stevengreen22

Just [posted a weak attempt at an apology before reading this post. http://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/css-layouts/two-liquid/ - it was posted in one of the other firums, I can take no credi for the design or block that was there for me. I just wanted to see if I could include the php files like I wanted to, i was impressed that it renders as well as it does. I didn;t know any other way to try and get them both on the same line, I tested the 'clear' method but couldn;t make it work so i set them both to 50% instead. It just ...feels...like i did it wrong or cheated somehow. As for the graphics...I'm going to use stock block colours until the site has the...structure and then tidy it hopefully with the help of this graphic dude/

This post may get moived but I figured it'd be best here. I'm not great at apologies (bu there it was) Seems you've helped a lot of people, have some advice and the blog has good tips, I figure anyone that gives their time to others deserves some credit and I shouldn't have reacted in the way that I did. It was my child and you may as well have broken his/her nose. So...advice on board, redesigning site, using your blog and other sites the guys provided as a refernce / learning guide. You may have seen my other post. http://webdesignprofessionals.co.uk/new_site/index.php My attempt at playign around with the menu bar that came from an online file. I asked whether it was a good practice in what I did, if you;reable to offer advice after I was a prick it'd be appreciated, if not then...well I'll learn one way or another.

Alot of what everyone has said has made a great deal of sense. I've started having a play about with some code that was available online,I'm not working on the main site as thats to be handed in tomorrow and I dont want to screw it over before then, so I've got a "new site" folder to play with wherer i've copied across the user log files and soon. So, I've started and yes the css does make a great deal more sense than the inline coding mess i was fooling aound with, its painful to think how many hours i wasted but the positive is the php i picked up. http://webdesignprofessionals.co.uk/new_site/index.php I'm ONLY asking for opinions on the menu bar I'm very new to floating etc. What I've done works but I don't 'feel' it's the best 'practice'for it. I've set the first nav to 50% float left, the second to 50% and float right, within the ul is the php echo file for the user log. <div id="navigation"> <ul> <li><a href="#">Home</a></li> <li><a href="#">About</a></li> <li><a href="#">Services</a></li> <li><a href="#">Contact us</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="navigation2"> <ul> <li><?php echo $toplinks ?></li> </ul> </div> Right? wrong? tolerable? Thanks again

THanks to you both, the light has dawned it seems, gah, what a fking idiot, I spent so much time working with the tables when there's a better easier way of doing things. It's slightly frustrating although...to make myself feeel a itiny bit better...I learnt a ton about how php, mysql and scripts work in relation to each other. Its jsut the design thats flawed, all the main bits are in sperate files, I'll need to redo some of them but for things like the edit member details, that would be okay left as a table....right? Anyway....The plan...much reading and looking at those sites in this and the other thread, some good comments and ideas in there. I have a top nav bar, a header, a menu and footer as seperate include files, I'll clean these up first as it'll be a gentle introduction to css, I sometimes jump in and miss the important things. I'll copy the files to another location and work from there while leaving the other site as it is The issue I have will alwasys be the images / design, coding I pick up reasonably quick but drawing and designing images isn;t a strenght, still, stuff to learn. I've more than enough for th eproject ot be handed in, there was no specs, just simply design a site, it can be as good or poor as it likes so long as x number of functional links etc are there so thats ok, I just don't want to damage anything this close to deadline. Right....time for some more learning. Thanks for being .....reasonable/decent when you could just tell me where to **** off.

the site wouldn't load. I had a look at the other site, that has some impressive stuff and blows mine away. I have to present it on fri so very unlikley to get a great deal dine by then, after I can start the remodel. Daft questino now and I can prob hazard a guess at the answer... Virtually all of the important stuff I have, the script etc is in include files to help segregate and trouble shoot. These have been placed within the divs that are in the tables and Yes, i know that tables are frowned upon and those sites/examples are awesome, but...is it possible to implement the php inot the new site without losing it. I started using tables as one of the better tutorials used them and that was how the site began. I was going to work on a pm system and more stuff for the forum but I think now i'll look into rebuilding the site. The joys of learning.

and your o[inion of the site? seeing as you've been there and done it before?

