Thursday, April 26, 2012

Solution to Chapter 8 Exercises of Learning jQuery 3rd Edition


My solutions to Learning jQuery 3rd Edition Chapter 7 exercises:




Exercises:


Some of the exercises are requires modifications of codes from the book. You can easily locate my modifications by looking for //--------------Added sections




1. Create new plugin methods called .slideFadeIn() and .slideFadeOut(), combining the opacity animations of .fadeIn() and .fadeOut() with the height animations of .slideDown() and .slideUp().

(function ($) {
    $.fn.slideFadeIn = function() {
        return this.each(function () {
            //$(this).slideDown('slow').fadeIn('slow');
            $(this).slideDown('slow').fadeTo('slow', 1.0);
        });
    };
  
    $.fn.slideFadeOut = function() {
        return this.each(function () {
            //$(this).slideUp('slow').fadeOut('slow');
            $(this).fadeTo('slow', 0.5).slideUp('slow');
        });
    };
})(jQuery);

//------Sample code for testing excercise 1
jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {

    //Test for .slideFadeIn & .slideFadeOut
    //Click the <h1>Inventory</h1> to see the effect of these new methods
    $('#container h1').toggle(function() {
        $('#inventory').slideFadeOut();
    }, function () {
        $('#inventory').slideFadeIn();
    });
});



2. Extend the customizability of the .shadow() method so that the z-index of the cloned copies can be specified by the plugin user. Add a new sub-method called isOpen to the tooltip widget. This sub-method should return true if the tooltip is currently displayed and false otherwise.


/******************************************************************************
.shadow()
Create a shadow effect on any element by brute-force copying.
******************************************************************************/
(function ($) {
    $.fn.shadow = function (opts) {
        var options = $.extend({}, $.fn.shadow.defaults, opts);

        return this.each(function () {
            var $originalElement = $(this);
            for (var i = 0; i < options.copies; i++) {
                var offset = options.copyOffset(i);
                $originalElement
          .clone()
          .css({
              position: 'absolute',
              left: $originalElement.offset().left + offset.x,
              top: $originalElement.offset().top + offset.y,
              margin: 0,
              //------------------------------------------------------Added
              zIndex: options.zIndex,
              //-------------------------------------------------------------
              opacity: options.opacity
          })
          .appendTo('body');
            }
        });
    };

    $.fn.shadow.defaults = {
        copies: 5,
        opacity: 0.1,
        copyOffset: function (index) {
            return { x: index, y: index };
        },
        //------------------------------------------------------Added
        zIndex: -1
        //-----------------------------------------------------------
    };
})(jQuery);


/******************************************************************************
.tooltip()
A simple jQuery UI tooltip widget.
******************************************************************************/
(function ($) {
    $.widget('ljq.tooltip', {
        options: {
            offsetX: 10,
            offsetY: 10,
            content: function () {
                return $(this).data('tooltip-text');
            }
        },

        _create: function () {
            //------------------------------------------------------Added
            this.isTooltipOpen = false;
            //-----------------------------------------------------------

            this._tooltipDiv = $('<div></div>')
                .addClass('ljq-tooltip-text ui-widget ui-state-highlight ui-corner-all')
                .hide().appendTo('body');
                    this.element
                .addClass('ljq-tooltip-trigger')
                .bind('mouseenter.ljq-tooltip', $.proxy(this._open, this))
                .bind('mouseleave.ljq-tooltip', $.proxy(this._close, this));
        },

        destroy: function () {
            this._tooltipDiv.remove();
            this.element.removeClass('ljq-tooltip-trigger')
                        .unbind('.ljq-tooltip');
            $.Widget.prototype.destroy.apply(this, arguments);
        },

        open: function () {
            this._open();
        },

        close: function () {
            this._close();
        },

        _open: function () {

            //------------------------------------------------------Added
            this.isTooltipOpen = true;
            //-----------------------------------------------------------
            if (!this.options.disabled) {
                var elementOffset = this.element.offset();
                this._tooltipDiv.css({
                    left: elementOffset.left + this.options.offsetX,
                    top: elementOffset.top + this.element.height() + this.options.offsetY
                }).text(this.options.content.call(this.element[0]));
                this._tooltipDiv.show();
                this._trigger('open');
            }
        },

        _close: function () {
           
            //------------------------------------------------------Added
            this.isTooltipOpen = false;
            //-----------------------------------------------------------

            this._tooltipDiv.hide();
            this._trigger('close');
        },

        //------------------------------------------------------Added
        isOpen: function() {
            return this.isTooltipOpen;
        }
        //-----------------------------------------------------------
    });
})(jQuery);


//------Sample code for testing excercise 2
jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {

