WAMP (WampServer) or XAMPP ?

I've been using XAMPP ever since and have followed it's development from one release to the next. Have experienced first-hand the bugs, errors, and fixes of 'em all. And presently, the latest version seems to work fine for me.

Am trying out WAMPServer and hopefully will find anything more useful or more convenient than XAMPP or other one-packaged installers.

Browsing through forums, can't find anything concrete on the pros and cons of one over the other. User preferences seem to be thing here :D

Background check (WAMP vs XAMPP) forum links:

• http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119408
• http://www.dynamicdrive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35923

Anyway, will post if anything comes up!

Keep AMP'ing everyone!

XAMPP's Apache wont start! Troubleshooting guide...

Initial steps:

-Loading http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 in browser results to error or page cant be found. This means XAMPP services is not started successfully

-Ctrl + Alt +Del or the Task Manager, then checking on Services or Processes, verified that indeed apache is not running, although mysql is

- Checked on portcheck (alternatively in command prompt c:\xampp-portcheck.exe), and verified that another service is already using port 80, being the standard port apache will be using

- Verified also the listening sockets and ports by running netap -ao (c:\netap -ao) which will basically output a summary of listening sockets and ports currently in use by machine

Next Steps:

-Since port 80 is in use, try assigning port 81 to apache. This is done by editing and saving the file C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf:

Find these lines and change 80 to 81:
#Listen 12.34.56.78:80
Listen 80

Also find:
# If your host doesn't have a registered DNS name, enter its IP address here.
#
ServerName localhost:80

-Restart XAMPP services, try loading localhost in browser; and/or Restart PC then check again

-Also verify the ff. settings in xampp's control manager c:\xampp\xampp-control.exe:
1. Modules > Apache and MySQL is running, or
2. Click Service Button > Check Run XAMPP Control Panel as a Service > Check Apache and MySQL
3. In same Service Settings dialogue box, verify these as running in C:\xampp\service.exe apache mysql.
4. Try restart of PC

-By this time, XAMPP shall be running in full mode, if not also check XAMPP's SCM (also in xampp-control.exe or Window's Control Panel > Services) and verify from the list if Apache and MySQL is running. Try Restart from here.

- Also while in here, verify IIS is not running. This is commonly the conflicting service with Apache.

Hope this helps, for anyone googling the problem out there. This is more for my reference than anything else :D

Importing Dropdown list from HTML to Excel

As part of one task in a CMS development, may this blog serve as my personal notepad for future referencing :D

1. Needed to import the list of countries found in the country dropdown list in this online database.

2. Problem: How to import the list items (also viewable in View Source and can be tediously weeded out in any text editor) into tabular data,for example in MS Excel?

3. While on the targeted webpage with the needed content, save page as type txt, Encoded as Unicode (UTF-8).

4. Open MS Excel, File > Open > go to saved text unicoded file, then follow the wizard and series of steps in how to display the data in Excel, this time in tabular format.

-End-

Google Analytics in Drupal

Been cracking my head in installing the Google Analytics script in my drupal sites. Have this drupal version 7 site, unfortunately the Google Analytics module available as of this writing is for versions 5 and up only. A dilemma for dynamic sites... Tried posting the script in the following as advised in www.drupal.org forum threads: template pages (page.tpl.php), index and incluldes, etc.

However, I think the best method that work for a test site is perhaps creating a block and publishing the google analytics script in there. To best have accurate analysis reports, publish analytics block accordingly, e.g. excluding the /node/edit* pages or /admin* pages. This way only anonymous visits are logged and recorded. On the other hand, reverse the publishing to determine administrative behaviors. Neat! Worked like a charm!

P.S.

the generated reports didn't come until after 24 hours... or a disclaimer from google that due to technical problems it may not generate some reports at all, somethin' like that... the adage, patience is a virtue... indeed!

Install and configure Tomcat for Windows (How to and step by step)

Trying my hands full with Jahia (pronounce "J-A-Y-A"), an integrated Enterprise Content & Portal Management software in the open source, and a few documentation on my Tomcat installs... personally, for my own reference... hope this might become useful to anyone searching.... full disclaimer/s apply haha!

