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Ah, something spanking new!!! · CSS · Design / 29 11 2004 - 21:42

Yesterday i installed a neat php script which produces a spanking new guestbook. The script was delevoped by my awesome friend and partner in design fiddling Dude.

We managed to get it implemented on my site and i must confess: it’s a beauty!!

Here are some features it has:

1. Server side form validation.
2. PHP live request for previewing comments formatted with Textile.
3. Gravatar.
4. Alternating comment classes (idea inspired by yours truly).
5. Automatic smileys.
6. E-mail notification.
7. Clean valid XHTML.

The whole thing is php created, so the only structural stuff you have is the one needed for your page.

I still need to tweak the CSS a bit but that’s just some minor stuff.

I say: thumbs up Dude!!!!!

Comments [2]

Something new to play with · Design · / 21 11 2004 - 23:42

I got myself a new plaything: Macromedia Captivate.

Macromedia Captivate is the latest version of RoboDemo. It’s usefull if you want to write tutorials and show a live demonstration.

Here’s a brief “what is it”:

Macromedia Captivate allows you to effortlessly record any application and enhance the recording with text, animations, audio, and interactivity to create sophisticated training simulations and product demonstrations. You can create simulations in minutes, without any programming skills.

So, in the next couple of days i’ll probably put an example up here, showing some simple thing in Fireworks.

Comments [3]

Virtual drive: GMail Drive · Pc talk · / 20 11 2004 - 03:49

I just installed GMail Drive: a Shell Namespace Extension that creates a virtual drive in the Windows Explorer, allowing me to use my Google GMail account as a storage medium.

It’s a neat free application that let’s me do basic file manipulation, such as copy and delete of files inside the GMail account. Because it is a Shell Extension, the interface is in Windows Explorer itself.

GMail Drive appears as a virtual drive under your My Computer folder in Windows Explorer.

You can do the following with it:

1. Navigate between files and folders using the familiar Explorer folder view.
2. Do basic file manipulations, such as creating folders and delete files.
3. Use copy and paste as you would normally do in Explorer to copy files around.
4. Use drag’n’drop to quickly move files between folders. Show information about volumes and files using the Properties dialogs.

How does it work?

GMail Drive works by directly manipulating emails inside your Google GMail account.

When you copy a file to the GMail Drive folder, it internally creates and sends an e-mail to your account. The file content is sent as an e-amail attachment.
When the Shell Extension needs to display a directory listing of your GMail account, it submits a GMail search query using the sparsely documented GMail Protocol API. It searches for all e-mails starting with the word “GMAILFS”. From the returned search result, it builds a directory structure, which is displayed in the Shell Extension.

Because all GMail Drive files appear as regular e-mails in your Google GMail account, i have set up a GMail filter that automatically moves all e-mails containing “GMAILFS” to the archived folder. This way, GMail Drive files won’t clutter up my GMail account.

The file size is limited to 10 Mb because this is the attachment size limit Google imposes on all mails. Since the filename must be available on the message subject line, the full filename length is limited to 40 characters.

If you’re interested, you can get it at Viksoe.dk.

Containing block revisited? · CSS · / 17 11 2004 - 02:04

While still strugling with the script for that search implementation i was drifting off into CSS space and thought it might be a good idea to try to explain what the containing block means in CSS. Yup that’s right: i dediced to boldly go where many others have gone before ;-)

K, here we go.
As you probaby know CSS uses several positioning schemes and one of them is “aboslute positioning” (also known as AP)
In technical mumbo jumbo, absolute positioning allows an element to be positioned with respect to that element’s containing block.
This said, the words “containing block” are crucial.

If you want to position an element absolute, that element can be positioned with 4 properties: left, top, bottom, right .

How does the containing block work?

You positioning an element, like a <p> or <div>, and then any element enclosed in that element takes its co-ordinates relative to that element.

