Troubleshooting New Tablet Pen Pressure Not Working on Adobe Photoshop

Tablet pen is like the tools of the trade for digital artist nowadays. Every artist has their own tablet and brand preference. But if there’s one issue every artist at least encounter in their life, it is that their (probably new) tablet pen pressure is not working, especially on Adobe Photoshop. This can create a frustration, which was what happened to me. After some hair-pulling search, here are some steps to troubleshoot your digital tablet pen pressure.

1. Make sure the tablet pen register location at all.

This is the very basic of all. Tablet pen should be able to work right from the box when plugged in to your computer. When you use the pen to point and “click” at a location in the tablet, you should see the mouse cursor moving accordingly at your screen. If it isn’t, well, there’s some more serious, grave matter, might happen on your tablet. So, check out whether it has been plugged in correctly, make sure your computer’s USB port is not defect, make sure the tablet shows any sign of life (any light indicator turned on?).

2. Make sure you have installed the tablet’s driver.

This step is important. Computer usually can recognize tablet right from the bat as mouse replacement when plugged in without driver. But of course to recognize the pressure, it’s an entirely different story. This is why you need driver. Check whether your tablet came with driver CD, or search on the internet for downloadable driver for that tablet.

3. Make sure you have given the tablet’s driver a full access privilege.

Now, if you run the tablet driver app, it usually comes with a self-diagnose feature to detect the pen pressure. But, you need to give the driver full access privilege in order to detect pen tablet pressure. Because I troubleshoot mine in Mac, I only know the exact step in Mac. But I believe there’s Windows equivalent for this.

1. Open System Preferences
2. Open Security and Privacy
3. Open tab Privacy
4. Choose Accessibility from list on the left
5. Find your tablet driver app name from the list on the right. If you can find it, continue to step 11. Otherwise, continue to step 6.
6. Click on the lock button below to make changes. Enter your password.
7. Press “+” button.
8. Navigate to Application folder where you install the driver.
9. Select the tablet driver application. Press “Open”.
10. The tablet driver application will be listed.
11. Make sure the checkmark next to the tablet driver application is checked (you might need to click on the lock button below to allow changes).
12. After you have done, click the lock again to prevent more changes.

Now close and rerun the tablet driver app again to make sure everything works accordingly.

4. Make sure you have given Adobe Photoshop a full access privilege.

Eh? You need to give Photoshop full access privilege too?

Yes, it is. In fact, this is the step that has me looking up for hours trying to figure it out. Adobe Photoshop might not need full access to be able to work fine on its own, but in order to detect tablet pen pressure, you have to give it the same full access privilege, like what you’ve given to your tablet pen driver. If you’re troubleshooting other app than Photoshop, same basic thing applies. You have to give that app full access privilege in other for the app to receive the pen pressure information.

1. Open System Preferences
2. Open Security and Privacy
3. Open tab Privacy
4. Choose Accessibility from list on the left
5. Find Adobe Photoshop app name from the list on the right. If you can find it, continue to step 11. Otherwise, continue to step 6.
6. Click on the lock button below to make changes. Enter your password.
7. Press “+” button.
8. Navigate to Application folder where you install the Adobe Photoshop.
9. Select the Adobe Photoshop application. Press “Open”.
10. The Adobe Photoshop application will be listed.
11. Make sure the checkmark next to the Adobe Photoshop application is checked (you might need to click on the lock button below to allow changes).
12. After you have done, click the lock again to prevent more changes.

Now close and rerun the Adobe Photoshop app again to make sure everything works accordingly.

5. Try to install different tablet pen driver.

I didn’t need to do this in my case, but from what I’ve gathered, if you do still have any problem, you can try to install other tablet’s driver. Sometimes it can make up for the missing link. Don’t forget to give it a full access privilege after installing.

