Zipped Photos

[cx]

JC, or one of y'all other computer geniuses:

Z done sent me one or more pichers as an attachment. The attachment says they are in .zip format. I can't open it. My confuser axes me what program I wanna use. I tell it my photo program, "Thumbs". It says "OK fine, it's in there". But I still get no photos.

What's wrong with this picture?

How bad was that unintentional pun?

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[JC]

Thats an easy one, you can download this program for free http://www.winzip.com/ or if you already have a un- zip program you can just use yours.

Problem is that there is a little tiny trick to doing it that not many people know.

Ok first i'll say that if a program type(extension) has never been associated with a program you will get a screen that list all the programs and then you can pick one from that so the computer knows after that how to handel the extension.(what program to open it with)

Now if the extension has already been assigned to a program and you wish for some reason to assign it to another program
You will need to do this:

go into your (shell)Explorer(right click the start menu button and chose 'explore').

Find the file in question and highlight it(left click once)
Then using your other hand hold down the 'SHIFT" button and at the same time right click the file right click it after it is highlighted.

You will then get a menu that has the option 'open with...'
Click that and you will get a list of other programs you can use to open the file. (if in doubt of what a program is 'notepad' will be helpful sometimes)

If you dont hold the shift button and right click you will not get the "open with..." option just an 'open' option.

By installing Winzip it should automatically assign all '.ZIP' files to be opened with Winzip so that might be the easier option for you.

Hope this helps.

[cx]

BINGO!

Went into the shell as instructed, tole it Thumbs, went to Thumbs and there it was.

Now. How the hell am I supposed to remember that? Never heard of Explore. Never heard of Shift+Right Click. I have such a low tolerance for ignorance when it's mine.

Thanks, JC, you da man!

Should I download that winzip anyway? Wait, first I should find out if I already have it. Would it show up as a program, or must I search otherwise?

[Rob Z]

Damn, JC, why are you foolin' with tile? Why not work in the computer field? Make more in two hours than the rest of us do in a week!

Rob

[flatfloor]

Kelly, I have to tell you, in all my years of experience your ignorance of computers has only been exceeded by one other person, ME!

[cx]

Believe it or not, Jim, I know a number of people who are less computer literate than I. I'm always amazed that they don't just kill themselves, as I am so frequently tempted to do. It's maddening, I tell you.

And there ol' JC sits, snickering to hisownself!

[Bud Cline]

flatfloor: "Kelly, I have to tell you, in all my years of experience your ignorance of computers has only been exceeded by one other person, ME"!


"I resemble that remark"!!!

[Rob Z]

Breveler

Don't count me out in the stupid-with-computer department.

How frequently do I yell for Christina while using this damn thing? A LOT.

How often have I wanted to reach for the 12 g. and blast the monitor? OFTEN.

I don't like or understand things that don't have moving parts, gears, transmissions, torque, horsepower, blades, motors, crankshafts, axles,... have I made my point?

JC, don't tell me that the computer counts cos it's got that spinning C drive thingy.

Z

[flatfloor]

I plan to do it humanely, death by injection. The only reason I can post this right now is it's asleep.

[Rob Z]

Yeah, injection...with napalm.

[John Bridge]

Do you guys remember HAL in the movie "2001"? Every one of our computers is more powerful (and more intelligent than HAL). Watch what you say.

[Rob Z]

That movie creeped me out when I first saw it. I still love "The Blue Danube", though. It's one of my favorite pieces of music.

[flatfloor]

Just had another mental flash image Rob! You doing your Zorro bit to The Blue Danube.

[John Bridge]

By God, that would be precious, Rob. Make sure Christina has the video cam going. I think we can do "Real" on here.

[Rob Z]

Just a little more Tequila than I had last week, and you just might get it!

[JC]

cx, The SHIFT+RIGHT CLICK thing is somekind of secret microsoft seems to have...i dunno, But everyone runs into that same trouble somewhere in there computer career. I just don't understand why they can't just give you the option to 'open with' without having to use the shift button...go figure.
Winzip is a good program that has been around for years, But basically if your'thumbs' program un-zips and does'nt piss you off in anyway then there is no real reason to put another program into the mix. If it aint broken don't fix it.
Also I would urge everyone to use the 'shell' Explorer because that is where it all happens and will allow you to understand what is going on and be able to control things. I use all day long, even have it programed to open up with a click of my upper left mouse button. Quiker than using the start menu and you can set up certain folders etc.. In fact when I teach newbies how to use the computer for the first time that is the first thing I show them, how to use the explorer, coz if you know that then everything else makes more sense later on. Aviod the infamous "well i saved it but I dont know where it's at".

