URLier Features

The wonders of the File System Object Chris Payne August 14, 2000	The file system object (FSO) is an essential block in an ASP developer's foundation. With it you can do most anything, from making databases, message boards, to content management. This article discusses the basic operations of the FSO, gives some examples on creating a guestbook, as well as some more complex features.
Into the Beta with PSP7 Linda Cole Ausuts 11, 2000	Paint Shop Pro 7 is a stoke of genius on the part of Jasc Software. Who would have thought they could find any more features to add, or have improved on the existing features... but they did! Just take a quick look at what's new...
DRAW-iT 2.2 Lee Creek August 9, 2000	If Photoshop or CorelDraw are out of your price range, you might want to consider a little graphics program called Draw-iT... and save yourself $679 at the same time!
Flash Forward 2000 PS Woods August 7, 2000	After years of forging through the frontier - displacing the indigenous gif89a and foraging for the elusive idea - it looks like Flash is building permanent settlements. Just looking down the FF2K, it is apparent that specialized disciplines - and, more importantly, widespread recognition of them - are forming.
Another Look At "Building Your Website With Cached Dynamic Modules" Reprint from PHPBuilder.com August 4, 2000	Spencer D. Mindlin builds on the "Building your website with cached dynamic modules" foundation, adding new functionalities.
Navigation Applets from usingit.com Lee Creek August 2, 2000	It gets so frustrating to go to a web site you think you may like only to find out that the web designer who put together the site navigation was the same guy running the Titanic moments before it hit the iceberg. Such misery really isn't necessary. There are a lot of navigation applets strewn throughout the web; two that are worth considering are from Usingit.com, and both are quite reasonable in price.
Using ASP for Form Handling Chris Assenza July 31, 2000	Follow along with "Using ASP for Form Handling" to learn how to use ASP techonogy to handle user-submitted form data, and CDONTS to send that data via email!
Building your website with cached dynamic modules Reprint from PHPBuilder.com July 28, 2000	In today's web-world the emphasis is on load speed and easy maintenance. Learn how to construct a website on the fly using dynamic modules which can be cached for improved performance.
Review: AceHTML 4 Pro Lee Creek July 26, 2000	While many HTML programs try to paint themselves as a do-all entry into the web building world, few really succeed. However, AceHTML 4 Pro is one of those programs that can help turn a blank page into a masterpiece.
Building Languages with XML Charlie Morris July 24, 2000	The Extensible Markup Language allows you to create custom languages (technically called vocabularies) for particular applications, which can be anything from a Web page to an e-commerce interface to a game to a complete virtual world. Here's an overview of how (and why) to create your own custom XML vocabularies, as well as examples of some existing ones.
Welcome to PHP Reprint from PHPBuilder.com July 21, 2000	Early era web developers with dynamic ambitions had little more than server side includes in their toolbelts -- it was a dark era indeed. The need for embedded server-parsed scripting languages was apparent, and Microsoft went after this hunger with their ASP, or Active Server Pages, technology. The concept behind ASP, and all other embedded server-parsed languages, is premised upon embedding programming code within the HTML that makes up a web page. The web server interprets and executes this code, replacing the code with its results, and delivering the resulting web page to the browser. Popular though ASP became, many developers continued wanting for a more stable and less proprietary solution: enter PHP, an open-source server-parsed embedded scripting language.
20/20 Review Lee Creek July 19, 2000	It doesn't require perfect vision to find an image editor with lots of extra features, but one that does come into clear view is a program named 20/20 from byLight Technologies.
The Perl You Need to Know Part 15: Embedded Perl Aaron Weiss July 17, 2000	Back in the halcyon days of the Perl You Need to Know Part 4, we looked at inserting the output from Perl-based CGI scripts into pre-fabricated template pages. Ah, good times, good times. Now, some 11 Perls You Need to Know later, we're more sophisticated and urbane, thirsting for shaken martinis and intrigued by the promises of embedded scripting languages, made popular by Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) and the open-source PHP. Why embedded? Embedded scripting lets you intermingle powerful programming within HTML documents, streamlining the process of creating dynamic, template-based pages. Perl fiends need not be left out in the cold -- there are several options for embedding Perl into HTML, and we'll look at several today, ultimately focusing on the Apache::ASP module.