Thankyou, the most helpful post top date. I've been working on the site today and tidying it. If you have a peek now you'll see the buttons gone (I did like them but when I took a step back...they were poop) I've put up a basic drop down menu for now, I thin I'll work on that, reason for the links above the header (will change maybe..) is that I wanted that main bar at the top to be opaque and rigid with just the most important links on it(home etc) then the content below with a navi bar dependant on what is happening to the site. The greay bars, they are weak, prioblem is, I like coding more than drawing / designing so there a great weakness there. The logo, I'm hoping this graphic designer the partner works for will be releasing his input soon. I worked on the html coding for the validation...quite simply...a lot was easy to solve but there were some awkward bits I simply couldn't deal with based on what i know. The script displaying the random members (You're right again... Will reword and move to the bottom of the page - is a feature and, yes, may be removed) the script...it's within the php element of the page and outiside any body tags and i get an error saying a div is not allowed there. Have no idea at the minute how I can change that to make it validate it...Hence....VALIDATION LINK REMOVED, The CSS one stays The links do need to be bolder & colour changed, I need to find a colour scheme that I'm happy with and can then work from that. Thankyou agian for taking the time to look at the site and comment, I may have been harsh before but I felt justified in writing what I did, this has simply come from nothing, we've had no lectures on it and I've spent so many hours watching / reading tutorials my eyes hyave started to bleed, but I enjoy doing it which is why I'll continue. As an example, you mentioned adding a hover state to the navi bar...I'll need to read about how to apply that effectively before doing, this is not somethign I've had a great deal of experience in. Still...thanks again..Have a peek every now and then and see the gradual impriovements...oh...image gone.

I'm extremely impressed with myself and how agitated you're all becoming, to the guy that comment on my spelling...you want to pick up on a few mistypes...? please, you're better than that surely. (Ps..."TWATTER" = "Twitter" - if you'd bothered to take the time to look at the site before running your mouth you might have noticed it) To the other guy that was constructive. You're right, I've been workign on validating it and it does make things easier, workign(oops) througha page at a time and steadily getting it better, theres a few issues where I've included code within the php script to display photos etc and i'm getting a error for that but until I learn how to solve it, that will have to remain for now (is on index page, 22 errors, all the same issue. Anyway...Have changed the layout agian, still needs tweaking but no fireworks or editing prog available at work so that will keep until later. I've got rid of the buttons, were fugly. More basic bar with a css drop down that hasn't been assigned yet but already looking better. The test login - test@test.com (original) all will work except the forgot password. For the guy who knocked the PHP script, go take a peek you mug, you can knock the design but considering this is my first site I don't think you can say jack. Right then.... I'm ready for the next lot of abuse.....

I'm glad you stepped in, thats much more constructive with insight, not just trashing it. The forum does look better and I'm halfway to changing the remainder of the site to the same, I have external css that I'm using...actually thought those buttons loked good before that It was text. What I initially wanted was an opaque rigid topbar with basic links and then a drop menu for the others, I do have a drop menu script that I need to learn before I use it, that shoudl tidy it up. Thanks for pointing out the need to login bit, that shoudl be directed to a msgtouser page, will check it and amend. I don't have any test logins, didn;t even think of that. I can create one and post it a bit later. I've not copied the site etc, I've seperated the header, menu, footer etc and put them into include files to make the management easier. THats one of the issues i had with validating, it would say line 100 when it could be anything as it read the includes as well, I spent so much time tweaking that I eventually decided to finish the site and then clean it up, although as you say...if it makes things easier then maybe I'll do it today at work. the changelog....my pride and joy, many many hours poured into that, it stays The forum still needs a lot of work, need to implement a notification, include recent subject on main page, layout etc. It's still early days, I wanted it to wrk but good point on the message, it will look better that way. I've gotten rid on the buttons, see, the thing is, I'm learnign FIreworks at the same time, as soon as I discover somethign new there I want to use it. But clean is better Thanks again

wow, you're really full of yourself eh... I think the key thing to remember here is simply that constructive criticism from someone with knowledge is valuable, criticism from someone who just wants to run theor mouth is worthless. So..to break it down...the design is flawed in that it's not pretty. I've used tables, big deal. so...thats...about it then that you dont like with the exception of validating (MAYBE its simple for someone with more experience but until I see that from yourself then its irrelevant) So..what do we have left? We have a fully functional albeit basic community built from ground up with custom sql databases, custom script and a twatter rip off. Forums using jquery and some fairly decent php. This...came from nothing ecept a huge amoutn of time reading, testing, tweaking and testing some more (SO please forgive me for not remving the height attribute) - So when you pull your head out of your... and display your 'talent' for the online world to mock I'll take your criticsim seriously, until then you may have the pleasure of touching yourself. As for your other comment about askign for criticsim, yes, but did you see the part where it sadi only self righteous arrogant people need apply? No? Hmm...Maybe I'll check the attribute to make sure it displays properly. If...theres anyone else who doesn't have their thumb where the sun doesn't shine that woudl like to comment, please feel free.