There it is, some troubleshooting step if your tablet pen pressure doesn’t work. I hope this post helps to solve your problem. If you still have some issue, ask away on the comment section, and I’ll try to help as much as I can. Thanks!

Submit WordPress.org Site to Google Indexer Without Business Plan

As we know, Google removes Public URL Submission Tool last year. For change, they ask (force) website owner to use Google Search Console tool, which basically works the same, with some key differences:

• You have to own the website. You cannot submit wild URL to Google anymore.
• You actually have to submit XML sitemap to Google Index. You can’t just submit the root URL of your website anymore.

Bookmarks: How to Solve “Could Not Set Up iCloud Keychain” Issue

Link: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6985097

Apple was (is) notoriously eager to introduce yet another security layer for the iCloud. Yesterday, I was forced to change my iCloud password, which resulted in some login problem with all of my emails and built in social media accounts on my Mac, even though I have entered the correct password. So with the help of my friend, I decided to log my Mac out the iCloud, and then login back again. The log out process itself was a little bit complex in its own way, but finally I’m able to log out. Then I restart my Mac. After that, I log in my Mac again to the iCloud. The system then tried to activate iCloud features one by one. At the iCloud keychain section, iCloud sent an sms to a number that’s associated with my iCloud, which was a deactivated number. Crap. Trying to change the number itself gave me error “failed to change phone number”. I then tried to find some article to change that number, which I find it here: link.

How to Zoom Your iOS Simulator to Arbitrary Scale

Link:

• Adjusting the XCode iPhone simulator scale and size (then look for the answer by Kalpesh)
• How do I resize the iOS simulator? (then look for the answer by Neo)

How to do:

1. Quit simulation if open.
2. Open terminal (from spotlight for example, type terminal).
3. Paste this next text to the terminal and press enter. Change the 0.4 to any scale you wish (with 0.4 equals to 40%).
   defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iphonesimulator SimulatorWindowLastScale "0.4"
4. Or alternatively, go to /Library/Preferences and edit com.apple.iphonesimulator.plist file. Edit value for KEY SimulatorWindowLastScale to desired scale.

I was learning about developing app for iOS. Everything went smoothly so far, except that the iOS simulator display iPhone 6 plus screen which is larger than my MacBook Air screen, even at 50% zoom. I’ve been searching so far on the internet and every answer always saying the same thing: to use CMD+1, CMD+2, CMD+3 shortcut to change the zoom, which is not enough for me. Then I came across this brilliant answer which requires some kind of console command to do, but it did the job. But beware, the simulation display result might be a little jaggy.

Tutorial about Basic Implementation of Google Analytics with Multiple Trackers

I have recently tried to implement Google Analytics on a web I’m working on. And it has been an awful experience because there’s so little documentation for people who wants to use multiple trackers. I can’t give a thorough, detailed, and full of picture tutorial about this because that would cost so much time. But I’ll try to cover as much and as detailed as I can.

I’ll assume you know the basic common sense of the internet, have an at least very basic knowledge about Javascript.

Google Analytics

What is Google Analytics? In short, this is a free statistic service offered by Google to analyze the visitors behavior your website. This service can record everything you supply, from how much a page is opened, to what page element the user interacted with, for example, how many the play video button is clicked. Some people finds statistic boring, but in the hands of people who understand statistic, these data can be used to inform which part of the website needs to be improved, or need focus. For example, if we can get the data that user click 1000 times on promotion A banner, and 5000 times on promotion B banner, then that means promotion B banner is more interesting, thus we need more promotion like promotion B than promotion A.

Google Analytics (GA) vs Universal Analytics (UA)

Google Analytics (ga.js) is the obsolete and out of date implementation. The Universal Analytics (analytics.js) is the new and modern implementation. Both developed by Google, and both are Google Analytics. Mindblown? Me too. But just refer them as ga.js and analytics.js, and people around the world will know which one you’re talking about. For this tutorial, we will stick to the newest implementation, analytics.js.

