Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with buttons

Personalized candy necklaces?

useyourmachinegunarm — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:37:15 -0800

I am looking for some sort of fun promotional item I can give out at a band's ep release party. But I haven't been able to come up with anything I can actually find and I am running out of time. Ideas? I was thinking something along the line of personalized candy necklaces with the band's name on it, personalized stickers or buttons. I don't think personalized candy necklaces exist, buttons are sort of boring and the band's name is sort of long to fit on a small sticker. I am looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary if possible - no personalized m&ms please. Any ideas for a personalized and fun promotional item we can give out that isn't too expensive and we can have on hand for the show by Jan 7, 2010?

Need durable shirt buttons

exogenous — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:35:34 -0800

The cleaner sometimes smashes my shirt buttons. Where can I find durable replacement buttons for dress shirts? This problems occurs with different cleaners, and my current cleaner is probably the least problematic, so switching cleaners is not a viable solution. Nor is laundering and ironing the shirts myself an option - I'd rather pay a dollar a shirt to have them do it, even if it sometimes means I need to sew on a button. I already save buttons from worn-out shirts to re-use, but I would appreciate a better source.

I guess I could ask the cleaner to replace the broken buttons, but it only takes me a few minutes to replace them myself so I'd prefer not to raise a stink with them.

Button be gone

aerotive — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:28:37 -0800

Anyone know of a program that can hide Taskbar buttons in Vista? I'm looking for a utility that can hide taskbar buttons, but leave the window unaffected. Something that can move a button to the tray would work too.

I've Googled around and tried a few freeware and shareware apps but they either don't work at all or as advertised. I'd prefer free but I'm willing to pay for an app that works really well.

Thanks!

How to organize the buttons on the XP taskbar?

jakubsnm — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:09:02 -0800

Does anyone know of a modification for windows XP that allows you shuffle/organize the buttons on the taskbar, like the tabs on Internet Explorer or Firefox? I sometimes work with 20 windows open or more at once with many different programs and sometimes i get confused with which one is for what because many of them are similar, I know in XP you can group similar taskbar buttons but this wouldn't work for me.

Where are custom settings stored in Word 2000?

roxie110 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:57:31 -0800

What file are settings (created macros, custom toolbar buttons, etc.) stored in in Word 2000? I want to try upgrading to Word 2003 but don't want to lose all the custom stuff in my current version of 2000 (in case I decide to go back). When I reinstalled Photoshop in a new computer, I was able to find a settings file that preserved all of my created actions. I think something similar must exist with Word, but I haven't been able to find it. Help!

Extra credit points if you know whether it's possible to import custom stuff from earlier versions into 2003 after you upgrade!

button (badge) maker?

tamarack — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:25:49 -0800

Can you recommend a button (badge) maker for a Canadian? I'm looking around at button makers, but not sure where to start. A big concern is the cost of getting parts as time goes on. I do not live in the states, and postage from the US is expensive enough that I would rather buy local(ish). I live near enough to Vancouver (BC).

So if you have a badge-maker and love it, please post up the company/model. *Also: If you live in/near Vancouver and are able to buy parts locally, please let me know where.

If it makes any difference, I'm probably looking to make 1.5" badges.

Thanks!

My fingers are too big for those little buttons...

matty — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:49:29 -0800

How do you hack your dress shirt? I have to wear suits to work. Joy.

I don't mind it so much I guess, as I've been doing it for years now - but the scourge of my morning is buttoning the buttons on the sleeves and wrists. It seems to take forever, it's frustrating, and it never EVER gets any easier.

To all you other suits out there - do you have any tips or tricks that make buttoning those little rascals any easier?

Shoe buttons are rare, where can I find some?

echo0720 — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:17:26 -0800

I have shoes that look sort of like these, but the strap on one of them came unattached and I lost the button. Where can I find a replacement button (either online or in the Washington, DC area somewhere)? I've looked everywhere -- Michael's, a fabric store, two shoe repair guys, google, but I haven't been able to find a place that sells plain leather buttons (smaller than 1cm diameter) for shoes. These particular buttons are wrapped in smooth leather with a flat bottom (sort of like these except all leather). Do you have any suggestions as to where I could find them either in DC somewhere or online?

Mouse-free Shortcut No Longer Works on Mac

10ch — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:49:42 -0800

Before my hard drive died and I had to reinstall Tiger, I used to be able to trigger dialogue box buttons (e.g. "Yes" or "No") on my mac by typing the first letter of the option I wanted to choose (e.g. "n"). It doesn't work anymore and I have to navigate with the mouse and click on things. How can I activate this feature?

