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Sometimes there’s a piece of CSS you just have to use for one browser and hide from the rest. In a case like that, you will need a hack or filter. Today, I found an interesting chart that shows various filter hacks and which browsers they target. Take a look: http://centricle.com/ref/css/filters/
October 25th, 2006
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Yesterday, I needed to select a list of albums from a database searching on a list of instruments the artists played. This worked fine as long as there were not multiple artists playing the same instrument, in which case, the album was repeated in my list for each instance of the selected instrument.
To fix the problem, I needed to select that album as DISTINCT even though my search string was repeated. I found a code snippet that I modified to achieve this on the MySQL site here:
the whole query for retrieving an array of rows with one field distinct (no repeats) is:
select *, count(FIELD) from TABLE group by FIELD having count(FIELD)>=1;
October 24th, 2006
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There is a new breed of Web designers learning CSS web design techniques instead of transitioning from table based Web design. For them, tools like the Yahoo! UI Library CSS Grids page will be very valuable. There is an active support community which should offer an environment where a beginner can navigate some of the difficulties of learning CSS.
The library shows how to create multiple Web layouts from a single CSS file, enabling newcomers and old-timers alike to harness more of the power and efficiency of Cascading Style Sheets.
Update: Nate Koechley has written an informative tutorial on using the Yahoo! UI Library to create CSS grids. There are several functioning examples provided. I found this tidbit thanks of Stylegala.
October 16th, 2006
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On my first forays into HTML/CSS design, Javascript was still viewed as almost completely evil by many in the accessible design community. So when I started to read the ppk Quirks Mode Web site, I wasn’t completely sure Peter-Paul Koch was writing safe and accessible code. Now he has removed all doubt about exactly what he’s achieved as a Javascript scripter.
ppk on Javascript is a clearly written project based presentation of the basic principles of Javascript programming for the Web. The book is organized around each principle and each section features working code examples with a complete explanation of exactly how and why they work as they do.
Written in a style that is accessible to the CSS design community, this book will be sure to expand the number of Web designers who embrace unobtrusive Javascript as a usability enhancement tool.
Book Details
Related Resources
Help out the book and this blog by digging this post!
October 4th, 2006
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A client contacted me a few days ago and requested that I add a few additional SPAM impediments to his Wordpress blog. These improvements were based on a post over at Shoe Money that has some excellent pointers.
Based on my quick investigation, it seems that suggestions 5 and 1 offer the most promise and the least complication.
Suggestion #5 is to block No Referrer Requests. Depending on your server configuration, you may need to play with the suggested .htaccess rule. I changed it from the original:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} POST
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .wp-comments-post\.php*
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !.*shoemoney.com.* [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^$
RewriteRule (.*) ^http://whereyouwanttosendthem.com/$ [R=301,L]
The following rule is my modification, because the whereyouwanttosendthem.com url was not working correctly … simply appending to the end of the blog url instead of redirecting the page.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} POST
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .wp-comments-post\.php*
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !.*myblog.com.* [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^$
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.myblog.com [R=301,L]
Suggestion #1 is excellent and simple. Rename your wp-comments-post.php file to anything you choose. Change the links that refer to this file in your comments.php template file and away you go. If you’ve implemented suggestion #5, you’ll need to change your .htaccess rule to reflect the new wp-comments-post.php file.
This is an excellent post by Shoe Money and the whole thing is worth a read!
October 3rd, 2006
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Big news in August slipped below my radar. What’s the fuss? There’s now a fix for a small but frustrating problem that has plagued CSS designers ever since the release if Internet Explorer 6.
When a mouse rolls over a link that the designer has styled with a background Image, IE6 shows a flicker as it changes states. Though there were cumbersome fixes, nothing was available that worked simply and elegantly.
Enter Dan Popa’s IE6 Image Flicker solution. A simple Javascript snippet placed in your HTML document’s head element fixes the caching problem completely!
Here’s the code:
javascript:void(document.
execCommand("BackgroundImageCache",false,true))
Thanks Dan!
1 comment September 29th, 2006
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Hiring a freelance Web designer and getting good results is not a mystical process. Though many elements of a successful process may not be controllable, there is much you can do to insure a good return on your investment.
Many intelligent people simply don’t know how to hire a freelance Web designer. Those who hire freelance designers often make the following mistakes:
Getting started on a new Web site without setting a budget or setting a budget without measurable outcomes.
To avoid getting lost in cyberspace ask yourself:
Not planning your Web site around content; trusting aesthetics as a substitute.
To avoid a Web site with glamour and no substance ask yourself:
Not considering search engine visibility and optimization (SEO).
