Wots all this then?

Simple Wikipedia

2007-03-16T14:31:48Z

I love this article:

Code crisis

2007-03-01T15:26:04Z

It appears that every so often I feel that the code for the site has got completely out of hand in it's complexity and inconsistency. Moving to object orientation hasn't seemed to help -- I'm still not up to the level of functionalty it was at before I started OOing everything, and I'm just as confused.

What to do now? Make flow charts! Yessiree.

Love, Your Dad

2007-02-23T19:27:46Z

Someone that commented on my art on DA had this in their sig:

Father's Love Letter (English)

What I especially love is the music. It's so inspirational!

Object-oriented mayhem

2007-02-16T16:49:51Z

For those that have been wondering what's going on the with the art site, well, I took a break earlier this week to do some other stuff. The thing was driving me mad, and I wasn't sleeping properly (I had been working on it non-stop for a couple of months). Day before yesterday I decided the code was too much of a mess to continue as it was, so I've stated converting all the PHP to object-oriented code. Which obviously meant learning how to write object-oriented PHP.

So, I'm going to be working on that for a couple of days, then I'm going to fix the ajax so it is consisent and works with IE6, then I'll KRUSH the CSS (which has been bugging me for ages). So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm completely rewriting the site and it will be ready in about two weeks I should think.

Feature Update

2007-02-08T16:53:30Z

Added:

1. Featured artworks: in controlpanel=>Gallery Management

2. Delete artworks: in object=>delete object...

3. Bugfixes to the points system, plus point redistribution (so you won't run out).

4. Browsable watchlist: in watch=>my watchlist

I've also fixed the comment notification system (I hope), so check it out. Um, it would also be good if you guys could use the points system a bit more, so I can see how it works which there's some actual activity.

I think it's very unlikely to wipe any data at this point, what's there will be carried on to later versions/servers.

Another question: comment editing : yes/no ?

I hate CSS

2007-02-08T14:29:14Z

It's designed by software engineers, who think like software engineers. The most basic layout is so fucking difficult to do and fragile once it's done, I sometimes think the whole thing was just a way of getting at designers for monkeying with code.

/* { margin:0px; padding 0px; outline:solid thin red;} */

/* */
#banner {position:absolute; display:block; right:70px; top:10px; width:468px; height:60px; background-color:gray;}
/* */
a {color:#333; text-decoration:none;}
a:hover {color:black; text-decoration:none;}
a:active {color:white; text-decoration:none;}
a img {border:none;}
.click {color:#333; cursor:pointer;}
.click:hover {color:black;}
html {padding:0px; margin:0px; background:url(../images/bg_stripe.gif) center repeat-y #CDC8BC;}
body {padding:0px; margin:0px; color:#606570; font-size:12px; }
hr {border-top:dotted thin white; border-bottom:none; border-left:none; border-right:none;}
form{display:inline;}
textarea {background-color:inherit; font-size:12px; width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; color:#333; border:solid thin #909499; height:auto;} textarea:focus {color:white; background-color:#909499;}
input {background-color:inherit; color:#333; padding:0px; font-family:sans-serif; border:solid thin #909499; height:auto;} input:focus, input:hover {background-color:#909499; color:white;}
select {background-color:inherit; display:inline; color:#606570; font-family:sans-serif; border:solid thin #909499; height:auto;}
option {color:white; border:none;}
.button {cursor:pointer;}
.button:hover {color:white;}
.deletion_link:hover {color:red; cursor:pointer;}