    $.fn.shadow.defaults.copies = 10;
    //$.fn.shadow.defaults.zIndex = 2; //if you uncomment this, Clicking <h1>Inventory</h1> will have no effect
    $('h1').shadow({
        copyOffset: function (index) {
            return { x: -index, y: index };
        }
    });   

    //$('a').tooltip();
    $('a').tooltip().hover(function () {
        //alert($(this).tooltip('isOpen').toString());       
        console.log('Is tooltip open? -> ' + $(this).tooltip('isOpen').toString());
    });
});



3. Add code that listens for the tooltipopen event that our widget fires, and logs a message to the console.


jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('a').bind('tooltipopen', function () {
        console.log('tooltip open event fires');
    });
});



4. Challenge: Provide an alternative content option for the tooltip widget that fetches the content of the page and anchor's href points to via Ajax, and displays that content as the tooltip text.


jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('a').tooltip({ content: function () {
        var url = $(this).attr('href');
        var result = null;
        $.ajax({
            url: url,
            type: 'get',
            dataType: 'html',
            async: false,
            success: function (data) {
                result = data;
            }
        });

        return result;
    }});
});



5. Challenge: Provide a new effect option for the tooltip widget that, if specified, applies the named jQuery UI effect (such as explode) to the showing and hiding of the tooltip.



/******************************************************************************
.tooltip()
A simple jQuery UI tooltip widget.
******************************************************************************/
(function ($) {
    $.widget('ljq.tooltip', {
        options: {
            offsetX: 10,
            offsetY: 10,
            content: function () {
                return $(this).data('tooltip-text');
            }
        },

        _create: function () {
            //------------------------------------------------------Added
            this.isTooltipOpen = false;
            //-----------------------------------------------------------

            this._tooltipDiv = $('<div></div>')
                .addClass('ljq-tooltip-text ui-widget ui-state-highlight ui-corner-all')
                .hide().appendTo('body');
            this.element
                .addClass('ljq-tooltip-trigger')
                .bind('mouseenter.ljq-tooltip', $.proxy(this._open, this))
                .bind('mouseleave.ljq-tooltip', $.proxy(this._close, this));
        },

        destroy: function () {
            this._tooltipDiv.remove();
            this.element.removeClass('ljq-tooltip-trigger')
                        .unbind('.ljq-tooltip');
            $.Widget.prototype.destroy.apply(this, arguments);
        },

        open: function () {
            this._open();
        },

        close: function () {
            this._close();
        },

        _open: function () {

            //------------------------------------------------------Added
            this.isTooltipOpen = true;
            //-----------------------------------------------------------

            if (!this.options.disabled) {
                var elementOffset = this.element.offset();
                this._tooltipDiv.css({
                    left: elementOffset.left + this.options.offsetX,
                    top: elementOffset.top + this.element.height() + this.options.offsetY
                }).text(this.options.content.call(this.element[0]));
                this._tooltipDiv.show();
                this._trigger('open');

                //------------------------------------------------------Added
                if(this.options.effect) {
                    this._tooltipDiv.effect(this.options.effect, {distance: 10, duration: 80});
                }
                //-----------------------------------------------------------
            }
        },

        _close: function () {

            //------------------------------------------------------Added
            this.isTooltipOpen = false;
            //-----------------------------------------------------------

            this._tooltipDiv.hide();
            this._trigger('close');
        },

        //------------------------------------------------------Added
        isOpen: function () {
            return this.isTooltipOpen;
        }
        //-----------------------------------------------------------
    });
})(jQuery);

//------Sample code for testing excercise 5
jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('a').tooltip({effect: 'shake'});
});




 


  
Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists
 


Visit Vitabase for Quality Health Supplements

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Playing Mood Music Video By Greg Howlett


In this video, Greg Howlett teaches how to play soft piano music when playing reflective songs.



You can download the example used in the video here.

Here's an outline on what you'll learn in this video:

Outline - Playing Mood Music with Greg Howlett

I. General Principles
A. Focus on harmony. You have to know what notes belong to what chord.
B. Spread out the notes you play. Use open voicing
C. Less is More! Play less
1. Simplify the patterns you play.
2. Avoid doubling/octaves.
"Train your ear. It's your best tool."


II. Beginning Techniques (Applications)
A. Open arpeggios (left hand)
B. Play open intervals in both hands (rather than octaves). Play 6ths, 5ths, 7ths, 9ths, 10ths but avoid octaves.
C. Broken chords. Play parts of a chord in different segments of time.
1. It makes you have more control over the sound.
2. It creates movement; it fills up space.
D. Take your time (Rubato, "out of time"). This helps remove tension from the music.

