Defrosting your code

One of our team members recently noticed an issue with Excel VBA code running on Windows Vista (it is something that happens on WindowsXP too, it is just more pronounced on Windows Vista), so I thought I would write it up. While it is not the sort of issue that the Excel team can easily address, it is something worth mentioning to all the VBA developers out there, in part to see how people might be handling this situation already.

The behaviour in question is how Excel behaves when VBA code runs for more than

5 seconds uninterrupted – for example, you are running some sort of loop that takes longer than 5 seconds to finish. On WindowsXP, after 5 seconds or so, if the user starts clicking on the application to see if anything is happening, they will see a “Not Responding†show up in the title bar (which is a subtle enough change that many people do not even notice). (Note – the circumstances around “Not Responding†appearing can be a bit more complicated than that, but I wont go into it, because it doesn’t really matter in the context of this discussion.)

The behaviour on Windows Vista is the same, with one exception – the Windows folks have done work to make it more apparent to the user when an application is “not respondingâ€. Specifically, they have a behaviour called “frostingâ€, which means that when the user starts clicking around the window, the whole window gets this semi-transparent look (which those of you in northern climes will recognize as frost) to really clue the user into the fact something abnormal is up. (Again, there is more to it than this, and the code controlling when an app is considered not responding has changed between Windows XP and Windows Vista, but I wont go into the details for the purposes of this discussion.)

(Click to enlarge)

While this can be helpful in some cases, it probably isn’t the idea behaviour when it is code executing behind your workbook, since the user may decide to end-task on the code, which isn’t really what you want.

Because this behaviour stems from the fact that Office is not able to send messages to the OS when macros are running, the simplest work around is include a DoEvents call in your code to allow message processing when it is executing loops that may go on for a while – that prevents the frost (and “Not Responding in the title bar).

Assuming that makes sense, let’s have some audience participation time … do people run into this already? If so, what sort of workaround have you used?

5 tips to defrost the windows of your machine on cold winter days

During winter, not only the windows of your car risk freezing; your machine can of course also suffer from frosted windows. Prevention is always better than cure: prevent your windscreen from freezing by always storing your machine indoors at night. If this isn’t an option, then cover the window(s) with an insulating blanket or cover.

If this isn’t an option either, or your windows still became frosted due to the penetrating cold, then observe these five tips to defrost them in no time.

Tip 1: use de-icer

With de-icing spray, ice will disappear into thin air. You can easily obtain de-icer commercially and furthermore you can also find it in our range.

Tip 2: use screenwash with antifreeze

If your window is not completely frozen, but there is merely a thin deposit of ice, then the antifreeze in the screenwash will quickly and easily remove this. What’s more, the screenwash reservoir and the hoses are protected against freezing thanks to the product.

Tip 3: provide a wide, plastic scraper

A wide, plastic scraper is a must-have if you want to clear your windscreen of ice by scraping. Scraping ice with anything else than a scraper can damage your windscreen and is usually also a lot slower. Even when using a scraper, it is advisable to spray your windscreen with de-icer to minimise the risk of scratches.

Tip 4: install heating in your cabin

Heating inside your cabin doesn’t just improve your own comfort, it also helps to defrost your windows faster during cold winter days. How to improve the working comfort inside your cabin even further? Read all about it in our blog containing 5 tips for an ideal working comfort inside your cabin.

Tip 5: rub shampoo on the inside of your windscreen

Want to prevent condensation on the inside of your windscreen? You can easily do this by rubbing some shampoo or other detergent into the glass. Don’t apply too much of course, or you might risk compromising the visibility through your windscreen.

And what should you NOT do to defrost your windows?

To conclude, we also want to inform you of what you shouldn’t do to defrost your windscreen. First and foremost: letting your engine warm up idling. This doesn’t help and, furthermore, it is really bad for your engine — as it leads to increased wear — and for the environment. Another thing that is strongly advised against, is pouring hot water over your windscreen, as the sudden temperature difference can cause your window to crack. As a final ‘don’t’, we also like to emphasise that your windscreen wipers were made to wipe away water, and not ice. By trying to wipe a frozen window, the rubber of your windscreen wipers wears considerably faster.

How can we be of service?

Always keep these ‘do’s-and-don’ts’ in mind when defrosting your windows if you prefer not to lose too much valuable time from now on. Purchasing de-icer, screenwash with antifreeze or a reliable ice scraper? In our webshop MyTotalSource you can definitely find what you need, and in our Winter Products special you will find an overview of all the above-mentioned products.

However, if fate did still strike and left you with a broken window or wipers, you can always contact us for this. Our special range of windscreens, glazing and accessories will definitely feature what you need for your machine. Haven’t found what you were looking for? Then definitely contact us, we will gladly help you.

Want to discover more tips to prevent damage to your window(s), or need help replacing them? Then definitely have a look at our other blogs:

defrost

1 defrost

эк. размораживать (фонды иностранного государства)

размораживать (холодильник и т. п.)

2 defrost

3 defrost

4 defrost

5 defrost

6 defrost

7 defrost

Англо-русский строительный словарь. — М.: Русский Язык . С.Н.Корчемкина, С.К.Кашкина, С.В.Курбатова . 1995 .

