Keyboard Shortcut to Jump to a Specific Browser Tab
When working with browser tabs, did you realize there are keyboard shortcuts for switching tabs? Okay, it's probably just me. Even though there are shortcuts I use almost every day, the keyboard isn't always the first thing I turn to when interacting with the browser. However, I love finding ways to be more proficient and keyboard shortcuts can make completing tasks much faster. [Continue reading]
My Preference for Internet Explorer and Why That’s Changing
Now that we're all gathered, it's time to confess. Until recently, my browser of choice has been Internet Explorer (IE). Even though other browsers have come along with better standards support and great add-ons like the Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox, I've found myself straying back to IE. Since the official release of IE9, however, my preference has been changing. [Continue reading]
Converting PowerPoint Files to PDF: Which Option to Choose
When posting PowerPoint files online, I usually upload a PDF version of the presentation since they tend to be smaller in file size. There have been more than a few times where the PowerPoint file is over 100 megabytes (mb) and is reduced to around 15mb PDF. With that said, there are at least 3 ways to create PDFs in PowerPoint and each option may produce files of different size. [Continue reading]
Make Sure Those Passed IDs Contain Numbers
When passing row IDs between pages, it's a good idea to check the value is what you expect. Values which could be tampered with by the user need to validated and sanitized. So, if an ID is supposed to be a number, we should make sure it is before running the database query. Let's discuss some options for checking for numbers. [Continue reading]
The Pros and Cons of Google+
Over the past week, I've been digging through my potential blog post list, but nothing spoke to me. Then, inspiration hit when corresponding with a few Twitter friends about Google+. This won't be the timeliest post, but then again that's not the goal for this blog. Hopefully this will be helpful for those who haven't jumped onto the Google+ bandwagon or are struggling to see the value of using another social networking tool. Or maybe you're good with what you have. [Continue reading]
Typing URLs into the Google Search Box
Have you received a message from a customer asking why a website address provided doesn't work? Maybe the address worked just fine when it was initially sent via e-mail, but upon returning at a later date, the page could no longer be found. Well, it may be more than a mistyped address or an Internet connection issue. [Continue reading]
Keeping Code Up-to-Date
When managing websites, keep in mind that the Internet doesn't sit still. That PHP script written 10 years ago probably has a thing or two needing to be updated. There may be security issues, outdated code, etc. In addition to the evolution of programming / scripting languages, you as a developer have likely changed. Your coding practices are likely to be more efficient and more secure. So let's look at why we need to review old scripts on a semi-regular basis. [Continue reading]
Why PHP_SELF Should Be Avoided When Creating Website Links
When looking for articles about PHP_SELF, it seems like most only refer to the dangers of using the variable with HTML forms. However, there are risks with using it in other parts of a website. For example, it may be tempting to use the variable within the href attribute for links. The problem is that those links become susceptible to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). Let's take a closer look at the security vulnerability of PHP_SELF and a simple alternative to avoid the problem altogether. [Continue reading]
How to Disable (or Modify) the Revision History in WordPress
For some reason, WordPress maintains the revision history for posts in the same database as the live posts. The issue with having the revision posts in the database is the extra overhead. Whenever the website queries the database, it needs to work with all records—including the revisions. Of course, this will unlikely be a problem for most blogs. But for those who prefer to keep websites running as efficiently as possible, the number of revisions can be limited…or stopped altogether. [Continue reading]
Using Google Analytics to Determine Which Browsers Are Used Most for Accessing Your Website
When designing websites, it's important to have a general idea of which browsers your audience prefers. Knowing this helps identify which browsers to use for testing your website. Some coding solutions may also need to be altered. For example, if 60% of visitors are still using Internet Explorer 6, you might need to rethink some of those fancy CSS techniques. So let's look into utilizing Google Analytics to figure out which browsers are being used. [Continue reading]
