Git .gitignore file to Visual C++ 2015 Update 2

After upgrading my Visual C++ 2015 from Update 1 to Update 2, I noticed that a new file appeared in the root directory of the projects I was opening. The file was always named ProjectName.VC.db. Indeed according to the release notes, a new SQLite-based database engine is now being used by default, and that’s the file where the database is stored. The old file, named ProjectName.sdf is now unused and can be safely deleted.

The change also demanded an update on my .gitignore files to also ignore this new database file, and here it goes:

Debug/
Release/
*.aps
*.db
*.ffs_db
*.ncb
*.opensdf
*.rar
*.sdf
*.suo
*.user
*.VC.opendb
TODO.txt

If you import and old .vssettings file, however, the option to use the new SQLite-based database can be rolled back to the old .sdf files. To manually change it, go to: Tools → Options → Text Editor → C/C++ → Advanced → Browsing/Navigation → Enable New Database Engine. Set it to “true”.

Disabling C++ exceptions in Visual Studio 2015

When using the STL with Visual Studio 2015 – and older versions, probably –, C++ exceptions are enabled by default. To view the options specified below, first add at least one CPP file to your project.

The first thing to change on the project settings is under C/C++ code generation, enable C++ exceptions: set this to “no”.

Then, on the project settings, C/C++ preprocessor, to each configuration and platform individually, add the following preprocessor definition:

_HAS_EXCEPTIONS=0

This way you’ll be able to use the STL without the C++ exception handling mechanism.

Clean tones of PRS Custom 24

This is the most beautiful sounding guitar I’ve ever owned or played, possibly. Being a hardcore superstrat player, I’m having a hard time adapting to the radiused fretboard and the unbalanced body shape – not unbalanced as a Les Paul, but definitely butt-heavy.

So I recorded this improvisation using the POD HD500X looper. I see myself selling this guitar soon: that’s how I want to remember it.



The video was recorded with the great Samsung Galaxy S6, in 1080p and 60 fps.

Evernote abandons C# in favor of C++

It’s with a feeling of “I knew it already” that I read this note, from 2010, where Evernote team abandons C# and rewrite the whole thing from scratch in C++. It’s not that C++ is a good language – it’s awful – but the point is that this whole managed code hype destroys any hopes of performance one may have. I’ve seen benchmarks comparing raw loops and things that doesn’t matter, when in fact the problem is the huge runtime needed for these programs to run, which slows everything down and eats a lot memory. The point is that managed programs, specially WPF stuff that Evernote used, just can’t beat native ones.

Technically, C# is a beautifully designed language, but in real world its programs are slow and sluggish. C++ is a horrible language, but being compiled directly to native code, generates optimized programs. Evernote guys just realized that.

Git bash shortcut on Windows

Download the portable version of Git (it can be x64), and create a shortcut to run Git bash on Windows with this command line to run on “target”:

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cmd.exe /c ""C:\Program Files (x86)\git\bin\sh.exe" --login -i"

Start in: root directory of sources.

Lágrima, F. Tárrega

Here I share another sheet music from my personal classical guitar collection, a simple and famous piece, Lágrima by Francisco Tárrega (1852—1909). I typed this myself, with my own fingerings and tab, using Sibelius 6.2.

Bourrée, BWV 996, J. S. Bach

I’m sharing this sheet music from my personal collection, the famous Bourrée in E minor by J. S. Bach (1685—1750), for classical guitar. I typed this myself, with my own fingerings and tab, using Sibelius 6.2.

The new Google Maps sucks

A couple months ago, Google began introducing a beta version of the new Maps, which at the time, I promptly refused to use, given the sluggishness and missing features it had. The feature I missed most was the screen split between Street View at the bottom half and the map itself at the top half, where I could drag the Pegman on the map, while the Street View is automatically updated. Oh and the old version is faster. So much faster.

Some time after, this horrible interface became the default, but we still could choose to use the old one. But now Google – possibly because the avalanche of bad feedbacks – rolled out a Lite version of the new Maps, which is basically the same terrible interface, but with even less features. Great solution, eh?

Fortunately, it’s still possible to go back to the old version of Maps via maps.google.com/lochp, at least until Google disables it too. Seriously, what would they swap such a great solution with a crappy one?

Gibson Les Paul weight-relieving chart

I’ve see a lot of information regarding Gibson Les Paul models weight-relieving, but never a condensed, concise chart about all the variations. So, based on all information I could gather, mostly from here and here, I compiled the chart below.

Year	Standard	Traditional
up to mid 1982	solid	N/A
mid 1982 to late 2006	9 holes
late 2006 to 2011	chambered	9 holes
2012 and beyond	modern

Follow the given links to see images of what each weight-relieving technique look like.

Ibanez Jem & Universe fretwire

I’ve seen a lot of wrong information about this, so I’ll just leave this here for further reference.

Regarding fretwire, the Ibanez Jem 7VWH uses Warmoth 6105 frets, not Dunlop 6105. That’s why you find “W/6105” on the specs.

