Blog Entries for kelchuk

Auto Writing PHP Files

chukweb@shaw.ca — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:05:01 +0100

Writing and Moving a PHP File with fopen and fwrite
Using php copy() and rename() functions are two such methods to copy and rename php files. However, fopen() and fwrite() functions can alos do the trick. The example below is a method regarding how to copy, move and rename a php file. In this case, the template file and the copied file with a new name exist in the root directory.

<?php

// Here we get the source file

$file = file_get_contents('page_templa [...]

Paypal Sandbox vs Paypal Code

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:24:07 +0100

Paypal Sandbox vs Paypal Live Code
When testing shopping carts prior to 'going live', it is recommended to to use the Paypal sandbox. The Paypal sandbox had been implemented for this purpose. When the time comes to making the cary live, changing the code is very minor. The following example shows how a form processed the order and sends the sum to a Paypal sandbox and a real Paypal account.
Before:

<div style="float:right;"> <form action="https://www.sand [...]

Wordpress Page and Post Customization

chukweb@shaw.ca — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:31:05 +0100

After a plugin is installed and activated to a Wordpress site, you may find that the plugin shows up on each and every page(or post). However, you only want the plugin to show up on the home page, or a specific page. Wordpress has built-in functions to allow you to add code to files such as index.php, page.php and category.php so that you can customize on which places should display the plugin.

The code below can be used within index.php or page.php to allow only the home page [...]

Wordpress Content Management System Basics

chukweb@shaw.ca — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:26:38 +0100

Using Wordpress for a Content Management System
When you make a Wordpress 3 site, you may want it to behave more as a content management system rather than a blog. The simple method, is to avoid using posts since they will group in widget categories and can cause building the site a lengthier exercise. If only pages are used, then the site can be built in logical order.

To create the home page,

1) Click Settings >Reading >Front Page Displays: A static page > [...]

Wordpress Link Order

chukweb@shaw.ca — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:21:11 +0100

With a default Wordpress installation, you can automatically add links to a sidebar. Alternatively, you can always add a 'Links' widget to add links if you lost or deleted it somewhere along the way. When new links are added, they are shown in an order where the most recent posts are listed on top. If that works for you, you are good to go. But, you may want to add or rearrange posts at some point in time.

My Link Order

To have control over the link order, [...]

Joomla Password Reset

chukweb@shaw.ca — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:51:04 +0100

With Joomla 1.5, resetting a username or password is a no-brainer.

To reset the username or password for any user with Joomla 1.5,

1) Login to the Joomla administrator.

2) Select 'Site' from the main menu.

3) Select a User

4) Change or modify username and / or password.

5) Save the changes.

Wordpress Sidebar Widgets

chukweb@shaw.ca — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:31:09 +0100

The Wordpress sidebar can be setup to display links, categories, images, archives, etc.

Although you can display categories and many default Wordpress sidebar items, using the 'widget' in the administrator zone will allow for greater control of what you want to appear.

Displaying Widgets

To use widgets,

1) Login to admin

2) Under 'Appearance' select 'Widgets'.

3) Add what you want to see in the sidebar.

4) You can select [...]

Wordpress Pages Order

chukweb@shaw.ca — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:05:39 +0100

When you set up a main menu with Wordpress, the order for the pages on the main menu will be exactly in the order for which they are created. The menu will work fine for a site with a simple menu. But what if you want to change the menu order or menu names?

Changing Menu Names

Changing menu names is very simple. You just go to the dashboard and select pages. Then, select a page, change the name, and click update.

Changing Menu Order

Changing menu or [...]

Wordpress Custom Sidebar

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:47:25 +0100

If you install or use Wordpress, you may eventually hit a minor wall regarding the theme style. One major issue is the sidebar on the left(or right). By default, Wordpress will have 'Bookmarks', 'Archives' and a 'Search' box in the vertical menu.

If you use or alter a default template, you can always select Appearance>Widgets in the administrator zone and remove them from showing up. With other templates, hand-made or computer generated, you can open up the editor and delete [...]

Blogging with Joomla

chukweb@shaw.ca — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:45:02 +0100

Joomla, as a content management system offers unlimited ways to create an organized website. One of the various tools to use with Joomla is to implement a blog.

Built-in Blog

To create a blog with the default Joomla CMS,

1) Add a new item to a menu.

2) Select articles > category blog layout or section blog layout.

