Development

The Future

I have lots of upcoming changes in my life including work, moving to a new house, son starting kindergarden, etc. For the past several months I have focused on client work and have not put any time towards any of my projects. The ones that were alive and kicking have now been left for dead and others barely made it past the planning phase while some have a few lines of code started. It isn’t that I don’t have any interest in my projects anymore but more that I haven’t been managing my time very well. I have had plenty of free time away from client work and the family that doesn’t get put to good use. After doing some thinking on my projects and what I really want to do with them I have made some choices and will outline some here.

2532|Gigs

www.2532gigs.com | Version 1.2.2 (stable) | OpenSource
The Now: This was first complete opensource project and has had a great following, plenty of downloads, and is still in use. However, we haven’t had a release since January 29, 2008 which was just bug fixes. We have a few bugs still not fixed and several features half completed. We did start work on the next full featured version and completed several new features and fixed a few bugs but it never got completed and after several months it is still sitting on my HD.
The Future: Several new and amazing features have already been completed and tested along with a few bug fixes. I plan to refocus and start a rewrite of the script to fit the new features and some future plans I have for it. This script is far from dead but will be on life support for a little bit longer. Goal is to have a new stable version by the end of the year.

FieldStatus

www.fieldstatus.com | Private Beta Next | Web App
The Now: FieldStatus came about from a client script who needed a way to notify their club members of the status of their fields (it was a soccer club) via email and text messages. They were using a web app but that site was not only lacking some features but hadn’t been updated in some time and their contact email was bouncing. It is hard to use a site when there is nobody behind it. The project which started out as an opensource project turned into my first web app instead. The project has been started with lots of code laid down but currently no version to test (or at least public).
The Future: I have been excited for this app since starting it. I have talked to several clubs and organizations who would like to use it and the prices they are willing to pay (most use the same dead site my client used before). This will be a paid service with a free version for smaller clubs/orgs. This is also far from dead and might be above 2532|Gigs on my list. My goal is to have a private beta by the end of the year.

undergroundCMS

no url yet | No Releases | OpenSource
The Now: This started about from 2532|Gigs and the lack of a really good cms designed for bands and venues. I started planning and some outlining code until a new project called StashCMS was released the same month I started coding my CMS. StashCMS had most of the features I had planned to include and although the design was lacking and some minor features needed it was a great start for a first release. I didn’t see a need to continue this script when there was a really good alternative to use. I later was going to volunteer to code for StashCMS but before I could after the first main release the script died and the developer stopped providing support and said no future development.
The Future: As I noticed from the people using StashCMS and the forums with people still looking for support or new features, there is still a place for a great CMS designed around bands/venues. So, when I thought undergroundCMS was dead it looks like it might come back to life sometime next year. No real goal for this but to see if while working on 2532|Gigs I can have a first beta release early next year.

Some other projects that are not dead yet but I still don’t have much information on including In The Falls which right now I don’t want to give out too much information, Team Management System which is in private beta for a client right now and will have a release early next year (this won’t be opensource, it will have a fee attached). There you have it, some of my past and future projects and some plans for them. Lets see how things go. I plan to blog more on the projects as I start the back up and get some releases ready.

Is the year over yet?

As you can tell I didn’t get through NaBloPoMo very well. Starting off late and never finished. I did better then I thought. I also haven’t done anymore videos. Mostly because I was just kinda testing things and our camera is messing up now. We hope to replace it in January though with a much nicer one (I’m still browsing, so send me suggestions). I’ve been busy with new clients and old clients the past few weeks and now have deadlines that are right around the corner and plenty to get done. I had a board meeting with the Soccer Club last week in which they voted to not pay me right away. I told them that my work would be on hold until I got paid half, so my check will be sent tomorrow. Good thing to. I just have tons more work on my plate now. I’ve got several clients that I need to switch over to WordPress. Not doing redesigns as most are new but need to move them to WordPress for them to update and not me. It will take a huge load off me. I have a few projects that I was hoping to work on this month but not sure if that will work out. Three of the projects are bigger and I’m really excited about them (no details just yet though). I had planned to do a rewrite of 2532|Gigs early this month as well but not sure if that will happen. I don’t want to see the project die as it has lots of users and plenty of things to be added and a great solid base to build upon. I might look for somebody to take over the project and just pass the site and script off to them. I wouldn’t mind staying on as a minor developer but just don’t have the time to really provide the support for bugs and new releases right now. I don’t want to drop it so I’m still debating. FieldStatus also never had a release although is ready. Its being used on a clients site and works great but not sure if I will release it. Might just release it ‘as-is’ and provide no support. I hate to do that but its better then nothing. Somebody might take the code and expand it into their own project so it could have some uses.