Canon Pixma iP1980 Repair Solution

I create this post because I’m in charge with all of computer things in my workplace, including printers. Every time I encounter any printer problem, I always have to resort to internet solution, even though I have already encounter and solve that problem before. So I plan to create a comprehensive printer solution, especially for Canon Pixma iP1980 in this page, so I don’t have to look further anymore. This page maybe will get updated in the future as I found more problems and solutions.

Error message and its meaning:

• 2x orange and 1x green: Out of paper.
  
• 3x orange and 1x green: Mechanic (physical) error(s) in the printer.
• 4x orange and 1x green: Waste Ink Absorber full.
• 5x orange and 1x green: Black / Color Cartridge is broken.
• 7x orange and 1x green: Color Cartridge is broken.
• 8x orange and 1x green: Waste ink tank / waste absorber full.
• 12x/15x orange and 1x green: Cartridge detection fail.
• 14x/15x orange and 1x green: Black Cartridge is broken.
• Orange and green blinking alternately: Waste ink tank / waste absorber full.

Error message and its solution:

• 2x orange and 1x green: Out of paper.
  Solution: Feed new papers.
• 3x orange and 1x green: Mechanic (physical) error(s) in the printer.
  Solution: This needs a complicated solution and cannot be resolved only using software fix. Please bring it to the service center.
• 4x orange and 1x green: Waste Ink Absorber full.
  Solution: Reset the printer (see below).
• 5x orange and 1x green: Black / Color Cartridge is broken.
  Solution: Replace the broken cartridge. Sometimes resetting the printer can help (see below).
• 7x orange and 1x green: Color Cartridge is broken.
  Solution: Replace the color cartridge. Sometimes resetting the printer can help (see below).
• 8x orange and 1x green: Waste ink tank / waste absorber full.
  Solution: Reset the printer (see below).
• 12x/15x orange and 1x green: Cartridge detection fail.
  Solution: Take out and then reinsert the cartridge. If it still doesn’t help, reset the printer can help (see below). If it still doesn’t work, replace the cartridge.
• 14x/15x orange and 1x green: Black Cartridge is broken.
  Solution: Take out and then reinsert the cartridge. If it still doesn’t help, reset the printer can help (see below). If it still doesn’t work, replace the cartridge.
• Orange and green blinking alternately: Waste ink tank / waste absorber full.
  Solution: Reset the printer (see below).

How to reset the printer

I know that there are many ways on the internet describe how to reset the printer using IPTool or GeneralTool (resetter for iP1880). But in my case, after I download the program, I cannot run the program. I keep getting “Error 122: Port not regist!!” error. So, I’m left in the dark. Luckily I’ve found some odd method to reset the printer manually without the help of any resetter program.

Note: You have to follow this steps exactly, as I can’t accomplished this at the first time because I didn’t follow this step accurately. I have rewrite the step so that it’s more descriptive and detailed.

1. Turn off the printer normally, by pressing the power button.
2. After the power light goes out, unplug the cable.
3. Make sure that the “reserve” power completely out of the printer by once again press the power button after you unplug the cable. The power light will on for a while, and then will off. Press and press again, just to make sure the power light won’t turned on again. This is important. If you neglect to do this, it can make the reset fail.
4. After you sure that the power light can’t turned on anymore, open the printer cover.
5. Get any pen (or anything in the shape of stick like pen) near you.
6. While the cover printer opened, press AND HOLD the power button.
7. While you hold the power button, plug the cable back, so that now the power button becomes on, right after you plug the cable.
8. Without release your finger on your power button, grab the pen with your other free hand, and press AND HOLD the cover detection button using the pen. The cover detection button is the button inside the hole, which will be pressed when you close the cover. It’s located just 5 cm (~2 inch) below the power button).
9. While holding the cover detection button, release the power button.
10. Now release the cover detection button. The power light should immediately off as soon as you release the cover detection button.