Paint Shop Pro 6 Review Linda Cole July 14, 2000	If you're using Paint Shop Pro 5 it's time to upgrade, if you're still stuck in PSP4 it's definitely time to get your life back on track and move forward with what may well be the best graphics program available for the money.
Web Graphics Optimizer 4.2 Lee Creek July 12, 2000	There is nothing more frustrating than going to a web site anticipating having your socks blown off only to find that waiting for it to load is akin to watching grass grow. It seemingly takes forever and isn't all that exciting. That's one reason why Plenio Software's Web Graphics Optimizer 4.2 should be a part of any web builder's arsenal.
Content Management Made Easy with ASP Chris Payne July 10, 2000	Automated content management is a must for many web sites. It's difficult to provide fresh new content without a standard automated system. This article discusses how to generate a general submission system, as well as how to manage the workflow, all with examples!
Slapping together a search engine for your database is easy with PHP and MySQL Reprint from PHPBuilder.com July 7, 2000	Normal site searches just don't fill the bill when most of your content resides in a database. You can't do anything useful like using a 'searchword' query; it just doesn't bring back relevant results. There has to be a better way, and indeed there is, with a few easy steps. This article details how to slap one together.
Bride of Flashenstein PS Woods July 5, 2000	Flash developers are already doing lots of cool stuff with Flash/JavaScript, but you have to do a little digging to get started. Well, here is a good place to break ground...
Session Management and Authentication with PHPLIB Reprint from PHPBuilder.com June 30, 2000	Let's face it, web pages aren't designed for interaction with users. At one time or another, you've probably found yourself needing to know what user you are dealing with, and some information about that user. But how do you do it on the web? There are many ways, but most of them are either error prone, or serious security risks. Passing around form data from page to page can easily be sniffed, and even more easily forged. What is a webmaster to do? Join Chad Cunningham to learn how to use PHPLIB for session management and user authentication.
Web Image Guru Review Lee Creek June 28, 2000	Where at one time putting photo-graphic edges around an image took perhaps several steps, masks, layers, and tricks of the trade, Image Guru makes the job quick and easy.
Are search engines dead? Charlie Morris June 26, 2000	The imminent demise of search engines has been predicted for years, but they're still kicking. Still, the current state of search engine technology leaves a lot to be desired. This article explains why search engines so often return reams of irrelevant documents, and hints at a possible solution.
PHP, MySQL and Images Reprint from PHPBuilder.com June 23, 2000	With PHP, mySQL and a little savvy, you can build a working database for Joe's Auto Sales, or even for your own site! Follow along with William Samplonius to learn how.
HTML Constellation 2.2.1 Review Lee Creek June 21, 2000	With tables and frames being such an integral part of layout on the internet, having an HTML editor that handles both with a few extras included is a pretty good idea. For that reason alone, HTML Constellation 2.2.1 is a program after the heart of anyone who has ever struggled to get either frames or intricate tables to look the way they want.
The Perl You Need to Know Special: Introduction to mod_perl Part 3 Aaron Weiss June 19, 2000	We conclude the mod_perl trilogy with some tricks and sleight-of-hand with which you can squeeze a few extra processor cycles out of your web server -- also known as optimizations. Specifically, we'll look at some ways to take advantage of the mod_perl environment to better optimize usage and, more importantly, re-usage of Perl scripts and database requests.
Live Motion - Super Bad PS Woods June 16, 2000	If you are serious about Flash design you'll find uses for Adobe Live Motion. It's amazingly insightful and mature for a beta - for any app in its first 3 generations. Scripting language or not, you should have it in your toolbox. Thumbs up.
Emotion 3D Review Lee Creek June 14, 2000	Emotion 3D, made by Anark Media, is extremely useful for making animations, rollovers, clip art, or reducing GIF files, and the program does it quickly and economically. Sound good? Find out more...
Building Web Applications Using Servlets and JSP Part II Harshal Deo June 12, 2000	In the first part of we built a simple web application with Servlets and JSP. We skipped over some of the finer details, specifically accessing the database using Servlets. In this part we will modify our Login Servlet to validate the userid and password with those from the database.
