How-to

Online Language Learning

Submitted by chacha on Fri, 2010-06-25 21:43

There are so many resources for language learning!

Recently, I needed to study up on Italian for a trip to Italy. I found LiveMocha, which totally blew my mind -- basically a free version of Rosetta stone, but using social media really well. Real people correct your homework, real people listen to and correct short audio clips of you reading a transcript. It's freaking cool!!!

photo reference library...how downloadable should it be?

Submitted by chacha on Sun, 2009-10-18 16:19

Many photo managing tools exist...why did I feel like I needed to make my own?

Now that I have my working photo reference library, I went back and looked at Adobe Bridge, Picasa 3 & Cumulus - with an eye towards why I do not like those programs one bit.

photo reference library: downloading flickr

Submitted by chacha on Sat, 2009-10-17 16:03

After much trouble & research, I finally have an easy way to import images from the web & download any original image from flickr.

One of the features I wanted most for my locally stored photo reference library was to be able to bookmark images on the web, and download them locally. Also, I really wanted to be able to just grab any of my photosets on Flickr, and also store those locally, tags and all. Also, I wanted to be able to use imagecache & lightbox with these images.

Finally, after much futzing around with Drupal - I figured out how to do this.

New ingredients:
* get rid of emfield - it is a pain to theme
* make image url field (just a simple link field)

Photo reference library...feed api + delicious

Submitted by chacha on Wed, 2009-10-14 21:38

Further developments in the photo reference library

Over the last few weeks, I have worked on this project in bits and pieces. Mainly on the train when I have no internet.

Photo reference library...a month later

Submitted by chacha on Mon, 2009-09-28 19:33

Recent thoughts on the photo reference library

I attended Drupalcon Paris, and got a bit more familiar with Drupal 7. One of the sessions I attended was Nate Haug's presentation about the major changes to the Image module, which will be included in Drupal core. Basically, it does everything I need it to do for the photo reference library, which is awesome. I would start building my library in Drupal 7 today if only views were a bit further along. It also seemed like the stream wrappers in Drupal 7 might be helpful for bringing in files from flickr or feeds.

drupal pig collection

Starting to use the drupal art morgue...day 3.5

As you can see here, I have started a pig collection. The best workflow, so far, has been to google images, drag them all into a special folder - then move that whole folder to the import folder in drupal. Then I just do 'import images' which just uses the default image content type. Those can all be tagged to the project & keywords & renamed at the time of import.

Really, that's the easiest so far.

Also, I added tagadelic to preview the projects & keywords. So far, it's a pretty simple drupal installation, and very close to having flickr locally.

art morgue, day 2.5

Continuation of photo reference saga

Today was a very productive sick day, though I must admit that after today I am not very pleased with data syncing & media handling in Drupal.

My photo morgue is now usable, locally. I decided that my local copy will be the master copy...and I will table any sort of sharing until I can solve some other large obstacles.

I was able to build the entire project out of various modules, with no coding - just configuration. I looked very deeply into data syncing, embedded images & lightbox. My ultimate desires for this project are out of reach at the moment.

Some obstacles:

art morgue, day 2

Further developments with my art morgue project

Last night on the train I started setting up the art morgue, and then wound up doing a little more on it last night and then today.

This is what I have done,

Got the following modules - which i will definitely use:

admin (improves user interface)
admin_message (cute message popups)
cck (content data structure)
content taxonomy (pointing to vocabularies as fields -- check the box when setting up field for mirroring terms in node in regular taxonomy structure - so that the taxonomy tools can be used)
context (required by spaces/features/ginkgo theme (from open atrium)

art morgue, drupal style

I need a good way to organize the reference images I use for drawing. Usually this is called an 'art morgue' - and if you take art classes they always make you cut up pictures from a magazine. I am going to design one for myself, but in Drupal.

I need a good way to organize the reference images I use for drawing. Usually this is called an 'art morgue' - and if you take art classes they always make you cut up pictures from a magazine. I am going to design one for myself, but in Drupal.

Version Control is for Ladies & Real Ladies use Git

(in-progress) article about how to use git version control in everyday web development life

I love git! It has a monster!gitmonstergitmonster

What you need

  • Mac OS X (this works on linux & pc, but i don't have the precise installing instructions for those)
  • git installer for leopard
  • bravery. we are doing command line stuff here ladies. don't be fooled, we can do anything.

Jump to the git installing instructions Intended audience: This article is written directly for women web developers who are not currently using version control because the command line aspect of it seems too daunting. This is also for everyone else. However, today I was particularly inspired by this presentation by webchick.

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