Q&A: Questions and Answers

[Omega Entity]

Ouch. I can't imagine using PS for spriting.

[Switch]

since nobody mentioned it yet SAI comes with some good built-in tools for spriting too. it's what i do all my pixel work in.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Switch

[Renhart]

Ouch. I can't imagine using PS for spriting.

I'm genuinely curious why that is? I always assumed PS was the most versatile.

 

While I'm here... does anyone know what to do when your Chrome extensions are grayed out? I googled the problem but people keep saying it's something that happens when you download them from third-party sites, which I didn't. I tried removing and reinstalling but they still don't work even though they're marked as enabled.

[Obscure_Trash]

While I'm here... does anyone know what to do when your Chrome extensions are grayed out? I googled the problem but people keep saying it's something that happens when you download them from third-party sites, which I didn't. I tried removing and reinstalling but they still don't work even though they're marked as enabled.

Did you update chrome recently? Are the extensions still compatible with your version of chrome?

 

Try closing chrome, going to task manager and ending chrome from there if it is still open, then restarting chrome. If that doesn't work, try disabling all your extensions and doing the same thing.

 

If none of that works, try disabling all your extensions then reenabling them individually one at a time. Do any of them work with the others disabled or does it make no difference? If there's just one that doesn't work, it could be out of date or have some corruption issue with it that you'll have to be dealt with separate.

 

If none of that works, does a malware scan turn anything up?

[Omega Entity]

I'm genuinely curious why that is? I always assumed PS was the most versatile.

Honestly, it's way too much program for something that only requires simple tools. I find it rather unwieldy to have dozens of tools and options, when a specialized program makes things so much more simple. Plus, it's more resource-intensive than other programs more suited to the task.

[Renhart]

After closing Chrome through task manager I got most of the extensions back. Alientube is the only one still broken though so I guess it's corrupted somehow. Thanks for the tips.

 

Honestly, it's way too much program for something that only requires simple tools. I find it rather unwieldy to have dozens of tools and options, when a specialized program makes things so much more simple. Plus, it's more resource-intensive than other programs more suited to the task.

True. I figured you could ex out whatever you didn't want, but I see how it could still be overwhelming.

[AppleMango]

I was wondering if someone can tell me if there is something that happens in America that I don't know about in early-mid April? A TV-related thing

Arrow, The Flash and Supernatural all had a little break and I'm just wondering why?

(please help the confused Australian )

Thanks

 

[nepenthe.catharsis]

I am working on a surprise project for a friend. His father recently passed away and i am making a collage of sorts with some old photos that i have.

here is the thing i need help with. I dont speak Spanish but my friend's family does.

 

can anyone please tell me if these are correct and if not, what is?

 

"

In memory of

"

En recuerdo de

or

En memoria de

 

 

and

 

"

December 14, 1932 ~ March 30, 2016

"

14 de Diciembre de 1932 ~ 31 de Marzo de 2016

 

 

thank you, if you can help it is greatly appreciated.

Edited May 14, 2016 by nepenthe.catharsis

[Raistlin24]

I am working on a surprise project for a friend. His father recently passed away and i am making a collage of sorts with some old photos that i have.

here is the thing i need help with. I dont speak Spanish but my friend's family does.

 

can anyone please tell me if these are correct and if not, what is?

 

"

In memory of

"

En recuerdo de

or

En memoria de

 

 

and

 

"

December 14, 1932 ~ March 30, 2016

"

14 de Diciembre de 1932 ~ 31 de Marzo de 2016

 

 

thank you, if you can help it is greatly appreciated.

 

Both "en recuerdo de" and "en memoria de" are correct. There may be a subtle difference, but they're both used interchangeably here (Spain). Which one is more common may depend on the country though.

 

Names of months are written without caps. The dates are otherwise correct though.

[nepenthe.catharsis]

Raistlin24 thank you a thousand times!