Enhanced HTML 2000 Review Lee Creek June 7, 2000	Enhanced HTML 2000 is a program that holds a lot of promise for web builders, and it already delivers on many of the most important facets of the job.
So you want to use a database in your site? Reprint from PHPBuilder.com June 6, 2000	Chances are that at some point in the life of a web site you will need to be creating content on request. Join Jesús Castagnetto to learn how to create the database in mSQL and connect to it using PHP.
Introduction to ASP For Web Developers: Collaborative Business Systems Selena Sol and Edi Baker-Wells June 5, 2000	In this second part in a multi part tutorial on Microsoft DNA and ASP application development, we will finish our history lesson, focusing on the collaborative business systems and multi-tier application development before we dive into a discussion of how COM and IIS fit into all of this!
Arachnophilia Review Lee Creek May 31, 2000	This review is the result of receiving several e-mails from people shouting the virtues of an HTML program called Arachnophilia, combined with my own curiosity about something named after the world of spiders and webs.
Introduction to Database Manipulation with ADO Benoy Jose May 30, 2000	The average surfer today demands personalized, customized, interactive web pages that change content on user request. Learn how to fill that demand by using ADO to connect to any ODBC complian database.
What's wireless to a web developer? Charlie Morris May 22, 2000	The world's going wild over wireless. Whew! But what does this mean to the designer of Web sites? Plenty. The wireless wave is one of several trends that will change the nature of Web development - and ironically make Web coding more like the way it was originally conceived. Here's a look at some of the issues involved in creating Web content for wireless clients, and wireless-enabling existing sites.
Ulead Cool 3D Lee Creek May 17, 2000	Ulead's Cool 3D has evolved from "one of the few alternatives" into a decent titling program, and now into one that any web designer needs to in their arsenal.
The Perl You Need to Know Special: Introduction to mod_perl Part 2 Aaron Weiss May 15, 2000	Last month we took a magical journey to the land of mod_perl. In that article, we focused on the exciting relationship between the Apache web server and the mod_perl module, and how this relationship optimizes execution of Perl by reducing forking and caching pre-compiled code within Apache child processes. This month, we shift our attention more towards actual code, and some ways in which your Perl code may need to be adapted to function properly within the environment created by mod_perl.
Server Side Includes Linda Cole May 8, 2000	Are you the harried, overworked web-designer who just learned the boss wants across the board changes to a thousand page website? Learn how to update an entire website by editing a single file, add date and time dynamically and more!
Xara Products Review Lee Creek May 3, 2000	Three products from Xara, Ltd., are not billed as a suite, but having them all can be pretty "sweet" for web builders. The programs Xara Webster, Xara WebStyle, and Xara3D together form a potent source for the many elements one might need while building a web site.
Introduction to ASP For Web Developers Selena Sol May 1, 2000	Introduction to ASP for Web Developers is a three-part course designed by Selena Sol and Edi Baker-Wells.
Director 8 Shockwave Studio Review PS Woods April 26, 2000	Director has been the authoring tool for multimedia in every genre except the Internet for years, and now Director is marching on the last frontier. With Director now more widely accessible to developers and users alike, every web professional that deals with multimedia should consider whether to invest.
Let your business model be your guide Charlie Morris April 24, 2000	Whether to sell products, services, ads, or simply to deliver information, websites exist for different purposes. The right and wrong way to do all these things depends on your business model. Join Charlie Morris for a run-down on using your business model to build a better website!
Scribbler2000 Lee Creek April 19, 2000	Scribbler 2000 is an editing program by Cream Software that allows for the simpler creation, preview, and alteration of javascript, DHTML, and VB scripts.
Tricks & Data, Flash Yin & Yang PS Woods April 17, 2000	Bubba, a typical client, wants you to build a Flash application that will allow him to input and display showtimes at his movie theatre. In addition, he wants to be able to update his showtimes in a .txt file that the Flash movie can read. Yin-n-Yang walks you through just such a scenario and shows you how to give Bubba precisely what he wants.