I haven’t spent as much time on my Xbox 360 as I had wanted. I just got it a week ago and have put in some hours but not much. I ended up buying the console, 2nd wireless controller, Vision Webcam, DVD Remote, ChatPad and Halo 3 Limited Edition. Why does everything come with a headset? I now have 4 headsets (the console, webcam, chatpad, and live kit came with one). Granted its kinda cool when you have several people on Halo 3 that they all get a headset but still its a little much. I have been getting some live play on Halo 3 in and pretty much getting owned. I was always better at RainbowSix 3 then Halo. Got Melissa to play on live with me as well (even bought her a gamertag so she isn’t on mine) and she is enjoying it and getting better. I haven’t got any other games yet and don’t plan to this month. I do plan to rent CoD4 and maybe Assassin’s Creed to check out. AC not being online kinda kills it for me as a buy. I am very recreational when playing and just love getting online to play quick matches. Sometimes it takes me months and months to finish single player games if I ever do. I’m attempting to get through solo on Halo 3 but so far only got to the 3rd lvl. I am looking forward to two games early next year. End War (lovin the trailer) and RS3: Vegas 2. I was going to buy RS3:Vegas but found out the 2nd is due out early 08, so plan to wait. Anybody else on Live look me up; gamertag: twofivethreetwo.

In other news me and Melissa will be getting married this coming Friday (the 7th). We have been together for Lets not go there cause I don’t wanna think about what will happen if I get how many years wrong. Basically since high school and we have a 4 year old son. So, more than 4 years. Anyways, we are getting married at the courthouse here in Wichita Falls, TX. Nothing major and really small. In fact so small that only my grandma will be there (mostly because we haven’t old anybody else really). She kinda wanted a ceremony however it would be so small. I am not in contact with my mom anymore and refuse to see her which in turn has caused my sisters to not be too happy with me so my side of the family would be out and most of her family doesn’t live here. So, we are simple people so something simple at the court house is perfect. We set the date a while back I just hadn’t posted about it until now.

Future Development

One of my latest client work has been a custom php/sql Team Management System for a soccer club. The goal of the system is to allow each team to have their own dynamic page to include their own schedule, snack schedules, coach information, etc. The coach is able to update all their information from their dashboard. Everything is generated on the site so we can generate team lists and coach listings elsewhere on the site just calling the database. The plus is allowing the coaches to control their own information and a quicker way for them to get information to their team/parents. The system is being written in php/sql. I have to have a working demo (read: rough demo) by Friday for a lunch meeting with the client. This isn’t really a problem as its mostly showcasing the features and mainly the flow of information inside the system and discussing features. The system doesn’t need to be complete until the end of December. I’m learning a lot of new things with this system. I’ve never messed with dynamic pdfs but for this system will be using fpdf to generate pdf’s of schedules, team roster and contact sheets. This will be great for the coaches and parents to have printable ready pdf that are generate with the latest info. The pdf’s will be branded with the club logo, etc. I am also working with mod_rewrite for the first time. Which is not going great. I had nothing but problems. I think I’ve since figured them out but won’t test it until tomorrow. The goal is to redirect team subdomains (teamname.clubdomain.com) to the team directory (www.clubdomain.com/teamname). Looking forward to showing the system to the client during our lunch meeting on Friday and discussing new pricing. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I love working with php however am looking at learning a new language. The top of my list is Ruby on Rails. I’ve always been interested in it but have never had the time to just sit down and learn. I know a few other people who use Ruby so I hope to take the plunge and start working with Ruby in December. I have a few client work to finish this month before I can take the time to spend with it. I also need to spend sometime with javascript. I know the basics and enough to modify current scripts to work for what I need but as far as writing one myself, can’t do it.

