Firefox 3 Gmail Problem Fixed

Upgraded from Firefox 2.0.0.14 to Firefox 3.0 and found that I couldn't load the default Gmail client (Firefox displayed the progress bar and then stopped). Same problem with using the HTTPS URL. The plain HTML client and older Gmail client was OK. I worked my way through the Firefox Basic Troubleshooting guide and the problem was fixed only after making a new profile.

Creating UML Composite States in Sparx Enterprise Architect

How to create a UML composite state element using Sparx Systems' Enterprise Architect application:

1. In a state machine diagram, create a new state element.
2. Select the state element's context menu item Advanced / Composite Element.

The selected state element is converted into a composite state element (the image has a infinity symbol) with its own state machine diagram (check the Project Browser). Now you can draw a transition line to and from this composite state and include it in state transition tables.

Annoyingly, Enterprise Architect's on-line help describes a composite element but doesn't show to make one!

Visio 2003 Cannot Resize Shape Directly with Keyboard

Microsoft Visio 2003 doesn't provide keyboard shortcut for the user to resize a shape instance. You have to use the mouse pointer or (shudder) enter the required height and width of the shape in the Size & Position window.

Match Multiple String Patterns

To find multiple string patterns in an input file or stream, these commands are equivalent:

• sed -n -e "/pattern1/p" -e "/pattern2/p". -n suppresses printing all input lines.
• sed -n -r -e "/pattern1|pattern2/p". -r enables extended regular expressions.
• grep -e "pattern1" -e "pattern2"..
• grep -E "pattern1|pattern2". -E enables extended regular expressions.
• findstr "pattern1 pattern2". You have to delimit the patterns in a single string argument. To find strings containing white spaces, you have to use the \s (whitespace) character class in your pattern.