Recommended Posts

Can someone PM a link to the non beta version of this program, i'm having some issues with it and never saved the original.

Anyone else finding it takes the program a good 10 secs plus to start? :huh:

Thanks!

What kind of connection do you have? I guess it would probably take a while on a slower connection because it won't display until it has all the information. (I am working on doing so asynchronously). You haven't had this problem with previous releases?

Anyway you can get the latest release that was sent to auto-updates here:

http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/stu/msowul/WeathAlertZipped.exe

I also have a site set up at http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/stu/msowul/

You can link to that trajik, if you are so inclined. Thank you.

I got 512k DSL, weird! Running XP SP2. Sometimes it appears in the tray but doesn't pop up even when I double click on it. Othertimes it appears to lockup completely and I can't do anything with it!

All right, so connection speed obviously isn't it. The tray icon does tend to appear a few moments before the program itself is actually ready to display; as for the lockups, I don't really know; my suggestion is to just give it a minute, in case the connection is just timing out, but beyond that all I can say is that once I make the data updating asynchronous it should help fix this sort of thing.

Alrighty, here's another release for you. 2.2.9.4; this version adds the ability to see full-size radar, and replaces the link to the weather.com radar page.

Download it from the first page or the weathalert site.

As you can see, the large radar view allows you a much more detailed view of the radar maps.

post-88-1092521022.jpg

This is an awesome program. It seems like all the weather monitoring stuff is either adware or intrusive.

I did have the window sized too small problem at first but exited the program and started it back up and it is flawless. I am using SP2 and didn't get the framework you posted. I imagine the latest framework would be in SP2.

I'm using the build on the first page. It does start up kinda slow but doesn't slow the rest of the system down so it's not that bad.

Much better than having to put up with the weather.com advertisemensts that drive across your screen. :rolleyes:

Does it have a sound for the alert? I haven't tried it yet. That would be nice if you would make it chime with an alert. Maybe pick a wav to play or somethin? Or just a system sound..

Earlier today while testing on a VM, I too got the resize bug on its first launch. I will fix it asap, but since it is easily worked around, I see no rush to release a fix immediately.

As I also mentioned, the slow startup issue will probably be mitigated once I rework the data update algorithms.

There are two types of "alerts": The first is the user defined alerts when weather becomes inclement or the temperature goes beyond certain thresholds. These do not play a sound (yet); they only show the balloon tips.

The second is the severe weather alerts from the national weather service. These will be accompanied by a thunder sound effect, and the tray will change color and rapidly switch between the condition icon and the temperature, as well as a balloon tip. A textual readout of the alert will appear in the main program window as well.

I will probably give the option to play a sound with the notifications as well; the default will be to utilize whatever sound is setup for a system exclamation, which is what I did for the NWS alerts originally so that will be easy to implement. Both will be configurable to play local sound files also.

That being said, the next items on the agenda are the improved data update and display system which should mitigate the pauses while data is being downloaded, followed by the inclusion of detailed and hourly forecast data. The sound improvements will follow that.

As always, I appreciate the feedback.

Edited by darkmark327

FWIW I fixed the resize bug. It was introduced when I included support for large fonts; normally if you have an invalid location, it automatically resizes the window to the extended view.

The problem is that to support large fonts, the constants that I use for layout and positioning are determined at startup based on the sizes of the controls.

The resize to extended I just mentioned would occur, since there is no valid location selected yet (because it's the first run), and this would happen before those constants were determined, screwing them up for the rest of the session.

Upgrading the framework appeared to fix it because of course, once you have a location from the first setup, the problem wouldn't recur anyway.

Just in case you were curious ; )

Edited by darkmark327

I have a problem running it on Windows Server 2003, in that if I logoff/shutdown/restart (the program is set to minimize on close and minimize) it won't end my session until I manually close the program. I set it to not resize on close to get around it.

I have a problem running it on Windows Server 2003, in that if I logoff/shutdown/restart (the program is set to minimize on close and minimize) it won't end my session until I manually close the program. I set it to not resize on close to get around it.

