For the genuinely confused.
Here’s a fun trick for all you VBA grammar enthusiasts out there. All 6 of you.
There exists something called a SynonymInfo Object. It lets you access things like definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and parts of speech in Word. Cool beans, right?
Continue reading “VBA: How to Extract Parts of Speech in Word”
Did you know you can create an array of images?! I just learned this. And the really exciting part is that you can rig up Processing to look through your Sketch folder to get the names of images to load into that array.
Continue reading “Processing: How to Load All Images in a Sketch Folder”
Poltergeist was hands down the scariest movie I saw as a child. It hard coded my brain to associate static on television with sinister messages from the beyond. Now that I’m older, I’ve come to the realization that static is a great place to hide all kinds of messages (thanks Poltergeist). And Processing is the obvious place to make that happen.
Continue reading “Processing: How to Hide Messages in Static”
mouseMoved() never seemed like a particularly useful tool in Processing until I started experimenting with different timeline set-ups. Turns out, it’s marvelous.
Continue reading “Processing: How to Code a Scrolling Timeline”
This is my first and possibly only foray into the madness that is constructing a YouTube video. I’ve been watching the Vlog Brothers for years, and I’ve never appreciated the effort that goes into it. Pick a topic, write a script, animate the graphics, trim clips, find background music, and also, cut around all your foul language because YouTube does not take kindly to that.
I did that after doing a lot of other research on the basics of YouTube for a non-YouTuber.
So, as a supplement to this VBA video tutorial, I’ve condensed my background research for anyone out there who might also be considering a jump from WordPress to YouTube.
I’ve found that many people see Python, the programming language, much the same way they see Pythons, the scary-ass snakes. If you haven’t dealt with it before, chances are you’re going to think it’s not to be trusted. There’s no way I could convince my mom, for instance, to open up a .py file on her computer.
She will, however, open up a Word document no questions asked.
The human mouth is kind of a bastard. Animating it frame-by-frame requires a patience that I just don’t have. Blender has shape keys that can help you mold lips into different configurations for each sound, but you still have to set keyframes to match up with a particular word at each and every frame.
Or you can be lazy. Like me.
Continue reading “Python: How to Automate Shape Keys in Blender”
Back to my Spanish language Processing project. The original version is scripted to operate as flashcards, but what I really want is a game that’ll keep me more engaged. I’m a millennial with a raging case of undiagnosed ADD. I need game screens.
Continue reading “Processing: How to Control Game Screens with Mouse Clicks”
Like most freelancers out there, I don’t have spare cash for subscription fees. Approximately 99.9% of my disposable income goes toward coffee, booze, and books. Side-note: If you haven’t read Stiff by Mary Roach, you should. Informative but also surprisingly lighthearted.
Back to the point. Graphic design, photo editing, 3D modeling, GIS packages—the serious stuff can swallow your wallet whole. Luckily, the internet is a magical place, full of open-source alternatives to help level the playing field. Here’s my top picks.
