Updated!

(Reposted from old blog)

Ok, I am sure you’re all fed up of all my work not showing its face, so I gave you a treat. I’ve updated the Computers page (by hand yes) to reflect the specifications on my soon to be arriving ThinkPad T61 laptop. Also an update:

Management console mostly works, I’m still working on its security, my local cloned version of the site is working fine,with occasional hiccups, all powered by PHP and MySQL. Once I secure it, and thoroughly bug test it, I’ll take a weekend and make it live, then you should see quite a bit more content updates once it’s not such a pain in the rear.

By the way, everyone should read Todds last entry before this one

Been a bit slow around here.

(Reposted from old blog)

Sorry for delays, I’ve been working on other websites, as well as my own, as well as installing cameras for security systems for extra cash to pay off my recently ordered Lenovo ThinkPad T61. I didn’t really want to go widescreen, but the T60 screens are wildly expensive and backordered. Specs are below for the computer. I’m halfway towards the money I need for it, Dads letting me owe him. You should start seeing more content, projects and such on the site soon. I’m debugging the new Computers page, and then you’ll see an update with the specs on my new laptop. I’ll also be photographing it like crazy and posting here when it ever arrives.

ThinkPad Specs:

Base: ThinkPad T61

Screen: 14.1? WXGA+ Widescreen (1440×900)

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz, 64 bit, Virtualization extensions yay!)

RAM: 2.0GiB DDR2-667MHz Memory

Storage: 160GiB SATA 3 Disk Drive, 5400 RPM

Graphics: nVidia Quadro 128MB

Sound: I don’t remember the details, but it meets Intel’s High Definition Audio requirements

Fingerprint reader: Yes

Webcam: Yep

Wireless: Bluetooth and ABG wireless, with antennas built in to screen

Battery: 7 cell

It’s got USB 2.0, FireWire, etc, plus a CDMA Cellular Internet Modem for Verizon’s EVDO service, should I decide I want it.

Oh and a dual layer DVD burner

That’s a rough list off the top of my head, I’ll post more detailed, organized specifications later on.

Still working!

(Reposted from old blog)

I’m still working on the site, none of the updates I’m making are visible really because I’m switching over to PHP/MySQL in the background and I keep forgetting to write updates, so here is an update.

What works:

• Editing stored HTML formatted content in the database and retrieving it via content PHP pages with id numbers.
• Roughly working on file editing for raw content control, such as adding PHP-powered addons to certain pages
• Data retrieval from tables for the computer and project pages, I have yet to write a management console subpage to edit that, I’ve been using phpMyAdmin to edit the content for that stuff.

What doesn’t:

• Any kind of login/security for the management console to provide any control over who edits my site content.
• An interface to edit templates/content (Like the Computer and Project pages will be templates, that are filled with content)
• The sites email system is pseudo-working…eh…
• Sophisticated, safe file editing (misclicks can currently wipe files from existence, that’s bad.)

So, another thing to note is most of this stuff is running on a clone of the site I have here locally, with some limited stuff online. I am hesitant to put the management console online because it’s unsecured at the moment and any of you crafty readers could easily find its location based on the screenshots I posted. When I get a chance I’ll post some more.

I’m also about $300 closer to my ThinkPad T60….:)

Hello Planet COSI

(Reposted from old blog)

This is my first post in the new COSI category, these is where I’ll post about my COSI projects and whatnot. Well, that’s all for now, hopefully you’re reading this on Planet COSI and I didn’t break something…

Dynamic Pages

(Reposted from old blog)

I’ve done it! I created a management console that lets me edit HTML content that is stored in the database, as well as a page that will, depending on what “page” variable is passed via GET method, retrieve and display the content for that page. This works for most pages, but for things like the Project/Computers page, I’d like to automate it with database tables without having to directly edit the HTML. The biggest hurdle I’ve hit so far, besides securing the management console (which is not on the primary site, so don’t go looking), is that any content retrieved from the database, is retried as part of a PHP processing event, meaning I can’t store more PHP code in the entry to do cool things like display the latest RSS feeds, or my latest postings here. So I’ve decided to add an interface that lets me edit the file directly, so I can include things like that.

I’ll keep it posted…for now, here’s a screenshot of the management console:

Ok, let's take a blog break...

(Reposted from old blog)
Since I haven’t written nearly enough stuff here to warrant an actual use for the Archive/Category links, I’m going to leave them hanging dead for now and focus on other stuff. Mostly because I was stupid/lazy when I wrote the site’s framework, half of the site is in static HTML with SSI, the rest of it (mainly the blog) is in PHP. So now I get to start the painful process of converting my static pages in to dynamic pages that actually look exactly the same until I add new content. Goal being the ease of adding new content might make me actually keep this site up and running….

It's alive....

(Reposted from old blog)

Well, I’ve done it. The Matt Cave now has it’s very own blog for me to talk about my projects and stuff in, as if anyone cares or will read it.

Things on the list to fix still:

RSS Feeds? Say what?

Categories button need to do something

Same for the archives.

Everything else works, commenting works so feel free to comment on this.