Code Talking

  • Disable Template Syntax Highlighting in Movable Type 4

    One of the more challenging pieces of the Movable Type administration interface in version 4 is the syntax highlighting when you are editing your templates. That's not to say that the highlighting is entirely bad, because it can be nice, and brighten your day. Rather than having a…

  • The Effect of Multiple JavaScript Files on Page Load Time

    One of the problems that you may encounter when you add new features to your site is that you run the risk of slowing down the page load time. Before adding anything to your site, there are a couple of things you should check out. Even if you…

  • Enhancing the Display of Images on Your Site with Slimbox

    I'm not a big user of images – though I have a digital camera, I typically end up using it less than I probably should. I think one of my goals for next year will be to actually get some of the images off the memory card in…

  • Using Yahoo! Pipes to Extract Data You Want

    Let's say that you've read all the hubbub about aXXo – one of the most popular seeders of movies, whether you like him or don't – and how he suddenly removed all of his torrents from The Pirate Bay. And you want to be sure that you're getting…

  • Making Your Movable Type Menus Snappy Again

    When Six Apart released the latest version of Movable Type, the software underwent a massive rewrite. The interface changed considerably from what it had been, and by most accounts it is a good change. There are, however, a few things that just don't work quite right. One of…

  • Database Backup with Transact-SQL

    I've recently installed the Microsoft Small Business Accounting package. I have to say I'm enjoying it and think I'll keep using it. Unfortunately, I didn't like the Business Contact Manager for Outlook, as though the two would supposedly talk to one another, I didn't think it integrated particularly…

  • File Uploads Through HTML Forms

    Make sure your form is set to use the "POST" method. Make sure that the "enctype" is "multipart/form-data". Add a field of type "file". That's it for your HTML. The rest of the work is done on the host side. And that isn't really that hard either, but…

  • Preventing Directory Listings

    It is a good idea, for security reasons, to prevent visitors to your site from seeing the files in any given directory. While this will not prevent users from accessing the files, it will keep them from knowing what files are there, which does help to some degree….

  • Changing the Default Windows Wallpaper

    I use remote desktop (terminal services) quite a bit. I also regularly use other remote access methods such as PCAnywhere or VNC. As such, I'm almost always greeted by the default wallpaper when logging onto a PC. Much of this is courtesy of Dell, but others do it…

  • HTML Titles with Quotes

    As I was working on a project, I noticed that the page was no longer rendering in IE (6.0, XP). Strangely, the title had turned into just the URL, as if there was none, and the styles were gone. On a whim, I moved the title attribute above…