Sunday, May 31, 2009
10 amazing bicycles (bikes of the future)
Bicycles of the future?These bikes have one amazing design.See the pictures:
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Flexibility Women (8 amazing photos)
The contortionists have unusual natural flexibility, which is then enhanced through gymnastic training.It is amazing the flexibility that they have.See the 8 photos:
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
How to implement a news ticker with jQuery and ten lines of code
After my previous posts about how to implement a news ticker with MooTools I received a lot of emails from my readers that asked to me to implement a similar feature with jQuery, including fade in and fade out effects, in the simpler possible way. So in this post I want to illustrate you how to implement a nice news ticker using jQuery and just ten lines of Javascript code. The result is something like this:
I suggest you to take a look at this live preview and download the source code to understand how it works. In the source code I added a file called base.html that contains the basic structure of this ticker you can quickly reuse and customize in your web project.
A little introduction
Step 1: image to have a <ul> list with ID = listticker. This list contains some list elements <li> (in this case: My News 1, My News 2, ...). First step is: get the first element of the list, save its content into a var and remove it using a fade out effect.
You can get the HTML code contained into the first element of the list (#listticker) and assign it to a var (first) using this simple code:
To use fade out effect and remove the element you can use this code:
Step 2: now you have to add the content saved into the var first to the end of the list:
You can use this simple code:
...where first is the var you used to save the content of the first element in the step 1.
Step 3: Now you have to move up the content of the list (My News 2 is now the first element of the list) and repeat the entire process from the step 1.
In Javascript code section of this tutorial I used setInterval() to repeat the process every 3 seconds (3.000 milliseconds). Ok, now take a look at HTML and Javascript code.
HTML Code
HTML code is really simple. The only thing you have to do is adding an <ul> list with ID = listticker and some list elements:
Remeber to add into the tag <head> of the page where you want to implement this ticker a link to jQuery:
Javascript Code
Take a look at the follow code. I implement 2 functions removeFirst() and addLast(). Each function contains five lines of code. Total lines for "conceptual" code: 10 lines! I promised! :)
In the last line I used:
...it calls the function removeFirst()every 3 seconds (3000 milliseconds) and in this way I create ad infinite loop.
If you have suggestions to improve the code please leave a comment. Thanks!
I suggest you to take a look at this live preview and download the source code to understand how it works. In the source code I added a file called base.html that contains the basic structure of this ticker you can quickly reuse and customize in your web project.
A little introduction
Step 1: image to have a <ul> list with ID = listticker. This list contains some list elements <li> (in this case: My News 1, My News 2, ...). First step is: get the first element of the list, save its content into a var and remove it using a fade out effect.
You can get the HTML code contained into the first element of the list (#listticker) and assign it to a var (first) using this simple code:
first = $('ul#listticker li:first').html();
To use fade out effect and remove the element you can use this code:
.fadeOut('slow', function() {$(this).remove();});
Step 2: now you have to add the content saved into the var first to the end of the list:
You can use this simple code:
$('ul#listticker').append(first)
...where first is the var you used to save the content of the first element in the step 1.
Step 3: Now you have to move up the content of the list (My News 2 is now the first element of the list) and repeat the entire process from the step 1.
HTML Code
HTML code is really simple. The only thing you have to do is adding an <ul> list with ID = listticker and some list elements:
<ul id="listticker">
<li>My News 1</li>
<li>My News 2</li>
<li>My News 3</li>
<li>My News 4</li>
<li>My News 5</li>
</ul><li>My News 2</li>
<li>My News 3</li>
<li>My News 4</li>
<li>My News 5</li>
Remeber to add into the tag <head> of the page where you want to implement this ticker a link to jQuery:
<script type="text/javascript" src="jquery.js"></script>
Javascript Code
Take a look at the follow code. I implement 2 functions removeFirst() and addLast(). Each function contains five lines of code. Total lines for "conceptual" code: 10 lines! I promised! :)
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
var first = 0;
var speed = 700;
var pause = 3000;
interval = setInterval(removeFirst, pause);
});</script>
$(document).ready(function(){
var first = 0;
var speed = 700;
var pause = 3000;
function removeFirst(){
function addLast(first){
first = $('ul#listticker li:first').html();
$('ul#listticker li:first')
.animate({opacity: 0}, speed)
.fadeOut('slow', function() {$(this).remove();});
addLast(first);
}$('ul#listticker li:first')
.animate({opacity: 0}, speed)
.fadeOut('slow', function() {$(this).remove();});
addLast(first);
function addLast(first){
last = '
first+'';
$('ul#listticker').append(last)
$('ul#listticker li:last')
.animate({opacity: 1}, speed)
.fadeIn('slow')
}first+'';
$('ul#listticker').append(last)
$('ul#listticker li:last')
.animate({opacity: 1}, speed)
.fadeIn('slow')
interval = setInterval(removeFirst, pause);
});</script>
In the last line I used:
interval = setInterval(removeFirst, pause);
...it calls the function removeFirst()every 3 seconds (3000 milliseconds) and in this way I create ad infinite loop.