Field Status

UPDATE: I’ve posted a screen shot of the current alpha version here.

My newest project is Field Status. I started planning the project a few weeks ago and last week started coding. Field Status is a script for schools, clubs, and organizations that have fields that are open or closed due to weather or improvements. Basically it allows instant field communications between the club and its members. It offers a way for the club to change the status of a field to Open or Closed via a Web-Based Control Panel. You can also attach a short message to the status update. It has a built in mailing list that offers your club a chance to receive status changes via email or their cell phone. The club is also able to include the current status of each field on their website via one simple line of php. They also include the (un)subscribe email form on their site. The Control Panel allows you to view the email addresses in the database, add new ones or delete current ones.

The script came about when a client of mine, a soccer club in Lawton, Oklahoma wanted a better way to communicate their field status with its members. They have two soccer complexes and with thousands of kids in the club they have several teams with practices at different times and needed a way to communicate with the coaches and parents on when fields are open or closed without delays. The script is currently in an alpha release. I have a few copies running in different environments (php4, php5, mysql4, mysql 5, etc) and so far everything is good. I still have a to do list to finished the script but its coming.

I plan to make this my first hosted project. The script will be up for download on sourceforge during its beta phase and the first stable release. I plan to provide it as a hosted script that will allow you to register, create your club, add fields, and update status via the Field Status website. It will require no downloads and no installation as it will be hosted on its own server. All users will have to do is copy and paste a couple of lines of code (to show the current status of each field) and copy and paste a few lines for the subscribe form to their own site. All my projects and scripts in the paste have been opensource downloadable so it will be interesting for this project to be hosted. Currently I’m the only developer but I’m looking for somebody to join to help get the project moved from what I have to a hosted app. I still have several things on the to-do list before its ready to be used. Currently the installer, user system, user security (salted md5 passwords), change field status and emailing status to users is complete and working. I just gotta finish the settings, subscribe forms, and status include. Hopefully I’ll have the first beta up for download by the weekend. If anybody is interested in joining as a developer let me know. The script is written in php/sql. I’m hoping to have a demo up by then as well.

activeCollab

I’ve been working on a review of activeCollab for two days now and planned to finish it up today. However, today I found out that Derek from 5thirtyone.com did a review on it last year and recently compared activeCollab to Basecamp and GoPlan. Both articles are great and give plenty of details on the plus of activeCollab. I personally have never used BaseCamp however I planned to before I came across activeCollab and like the thought of everything being on my server (and free/opensource). For anybody who does freelance work or uses BaseCamp (or others like it) you really should check out activeCollab (assuming you have server resources, although it doesn’t take much). It does require php5 though (which shouldn’t be a major problem as most hosts have it). I’ve been running activeCollab for a few months now but only recently started really using it with my clients (the biggest one being the Lawton Soccer Club). Before we went back and forth on emails and phone calls about the site and its hard to keep things organized and took to much time for me to go through emails and find tasks he wanted done. activeCollab took a huge load off me and makes things much easier. Its also easy to customize to match your company site or just a fresh design. Keep an eye on the activeCollab site and blog as the big release is coming soon with a load of new features.

Custom WP Login

I have been looking for an easy way to customize the WordPress login page for clients. I thought about hardcoding it but that would just be a problem when updating the WordPress core. I searched around a little and didn’t find anything I could use but today MattBrett posted a screenshot of his WP login screen and a plugin that he is using. It works great. I thought I would share the site with everybody else using WordPress. You can find the plugin here. There is also a Flickr Group with other screenshots of how others are using the plugin.