[ewi]

Ok, I kow the questions here have to be non-DC related, and some might consider this one semi-related, but... I have no-one to ask.

 

I've recently got a new laptop, after 8 (!) years of having the old one, and oh boy how things have changed. Suddenly I am on Windows 10, everything is shiny and new and I like it a lot, but there is this one thing that drives me nuts. Refreshing the sites. The f5 button doesn't work, after some major research now I know that ctrl + R work as a refresh, but pressing those two buttons at the same time is hard for me. I feel it in my spine, really. Is there a way to change settings and somehow make f5 work again?

[Aqub]

Ok, I kow the questions here have to be non-DC related, and some might consider this one semi-related, but... I have no-one to ask.

 

I've recently got a new laptop, after 8 (!) years of having the old one, and oh boy how things have changed. Suddenly I am on Windows 10, everything is shiny and new and I like it a lot, but there is this one thing that drives me nuts. Refreshing the sites. The f5 button doesn't work, after some major research now I know that ctrl + R work as a refresh, but pressing those two buttons at the same time is hard for me. I feel it in my spine, really. Is there a way to change settings and somehow make f5 work again?

Try going to the control panel, and clicking adjust commonly used mobility settings. There may be a setting for changing your function keys there.

Does fn + f5 also work for reloading? If it does, you may be able to turn on "fn lock" by holding the fn key and pressing esc, if it works then f5 alone will reload.

 

Sorry, maybe someone who knows more about computers (and especially windows 10 because I've never seen it before...) will answer.

 

Other than that, if you don't want to hold down two keys, you can put something heavy enough to hold the key down on the ctrl/fn key (depending on what shortcut you use) so you don't have to hold it down yourself. Or if it's possible on the style of keyboard you have you can tape the key down while hunting?

Edited May 17, 2016 by aqub

[Pyrowings]

So recently I've been having bouts of insomnia, starting Monday.

I highly suspect it has something to do with a 5-paragraph paper issued with our exam approaching, but anyway...

 

So I'm usually really good at managing stress, but over the course of this semester, I'm been losing sleep an inordinate amount of times, and now with exams starting, I'm getting more worried about this.

So does anyone have any tips for going to sleep?

[ewi]

 

Other than that, if you don't want to hold down two keys, you can put something heavy enough to hold the key down on the ctrl/fn key (depending on what shortcut you use) so you don't have to hold it down yourself. Or if it's possible on the style of keyboard you have you can tape the key down while hunting?

Thank you, aqub, I will try it all. And those fixes with tape and heavy things made me smile, that's what I call a down-to-Earth approach Very creative, I didn't think about it.

 

 

[Aqub]

So recently I've been having bouts of insomnia, starting Monday.

I highly suspect it has something to do with a 5-paragraph paper issued with our exam approaching, but anyway...

 

So I'm usually really good at managing stress, but over the course of this semester, I'm been losing sleep an inordinate amount of times, and now with exams starting, I'm getting more worried about this.

So does anyone have any tips for going to sleep?

There are a lot of different things that different people would say for this, but I think one of the most important things to help with sleep is to make sure you have a set time when you at least try to go to bed. That will help your body know when it's time to sleep. If you've been staying up very late and need to move your bedtime an hour earlier a few days at a time, that could work well. It can be hard, but stick to it.

 

As for actually falling asleep, sometimes focusing on your breathing and taking deep breaths can help you relax. Sometimes it doesn't, but it's very popular advice when it comes to getting to sleep. Since you're having trouble sleeping due to stress, I would make sure that while you're trying to fall asleep, you think about something else. You can tell yourself stories in your head or play quiet music. You just need something else to focus on. That's what helps me sleep, at least.

 

I also wanted to add that you don't need to worry so much about your essay that it keeps you from sleeping. Just do your best and everything will be okay. *Hug*

[catmosphere]

So recently I've been having bouts of insomnia, starting Monday.

