Serial communication remains essential for embedded systems, microcontroller programming, and legacy hardware integration. The Win32 API provides direct control over COM ports through a straightforward set of functions: CreateFile() to open the port, GetCommState() and SetCommState() to configure parameters, and ReadFile()/WriteFile() for I/O operations. Opening the COM Port Start by opening the port with appropriate…
Use std::filesystem for all new code. It’s exception-safe, cross-platform, and requires no external dependencies. #include <filesystem> #include <iostream> void ListAllFiles(const char *folderPath) { for (const auto& entry : std::filesystem::recursive_directory_iterator(folderPath)) { std::cout << entry.path() << std::endl; } } To filter by file type, check the entry status: void ListRegularFiles(const char *folderPath) { for (const auto& entry…
Java Applets were obsolete by 2016 and removed from Java 9+. If you need a browser-based system monitoring dashboard, use WebSockets or Server-Sent Events paired with modern JavaScript charting libraries. WebSocket + Python Backend Architecture The most practical setup streams metrics from a Python backend to connected clients using WebSockets. Clients render real-time charts without…
Managing proxy settings through the GUI is tedious, especially when you need to switch between multiple proxy servers frequently. Rather than hunting through settings menus each time, command-line tools eliminate friction and enable scripted deployments across your infrastructure. The original SetProxy tool is outdated and incompatible with modern Windows versions. Use netsh or PowerShell instead—both…
Blocking window closure in MFC applications is necessary for critical operations, multi-step dialogs, and workflows that require user confirmation before exit. This requires handling both the close button and the Alt+F4 keyboard shortcut. Removing the Close Button from the System Menu The simplest approach is to remove SC_CLOSE from the system menu in your dialog’s…
Embedding child dialogs within a parent dialog is a practical technique for organizing complex MFC applications. This approach modularizes your UI by breaking it into logical, reusable components rather than cramming everything into a single dialog resource. Basic Implementation Create the child dialog as a WS_CHILD window and position it within the parent’s client area….
OCaml is a practical functional language with strong static typing and pattern matching. If you’re coming from systems programming or looking to add functional paradigms to your toolkit, these resources will accelerate your learning. Primary Learning Resources Real World OCaml by Yaron Minsky, Anil Madhavapeddy, and Jason Hickey remains the standard reference for modern OCaml…
Building tabular data displays in MFC requires significant effort since the framework lacks a native grid control. Developers historically filled this gap with third-party solutions, but the landscape has shifted considerably. GridCtrl: The Legacy Choice The GridCtrl implementation from CodeProject was the de facto standard for years. If you’re maintaining MFC applications in 2026, you’ll…
Use FindWindowW() to locate a window by class name or title: HWND wnd = FindWindowW(NULL, L”Calculator”); if (wnd == NULL) { wprintf(L”Window not found\n”); return 1; } The first parameter is the window class name (NULL to skip). The second is the window title. Always use wide-character versions (FindWindowW(), GetWindowTextW()) for Unicode compatibility—ANSI variants like…
Understanding tradeoffs between these structures is essential for algorithm design: Memory allocation: Arrays use contiguous memory (better cache locality); linked lists scatter across memory with pointer references Access time: Array O(1) random access; linked list O(n) traversal required Insertion/deletion: Arrays require O(n) shifts; linked lists require O(1) pointer updates when position is known Size: Arrays…
Use std::hex to format output as hexadecimal. This manipulator sets the basefield of the stream, affecting all subsequent integer output until you change it. #include <iostream> int main() { int x = 255; std::cout << “x in hexadecimal: ” << std::hex << x << std::endl; return 0; } Output: x in hexadecimal: ff By default,…
Converting strings to integers is a fundamental operation in C++, but the method you choose affects both code clarity and performance. Here are the four main approaches, ranked by use case. std::stoi() — The Default Choice std::stoi() is the standard C++11 method for most situations. It’s exception-based, handles whitespace automatically, and works with custom number…
MFC applications built with older Visual C++ versions often render with the classic Windows 95 appearance, ignoring modern system visual styles. This happens because the application isn’t explicitly linked to Common Controls v6.0, which provides visual styles support. On modern Windows systems (Windows Vista and later), this looks particularly jarring compared to contemporary applications. The…
JNI lets you call native C/C++ functions from Java on Windows. This guide covers the complete workflow with modern tooling. Prerequisites JDK 17 or later (JDK 21 LTS recommended) Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 or Visual Studio Build Tools MSVC C/C++ compiler javac for compilation and header generation Step 1: Write the Java Code Create your…
Connecting to MySQL from JSP requires the mysql-connector-j JDBC driver and proper connection handling. The old mysql-connector-java artifact is deprecated—switch to mysql-connector-j, which supports MySQL 8.0+ with modern SSL/TLS, authentication plugins, and performance improvements. Dependency Management Add mysql-connector-j via Maven or Gradle. Maven is standard for modern Java projects: <dependency> <groupId>com.mysql</groupId> <artifactId>mysql-connector-j</artifactId> <version>8.4.0</version> </dependency> For…
Web2 Icons is a free, unencumbered icon set designed with a clean, iPhone-inspired aesthetic that works well for social media links. It’s straightforward to integrate and requires no licensing overhead — useful when you need social icons fast without design work. What’s in the Package The set includes icons for major platforms: RSS, Twitter, Facebook,…
BBCode is a lightweight markup language commonly used in forums and legacy content systems. It’s simpler than HTML and more readable in raw form. While WordPress focuses on its block editor and native HTML support, you can add BBCode parsing if your content or users require it—though in most cases, modern alternatives are better choices….
HTML character encoding determines how characters are represented in your source code and rendered in browsers. UTF-8 is the standard, but understanding when and how to use character entities remains essential for reserved characters, symbols, and special cases. UTF-8: The Default Standard Modern HTML5 documents should always declare UTF-8 encoding: <!DOCTYPE html> <html lang=”en”> <head>…
The WordPress block editor (Gutenberg) and legacy visual editor can mangle custom HTML, delete formatting, and cause frustration for users who work directly with code. If you prefer writing HTML directly or need to preserve complex markup, you can disable the visual editing experience entirely. Disable for Your Own Account The simplest approach is to…
Cloudflare is a widely-used CDN and DDoS mitigation service that caches content globally and improves performance. DreamHost offers native integration, though understanding the DNS setup—particularly for apex domains—is critical for avoiding routing issues. Quick Setup Through DreamHost Control Panel The fastest path for most domains: Log into your DreamHost account Navigate to Domains → Manage…