The Ibanez Universe – all models, as far as I know, including the Jem 7V7 –, listed as having jumbo frets on the specs, have Dunlop 6140.

Actual measurements:

• Warmoth 6105 – h .047", w .096" (7VWH);
• Dunlop 6105 – h .055", w .090";
• Dunlop 6140 – h .039", w .106" (UVs).

Sony Vegas 13 sucks

I’m a long time Sony Vegas fan. My history with Sony goodies dates back to Acid Pro 3, when was still developed by Sonic Foundry, which had created a very intuitive interface and workflow. Sony bought Sonic Foundry and started migrating all the programs to .Net Framework crap, and quality began to suffer.

Sony Vegas was still usable up to version 12. Not exactly fast, but pretty usable. Testing out this version 13 – build 373 is the lastest at the moment I write this post –, I’m deeply disgusted to what they have done. Without any noticeable improvement, the interface has got a bit uglier, and everything, absolutely everything is slower. I dislike laptops, I have a desktop computer with quite powerful hardware components, and even though, the timeline elements became sluggish when reacting to the mouse, the video preview rendering is blurred and skipping frames, and any cross-fading is simply not viewable due to slowness. Among other oddities.

After some hours of headache, I simply removed this version and reinstalled the version 12 back. What a relief. No more Vegas 13 over here. I hope Vegas 14 can have more luck – although I doubt it.

Music Man JP comparison chart

After his solid Ibanez JPM, it seems that John Petrucci doesn’t know what he wants, so he changes the specs of his signature guitar each year. There are way too many versions so far, and no single place where you can find all the specs together, so I compiled a comprehensive chart of all John Petrucci models with Ernie Ball Music Man.

Note: this chart doesn’t include the dozens of limited series that have been released, just the standard specs.

Year	Model	Body	Neck	Fingerboard	Bridge PU	Neck PU	F radius	Frets
2000	JP6	Basswood	Birdseye maple	Rosewood	Custom, based on Evolution (ref)	Custom, based on Air Norton	15" 381mm	High wide h .047", w .104" h 1.19, w 2.64mm
2005					D-Sonic
2007	JP6 BFR	Alder, maple top, mahogany block	Mahogany	Rosewood or ebony
2008	JP6	Basswood	Birdseye maple	Rosewood	Crunch Lab	LiquiFire
	JP6 BFR	Alder, maple top, mahogany block	Mahogany	Rosewood or ebony
	JP6 BFR Baritone
2010	JPX	Chambered alder, maple top, mahogany block		Ebony				Jumbo h .057", w .110" h 1.45, w 2.79mm
2011	JPXI	Alder, maple top, mahogany block					20" 508mm	Medium jumbo h .051", w .108" h 1.30, w 2.74mm
2012	JP12	Basswood, maple top, mahogany block
2013	JP13			Rosewood	Illuminator	Illuminator	17" 432mm
2014	Majesty	Basswood, maple top	Mahogany, neck-thru	Ebony
2015	JP15	African mahogany, maple top	Roasted maple
	Majesty Artisan		Honduran mahogany, neck-thru	Ebony
2016	JP16	Basswood	Roasted maple	Smokey ebony	Sonic Ecstasy	Sonic Ecstasy
2017	Majesty Monarchy	African mahogany, maple top	Honduran mahogany, neck-thru	Ebony
2019					Dreamcatcher	Rainmaker
2021	JP 20th	Honduran mahogany, maple top	Honduran mahogany		Crunch Lab	LiquiFire	15" 381mm	High wide h .047", w .104" h 1.19, w 2.64mm
	Majesty 20th		Honduran mahogany, neck-thru		Dream Catcher	Rainmaker	17" 432mm	Medium jumbo h .051", w .108" h 1.30, w 2.74mm
	Majesty 8	Basswood	Mahogany, neck-thru

Other changes:

• On the first model, the following are optional: piezo, matching headstock, shield fretboard inlays. A “full loaded” specimen has all three.
• Compensated nut was introduced in early 2006.
• The BFR Baritone has a 27.5" scale length.
• Stainless steel frets debuted with the JPXI in January 2011, and later became standard on all JP models ordered since January 2012.
• The rectangular tremolo base plate was introduced in August 2011.
• In 2011 the piezo saddles changed for ones with lower output; because of this, the preamp was changed for one with a higher output to compensate.
• The BFR logos (on the 12th fret) were retired from all models with the release of the JP13, in early 2013.
• The JP12 was the last model to feature a passive circuit for the magnetic pickups, which can work without a battery. The JP13 and all later models feature an active circuit for everything, including the magnetic pickups: without batteries guitar has no sound.
• Around October 2016 the logo at the back of the headstock changed, from “Made in San Luis Obispo California, USA” to “Californa heritage, since 1974” with a bear picture.
• The JP16 has a Korean-made Floyd Rose bridge, and no piezo system.
• In 2019, the Majesty eletronics layout was redesigned, with less wiring in the back cavity. The layout of the back controls is different.
• The Majesty 8 has a fixed bridge and it’s 25 to 27" multi-scale.

This chart was last updated in 2024-04-02.