Vulpeculox miscellanea
More odd and possibly useful bits
Free resources for web developers
CSS
- CSS framework for writers
Over 700 lines of CSS covering
- general appearance, navigation
- floating and tabular layout
- common table display formats
- useful lists idioms including ticks
- newspaper columns and box-outs.
The framework is fully documented and easily modified to suit your preferences.
This page uses the framework. This box is created with a simple <H6 class=fact>
- Put a blackboard on your web site
A whimsical experiment with CSS.
There is quite a bit of fiddly stuff going on in the background.
Example
Javascript and jQuery
- Javascript picklist class
For some reason I wanted a robust js widget for <select>,
checkboxes and radio buttons. Naturally
I extended my basic need to a more comprehensive class.
It's simple to use, and the options can be accessed via strings, simple indexes or constants.
For example "west" might be indexed by a constant DIR_WEST which for some reason has an integer value of 270.
- jQuery flexible fold button
Most people will know about tabs and accordions
but these work with an overall structure within which elements are selected. I wanted a more stand-alone
solution that might be used randomly to show/hide sections. An example might be a 'terms and conditions'
section or a 'view full size image'.
The button location, hint and text are very simple to tweak.
You can attach it to headings or following elements.
Buttons can be nested.
The default operation is very simple to learn but there are enough parameters and alternatives to make
a powerful little button for everyone's toolbox.
- Step by step reveal
This was something that I knocked-up using jQuery for the days when I was blogging
with Wordpress. It is a simple progressive click-to-reveal more of
the answer function.
HTML
- Enriched cursors
Why not change the cursor when it moves over a link or button?
You can use it to show things like download (
)
or 'opens in new window' (
)
MoreSee the CSS framework for more cursors like
move mouse here
PHP
- test, trace and dump
These closely associated tools for PHP developers are bundled together.
Check is for structured or unit testing. There are three main functions:
check a variable's type/class, check expected result and check appropriate exceptions are
raised under specific circumstances. This is wrapped in a practical framework.
Dump provide a flexible method of displaying (or sending to file) complex
objects with the ability to truncate by length or depth.
This also emits straightforward trace messages and stack dumps (including complex
arguments.)
Simplicity = easy to learn
Both these are easy to learn, properly documented and have cool tweaks to reduce
clutter.
jQuery, AJAX, PHP etc.
- In-line web page editing users
This free system allows users to update the content of their pages without being able to
wreck the design. Many clubs will have a web page that soon gets out of date when the
original writer loses interest. Why should you, the page developer, get involved with
routine changes? Knock-up a practical web page for a small business and they can tweak
'offer of the month' or whatever whenever they like in complete safety.
This is a lot simpler for a user to grasp than a CMS.
- Maintain lists of events
- Maintain snippets of news etc.
- Show or hide alert messages (eg Christmas service alterations.)
- Edit basic text
- Upload photographs
Separate design from content
Do the complicated stuff once then make it so there's no excuse for the user not to keep it up to date.
Move mouse over buttons for description.
Programming examples
- Javascript : Better radio schedules
A Firefox add-in that scraped the data from the abysmal design of the BBC's radio scedules
and did the job properly. It could remember favourite programs for you.
There is some quite hairy Javascript and Greasemonkey programming in here.
- Javascript : Better departure boards
Why didn't anybody think to design a proper display
for the live departure boards system for Britain's railways. Well I did.
It worked well for a while until scraping the data became too difficult.
Move mouse over buttons for description.
Computing
- PHP, MySQL : Database sanitiser
There are all sorts of ways data leaks from databases when it shouldn't.
I built a prototype using PHP and MySQL which provides a framework for making sure data doesn't
leak and when exporting or cloning is required the necessary authorisation and other security
steps are taken.
- D/a/y : Dates as they should be done
How do you represent 'June 2013' in your computer? Or 'Not yet'? Or 'Unknown'?
Dates don't work as a simple linear measure. 2013 → Jan 2013 → 1st Jan 2013 are all
different. As well as recognising periods and abstracts we need to define an algebra to
deal with things in a world where "is before", and "is not after" are neither simple for all possible
combinations of dates nor necessarily exclusive.
Move mouse over buttons for description.
Spicing up this site for 15 years
- Experiments you have to do yourself
There are some things you can't just look up on the Internet
Here are a bunch of easy to try experiments that fall into the category 'You have to do them yourself'.
Some take five minutes. All highlight the scientific method and limitations with the trust
you can have in 'others' or 'accepted wisdom'.
- How a sliderule works
I used to use a slide rule. It is one of those very simple and practical calculating aids that
was essential for every scientist and technician. How it works is quite clever and I've taken
the trouble to explain it very simply.
- Gyroscopic monorail
Louis Brennan is forgotton now but was the first person to invent a workable helicopter.
A history of bad relations with the war office probably earned him enemies who refused to support the
advanced technologies he was trying to develop.
- Stirling engines
Back in 1996 there wasn't much easily available information on Stirling hot air engines.
Here is a simplified explanation of how they operate.
- The secret of boiling steam
A steam boiler isn't just a kettle. The clever thing is that it
stores energy. Here is a very simple explanation of how.
- Cellular game: Lammas
A cute and original little game implemented in Javascript when it was a new thing.
- The electro-gravity generator
If you can arrange to condense water vapour at the top of a mountain you could create
a hydro electric generation. If you could create bubbles deep in the ocean you could do the reverse
and create a fountain at the surface. Here's how.
- What happens when things roll up in space?
Inertia is a funny thing. This article asks how one might be able to
convert angular to limear momentum in space. It has the potential to be a rocketless
space propulsion system.
- Alternative dimensions
Mass, length, time and charge are the standard dimensions used to describe the
universe. We could pick other dimensions to do the same job for example momentum, energy and acceleration
with an origin of force. This doesn't change the universe but it might change our way of thinking about it.
For example 'MLT-dimensionless' in 'm-e-a' the system would be [m2 e-1 a-a].
- Quantum reflection
Reflection of waves and particles is a funny business... ...Even more if the object being reflected isn't a 'point'
- Checkable alignments of Compass pubs in Essex - Weird
Forget the hokum of Atlantis and Da-vinci codes. In Essex is an alignment
of pubs with astonishing accuracy. There's no explanation, and I must get round to finishing
off the maths papers which show chance may play a big part.
- Idea for a North Sea Beer guide
Mock-up of a beer guide that covers two coasts of the North Sea with benefits for tourism and
tips for the traveller.
Move mouse over buttons for description.
Peter Fox is a funny old fellow
- Hello
You've probably seen enough already! If not have a quick introduction.
- CV
35 years of all sorts of computing and problem solving.
Move mouse over buttons for description.