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Py2exe Issues

When getting the directory of the file you're executing in python use the correct example:

CORRECT: os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]))
INCORRECT: os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile( lambda:None ))

If you're using py2exe, the incorrect example will just give error messages.

Outlook 2010 - Run a Script (Blank)


Apparently a script does not equal a macro in outlook. When you're setting up a rule, you have the option to run a script. However, your macro will not show up in the script menu unless it has (MyMail As MailItem) as an argument. Example:

Sub Save(MyMail As MailItem)

SaveEmailAttachmentsToFolder "AgentReports", "html", "C:\Users\EBRNPAL\Documents\Agent Reports\Saved"

End Sub

Save Outlook Attachments Automatically With A Macro

Source: http://www.rondebruin.nl/mail/folder2/saveatt.htm


Sub Test()
'Arg 1 = Folder name in your Inbox
'Arg 2 = File extension, "" is every file
'Arg 3 = Save folder, "C:\Users\Ron\test" or ""
'If you use "" it will create a date/time stamped
'folder for you in the "My Documents" folder.
'Note: If you use this "C:\Users\Ron\test" the folder must exist

    SaveEmailAttachmentsToFolder "AgentReports", "html", "C:\Users\Paul\Documents\Agent Reports\Saved"

End Sub

Sub SaveEmailAttachmentsToFolder(OutlookFolderInInbox As String, _
                                 ExtString As String, DestFolder As String)
    Dim ns As NameSpace
    Dim Inbox As MAPIFolder
    Dim SubFolder As MAPIFolder
    Dim Item As Object
    Dim Atmt As Attachment
    Dim FileName As String
    Dim MyDocPath As String
    Dim I As Integer
    Dim wsh As Object
    Dim fs As Object

    On Error GoTo ThisMacro_err

    Set ns = GetNamespace("MAPI")
    Set Inbox = ns.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
    Set SubFolder = Inbox.Folders(OutlookFolderInInbox)

    I = 0
    ' Check subfolder for messages and exit of none found
    If SubFolder.Items.Count = 0 Then
        MsgBox "There are no messages in this folder : " & OutlookFolderInInbox, _
               vbInformation, "Nothing Found"
        Set SubFolder = Nothing
        Set Inbox = Nothing
        Set ns = Nothing
        Exit Sub
    End If

    'Create DestFolder if DestFolder = ""
    If DestFolder = "" Then
        Set wsh = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
        Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
        MyDocPath = wsh.SpecialFolders.Item("mydocuments")
        DestFolder = MyDocPath & "\" & Format(Now, "dd-mmm-yyyy hh-mm-ss")
        If Not fs.FolderExists(DestFolder) Then
            fs.CreateFolder DestFolder
        End If
    End If

    If Right(DestFolder, 1) <> "\" Then
        DestFolder = DestFolder & "\"
    End If

    ' Check each message for attachments and extensions
    For Each Item In SubFolder.Items
        For Each Atmt In Item.Attachments
            If LCase(Right(Atmt.FileName, Len(ExtString))) = LCase(ExtString) Then
                FileName = DestFolder & Item.SenderName & " " & Atmt.FileName
                Atmt.SaveAsFile FileName
                I = I + 1
            End If
        Next Atmt
    Next Item

    ' Show this message when Finished
    If I > 0 Then
        MsgBox "You can find the files here : " _
             & DestFolder, vbInformation, "Finished!"
    Else
        MsgBox "No attached files in your mail.", vbInformation, "Finished!"
    End If

    ' Clear memory
ThisMacro_exit:
    Set SubFolder = Nothing
    Set Inbox = Nothing
    Set ns = Nothing
    Set fs = Nothing
    Set wsh = Nothing
    Exit Sub

    ' Error information
ThisMacro_err:
    MsgBox "An unexpected error has occurred." _
         & vbCrLf & "Please note and report the following information." _
         & vbCrLf & "Macro Name: SaveEmailAttachmentsToFolder" _
         & vbCrLf & "Error Number: " & Err.Number _
         & vbCrLf & "Error Description: " & Err.Description _
         , vbCritical, "Error!"
    Resume ThisMacro_exit

End Sub

Declaring 2 Variables At The Same Time In Python

I thought this was interesting:

import os
fileName, fileExtension = os.path.splitext('/path/to/somefile.ext') 

Since os.path.splitext returns a list of 2 items, you can assign those 2 list items to variables at the same time with the code above.

UTDesign - Xbee Claims vs Reality

The picture above shows some research done by some UTD students for their UT Design program.

Their results showed the specs claimed by Xbee modules were far superior to reality. They said they experienced an overwhelming amount of noise at about half of the rated distance and both the peak and idle current ratings were inaccurate.

Raspberry Pi - Mining Bitcoins

Rather than letting my Raspberry Pi lay dormant in its cabinet at a data center, I've decided to use it for mining bitcoins.

I followed these instructions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrdzam7voOg

I'm using Deepbit as the pool, but I'm not 100% sure what a pool is or if there are better pools out there.

Update: In about 5 days, I have only mined 0.00003898 BTC.

Stop IE Alert Messages

The following snippet of Jquery will prevent alerts from showing in internet explorer:

if ($.browser.msie) { window.alert = function() { }; };

It detects if the browser is IE, then disables the alert function with a blank if it is IE. The alert happens only in IE, that's why it checks to see if the browser is IE.

I did this because there is some code I can't change on a sharepoint page which is causing an alert (which doesn't actually cause any real issues). Adding this code to the part of the page I can change will stop the error.

About the alert:
It says "Hit error fn!" and it happens in the following span after an ajax call fails: <span id="ctl00_LogUserActivity1">

It's definitely a hack, but it works so far.