3) Add appropriate figures for leading, intro, columns, links.

You can experiment with these numbers until you have t [...]

Recording Sound Problems

chukweb@shaw.ca — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:38:36 +0100

All sorts of problems can occur when trying to record sound. At times, the problems can be isolated with some software, yet, at other times, they occur across the board. Nevertheless, a good place to test microphone recording problems with Windows is through viewing what options are available in the 'Sounds and Devices' located in the Control Panel. You can check to see the volume levels and what recording/playback options are selected. For example, selecting 'Mic in Volume' and setting the vo [...]

Setting Up a Joomla 1.6 Module

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:55:34 +0100

To edit and use the new module,

1) Select Extensions

2) Select Module Manager

3) Click on the module of choice

4) Select position

5) Select Publish

5) Select Pages

6) Select Save

See tutorial for using a Joomla 1.6 module.

Installing a Joomla 1.6 Module

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:48:12 +0100

Installing a module into Joomla 1.6 is a very simple procedure.

How To Install the Module

1) Login to the administrator (http://mysite.com/administrator)

2) Select extensions > Extension Manager

3) Browse and Select File from hard drive. It will be a zip or rar file

4) Select Upload and Install

See video tutorial for Installing a Joomla 1.6 Module.

How To Install Joomla 1.6

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 16:07:10 +0100

Typically, Joomla 1.6 is installed using Fantastico or from a zip file downloaded from joomla.org. Fantastico is included in many shared, VPS, or dedicated server hosting plans.

Fantastico

If Fantastico is used for a Joomla 1.6 installtion, you must have a hosting plan which includes Cpanel. Cpanel is very popular with Linux hosting. The upside to a Fantasico installation is simplicity and quickness. Just a couple mouse clicks and it is done. The downside to Fan [...]

Pinnacle Studio and AVI Files

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 04:56:44 +0100

There may come a time when you have an assortment of avi files for which you want to combine into a single movie. The files could come from various sources recorded at various frame rates.

You can combine all avi files and render the movie. However, it may be much faster to make a new avi file with Pinnacle Studio for each avi file. By doing this, you will have new avi files that are all with the same frame rate. In many cases, the sound will vanish from the original avi files. [...]

Troubleshooting Joomla PHP Errors

chukweb@shaw.ca — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:43:42 +0100

Using Joomla can be a smooth experience. However, there can be times when components or modules exhibit PHP errors. There are many reasons why such problems can occur. In order to find the source of such a problem, you may want to track recent file or server changes.

One problem which could pose problems is upgrading the Apache server. For example, you may want to add a php module like xmlrpc. However, the default upgrade settings in web host manager or Linux CentOS could upgr [...]

Altering PHP.ini

chukweb@shaw.ca — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:57:48 +0100

To access the php.ini file in web host manager,

1) Open WHM

2) Under 'Server Configuartion' select PHP Configuration editor. The advanced view will allow the file the most possibility to edit various settings.

To add new PHP features,

1) 'Easyapache' must be opened.

2) Install a PHP feature and build 'Apache'

Joomla Duplicate URLS

chukweb@shaw.ca — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:28:15 +0100

Sometimes, using a content management system like Joomla, Drupal, or Wordpress can present an eye-raising duplicate url issue.

This can happen when url strings and sef urls are indexed. Another such possibility is when a category or section is appended to the page; Thus, this is 2 separate urls. In many cases, Google will pick one.

Here is a good page regarding duplicate urls with Joomla:

Joomla and SEO

Joomla FCK and JCK Editors

chukweb@shaw.ca — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:18:57 +0100

Joomla comes with a few editors. The default editor is TinyMCE. TinyMCE is a good editor, but, FCK and JCK may be more desirable since they are a little more user friendly with inserting images and linking. As far as hand-coding goes, they are all fairly equal.

Hand Coding In Joomla Editor

When working with a Joomla editor, it is not like working with pure html/css or pure php for that matter. The editors may throw in some tags, but, that is marginal. The [...]

Pure Php Mysql with CMS

chukweb@shaw.ca — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 04:36:11 +0100

When you use a content management system like Joomla and Wordpress you can use components, modules, extensions, php frameworks and pure php/mysql.

Adding Pure PHP / MYSQL

The content management systems have many available templates and extensions, but, there may be times when you have a stand-alone php/mysql application that you want to add, but not recode into an extension. You just want to add it quick.

To add a pure php / mysql application you simply [...]