I highly suspect it has something to do with a 5-paragraph paper issued with our exam approaching, but anyway...

 

So I'm usually really good at managing stress, but over the course of this semester, I'm been losing sleep an inordinate amount of times, and now with exams starting, I'm getting more worried about this.

So does anyone have any tips for going to sleep?

in addition to aqub's suggestions, here's some more ways to help you get more rest:

• herbs! lavender and chamomile are both natural sleep aids and stress relievers, so they're perfect for this use. you can receive their benefits in a few different ways. if you enjoy taking baths, you can use bath salts or bombs, or if you prefer a hot shower, look into shower discs. burning a scented candle or incense before bed has a similar effect, but if you have an essential oil diffuser, that might deliver more of the herbs' desired effects. you could also use an infused pillow spray, similar to this one. however, do make sure you aren't allergic to either of these plants, and make sure they don't react with any current medication you might be taking!
• hot drinks! if you like tea, this would be a good opportunity to try out a lavender or chamomile blend of tea. if you're not a tea person, (like i am,) you can also sip warm milk before bed and make a routine out of it. the type of milk doesn't matter, so if you're vegan/vegetarian or simply lactose intolerant, chose the one best for you! as a note however, make sure you have your drink a good 1-2 hours before bed to ensure it takes effect and digests properly.
• hot showers/baths! take your time and enjoy it. bonus points for adding aromatherapy, but even a simple, long, hot shower or bath can get you nice and relaxed for bedtime. afterwards, pamper yourself with your favorite lotion or body oil, use a facial mask or toner, or deep condition your hair. whatever you do, treat yourself!
• limit electronic use! while it's tough to do, i tend to fall asleep easier if i haven't stared at a screen in the last hour before bed. if you do need to use your computer or phone at night, however, look into a software called f.lux! it makes your computer screen warmer at night so that it's easier on your eyes, and you can read more about it here.
• sound therapy! whether it's in the form of an app on your phone or a sound machine, (like this one,) listening to tracks of rain falling or waves crashing on a beach are my fav way of falling asleep. i personally use an app on my phone, and i usually let it play throughout the night with my headphones in. you could also hook your phone up to a stereo w/ an aux cord, but that's up to you. there's also tons of websites that offer a similar experience, my favorites being rainymood and soundrown.
• medicine! this is probably incredibly obvious, but look into getting OTC sleep aids. however, if these do you no justice, it never hurts to see a doctor.

whatever you choose to do, i wish you luck getting some rest, and good luck on your exams!

[Pyrowings]

Ahhh thank you! Both of you!

 

And speaking of Catmosphere's suggestion, I only remembered then that there's chamomile in the house starting from your post. Time to make a habit, I guess.

[Renhart]

I want to make jewellery out of polymer clay and I found a big bag of clay that I bought years ago. Trouble is that most of it is modelling clay and I don't know how to tell it apart from polymer clay since it's all dried out. So maybe someone has tips on how to tell the two apart (texture, smell, etc.)? And that leads to my other question...

 

Someone answered here saying that modelling clay can apparently be used to make molds, but they didn't explain how. I'd like to know how I can do this and what materials I need, or is this completely bogus?

Edited May 20, 2016 by Booo

[Omega Entity]

Modelling clay makes your fingers feel extremely greasy when you work with it and is generally pretty soft, whereas polymer tends to be more firm. Modelling clay also doesn't harden, as it's oil-based. Different brands of polymer have different firmness. Do you remember what brand it was?

 

I remember using oil-based clay back in college to make silicone molds - one half of the object I wanted to make a mold of was encased in the clay, and the silicone spread over top of it, followed by a thick layer of plaster on top of the cured silicone to help it hold its shape. Once everything is set, the the mold is flipped over, the clay removed, the surface thoroughly cleaned, a release (like vaseline) is applied to the silicone around the original object (the thing you're casting, left in the silicone), silicone is applied to that, another layer of plaster once that's cured...

