Archives for Month: April 2009 ::
Converting Tables to a CSS Div Tag and XHTML validated layout
Posted on :: Apr 30
This is one very long tutorial/article. I know that many web designers, particularly those who adore table-based layouts will find this articles/tutorial especially helpful. I will be teaching you how to take your current website/layout created with tables, tear it apart, and put it back together using valid XHTML and CSS.
Here’s a bit of an overview of what we’re about to do:
a: Replace all tables with div’s
b: Remove any broken, or old invalid code.
c: Edit remaining code so it fits XHTML transitional standards.
d: Write a CSS file to style the new layout.Changing a Document's Text size with JavaScript
Posted on :: Apr 30
Sometimes the text size you've specified for your webpage isn't suitable to the viewer, depending on his browser configuration or OS. This useful script uses Dynamic CSS to let the viewer himself modify the text size of the page on demand, by clicking on an Increase or Decrease Font Size link. Now that's a kind of personalization your viewers may just appreciate!
Creating Expanding Images with JavaScript
Posted on :: Apr 30
We're going to make a simple script for folks who want to have an image expand onMouseover (to its actual size). This lets you display large images at a reduced size initially (aka thumbnail size), and have them dynamically expand when the mouse rolls over them. Installation is simple- install the script in the HEAD section of the page, then give your "thumbnail" images a CSS class of "
expand". These thumbnail images should have an explicit width/height attribute that's less than the actual image's dimensions, so the script has something to expand to.This Script is AJAX friendly, meaning imported content with images with the "
expand" class will be immediately recognized by the script.CSS MouseOver Effects
Posted on :: Apr 30
In this CSS Tutorial, I'm goin to show you that making a Mouse Effect, doesn't always need to use JavaScript.
Infact, the same overall effect can be achieved with the use of some CSS. This sample will be using 3 overall images: One for the regular state, one for the mouse over state and one for the clicked state.Converting PSD to XHTML
Posted on :: Apr 30
I’m going to show you the most practical tutorials on coding a template using CSS and XHTML. Making a template has two steps. The first step is Designing the template components and the second step is Coding them into a valid XHTML page.
What you will be doing in this tutorial is setting everything up to begin coding your template for your website. This tutorial is for slicing a design made in photoshop and coding it in dreamweaver. You can also access example code at various stages through the tutorial if you have any problems.Why not tables? Is CSS really better?
Posted on :: Apr 30
A lengthy discussion on the ultimate value of pure CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) based layout over the use of tables has been taking place. Sometimes, living in the sheltered world of accessible and standards-based design, I can lose touch with the fact that many people out there simply don’t accept some of the same guidelines I work with every day?—?- and that this does not, in any way, mean that they haven’t given the subject a fair shot. Very good arguments have been made to defend each side.
On the whole, I think this discussion is an old, worn-out subject: those who won’t use tables generally don’t use them out of principle, and those who do use them out of pragmatism and a justified awareness that principles don’t build websites. I want to review the question once more, however, ignoring the entire question of principle.
Reasons Why CSS Is Superior to Tables in Website Design
Posted on :: Apr 30
Why is it that Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are superior to table-based layouts when designing a website? Some web designers swear that table-based layouts are better than CSS-based layouts, while others believe that table-based layouts are ancient history and XHTML combined with CSS is the only real solution to coding a web site’s visual layout. Since we’re one of those CSS die-hards, we’ve compiled a list of 13 reasons why CSS-based layouts are superior to table-based layouts.
The Top Ten differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0
Posted on :: Apr 30
I'm not a big believer in Web 2.0. Your opinion may differ, but the word "Web" is a fancy catch-all phrase for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP, the protocol used for transferring information between a Web server and your Web browser) and the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML, the markup language that tells your browser how to display whatever text, graphics, etc is coming through the HTTP "pipe"). Over at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), there actually are versions of these protocols.
What is Web 2.0?