Unfortunately I can seem to offer no workaround or fix; the procedure I use to handle this situation works flawlessly in all the environments in which I've tested it (2000, XP, Me) and is the procedure outlined in the MSDN.

Override the message loop and set a flag if WM_QUERYENDSESSION (the message windows sends when it's attempting to shut down the system) is sent; use this flag to quit the program (instead of hiding to the tray).

I'll install ws2k3 on a VM and see what I can do but I don't see anything else I can do for now.

I'm curious.. I just downloaded the program, and if it works out for me, I may add it to a browser I modified.

Currently, I have one from Planet Source Code on there (WeatherGrabber) but, it doesn't seem to want to work all the time. So, if yours works, I would like to include it in my Package & Deployment for the browser.

Feel free to email me with your answer, and if you have any questions. Just so you know, I won't alter your program, just include the exe file in my P&D.

Patrick.

[email protected]

I'm curious.. I just downloaded the program, and if it works out for me, I may add it to a browser I modified.

Currently, I have one from Planet Source Code on there (WeatherGrabber) but, it doesn't seem to want to work all the time. So, if yours works, I would like to include it in my Package & Deployment for the browser.

Feel free to email me with your answer, and if you have any questions. Just so you know, I won't alter your program, just include the exe file in my P&D.

Patrick.

Anything to aid the program's proliferation would be appreciated, thanks. (Although the SWA, radar, and soon the hour-by-hour forecast are all sort of dodgy as far as weather.com's guidelines go, so hopefully we'll still, if you pardon the expression, stay below their radar ;))
I do like it.. About the only warning I can think of that you may want to add is flood warnings. So far, that's all I can come up with.

Patrick.

Although I doubt that is an actual weather condition that they'd display, there's no harm in adding it.

How Do I change that do the Celsius ( c not f ) ???
Preferences->Settings, it's just below where you input your location.
I have been using this app since you made it available and I must say that I love it. I even stopped using a Samurize config to use this one. Each update adds new and/or improved options to the app. Keep up the great work. Thanks for a great weather tool!!

That's all I hope for. Thank you.

Also, good news Trajik. Apparently something might have broken as far as exiting the program when Windows exits (shutdown/logon) since I've experienced some issues myself. I took another look and added something that seems to have helped (I hadn't changed anything but for whatever reason it didn't work right). In the next release hopefully it will eliminate your issue as well.

I'm in the process of modifying the settings to add the options to associate sound files with weather notifications (and change the one for alerts). I've decided that such a release will be 2.3 and the forecast improvements will be 2.4, since what I have so far (once I'm done with settings) seems stable enough to be a public release, so I may as well distribute the accumulated features and stability to everyone while I work on the forecasts.

Also, good news Trajik. Apparently something might have broken as far as exiting the program when Windows exits (shutdown/logon) since I've experienced some issues myself. I took another look and added something that seems to have helped (I hadn't changed anything but for whatever reason it didn't work right). In the next release hopefully it will eliminate your issue as well.

Awesome - I'll be able to put it back in my Startup group :p

Well, I've been using it since I downloaded it.. I even went so far as to shut down weatherbug, and take that out of my startup.. I'll probably uninstall that soon also.

A question for you. The web browser that I modified is in Visual Basic 6.0. So, when I do the package & deployment for it, I'll include your program and the dotnetfix.exe program. What I'm wondering is, if you would know of a scripting command I can put into the P&D wizard to automatically check for .NET Framework, and if it isn't installed, then install it? Then, maybe a script to delete the dotnetfix.exe program after the installation is finished.

I'm fairly new to setting up deployments and even creating programs in VB. Although, I may get a copy of VB.NET, and see if I can upgrade my browser to it also. That way, they will get the .NET framework anyhow.

Thanks for your help in this.

Patrick.