To install and configure Tomcat, you will have to take the following steps:

1. Download JDK 1.5 from Sun(tm) site at http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index_jdk5.jsp


2. Install JDK to C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_08
   
   
3. Download Tomcat 5 from http://tomcat.apache.org/download-55.cgi


4. Install Tomcat on C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 5.0
   
   
5. Set the port number to 8080, which is the default port. Set the name as admin and password as desired. The password column can even be left blank.
   
   


6. Set the environment variables as follows:
   
   • Right-click My Computer and select properties.
     
   
   
   • Click the Advanced tab button.
     
   
   
   • Click Environment Variables.
     
   
   Select New to set the properties as follows:
   
   
   1. Classpath: In the variable name field write classpath, and in the variable value field write the location of servlet-api.jar file as C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 5.0\common\lib\servlet-api.jar
   
   
   2. Path: In the variable name field write PATH, and in the variable value field write the location of JDK installation as C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_08\bin;.;
   
   
   3. CATALINA_HOME: In the variable name field write CATALINA_HOME, and in the variable value field write the location of Tomcat installation as C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 5.0.
      
      
      
   
   
   4. JAVA_HOME: In the variable name field write JAVA_HOME, and in the variable value field write the location of JDK installation excluding bin as C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_08.
      
      
      
   
   
7. Write a small Servlet program to test the installation as follows:
   
   import javax.servlet.*;
   import javax.servlet.http.*;
   import java.io.*;
   
   public class TestServlet extends HttpServlet
   {
   
   public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)throws IOException, ServletException
   {
   response.setContentType("text/html");
   PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
   out.println("");
   out.println("");
   out.println("This is a Servlet test!");
   out.println("");
   out.println("");
   }
   }


8. Compile the Servlet file and put the class file in webapps/servlets/WEB-INF/classes directory inside the Tomcat directory.
   
   
9. Open a new textpad file and write the following code:
   
   TestServlet
   TestServlet
   
   
   
   TestServlet
   /test
   


10. Save the above textpad file as web.xml in the webapps/servlets/WEB-INF directory.
    
    


11. Go to C:\Program Files\Tomcat 5.0\bin directory and start tomcat by double clicking on the startup batch file.



12. Open a new instance of Internet Explorer and type the following URL in the Address bar:
    http://localhost:8080/servlets/test

Note: Whenever any change is made to the servlet, it should be compiled again. In such a case, either restart the Tomcat server or redeploy the application by going to http://localhost:8080/manager/html.

Source: the fastest way to IT certification

'Forbidden Access' error and 'tag in POST' error while publishing / editing article in Joomla

Forbidden Access error, and 'tag in POST' error? while posting in http://www.doh.gov.ph/bihc_doh

This has not occurred before: frontend editing saves are rejected with a message 'Forbidden Access (flooding)' - or 'Forbidden Access (tag in POST)'. This is with Joomla 1.0.12 and 1.0.13 versions.

This is either (a) a Joomla built-in security block being triggered, or (b) more likely a server setting perhaps. I'm seeing it especially on Apache 1.1.3x / Unix servers.

If you Save and edit with a few words of plain text, it seems to be OK; but a fair-sized page with plenty of mixed content gets blocked - probably because of the number of HTTP requests at one time?

Of course, it means that frontend editing is impossible, which makes any kind of community use out of the question. Thought this was a joomla issue or server setting, but obviously an extension issue.

Solution:

Turn off security features of SH404SEF, that is of course assuming you have had the extension installed (being the issue here) :D

Need to install Apache, MySQL, and PHP (Linux, Mac OC, Solaris or Windows)?

I was reminded of a friend who asked me the other day about installing a CMS package, as well as installation of Apache to his server... Thus, this article... He was asking for feedback on manually installing each application needed: Apache web server app, mysql and php... Manually installing each package separately may be the best, effective way. However, personally, I have had no problem in installing the three in a bundled package like most LAMP packages offer... Besides, I tried the manual installs and found it to be a tedious process... Personally tested XAMPP, a very easy to install Apache Distribution for Linux, Solaris, Windows and Mac OS X. The package also includes the Apache web server, MySQL, PHP, Perl, a FTP server and phpMyAdmin.