The Perl You Need to Know Special: Introduction to mod_perl Aaron Weiss April 10, 2000	Mod_perl, the module that makes for a happy but complex marriage between Perl and the Apache web server, can ultimately offer significant performance improvements in Perl-backed web sites.
Building Web Applications Using Servlets and JSP Harshal Deo April 5, 2000	So you have heard about servlet and JSP, but how to put these together? "Building Web Applications Using Servlets and JSP" steps through the different components involved in developing a simple web application using 'server side Java'.
Introduction to Perl on Windows, Part 3: Generate the template Selena Sol and Nikhil Kaul April 3, 2000	Part Three of Introduction to Perl on Windows takes the simple component and uses the Active State package to actually register your COM component with the Win32 registry so that you can start to use it from any COM-aware program.
Banner Beginnings Linda Cole March 30, 2000	Creating an eye-catching banner can be one of the most frustrating aspects of web development. We can study HTML, we can copy/paste JavaScript but what do we do about that danged banner? Banner Beginnings covers some basic banner creation tips.
Digital Distribution of Music Charlie Morris March 27, 2000	From a half-dozen two years ago, the number of places to buy music online has climbed into the thousands. Will the major record labels disappear like the dinosaurs to which they've so often been compared? Not likely. But it's now clear that independent music distributors are going to be a far bigger piece of the picture than ever before. Anyone involved in the music business, from record companies to distributors to retailers, needs to stay up on the latest trends in online music distribution. This article, which will focus on the current state of music distribution over the Web, with an emphasis on what a small record company, music retailer or artist can do to market music online.
Database Normalization Ian Gilfillan March 22, 2000	By now some of you are familiar with the basics of using databases in your cgi scripts. Many of your databases will be small, with one or two tables. But as you become braver, tackling bigger projects, you may start finding that the design of your tables is proving problematic. The SQL you write starts to become unwieldy, and data anomalies start to creep in. It is time to learn about database normalization, or the optimization of tables.
Introduction to Perl on Windows, Part 2: Writing COM Components in Perl Selena Sol and Nikhil Kaul March 20, 2000	Part Two of the Introduction to Win32 Perl/COM focuses on introducing you to the concepts of COM and shows the creation of some simple COM components using Perl.
0 to 60 in Flash, Part 4: Publishing PS Woods March 15, 2000	The final installment of 0 to 60 in Flash leads you through publishing your first Flash movie for viewing in a web browser. As a bonus you'll also learn how to combine javascript funtions with your movie and add sound effects to a button!
The Perl You Need to Know Part 11: A Reference of References Aaron Weiss March 13, 2000	Last month we began building complex data structures in Perl using lists, hashes, and combinations thereof. In doing so, we've flirted with the subject of references. This month our flirtation blooms into intimacy, as we cuddle up to Perl's references to help us build and manipulate complex data structures.
0 to 60 in Flash, Part 3: Today's Show: Babies Having Babies PS Woods March 8, 2000	Now that we're getting familiar with creating in Flash, it's time to add those little extras to make our movie more advanced. In the third part of our 0 to 60 in Flash series, we'll add interactivity with actions and gain control with variables.
How to Build Web Sites with Free Stuff - Yet More Stuff Alan Richmond March 6, 2000	In this fifth and final article in the Free Stuff series, we will look at sites that offer multiple services such as Website Tools Providers, Community Interaction, Scripts and Applets, and an assortment of items that didn't seem to fit anywhere else.
0 to 60 in Flash, Part 2 : Tweening PS Woods March 1, 2000	Last week we covered the basics of Flash including the beginning creation of our first Flash movie. This week we'll continue developing our movie and explore composing images, touching on gradients and file-size.
Keeping the Search Engines Happy Charlie Morris February 28, 2000	By now, even the smallest child knows that having your site listed in the major search engines is the key to Earthly happiness. Human nature being what it is, there are those (quite a lot, actually) who would "beat the system," and try to trick the search engines into giving them more coverage than is rightfully theirs. The searchies wage an ongoing battle against these scofflaws, and if you aren't careful, you can be caught in the middle. Even if all you're trying to do is honestly promote your site, you may inadvertently violate one or more search engines' guidelines, and be unjustly barred from their listings. Here's an overview of what's acceptable and what's not, with tips on how to stay on the right side of the line.