.edit_rollover {position:absolute; color:#383838; top:0px; right:0px; width:100%; min-height:20px; padding-top:7px; text-align:right;}
.edit_rollover a {color:black; padding:7px;}
.edit_rollover:hover {opacity:0.9; background-color:white;}
.visibility_toggle {position:absolute; color:#383838; top:0px; right:0px; padding:7px;}
.edit_mode {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; z-index:2; height:100%; width:100%; display:none; color:#383838; background:url(../images/bg_control.gif) 50% 50% no-repeat white; opacity:0.9; overflow:auto; }
.edit_mode a {z-index:12; color:black; padding:7px;}
.edit_mode textarea {color:#383838;}
.edit_mode textarea:focus {color:white;}
.edit_mode input {color:#383838; padding:3px;}
.edit_mode input:focus {color:white;}
.edit_mode .button {color:black;}
.edit_mode .button:hover {color:red;}
.edit_mode_contents {padding:10px;}

#control_panel {position:absolute; left:50%; top:30px; width:950px; margin-left:-475px; padding:50px 0px 80px 0px; height:100%; color:#383838; opacity:0.9; z-index:2; display:none; background:url(../images/bg_control.gif) 50% 50% no-repeat white;}
#control_links {position:absolute; left:0px; top:0px; padding:30px; width:150px; text-align:right;}
#control_links a {padding:3px;}
.control_links {display:block; margin:0px; width:150px;}
.control_links:hover {background:#ECECEC;}
#controlswapper {position:relative; top:0px; left:220px; width:400px; z-index:4;}

.input_element {margin-top:7px;}

h1 {display:block; color:#606570; font-size:12px;}
.heading {font-weight:bold;}
.untitled {opacity:0.5; font-style:normal;}

.urlname {vertical-align: text-top; font-size:90%;}
.trans_bg_dark {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; background-color:#DED9CC; opacity:0.9; width:100%; height:100%; z-index:0;}
.replylinks {position:absolute; bottom:7px; right:7px;}

.menu {text-align:right; line-height:1.3em; padding: 2px 35px 2px 5px;}
.menu:hover {background-image:url(../images/arrow_right.gif); background-position: right center; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-color:#606570; }
.menu:hover a {color:white;}

#header {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; margin:0px; width:100%; height:30px; z-index:2; overflow:hidden; }
#header .fg {z-index:3; position:absolute; bottom:0px; left:50%; margin-left:-475px; width:950px;}
#header .bg {opacity:.85; position:absolute; bottom:0px; left:0px; width:100%; height:30px; z-index:-1; border-bottom:solid thin #909499;}
#header #loggedin_string {float:right; position:absolute; bottom:7px; right:200px;} #header #control_buttons {float:right; position:absolute; bottom:-3px; right:10px;}
#footer {position:fixed; bottom:0px; left:0px; width:100%; height:80px; z-index:12; border-top:solid thin #909499;}
#footer .fg {z-index:3; position:absolute; top:0px; left:50%; margin-left:-475px; width:950px;}
#footer .bg {z-index:1; position:absolute; top:0px; left:50%; margin-left:-475px; width:950px; height:80px; background:url(../images/bg_stripe.gif) center repeat-y #CDC8BC; opacity:0.9;}
#top_rated_banner {position:absolute; right:10px; top:15px;}
.footer_object {float:left; height:50px; padding-left:1px;}

#scroller {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; width:100%; height:100%; z-index:0;}
#centre {position:absolute; top:0px; left:50%; width:950px; margin:50px 0px 0px -475px; padding-bottom:120px; z-index:3;}
#left {position:absolute; top:0px; left:50px; width:250px; float:left; margin-top:100px;}
.left_section {position:relative; top:0px;left:60px; width:223px; float:left; margin:0px 2px 2px 2px; padding:15px 7px 15px 20px; border:solid thin transparent;}
.left_border {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; height:100%; width:14px; border-right:solid thin white;}
#right {position:absolute; left:370px; margin:100px 2px 0px 2px; padding-bottom:100px;}
.right_section {position:relative; min-height:120px; width:510px; float:left; margin-bottom:5px; padding:15px 7px 15px 20px; overflow:visible; border:solid thin transparent;}
.right_border_left {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; height:100%; width:14px; border-right:solid thin white;}