Oh, and if you haven't heard of any issues with Windows 2000, I'll let you know.. I'll be rebooting soon, I'm sure.. I've got SP4 on my computer, and as far as I know, all of the updates that are required.

One other question, and possibly a suggestion for a future release.. Is there any way of making the auto update sooner? Right now, I'm in some severe weather, and the update won't happen for another 20 minutes. Of course, they haven't issued any alerts for my town yet, that I know of.

Maybe, if possible, make it so the user can select how frequent the updates happen.. Unless, of course, weather.com won't let you do that.

Patrick.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Helium Browser 0.13.3.1 by Razvan Serea Helium is a private, fast, and honest Chromium-based web browser — built for people, with love. It offers the best privacy by default, unbiased ad-blocking, and a clean experience free from bloat and noise. Proudly based on Ungoogled-Chromium, Helium removes Google’s clutter while keeping a fast, efficient development pipeline. With thoughtful touches like native !bangs and split view, Helium is a people-first, fully open-source browser that puts control back in your hands. Privacy, security, and control come first. Ads, trackers, and third-party cookies are blocked automatically, HTTPS is enforced everywhere, and all Chromium extensions work seamlessly — while Google can’t track your activity. Helium’s 13,000+ offline-ready !bangs let you jump straight to sites or AI tools like ChatGPT instantly. Open-source, people-first, and unbiased, Helium delivers a browsing experience that’s fast, secure, and free from noise, ads, and compromises. Helium Browser key features: Performance Fast, efficient, and lightweight — built on Chromium’s optimized engine. Energy-saving and consistent — stays fast over time without slowing down. No bloat — stripped of unnecessary components for maximum speed. Minimalist interface — compact, clean, and distraction-free. Customizable toolbar — hide elements you don’t need. Smooth and stable — no flicker, lag, or animation glitches. Comfort-focused experience — intuitive and unobtrusive. Privacy & Security Best privacy by default — blocks ads, trackers, phishing, and third-party cookies. Unbiased ad-blocking — powered by community filters and uBlock Origin. No telemetry or analytics — zero background web requests on first launch. Strict HTTPS enforcement — warns for insecure sites. Passkeys supported — modern authentication made simple. No built-in password manager or cloud sync — your data stays yours. Extension Compatibility Full Chromium extension support — including MV2 extensions. Anonymized Chrome Web Store requests — Google can’t track extension installs. Extended MV2 support — maintained for as long as possible. Smart Features Native !bangs — browse faster using 13,000+ offline-ready shortcuts. AI integration — use !chatgpt and others directly from the address bar. Offline functionality — bangs work without an Internet connection. Philosophy People-first design — open source, transparent, and community-driven. No ads, no noise, no bias — privacy and honesty over profit. Helium Browser 0.13.3.1 changelog: f53b28d update: helium 0.13.3.1 (#292) b3cbb2ba revision: bump to 3 (#1925) bcacb8c7 chromium: update to 149.0.7827.114 (#1924) Download: Helium 64-bit | Portable 64-bit |~100.0 MB (Open Source) Download: Helium ARM64 | Portable ARM64 Links: Helium Home Page | macOS | Linux | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • Microsoft Weekly: Xbox exclusives are back, big Windows app updates, and more by Taras Buria This week's news recap is here. Microsoft is returning to XBOX exclusives, Windows 11 gets new preview builds, the Low-latency Profile is here, big updates for inbox Windows apps, Patch Tuesday updates, and more. Quick links: Windows 10 and 11 Windows Insider Program Updates are available Reviews are in Gaming news Great deals to check Windows 11 and Windows 10 Here, we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And, of course, you may find a word or two about older versions. The June 2026 Patch Tuesday updates are now publicly available. Windows 11 users can download KB5094126, which introduces plenty of new features and security updates, including the Low-latency Profile for better performance, shared Bluetooth audio support, and more. Windows 10 users with PCs enrolled in the Extended Security Update program can download KB5094127. In addition, Microsoft released new Defender updates for its operating systems. Speaking of Defender, Microsoft will now deliver EDR updates via Microsoft Update for faster security improvements independent of Patch Tuesday updates. Following the release of this month's Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft also published new Windows 11 images available in the Media Creation Tool app. Now, you can create bootable USB media for clean Windows 11 installations with