She almost crawling but she can stand up and walk along anything she can hold on.  She also likes to browse books too.  Don’t believe me?  See the video!  She got that book off the stack herself and opened it.  Then when she’s done, she stands up and circles her exersaucer eating carrots.

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setTimeout( function(o) { o.method() }, 1000, this );

It creates an intermediate function which accepts your instance from the parameters and calls your method.  Essentially what everyone else does, but more simple.

Here is a sample script:

function MyObject()
{
	this.count = 0;
}

MyObject.prototype.tick = function( interval )
{
	this.count++;
	alert( "Tick #" + this.count.toString() +
          " every " + ( interval / 1000 ).toFixed(1) +
          " seconds!" );
}

MyObject.prototype.start = function( interval )
{
	this.timer =
          setInterval( function(o) { o.tick( interval ) }, 1000, this );
}

MyObject.prototype.stop = function()
{
	clearInterval( this.timer );
}

var it = new MyObject();
it.start( 1500 );

Here are the other solutions that I have found:

function tick( _this, interval )
{
	this = _this;
	alert( "Tick #" + this.count.toString() +
          " every " + ( interval / 1000 ).toFixed(1) +
          " seconds!" );
}

MyObject.prototype.start = function( interval )
{
	setInterval( tick, 1500, this, interval );
}

MyObject.prototype.start = function( interval )
{
	var _this = this;
	setInterval( function() { _this.tick( interval ) }, 1500 );
}

The only safe bet is to avoid thinking about it entirely, which isn’t easy.  I hate being hard to shop for, so I make it a point to mention a large variety of things for which I would have a use, rather than make a wish list.  So I enjoy talking about the things that I desire.  And at some point, her reaction to some of those things changes to defensive in tone.  My brain sticks a pin in it and it comes up more frequently until I’ve figured out whether she’s thinking about getting it, already bought it or doesn’t plan to.  How can I possibly avoid this?

While part of the solution, this should not be your entire solution.

Requirements:

• Resizable viewport
• Viewport size restored when returning from full screen
• Full screen resolution should match the current resolution of the monitor
• Support multiple monitors of different resolutions
• Only toggle once per key press
• Toggle full screen mode with Alt Enter or F4

Solution:

Firstly, I created a function that will determine the resolution of the monitor that the game window is currently on.  If it can’t find it, it will use the primary monitor’s resolution:

bool GetScreenBounds(out int Width, out int Height)
{
	foreach (var Screen in System.Windows.Forms.Screen.AllScreens)
	{
		if (String.Compare(Screen.DeviceName, this.Window.ScreenDeviceName, true) == 0)
		{
			Width = Screen.Bounds.Width;
			Height = Screen.Bounds.Height;
			return true;
		}
	}

	var Size = System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.PrimaryMonitorSize;
	Width = Size.Width;
	Height = Size.Height;
	return false;
}

Secondly, I built a method that I can call on every frame, providing it with the state of the toggle key.  It will determine if it should toggle or not.  It stores the window size when going from Windowed to Fullscreen and restores it when returning to Windowed.

bool FullScreenToggling = false;
int OldWidth, OldHeight;
void ToggleFullScreen(bool Toggle)
{
	if (Toggle && !FullScreenToggling)
	{
		if (!this.Graphics.IsFullScreen)
		{
			OldWidth = this.Graphics.GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width;
			OldHeight = this.Graphics.GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Height;

			int NewWidth, NewHeight;
			GetScreenBounds(out NewWidth, out NewHeight);
			this.Graphics.PreferredBackBufferWidth = NewWidth;
			this.Graphics.PreferredBackBufferHeight = NewHeight;
		}
		else
		{
			this.Graphics.PreferredBackBufferWidth = OldWidth;
			this.Graphics.PreferredBackBufferHeight = OldHeight;
		}

		this.Graphics.ToggleFullScreen();
		FullScreenToggling = true;
	}
	else if (!Toggle && FullScreenToggling)
	{
		FullScreenToggling = false;
	}
}

Lastly, I call ToggleFullscreen in my Update method:

protected override void Update(GameTime GameTime)
{
	// Allows the game to exit
	if (GamePad.GetState(PlayerIndex.One).Buttons.Back == ButtonState.Pressed || Keyboard.GetState().IsKeyDown(Keys.Escape))
		this.Exit();

	ToggleFullScreen(
			( Keyboard.GetState().IsKeyDown(Keys.F4) ) ||
			( Keyboard.GetState().IsKeyDown(Keys.LeftAlt) && Keyboard.GetState().IsKeyDown(Keys.Enter)) );

	base.Update(GameTime);
}

Please note that you will have to add references to System.Windows.Forms and System.Windows.Drawing to your project.