III. Advanced (Harmony) Techniques
A. Add 7ths to your triads. (Major 7ths or minor 7ths).
B. Chord substitutions (reharmonization). [see also Some Reharmonization Ideas from Greg Howlett]
C. Color notes. Notes added to chords in addition to 1, 3, 5, and 7



  
Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists


Visit Vitabase for Quality Health Supplements

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Solution to Chapter 7 Exercises of Learning jQuery 3rd Edition

My solutions to Learning jQuery 3rd Edition Chapter 7 exercises: 




1. Increase the cycle transition duration to half a second, and change the animation such that each slide fades out before the next one fades in. Refer to the Cycle documentation to find the appropriate option to enable this.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('#books').cycle({
        timeout: 500,
        speed: 200,
        pause: true,
        //------------------
        fx: 'fade',
        //------------------
        before: function () {
            $('#slider').slider('value', $('#books li').index(this));
        }
    });

});


2. Set the cyclePaused cookie to persist for 30 days.


jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('<button>Pause</button>').click(function () {
        $('#books').cycle('pause');
        //-----------------------------------------------
        $.cookie('cyclePaused', 'y', { expires: 30 });
        //-----------------------------------------------
        return false;
    }).button({
        icons: { primary: 'ui-icon-pause' }
    }).appendTo('#books-controls');

});


3. Constrain the title box to resize only in ten pixel increments.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('#books .title').resizable({
        handles: 's',
        //--------------------
        distance: 10
        //--------------------
    });

});


4. Make the slider animate smoothly from one position to the next as the slideshow advances.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('<div id="slider"></div>').slider({
        min: 0,
        max: $('#books li').length - 1,
        slide: function (event, ui) {
            $('#books').cycle(ui.value);
        },
        //-------------------
        animate: true
        //-------------------
    }).appendTo('#books-controls');

});


5. Instead of letting the slideshow loop forever, cause it to stop after the last slide is shown. Disable the buttons and slider when this happens.


jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('#books').cycle({
        timeout: 500,
        speed: 200,
        pause: true,
        fx: 'fade',
        //---------------
        nowrap: true,
        //---------------
        before: function () {
            $('#slider').slider('value', $('#books li').index(this));
        }
    });

});


6. Create a new jQuery UI theme that has a light blue widget background and dark blue text, and apply the theme to our sample document. 


a. Go to http://jqueryui.com/themeroller/
b. Click on the "Content" tab as shown in the image below:


c. Click on the "Clickable: default state" tab and do the same thing you did in step b.
d. Click "Download theme" button
(Download the zip file and integrate the css and js files contained in the zip file into your site)





  
Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists
 


Visit Vitabase for Quality Health Supplements


Friday, April 20, 2012

Solution to Chapter 6 Exercises of Learning jQuery 3rd Edition


My solutions to Learning jQuery 3rd Edition Chapter 6 exercises:


1. When the page loads, pull the body content of exercises-content.html into the content area of the page.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('#dictionary').load('exercises-content.html');
});


2. Rather than displaying that whole document at once, create "tooltips" for the letters in the left column by loading just the appropriate letter's content from exercises-content.html when the user's mouse is over the letter.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $('div[id^="letter-"] a').hover(function () {
        var id = $(this).closest('div').attr('id');
        //alert(id);
        $('#dictionary').load('exercises-content.html #' + id);
    }, function () {
        $('#dictionary').html('');
    });

});


3. Add error handling for this page load, displaying the error message in the content area. Test this error handling code by changing the script to request does-not-exist.html rather than exercises-content.html.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    $.get('does-not-exist.html', function (data) {
        $('#dictionary').append(data);
    }).error(function (jqxhr) {
        $('#dictionary').html('<h2>an error occured: ' + jqxhr.status + '</h2>').append(jqxhr.responsetext);
    });

});


4. Challenge: When the page loads, send a JSONP request to Twitter and retrieve a user's last five messages. Insert the messages into the content area of the page. The URL to retrieve the last five messages of user kswedberg is: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/kswedberg.json?count=5.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {
    // with help from http://wpcanyon.com/tipsandtricks/2-different-ways-for-getting-twitter-status-php-and-jquery/
    var url = 'http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/jeremiahflaga.json';
   
    $.getJSON(url + '?count=5&callback=?', function (data) {
        var html = '';
        $.each(data, function (entryIndex, entry) {
            html += '<h3 class="entry">' + entry.text + '</h3>';
        });
        $('#dictionary').html(html);
    });

});


 



  
Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists
 


Visit Vitabase for Quality Health Supplements


Sunday, April 15, 2012

Solution to Chapter 5 Exercises of Learning jQuery 3rd Edition




  
Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists
 



My solutions to Learning jQuery 3rd Edition Chapter 5 Exercises:

1. Alter the code that introduces the back to top links so that the links only appear beginning after the fourth paragraph.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) { 
    $('<a href="#top">back to top</a>').insertAfter('div.chapter p:gt(2)');
});



2. When a back to top link is clicked, add a new paragraph after the link, containing the message You were here. Ensure that the link still works.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) { 
    $('a').click(function () {
        $('p:contains("You were here.")').remove();
        $(this).after('<p style=\"color: blue\">You were here.</p>');
    });
});



3. When the author's name is clicked, turn it bold (by adding a tag, rather than manipulating classes or CSS attributes).