To stress a point, I know the site isn't pretty, I'm more interested in opmnions on the functionality of it. LOgin / register, activation, any issues with links off page etc as I haven't used %'s and so on. thansk

thanks for checking it out so quickly.... I reckon I need to play a little defnesive here as this...is my baby. This is the first site I've created from scratch, no templates, from scratch, I started off with tables and started using divs more and more as the pages progress but by that stage i was in 'too deep' and settled for th layout. the design, is..fugly, no doubt, I'm waiting on a guy to create logo / header etc. The pointof the site...when I was given the project, I didn't want ot invest hours of time into something that was redundant so i out an add out, the response was unreal so i figure theres a lot of people wanting webste and a lot more peopl besides that can design them, hence the name. It will imporve and get cleaned up, check the back end functionalily of it, the script is fairly sold with the eception of stll faffing about with eregi etc. the w3c, it WAS validated but dude...its HARD making sure eery thing is just so, I'd like you to show me a site that is completly compliant, by the time the project is done it will be but as I'm constantly tweaking and changing things I found myself spending more time on teir site instead of my own. the include files don't help. I'm greateful for your opinion, by chance do you have a website fully validated online thats functional that i could look at?

Hi all, I've made a site for a uni project that has developed into a lot more. I'm looking at it as if it were my child and not seeing the obvious flaws( theres likely to be amny) would anyone mind having a look and giving me some honest feedback. what would be better would be if you used the forum for feedback to leave it in. Awesome! Thanks www.webdesignprofessionals.co.uk

Hi, Thanks for the ideas, I'm still having no success. Below is the full c ode for that parsing script, I think there may be anb issue somewhere else but I cna't see it (am new to php) if ($_POST['parse_var'] == "bio"){ $bio = $_POST['bio']; $bio = str_replace("'", "′", $bio); //$bio = str_replace("`", "′", $bio); $bio = mysql_real_escape_string($bio); $bio = nl2br(htmlspecialchars($bio)); $bio = preg_replace('#[^A-Za-z 0-9]#i', '', $_POST['bio']); //' is not allowed //$bio = preg_replace('#[^A-Za-z 0-9]#i', '', $_POST['bio']); //' cancels entire text with error //$bio = preg_replace('#[^A-Za-z 0-9\']#i', '', $_POST['bio']); //doesn't load, parse error //$bio = preg_replace('/[A-Za-z0-9']*/', '', "$bio"); //was working - original //$bio = $_POST['bio']; //$bio = eregi_replace("'", "&#39;", $bio); //$bio = eregi_replace("`", "&#39;", $bio); //$bio = mysql_real_escape_string($bio); //$bio = nl2br(htmlspecialchars($_POST['bio'])); $sqlUpdate = mysql_query("UPDATE members SET bio='$bio' WHERE id='$id'"); if ($sqlUpdate){ $success_msg = '<font color="#009900">Your About section has been updated.</font>'; } else { $error_msg = '<font color="#FF0000">Problems connecting to server, please try again later.</font>'; } }

No one at all....wow....good effort

Can anyone help please?

$bio = preg_replace('#[^A-Za-z 0-9]#i', '', $_POST['bio']); This works in eliminating EVERYTHING from the field but...I'd like people to be able to write "don't" etc.

I've just realised one of the mistakes was using bio_body instead of bio. please check code anyway

Hi all, I'm working on this site which I'll soon ask the guys in the testing forum to have a peek at. It's essentially an online community that was a uni project that has spiraled and grown exponetially. I've spent many many hours in front of books and tutorals etc to put it together and as far as scripting goes, it seems to be fine. The problem i'm having...The tut's that I read / watched were using eregi_replace to protect text fields and this is now unsuported. I want my site to be as secure as it can be, within reason. I've tried using preg_replace instead and have searched for the syntax but i keep getting strang results. I'm working on the "bio" field at the moment and then when that works I can move on and a-ply the same idea to the other fields. This si what I have and what I've changed. if ($_POST['parse_var'] == "bio"){ $bio_body = $_POST['bio_body']; //$bio_body = str_replace("'", "&#39;", $bio_body); (WAS TESTING THIS BUT NO JOY) //$bio_body = str_replace("`", "&#39;", $bio_body); $bio_body = mysql_real_escape_string($bio_body); $bio_body = nl2br(htmlspecialchars($bio_body)); $bio = $_POST['bio']; $bio = eregi_replace("'", "&#39;", $bio); (This works but is not as secure) $bio = eregi_replace("`", "&#39;", $bio); $bio = mysql_real_escape_string($bio); $bio = nl2br(htmlspecialchars($_POST['bio'])); $sqlUpdate = mysql_query("UPDATE members SET bio='$bio' WHERE id='$id'"); and so on....} When I change it to str_replace if I type in don't the whole word is deleted. when I type in preg I get an error. Can someone please give me the correct code / syntax for getting the result I want. I just want to make sure that every single field that has a user input is protected against any malicious attacks. Thanks.