To avoid an invisible Web site ask yourself:
Not monitoring your Web designer’s progress and budget expenditures.
To avoid overspending ask yourself:
Choosing a Web designer based on price without considering quality workmanship and the designer’s track record.
To avoid hiring an unqualified designer ask yourself:
3 comments September 11th, 2006
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If you have ever taken the same approach to a problem repeatedly while hoping for a different result, this book may be exactly what you need. Our daily routines form patterns that trap us in narrow thinking, and sometimes we need a fresh perspective. Sam Harrison gives us a tool to help us overcome creative lapses by looking at our surroundings with new eyes.
Harrison’s book, IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea, is a collection of witty anecdotes, creative exercises, inspiration, and wisdom written in an engaging tone and embellished with whimsical line art and typography.
Pick up this book if you are feeling a need for a new perspective and creative boost.
Book Details
Related Resources
September 9th, 2006
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Have you ever wondered how experts use Wordtracker to keep their clients’ sites at the top of the search engine results pages? What can you learn from their methods? How can you apply their strategies to your own website to get outstanding results?
September 7th, 2006
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The months of November and December account for at least 28% percent of retail sales and are also a peak web browsing and purchasing season. With this in mind, it pays to prepare for the increase in traffic the Christmas season will bring no matter the size of your Web site. Retailers are already gearing up for Christmas in late August, so you will be in good company as you prepare for the Holiday Season.
Content is the life-blood of an online business, so most of these tips will focus on your Web site’s content. Here are Seven Tips to help you bring your Web site up-to-date for the Christmas Season:
Monday. Proofread. You probably won’t like this very much, but you need to read every page on your Web site to make sure it accurately reflects your current product or service. What changes have you made to your business offerings lately? Nothing is more embarrassing or counter-productive than promoting a product you no longer carry or misrepresenting your product on your Web site. Trust is vital to the online exchange of services and products.
Tuesday. Remove Ambiguities. Think about questions clients, customers, and friends have asked about your business over the last year. What seems absolutely self-evident to you, but is misunderstood by others? If questions are coming at you from left field, it may be time to add a Frequently Asked Questions page or to update your existing page with clear answers to those not-so-self-evident questions!
Wednesday. Revive Your Web Site’s Look & Feel. Take new product photos and replace the old ones on your Web site. Liven up your pages with new graphics and stock photos as needed. Add a slideshow or flash presentation to your home page or other appropriate landing pages to grab the attention of more visitors.
Thursday. Learn from Competitors. Visit your the Web sites of your competitors and compatriots for new ideas regarding content you can add to create value for your customers and clients. Add New Content: Articles, White Papers, Tools, etc.
Friday. Research to Improve Your Search Engine Traffic. Put on your thinking cap. On a blank sheet of paper, write an unedited list of search terms that you think potential clients and customers might use to find your Web site. Concentrate on phrases in the two to three word range. Spend about 15 minutes searching Google for these phrases. Does your site come up on the first few pages? If not, don’t panic. Consider ways you might be able to add the phrases you consider most important to the HTML titles and body copy of a few relevant pages on your Web site.
Tip: A good place to get search term ideas is from your server logs. These record all visitors to your Web site and often specify search terms used to find your pages. This may spur you on towards finding additional related phrases that are not in use now.
For added effect, visit Wordtracker and purchase a low-cost daily subscription (Support me - find an affiliate link here) to research the keyphrase list you created. Find the most effective phrases. Concentrate your efforts on those.
Saturday. Evaluate the contact channels your Web site provides. Do your contact forms work? Is your email address clearly visible? Is your business address included in the footer of EVERY page? Is your telephone number available on every page?
Why should you be redundant with regard to contact information? Most Web site visitors these days come either from pay-per-lick advertising or search engine results pages. They are seeking highly targeted content and have a cynical distrust of Web only businesses. Showing your physical address and offline contact information on each page declares your location in geographic space as a real and accountable entity.
If you disagree with my reasoning above, at least include a prominent “contact” link on each page.
Sunday. Rest. Relax. Perhaps mull over in the back of your mind any promotions or events you can offer your customers and clients during the coming months. Find a piece of paper and write them down if you wish. Be completely non-judgmental. You’ll evaluate them later.
If this blog post left you wanting more, Harvey Ramer has also written a short e-Book called A No-Nonsense Guide to Creating Your Web Site Design Plan that you may find helpful.
September 7th, 2006
CSS Web design, e-commerce Web design, and internet marketing issues from the desk of Harvey A. Ramer at Design Delineations.
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