And, no, you don’t have to be in the service mode first for this one trick to works.

This awesome tricks is credited to a member in www.tricks-collections.com.

NVidia Kernel Version 306.97 Has Stopped Working!

This problem was making me scratching my head when I first encountered this in fellow co-worker’s computer. After she used her computer for about 10 minutes, the screen immediately goes black. And then it goes on again, but displays the screen in a strange way, and the wallpaper becomes black. And then it goes black for the second time. And it goes on again. This time, it displays the screen better, but still leave a strange artifact, and the wallpaper still black. And it shows an error message “windows kernel mode driver 306.97 has stopped working and has recovered”. This will goes on and on for 4 times, before she finally needs to restart her computer due to total hang.

After a thorough search and finding all the possible solution, then I find out one solution that works for me, and it’s actually pretty simple: update the driver. I never thought that the driver will be the problem. After I download the driver (it’s a whooping 128 MB for a driver!), install it, and restart the computer, everything went smoothly, like a new computer.

If you’re having the same problem as me, try to download the driver. Use google search for this word: “306.97-desktop-win8-win7-winvista-32bit-english-whql“. This is the file name.

Update: Okay, judging from the number of people who come to this post, I conclude that there are so many people who stumble into the same problem as me. So I dig a little bit and give you the exact link of the driver from the NVidia website. This is stated for GeForce R304 card, but I think this can be used on any GeForce card.

Link: NVidia Drivers 306.97 WHQL for 32-bit (for Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 7)
Link: NVidia Drivers 306.97 WHQL for 64-bit (for Windows 8 64-bit, Windows 7 64-bit, Windows Vista 64-bit)

Tell me if this is working for you or not.

Ways to Zoom Your Screen

If you’re a computer teacher based on Windows operating system like me, or you’re a presenter which like to go into the details of a picture in your presentation, you will stumble into the need of screen zooming method at some point in your life, or maybe you already are. After searching desperately through the internet, I found some ways of zoom your screen, and other resources that you might find helpful to enhance your teaching.

Blackberry App World Icon Gone?

For you who have Blackberry, having App World in your device is like having App Store in your iDevice. It’s essential, irreplaceable. You can download new apps using it, and upgrade them whenever new version coming out.

Unfortunately, things are not as smooth as it can be. If you’re now currently downloading App upgrades from the App World, and the connection suddenly interrupted (or the device suddenly hang or restart), the program’s icon will be disappear, because the App World will already hide it. Thank God, there’s a very easy solution. Just reconnect to the internet, re-download the app from the App World, and voila! All is good, as long as we have access to the App World. As long as we have.

Then, how if, say, the App World itself is gone? In my case, I was upgrading the App World to a brand new version, while suddenly the internet connection is lost. I thought that was a simple matter. I just re-established the internet, and took my device to re-connect to the internet, when I found that the device stated “failed to install the app”. I press “OK”. Then another popup saying “You have to reboot the device”. I press “Reboot Now”. And it’s rebooted. But, as you can tell, the App World icon is gone!

Lame Excuses

Have you ever feel that you more “alive” than before? Yeah, you pretty much alive before, but after it — whatever “it” is — came into your life, your life is “never be the same” ?

I was pretty much alike. I do my routine days, my daily job, and I somewhat do enjoy what I do. But something is still missing. Often when I say to some of my friend in Church, that they have to found out what they really want to do in their life, what’s their vision, it’s like I’m also telling myself. I feel that I’m doing fine for a living. But I didn’t feel I’m doing great. And I don’t really know why I felt like that.

But in these recent days, I somehow find that missing link, that lost connection that I’ve been felt for years — when my very generous and kind friend introduce me to iDevice programming. I was evolve so much, from the hater of a non-Windows freak, to a more open-minded person who can understand and handle differences between OS, and now I’m almost officially an Apple’s fan! And that’s before my newly renaissance about developing apps for iDevice!