Web Applications

jQuery and jQuery UI in your Grease Monkey scripts.

Jul 16th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Chromium

No comments

Not all websites are made equal. Unfortunately, some of those websites are ones we’re required to use. Be it our job, our interests or the undiscovered, web-browsing can be the orgeon trail of the internet. Cultivating the atmosphere to work for us and bringing the right tools along for the journey are essential for survival, if you’re a pioneer.

I’m tired of websites that don’t provide, can’t provide or will never provide. I’ve called in my boys, Stylish and Grease Monkey on the front lines. However, beyond the crazy happenstance that another user might share a solution to your issue on userstyles.org or userscripts.org you could be left in the cold, without the right tools. I won’t go into detail on Stylish in this post but you might not even need it after you see the script.

Since I’m already connected with Google every which way in my life, why not pretend like the Internet is a big party and websites are your friends. Introduce jQuery from Google’s CDN to other friends (websites) that don’t already know jQuery and jQuery UI and make it personal.

That was the driving force behind this Grease Monkey Script, which was derived from mashing together strd6′s script and Joan Piedra’s script with an update to the latest versions of jQuery and jQuery UI.

// ==UserScript==
// @name           jQuery and jQuery UI
// @author         Tyler "-z-" Mulligan
// @version        0.5
// @namespace      http://www.doknowevil.net
// @description    jQuery 1.6.2 and jQuery UI 1.8.4 loaded from google's CDN with redmond theme.
// @include        http://www.website.com/*
//
// @resource       jQuery               https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.6.2/jquery.min.js
// @resource       jQueryUI             https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.14/jquery-ui.min.js
//
// @resource       jQueryUICSS          http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/jquery-ui.css
//
// @resource       ui-bg_inset-hard_100_fcfdfd_1x100.png  http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_inset-hard_100_fcfdfd_1x100.png
// @resource       ui-bg_gloss-wave_55_5c9ccc_500x100.png http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_gloss-wave_55_5c9ccc_500x100.png
// @resource       ui-bg_glass_85_dfeffc_1x400.png        http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_glass_85_dfeffc_1x400.png
// @resource       ui-bg_glass_75_d0e5f5_1x400.png        http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_glass_75_d0e5f5_1x400.png
// @resource       ui-bg_inset-hard_100_f5f8f9_1x100.png  http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_inset-hard_100_f5f8f9_1x100.png
// @resource       ui-bg_flat_55_fbec88_40x100.png        http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_flat_55_fbec88_40x100.png
// @resource       ui-bg_glass_95_fef1ec_1x400.png        http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_glass_95_fef1ec_1x400.png
// @resource       ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_d8e7f3_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_d8e7f3_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_6da8d5_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_6da8d5_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_217bc0_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_217bc0_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_f9bd01_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_f9bd01_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_2e83ff_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_2e83ff_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-icons_cd0a0a_256x240.png            http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-icons_cd0a0a_256x240.png
// @resource       ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png         http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png
// @resource       ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png         http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/redmond/images/ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png

// ==/UserScript==

var $;

// Inject jQuery into page... gross hack... for now...
(function() {
    if (typeof unsafeWindow.jQuery == 'undefined') {
        var head = document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];

        var script = document.createElement('script');
        script.type = 'text/javascript';

        var jQuery = GM_getResourceText('jQuery');
        var jQueryUI = GM_getResourceText('jQueryUI');

        script.innerHTML = jQuery + jQueryUI;
        head.appendChild(script);

    }
    GM_wait();
})();

// Check if jQuery's loaded
function GM_wait() {
    if (typeof unsafeWindow.jQuery == 'undefined') {
        window.setTimeout(GM_wait, 100);
    } else {
        $ = unsafeWindow.jQuery.noConflict(true);
        addUIStyles();
        letsJQuery();
    }
}

function addUIStyles() {
    var head = document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];
    var resources = {
        'ui-bg_inset-hard_100_fcfdfd_1x100.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_inset-hard_100_fcfdfd_1x100.png'),
        'ui-bg_gloss-wave_55_5c9ccc_500x100.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_gloss-wave_55_5c9ccc_500x100.png'),
        'ui-bg_glass_85_dfeffc_1x400.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_glass_85_dfeffc_1x400.png'),
        'ui-bg_glass_75_d0e5f5_1x400.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_glass_75_d0e5f5_1x400.png'),
        'ui-bg_inset-hard_100_f5f8f9_1x100.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_inset-hard_100_f5f8f9_1x100.png'),
        'ui-bg_flat_55_fbec88_40x100.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_flat_55_fbec88_40x100.png'),
        'ui-bg_glass_95_fef1ec_1x400.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_glass_95_fef1ec_1x400.png'),
        'ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_469bdd_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_d8e7f3_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_d8e7f3_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_6da8d5_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_6da8d5_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_217bc0_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_217bc0_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_f9bd01_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_f9bd01_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_2e83ff_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_2e83ff_256x240.png'),
        'ui-icons_cd0a0a_256x240.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-icons_cd0a0a_256x240.png'),
        'ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png'),
        'ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png': GM_getResourceURL('ui-bg_flat_0_aaaaaa_40x100.png')
    };