Posted on :: Apr 30
You’ve probably heard the phrase "Web 2.0". You may’ve even read some of the various definitions of it. And Web 2.0 does appear to mean different things to different people, so you would be forgiven for still feeling confused about the term.
WebOS SE: New Installer in Development
Posted on :: Apr 29
For about the last month or so, I've been building a new Web-based installer for the New Version of WebOS. Most poeple would argue, why build an installer, when there's no application built?
Well, I'm building the Installer first to ensure that 1-It works and 2-there's not going to be much difference in this version of the installer, or the final version (which has yet to be done).
I've also slimlined the installation process, as Version 1.X users know the installer, while intuitive can be confusing, I'm not duplicating anyhting from the version 1.X installer, which is why I've begun with this first.SQL: Data Types
Posted on :: Apr 29
This is probably a little late in the coming, however I've included the following which is a list of general SQL datatypes that may not be supported by all relational databases. I know however that MySQL and SQL Server support these datatypes.
Creating Stand-Alone ColdFusion Templates With Embedded Images
Posted on :: Apr 29
This isn't as cool as perhaps it sounds, but it's kind of neat! Here's the Scenario:
You (or the project you're working on) don't want images on it to have to be stored in the standard file system. This makes the page extremely modular so that I can just drop it in and not worry about taking it out later.How to turn your blog in to an OpenID
Posted on :: Apr 29
Wouldn’t it be great if you could use the same account to log in to multiple sites and applications, without having to trust them all with your password? Wouldn’t it be even better if you could do this without having to hand ownership of your online identity over to some monolithic third party? (I’m looking at you,
.NET PassportMicrosoft PassportWindows Live ID.)The good news is, you can! OpenID is a decentralised authentication system invented by LiveJournal but now being developed as an open standard under the careful mentorship of the Apache Software Foundation. Anyone can create an OpenID, and the number of sites which let you log in with one is growing by the day.
An OpenID is simply a URL. My OpenID is alteredpixels.net, the address of my weblog. I can use it to sign in to any site that supports OpenID, and because I’m the only person with control over my weblog’s homepage I’m the only person who can use that identity.
If you want your own OpenID (and you should), here’s how to get one.
Making your Mango Skins more Managable
Posted on :: Apr 29
Since, I am at the mercy of Public Access internet, and am not able to FTP into my website to make updates/changes to my Mango Skins, I've worked out a way to make them not only load from the assets/content/ folder but also made them manageable via Mango's File Manager located in the Admin Panel.
I'll go over the steps I used, and perhaps They'll be able to help you too.
Chrome/Safari Gotcha: Nameless Form Fields
Posted on :: Apr 29
In ColdFusion, you can loop over the keys in a structure without knowing what the key names are, by using either this syntax:
Or this syntax:
This is useful when you need to loop over a form with dynamically created fields — like editing N person records at a time.
Relative Custom Tag Paths: Friend or Foe?
Posted on :: Apr 29
ColdFusion 8 added support for this.mappings and this.customTagPaths as per-application settings in Application.cfc, something many developers including yours truly will tell you was a god-send.
But did you know that they can be relative?
I stumbled on this — uh, feature? — and I'm still undecided on whether I like it or not.
Link Counter For Mango
Posted on :: Apr 28
What this Add-on and a fewlines of modification (and a new Database Table) does is enables Mango Blog to keep track of how many times a link (not your Site's Links, but links you setup in the Links Admnistration) are clicked.
I wrote this becasue I was wondering what links in my available links were the most downloaded/viewed, so I wrote this to assist me.Using GMAIL for your ColdFusion Server's SMTP
Posted on :: Apr 28
I had discovered that is is possible to use Google's GMAIL smtp server to server your ColdFusion Server Mail system. Really.
It's not a complicated as one would think.BasePlugin.cfc in Mango 1.3
Posted on :: Apr 28
Following on from my previous post, I’ll now expand on the BasePlugin.cfc component provided with Mango 1.3.
