Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with multiple

An app for Windows for hunting down and eradicating multiple copies of files?

Unhyper — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:30:29 -0800

Is there an app for Windows that you know of for hunting down and eradicating multiple copies of the same files? Let's say I have a 1TB drive (I do) full of junk (I do) and much of that junk has duplicates, triplicates, and octuplicates of the same files in miscellaneous folders.

I'd like to find a program that I could leave running and it would scan the drive for these multiple copies and perhaps erase them for me, or at least allow me to do that later.

Know of any?

Calculating Probability Over Several Attempts?

WCityMike — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:39:58 -0800

How do you multiply probability across multiple chances? Let's say that every time you roll a die, you have a one-in-six chance of having five come up. What math would you perform to come up with the probability of five coming up at some point with the dice being rolled two times? Three? Five? Ten? (I'm using dice as a shorthand here: the actual probability figure I'm working with is 24%.)

Differences between Excel Pivot Tables

DZ-015 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:31:36 -0800

Why is the functionality of an Excel Pivot table different depending on whether you use a list or a multiple consolidation range? This is driving me crazy.

I have an Excel Workbook containing 6 worksheets. When I create a pivot table from a list, I can drag the field buttons onto my table and create a pretty nice report. When I try the same thing using a multiple consolidation range (data from various sheets), I only have 4 field buttons: Row, Column, Value and Page1. All my sheets have identical column headings.

Is this by design?

Thanks.

Automatically updating multiple Excel worksheets from one "master" worksheet?

entropicamericana — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:54:41 -0800

How to automatically breakout Excel worksheets based off one "master' worksheet? I inherited an Excel spreadsheet that is being used to to track individual orders. It is built so each order has its own row and the columns reflect various information (i.e. state)

My boss wants data entry done on the "master" worksheet. Then he wants the other sheets to automatically update given certain criteria. (For example, all orders placed in California.)

Let's say the state column is Column A and the values are simple two letter postal codes.

How would I write a function that would say if A2 is CA, then paste 2 here and if A2 is not CA, go to row 3 and check for CA?

Fixing multiple monitors position changing after waking from Sleep in Vista?

wastelands — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:56:05 -0800

Annoying Vista bug: monitor positions change after waking from Sleep mode. How can I fix it? I have an external monitor plugged into my laptop via the VGA port. I use both screens (laptop + monitor), with the external on the left, and have the "Drag icons to match your monitors" in Display Settings to match and "Extend the desktop onto this monitor". Works great.

Yet whenever I wake from Sleep, I have to rearrange the monitors in Display Settings. Every single time. It's so annoying. Some googling led to this post:

http://www.vistax64.com/vista-general/97955-multiple-monitors-change-position-after-sleep.html

But I do not have such a task in my Task Scheduler.

I'm running Vista SP1 with all Windows Updates installed. NVIDIA 9600m GT video card with latest drivers installed.

Is there an easy way to combine multiple blogs posts into a single, daily RSS item?

viewofdelft — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:45:52 -0800

Is there an easy way to combine multiple blogs posts into a single, daily RSS item? I wrestled in vain this morning with Yahoo Pipes—my arch-nemesis and occasional collaborator—and we've both given up. Is there an automated, dummy-proof method for bundling a set of posts from my blog into a single RSS item?

Ideally, that means I'd post three separate entries on Monday and they'd show up in my feedreader early the next morning.

Help me sync contacts from one user to another over exchange?

vrdx — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:18:00 -0800

Help me figure out a CRM/Sync solution! I'm going crazy trying to figure out a good solution for a small firm; need to sync contacts, more inside... So, I've googled myself to pieces and need your guidance. I've got a small group of folks in a firm I am the go-to solutions consultant for their newer IT services. I've got a few users spread throughout the country, and we're using a hosted exchange solution. One of the exec's assistants is not local, but has a 'master' contact database - this is a master list, within outlook, and is several hundred MB's large, containing many pieces of information w/in each contact's entry (some sensitive). I can set up the 'shared contacts' functionality from w/in exchange+outlook, but I need to sync those contacts TO users databases (for some to use w/ BlackBerry's / iPhones) (They've been using Outlook as a CRM solution...)