the latest releases. Some unfortunate stuff is going on with certain PCs from Dell and HP. Dell acknowledged that the SupportAssist bug causes black screens of death, while HP systems are suffering from Secure Boot update issues and boot loops. Both companies issued official advisories. Windows Insider Program Here is what Microsoft released for Windows Insiders this week: Builds Canary Channel Builds 29610.1000 and 28120.2302 This week's "Canary" builds only contain performance improvements and fixes, including the Low-latency mode, which is now available in the Stable channel for all Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 users. Dev Channel Build 26300.8687 Microsoft brought some useful File Explorer changes with this build. You can now open folders in a new tab by middle-clicking them in the address bar. Beta Channel Build 26220.8680 and 28020.2298 Screen Tint, improved Windows Widgets, and other enhancements are included in this week's Beta releases. Release Preview Channel Builds 26200.8728 and 26100.8728 These builds also feature better widgets, new Windows Update controls, point-in-time restore, File Explorer improvements, and more. In addition to new Windows 11 preview builds, Microsoft announced that inbox Windows 11 apps now have their dedicated release notes in the official documentation. Also, Microsoft dropped massive feature updates for six apps, including Paint, Clock, Calculator, Camera, Media Player, Photos, and more. Updates are available This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties. Google has some bad news for those still using MV2-based extensions in Chromium-based browsers, particularly Chrome. The company is now removing flags responsible for Manifest V2-based extensions (uBlock Origin is one of the most popular). However, some browsers resist this change, and Opera issued a statement that it will allow users to continue using MV2 extensions for as long as possible. While Microsoft is still not ready to share new details about MV2 extensions in Microsoft Edge, the company shared important details about the way it will be updating the browser going forward. Now, Microsoft wants to update Edge every two weeks across all platforms instead of the current four-week schedule (only the Extended Stable is exempt from this change). This week, Microsoft confirmed a useful new Teams feature that is coming to the messenger soon. It also detailed all the improvements that made the platform better for users in 2026. However, not all changes are great, as the company is moving ahead with the check-in feature, which many believe will lead to employee monitoring. PowerToys received a feature update this week. Version 0.100 arrived with a big rework for the Shortcut Guide, a new extension gallery for Command Palette, new Dock features, and plenty of other changes. Here are other updates and releases you may find interesting: Microsoft is bringing big performance improvements to OneDrive on Mac Popular Windows 11 file manager Files gets improved tags, layouts, and a new OneDrive icon New Outlook for Windows and Web is getting a simple but very useful email feature Microsoft had to shut down 70+ GitHub repos after getting hacked, bringing back some Microsoft AI boss no longer believes that AI will replace human workers Microsoft wants to end printer driver headaches with Windows Ready Print SQL Server Management Studio 22.7 brings "What's New" page, T-SQL formatting, and lots more Microsoft releases Visual Studio Code 1.124 with smarter autonomous AI agents Windows Server gets DNS over HTTPS (DoH) support Here are the latest drivers and firmware updates released this week: NVIDIA 610.52 Hotfix with multiple fixes for black screens of death, sleep issues, G-SYNC, and more. Reviews are in Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week Steven Parker reviewed a rather unorthodox device here on Neowin this week. He took for a spin the DWARF mini, the world's smallest smart telescope for night and day sky captures. It tracks objects in the sky, has a sun filter, and has a low learning curve. There is also nice build quality and a quite affordable price. Pulasthi Ariyasinghe reviewed 007 First Light. The game turned out to be a satisfying spy adventure in the James Bond universe with great gunplay and combat, impressive crowds, over-the-top action sequences, and more. There are a few quirks here and there, but overall, the game scored high on our scale. On the gaming side Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts, and more. Microsoft held the latest XBOX Games Showcase this week. There, the company announced plenty of cool stuff, including a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, a special 25th anniversary XBOX Series X with a classic translucent green design (coming in November 2026), details about Gears of War: E-Day, Spyro: A Realm Beyond after nearly 20 years since the last release, a new Hellblade game from Ninja Theory, a