If you have suggestions to improve the code please leave a comment. Thanks!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Useful Adobe Flash frameworks and graphical engines for developers
Are you an Adobe Flash developers? In this post you can find some really interesting Flash frameworks and graphical engines that help you develop quickly complex Rich Internet Application and Flash-based games. This list includes graphic UI elements, Flash and Flex components, a physical engine and an open source component to create isometric games with Flash.Gaia Framework
Gaia is an open-source front-end Flash Framework for AS3 and AS2 designed to dramatically reduce development time. Gaia is targeted at anyone who develops Flash sites. It provides solutions to the challenges and repeated tasks we all face with front-end Flash site development, such as navigation, transitions, preloading, asset management, site structure and deep linking. It provides speed and flexibility in your workflow and a simple API that gives you access to its powerful features. For an example of Gaia-made website take a look at Inglorious Basterds Official Site.Progression
Progression is a real powerful framework for Adobe Flash with focus on your creative work. You can just focus on user experience matter, how to transit, what dramatical effects you want to provide for your UI. Progression supports wide range of developing styles - from traditional timeline-based style to stylish class-based style. Progression packages all necessary functions of Web site development as component. You can develop web site using the component by drag & drop on the stage.Yahoo! ASTRA
Yahoo! ASTRA, is an ActionScript Toolkit for Rich Internet Applications. It provides a collection of Flash and Flex components, code libraries, toolkits and utilities developed by Yahoo! for ActionScript developers.ARP
ARP is an open source pattern-based Rich Internet Application framework for the Adobe Flash Platform. ARP currently supports Adobe Flash and Flex-based RIA development in AS 2 and AS 3 and is designed to be simple to use and lightweight.
JSwiff
The aim of the JSwiff project is to create an open source, pure Java framework for Macromedia Flash file creation and manipulation.
PushButton
The PushButton Engine is an Open Source, Flash game engine and framework that's designed for a new generation of games. PushButton Engine makes it easy to bring together great existing libraries and components for building Flash games. Spend less time on code, more time on building fun games.Fisix Engine
The Fisix Engine is a 2D verlet physics engine for Flash. It is written completely in AS3 in order to make use of flash player 9’s improved cpu capabilities. Although Flash is still slower than platforms such as c/c++, or java, which means that you most likely won’t be able to make the next Half-Life in flash, it doesn’t mean you can’t do really cool stuff with 2D particles, constraints, rigid bodies, etc. and make great looking games and simulations. Take a look at the demo here. The result is really awesome.
FFilmation
FFilmation is a really impressive, open source, Flash Engine to create isometric locations for Flash-based games.
Related Content
- 7 Powerful image carousels for web designers- Useful scripts and resources Facebook-inspired for web developers
- Best Image Croppers ready to use for web developers
- 10 Beautiful Web UI libraries
- File uploaders collection for web developers
- Interesting html FORM Validators for web developers
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
How to manage a small web project: a simple approach
Some times ago I wrote a post about a structured process you must know to develop a web application and many readers asked to me to write something simpler about how to manage a small web project. I think there are not general rules for that but, without doubt, a correct approach can help you manage your projects more efficently and achieve quickly the final result.
I prepared this picture that illustrates a simple process with 3 main phases you can use as reference to manage a small web project:
1. Planning
Plan what you have to do, how you have to do it and in which time.
1.1 Define project scope
First step: Identify 4-5 high-level points which define the scope of your project. Don't underrate the importance of this step because if you are able to describe your project in a nutshell, it means you have a clear idea about what you have to do. So it will be simpler to realize it.
1.2. Identify main features to implement
Second step: Identify main features of your web project and add, for each of them, some details such as relationships, general notes, ecc. For example image to have a simple project with only two main features: user login and profile management. You can represent them in this way:
That's a simplified example only to give you an idea.
1.3. Define sitemap
Next step: define a sitemap of your project with files and folder. Be accurate in identifying all files to implement (HTML/PHP page, JavaScript files,...) because they are final deliverables to implement.
1.4. Plan a daily to-do list
Set daily milestones using a simple to-do list. So everyday you'll know exactly what you have to do. In this way, you can easy monitor your progress measuring what you did a certain day and what had to do.