BasePlugin.cfc contains a number of commonly used, unchanging functions which will remove the need to specify them every time you write a plugin.
These include getters and setters, preference handling and saving, and access to the plugin’s assets directory.
The easiest way to show you what’s going on is with an example.
Plugin development in Mango 1.3
Posted on :: Apr 28
In Mango 1.3 the functionality of plugins has been extended to simplify matters for plugin developers.
The key new features are auto-installation, auto-copying of plugin assets files (scripts, images etc.) and a BasePlugin component with a bunch of useful functions in it.
Upgrading SQLExpress to Standard or Enterprise
Posted on :: Apr 24
Microsoft so very graciously provides a free version of SQL 2005, SQL Express, with MOSS. If you install MOSS using the Basic option or Single Server under Advanced you get SQL Express automatically. So what if as a budding newbie SharePoint admin you chose the Basic option, but now as a wise aged SharePoint admin you've seen the error of your ways and want to use a more respectable version of SQL for your SharePoint backend? You're in luck. In this blog post I'll walk you through upgrading SQL Express to SQL Standard or Enterprise.
Related Entries Pod
Posted on :: Apr 24
While I love Adam tuttle's Related Entires Add-On, I didn't like having to place the <mango:Event name="beforePostContentEnd" /> after my post's body. It works great, don't get me wrong, I just wanted to have any related entires to the specific entry I was reading Easily available to the user.
Uncovering Site Problems for Landing Page Optimization
Posted on :: Apr 23
Landing page optimization and testing can often produce double-digit conversion rate improvements and transform the economics of an online buisness. However, to get the best results from our landing pages, we must know where to begin.
Often, I've been asked on both interviews and and from clients, "How do I get Ideas for what to improve or test?" I smile, and I Simply answer, "The answer lies in your own website, with the data you already have." I often get a "What are you tlaking about?" or a "Uh huh." stare from people.Using JavaScript to access an HTML element with multiple class names
Posted on :: Apr 23
Occasionally I discover a nifty solution to a coding obstacle. Although seemingly small, these can be major productivity barriers, especially if you are only a recreational coder. The following is in response to an HTML element that has multiple class names declared.
Our HTML looks something like this:
Create Dynamic Form Fields
Posted on :: Apr 23
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) specifications combined with JavaScript events give you a great opportunity to create forms that look good and are easy to understand. Instead of boring, black and white forms, you can create forms that respond instantly to user inputs.
Creating Dynamic Effects
Some visitors may have problems navigating through a long or complex form. Help them out by creating form fields that change color as the visitor navigates through the form.Automatically Adding Smiles To Your Messages
Posted on :: Apr 23
This tutorial will demonstrate how you can implement smiley's into your pages on the fly.
An Introduction to CFSCRIPT
Posted on :: Apr 23
We all know and love ColdFusion for its easy to use tag-based syntax. So why is there even a cfscript-style syntax? Well, there are a couple of reasons:
Some CFers are already proficient in other langauges, and may feel more comfortable writing program events in a more 'traditional' method.Some people think that cfscript style syntax is easier to read (more straightforward).
CFSCRIPT exectues faster than a comparable block of tag-based code
So what does all of this mean to you? Do you have to use cfscript? Absolutely not. But given the advanatges mentioned above (as well as the ability to more easily write User-Defined Functions in CF 5 and above), you may want to check out cfscript to see what it can do for you.(x)html Compliant Dynamic Columns Display
Posted on :: Apr 23
There's always alot of methods for displaying a Table's rows and Columns, dynamically, however this tutorial will show yu how to do it with XHTML Complaince.
Easily Add Social Networking Links to Your Website
Posted on :: Apr 23
It's becoming more and more standard practice for websites to be linking content to Social netowroks to in crease traffic, and link building. Most Sites however require some form of a plug-in or add-ons module to thier content management system to achieve this.
