Posted on Wed. November 30, 2005 by Ryan Guill #
Entries for November 2005
Well, already at qBrowser version 0.0.2.
A couple bug fixes, a little layout change thats a little nicer, the ability to clear your library (an actually clear library to start with this time!), support for cfqueryparam in the sql (with support in the history and library, as well as outputting the params after it is run) and a couple other small things.
As always, let me know if you find any bugs, or if you have any feature requests or suggestions.
One of the things I will be working on is the ability to tie library sql statements to a certain datasource, but thats a little down the road.
Also, some have mentioned using ajax for this app. Just so I am clear, what would you like to see ajax-ified exactly? You wouldn't want it to start running the sql statement until you are completely ready for sure...
You can download the new version from ryanguill.com/docs/
The file should be qBrowser_0_0_2.zip.
I have created an app internally for a company I worked for a while back, and got the okay to release it to the public.
It is a query browser (qbrowser) that allows you to test out your sql queries against your coldfusion datasources. It has features such as sql code coloring, history and a library, as well as the ability to restrict the sql statements that are allowed. Its great for teaching sql, as well as being able to quickly test and see live data in your datasources. You can download it from www.ryanguill.com/docs/
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me
Posted on Tue. November 29, 2005 by Ryan Guill #
Well, a couple days ago I posed the question if Google Analytics was a dud. I followed up on that post in the comments saying that finally data had started to become visible in my reports. So I thought everything was going to start working then. But apparently I was wrong.
I now have two websites set up in google analytics, but the newest one still does not have data, and the original one has not been updated since tuesday. The faq's say that it is supposed to be updated hourly, but it seems more like weekly at this point.
There seems to also be trouble with some of the notices it gives you. For instance, both of my websites, when I click the check status link say that everything is installed (the js) and that stats will be ready in 12 hours. But there is a notice at the top telling me that something is not installed correctly in one of my websites. So which is it?
So, what is everyone elses continuing impressions? This is one thing that google really just isn't impressing me with. But if it ever starts working right, ill love it.
Posted on Thu. November 17, 2005 by Ryan Guill #
I was all excited about the new Google Analytics, googles new hosted stats package formally known as urchin. I was waiting to post this until I started getting some reports and seeing how good it was. But unfortunately, im going on 48 hours after it confirmed that I had installed the js correctly and even though there is the friendly message saying that my reports will be available in 12 hours, every 12 hours I check they still aren't available.
Well, from what I can see, they are making considerable use of flash, which is nice. They have implemented it well where it flows well with the design of the application. The overall design is somewhat un-google-esque, but it works well. I really am looking forward to seeing what it can do! Especially for free.
Has anyone else tried it since they announced it? Do you have reports yet? If so, whats your take?
Posted on Tue. November 15, 2005 by Ryan Guill #
Almost a year ago now I posted a tip on cfcase about how you could make cfcase self terminating like so:
<cfswitch expression="#expression#">
<cfcase value="foo1"/>
<cfdefaultcase>
do something...
</cfdefaultcase>
</cfswitch>
Its useful for checking to see if a value passed is one out of a group of expected values. But reading through the new cfQuickDocs I noticed that there is another attribute to cfcase, a dilimiter. Maybe this is common knowledge to others, but I dont guess I come across the need for this very often so I never went looking for it. But either way, Say you wanted to validate that someone passed in the either a Y, a N, or a U into a function you created. If its not one of those values you throw an error. You could then do it like this:
<cfcase value="foo1"/>
<cfdefaultcase>
do something...
</cfdefaultcase>
</cfswitch>
<cfswitch expression="#expression#">
<cfcase value="Y;N:U" delimiters=";" />
<cfdefaultcase>
<cfthrow message="No Sir...." />
</cfdefaultcase>
</cfswitch>
simple eh?
<cfcase value="Y;N:U" delimiters=";" />
<cfdefaultcase>
<cfthrow message="No Sir...." />
</cfdefaultcase>
</cfswitch>
Posted on Fri. November 11, 2005 by Ryan Guill #
With all of the 'social' things out now a days, I've got an idea I would like to see in the next Ipod. For instance, as far the web is concerned, some of the biggest names right now is del.icio.us, Flicr and Flock. Plus you have blogs, rss, tags and lots of other social related technologies.
Plus you have other technologies such as the nintendo ds and sony psp that allow you to play and interact with other people around you.
So how about a twist on that for the music industry. How about a new Ipod that had a built in wireless transmitter. You have your Ipod, and have the option to be able to broadcast the music you are listening to within say 10 or 20 feet. And anyone else with one of these Ipods could pick up on that broadcast and listen to what you are listening to. Im sure with the airport apple has that already is able to broadcast your Ipod music around the house it wouldn't be hard to figure out.
It could be completely anonymous. You just see the artist, title and album that is being broadcast and you have the ability to tune into it. Social music.
Now riaa and drm is outside of the scope of this particular discussion, but I don't think any of those problems would be insurmountable. I don't think it would be any different than the radio in priciple. You couldn't save the music you tune into, just listen.
What do you guys think?
Posted on Mon. November 07, 2005 by Ryan Guill #
Surely by now you have probably heard of Mozilla's Extension Competition. Well, I don't know anything about writing extensions for firefox (and dont really have the time to figure it out) but I have an idea for anyone wanting to enter the competition.
I would *love* the ability to have a firefox extension that would spell check the page that I am currently viewing in my browser. I have a spell checker for textarea inputs, and it works well, but I want something that will spell check all visible text on a page. It would be a great addition to the web developer toolbar, but I doubt that guy is listening.
What do you guys think? Would you use something like this? I know the QA at the company I am working for right now would like me to have it...
Posted on Fri. November 04, 2005 by Ryan Guill #