So, what is one way (preferably free) to sync this 'master list' of contacts to multiple users? It can run over Exchange, if that helps.

Possible issues: It needs to be pretty simple and easy to use, I can only remote-assist so much, but, it can't require a ton of learning curve on the users part, so things like Act, FileMaker, etc. are out... They are also somewhat averse to paying for another service (getting hosted exchange going was a huge step but still took a ton of work) so things like salesforce are out too.

Additionally, assume the users have a basic level of comfort/knowledge with things like outlook, but still experience general pc issues that perplex them ("why won't my outlook open...?") so I'd like to be as easy as possible.

So, mefi masters, help me! I'm open to trying tons of stuff, and we have online storage available to use as an intermediary place to store a database (to get from one remote user to the next), but I'm out of ideas.

How do I record multiple options in Microsoft Access

Foam Pants — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:49:27 -0800

I can't believe I don't know how to select many checkboxes in Microsoft Access... OK, say you have a store where you sell sporting equipment. You are trying to figure out some new things to carry so you are surveying your customers and you are then entering the data into an Access database.

You have three categories of items you are thinking about selling; volleyball equipment, equestrian equipment, and hiking equipment. Each category has several items in it such as freeze-dried meals, backpacks, tents, etc. The paper form has customers fill out information about themselves and then check the box of anything they would be interested in seeing at the store.

In your database you have a table for the customer info. You also have a table where you assign each type of equipment a number and a table that associates customers and their equipment choices.

Here is the problem. How in the heck do I make an entry form that will allow me to enter customer info AND check multiple boxes of equipment types and then have it all go to the places it's supposed to? I know how to make a drop down list but they aren't choosing between these things, they could choose them all if they wanted.

I have fallen into this conundrum when I wanted to make a database where each item could be searched by several keywords. How in the hell do you do several keywords? I feel like I should know this but I don't. Yes, I am a total chote and the answer is probably right before my eyes. I have done some searching online but I don't seem to know the correct terminology to bring up relevant information.

Is it becoming the norm for people to work more than one (or even two) jobs just to stay afloat?

msposner — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:21:57 -0800

Is it becoming a more acceptable trend for individuals to work more than one job just to maintain a certain standard of living? I work three jobs (my wife also works full-time) and yet it seems as if we barely can keep ourselves afloat on a monthly basis. Help me from going crazy here! Background information: I work three jobs. Job number one is a state employee (CT) for a position that requires a master's degree (I actually will be finishing up my second one in a few months). Job number two is working as an independent contractor for a technology company (10-15 hours/week). Job number three is a teacher for an adult education program (5 hours/week).

My wife is a full-time teacher.

Together, we have little debt (<$5k) and we are hardly reckless with our spendings. Most of our purchases are related to the upkeep of our home and cars (2). We rarely eat out but we do have a house and all the associated bills. With me working all these hours, we've been able to be afloat in terms of our bills and expenses.

However, I am seeing more and more people, including colleagues in state employment looking for second (and sometimes, third) jobs just to "stay afloat." They too, claim that they don't have any really "out of the world" bills.

I am wondering what other people are experiencing, especially in the state of today's economy and whether this trend is related to the fact that I live in CT (a very, very expensive state) or if this is something we need to expect to become the norm just to maintain normal, decent standard of living.

Or it could be that I don't make enough money with my primary job ($50k/year)...

Any thoughts? Feedback? Insights? All would be greatly appreciated.

Downgrading multiple Vista machines with one XP Professional license

danwalker — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:12:53 -0800

Can I "downgrade" multiple computers with Vista pre-installed using only one license of XP Professional? I need to purchase several computers, and it's getting more difficult where I am to find suitable hardware that comes with the Windows XP Pro downgrade pre-configured.

It's my understanding that, if Vista Business or Ultimate is pre-configured, I can "downgrade" to XP Professional if I have a copy of XP Pro (and am comfortable doing the downgrade myself, which I am). What I'm wondering is whether I need to own multiple licences of both Vista and XP, or if only one copy of XP is OK.

One would hope that one wouldn't need to purchase Vista AND XP for each machine, but I know this is not an area where reason rules. There's lots of reference online to doing the downgrade, but I'm having trouble finding specific mention of downgrading multiple machines with only one XP Pro license.

