting OCR have been baked straight into Windows.
If you're running Vista, 7, 8 or 8.1, you can probably launch it right now. Search for the Tablet PC folder in the Start Menu. In Windows 7, you'll find it under Accessories.
As far as using handwriting OCR in VS is concerned: I would expect you'll need to tune your dictionary to include the names of components, or turn off predictive corrections entirely. Camelcase and autocorrect don't see eye to eye.
Related
I have a hard time finding information on how I would go about developing a keyboard layout that uses IME without it just being information on how I can simply add a new keyboard layout that uses the microsoft IME or how I can use the Microsoft IME in my applications.
What I want to do is making the whole thing from scratch. It's not supposed to be for an existing language (so it's not like any of the existing IMEs would be an alternative) but, obviously, having information on how I'd go about developing an IME for Japanese, Chinese or Korean is also a nice thing.
Google has their own IME that is cross platform so I assume that it is possible to do it but I just can't find any information on it.
Thanks
The OS is Windows 8.1, by the way.
I'm a bit late, but I don't like open questions (to which I know the answer) ;-)
Hope it still helps: Microsoft's Keyboard Layout Creator (MS KLC) is what you need. https://msdn.microsoft.com/de-de/goglobal/bb964665.aspx
With XNA and Windows Phone, using Guide.BeginShowKeyboardInput doesn't seem to use the native "tap to correct words" bar.
Is there any way to get it to show up, or is it a current XNA 4.0 limitation on Windows Phone?
From this article:
If your application requires keyboard support, then you should consider Silverlight. Silverlight applications get access to the software keyboard by default, but for games made with XNA Game Studio, developers need to build their own software keyboard control to enable keyboard input.
With XNA, you can only use Guide.BeginShowKeyboardInput, and this doesn't have the functionality you desire.
I'm currently using a Vista computer with settings in French.
For creating help files and taking screen snapshots purposes, I need to force windows to display start menu, control panel etc... in English, and later German, Spanish...
Of course, I can't afford to buy several computers! Is there a way to change the system language display?
Windows 7 now comes with language packs (see video)
Apparently the same is true for Vista
Does anyone know of a Visual Studio plugin for viewing PowerPoint slide shows in a pane in Visual Studio? I've been working through a tutorial and I'm annoyed with alt-tabbing between the two applications (I prefer giving Visual Studio the full screen).
Clarification:
I do have dual screens at work, and a 30" display at home, but in my doubtless fussy opinion, opening and arranging multiple windows is much less convenient then having the info in a pane in the IDE for this particular task. There is also the matter being able to cut and paste code from the tutorial into the edit window without having to alt-tab. I'd like something like the internal web browser pane, or in-place help panes in Eclipse.
I very much doubt there would be a VS plug-in for displaying PowerPoint slide shows. I can't imagine very many cases where this would be useful. I never use PowerPoint when doing development work.
Perhaps the only situation where it might be useful is in training, as you've described. But honestly, my recommendation would be to add a second monitor to your computer. Then you can keep Visual Studio maximized on your primary screen, while displaying the PowerPoint slides on the secondary monitor.
I suspect that you'll find a dual-screen setup will not only be useful while you're learning Visual Studio, but continue to pay dividends as you begin working in Visual Studio, as well. The productivity boost of multiple screens is well documented around the web, and my own experience is that I can hardly work without a minimum of 2 screens anymore.
This is really a no-brainer for any developer who values his or her time. Now more than ever, since:
Most mainstream, inexpensive video cards tend to come with two VGA ports (aka "dual head") standard.
The price of less bulky 17" and 19" LCDs are quite reasonable.
Windows XP has mature multiple monitor support; it's been a standard out of box win32 feature since Windows 98.
The multiple monitor support is very good in both Windows XP and Windows 7 (I experienced some minor irritations under Windows Vista, but not nearly enough to be discouraging). And you don't have to buy a giant secondary screen (or even primary screen). Two 17" or 19" monitors will generally be more productive than one large 22" or 24" screen.
Like many SO people, I'm in front of a computer almost all day. I like having a dark theme for Visual Studio (easier on the eyes), but since the rest of Windows and apps (explorer, dialogs, Outlook), have the full white background, it's even harder to switch between nice dark VS and sunshine bright Windows.
I tried a UXTheme.dll patch but couldn't find any dark themes that worked across Visual Studio and Windows apps in general. Any suggestions?
Edit: To be clear, I'd like no or almost no white. No scrollbars, menus, etc.
I don't think you're going to find a Windows theme that can accomplish your task. Many software applications do not adhere to colors specified in Windows preferences and are not at all customizable--Notepad, for example, is black text on a white background, end of story.
For themes in general, Microsoft has released two official XP themes within the last year that may be worth looking at:
Zune
Embedded
If you are planning on using a modified uxtheme.dll file, you can check out Luna Element Black, which is one I have used for well over a year now.
If you are this passionate about not having white areas visible in some of the programs you use, perhaps you need to find new applications that provide similar features but also offer customization in terms of fonts and colors--for example, using Notepad++ instead of Notepad, which gives you an almost exhaustive amount of customization possibilities.
May be not exactly what you are looking for, but this is a dark color scheme for visual Studio (2005 or 2008) you may use in complement of UXTheme.
Off course, they are other dar color schemes for Visual studio, like this one (Jeff has one also).
But I am not sure there is one tool that applies to all windows, including Visual Studio.