JavaScript & PHP on a friendly basis with AutoComplete

Posted on March 31, 2005 by Jared

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I recently put together a third example for the SAJAX project (http://www.modernmethod.com/sajax/); this one uses the concept behind Google Suggest, which is to populate an HTML input box with an array coming from the server.

Very useful if you have lots of input boxes on a page, each which you want to have a different set of autocomplete data.

The code could be extended to work just like Google Suggest; the hard part was figuring out how to get the array passed back intact. I tested it with >5000 items in the array, and it worked seamlessly.

The code is at:

http://www.hatwhite.com/sajax/

So, just why do I use the command line?

Posted on March 15, 2005 by Dan

About four times a year, someone asks me something like “Alright Dan, why you still use the command line.” However, I no longer have to fumble with my words…I can simply send them to Red Hat Magazine’s “How I learned to stop worrying and love the command line”. Besides the ever popular Dr. Strangelove reference, Chip Turner shows all of us a thing or two about wielding the power of the command line. In [url=http://www.redhat.com/magazine/004feb05/features/bash/]Part 1[/url], Chip gives us a nice introduction to using common Unix commands to get the job done. In [url=http://www.redhat.com/magazine/005mar05/features/perl/]Part 2[/url], he goes even farther: showing the power of single line perl script.

Every web developer has to manage files. Sometimes….lots and lots of files. And don’t think that this doesn’t apply to you if you don’t run Linux or Unix. Even Windows Users can [url=www.cygwin.com]power up their command line[/url].

A Wander though Web Services

Posted on February 12, 2005 by Dan

I’m sitting around on a Saturday, trying to cram enough about WebServices in PHP into my head to write a descent SoapServer/SoapClient presentation…when it hits me: “What do you mean I have to write the WSDL myself?!”

PHP 5’s new SOAP extension is just as amazing as the rest of the new XML extensions. If you are new to all of this, don’t fret. SOAP is just a defined way of accessing classes on another server. These classes are exposed as Web Services or (more specifically) SOAP Servers.

[size=larger][b]Hey! Where’s the [i]Wiz-dill[/i][/b][/size]
At the heart of a SOAP conversation is WSDL…the Web Services Definition Language. Now, I’m guessing because PHP is a “mostly” typeless language, the SoapServer extension requires you to provide the WSDL yourself. For the curious, yet uninitiated: WSDL is the definition of what your web service can do. Let’s look a little closer shall we?

For example, you might have a WSDL document that describes your new MicrowaveOven web service. This WSDL document contains the method names, arguments, expected types, etc of your MicrowaveOven.

With this WSDL a SoapClient would know exactly how to ask your $microwaveOven->getTimeRemaining() or be able to $microwaveOven->addMaterial($food). Because all of the conversation’s meta-data is contained in the SOAP Request and Response, it can all happen nearly automatically…depending on your library of choice.

[b][size=larger]The Brighter Future[/size][/b]
Now, if you happen to use .NET or ColdFusion MX, I’m sure you are snickering at the fact we don’t have a WSDL generator. Well, I’m not terribly concerned. Not only is the SoapServer class just getting off the ground, other options in the PHP Community are starting to appear.

For example, if this kind of thing interest you: be sure to keep an eye on Cerebral Cortex. This new PHP 5 framework is looking like an amazing offering. But, of note here are some of the SOAP Web Services Integration pieces. For example, take a look at their examples for their [url=http://synapticmedia.net/cerebralcortex/index.php?area=Main&page=CrtxSoapServer]Crtx_SOAP_Server[/url], [url=http://synapticmedia.net/cerebralcortex/index.php?area=Main&page=CrtxSoapAutoDiscover]Crtx_SOAP_AutoDiscover[/url] and [url=http://synapticmedia.net/cerebralcortex/index.php?area=Main&page=CrtxXmlWsdlCreator]Crtx_XML_WSDL[/url] classes.

The Crtx_SOAP_AutoDiscover uses your phpdoc comments to add the type hinting that is needed for your WSDL. Pretty clever really.