Adblock Plus for Firefox has some 58 million downloads with over a half million new downloads per week.  That is scary to someone who needs the ad revenue.  Now, there are times to block ads.  Like when they are over-abundant, intrusive or misleading.  Fake Facebook buttons or flashing winner, anyone?  But Google’s ads for example, are under strict guidelines to prevent abuse.  And some jackass add-on developers even block Google analytics by default.  Which, invaluably has helped my clients to target their content and sales to people actually visiting their site.  There is a single ad block at the bottom of content pages on this blog, how can that be hurting anyone?

Now, I will tell you how I protect myself from the leeches.

I prefer Google AdSense, it is the most reputable system with the least amount of setup.  That is what this system protects, but it can be adapted.  Basically, it kicks off a fraction of a second after the page loads and checks to make sure the ad’s iframe is still there.  If it isn’t, it temporarily replaces the page’s contents with a notice.  If the ad does appear (due to a slow load time), the page contents will reappear.  It stores the contents in a JavaScript variable so most power users can’t just unhide the contents.  It monitors the ad for about 6 seconds after the page is loaded, just incase.  But I can’t take all of the credit, it is based on a post by Sumeet.  Instead of redirecting, which can be easily stopped with a mouse click, my method requires disabling JavaScript, hacking the JavaScript or white-listing the site in ad blocker.  If they don’t want to pay for my content, they can’t have it.  If they hack their way around it, and plan to for each page, hell, they’ve earned it as the vast majority won’t bother.

It is important to note that ad-blocker software may wise up to this.  I suggest rearranging the code, changing variable names and nixing mention of “ad” or “block”.  This code is open to all, so if you want to protect your content from leeches, feel free to nab it.  It is provided AS IS with NO WARRANTY, et cetera.

To use this, place the most valuable block of content into a <div id=”subcontent”> tag. Make sure that the ad is not within that block. Then, paste this code somewhere in your page outside of the div tag as well. I place mine right above the ad.  To see this in action, visit this site with an ad blocker.  If your ad blocker gets around this, let me know.

ad-blocker-blocker.js

<script type="text/javascript">

        var checks = 0;
        var content = null;
        function show_content( show )
        {
                var content_area = document.getElementById('subcontent')
                if ( content_area == null )
                        return;

                if ( show && content != null )
                {
                        content_area.innerHTML = content;
                        content = null;
                }
                else if ( !show && content == null )
                {
                        content = content_area.innerHTML;
                        content_area.innerHTML = "<h2>Ad-blockers</h2><p>This website is supported by ads.  If you can not support that, you may " +
                                "not view the content on this site.<br/><br/>To view the content on this site, please disable your ad-blocker and press the refresh button " +
                                "on your browser.</p>";
                }
        }

        function check_ads()
        {
                var blocked = false;
                var e = document.getElementsByTagName('iframe');
                for (var i = 0; i < e.length; i++)
                        if ((e[i].src.indexOf("googlesyndication.com") > -1) && (e[i].setAttribute && (e[i].style.visibility == 'hidden' || e[i].style.display == 'none')))
                                blocked = true;

                show_content( e.length > 0 && !blocked );

                if ( checks++ < 4 )
                        setTimeout( 'check_ads()', 100 );
                else if ( checks < 30 )
                        setTimeout( 'check_ads()', 1000 );
        }
        setTimeout( 'check_ads()', 200 );

</script>

Ideas for tricks came from playing the levels that came with it, finding new interesting predicaments and traps that the other hasn’t seen yet.  And eventually, finding add-on packs online.  That and finding loop holes to cheat the levels.

The entire game is fantastically put together.  The goal is simple: collect all gems, enter the door.  And the levels more so, typically following along a single path.  It become difficult when you realize you have no weapons and can only jump one block until you get some jetpack fuel.  The enemies are nice and varied, each one has its special path.  There are not many games like this being created anymore outside of Flash.

Loading up my DOSbox, I decided to try it out, now that it is free.  It is everything that I remember it is.  And I followed the same pattern that I always did.  I played the levels until I got stuck and a couple of my own.

I’m very tempted to create a tribute to it with an internet-capable, multiplayer Windows game.  But I have way too many projects on my plate just now, maybe later.

This is my second attempt at a blog. I may merge my previous contents with this one eventually but I’m not sure yet.  My goal is to write something a few times a week, regardless of merit in the contents.  I will try and stay unique and interesting but no promises.