Be Your Own Open-ID Provider
Posted on :: Apr 23
As mosre sites and services start offering Open-ID for authentication use, you've probably been trying to decide if it would be better to go it alone or become your own Open-ID provider.
There's a great scriptlet set (currently in PHP) called phpMyID, that uses two PHP files that allow website oweners or developers for that matter, to use thier domain name as an authenication portal to Open-ID supporting websites.OS X Server Documents
Posted on :: Apr 23
About a year and a half ago, I had a partner who had bought his own server machine. I will admit I was preparing myself for a whole lot of configuring, reconfiguring and restarting (I assumed it was a Windows Server). Well I was surprised (and releived) that it was an Apple OSX (Tiger) Server.
Now I had configured many an Apple workstation and previous versions of the OS as a server, but never had I configured an OSX Server. These are the documents I used to get it running, rather quickly. And so I thought I'd post the here for download to assist others.Dynamic Drag’n Drop With jQuery And PHP
Posted on :: Apr 21
Drag’n drop generally looks hard-to-apply but it is definitely not by using JavaScript frameworks. Here is, how it is done by using jQuery & jQuery UI:
Configuring CF8 to use Google Apps
Posted on :: Apr 21
The biggest issue I have with running my own server is dealing with spam blockers, email servers, DNS servers, etc. For some of you this is easy, and a no brainer. I personally run from it like a screaming banshee. I use google hosted services for all my email needs. They make it easy, rarely ever have downtime, and the spam filtering is second to none!
Google works fine for sending email from my desktop mail client or through the web, but sending mail via scripts programatically has always been a pain in the butt in my experience. That is until today.
Undefined variable errors in PHP 5
Posted on :: Apr 17
I've installed scripts on my locla server that run fine on many servers with php but for some reason on my server that I have just installed php and on I keep getting undefined variable errors for almost all the common varibales like: $HTTP_REFERER, $HTTP_HOST, $php_SELF.
So how do I fix this?XAMPP Virtual Hosts on Windows
Posted on :: Apr 17
If anyone else has any problems with XAMPP this is the exact process I followed to get it working
I added these lines to my Windows Hosts file (c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc)
127.0.0.1 site1
127.0.0.1 site2Added the following to the httpd-vhosts.conf file
A Six Step Linking Building Plan
Posted on :: Apr 15
Much has changed in the world of link building. It's entirely true. Older strategies such as buy text links, and press releases and directory submissions. I am entirely convinced of it, and having used methodolies shown herein, I htink you'll understand these claims I'm making. None of of the aforementioned systems are as effective as the once were.
Here's what hasn't really changed, now that I've got your attention. Building successful link-building campaigns, gives you a winning edge on search cengine optimization.
Are MySQL stored procedures slow?
Posted on :: Apr 15
Slow stored procedure performance is one of the reasons why it usually isn’t wise to implement computationally expensive business logic in the database. With networks not being the bottleneck they once were it is often better to extract the data to the application layer and process it in the programming language of your choice, even if that takes a few extra round trips to the database. There are exceptions where those extra round trips are too numerous and prohibitively expensive. With something as complex as a database there are always exceptions.
This example is a bit too simple, but, based on experience, it is representative of the general performance of stored procedure logic.
How can MySQL get away with such poor performance? Well, the equivalent code in MS SQL Server took 80 seconds on the same hardware, which is also two orders of magnitude slower than C# or Java code.
MySQL Stored Procedures and Functions
Posted on :: Apr 15
Over the past few years one major advantage that some databases, such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, have had over MySQL is their ability to use stored functions and stored procedures. Well, that was before MySQL 5; with MySQL 5 a database developer can start adding in their own bespoke functionality.
Linkedin.com :: Share your Content on linked in
Posted on :: Apr 15
I happen to be a member of linked.com, a business/developement networking website. I just dicovered that you can share on LinkedIn link to your website or blog allowing your users to share your content with their LinkedIn connections or networks. This gives your content legs: one user visits your site and can notify literally tens, hundreds, or thousands of others. Works great for news sites, blogs, and other content–rich sites.
