quick type special characters

In Linux you can use ComposeKey, setting it for example (in System settings) as RightCtrl (the right-Ctrl key). RightCtrl is better than AltGr in Italian keyboard, to keep AltGr for some characters like ‘[‘, or ‘]’, or ‘@’, or ‘#’, otherwise unaccessible.

In that way, when you type 1) first RightCtrl 2) then ^ 3) then o, you will get ô. You don’t need to press simultaneously all the keys.

To sum up, the main simbols :

  • RightCtrl+^+o = ô
  • RightCtrl+”+o = ö
  • RightCtrl+’+o = ó

A Workaround for the Default Gmail “From” Rewrite

Google automatically rewrites the “From” field of any e-mail you send through its SMTP servers to the default address set up in your Gmail account, even if you don’t send the mail directly from Gmail. If you’re not careful, this can tarnish your business image. This small quick fix has to be done before you start sending e-mails to help you keep your branding consistent.

Start by signing into the Gmail account you use with Google SMTP. Click the gear icon in the top left corner, then choose Settings. Select the Accounts and Import tab. Look at the Send mail as section and make sure you have more than one e-mail address set up. If you don’t, add another account, preferably one personalized with your business branding. Now simply make this your default account; Google’s SMTP will automatically rewrite the From field using this address instead of your Gmail account. It’s that simple!

re-ocr a pdf with Adobe

You have to 1) save the old searchable pdf to tiff images (as many as the pages), 2) ocr the tiff images to a searchable pf 3) combine the new multiple pdf to one pdf.

problems with phpmyadim

Sometimes it happens that phpmyadmin (/mysql) don’t allow you to do what it should allow, such as change the encoding of a column (or of a table or of a database), or change the engine of tables.

Then, after many failed attempts via sql query, I found that the easiest solution is

  • export the database
  • do the changes you want through a text editor, such as Kate, i.g., replacing the old enconding with the new one
  • import the (modifyed) database (after deleting/renaming the old one)
  • done!