Your thoughts?

how to post myspace comments to multiple friends on a mac?

binocularfight — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:57:40 -0800

is there an application that works on a mac that will allow me to post comments to multiple myspace friends at once? myspace is such a pain in my ass. i'm managing a page for this all girls bicycle gang in milwaukee, and we need to send out comment postings to our members pretty regularly. we have about 175 friends, so it takes me FOREVER. i know there are programs that work on a pc that will allow you to post comments to multiple people at a time. the problem is i have a mac (specifically, a powerbook g4 running os x 10.4.11). is there anything i can use on a mac that will allow me to post comments to all my myspace members at once? or at least a bunch of my members at once? i'm hoping i don't have to install virtual pc to do this. but if that's the only way, what kind of experience have you had with virtual pc? can i trust it?

Pick your team (as long as its not the Yankees)

toaster — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:04:26 -0800

For those of you in areas that have multiple teams in the your area, like New York has the Giants and Jets, Chicago has the Cubs and White Sox, and Los Angeles has the Lakers and the Clippers, how did you choose which team to be a fan of?

Any tools for posting to multiple blogs?

randomthoughts — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:40:23 -0800

Are there any tools for posting to multiple WordPress blogs without having to go to each site's control panel? Currently running several WordPress blogs on various hosts and am looking for an easy blogging tool that would allow me to post to these blogs without having to go to each admin page to do so.

Any suggestions?

Windows Taskbar: Multiple row management madness!

colecovizion — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:20:46 -0800

Windows Taskbar: Multiple row management madness! I've gotten this to work once, but never again (on XP) and it is driving me mad!

Here is the layout I want on my double-row taskbar.

Quickview______________|______Tasks_____|System tray
My computer | net folder_|______Tasks_____|System tray

As you can see, I want to put one toolbar over another while maintaining the double rows of tasks. I'm on Vista now, but it is acting similar enough to XP that I think it would be the same method. From what I remember, I had to actually expand the taskbar to 3 rows and then size it down to 2 rows to make this work.

Any guidance would cure my insanity! A video would even better!

The books you would take to a deserted island

spec80 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:54:05 -0800

I'm looking for books and graphic novels that are meant to be read multiple times. I remember reading in an interview with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons that Watchmen was written to be fully understood after multiple readings. I've read the same in an interview with Haruki Murakami (I think the book in question was Kafka on the Shore.) What other books and graphic novels were written in this style?

Is this MS?

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:08:40 -0800

I may have MS. Now what? It might not be MS, but there's definitely something wrong.

I have experienced many of these symptoms, some getting progressively more apparent, over the past 2-3 months: http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/mssymptoms.html

Yes, I have a doctor appointment scheduled. But I'm a wreck.

increase my productivity!

jak68 — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:15:01 -0800

multiple monitors filter: How can I launch a program directly into second monitor without buying Ultramon? Is there a command line tag I can put into the shortcut for instance? Situation: 2 monitors.

Problem: I want my text editor to always launch into the second monitor when I launch the program. Right now it always launches into the first (primary) monitor. (Its a weird program, other programs will launch into second monitor if I close them once they're on second monitor, but not this program).

Ultramon has a way to do this but costs 40 bucks. Is there a command line thing or some other way I can do this that you know of? Thanks!

God, I miss America's Job Bank...

thewalrusispaul — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:23:54 -0800

I'm looking for free places on the internet to post multiple, very similar positions in multiple cities... And a way to do it without being seen as a "spammer" (a la multiple postings on Craigslist.org). See explanation... So...

I'm looking for free internet sites that'll allow me to post multiple positions in multiple cities without marking me as a "spammer" (which I'm not). Craigslist.org only allows you to post 1 "same" position every 48 hours per category, regardless of location. Otherwise, I'm guessing my hiring would be complete.

I've tried Kijiji, Google Base, state job sites and a few others. But the response just isn't there. Does anyone have other suggestions? The positions are of the 1099 (Contract) sort and are happening for a rather short period of time.

Thanks!

