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Behind the screen:

How did you do that?

What you don't see and wouldn't know...

The intention is to let you behind the scenes of just what happens on these sites as to automated features you see, such that you have no idea that automation is occurring.

Okay, so what does that mean? Click on a web site and find out what really makes it tick! Once at that section, clicking on the title will take you directly to the site so you can see it for yourself.















Crime, Justice & America


Interviews/Podcasts

There is a database with the information on the available interview files that can be downloaded or streamed for immediate listening. The page listing all this information is created based on this information - both the top section with the list, and the bottom section with more details. Nothing needs to be done manually on these pages - add the next interview's information to the database, upload the interview file and it's done!

PHP and MySQL are used extensively. A next version will utilize the two even more.

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Fat Rose and Squeaky

Primarily, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) as well as PHP was used to create common elements across multiple web pages. This site includes a short movie trailer as well.

There is a common copyright file which displays its information on all sub pages.

This site also has a movie trailer, which one can view online, or download.


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FenceMender - Fence Post Repair


What do you do with nearly a one minute audio commercial? See the Instructions page to see how it can be put to Flash and some pictures to create an informative video.

This site utilizes more cascading style sheet use, as well as video and some neat Javascript for expanding/contracting images.

This is the front end to the FenceMender product store which can be easily accessed from the site.

The FAQ file is generated based on information compiled from the Experiences form. This form allows a potential customer to submit questions and/or comments. This information is written to a database table. When an answer is supplied in the database, a flag is changed and the question and its corresponding answer will show automatically in the FAQ file.

As this is a Windows based server, some ASP was used.

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Hurricane Rita Devastation - Hackberry, Louisiana


This was originally created as a labor of love. Most of this has now been transferred to the Cornerstone Fellowship Church website. I have kept the pictures on my site due to size constraints, as well as being able to use the imaging expansion/contraction Javascript I have there.

I have some work to do on this now that it has transititioned (work on their site that is).

Please be sure to go the site and see the pictures, especially if you are unfamiliar with hurricanes. You'll also find a couple of 360 degree pictures there as well.

Initially most of this site was done in PHP.



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WWW.JOURNEYHOMEMEN.COM


This site has a lot happening behind the scenes.

Dates

Journeyhomemen.com has a number of things automated, attempting to make the site as self sustaining as possible. For example, the meeting dates one sees on the first page come from a database table of dates. "Big deal!" you might say. Well, let's say everyone wanted to have a get together at Joe Blow's place. I don't want to have to add that to the main page, nor to the Schedule area, and then have to take it out after the event is over. By putting the information in a table, and letting the server determine if the event is coming up, it can happen "automagically".

These same dates are tied into the Schedule page as well. Whereas the dates shown in the main section are determined based on what will be occurring in the next 29 days (there was reason for that number of days), the Schedule page goes out two more weeks and lists whatever is occurring in the next 43 days. (Since the group meets every other week - 14 days, 29 days covers two meetings, while 43 will cover 3 meetings. Oh, that's why those numbers!).

Pretty cool, isn't it? No maintenance except to put new information or remove cancelled information from a database table.

Notes

Another thing on this site is a list of Notes - or topics which have been discussed in prior meetings. These are stored in a database, with the newer ones stored with the date of the meeting. The significance? The date is used to match up with the meeting dates mentioned above so the Notes: section of the Schedule will reflect the file that is in use for the upcoming meeting - done automatically by matching on the date. Also, since all records are stored in a database, those yet to be determined (TBD) are stored that way (as TBD) and will be reflected as such on the website. Update the database, and the information will display right away on the web page (or after a Refresh of the page). Columns and sequential numbering of the topics/notes are also handled automatically.

Roster

A roster is carried to help all of us know who is a part of the group. Of all the names, only 10-15 show each time. Since we often forget each other's names, there is also a page of small (larger than thumbnail) pictures, which can be enlarged. So, what's the big deal? Well, add the person to the database, and the name shows automatically in both the column by first name and the other column by last name. Add the person's pictures (small and enlarged), a small html file, then add that info to the database and they will automatically be displayed on that pictorial roster page. This pictorial page will display six pictures across, and as many rows down as is needed. And you guessed it - automatically.

Hopefully it is clear that much of what you see on that site is no longer manually maintained (yes, the initial listing of Notes, the two columns of names, the dates, and the pictorial page were all done manually before and therefore subject to much error).

This is on a Windows based server so ASP is used, along with MySQL.

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Madden Movers


This site utilizes a modular approach in creating the pages. This allows for consistency of the top and side menus as well as paging. Paging is determined automatically, and the menus as generated based on data stored in a database.

Think you're seeing multiple pages in this site? Think again! This uses a smoke and mirrors concept to think that.

Extensive use of PHP, Javascript and MySQL in this site.

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Scraptacular Getaways


This was a maintenance project in which I created a Registration form, added some pictures, and then learned all about embedded fonts. Check this site for some funky fonts!

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Wallace B. Farrell, Attorney


This was a pretty straight forward site: Create some vertical and horizontal imagery for each page, then utilize PHP and MySQL to do a lot of the content.



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Wimbush & Associates


This site was quite a challenge... Design a professional looking site, allowing for the client to edit the detailed content. With a client who was able to pick up some basic HTML skills, this came out great.

Due to the amount of content, there are potentially multiple pages per landing site. Utilizing PHP coding, I was able to have it determine if there were previous or next pages, and thus put that (automatically) at the bottom. The bottom banner floats with the content of a page, while the side bars are fixed.

Extensive use of PHP and MySQL once again, plus images.

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Windfall Judgment Recovery


Used a simple image over image to create an appealing looking site.



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Summary

It is amazing what can be done on dynamic web pages (pages that will change based on criteria supplied to that page), vs using a static page, which only gets changed when one manually does so - or remembers all that needs to be changed. Remember the dates in the Journeyhomemen.com site? It was not uncommon to change the date in the main section and forget to change the Schedule section. Now that it is done dynamically, it is no longer a concern. Also, after each meeting date passed, it was necessary to edit the file with the new dates - no longer is that needed as it simply "rolls over' on its own now.

In addition, notes/topic files are added to the site, the information added to the database, and then displays automatically in the Notes section of the page. The same approach was used for the Roster photos.

Flash has been used to create many of the forms seen in the above sites. Using some additional coding provides other benefits, including writing the information for FenceMender to a database to help create an FAQ file.

Websites can be as static, or as dynamic, as you require/desire. Although I tend to spend a lot of my own time working on these projects, it is due to my desire to create the best site for the client, and to fulfill their respective needs. It is my passion to do the best I can on these, all the while really enjoying the challenges they present!

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