 

In other words, it's a rather involved process, and isn't very efficient for jewelry mold-making. you'd be better of getting a kit for pushmold making (which can be a bit pricey for larger castings), or you can look into some tutorials on using silicone in a tube (as in, the kind you buy for sealing things in a house - but it has to be pure silicone) to make affordable molds.

 

[Renhart]

Thank you, very informative. The polymer clay is either Fimo or Sculpey, but I don't think there's any way of telling since I don't have the original plastic it came with. I bought more Sculpey though so I'll probably play around with comparing the new and the old and see what comes of it.

[andromedae]

Anyone here experienced with emotional recovery? I kind of have a lot of emotional conflict, but due to life's circumstances I am unable to obtain professional help. Is there any sort of measure I can take in order to improve my emotional stability or resilience?

[Omega Entity]

Thank you, very informative. The polymer clay is either Fimo or Sculpey, but I don't think there's any way of telling since I don't have the original plastic it came with. I bought more Sculpey though so I'll probably play around with comparing the new and the old and see what comes of it.

Just a heads up on the Sculpey - the Sculpey Original and Sculpey III are extremely brittle after baking. Sculpey Firm and Super Sculpey are both very durable, and can be mixed together to create a nice medium if Firm is too hard and Super is too soft. Those work well for figures and such, due to the durability, though they'll need to be painted since neither comes in colors.

 

Premo has some flexibility after being baked (but not ridiculously so), and won't shatter like III will. Souffle is similar as well.

 

Fimo Soft is a good all-around as well, as far as making small jewelry pieces. I've looked into Fimo Professional, and have found it to be too soft for my tastes. Oddly enough, if you buy Premo and -that's- too soft, you can make it more firm by Fimo Mix Quick Clay softener.

 

There's also strategies for baking that make the clay more durable, involving baking for twice the length at -20 degrees of the recommended bake time, as well as quenching the clay when it comes out of the over.

 

let me know, and I can send you some links to some handy resources

[Cinspawn]

Anyone here experienced with emotional recovery? I kind of have a lot of emotional conflict, but due to life's circumstances I am unable to obtain professional help. Is there any sort of measure I can take in order to improve my emotional stability or resilience?

You could read up on methods psychologists use. It would also help a lot if you have someone to talk to, even if they're not a professional (though be wary of any advice ofcourse, even this advice).

 

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk about it/want more info. I've been visiting psychologists for years.

 

-----

 

Google spreadsheet related question:

 

How do I change this green border into either another color, or remove it completely? The border-color option in the bar above doesn't seem to work...?

 

https://i.imgur.com/cHSo7Eg.png ~Linked for size~

 

Edit: I could remove the green line by turning off the filter. Not sure if it's what I'm looking for but hey at least its gone.

Edited May 29, 2016 by SockPuppet Strangler

[Aquenee]

Alright, this is probably a very simple and silly question but for some reason, even an hour on Google couldn't help me.

 

I'm looking for the word for something you give up temporarily to someone you borrow something from. Basically you lend it to them for as long as you're borrowing something, and that way that person can trust you to return whatever it is you borrowed.

 

For instance, if I need to borrow a pen, I give you my shoe. Sure, my shoe might not have any real use to you, but at least you can now trust me to return your pen because I'm obviously going to need my shoe back. What on earth is the word for this? It's somehow evaded me for months.

[~Magpie~]

Alright, this is probably a very simple and silly question but for some reason, even an hour on Google couldn't help me.

 

I'm looking for the word for something you give up temporarily to someone you borrow something from. Basically you lend it to them for as long as you're borrowing something, and that way that person can trust you to return whatever it is you borrowed.

 

For instance, if I need to borrow a pen, I give you my shoe. Sure, my shoe might not have any real use to you, but at least you can now trust me to return your pen because I'm obviously going to need my shoe back. What on earth is the word for this? It's somehow evaded me for months.

I'm pretty sure you mean collateral~