#user_info .left_border {background-image:url(../images/userinfo_heading.gif) no-repeat;}
#gallery .right_border_left {background-image:url(../images/gallery_heading.gif); background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#blog .right_border_left {background-image:url(../images/blog_heading.gif); background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#comments .right_border_left {background-image:url(../images/comments_heading.gif); background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#control .right_border_left {background-image:url(../images/comments_heading.gif); background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#points .right_border_left {background-image:url(../images/heading_points.gif); background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#collaborations .right_border_left {background-image:url(../images/heading_collaborations.gif); background-repeat:no-repeat;}

#right_left, #right_right {width:250px; float:left; margin:2px; overflow:hidden; }

#loggedin_string {float:left;}
#loggedin_string_urlname {font-size:90%;}

#userinfo {padding:0px 5px 30px 5px; text-align:right; overflow:visible; }
#userinfo form{text-align:left;}
#userinfo #userinfo_icon {float:left; margin:-16px 0px 0px -91px; width:50px; height:100px; padding:5px; background:#DAD5C8; border:solid thin #909499}
#userinfo_name {font-weight:bold;}
#userinfo_biographybody {text-align:justify;}

.user_cameo {padding:2px; margin:2px; height:54px;}
.user_cameo img {vertical-align:middle; margin-right:5px;}
.user_cameo:hover {background-color:#D3CCC3;}

.blog {padding:7px;}
.blogtitle {font-weight:bold;}
.blogbody {margin:7px 0px 7px 0px;}
#blogtags {font-size:90%;}

#gallery_info {margin:2px 0px 2px 0px; background:#DAD5C8; padding:5px; text-align:right;}
#gallery_title {font-weight:bold;}

.object_title {font-weight:bold; font-style:oblique;}

.object_cameo_small, .objectset_cameo_small {position:relative; height:80px; color:#606570; overflow:hidden;}
.objectset_cameo_small {background:#DAD5C8; margin-bottom:5px;}
.object_cameo_small a, .objectset_cameo_small a {color:#606570;}
.object_cameo_small .object_tiny, .objectset_cameo_small .objectset_tiny {position:absolute; top:5px; right:185px; height:70px; padding:7px; }
.object_cameo_small .object_info, .objectset_cameo_small .objectset_info {position:absolute; top:5px; right:0px; width:175px; height:70px; padding:5px; border-left:solid thin #909499; text-align:left; }
.object_cameo_small .object_title {font-weight:bold; font-style:oblique;}
.objectset_cameo_small .objectset_title {font-weight:bold;}
.object_cameo_small .object_points, .objectset_rating {font-style:oblique; position:absolute; bottom:5px;}
.object_cameo_small .object_description, .objectset_description {height: 1.1em; overflow:hidden;}

.object_cameo_large, .objectset_cameo_large {position:relative; height:140px; color:#606570; overflow:hidden;}
.object_cameo_large a, .objectset_cameo_large a {color:#606570;}
.object_cameo_large .object_small, .object_cameo_large .objectset_tiny {position:absolute; top:5px; right:380px; height:130px; padding:7px; }
.object_cameo_large .object_info, .objectset_cameo_large .objectset_info {position:absolute; top:5px; right:0px; width:366px; height:130px; padding:5px; border-left:solid thin #909499; text-align:left; }
.object_cameo_large .object_title {font-weight:bold; font-style:oblique;}
.object_cameo_large .objectset_title {font-weight:bold;}
.object_cameo_large .object_points, .objectset_cameo_large .objectset_rating {font-style:oblique;}
.object_cameo_large .object_description, .objectset_description {max-height: 4.4em; overflow:hidden; margin:5px 0px 5px 0px;}

.object_info:hover, .objectset_info:hover, #gallery_info:hover, .objectset_cameo_small:hover {background-color:#D3CCC3;}

