Running a network batch file under Windows XP without the publisher could not be verified error appearing.

At my work for People & Planet, I was setting up a new PC running Windows XP (shock, horror).

One of things that the new machine has to do is to run a DOS batch file over the network to set a few things up when a user logs in. However Windows XP displays a warning dialogue box telling you The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?.

I searched around the net and found some information about the page at http://windowsxp.mvps.org/networkfile.htm and had to adapt the instructions a tad. Here's what I needed to do to make the batch file run without the annoying warning:

1. Click Start, Run and type INETCPL.CPL
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Select Local intranet and click Sites.
4. Click Advanced.
5. In Add this website to the zone: enter \\mysmbservername\ and click Add.
6. Make sure Require server verification... is unchecked.
7. Click Close, then OK, then OK to close the Internet Properties dialogue.

Obviously you need to replace \\mysmbservername above with the name of the Samba (Windows networking, CIFS) share name that your script is running from. So for example if your script is \\scripts\startup\startup.bat then enter \\scripts above.

Disabling autonumbering in OpenOffice.org Writer

Autonumbering can be useful, but it can also be annoying. Personally I know what I want to do and I don't need some smart-arse word processor telling me otherwise.

OpenOffice is really cool, but this particular feature was driving my girlfriend to derision and she was threatening to dump her Ubuntu Linux laptop in favour of a return to Windows: the situation was serious!

It's not obvious how to to disable this feature; in fact, it's down-right annoyingly difficult to find out where it is. Anyway I did by searching around the net and here's how you do it:

1. Tools -> Auto Correct
2. Options tab
3. Uncheck the option Apply numbering - symbol: *
4. Click OK

That's it, obviously re-check that option to turn it back on.