Analytics, FacedOut, ZenFBSuite [news]

Alright dudes and dudettes, I knocked a few things off the code to-do list. So here we go:

Analytics

I release a quick update to the google_analytics plugin that was being used.  I had implemented j916's version of the plugin ages ago and it stopped working around 1.3.1 or something like that.  So I made some changes, fixed the loading bugs, and moved onward.  Then the changes happened for zenphoto moving into the 1.4 structure and I made it compatible with that as well.  It's a fairly simple little plugin, so should work straight away.

Click here for more info.

FacedOut

One of the other big projects was to finish cleanup of the old theme I had made, "FacedOut".  Initially I loved the design, but I'm a fickle man.  I get bored of looking at the same stuff all the time so I changed it up to it's current incarnation and will likely be creating a new theme again in a few weeks as this one has already begun to get boring.

Click here for more info.

ZenFBSuite

And now for the big bad voodoo daddy that I'm sure you're wondering about.  As you can tell I've made some updates to the ZenFBSuite of plug-ins.  You'll notice the comments plugin has a new look, functionality, etc.

So why haven't I released the update?  Basically the developers at Facebook made some major changes to the Comments system.  Most of them good, most of them.  One of the changes they made was the inability to use custom CSS on the plug-in now.  So that forces us to use their default themes, which as of right now is just a light them only.  They say they have a dark version incoming similar to the light/dark themes on the zenFBActivity etc. So I'm waiting for that so I can set the optioning properly.

One of the other good changes to the comments platform is that now the comments boxes will be tied into the facebook notification etc.  So that conversations can be had on facebook or on your comments box and you will see the comments on both sides.  This is an exciting development and I can't wait for some more work to go into it!

So, sit tight on the ZenFBSuite update, it's coming, just at the speed of Facebook, lol.

-micheall

Busy busy busy... [news]

Have you ever gone to a family meal and put so much on your plate because all the food looks so delicious and you don't want to let anyone down by not eating what they brought?

I know, every Thanksgiving/Christmas/RandomHoliday right?

Now take that feeling, and apply it to life.  Sometimes I think I spread myself so thin that I'm see-thru like a sheet of plastic wrap.  Though, who am I kidding!  I'm portly as all get out, so I could never be that thin.

However, when it comes to coding etc for the site and the plug-ins, sadly I've been so extremely busy with day-to-day stuff I've had hardly any time to do anything.

I'm going to attempt to remedy this situation this weekend, keep your fingers crossed if you're waiting on any of the plugin updates.  I hope to have most of the work done tomorrow.

Words, thoughts, and Charlie Sheen [news]

I was wondering one day, what makes the world go round,
Then I stopped for a moment and listened to the sounds.
A child's laugh, a woman's cry,
The muffled conversations of walkers passing by.

The beat of a heart, the rhythm of a drum,
That silly little tune that you can't help but hum.
The sound of a soda pop, as you crack the top,
That annoying neighbor who just won't stop.

I thought about it all, and then the it all came clear..
What this world needs more of, is having another beer.

Ok, all joking aside, I have been in an amazingly chipper mood for the most part of the week.  No real reason for it that I can tell.  I just... am.  I've taken to a thought process over life these last few years that when I think about the interview I just watched, scares me.

I just be me.  I'm happiest that way.  It's easier for me to just be me than to try and appease the masses.  When I try to do that, I end up stressing out, getting sick, and wanting to just disappear.

I think I know how Charlie Sheen feels, and I didn't even have to have any Tiger Blood transfusions or dabble with Adonis DNA.  Sure, Charlie may seem a bit off his rocker, but isn't that what a celebrity is?  Someone larger than life?  So why when they finally start living for themselves is it a shock that their life is larger than what us "normal" folk are used to?

Charlie buddy I've got some words of wisdom for you, not that you'll ever read it, but it goes like this:

"If you can't handle your shit, don't try to be a toilet."

Tell that to all your haters and keeping being a rockstar.  You are my hero.

Malone out.

Fort Worden State Park - Feb 19th, 2011 [news]

• daytrip,
• panoramic,
• photgraphs,
• scenic,
• tourist,
• washington

zenFBSuite 1.4.0.2 [6701] released! [news]

After taking a brief respite to the land of no internet (dear God save me!!) I've returned.  The first thing I came back to of course was the zenFBSuite.

For the last few releases you may have noticed bits of code (if you looked) that seemed to do nothing.  It's true, they apparently did nothing!

Actually what I was working on was incorporating a way to have email notifications when someone posts a comment.

At first, the functionality worked, then it disappeared and ceased to function.

I believe it's a conflict of jQuery's, but even when attempting to use the noConflict approach I was unable to get it to function properly.

Sadly, I decided it was a lost cause for now and have removed it.  So here's the snippet from the changelog:

v1.4.0.2-6701

• Code cleanup.
• Removal of test code for email notification. Will re-add if I get it functioning.
• More centralization of options and code into the zenFBcommon portion of the plugin.