[b][size=larger]So, what about the SOAP talk?[/size][/b]
I think I’ll go ahead and hold off on the Web Services talk until there is some way to have something like (the as yet unreleased) crtx objects make the WSDL for me.

For those of you who were [i]really[/i] wanting to see how to write your own service, or query other SOAP services, I don’t want to leave you out in the cold. Zend has written an excellent article (with lots of pretty examples) on [url=http://www.zend.com/php5/articles/php5-SOAP.php]PHP 5’s SOAP extension[/url].

[b][size=larger]Go take a REST[/size][/b]
‘Course, you could always take the pragmatic aproach, and look at getting a little REST. It might not be as “cool” as SOAP, but it sure is fast and easy! Don’t decide on your webservices strategy until you have read Adam Trachtenberg’s [url=http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/php/2003/10/30/amazon_rest.html]PHP Web Services Without SOAP[/url]

No, go write me some cool webservices to query up against. 🙂

Happy Coding!

New MySQL GUI tools

Posted on February 9, 2005 by Dan

I installed MySQL AB’s latest GUI tools about a month or so ago. I was impressed with their clean and very polished look–they are undoubtedly shiny. I was hoping to write up a little review, but Ian Gilfillan beat me to it.

If you are using MySQL or are thinking about using it, be sure to check out his reviews of [url=http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mysql/article.php/3449511]MySQL Administrator[/url] and [url=http://databasejournal.com/features/mysql/article.php/3459931]MySQL Query Browser[/url].

Sitepoint Reviews JEdit

Posted on February 9, 2005 by Dan

If you are running MacOS X, OS/2, *nix, VMS or any of those other operating systems that supports Java, you might be interested in reading [url=http://www.sitepoint.com/article/use-jedit-php]SitePoint’s Review of jEdit[/url]. This developer’s editor uses a plug-in based architecture to allow for everything that a budding coder needs: from spell-checking to php support. If you have been looking for a feature filled replacement for your current editor, take a peak a [url=http://jedit.org/index.php]jEdit[/url].

New Security Consortium

Posted on January 31, 2005 by Dan

If you are interested in security, you may want to check out the new [url=http://phpsec.org/]PHP Security Consortium[/url]. They [url=http://phpsec.org/about/news/31jan2005.html]describe the group[/url] on their site:
[quote] An international group of PHP experts today announced the official launch of the PHP Security Consortium (PHPSC), a group whose mission is to promote secure programming practices within the PHP community through education and exposition while maintaining high ethical standards.[/quote]

They only have [url=http://phpsec.org/articles/]one article[/url] so far, but I’m hoping that will change soon. Anyone know who all is in this besides “an International group of PHP Experts”? I see Chris Shiflett and Andi….but can’t seem to find a members list.

Ah, well…here’s hoping!

Zend’s PHP 101: Bugging Out

Posted on January 31, 2005 by Dan

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An article was posted out on Zend.com yesterday discussing the full range of error handling options that PHP provides. I bring it up because it is just so perfectly related to [url=http://www.kcpug.org/site/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7]January’s Meeting[/url]. In January, we discussed PHP 5’s new try/catch/exception logic; and only talked about the rest as the “old way.” Of course, the truth is…even in PHP 5 most everything you work with still uses the other (IMHO) “lesser” concepts.

If you are like me, and most of your development is still in PHP 4; or, if you are interested in the other error handing options that PHP provides, be sure to read [url=http://www.zend.com/php5/abs/php101-12.php]Bugging Out[/url].

Here’s to Please, Love and error-free PHP!

Fun with SimpleXML

Posted on January 30, 2005 by Dan

Ok, I’ve read about SimpleXML. I’ve looked at examples, and articles, and books and said…”Oh, that’s nice.” But tonight, I decided to whip up a quick and dirty RSS parser with it.

It took about 5 minutes (not that it does much), and I had a very simple rss feed reader for my bookmarks on [url=http://del.icio.us]del.icio.us[/url]. When I was done, all I could say: “Oh, that’s REALLY nice!”

Read on for a simple simpleXML example, some links and more.

As far as the code goes:
[code]
under the root tag.
foreach( $xml->item as $item ){
echo “

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