.set_objects {position:relative; width:250px; float:left;}
.comment_instep {padding-left:10px;}
.comment {position:relative; margin:5px; padding:7px; min-height:100px;}
.comment .replies {bottom:0px; right:0px;}
.comment .comment_icon {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; padding:5px; width:50px; height:100px; border:solid thin #909499; background:#DAD5C8;}
.comment .comment_user {float:left; margin-left:60px;}
.comment .comment_link {font-size:9px; position:absolute; right:10px; top:7px;}
.comment .comment_body {clear:both; padding:10px 0px 10px 60px;}
.comment .replies {position:absolute; bottom:7px; right:10px;}
.comment .comment_rating {position:absolute; bottom:7px; left:65px;}
.reply_form {margin-left:20px;}

.comment_form {position:relative; padding-left:65px; height:150px; margin:1px 0px 10px 0px;}
.comment_form_icon {position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px; padding:5px; width:50px; height:100px; border:solid thin #909499; background:#DAD5C8;}
.commentinsertform textarea {display:block; width:100%; height:120px;}
.comment_submit_button {float:right; clear:both;}

#object {position:relative; min-width:600px; padding:15px 7px 15px 20px; overflow:visible;}
#object img {cursor:pointer;}
#object_info {position:relative; width:650px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;}
#object_title {display:block; margin:10px 0px 10px 0px; letter-spacing:.2em;}
#object_points {float:left; width:200px; height:100%;}
#object_users {position:absolute; margin:10px 0px 10px 0px; float:left; width:250px; height:100%;}
#object_description {padding-left:250px; min-height:100px; width:400px;}
#object_tags {padding-left:250px; width:400px;}

/* CONTROL */
#control textarea{width:500px;}
#control div{margin:5px;}
.collaborator_input {display:block; width:500px; clear:both; margin-top:5px;}
.collaborator_input input {width:150px;}

.rheight20 {}

.mark_as_read{text-align:right; padding:5px; background:white}
.notification_wrapper{border:solid thin transparent;}
.notification_wrapper:hover{border:solid thin white;}

I want to start again. It's got so complicated I can't remember why half the stuff is in there. And I haven't even added hacks for different browsers yet.

Big feature requests, and renaming

2007-02-05T11:52:48Z

Now you've had a bit of a play around on the site, I'm sure you've all noticed that a lot of little stuff is kinda shabby (links, backslashes etc..), and also that a lot of the little niceties are missing. All that will be fixed/added relatively quickly, but is there anything BIG you want to see? Because it is easier to add stuff now than later.

Basic stuff which will be done this week:

1. Notifications completion (how many messages you have, "mark as read" buttons.)

2. Browsing/searching, which is currently a mess, but quite quick to fix.

3. Access to your watchlist

4. A member list which is browsable/searchable

Things I plan to implement soon:

1. Private messages

2. A sketchbook feature

3. Custom ordering within sets (with previous/next buttons around objects)

4. Media categorisation

I'm also going to add some "out there" features, like drag and drop art organisation. I could easily add featured artwork on your page like DA if people want it.

So, what else would be cool? A forum? Or something else?

Also, I need a name for the site (I'd quite like to register it soon) and some ideas for branding the thing - I've obviously stuck with neutral terminology for now (objects/sets/users/groups etc.), but maybe it needs to sound a little more exciting.

All I wanted was the parent comment!

2007-02-02T17:34:10Z

Okay, this is supposed to be how you get a parent comment:

SELECT
child.*,

parent_comment.*,
parent_user.*,
parent_userset.*,
parent_blog.*,
parent_object.*,
parent_objectset.*,

comment_comment.*,
comment_blog.*,
comment_user.*,
comment_userset.*,
comment_object.*,
comment_objectset.*,

user_comment.*,
user_blog.*,
user_user.*,
user_userset.*,
user_object.*,
user_objectset.*