[John Bridge]

"Upper left mouse button." You got lower left mouse button? Tell me it ain't so.

[Bud Cline]

I used to do tequila many many years ago, well actually it used to do me I just thought I was doin' it. Mexico style, a little lemon a little salt a little shot, over and over. One night I took out three gas pumps 80 feet of chain link and a parked tree, but only after I changed some guys chevrolet into a Schwinn.

[Rob Z]

Bud

Of the many times I have over-indulged in Tequila, most were in college and most led to some real trouble. I never did any hard drugs, but I am convinced that Tequila is not really alcohol but instead some form of narcotic.

My latest was reeeaaallll stupid, and I shall not post it on the web. I will save the story if I ever meet you in person. Preferably over beers at a local watering hole.

Z

[cx]

JC:

Always wishing to learn more and will make an effort to look into the Shift+Right thing. But, while I have some grasp of the Open With feature, you have actually made it a bit more confused.

When the Outlook Express program doesn't know how to open something, it axes you what you want to open it with and gives you that option window with all the program thingees in it.

On the photo attachments in question, I had already tole it to use Thumbs and it said OK it would do that - but didn't.

When I did your Explore thing, and basically got the same thing with the Open With function, I tole it one more time that I wanted Thumbs and it said OK - but this time it was in the Thumbs program right where I wanted it.

And perhaps the biggest problem I've always had with the confuser sending me automatically to the Open With list is that I usually have no damn idea what to select 'cause I don't know what it's not able to open EITHER!

How long does it take you to teach an emersion type course on the kind of thing we are discussing here?

[Rob Z]

John

How about a computerese board here on JB? Moderated by JC himself?

Z

[JC]

ok, as far as knowing what programs are made to open what file extensions, that kinda comes with time, and with the thousands of file extensions out there you will most likely never know them all. Notepad will sometimes help you to see the file is your not sure but not always.
This may give you a better idea.
Go into Explorer and click on 'view' on the menu up top,
Go down to 'folder options', now click on the 'file types' tab. And there will be a list of extensions and the programs that are set to open them.

As far as outlook is concerned, like I said if your computer does'nt have an extension assigned to a program yet any time you try to open it (from any program) you will get the option box asking you.
BUT, remember Outlook is a mail program so as such I am assuming you are trying to opem files that you don't know what they are. Be very careful with opening up unknown e-mail attachments!! Some are considered safe like .jpg .gif etc.. but never open up .exe or .pif or executables like that unless you know the sender very well. If you know the sender but don't know the extension then and it does not open just write the sender back and ask what program to open it with..(or just post it maybe one of us will reconize it).

Now another thing to keep in mind about the options screen is that it is a microsoft program and as such certain things don't always work right. One of those things is the little check box that says 'always use this program to open this type of file' this does not always work and is very prone to forget for some unexplained reason(see:computer bugs).

As far as learning is concerned I can tell you have a good grasp of computers and will learn pretty fast every thing you need to know at least.
Kinda like when someone post a tile question you can tell if they just need a couple of pointers or if they are better off hiring someone else to do it, if ya know what I mean.

If you continue having trouble opening up those .zip files then before you get too frustrated just download Winzip and it will automatically assoiciate those file types to itself for you.

[Bud Cline]

Hey guys here's a suggestion. Computer questions and answers now appear in at least three different locations. I opened a thread called "Computer Class" in hopes that we could keep this info there for future easy access. I need all the help I can get and never know where to look for anything. "HELP" sucks if you don't understand computerdoms lingo to begin with.

THX

[cx]

Hey, Bud, that's a great ideal (he said in his best Texan), only, where did you pewt this alleged thread?

[flatfloor]

Kelly, you are ahead of me. I never know what program to use. Funny, and I'm being serious, I thought Notepad was an abreviated version of Word.

Computer forum sounds great!

[cx]

Oh, yeah, Jim, way ahead.

That's zactly what I thought Notepad is.

JC gonna 'splain us forthwith I betcha.

[John Bridge]

Okay, here's the deal. As I think you know, this software is capable of generating an unlimited number of boards (at least an unspecified number). The problem as I see it, and the reason I resist opening new boards, is that you then have to take the time to read them. And I spend a lot of time not only here but on other boards -- as I know most of you do.

However . . . .

The kind of computer discussion that has been going on here does not occur in too many places. If JC is willing to moderate/teach/field questions, well, let's give it a try.

It kinda makes me look good, too. What other tile related site has a "geek" forum?

So keep your eyes open. Here it comes -- the new John Bridge Advanced Computer Comp. School and Board, moderated by JC.

[John Bridge]

Well, this one could be moved to the new forum, JC.

[JC]

Ah heck I did'nt even notice the new forum..thx guys