new expansion for DOOM: The Dark Ages, fresh details about State of Decay 3, and even a new entry in the Crazy Taxi series. More improtantly for XBOX fans, Microsoft announced the return of XBOX exclusives, with Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution kicking it off. Microsoft also has some good news for Nintendo Switch 2 owners. Minecraft is coming natively to the second-gen Switch, offering better performance and new features, including the visual overhaul called "Vibrant Visuals." Playground Games revealed a 30-minute gameplay video of the upcoming Fable, showcasing combat, action, NPC simulation, relationships, and player choices. Additionally, the studio confirmed a bug with Forza Horizon 6 wiping saves for some gamers. It also had to shut down one of the game's online modes after users discovered an infinite money glitch. NVIDIA announced new games for the GeForce NOW streaming service and a big Summer sale that lets you get 12 months of GeForce NOW for $35 or $70 less, depending on the tier. Speaking of discounts, check out this week's Weekend PC Game Deals article, full of discounts and the latest freebies from the Epic Games Store. Great deals to check Every week, we cover many deals on different hardware and software. The following discounts are still available, so check them out. You might find something you want or need. GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC ICE 16G - $649.99 | 13% off 1TB Samsung T7 Portable SSD - $189.98 | 31% off AirPods Pro 3 - $179 | $50 off Edifier R1280Ts Powered Bookshelf Speakers - $129.99 | 24% off This link will take you to other issues of the Microsoft Weekly series. You can also support Neowin by registering for a free member account or subscribing for extra member benefits, along with an ad-free tier option.
    • Microsoft Flight Simulator's City Update 15 enhances Midwest cities by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe The third major city update of the year has landed for the original Microsoft Flight Simulator and the 2024 release. The latest drop is upgrading the visuals and regional accuracy of three metropolitan regions in the American states of Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The 15th city update is adding eight new areas of interest that have been enhanced with high-fidelity TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface texturing in the mentioned regions. The free update highlights Chicago, Elgin, Cicero, and Arlington Heights in Illinois, as well as Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Duluth, Brooklyn Park, Woodbury, Lakeville, Plymouth, and Blaine in Minnesota. In Wisconsin, the development has also upgraded the lands and buildings of Milwaukee, Madison, and Racine. The update lands just as one of the world's largest enthusiast flight simulation conventions, FlightSimExpo, kicks off in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 14. The Flight Sim development team's 40-minute keynote at the event can be watched here. At the same time, Microsoft is bringing the 6-seat, single-engine, multi-use light civil airplane Piper M600 into the game as a part of its Expert Series 2 program. This premium plane can be purchased from the in-game marketplace for $24.99. City Update 15: The United States Midwest is now available in Microsoft Flight Simulator, as well as the newer Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, as an optional download. It can be accessed across Steam and the Microsoft Store for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, as well as Xbox and PC Game Pass subscriptions. Xbox One, mobile, and PC players can also jump into the new content using Xbox Cloud Gaming if they have a Game Pass Ultimate membership. The game must be updated to the latest version to download this free update from the in-game marketplace.
    • Five things you might have missed during Apple's WWDC 2026 by Aditya Tiwari Image: Apple Apple's annual developer event, WWDC 2026, happened from June 8 through June 12. We have already covered several new features and updates that the iPhone maker unveiled during the official keynote. Apple took Google's help and finally announced the upgraded Siri AI personal assistant, which now comes with an app. Moreover, a truckload of Apple Intelligence features took the center stage. That said, this year's WWDC is a bit different, and you might have noticed or missed the following stuff: Apple's ongoing unification of platforms Image: Apple One thing Apple is widely known for is its seamless hardware-software ecosystem. The company added a new chapter in 2020, when it began the Apple Silicon transition and launched macOS 11 Big Sur with native ARM support. Some major changes happened last year as well, when Apple renamed all of its operating systems to version 26 and introduced the Liquid Glass design language. Until WWDC 2025, Apple keynotes had dedicated segments