What's your favorite obscure tools you have? (Software or Hardware)

[kalabdel]

ShareX was recommended to me a few years ago by a member at siemens forums and I hated it. I saw its capabilities but hated its non-intuitive interface and the then non-existent tutorials and documentations. I tried it again about a year ago and found tutorials that were quite helpful. I use it specially to produce .gif files but it has many other features that are very handy.


Already mentioned pdf-Chhange is a must, I have installed on every laptop and every VM, I use.



Another is PDFsam, I use the basic version to split, merge and extract pdf pages/files.


I also tried AutoHotKey and liked it; it has a bit of a learning curve to it though.

[tom_stalcup]

Yeah. I'll be coming back to this thread when I have some more time. I need some of these. And I'll post what I use.

[Duranthas]

Originally Posted by NetNathan

Yes.. I really like NetSetMan. SO much that I bought full business version.

Same here. I have so many little networks I have to switch to over and over that this program has become a must have.

[kalabdel]

Originally Posted by kalabdel

ShareX was recommended to me a few years ago by a member at siemens forums and I hated it.

Forget it, it's garbage. At the matter of fact this piece of software is a perfect example of how human beings are the dumbest creature that ever existed on the planet.

[cardosocea]

Originally Posted by JesperMP

Thanks !

I spent half an hour browsing on our suppliers web portal with no luck.
Search for "00 11 01 KNIPEX", and there you go. I will get one for myself and for my closest colleague as a christmas present.

I usually get these off of RS Components or eBay and buy a bunch in one go.



I do prefer the ones on the link below:



https://www.rittal.com/com-en/produc...iantId=2549000


Mainly because you can still open a bottle of beer with it.

[hardaysknight]

Originally Posted by widelto

I learnt this one here but since I saw it the first time I never looked the other way.

https://www.netsetman.com/en/freeware

Network setting manager.

I tried using that a while back, and while it works great when you know what subnets you'll be using , we have a bunch of random subnets in our plant, so I just wrote a batch script to open network settings, then created a shortcut to that batch script and pinned it to my task bar on Windows 10.

[Operaghost]

I do a lot of presentations, so ZoomIt (mentioned previously) is my favorite little known free tool. However, there is a Windows function that also comes in very handy for presentations.

In your Mouse Settings under Pointer options the setting is called "Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key".

With this you can repeatedly press CTRL and you get a circle radiating inward on your cursor. When you are showing something on-screen it lets your attendees see where your cursor is. Or just use it to draw attention. A recent update changed it so that your screen dims and your cursor becomes a spotlight. You can move your mouse and spotlight items on-screen.

On other non-presentation related tool I use all the time is the clipboard history. Go to your Clipboard settings and turn on the Clipboard history setting. Then when you want to paste, use the Windows key + V and it will show recently copied items. You can select an item to paste. I love this when I need to copy say three separate items from a source. I can just select one then copy, then select the next and copy, etc... Then I can go to the destination and use this to paste the first item, then go to where I need the second item and paste that item. Much easier than switching back and forth between the documents and doing them one at a time.

OG

[Nova5]

If you need to build a PDF from multiple sheets. PDFSam. PDF Split and Merge. I have a older version that does all the current paid one does but for free. Very nice to reorganize pages and merge multiple PDFs into one.

[OkiePC]

My favorite cable stripper for small diameter cables is https://www.alliedelec.com/product/p...2623/70280541/

If you strip a lot of the 4-pin M12 cables with the tough chemical resistant jacket, that tool will pay for itself quickly.

Here's a video of it in action:
https://youtu.be/DbJrNgR-yAg?t=37

For radio telemetry link planning, I mostly use Google Earth, but Ubiquiti has an online mapping tool that will do coverage maps, and the results can be exported as kmz files that can be opened in Earth. If you register, you can save files to be opened later and set preferences for units of measure.

https://link.ui.com/#

[nehpets]

+1 for NetSetMan, I have multiple networks at my site, wouldn't be without it.

[TheWaterboy]

I use Angry IP Scanner - found out I can crash any of our Altivar drives with it. Fun!

+1 for Netsetman. I wish the interface would change a bit so you could activate the selection by clicking on it in the tree instead of the separate button. But ... picking nits.

Netdecoder by FTE

Putty

+1 on the Milwaukee screwdriver. Had the slimmer one a decade or so ago, just got this new model.

[TheWaterboy]

Genius... how long is battery life on that 4-20 generator

[NetNathan]

Originally Posted by TheWaterboy

I use Angry IP Scanner - found out I can crash any of our Altivar drives with it. Fun!

+1 for Netsetman. I wish the interface would change a bit so you could activate the selection by clicking on it in the tree instead of the separate button. But ... picking nits.

Netdecoder by FTE

Putty

+1 on the Milwaukee screwdriver. Had the slimmer one a decade or so ago, just got this new model.

You need to try Slitheris Network Scanner.... you will not go back to Angry IP scanner.

[TheWaterboy]

I did DL it just now. But can it crash a VFD?

[padees]

Originally Posted by OkiePC

My favorite cable stripper for small diameter cables is https://www.alliedelec.com/product/p...2623/70280541/

If you strip a lot of the 4-pin M12 cables with the tough chemical resistant jacket, that tool will pay for itself quickly

Yep, I have one of those and they work great!

Phoenix rep stopped by one day and asked if I want some stuff? Sure... He 1st mentioned a ferrule crimping tool, but then remembered he was giving that to someone else. (I have one)

He then pulls out the Wirefox stripper and the finest pair of 1000V needle-nose pliers I ever saw... Here ya go!

Yay!