    var style = document.createElement('style');
    style.type = 'text/css';

    var css = GM_getResourceText ('jQueryUICSS');
    $.each(resources, function(resourceName, resourceUrl) {
        console.log(resourceName + ': ' + resourceUrl);
        css = css.replace( 'images/' + resourceName, resourceUrl);
    });

    style.innerHTML = css;
    head.appendChild(style);
}

// All your GM code must be inside this function
function letsJQuery() {
    //alert($); // check if the dollar (jquery) function works
    //alert($().jquery); // check jQuery version
    $("
<div id='example' class='flora' title='This is my title'>I'm in a dialog!</div>

").dialog({
        buttons: {
            "Ok": function() {
                alert("Ok");
            },
            "Cancel": function() {
                $(this).dialog("close");
            }
        }
    });
}

I also wanted to use this script with Chromium browser, the open-source version of Google Chrome. I found the TamperMonkey Extension for Chrome. Stylish is also available for Chrome.

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ping fm services (minus twitter)

The Best Way to Tweet to Twitter, Post on Facebook from WordPress

Jul 26th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Application Management

2 comments

I’ve been focusing some time recently to the foundation levels of Internet marketing. I’m aiming to increase visibility as strongly as possible at the core of a website giving it the power to leverage evolving trends as simply as possible. This of course means utilizing APIs from other web applications, such as social networks. The title of this post is true but deceptive. I consider the following method the best way to tweet from WordPress but it’s actually a whole lot more than that. It’s a gateway to a large number of social media applications; one account to rule them all. ping.fm is a service that allows you to link multiple social network websites, such as facebook, twitter, linkedin and more.


+ twitter

So the idea then, is to leverage then is to utilize the ping.fm application from your website. If you’re using WordPress then you’re set, the simple no frills publish 2 ping.fm plugin will allow you to interact with ping.fm from your blog/website.

I’ve tested this out with the free open-source GPL First Person Shooter, Xonotic and a new site I just started dumbtubes.com. Both have twitter accounts that you can see publishing twitter.com/dumbtubes, twitter.com/xonotic. Xonotic also publishes to many other social accounts, see the Xonotic homepage to find other accounts.

Stay tuned for more wordpress tips.

WARNING, this plugin may cause other plugins options panels not to work. I’m not sure the cause yet but be aware that it can cause the sub settings of dedicated plugin setting groups to throw access errors.

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scp-notifications for GNOME and Ubuntu – Expanding on My Original Python Script

Jun 26th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Compiz

No comments

I’ve only been coding Python for ~12 hours total, so don’t expect this to be perfect. Knowing what I know about creating/testing other software and doing my best to scour through very light pynotify documentation, I’ve begun to build out this script to be more useful / portable / configurable. As the Version 0.6 indicates, I’m not quite at my goal yet and there is still more to learn to bring it up to that point.

I’m releasing this early on my blog just in case I caught any people yesterday who’ve been experimenting with my research / code so far. I’ll share it on github when I evolve it just a bit more.

Video of it in Action

#!/usr/bin/env python
#
# Title: scp-notifications
# Author: Tyler Mulligan (tyler@detrition.net)
# Date: 06/26/2010
# Version: 0.6
# Description:
# Used in combination with an event, such as an action or cronjob, this script
# will scp the latest file from a folder to your server.
#
# Optionally, it can copy the url to your clipboard and/or show a popup with a
# link to the file after succesfully uploading
#
# Orginally developed to be piped to from compiz screenshot tool
# http://interwebninja.com/videos/compiz-screenshot-piped-to-notification-daemon-for-upload.ogv
#
# The MIT License
#
# Copyright (c) 2010 Tyler Mulligan
#
# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
# of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
# in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
# to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
# copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
# furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
#
# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
# all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
#
# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
# THE SOFTWARE
#

import pygtk
pygtk.require('2.0')
import pynotify
import gtk
import sys
import os
import subprocess

# Set Variables
#####################################
user = "user"
host = "server.com"
# All should have trailing slashes
lfolder = "/home/user/screenshots/"
hfolder = "/home/remote_user/screenshots/"
httplink = "http://"+host+"/screenshots/"

