However, let me state, that I do want to see Flex Builder 3 ported to Linux. I could then ditch my Windows Virtual Machine and run things natively, but that is my only complaint at this moment.

So why do I love Flex?
Flex is just easy to use, the components built it are amazing and you have the ability to build components on your own too! Much like Server Controls in .NET, .NET gives you a TON to begin with and you can create your own as well. However, this is for Flash! That is extremely important to acknowledge, as I do not have to have Macromedia Flash MX or whatever the latest version is on my PC to build a Flash application now.

Not only do I love being able to build a Flash application without Macromedia Flash, but I also love how it can work with an infinite number of backends without a lot of effort. Got a web service you want to plugin to? No problem, how about an RSS feed? Again, No problem. Well how about just a plain HTTP stream with a custom format? No Problem! I mean literally, you can plugin to any service that can send back a response. If it is a custom type of response, then you can write a routine to read your custom format. However, if you are using a Web Service, be in written in .NET and it returns an XML stream, then you literally have to do nothing! It will read it without any custom code from you, the developer. And that my friends is the “cream of the crop”.

So where do we go from here?
I am going to be doing a lot of things with Flex fromt his point on. I was just totally amazed by the simplicity and yet the complexity you can have within it. I still have a lot to test. Updating the grid’s data when it has changed, and similar events. But time will tell and so far Adobe has bought me back with this wonderful technology. Just bring it to Linux and I will move right next to your head-quarters Adobe!

Kiosk, uses Ajax in interesting ways to provide a better experience, but with that, the Ajax applications were built as each page was assembled. This caused functionality across pages to get a bit messy or functionality shared across pages to get thrown into individual files. Well the problem with individual files, is that is yet another file for the browser to download.

So before I get any further, let me discuss refactoring and how it can solve many performance binds your application may be experiencing.

To start off, refactoring is taking common code, or code that is used across pages or frequently and moving it to a more global location so it can be called easier and the code only has to be written once.

So where can this help?

• First of all, by refactoring code into a single global file, you can limit the number of HTTP requests if that file is accessible via the web. Since your common code is in a single file, the browser only has to fetch that code once, and will then likely cache that file for each page after, giving you even better performance.
• Secondly, by placing the common code in a global method/function, you are writing less code. As now when you need to call that code on your second page, it is already written, so just call the function. Otherwise, you would need to write the code all over again.
• Thirdly, less code equals smaller files. By refactoring your code, you can have smaller file sizes and in turn that is quicker to download, quicker to parse, and quicker to execute.

Now in my situation, I took about 4 JavaScript files and combined them into a single file adequately named “general.js”. The file contained code to automatically log the user out after a set amount of inactivity in the UI (User Interface). Secondly, it contained the version checking mechanism calls that see if they are running the latest version of the software. Unfortunately, those are the only two things it does right now, but as the project progresses, I am sure more utilities will get added in this file.

My next task is to refactor the Data Grid functionality so it is 1) XHTML, 2) easy to build complex columns with complex rows, 3) customizable by identifying StyleSheet classes for the columns and rows. Hopefully, I can get my head around this idea and get it working with little trouble to the programmer.

So what can you think of that you need to refactor? What performance gains do you suspect you will achieve with the refactoring you do? Any performance markers?

For example, imagine having the ability to upload 1000 images for all of your products using cpCommerce or a different cart variant. You would have to upload them individually. Now, take a look at how kiosk handles it.

Let’s take a look at the Kiosk Image Area located in the Administration Area. This area has many options, but look at the intriguing “Find FTP’d Images”. Now that is what I am talking about!

Now, this is the folder where the images are stored in Kiosk. Look carefully, and you will see a folder named “FTP”. This is the folder where your 1000 images should be uploaded to.

To show you that this works, I have placed over 600 images in the folder! I realize that isn’t exactly 1000, but it should be enough to prove it will work with 1000 as well. Now, that I have the images placed, I need to head back to the Administration Area to complete this process.

Back in the Images Administration Area, I clicked on the “Find FTP’d Images” and this is what you will be presented with! Now realize, only one process of this is able to run at a time. So if you have 4 people updating the store, when one person runs this command, it will prevent the other 3 from running it too. With that said, the process also checks to see where in the process it is. For example, it checks every few seconds to see if it is finished inserting the images, or if it is still running. Now, I know what you are thinking. What about the Time Out Limit in PHP? How do you get around that? Well that is my secret and you can’t figure it out unless you pull down the Source Code from the SVN Repository.

Finally, when it is all said and done, you the user are prompted with this final screen. The process is complete.

Upon clicking on “Close” it will reload the page to show all of your images now listed within the application. That’s it! It doesn’t get any easier than that! Feel free to comment and leave your remarks, as this is going to make kiosk stand out from Joe Smoe and you got my word on that!