How Can I Keep Buttons From Coming Off My Backpack?

ursus_comiter — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 21:27:57 -0800

How do I stop losing buttons/badges that I fasten to my backpack? Without really trying, I tend to accumulate various and sundry buttons that please me. I'd to fasten them onto my backpack, but invariably, I lose the ones that I try that with. They knocked off. They fall off. They disappear in a puff of smoke.

Anyone suggestions for fastening them better? I schlep my bag everywhere (New Yorker) and it gets shoved into various spaces all the time. I don't see that changing much.

Help save my buttons from a life on the shelf collecting dust!

Help me save the day!

slowfasthazel — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:43:29 -0800

Where can I buy or borrow a sturdy 2.25" button maker in Portland, OR? We have to make 300 buttons by Friday and our badge-a-minit just gave up the ghost.

Thanks!

What Adobe package to use for simple designs?

ZenMasterThis — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:56:54 -0800

I've used Adobe products in the past and have been fairly impressed. Now I want to buy an Adobe package to design and generate JPG and EPS files of my relatively simple t-shirt, bumper sticker, and button ideas for emailing to a printing shop. Will want to do some two-color designs, but no screens, complex color manipulations or any of that other fancy stuff. Graphics will be simple, solid, "silouhette-like."

I am a graphic design newbie.

Would PhotoShop Elements be sufficient?

Dell Media Buttons Not Working Properly

soonertbone — Sat, 05 May 2007 15:46:30 -0800

I have a Dell Inspiron laptop, similar to this one. See those media control buttons on the front center part of the laptop? They've stopped working correctly. How can I fix them? Here's what happens. Each press of a button counts as TWO presses. So, if I hit the mute button, it actually mutes AND unmutes the sound, leaving me back where I started. Same goes for volume: Each press of the button increases the volume by two increments rather than one. It's like, pressing the button IN counts as one press, and taking my finger off the button counts as another press. This is a brand new problem and has never happened before. I can't imagine what would be causing it to do this. Any ideas?

wants more knob

wumpus — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:44:42 -0800

why did monitors switch to buttons with menus for controlling brightness and contrast, rather than knobs? knobs are so much faster and easier - it was like a dimmer switch for your desk!

Button, Button, Who Can Name That Buttony Book?

davidmsc — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 09:25:07 -0800

Name That Book: vague recollection of reading a book in (?) sixth grade or so, in the "Young Adult" category, circa 1976-78. The only detail that I can recall is that there were buttons - of the type that are used on coats - and that at least one of the buttons came to life. I believe the button was in the shape of a person or character. Any ideas?

How many more buttons are there in the US than three were 39/40 years ago?

kingfisher, his musclebound cat — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 07:10:58 -0800

The other day someone told me her baby son likes to press buttons, and I started to wonder how many more buttons are there in the world than when I was a baby. I started being a baby at the start of 1967. I am not sure when being a baby ends, many for me will say, not yet, but one year? Anyway, hold would one estimate the increase of buttons over time (because of the digital technology). Physical buttons only, hard and soft controls (soft count only once regardless of mode), and perhaps keyboards count too, since the distinction gets difficult with mobile devices.
This seems too difficult to pull off, but maybe MeFi comes through. But in forty years, how many more buttons? And is a graph over time possible. Thanks for any thoughts. I would start maybe by restricting to US and estimating by household.

the smooth mouse buttons syndrome

a007r — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:29:53 -0800

I noticed that as times goes by, computer mice (and other plastic items) get used by skin friction. I notice my mice have "smooth" areas on their buttons that obviously seem to be there because of use. Is there a way to prevent that? Now, that's not a big deal, but it's annoying, because, the mouse being smooth, my logical deduction is that finger grease or filth of some kind can be felt much much more easily when the surface is smooth. Maybe I'm crazy, but I noticed some kind of "dirt bumps" that can be scratched off, but they come back pretty quick and I have to wash my hands, wipe the mouse buttons, scratch the little "mouse poo" as I call it, and then I'm ok for maybe a little while.

This problem has annoyed me a lot more since I bought a logitech MX510, which has a glossy surface. This thing has no texture, so I feel the dirt a lot more!

So, the question might be as follows:
a) is there a way to prevent this?
b) are there furry mice (computer mice huh, not living ones), kind of like the furbook? :)
c) am I just crazy or this does annoy some people out there? I always feel like "my hands are dirty" because of this.
d) are there computer mice out there that are more resistant (like, they will never loose their texture) to this effect? If so, could anyone advise me of their experiences?
e) should I wear gloves or consult a psychiatrist? :)

What I need a mouse to do is simply to have silent, easily clickable buttons, a silent mousewheel (requires no effort), and one additional button, because I am a Linux user who uses XGL and Compiz. What that means is that I can't live without my dear "scale" plugin (that does the same thing as the Exposé feature of Mac OS X) being mapped to a button of the mouse.