FROM user_comment_comment AS child

JOIN user_comment_comment AS parent_comment ON child.oncommentid = parent_comment.commentid
JOIN user_comment_blog AS parent_blog ON child.oncommentid = parent_blog.commentid
JOIN user_comment_user AS parent_user ON child.oncommentid = parent_user.commentid
JOIN user_comment_userset AS parent_userset ON child.oncommentid = parent_user.commentid
JOIN user_comment_object AS parent_object ON child.oncommentid = parent_object.commentid
JOIN user_comment_objectset AS parent_objectset ON child.oncommentid = parent_objectset.commentid

JOIN comment AS comment_comment ON comment_comment.commentid = parent_comment.commentid
JOIN comment AS comment_blog ON comment_blog.commentid = parent_blog.commentid
JOIN comment AS comment_user ON comment_user.commentid = parent_user.commentid
JOIN comment AS comment_userset ON comment_userset.commentid = parent_userset.commentid
JOIN comment AS comment_object ON comment_object.commentid = parent_object.commentid
JOIN comment AS comment_objectset ON comment_objectset.commentid = parent_objectset.commentid

JOIN user AS user_comment ON user_comment.userid = parent_comment.userid
JOIN user AS user_blog ON user_blog.userid = parent_blog.userid
JOIN user AS user_user ON user_user.userid = parent_user.userid
JOIN user AS user_userset ON user_userset.userid = parent_userset.userid
JOIN user AS user_object ON user_object.userid = parent_object.userid
JOIN user AS user_objectset ON user_objectset.userid = parent_objectset.userid

WHERE child.commentid='$fromcommentid'

... and it doesn't work anyway! Bollocks to it, the comments structure is going down.

Major problem with comment table structures

2007-02-02T13:30:15Z

I think I've made a big mistake with the stucture of the comments tables, which may mean tearing them down and starting again. I don't want to do it, but if I do have to, the sooner the better I guess.

Uploading down, now up

2007-02-01T20:21:16Z

Sorry, uploading wasn't working because I was phutzing around with the upload script to fix some bugs with flash I thought I'd figured out ages ago. Should work now.

Art Community site OMGOMG UP OMG

2007-02-01T16:12:03Z

Codename: ununity.
Diagnosis: awesome.

Well, not really that awesome.

So, use this journal to report bugs for now (I'll set up a better way of doing it later). Please to also being a bit gentle with it - I don't think it could hack people trying to break it. It's not exactly the most secure thing in the world yet, so if you could not be broadcasting it's existence that would also be good.

I'd aslo like to now what you find really irritating about the interface (which obviously isn't finished yet), along with what you'd like instead.

Everyone stats with 100 points, unlike the final, where you'll start with none.

GOGOGO!

PS. I just tested on IE6 and does indeed not work.

Art Community (yet again)

2007-01-31T23:30:42Z

One more day.

I promise.

I've got it up and running on my webserver, but there' are a couple of unexpected issues I have to sort out.

Art community (again)

2007-01-30T17:58:54Z

Okay, so having an alpha by the end of last week was obviously a bit optimistic, but I'm pretty close now. I added password hashing and comment notification today, which were the two things I've had on my list before I go live(ish).

I'm aiming for tomorrow or the next day for live on the intrawebs, depending on an answer to this !IMPORTANT question:

Who's interested in testing this thing with no guarantees that whatever you stick in will be carried through to later versions, and won't be wiped by accident, with live edits that might break critical stuff, etc.?

... and who would be interested in testing it while it's still as buggy as hell and incomplete but will maintain the data through all versions, (hopefully) won't be subject to accidental deletion, and will have measured updates rather than live edits?

Answer me or I'll have to get new friends or stick this up in a DA journal.

Damn YouTube, stealing my ideas

2007-01-28T14:46:43Z

I should sue!

» YouTube to pay for User Generated Content | The Social Web | ZDNet.com

Or hurry up with my damn art community website - it's so damn close I can, well... use it.

Art Community Update

2007-01-22T15:30:25Z

An update on how the coding for the art community website is going.

I think I'm on schedule, and should have a working alpha to stick up on the 'net within the next week. Nearly all the basic features are there, some in a polished state than others.