8 defrost

9 defrost

10 defrost

11 defrost

12 defrost

13 defrost

14 defrost

15 defrost

16 defrost

17 defrost

18 defrost

19 defrost

20 defrost

См. также в других словарях:

defrost — v. t. To remove the frost or ice from; as, to defrost the car window; to defrost a refrigerator. Syn: deice. [WordNet 1.5] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

defrost — v. i. 1. To become free of frost or ice; as, it took four hours for the refrigerator to defrost. Syn: deice. [PJC] 2. To thaw; used especially of items removed from a freezer, such as frozen foods. [PJC] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

defrost — 1895, from DE (Cf. de ) + FROST (Cf. frost). Related: Defrosted; defrosting … Etymology dictionary

defrost — ► VERB 1) free of accumulated ice. 2) thaw (frozen food) … English terms dictionary

defrost — [dē frôst′, difrôst′] vt. 1. to remove frost or ice from by thawing 2. to cause (frozen foods) to become unfrozen vi. to become defrosted … English World dictionary

defrost — UK [diːˈfrɒst] / US [dɪˈfrɔst] verb Word forms defrost : present tense I/you/we/they defrost he/she/it defrosts present participle defrosting past tense defrosted past participle defrosted 1) [intransitive/transitive] if frozen food defrosts, or… … English dictionary

defrost — verb Date: 1895 transitive verb 1. to release from a frozen state 2. to free from ice ; also defog in … New Collegiate Dictionary

defrost — /di frawst , frost /, v.t. 1. to remove the frost or ice from: to defrost a refrigerator; to defrost the windshield of a car. 2. to thaw or partially thaw (frozen food). v.i. 3. to become free of ice or frost: The refrigerator defrosted quickly.… … Universalium

defrost — [[t]di͟ːfrɒ̱st, AM frɔ͟ːst[/t]] defrosts, defrosting, defrosted 1) V ERG When you defrost frozen food or when it defrosts, you allow or cause it to become unfrozen so that you can eat it or cook it. [V n] She has a microwave, but uses it mainly… … English dictionary

defrost — de|frost [ˌdi:ˈfrɔst US ˈfro:st] v 1.) [I and T] if frozen food defrosts, or if you defrost it, it gets warmer until it is not frozen →↑melt, thaw ↑thaw 2.) [I and T] if a ↑freezer or ↑refrigerator defrosts, or if you defrost it, it is turned off … Dictionary of contemporary English

defrost — de|frost [ di frɔst ] verb 1. ) intransitive or transitive if frozen food defrosts, or you defrost it, it becomes warmer until it is no longer frozen 2. ) intransitive or transitive if a FREEZER or FRIDGE defrosts, or you defrost it, you switch… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

How To Properly Defrost Items In The Microwave?

How To Properly Defrost Items In The Microwave?

Reliable Microwave ovens are some of the most sought-after home appliances in modern homes.

Whether you want to heat up your frozen pizza or defrost ground meat for your dinner, a microwave can often be your best friend when your short of time. This is particularly true when it comes to defrosting as it helps speed up the cooking in a safe way. Using a combination microwave can be a great choice for thawing a wide range of food items right from the freezer.

Microwaves these days are often highly intelligent machines that can defrost any food type at the push of a button. This is particularly true for Panasonics range of intelligent inverter microwaves however with some of the older more basic microwaves around the defrost function can often leave your meals unevenly defrosted and even slightly cooked while still being half frozen. Below we’ve provided a few tips on manually defrosting food when your microwaves defrost setting just doesn’t quite cut it.

Defrosting Food Items in the Microwave Oven

Firstly, when looking to defrost using a microwave make sure to use a microwave safe container. You should always make sure that you are heating food properly and safely in order to ensure warm healthy meals that are safe to eat.

If you are new to using the basic microwave oven, here are some expert tips on defrosting food items using the simple microwave oven in your kitchen.

в—Џ Place the food item in a microwave-friendly container: to ensuring the given plate or container is microwave-friendly, you can check its bottom for the safety labels. Runny or liquid-based food items should be placed in deeper containers or bowls in order to avoid spillage.

в—Џ Defrosting time is dependent on the size and the type of the food you are defrosting. Place the food item in the microwave oven and decrease the power to around 30-50% depending on what you are defrosting. User the lower 30%-35% settings for larger more dense food items such as large pieces of meat and the higher 45%-50% settings for smaller loose food that can be mixed throughout in order evenly distribute heat, foods like frozen vegetables.

*When you use low power settings, it allows the food to warm gradually and evenly throughout without cooking the outside.

● Once the food is in and the settings have been updated set a two-minute timer and hit start. As the food is defrosting make sure to keep an eye on it and regularly check the distribution of heat as food can often be warm on the outside but cold on the inside. It’s a good idea to keep going with one to two-minute time increments as various parts of the meal or food items defrost at different rates. With larger pieces of meat and more dense foods more time is needed therefore start with five to eight minutes and then go to two-minute increments checking occasionally.

● Lastly, for loose foods it’s a good idea to remove the parts that are defrosted and continue microwaving the parts that are still frozen. Removing these pieces speeds up the process by allowing the microwave to focus its energy on the leftover frozen pieces and ensures the pieces that are already defrosted don’t start to cook due to being left in the for too long.

в—Џ Once everything is defrosted make sure to cook everything properly and enjoy.

Safety Measures While Defrosting Items in a Microwave

If you want to ensure the best outcomes for defrosting frozen food in the microwave, it is essential to follow some basic safety rules.

в—Џ Use a thermometer for ensuring that you are defrosting the food items at the right temperature
в—Џ Once you have defrosted a packaged food item, cook the same within one day
в—Џ Avoid re-freezing any raw food item after defrosting the same
в—Џ Clean the microwave oven once you are done defrosting to get rid of any lingering bacteria

There you have it a quick guide on how to manually defrost food in a microwave. We hope you find it helpful, go forth and defrost safely.