Angry - Jul 7th, '04
I got very angry over the weekend. Cranky is normal for me, but angry isn't.
The problem was the constant workarounds I needed to do to get BatGrl's websites working with Beltany. The problem is that her websever is running an ancient version of PHP. In addition to the dozens of security holes and bugs this version has, it also doesn't allow you to make database connections global for use in functions. Which means every function has to reconnect to the database. Not a big deal, but that's not something I'm going to account for in the software, since her POS server is the only place on the planet that uses such an old PHP version. And of course it's missing several functions.
On top of that she has half a dozen site spread over two domains and several sub-directories, all using one database. Getting it working was no fun. Especially with the numerous bug fixes that kept cropping up. Top it off with dumb questions from other users around the planet.
It was only through extreme self control that I was able to avoid going berserk and smashing things. Seriously. I was so angry I was shaking. I don't get that way very often.
I need to do some serious documentation for Beltany. It seems end user support is going to be a weak point for me.
On the plus side everything seems to be working, and the software is getting better very rapidly. I have the email alerts for everything finished and I'll you'll be able to put anything into category trees by the end of the week.
6 Comments
Comments:
I would say the 3 things that prevent me from putting me code back out there are:
1. Version/Change control
2. Support
3. Documentation
I think you really need to have more than just one guy handle projects like these that way you can spread the load out a it.
Also, what's with the buttons at the bottom on the comment page? Is it supposed to change the button text like that?
Also, also, did you get my email about the email notifications not having the correct domain name in them when a new post or comment is added?
Also, also, also, the preview thing for the comments is not working. If you click preview, it doesn't show the preview.
"Also, what's with the buttons at the bottom on the comment page?"
My latest attempt at a javascript html generator. I suck at javascript. more detail here.
"Is it supposed to change the button text like that?"
No. But I'm aware it does. It works fine (in IE only though) if you highlight some text. But it has some....... interesting...... behavior if you don't.
In my copious free time I'll try harder to track down a good solution. I really want something that will work in Opera. If anyone wants to donate some javascript wizardry to the cause to either debug or rewrite the javascript I'm using, I would be eternally grateful.
"Also, also, did you get my email about the email notifications"
I missed that email somehow. But it's a known issue. I've added it to the top of the to-do list.
"the preview thing for the comments is not working."
Thanks. Works now.
See, that's what has my panties in a fucking bundle. I've used two different sets of javascript to do this over the years, and neither has worked with Opera. But then I wander over to your site and I notice your html generate buttons work in Opera. Woohoo!!!
So I start hacking up my scripts to make them use the same functions yours do. And of course it turns out poopy. And it still doesn't work in Opera. I think we're basically using the same code, but both sites do something wildly different.
Actually I think your buttons should be working with highlighted text, but you're missing some onKeyUp/onSelect stuff in your textarea.
There is a storeCaret function in my JS include that I think is supposed to get the selected text, but I couldnt get it to work so I don't ever call that function.
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