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) { 
        $('#f-author').click(function () {
            $(this).wrapAll('<b></b>');
        });
});


4. Challenge: On a subsequent click of the bolded author's name, remove the <b> element that was added (thereby toggling between bold and normal text).

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) { 
    $('#f-author').toggle(
        function () {
            $(this).wrapAll('<b></b>');
        },
        function () {
            $(this).unwrap()
        }
    );
});



5. Challenge: Add a class of inhabitants to each of the chapter's paragraphs, without calling .addClass(). Make sure to preserve any existing classes.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) { 
    var $chapter_p = $('.chapter p');
    var chapter_p_class = $chapter_p.attr('class')
    $chapter_p.attr({ class: chapter_p_class + ' inhabitants' });
});


Friday, April 6, 2012

Customized Twitter Profile Widget


I'm currently training as a web developer.

One of the first tasks the trainees were given is to customize the twitter widget.We were told to replicate the twitter widget that is already present in a particular webpage.

Because this is the first time I am able to do something like this, I'm going to post a sample of my work here.



<html>
<head>

    <title>Twitter Widget BY jBOY</title>

    <style type="text/css">
       
        .twitter-widget-container
        {
            position: relative;
            margin: 40px;
        }
       
        #twtr-widget-1 .twtr-doc .twtr-hd h4      
        {
            color: White !important;
            font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;
            font-size: 20px !important;
            text-transform: uppercase;
        }
        #twtr-widget-1 .twtr-doc .twtr-hd h3
        {
            color: White !important;
            font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;
            font-size: 20px !important;
            margin: 0 10px !important;
            text-transform: uppercase; 
        }
       
        .twtr-widget .twtr-tweet
        {
            border-bottom: 1px solid #808080;
            margin: 9px 15px 0;
            padding-bottom: 10px;
        }
        .twtr-doc
        {
            background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #E5E5E5;
        }
        .twtr-doc .twtr-hd
        {
            background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #666666;
        }
        .twtr-doc .twtr-hd h3
        {
            float: left;
        }
        .twtr-doc .twtr-bd
        {
            padding: 20px 20px 80px;
        }

        .twtr-doc .twtr-ft
        {
            display: none;
        }      

        .twtr-follow-wrapper a.twtr-follow-btn:link, .twtr-follow-wrapper a.twtr-follow-btn:visited
        {
            background: url("http://www.thenewjournalist.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Follow-us-Twitter-icon.jpg") no-repeat scroll 0 top transparent;
            top: 425px;
            display: block;
            height: 60px;
            left: 20px;
            position: absolute;
            width: 205px;
            z-index: 2;
        }
    </style>

</head>
<body>
    <div id="twitter-widget-container" class="twitter-widget-container">

        <div class="twitter-wrap">
        <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/2/widget.js"></script>
        <script type="text/javascript">
            new TWTR.Widget({
                version: 2,
                type: 'search',
                rpp: 10,    //This is how many tweets to show.
                search: 'jeremiahflaga',
                interval: 30000,
                title: 'TAG YOUR TWEETS WITH',
                subject: '#jeremiahflaga',
                height: 356,
                width: 560,
                theme: {
                    shell: {
                        background: 'none',
                        color: '#000'
                    },
                    tweets: {
                        background: '#fff',
                        color: '#5b5b5b',
                        links: '#ca181f'
                    }
                },
                features: {
                    scrollbar: true,
                    loop: false,
                    live: true,
                    hashtags: true,
                    timestamp: true,
                    avatars: true,
                    toptweets: true,
                    behavior: 'all',
                    toptweets: true,
                    following: false
                }
            }).render().start();
        </script>
   
        </div>

        <div class="twtr-follow-wrapper">
            <a class="twtr-follow-btn" target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/jeremiahflaga"></a>
        </div>
    </div>

</body>
</html>


The CSS that I used here are not all mine. Most of them were taken from the webpage of which we were told to replicate the twitter widget. I just added some and modified some.





  
Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists
 


Visit Vitabase for Quality Health Supplements


ASP.NET MVC 3 Simple Project: Student Information System






This is a simple Student Information System created using ASP.NET MVC and VB.NET as the language for code behind files.

You can download the source code from Google Docs or from Planet Source Code.

Enjoy!