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Lynda.com - Javascript Essential Training

Author: Shaunk...

Source: JavaScript Essential Training (2007) - Lynda.com

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Regina Spektor - Hotel Song Typographic Video

Author: Shaunk...

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Storing and Retrieving Data to a MySQL Database with PHP

Author: Shaunk...

OK today's challenge. I'm looking to store and retrieve data, specifically testimonials. I've done this before with Flash but am now looking to do it with PHP alone.

Initially my intention was to store data to an array. This doesn't seem suitable now as I need to retrieve the data and display the name separately, from the review and also display a shortened extract of the reviews on other pages. Concatenating the review is no good as this can crop the paragraphs in unsuitable places.

I decided the best option is to save form data to a MySQL database. Then a separate field for name, extract & full review can be given.

I not an expert so I'm making this up on the fly! Here's a few resources...

How to Access a MySQL Database Using PHP

Inserting Data Into a MySQL Database using PHP

Storing User Submitted Data and Files in MySQL

MySQL Docs

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Flickr don't like no iFrame...

Author: Shaunk...

I received an email today saying our portfolio is no longer working on our website?

The portfolio in question was powered by Flickr and displayed using a Javascript lightbox. This was a pretty nifty way of giving clients a low cost and user friendly way of uploading image files.

Upon checking I found this message on Flickr:

As of today, flickr pages displayed in an iframe break out and replace the entire page. This breaks my flickr app Discussr. Is there any particular reason for this change? It seems pointless and rude to me.

It seems like they've upset a few people by doing this. Not giving any advance notice certainly didn't help matters.

The main reason given is that they don't like having their content framed in other sites. They've never liked it. It doesn't drive direct.

I don't see what the problem was, Flickr branding was plastered all over the slideshows anyway so viewers still knew who was powering things.

Looks like I've got some fixing to do. A few options of app are given in the thread, I'll look into them.

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Functions - The Basics

Author: Shaunk...

Over the past few months I've been predominantly focussing on developing my Javascript and jQuery competence.

Functions are a very powerful and efficient way of grouping, executing and reusing code. They're a standard part of many scripting and programming languages including Javascript, Actionscript and PHP so getting familiar with the syntax and how they work can be very rewarding.

There are two stages to any function; declaration and invocation. Imagine this to be an author-reader relationship, the latter utilising information created by the former. Highly effective as you only need one author to satisfy millions of readers.

The basic structure of a function declaration is as follows.


function nameOfFunction(listOfVariableNames) {
  code to be executed goes here
}

And to invoke (or call) a function you would place the following code wherever required:


nameOfFunction();

Or for functions with variable parameters you would call as follows:


nameOfFunction(listOfVariables);

Pretty simple. This is all you really need to know to start using functions.

They're are further ways of achieving similar results and you can also assign functions to variables in some languages. See one of these links for more information about a specific language.

Javascript | Actionscript | PHP

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Scrap the crap & good riddance to IE6

Author: Shaunk...

I received this from Google Apps. Great move is all I can say, I like many developers have dropped support for IE6. It can add a ridiculous amount of time to projects just because a few people don't know how to or are scared of updating. It's not complicated to click on a button and make people move with the times.

Evolve or be fossilized...

Dear Google Apps admin,

In order to continue to improve our products and deliver more sophisticated features and performance, we are harnessing some of the latest improvements in web browser technology. This includes faster JavaScript processing and new standards like HTML5. As a result, over the course of 2010, we will be phasing out support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as other older browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers.

We plan to begin phasing out support of these older browsers on the Google Docs suite and the Google Sites editor on March 1, 2010. After that point, certain functionality within these applications may have higher latency and may not work correctly in these older browsers. Later in 2010, we will start to phase out support for these browsers for Google Mail and Google Calendar.

Google Apps will continue to support Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Starting this week, users on these older browsers will see a message in Google Docs and the Google Sites editor explaining this change and asking them to upgrade their browser. We will also alert you again closer to March 1 to remind you of this change.

In 2009, the Google Apps team delivered more than 100 improvements to enhance your product experience. We are aiming to beat that in 2010 and continue to deliver the best and most innovative collaboration products for businesses.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

The Google Apps team