# Display
#####################################
t1 = 5000 # timeout for screenshot upload dialog
t2 = 3000 # timeout for screenshot preview
t3 = 7000 # timeout for link dialog

screenshot_preview = 1 # If using with the compiz screenshot plugin, you may want this
popup_link = 1 # another popup
copy_to_clipboard = 0 # automatically copy text to keyboard

# Position
#####################################

# Get screensize < < used for relative positioning
display = gtk.gdk.display_get_default()
screen = display.get_default_screen()
x = screen.get_width() - 1
y = screen.get_height() - 1

# 0 for Automatic Placement
"""
x1 = 0
y1 = 0
x2 = 0
y2 = 0
x3 = 0
y3 = 0
"""
# Define Relative Position (assuming top-right)
x1 = x-1
y1 = 12
x2 = x1
y2 = y1 + 100
x3 = x-1
y3 = 12
# Define Static (1920 puts it on my second monitor)
"""
x1 = 1919
y1 = 12
x2 = x1
y2 = y1 + 100
x3 = 1920
y3 = 12
"""
#####################################

def upload_cb(n, action):
    assert action == "upload"

    subprocess.call(["scp", os.path.join(lfolder, f), '%s@%s:%s' % (user, host, hfolder)])

    # setup URL in
    if copy_to_clipboard:
        clipboard = gtk.clipboard_get()
        clipboard.set_text(httplink + f)
        # make our data available to other applications
        clipboard.store()

    # Notification: Link for the clicking
    if popup_link:
        n3 = pynotify.Notification("Here is your link","<a href='" + httplink + f + "'>" + httplink + f + "")

        helper = gtk.Button()
        icon = helper.render_icon(gtk.STOCK_DIALOG_INFO, gtk.ICON_SIZE_DIALOG)
        n3.set_icon_from_pixbuf(icon)

        n3.set_urgency(pynotify.URGENCY_NORMAL)
        if x3:
            n3.set_hint("x", x3)
        if y3:
            n3.set_hint("y", y3)
        n3.set_timeout(t3)
        n3.connect("closed",closen3_cb)

        if not n3.show():
            print "Failed to send notification"
            sys.exit(1)

        closen1_cb(n1)
        closen2_cb(n2)

    gtk.main_quit()
    sys.exit(1)

# Notification 1 was closed
def closen1_cb(n):
    n1.close()
    if screenshot_preview:
        n2.close()
    gtk.main_quit()

# Notification 2 was closed
def closen2_cb(n):
    n2.close()
    gtk.main_quit()

# Notification 2 was closed
def closen3_cb(n):
    n3.close()
    gtk.main_quit()

# The Ignore button was clicked
def ignore_cb(n, action):
    assert action == "ignore"

    closen1_cb(n1)
    closen2_cb(n2)
    gtk.main_quit()

# Main
def main():
    gtk.main()

# Init
if __name__ == '__main__':
    if not pynotify.init("Notifier 'scp' Option"):
        sys.exit(1)

    # Get latest file and build uri
    start = os.path.abspath(lfolder)
    f = max([(os.path.getmtime(os.path.join(start,p)),p)
         for p in os.listdir(start)])[1]
    uri = lfolder + f

    # Notification: Upload to Server
    n1 = pynotify.Notification("Upload to Server?","Copy the file '" + f + "' to the server?")

    helper = gtk.Button()
    icon = helper.render_icon(gtk.STOCK_DIALOG_QUESTION, gtk.ICON_SIZE_DIALOG)
    n1.set_icon_from_pixbuf(icon)

    n1.set_urgency(pynotify.URGENCY_NORMAL)
    if x1:
        n1.set_hint("x", x1)
    if y1:
        n1.set_hint("y", y1)
    n1.set_timeout(t1)
    n1.add_action("upload", "Yes, Upload", upload_cb)
    n1.add_action("ignore", "Ignore", ignore_cb)
    n1.connect("closed",closen1_cb)

    if not n1.show():
        print "Failed to send notification"
        sys.exit(1)

    # Notification: Screenshot Preview
    if screenshot_preview:
        n2 = pynotify.Notification("Screenshot Preview", "", uri)
        n2.set_urgency(pynotify.URGENCY_LOW)
        if x2:
            n2.set_hint("x", x2)
        if y2:
            n2.set_hint("y", y2)
        n2.set_timeout(t2)
        n2.connect("closed",closen2_cb)

        if not n2.show():
            print "Failed to send notification"
            sys.exit(1)

    main()

.