Images are entirely reusable. So if you want to show a Product’s Image as the Category Image too, YOU CAN! And you can do it without uploading another file! I like to think kiosk is taking what cpCommerce started and taking it to a whole new level learning from its’ mistakes, and hopefully you all agree.

Well that is enough on that for now, I will update everyone once again, when I have these sections entirely done. Then you can pull it from the kiosk subversion repository and give it a try yourself.

I wrote a few sample scripts using it in less than 5 minutes! 5 minutes!! I cannot stress that enough. I was amazed at the type of complexity I could write in just a few minutes of using it. Now, I am not a “big” M$ fan, but I am willing to give credit when due, and they deserve credit for this. I am truly pleased with the fact it works in Firefox, it works in IE, and it probably works in Opera (though I haven’t tested it). It has files for all languages, to handle currencies, dates, etc. Totally amazing.

I have so many plans on how to use this to perform more advance functionality in several of my applications and best of all, I didn’t have to write my own XmlHttpRequest methods.

A little about the theme…
I built the theme based a bit off of K2, in that I included the code for the Sidebar Widgets. Other than that, it does not have anything else related to K2. Some of the plugins it uses are “Collapseable Categories”, “Bunny Tags”, “IG Syntax Hilite”, and “Sociable”. There are a few more Admin related plugins, but those have nothing to do with the theme.

Depending on my satisfaction with the remaining pieces I need to work out, I may allow the theme to be downloaded, but for now, its just going to sit here until I know all is well.

kiosk
I also accomplished a lot in kiosk over the weekend too. Finalized some of the installation processes, and started working heavily on the modules in the Administration Control Panel. I also refined major parts of the framework to fit better with the overall goal of being a “plug-n-play template system.”

Linux
Finally, I have been spending my weekend trying to get my media center PC up and running again after a Ubuntu upgrade. Not sure what caused the FREAKIN’ issue, but I am not very appreciative about it. Overall, this is the first day I have tried to fix it since I discovered it being down on Saturday morning, so it might not really be a “major” issue.

Aside from that though, I also had a lot of things going on at home. I have been prolonging fixing my main system as it continuously frustrated me, but today I decided to give it another try and to get the second power supply to properly control my hard drives, while my main power supply powered the motherboard and video card. FINALLY today it worked! Now my main system finally has all its hard drives running which is sitting at a total of 5 right now, in a while, I will be adding more, but 5 is good.

I also got my secondary system (used for development/testing of Linux updates before preforming them on my main machine) up and running today with a major overhaul. I also have two 120 GB drives in there for storage as well and I am thinking I will mirror them and use it for backups, but that will be decided later. Right now, I have it installing Feisty (https://wiki.kubuntu.org/FeistyFawn/Herd1/Kubuntu) as I want to see what eye candy comes out of it and see if I want it on my main machine.

Also, cpCommerce released v1.0.4 this week! I re-added the MySQLi support. It also has several fixes by other members who spent countless hours learning how to use SVN and contribute to fixing the bugs.

Well, I really do not have anything more to add at this moment. I am looking forward to a 4 day work week and then I will be gone for 8 days as I am going down to TN for Christmas (I may even take Kami – my wife along… hehe).

The installation process is what I am most proud of. So far, it works like a charm. All I have left for the Installer is the “Configuration” section. It will be a while before that section is complete, as I have a feeling, as I write the rest of the application, more settings will be needed.
To help feed your thirst on what kiosk looks like and the tables it consists of, enjoy the screenshots below.

Now, you didn’t think I would show you my “real” email address did you? Oh, and here are the screenshots if you were to revisit the prior installation pages:

Hope you enjoyed those!

cpCommerce had the PayPal IPN Gateway Implementation put into the build about a week ago and it seems to be holding out, that or no one else has had a lot of time to do any testing. I feel it is getting close to lose 0.06 all together now and allow for a much cleaner version to take its place. Right now there are not a lot of new features in the works, in fact, with me being so busy, a lot of the work is on hold until I can find someone to take my spot or help alleviate all the things I do for cpCommerce. Who knows, time will tell, as I may eventually find more time to do these things.

As for me, I am doing fairly well. I am about to add 16 DVDs to my collection from signing up with Columbia House and then inviting a friend. In the end the 16 DVDs will cost just a little under $70. Now that is what I call a GREAT STEAL…err…I mean…DEAL!

Plans for upgrading my computers are always being thought out, and hopefully one of these days will come true. I know what I want to get, but the new question is: “What do you really need?” and I am struggling with that one, as honestly, right now, I don’t need an upgrade.

Well, that seems to be everything in a nut shell over the recent weeks. I hope all of you are enjoying your jobs, school, or whatever ventures you are currently involved in.