for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and other operating systems, in which the company discussed each in detail. The WWDC 2026 keynote was different, and Apple allotted most of the screen time to Apple Intelligence and Siri. It didn't even publish separate press releases on its website for different operating systems. While it might seem surprising at first, it shows how Apple plans to move forward with its software ecosystem. Be it the Liquid Glass changes, child safety updates, or other features, they are mostly rolling out across multiple platforms. In other words, Apple is slowly blurring the line between its operating systems and achieving feature parity wherever possible. It's easy to rule out that someone in Apple's marketing team forgot to press the publish button. Everything is a calculated move when it comes to a company like Apple. Putting Apple Intelligence left, right, and center hints that the OS itself is no longer the product anymore. It's Siri, not Pepsi Time and again, various Apple products have been compared to unrelated things and turned into meme material. You might have heard about the "cheese grater" Mac Pro or the "trash can" Mac Pro, to name a few. It's Siri's turn this time. The upgraded AI assistant got a fresh logo, and people have started comparing it with Pepsi. There are other contenders, such as the Sony Ericsson logo and the Yin and Yang symbol. Shot on iPhone. Edited on Mac Image: Apple Apple has been putting the iPhone's camera muscles to the test on various occasions. Even NASA astronauts took it to Space earlier this year and captured some out-of-this-world photos. Recently, Apple TV streamed the first major live sporting event shot entirely on iPhone 17 Pro: an MLS match featuring the LA Galaxy vs. the Houston Dynamo FC. The 'Pro' iPhone has also been used to shoot Apple events in recent years. It's "Scary Fast" Mac event in 2023 was among the earliest attempts, and the tradition trickled down to the WWDC 2026 keynote, which ended with the tag line "Shot on iPhone. Edited on Mac." It's unsurprising to see Apple flexing the camera capabilities of its Pro models, especially when it has been baking professional-grade features, including ProRes RAW and Genlock. Hints for the foldable Apple has been sitting on the foldable iPhone for so long. There is still confusion over when the company will make it official. A recent report said that the iPhone Fold might get delayed as Apple is struggling to perfect its hinge mechanism. But Apple has been dropping hints here and there. A developer dug into the iOS 27 beta code and found internal references about device folding states. As verified by Macworld, the code includes references to "foldState" and "angleDegrees" internal status values, which are apparently designed to tell apps if a device is folded and at what angle. As of now, no other Apple device uses these states. The publication also found internal code suggesting Apple has been testing a device with both Touch ID and Dynamic Island, a combo that doesn't exist today. Last event as Apple CEO Image: Apple Tim Cook's bond with Apple is now almost three decades old, having started in 1998 as the SVP of Worldwide Operations. Back in August 2011, Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple CEO months before his passing, and Cook took charge. Now, the baton has been passed to the hardware chief, John Ternus, who will take over the role on September 1. WWDC 2026 is the last major Apple Event for Tim Cook as CEO. We have seen so much during Cook's tenure over the years, much of which defines Apple as we know it today. From new hardware product lines like Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, and Apple Silicon, to boosting Apple's services business with Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Pay, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Care One, and more. That said, the first developer betas for Apple's latest operating systems are now available. You can check if your device is supported on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, and other platforms. What's your favorite feature that Apple announced this year at WWDC 2026? Tell us in the comments.
    • Trailer park trash “sport “, fits the current White House
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      ssd21345 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Contributor
      MarkHughes4096 went up a rank
      Contributor
    • Dedicated
      jordanspringer earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Rookie
      Rimplesnort went up a rank
      Rookie
    • One Year In
      Markus94287 earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      493
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      172
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      138
    4. 4
      ATLien_0
      92
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      78
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!