Once a link identifier ($link) to a database is opened, PHP strings can be cleaned up using $safe_string = mysql_real_escape_string($unsafe_string, $link);

This is simple and convenient. Below is a similar function to get a feel for what mysql_real_escape_string() is doing. function escape($str) { $search=array("\\","\0","\n","\r","\x1a","'",'"'); $replace=array("\\\\","\\0","\\n","\\r","\Z","\'",'\"'); return str_replace($search,$replace,$str); }
source: http://php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-escape-string.php

I have written a wrapper class for PHP’s mysql functions that can help with escaping data using mysql_real_escape_string() for safe database insertions. Additionally, it generally reduces the clutter that PHP’s built in query functions can cause.

The basic idea is that the class can be instantiated with $query = new MySqlDB($hostname, $database, $username, $password);

And then queries can be executed and an array containing the results can be easily captured like so $query->executeQuery('SELECT * FROM `Table` WHERE `Field1` = %s AND `Field2` = %d', 'string', 12); while ($row = $query->fetchArray()) { $field3 = $row['Field3']; // do something amazing }

The query parameter is treated as a format string of sorts where %s is cast as a string and %d is cast as an integer from the provided list of arguments. A query string and arguments can also be provided directly into the fetchArray() call for a single line return of the first row. There are also methods to return a single value returned by the query and one to return all rows in a single array.

Some other cool things you can do // Inserts a row into 'Table' where Field1 = 'string' and Field2 = 12 $insert = array('Field1' => 'string', 'Field2' => 12); $query->insertAssoc('Table', $insert); // Updates row where Field3 = 10 $update = array('Field1 => 'string', 'Field2' => 12); $query->updateAssoc('Table', $update, 'Field3 = %d', 10);

You can download MySqlDB on my in my snippets page or here.

Update: Found the fix for Gallery 2.3 at http://gallery.menalto.com/node/83597. Evidently the plugins repository is bugged and deleting the cache allows one to access the page again.

Updates on 1/13/2009

• ContentNegotiator is now a singleton.  You may only instantiate one instance of the class.
• Constructor no longer kicks off output buffering.  I decided this was a “side-effect” and should be moved to a separate method.
• prolog() method no longer emits content-type headers.  The prolog() method now echoes only the XML prolog and DOCTYPE.
• sendHeaders() added to emit content-type headers to the browser.
• negotiate() added to begin output buffering for source code negotiation.
• close() method added to flush output buffering.  I found some issues with relying on PHP to close buffering at the end of the page execution.  It is better to close the buffer manually at the end of the page.

Updates on 1/14/2009

• Broke up the constructor a little bit more.
• Chooses a document type better.  It now falls down the big if statement before content type is selected and again if it needs to be changed. This fixes a bug where it sometimes picked a slightly different document type then it guessed it would.
• The $version and $flavor properties now reflect the actual document type chosen.  ContentNegotiator does not use these after it picks the document type, but at least they’re there in case someone wants to dump them.
• Implemented a way to specify the fallback document type.  If you pass the first parameter as an array, it will pick the first index if the browser accepts it and fallback on the second.  Using this it is now possible to send IE XHTML 1.1 even though IE does not accept the XHTML content type.
  Use: $contneg->getInstance(array(‘XHTML 1.1′, ‘XHTML 1.1′));

With the migration complete I have moved the forum back to its original location of http://forums.bluhelix.com/. Recall that it was a sub folder for over a year due to the session sharing between the main site and forum. I am also planning to upgrade the forum after I complete the main site.

A long time ago I downloaded some PHP script that demonstrated parsing LogMeIn’s Hamachi web status indicator to build a little Hamachi list for a web site. I cannot for the life of me find the little script – I suspect it was just a forum post I found. Anyway, over the years I rewrote the damn thing three times over, trying to get it into a more generalized form. Thus I introduce my two Hamachi status classes.

HamachiClient – represents an individual Hamachi client. Basically, just instantiate one of these buggers with a 5.x.x.x IP and then ask it what its state is. Pretty simple I hope.

HamachiList – can contain multiple HamachiClient classes. You can instantiate this class without any parameters and add the IP addresses later. or you can feed it one array of IP addresses and aliases in the beginning. Then either ask it for the state of each client, or have it return the complete array. I also included a method to output an HTML list that can be formatted with CSS.

Note: I also got annoyed with the fact that only clients version 1.0.x can enable the web status indicator. The obvious implications are that Linux and Mac versions of Hamachi are left in the cold. I included the possibility of pinging these clients if the web indicator doesn’t work. That’s an advanced parameter and you’ll have to look in the code to figure out what to do

Please visit the snippets section to download…

Again, this is regarding the Cuotl File Server. My Linux server that this site, the forums, and member sites are hosted on is unaffected.

Thank you for your understanding,
8063

It has been awefully quiet at BluHelix, and I appologize.  Lots and lots of things have been creeping into my to-do list but only a handfull of things are actually progressing at the moment.

Among the changes I’m tossing around are a number of site upgrades, including a overhall of the sub-domain mechanics (consolidation and streamlining, with a possible extension to allow users to access their own settings!), as well as, duh duh duh, WordPress integration.  Ben at http://benford.bluhelix.com/ has successfully deployed a WordPress engine already on the Czin server and I have been considering doing the same.  This would do away with the sometimes clunky forum integration and ease the transition to phpBB3.  I’m not sure if there would be any historical postings.  Perhaps there will.  Anyway this might be a long ways off, but it’s something on the list.

Also on the list – Kevin has given me a copy of RPG Maker XP that is Vista compatible!  The question is: Resurrect my current project or start anew.  It’s a question I’m continuously debating and would like to hear feedback on.  My former project made the increadible milestone of 50% maps complete (which is not to be confused with 50% complete).  Any thoughts?  If this spurs interest I might post the old projects page on this from last year.  Currently, only the screen shots are accessible.

The first thing you will probably notice is that BluHelix Studios has received a face lift.  I hope everyone enjoys our new look and expect to see more features added as time goes on.

As mentioned earlier, the calendar has been axed.  However I am working on a Google integration so it might just be resurrected.