Let’s make things a bit more clear with a few examples:

Example 1

<div style="position:relative;">
  <p style="position:absolute;top:5px;left:5px">bla  bla</p>
</div>

The <div> sets the co-ordinates with a position:relative. The <p> is contained by the <div> because it’s inside the opening and closing tags. The <p>’s position:absolute takes its co-ordinates from the <div>. No matter where the <div> will end up, the <p> is 5 pixels from top and left-hand edge of that <div>. The <div> acts as the containing block for the <p>.

Example 2

<div style="position:absolute;right:0;">
  <p style="position:absolute;top:5px;left:5px">bla bla</p>
</div>

Here the <div> has position:absolute and starts at the top-left corner of the viewport, but right:0; positions its right-hand edge on the right-hand side of the viewport. The <p> takes its co-ordinates from the <div> so it ends up 5px from the top/left corner of the <div>. Again, the <div> acts as the containing block for the <p>.

And that’s a brief summary on the containing block. If you want to know more, you might catch up on my Positioning Tutorial.

Some help needed · CSS · Design / 15 11 2004 - 00:12

I’m implementing a search engine that gives you the possibility to search my site. So far it functions perfectly but before adding it on my pages, i was checking to see if it validates because it uses a mix of php and xhtml in the php script.

And yes, it didn’t validate so i had to clean it up. 95% of the errors are fixed but i’m still left with a few stuborn things.

If somebody could assist me, i would be most gratefull :-)

Comments [2]

Quote of the day · Small talk · / 10 11 2004 - 00:30

If porn didn’t exist, men probably weren’t so computer savvy.

Comments [3]

Amish Paradise · Small talk · / 8 11 2004 - 01:58

Today i was reading Kartooner who had posted an entry about the Amish. One of the comments made a referal to Weird Al Yankovic’s version of Coolio’s “Gansta’s Paradise”, named “Amish Paradise”.

So i grabbed me the song and indeed … f%#*$#* hilarious.

For those who are interested, here are the lyrics:

As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain
I take a look at my wife and realize she’s very plain
But that’s just perfect for an Amish like me
You know, I shun fancy things like electricity
At 4:30 in the morning I’m milkin’ cows
Jebediah feeds the chickens and Jacob plows… fool
And I’ve been milkin’ and plowin’ so long that
Even Ezekiel thinks that my mind is gone
I’m a man of the land, I’m into discipline
Got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin
But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine
Then tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1699

We been spending most our lives
Living in an Amish paradise
I’ve churned butter once or twice
Living in an Amish paradise
It’s hard work and sacrifice
Living in an Amish paradise
We sell quilts at discount price
Living in an Amish paradise

A local boy kicked me in the butt last week
I just smiled at him and turned the other cheek
I really don’t care, in fact I wish him well
‘Cause I’ll be laughing my head off when he’s burning in hell
But I ain’t never punched a tourist even if he deserved it
An Amish with a ‘tude? You know that’s unheard of
I never wear buttons but I got a cool hat
And my homies all I agree I look good in black… fool
If you come to visit, you’ll be bored to tears
We haven’t even paid the phone bill in 300 years
But we ain’t really quaint, so please don’t point and stare
We’re just technologically impaired

There’s no phone, no lights, no motorcar
Not a single luxury
Like Robinson Caruso
It’s as primitave as can be

We been spending most our lives
Living in an Amish paradise
We’re just plain and simple guys
Living in an Amish paradise
There’s no time for sin and vice
Living in an Amish paradise
We don’t fight, we all play nice
Living in an Amish paradise

Hitchin’ up the buggy, churnin’ lots of butter
Raised a barn on Monday, soon I’ll raise another
Think you’re really rightous? Think you’re pure in heart?
Well, I know I’m a million times as humble as thou art
I’m the pious guy the little Amlettes wanna be like
On my knees day and night scorin’ points for the afterlife
So don’t be vain and don’t be whiny
Or else, my brother, I might just have to get medieval on your heinie

We been spending most our lives
Living in an Amish paradise
We’re all crazy Mennonites
Living in an Amish paradise
There’s no cops or traffic lights
Living in an Amish paradise
But you’d probably think it bites
Living in an Amish paradise

Comments [2]

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