CompactDraw 1.02 Lee Creek February 23, 2000	Building web sites often requires working with vectors and bitmaps, and that can mean constant switching between graphics programs to get the job done. One of the most viable solutions to this problem is a program called CompactDraw 1.02.
0 to 60 in Flash PS Woods February 21, 2000	Flash is the hottest thing in web animation. This first of a four part tutorial will introduce you to creating animations with Flash.
HTML Programs Comparison Lee Creek February 16, 2000	A comparison review of five HTML editors, NoteTab Pro, SiteAid, Under Construction, Ace Expert and Liquid FX.
Introduction to Perl on Windows Selena Sol and Nikhil Kaul February 14, 2000	Although Perl may have been born and raised in the Unix universe, the world's favorite practical extraction and reporting language has had, and has had for some time, an established home on Windows. Learn where to download and how to install and configure Windows based Perl.
The Perl You Need to Know Part 10: Untangling Lists and Hashes Aaron Weiss February 7, 2000	If you want to blow your mind -- in the totally legal sense -- spend some time working with Perl's list and hash data structures. In The Perl You Need to Know Part 10: Untangling Lists and Hashes, Aaron Weiss explains how to work with Perl's list and hash data structures.
Introduction to XHTML, with eXamples Alan Richmond February 2, 2000	Update: XHTML 1.0 was released on January 26th as a Recommendation by the W3C. XHTML 1.0 is the first step toward a modular and extensible web based on XML (Extensible Markup Language). It provides the bridge for web designers to enter the web of the future, while still being able to maintain compatibility with today's HTML 4 browsers.
Web Audio 2000 Charlie Morris January 31, 2000	The Internet gets closer and closer to being a real multimedia experience. As the Web converges with TV and radio, sequential delivery, which means "watching" a "program" instead of "browsing" a "site," will become commonplace. Full-length features are the order of the day, and we don't even need a browser to display them, thank you very much.
Dreamweaver 3 Aaron Weiss January 26, 2000	Macromedia's Dreamweaver series has earned its place as the visual HTML editor that even code geeks aren't ashamed to use, and rightfully so. In its third incarnation, Macromedia hopes to build on Dreamweaver's past success, and to please both novices and gurus alike.
How To Build A Web Site with Free Stuff - Syndicated Content Alan Richmond January 24, 2000	Ever wish you could have daily updates to your site with little or no work on your part? Now you can! Learn how to add News Headlines, Cartoons, Tips, Weather and Stock Quotes that update on a regular basis without having to update them yourself, and the best part... it's free!
Mainstay's JustEdit and JustEdit Pro Scott Clark January 17, 2000	While most developers are familiar with the use of an FTP client, we've all faced situations where we need to edit our site but just don't have access to the software we need. Mainstay has come up with a way to solve that problem with their JustEdit familiy of products.
Evrsoft's 1st Page 2000 Lee Creek January 12, 2000	Skeptics will say that you don't get something for nothing, but most internet site creators figure it never hurts to try. Evrsoft's 1st Page 2000 (version 2.0) provides many features that even the high-priced editors do not offer, and it has one major advantage--it's free.
A Look at the Web Development World Ahead Charlie Morris January 10, 2000	As we begin a new millennium, a new era in Web development is also beginning. Making predictions is dangerous in this business, but it seems clear that important changes in the way we use and design Web sites are underway. Web developers who want to stay in business had better take heed of these trends, and start boning up on the new technologies. Head for the woodshed today, or the unemployment office tomorrow!
Y2K Problems...and Solutions Scott Clark January 4, 2000	While no major problems arose thanks to all the diligent work by programmers over the last several years, Web developers have noticed that there have been some Y2K-related problems with certain scripts. This page will point you to articles and resources that will help you recover from more than a Y2K hangover.
Introduction to Data - Part 9 of our Introduction to the Web Application Selena Sol January 3, 2000	Introduction to Data - Part 9 of our Introduction to the Web Application Development Environment (Tools) series continues our look at the web technologies that define, describe, or standardize the basic characteristics of the data.