Multiple blogs

phaedon — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:42:21 -0800

I'm looking for a CMS/blog that allows for multiple "installations" to be maintained through one control panel and also allows me to add custom fields. I want to adapt a CMS/blog to keep track of separate project logs that can be maintained by one user in an office environment. I don't want to do separate installs because that means the person has to keep logging in to different control panels. I should also mention that I can't use Movable Type because I am using MAMP to run these logs locally on Mac OS X and I haven't figured out how to install MT (because of Perl). Hence something with a PHP backend.

Practical use for multiple desktop screens?

mamessner — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:17:04 -0800

What are some practical uses for multiple switchable desktop screens? I find the option of having multiple switchable desktops in Linux interesting, if not terribly practical. I see there's a power toy to do this in Windows, too.

A lot of the eye candy in Linux (compiz fusion, etc.) involves multiple desktops. How do you MeFites use multiple desktops? I can't think of a practical application for this.

Of course, it took me a while to really grok having tabs in an internet browser, and now I couldn't live without them...

Nikon multiple (2+) wireless flash: what's the best pro rig?

asuprenant — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:15:11 -0800

Shooting with a Nikon D80 camera and SB-800 flash, I will add three additional flashes in the next year. What should they be? I will buy at least one additional SB-800 for use with the Nikon CLS wireless triggering system but am wondering what would be better: a set of 4 SB-800s or a combination of cheaper flashes (ie SB-28s) with the pricier but oft-lauded Pocket Wizard wireless triggers.

I shoot mostly portraits and events now but am interested in multiple flashes for real estate interiors and also studio portraits and tabletop work.

Economy is always great, but I'm most interested in a professional solution that will work over time, all the time.

I am also considering studio strobes - now or down the road - but am attracted to the flexibility and portability of smaller flashes.

I've seen a lot on Strobist and read many of Ken Rockwell's articles on these subjects but would love to hear your experiences and thoughts!

Is there a name for this film technique?

Addlepated — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:57:48 -0800

Is there a formal name for a part of a movie that shows the same scene 3 or 4 times, sometimes from different angles or in slow motion (or both)? I thought that a film prof way back in the late 80s or so said that there was a formal name for this time of editing sequence, but I can't remember what it was and I can't seem to find it. Anyone know?

I'm talking about like when they show an explosion or something crucial/climactic to the plot several times right in a row, varying camera angles or speed in each shot.

How can I see pages side-by-side in Acrobat 8?

penciltopper — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:52:37 -0800

How can I open multiple pages at once in Acrobat, so I can see them side-by-side? I have Acrobat Standard 8.

I have some documents where I'd like to compare pages - see 12 with page 37 side-by side, for instance.

I can't seem to find a way to open both at the same time - only to pop back-and-forth betwen bookmarks.

How does one open several pages at once in the same document, or open multiple instances of Acrobat at once?

Help me find an online reminder

leigh1 — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:05:46 -0800

I need an online reminder which will send me an email reminder for one task one 4 different dates: tomorrow, after 7 days, after 15 days and after 30 days. I tried Remember the Milk, but it seems it only works with one date.

Our .edu is jealous of her prettier, more popular .com sister

Fred Mars — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:50:39 -0800

My university department has a dept.com as well as a dept.univ.edu domain. The .com is just a pointer to the .edu. dept.com is the top google result for searches on our name, but results for dept.univ.edu are buried many pages deep. Here is the problem: there is now a problem with registration of dept.com, so Google's links are not working. What can we do? Is it possible to have Google replace instances of one with another or something? I don't understand this fully, obviously, but afaik the problem stems from DNS changes made by my university's IT dept. Furthermore, they do not agree with my dept's desire to have a .com domain. Our .com registrar says there is nothing they can do, because the school's DNS servers are not in the .com/.net registry.

Can Google even do anything about this? More people on the web are linking to the .com, which explains its higher rank in search results, right? I used their webmaster tools to explicitly add our .edu URL, but it seems that does not guarantee anything. The .edu is ostensibly our "official" URL. That is, it is the one on printed materials, business cards, etc. But does that concept even make sense, Google-wise?

Okay, I hope that made sense. I know I am confused. It seems to me that the simplest solution is the political one: convince the school to allow our .com and make it work. Barring that, what are my other options? What should I be doing to move the .edu above the .com in search results?