Download XAMPP and other add-ons at these links (for Linux, Mac OC, Solaris or Windows):

Apache Friends.Org: XAMPP Official Developers' Site
Sourceforge.Net

Simply download, extract, then enjoy! And by the way, it's free!

Social Network Analysis using SoNIA (Social Network Image Animator)

These past 2 weeks had been fun and informative, having attended the training on Arcview's AccessMOD a participant, a GIS extension software / tool last week; and today as secretariat for SoNIA (Social Network Image Animator), a Java-based package for visualizing dynamic or longitudinal "network" data...

All these participated with other attendees from the Department of Health offices and other agencies... Ali, the pictures! :D

Downloadable at and more documentation on these on the ff:

- Developers' site: http://www.stanford.edu/group/sonia/
- Sourceforge.net

Try out SoNIA... cool software, something like Statistical SPSS or Public Health's EpiInfo, more or less... just more graphical in presentations, methinks! Btw, has XML compliant features, and can be exported in SWF format for your flash viewing needs in your websites :D...

Troubleshooting startup errors in Dreamweaver (updating dreamweaver): The following translators were not loaded due to errors

This is a follow up to a previous article: Dreamweaver version 8 wont start!

Having followed the procedures in updating dreamweaver (as mentioned in said article), Dreamweaver did startup successgully but this time errors kept popping:

The following translators were not loaded due to errors (any of the ff. may appear):
ASP.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
ASP.NET.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
ColdFusion.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
PHP_MySQL.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
JSP.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
XSLT.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.

A solution to this may be applied:

Delete FileCache.dat files from the Dreamweaver user configuration folder.

Delete the WinFileCache-7A9586CB.dat, MacFileCache-BFE7CE2E.dat, or FileCache.dat file from the Dreamweaver user configuration folder. It is recommended to delete the FileCache.dat file if you are experiencing a JavaScript error related to "dwscripts" or if you are receiving a "translators were not loaded" error message. The string of characters after "FileCache-" may differ on your machine. The location of the FileCache.dat file depends your operating system and your version of Dreamweaver. Note that on Windows, the Application Data and AppData folders are hidden by default, so verify that your Windows Explorer folder options are set to View Hidden Folders.

Dreamweaver CS3 on Windows Vista:
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Dreamweaver 9\Configuration

Dreamweaver CS3 on Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Adobe\Dreamweaver 9\Configuration

Dreamweaver 8 on Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 8\Configuration

Dreamweaver 8 on Windows Vista:
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 8\Configuration

Dreamweaver CS3 on Macintosh:
Mac HD/Users/[user]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Dreamweaver 9/

Dreamweaver 8 on Macintosh:
Mac HD/Users/[user]/Library/Application Support/Macromedia/Dreamweaver 8/

Source: http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_19105


This worked for me. Next Dreamweaver startup was successful this time without any errors :D

Dreamweaver version 8 wont start!

Google search query: Dreamweaver version 8 wont start!

Am a hard user of dreamweaver, even with opensource cms... may it be for editing, enhancements, ftp, etc... so i have to add a tag here for dreamweaver troubleshooting issues, bugs and fixes, tips and techniques that may prove useful to others... :D If any have encountered similar problems of dreamweaver not starting up all of a sudden, this article helps. Scenario: upon starting dreamweaver you find only the splash sreen of DW shown but the entire application doesn't start or follows. First reaction is to restart the PC but same problem. Then you might think maybe its hard disk space or low memory, but still same dilemma... If all mentioned fails, try the ff. tips here...

Solutions found:

1] Update Dreamweaver with update patches (Dreamweaver 8.0.2 Updater) from Adobe Macromedia here: http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=a3f38dcf&sliceId=1

A list of updates for other versions are found here: - http://www.adobe.com/support/dreamweaver/downloads_updaters.html#dw8

"The Dreamweaver 8.0.2 Updater (released May 9, 2006) includes all of the fixes in the 8.0.1 update. If you haven?t installed the 8.0.1 update yet, then install the 8.0.2 update to get all of the fixes for both updates. All Dreamweaver users should apply this update, regardless of operating system. Download the updater and read the release notes for more information."

Steps:

1] download updater
2] install, follow series of steps in wizard
3] start or restart dreamweaver

Hope this helps people! Keep on coding...