2. Developing and testing
In this phase: write HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript... code and test small portions of code during developing (preliminary test). So it wil be simpler find bugs and errors. When your web application is ready, stress it with a final test to catch errors you didn't find during preliminary test which cause unexpected behaviors .
3. Publishing
Now you are ready to publish your project on-line. When your website or web application is on-line do a last test on what you published to assure you that it's all ok. That's all!
If you have some suggestion please leave a comment, thanks!
- Software development methodology
- Agile software development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Manifesto for Agile Software Development
- Simple process to estimate times and costs in a web project
- How to manage a small web project: a simple approach
- Simple process to estimate times and costs in a web project
- The Deming Cycle: an application to web design
I prepared this picture that illustrates a simple process with 3 main phases you can use as reference to manage a small web project:
Plan what you have to do, how you have to do it and in which time.
1.1 Define project scope
First step: Identify 4-5 high-level points which define the scope of your project. Don't underrate the importance of this step because if you are able to describe your project in a nutshell, it means you have a clear idea about what you have to do. So it will be simpler to realize it.
1.2. Identify main features to implement
Second step: Identify main features of your web project and add, for each of them, some details such as relationships, general notes, ecc. For example image to have a simple project with only two main features: user login and profile management. You can represent them in this way:
That's a simplified example only to give you an idea.
1.3. Define sitemap
Next step: define a sitemap of your project with files and folder. Be accurate in identifying all files to implement (HTML/PHP page, JavaScript files,...) because they are final deliverables to implement.
1.4. Plan a daily to-do list
Set daily milestones using a simple to-do list. So everyday you'll know exactly what you have to do. In this way, you can easy monitor your progress measuring what you did a certain day and what had to do.
2. Developing and testing
In this phase: write HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript... code and test small portions of code during developing (preliminary test). So it wil be simpler find bugs and errors. When your web application is ready, stress it with a final test to catch errors you didn't find during preliminary test which cause unexpected behaviors .
3. Publishing
Now you are ready to publish your project on-line. When your website or web application is on-line do a last test on what you published to assure you that it's all ok. That's all!
If you have some suggestion please leave a comment, thanks!
External links
Take also a look at these links:- Software development methodology
- Agile software development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Manifesto for Agile Software Development
Related posts
- Structured process you must know to develop a web application- Simple process to estimate times and costs in a web project
- How to manage a small web project: a simple approach
- Simple process to estimate times and costs in a web project
- The Deming Cycle: an application to web design
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What do you think about the new layout of Woork?
Hi everyone, how you can see I made some general improvements (... I hope...) to the layout of Woork considering several suggestions I received from you in the past months about the old design of my blog. What do you think about the result? Please let me know, leaving a comment. Thanks!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
7 Powerful image carousels for web designers
This post is a collection of some powerful carousels for images and text content ready to use in your web projects. It includes Agile Carousel, YUI Carousel, JCarousel, iCarousel (jQuery + MooTools) and a tutorial about how to implement a simple Flickr-like carousel using Prototype-UI. If you want to suggest other interesting scripts about this topic, please leave a comment. Thanks!1. Agile Carousel
Agile Carousel is a jQuery plugin that lets you create a super fexible carousel with advanced setting options. It supports text and images in each box and a navigator to display in which box you are. Take a look here to see it in action, it's absolutely my favourite!2. Yahoo! UI Carousel Control
The YUI Carousel Control provides a widget for browsing among a set of like objects arrayed vertically or horizontally in an overloaded page region. The "carousel" metaphor derives from an analogy to slide carousels in the days of film photography; the Carousel Control can maintain fidelity to this metaphor by allowing a continuous, circular navigation through all of the content blocks.3. jCarousel
jCarousel is a jQuery plugin for controlling a list of items in horizontal or vertical order. The items, which can be static HTML content or loaded with (or without) AJAX, can be scrolled back and forth (with or without animation).4. jCarousel Lite
jCarousel Lite is a jQuery plugin that carries you on a carousel ride filled with images and HTML content. Put simply, you can navigate images and/or HTML in a carousel-style widget. It is super light weight, at about 2 KB in size, yet very flexible and customizable to fit most of our needs.
5. Simple images carousel to create Flickr-like slideshows
This tutorial illustrates how to implement a simple images carousel to create a Flickr-like slideshow using Prototype-UI framework.6. iCarousel
iCarousel is a powerful carousel built over MooTools v1.1 fully configurable from the user just in some steps. You can change any default option just initializating the class with an object in JSON. It's tested in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera and Safari.7. Carousel.us
Carousel.us is an advanced Javascript 3D carousel which uses either MooTools framework and Reflection.js by Christophe Beyls, or Prototype.js and Script.aculo.us frameworks with Reflection.js. Take a look here to see it in action.
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