Mastering SEO Rankings with Analytics Data
Posted on :: Apr 15
After reading this post you won't be able to "Master Search Engine Rankings" ... However, with some simple guidelines, you can create an effective plan to put your analytics data to work for you. Before I jump on my soapbox and start preaching the gospel of SEO, I want to state for the record that there isn't one absolute way to plan out an SEO strategy.To be honest, I don't think I've ever taken the same exact approach for any web site I've worked on ... and I've worked on quite a few over the years.
Google RESTful Ajax » JSON Search in ColdFusion
Posted on :: Apr 15
A Friend of mine was hacking and cursing his way through a routine to convert RSS feeds in to HTML, I had an idea. I thought, "Wow, maybe there's another way to do this ..." Converting RSS can be messy so I opted for a much easier and cleaner solution ... JSON. For those Ajax pros out there ... have a heart ... I'm definitely a nOOb at JSON ... I just wanted to share my experience because the introduction and experience was enlightening ... at least to me it was.
WebOS SE: Laying the Foundation
Posted on :: Apr 15
I've begun building the newest version of WebOS, and have concluded it would be best to offer it in three overall flavors, each offering different available features. The Three Editions of WebOS SE are the following:
Lite Edition | Standard Edition | Enterprise EditionNow I'm sure some of you out there are rolling your eyes thinking, "Great now he's turning into Microsoft." I want to ensure you, I'm not, however I've gotten feedback in the past that not all Features should be released as opensource... Hmmm.
SubCategories Support for Mango
Posted on :: Apr 2
Through some tough trial and error, I have at long last enabled my Mango Powered Site to use Subcategories!
It's a bit tedious, but I've put together two download package so you too can have your Mango Blog have subcategories, One is for the Admin Panel and one is for the Front End.Developing Plugins in Mango 1.3
Posted on :: Apr 2
Mango 1.3 was released yesterday through it's auto-update process. If you are using a version of Mango older than 1.2.x, you probably don't have the auto-updater and will need to manually upgrade. Ignore the fact that that page indicates the latest version is 1.2.4 — if you click the download link you'll get the latest version.
Everything you need to know about Mango pods – Part 2: Plugin Pods
Posted on :: Apr 2
Just as with Template Pods, you need to have a pod-enabled theme. There is actually still one way to get your pod content displayed in a non-pod-enabled theme, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
This post is going to be long enough as it is, so I am not going to cover the fundamentals of plugin creation here. (Maybe some other time.) To get you started, I would recommend you read the plugin documentation, followed by Seb Duggan's posts on plugin architecture changes in Mango 1.3+ (here and here). From there, my advice is to find a plugin that does something similar to what you want to do, and reverse engineer it. I'm also going to assume you have a basic understanding of how Mango dispatches (aka broadcasts) events, and how to respond to them. (Not to be redundant, but that's a fundamental of plugin creation in Mango.)
Everything you need to know about Mango pods – Part 1: Simple Template Pods
Posted on :: Apr 2
In Mango, adding pods can be super simple — mostly html with a touch of CFML; or you can go nuts and write a plugin that adds a pod that does something crazy. In this series of posts I'll try to cover everything you could possibly want to know about pods.
Before we get started, the first thing you need is a pod-enabled theme. They aren't all pod enabled, unfortunately. If you're not sure if your theme is pod-enabled, the quick way to tell is to click the "Pod Manager" link on the left side of your blog admin. If your theme is *not* pod-enabled, you'll get a message that says Current theme doesn't have any pod locations or it is not Pod-enabled. Otherwise, you'll see the pod manager.
Toward the end of this series, I'll post showing how to make your theme pod enabled, if you're writing or updating a theme. It's not that difficult.
VirtualHost Examples
Posted on :: Apr 2
This document attempts to answer the commonly-asked questions about setting up
virtual hosts. These scenarios are those involving multiple web sites running on
a single server, via name-based or IP-based virtual hosts.
