Scrabble Playability in Hoot
April 4th, 2017One indicator of how playable a word is would involve how many different places can you play a word and how does that compare with other words. Except for first move, play must connect with a previous play, so I need to determine how many words our word can connect with. While that is a time-consuming project, with computers, I can do that. It's not an easy task, but with computers, it's not impossible… more »
Hoot With a Ribbon, MDI, and Inheritance
March 4th, 2017I just released a new beta version of Hoot. While it is fully functioning, it does involve significant changes in the way Hoot works. With version 1.9.0, Hoot employs an MDI (Multiple document interface). Previously, Hoot opened new windows for… more »
Programmatically - Let Designer show you
February 27th, 2017The web is full of queries about how to accomplish something programmatically. This can't help with all of them, but if it has to do with C# in Visual Studio, this might guide you in the right direction. Visual Studio is robust enough to do a lot of… more »
Switched Keys Site Conversion
February 17th, 2017Tyler Hosting, the account that hosts Switched Keys has changed providers. We are now on InMotion Hosting. Along with the change, the blog has been updated to the latest version of b2evolution. While the conversion seemed seamless, if you see any issues… more »
Cool Searches in Hoot
February 2nd, 2017The latest version of Hoot has some cool search options. Hoot is one of many study tools you can use to study words for Scrabble™ and other word games. It's a free PC tool with a lot of standard search options that can help you increase your word… more »
Education Credits: Beyond the Basics
January 18th, 2017Tax incentives for education may be the most overlooked and most abused items on an individual tax return. They are frequently criticized for their complexity, with each form of education credit or deduction having different rules. With some credits as easy targets for fraud some practitioners are leery of education credit claims. Other problems with these incentives are not so obvious. Software support is limited and taxpayers are not always aware of the benefits or may have false notions about the requirements. more »
Managing Localization in Combo Boxes
January 18th, 2017Introduction This example combines the use of combo boxes, a separate DataSource, and localized s for alternate cultures. Background Using a combo box, programmers can use a selected item as a variable or parameter within a single method. In other… more »