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Patching NextGEN Voting Plugin to Allow Showing of the Vote Form on Single Images

May 30th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in The Internet

7 comments

Intro

NextGEN Voting is a plugin for the wordpress plugin NextGEN Gallery plugin. Keeping this in mind made the task of extending easier. NextGEN Gallery hooks into wordpress functions, NextGEN Voting hooks into NextGEN Gallery.

By default, NextGEN Voting hooks into the gallery view, giving access to a function that uses the image id for lookup. The only reason we see nothing if we try to paste the same template code into a page other than the recommended “nextgen-gallery/view/gallery.php” is because that function is not given access in any other view.

How-to Add Access to Use the Function in the Image Browser Template

Open “wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery-voting/ngg-voting.php”,

Look for:

add_filter("ngg_show_gallery_content", "nggv_show_gallery", 10, 2);

Add After:

add_filter("ngg_show_imagebrowser_content", "nggv_show_imagebrowser", 10, 2);

Look for:

function nggv_show_gallery($out, $gid) {
	return $out.nggc_voteForm($gid, $buffer);
}

Add After:

function nggv_show_imagebrowser($out, $gid) {
	return $out.nggc_voteForm($gid, $buffer);
}

Now we have given access to the function and can paste the following code into “wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/imagebrowser.php”:

<?php echo nggv_imageVoteForm($image->pid); ?>

Conclusion

I’ve tried to explain this in method in a way you can repeat an extend to suit your needs. By following the same logic and tracing the hooks, you can apply this however you might need.

You’ll want to keep “wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/nggfunctions.php” open as a reference for what hooks are available. You can find hooks by searching for “apply_filters(‘”, it will be the first parameter.

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Mac Browsers + PNGs = Mismatching Image Colors with Same HTML Hex

May 28th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Computers

No comments

Most people with a Mac don’t know this but their gamma is set to 1.8 by default where the rest of the world is set to 2.2 for web/tv. The only reason I know this is because I had to figure out what was causing certain images to display darker on macs than Windows/Linux computers. Thankfully Don MacAskill, explained the basics of this “phenomenon” of Mac Browsers + PNGs = Mismatching Image Colors with Same HTML Hex” in great detail and with good examples

Internet standards, including HTML, CSS, and Flash, are based on a gamma of 2.2, making colors partway between black & white appear darker and higher contrast than 1.8 gamma makes them appear.

Clearly this is a problem, as referenced by Ron, even Apple recommends you change your default gamma from 1.8 to 2.2, where they also link to some further reading.

If images are delivered with the lower gamma information embedded, web browsers on macs tend to* (not all see note below) display them incorrectly if it’s not reading the color profile properly.

As a webdesigner / web developer / photographer, this might worry you. You’ll want it too look the same to everyone or at least the majority (95%+ of the world uses windows). The easiest way I found to fix this in my work flow, using Ubuntu Linux was with pngcrush, a cross-platform application that allows you to not only reduce image filesize loseless, but allows you to remove information that can cause confusion with the way images appear in mac web browsers.

All I had to do to install it on Ubuntu was:

sudo apt-get install pngcrush

Then I wrote the following command to strip all gAMA, cHTM, iCCP and sRGB information from all png files within a directory and move them to a folder called “crushed”

pngcrush -d crushed -rem gAMA -rem cHRM -rem iCCP -rem sRGB *.png

*It’s important to point out that this does not effect OSX 10.6+ (snow leopard and beyond). Further reading on why apple chose 1.8 gamma as the default can be found here.

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Reducing pageweight by compressing production css and js files

Sep 4th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Computers

3 comments

I’ve been a little obsessed with improving the speed of web pages via minified javascript and css files. YUI’s team not only agrees with this, they recommend gzipping your minified js and css files. For a while I’ve been calling YUI Compressor inside my push to production scripts to do the deed. However, with this new mention of gzipping, I think might be exploring other options such as the method mentioned on the page which originally linked me to that awesome YUI writeup; minifying and gzipping javascript and css on the fly using php.

Redmine for software project management

May 25th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Organization

No comments

Back in 2008, I posted about the project management system, Project Pier, which was a fork of Active Collab. The system served my groups and I well for a while… but it was limited in different areas. Overall I thought it too slow and not so much tailored for software development as the new system I’m been using Redmine.

Redmine is a Ruby “clone” of the python based Trac system, which is also pretty good. I say clone because it’s really just influenced by I Trac, there goals were different than the Trac project. I decided on Redmine because it seemed to fit the bill for my group’s needs.