I think the only thing that is still missing entirely is private messages.

I've taken the criticism of the points system on board, and revamped the way that works. Nothing costs you point any more, and commenting does not make you points. There will be a certain number of points in the system at any one time, and every transaction is taxed at 50%. For example, if you give 10 points to an artwork - the artwork's points will read 10, but the artist will get only five to spend, and 5 will go to the "bank", to be spent by moderators. That will drastically cut down on the viability of point-swapping. It also give quite a lot of power to the site's mods (which may come in handy for comment rating: i.e. rating good criticism up).

I'm looking for a name, any suggestions? Keep in mind the site is just as much from music as it is for images.

Dance Monkey Dance

2007-01-19T13:09:41Z

This monkey blogs about the other monkeys talking about monkeys:

Dance, Monkeys, Dance - Flash animation

My computer sucks, gosh

2007-01-12T03:41:36Z

The stupid thing can't do anything quickly anymore. Everything has slowed down to a crawl. I swear I used to be able to have Illustrator and a web browser open and not have to put up with jerky-as-hell scrolling, windows not moving smoothly and laggy typing. It runs the fan constantly - even when I'm not using it. Lucky I'm mostly using it for coding at the moment or it would probably get chucked out the window. Lousy hunk o' junk.

ARG!

2006-12-20T19:29:23Z

I write horrible spaghetti code! It's all tangled up and I can't keep track.

Damn my !OO.

Question:

2006-12-18T09:23:07Z

What functionality do you want in an art community website? I'm looking for a wishlist here.

One-hit wonder

2006-12-05T15:28:34Z

If Snow-Spider gets more favourites than I have watchers, I will have to resign myself to being a one-hit wonder. It's kind of annoying, because I don't even like it that much. I mean, it doesn't say anything. And it's too pretty. And it's not clever.

...

2006-11-27T13:52:35Z

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/33167396/

New Internets

2006-11-17T16:28:20Z

So for a while now I've had 1mb ADSL. The speed wasn't too bad, but I didn't like it much - mainly because I had to keep resetting the router and it also had high latency. Yesterday I got a 24mb ADSL2 connection. OH MAN IT IS SO FAST I WANT TO WET MY PANTS. I mean, geez, I could eat all the internets in a couple of seconds.

(Except DA, which is as slow as it ever was.)

Crows

2006-09-12T14:57:55Z

A comment on my deviantART page...

"Hi. Just wanted to say I really like your work. I am curious and wondering if you have ever considered having the image of the crow in your work. I have always liked that bird in art and I think it would suit your work well. I enjoyed my walk through your gallery. Cheers." [ link ]

... has me rather confused, as I have rarely "considered having the image of" anything in my art, as I prefer to just draw stuff. Perhaps I'm being asked to join a cult. tengoo's cult, presumably.

Islam

2006-08-25T01:00:58Z

Cat Stevens started me on it. Don't ask me why I was reading about Cat Stevens, but I was. Wikipedia mentions that once he converted to Islam he stopped recording because music may not be allowed under Islamic jurisprudence. Now, the fact that this is rejected by many Muslims isn't really the point — we have a major scholarly tradition in Islam seriously entertaining the idea that music is prohibited by god:

"The general consensus amongst the Muslim world is that music is forbidden." (FaithAndTheArts.com, PDF)

And of course visual art depicting people:

"Islam prohibits the depiction of animate beings in paintings and drawings. " (Wikipedia)

Islam seems to want to specialise in the creation of intellectually stunted people. I guess they ask fewer questions.

I have absolutely no time for it. Show me the evidence that Muslims are more charitible/happier/anythinggoodatall than secular humanists and I'll eat my fricken' top hat. If it has any good points, they are countered a thousand times over by the bad. Islam is a blight on humanity.

Collage meme

2006-08-21T20:00:04Z

I can't figure out where most of them came from.

http://treap.net/gavri/lji61.html By ga_woo