Entries tagged "Web Development"
Browsers Hiding Aspects of the URL: Benefit or Hindrance?
What's with browsers hiding parts of the URL in the address bar. It's one thing to fade aspects of the URL to bring focus to the domain name. But why do browsers like Firefox hide the protocol and Opera hide GET variables? The URLs look cleaner, but in the end it may lead to miscommunication. [Continue reading]
Duplicating the Current Browser Tab with Ctrl+N
When browsing the Web, have you needed to duplicate the page you're currently looking at? It doesn't take too much work to copy the website's URL and paste it into a new browser window. If you're using Internet Explorer however, there is a faster way. [Continue reading]
Keyboard Shortcut to Jump to a Specific Browser Tab
When working with browser tabs, did you realize there are keyboard shortcuts for switching tabs? Okay, it's probably just me. Even though there are shortcuts I use almost every day, the keyboard isn't always the first thing I turn to when interacting with the browser. However, I love finding ways to be more proficient and keyboard shortcuts can make completing tasks much faster. [Continue reading]
My Preference for Internet Explorer and Why That’s Changing
Now that we're all gathered, it's time to confess. Until recently, my browser of choice has been Internet Explorer (IE). Even though other browsers have come along with better standards support and great add-ons like the Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox, I've found myself straying back to IE. Since the official release of IE9, however, my preference has been changing. [Continue reading]
Converting PowerPoint Files to PDF: Which Option to Choose
When posting PowerPoint files online, I usually upload a PDF version of the presentation since they tend to be smaller in file size. There have been more than a few times where the PowerPoint file is over 100 megabytes (mb) and is reduced to around 15mb PDF. With that said, there are at least 3 ways to create PDFs in PowerPoint and each option may produce files of different size. [Continue reading]
Make Sure Those Passed IDs Contain Numbers
When passing row IDs between pages, it's a good idea to check the value is what you expect. Values which could be tampered with by the user need to validated and sanitized. So, if an ID is supposed to be a number, we should make sure it is before running the database query. Let's discuss some options for checking for numbers. [Continue reading]
Keeping Code Up-to-Date
When managing websites, keep in mind that the Internet doesn't sit still. That PHP script written 10 years ago probably has a thing or two needing to be updated. There may be security issues, outdated code, etc. In addition to the evolution of programming / scripting languages, you as a developer have likely changed. Your coding practices are likely to be more efficient and more secure. So let's look at why we need to review old scripts on a semi-regular basis. [Continue reading]
Why PHP_SELF Should Be Avoided When Creating Website Links
When looking for articles about PHP_SELF, it seems like most only refer to the dangers of using the variable with HTML forms. However, there are risks with using it in other parts of a website. For example, it may be tempting to use the variable within the href attribute for links. The problem is that those links become susceptible to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). Let's take a closer look at the security vulnerability of PHP_SELF and a simple alternative to avoid the problem altogether. [Continue reading]
Using Google Analytics to Determine Which Browsers Are Used Most for Accessing Your Website
When designing websites, it's important to have a general idea of which browsers your audience prefers. Knowing this helps identify which browsers to use for testing your website. Some coding solutions may also need to be altered. For example, if 60% of visitors are still using Internet Explorer 6, you might need to rethink some of those fancy CSS techniques. So let's look into utilizing Google Analytics to figure out which browsers are being used. [Continue reading]
Making HTML Forms More Accessible and Improving Usability with the Label Tag
It's surprising that there are still HTML forms online not taking advantage of the <label> tag. In addition to being required for creating accessible forms, <label> tags improve the usability of forms. For example, instead of forcing visitors to click those tiny radio buttons, why not let them to click the text label. [Continue reading]