- It supported SVN and git browser integration.
- Per project wiki
- Per project user levels
- Issue tracking
- lightweight
- extendible (already some nice modules for download)

I haven’t had much hands on experience with Ruby but my buddy Dan Kinsley is a big advocate of RoR and after installing this, I can see why. The install was smooth and professional, largely done through the terminal. It went through without a hitch and immediately after logging into the newly setup system, I noticed how fast it was. This application makes good use of javascript and AJAX.

I was able to get SVN and git repos hooked in pretty quickly with specific projects and so far it’s been helping me manage tasks and layout projects better and faster than Project Pier.

Yahoo! hosting is total crap, seriously, don't use it.

Mar 20th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in The Internet

1 comment

I’ve used many hosts in my time on the internet, using all sorts of backends handed off to me by clients or given to me by friends. Not all of them have been great, limited by their weak control panels and low settings… but none and I mean NONE have been as bad as Yahoo hosting. This is the third time I’ve had a problem with them and it’s not over simple mistakes, it’s about HORRIBLE coding and BAD decisions. My first issue with them was a O.o and a half. While clicking around their backend that looks like it was designed in the early 90′s, I seemingly BROKE the backend. I locked myself out, only to always get an error page when trying to get back in. I had to call support to verify that I had “found a bug” and it took them 3-4 days to resolve. You have to write some pretty bad code to make this happen.

After they fixed that bug and I was able to login again, I tried to start off on my original goal of setting up a MySQL database for use by a web application. Didn’t get to far there! I don’t remember this part too in depth, nor do I care to fact check the details in fear I may break this frail control panel but this innovative solution included using an iframe that passed your credentials to what seemed to be a stripped down version of phpMyAdmin that failed along the way… I tried it again and ended up in failtown twice. I can’t delete the databases because some information was lost along the way and now I’m stuck with two folders I can’t delete either.

Want SSL? HAHAHAHA, HAHAHAHA, Ha! If you want to use SSL, you can drop files in a folder they give you… HOW CONVENIENT!

Hmm, well I guess this actually brings me to my 4th issue with them. The popular method used for doing all sorts of nifty tricks with apache without having access to the httpd.conf, including URL rewrites/redirects (which I was using it for), the .htaccess file is not useable on Yahoo hosting. Yahoo’s faq says, o hai guys, here’s some info on htaccess but YOU CAN’T USE IT!. Now… one of the intents of my recent upgrades was to reduce the number of pages on the website (a legacy issue I was slowly working to resolve). The solution to streamline this process and avoid a bunch of 404s / bad links on search engines is to create rewrites/redirects to point users to the new pages based on the old URLs. With only 5 lines, I managed to cover all pages locally… but I can’t upload the .htaccess file to yahoo.

The solution? Recreate every old page and use a 0 second redirect…. soo…. that means I’d technically be increasing the number of files on the site by ~120% or build xml sitemaps and take the hit for a few weeks while the search engines re0index everything. Pardon my French but that’s some bullshit.

So just a warning, DON’T USE Yahoo hosting if you want to do anything more than host a few html files.

I much happier with Dreamhost, who is cheap, effective, scalable and uses a MUCH better (custom) control panel than any other host I’ve had. I can even use SSH without jumping through hoops our using a stupid autogenerated login name (sup 1and1?).

xepic.com is now xepic.net

Jul 7th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Art

3 comments

Due to a lack of funds and neglect I’ve lost xepic.com to squatters. It’s quite unfortunate because I’ve done a lot of marketing for it and now I’ve lost all meaningful back links. I don’t feel like wasting time dancing with these fools who repeatedly degrade the quality of the internet for their own benefit, so I opted to port the application to a new domain. I was able to pickup xepic.net, mirroring the old application exactly. This means all links work if you just replace .com with .net.

Porting the application was easy… I just had to change a few variables. What I’m more concerned about is all the back links coming from my sites, I have to go through and change all those before google docks me for linking to a ‘bad neighborhood’.

Live and learn I guess. It boggles my mind… around the same time I renewed 5 domains I didn’t really care about. Everything happens for a reason though I guess, right?

Free Project Management System – activeCollab Now Costs Money

Jan 25th

Posted by Tyler Mulligan in Freeware

5 comments

When I do group projects at school, I like to keep the team in check with a project management system to keep a centralized collection of work, including conversation and various files about said work. In the past I had been a big fan of the (once open-source) Base Camp clone, activeCollab. However, as many of you reading this may know, activeCollab is no longer free.

Fear not my friends! There exists a fork called Project Pier, which picks up where the the free version left off.

Project Pier Overview

In my opinion, the default theme shies away from the clean cut web 2.0 freshness that was activeCollab but the folks at Project Pier were friendly enough to bundle some slick themes for those who are as nitpicky as I.

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