Running several name-based web sites on a single IP address.
Name-based hosts on more than one IP address.
Serving the same content on different IP addresses (such as an internal and
external address).
Running different sites on different ports.
IP-based virtual hosting
Mixed port-based and ip-based virtual hosts
Mixed name-based and IP-based vhosts
Using Virtual_host and mod_proxy together
Using _default_ vhosts
Migrating a name-based vhost to an IP-based vhost
Using the ServerPath directiveSetting up multiple virtual hosts in WAMP
Posted on :: Apr 2
This document attempts to answer the commonly-asked questions about setting up
virtual hosts. These scenarios are those involving multiple web sites running on
a single server, via name-based or IP-based virtual hosts.
Running several name-based web sites on a single IP address.
Name-based hosts on more than one IP address.
Serving the same content on different IP addresses (such as an internal and
external address).
Running different sites on different ports.
IP-based virtual hosting
Mixed port-based and ip-based virtual hosts
Mixed name-based and IP-based vhosts
Using Virtual_host and mod_proxy together
Using _default_ vhosts
Migrating a name-based vhost to an IP-based vhost
Using the ServerPath directiveConfiguring Your Home Computer to Run Apache Server, PHP, MySQL, ColdFusion, and IIS
Posted on :: Apr 2
This tutorial for installing WAMP Server (Apache, PHP, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin)
was written for the students in the Web Page Design program at the Contra Costa
ROP. This tutorial will cover basic server installation for web development
testing purposes on your home computer. This tutorial will not cover all of the
necessary security settings used to create a public web server.Cracking an Encoded Coldfusion Template
Posted on :: Apr 2
Can it be done? I wish the answer were easier than a yes or a no, becasue it's actually both. Upto Coldfusion MX the answer is YES, yes you can decode the encoded coldfusion file. After Coldfusion MX the answer is NO. Now, permit me to explain.
ColdFusion supports the ability to "encrypt" the CFML templates in an application or component, using the CFCRYPT.EXE utility, so they can be redistributed or sold without exposing the source code to casual viewing. Allaire has received reports of illegal utilities that will "decrypt" encrypted CFML templates.
AJAX Form Validation (AJAX Tutorial)
Posted on :: Apr 1
I got tired of Traditional Javascript based Form Validation, only because despite the fact they work well, they don't validate the content of the Feild Immediately. So I got tired of this, and built this off of the Prototype Framework.
The basic method is to attach to the form'sonsubmitevent, read out all the form elements' classes and perform validation if required. If a field fails validation, reveal field validation advice and prevent the form from submitting.Nice Form Fields (v2)
Posted on :: Apr 1
Everybody knows web forms. Each day we have to fill in some information in a web form, be it a simple login to your webmail application, an online purchase, or signing up for a website. They are the basic, and pretty much the only way of gathering information on the web.
You basically know a web form when you see one as they always look the same and they’ve kept this look over the years. Try as hard as you might but web forms can only change their appearance so much. Some may argue that this is a good usability feature, and I tend to agree, but there comes a time when you just need to style web forms so that they look different. How do you do that? Niceforms comes to the rescue!
Text Highlighting in Flex
Posted on :: Apr 1
Flash Files Can Now Be Found And Indexed
Posted on :: Apr 1
Flash SEO :: Flash Searchable
Posted on :: Apr 1
Flash and SEO (search engine optimization) solutions have lived poles apart for as long as either one of them was invented. Several web design and development houses have moved away from Flash/Flex implementations because of this constraint.
Writing SEO-Friendly Content
Posted on :: Apr 1
This tutorial for installing WAMP Server (Apache, PHP, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin)
was written for the students in the Web Page Design program at the Contra Costa
ROP. This tutorial will cover basic server installation for web development
testing purposes on your home computer. This tutorial will not cover all of the
necessary security settings used to create a public web server.