Any suggestions for tools to build backgrounds and buttons/icons for web sites?

brokekid — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 15:11:16 -0800

Any suggestions for tools to build backgrounds and buttons/icons for web sites? I'm building a collection of backgrounds and buttons, bullets, icons for future web projects. Are there any tools available to speed up the process besides photoshop and fireworks?

What's up with hotel TVs?

hoverboards don't work on water — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 08:27:28 -0800

Why doesn't the on button work on hotel TV remotes? Remote controls usually have a standby button which turns the TV on or off, but in a lot of hotels this only turns it off. Only pressing a number button or the channel up/down button turns it on. Why?

Blue Blazer With Gold Buttons

Gerard Sorme — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 18:03:05 -0800

Okay, I have to "look nice" for an interview and I was told that a pair of khakis and a blue blazer would be perfect. The only "blue blazer" I have is the traditional blazer with gold buttons. Some say the gold buttons are timeless and is always "in", others say they are "out" and replace the buttons. What do MeFites think? Is it iffy enough to worry about? I did an AskMe search and didn't find anything addressing this blazer/button issue. Help?

drag & drop windows taskbar buttons?

masymas — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 20:00:12 -0800

Is there a program that allows me to drag and drop (reorder) the buttons in the XP taskbar? Something similar to the Firefox drag and drop for tabs?

Suggestion for Custom Buttons/Pins?

NewGear — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 11:51:09 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for a good online company to produce custom buttons/pins/badges/whatever you'd like to call them. Those round buttons with the pin on the back. You know. I design cd covers, t-shirts, posters, etc, etc, etc for a friend's band, and I have sources for getting all of that stuff produced. Now he wants to get buttons made to hand out gratis at his next concert. I knew a place long ago that I trusted, but have course long since lost that information. A Google search turns up a zillion hits for companies that offer this service, and it's hard to tell who's cool and who's fly by night.

I'd like to know if any AsKMeFites might have had pins done before, and can give me a positive recommendation of who to use. These will be just your standard 1" round buttons with the safety pinback, the kind that basically just have your logo or whatever placed on a piece of paper and bonded to the button with a clear piece of plastic pressed over the design and fastened to the metal backing of the button.

(caveat: I searched for "badges", "Buttons", "pins", and "custom" in various combinations in the archives, and couldn't find a previous question similar to this.)

Badger badger badger..

cheerleaders_to_your_funeral — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 10:48:51 -0800

What is your experience with button/badge makers? From what I've found, the stuff from Badge-A-Minit seems like a cheap and popular solution. I'm thinking of the cheapest handpresses, but it is essential to me that the buttons look professional. My problem is that it's hard to tell how the buttons will look without having a sample in my hand. I have not been able to find quality close-ups of finished buttons either.

I don't want my buttons to look home-made, even if they are.

I've heard that badge-a-minit buttons now have the company name written on their back. I guess that is acceptable, but it's the kind of thing that can take away from the professional look I want.

I'd like to hear your experiences with button makers. What brands and models would you recommend, that are cheap yet produce quality buttons?

Examples of mechanical or software placebos?

grumblebee — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 11:11:04 -0800

Part One: I've heard people say that the "close doors" buttons in elevators don't work. They certainly don't seem to do anything in my building. Do they not work because of poor design or are they literally (purposefully) not hooked up to anything?

Part Two: Are there other examples of mechanical (or software) placebos? I've heard that the "progress bar" you see when Windows boots doesn't actually mean anything. Microsoft just discovered that people were happier if there was some sort of animation going on while their computer was starting up.

Javascript/CSS/IE

emptybowl — Wed, 18 Aug 2004 08:12:11 -0800

I'm having a javascript/CSS/IE problem. I'm working on a website that has a line of buttons at the top for navigation, and when you mouseover the button, a menu drops down giving you sub-options. This is controlled pretty simply with javascript changing the "visibility" attribute in the stylesheet for the menu. A problem arises in IE, however, when there are form elements on the page. If the dynamic drop-down menu overlaps a form element, that form element disappears. (Specifically, this is happening with a menu) You have to reload the page to get it back. Anyone know why this might be happening, or how to fix it? Works fine in NS7, Firefox, Mozilla, etc..... I'd post a link so you could seen an example, but it's an internal site here at work.