While the WrodPress system is Opensource and Platform Independent, many of the internal functionalities require a greater understanding of the Operating Systems they may reside on, the php settings that prevent/allow certain actions and last (definitely not the least) file/folder permissions on your Web server’s directories.

Windows and Unix based systems have a fundamental difference in how it handles the file permissions on a directory. Linux systems (derived from unix based) are pretty simple – Read Write and eXecute (rwx) permissions on the 3 basic groups – Owner, Group and Everyone. the 3 digits in the permissions – say 755 – means that System has rwx permission (7 – the first digit), Group and All have rx permissions (5 – Read/Execute).

Windows has always been a mess – a solid structure built with a rotten base. However, as most of us humans are infected by the Windows Gangrene, it’s useful to review the system of user permissions there.

If you are using a Plesk control panel (you will have different levels of access dependent on your Admin unless you are configuring a Dedicated Server), you have to go into the File Manager in Presk, click the ‘lock’ icon to get to the permissions – then click the Advanced button.

In windows (Plesk) there would be TWO entries – one for the Folder’s permission, one for the Files’ permission. There will also be multiple Users dependent on your IIS Server Settings. What you are looking for is the Internet User account – IIS_ or IUSR_ or similar. And don’t forget to ckeck the box for ‘apply to child objects’ check-box.

The Automatic Plugin Upgrades were problematic. un-checking the ‘php safe-mode on’ box to turn safe-mode off makes the ftp upgrade allowable.

For people running into various problems with plugins not working right, etc., please remember that the Remote Procedure Calls are more easily handled using PHP5+ on your server (php4 doesn’t support a lot of the required functions). While a Linux system is not crucial to host a blog on, it does make life a lot easier as well.

There are a few items necessary for this integration:

• A facebook Developer registration is required to be able to create a facebook ‘application’ required for this integration – http://www.facebook.com/developers/

After registering, you must create a new ‘application’ must be created, which gives you the API Key and the Secret Key required for this integration

• To have people be able to comment without logging in, a line of code needs to be added to comments.php in your template/theme

Other information is available from the makers of wp-facebookconnect

For the shadows on the font, I’m using the ‘dropshadow’ jQuery plugin (http://eyebulb.com/dropshadow/index.htm) and the code in the HEAD tag:

$(document).ready(function(){
$("#header h1").dropShadow({left: 1, top:1, blur: 3, opacity:0.35});
$("h4").dropShadow({left: 1, top:1, blur: 3, opacity:0.35});
$(".post-title").dropShadow({left: 3, top:-5, blur: 2, opacity:0.25});
});
So there are three types of tags on this page that are getting shadows:

1. the <h1> tags in the element whose ID is “header” (<div id=”header”> in this case)
2. all the <h4> tags in the document wherever they are
3. all the elements whose CLASS is “post-title” (<tagname class=”post-title”>)

The $(document).ready function makes sure that the entire DOM is loaded before the JavaScript in this function fires up. This prevents the script to try to modify something that may not have been loaded in yet.

This is same reason Google asks you to put their codes ‘right before the tag.’ The entire analytics function can be put in here and will work as expected (maybe my next project?).

• download putty from here: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

To Find the php.ini file on the server

Mastering the VI editor.

after logging on, elevate to ROOT level access by typing this at the prompt:

• su -

It will ask for your Admin password for this.

The most common editor used is the ‘vi’ editor in this text-based system.
To navigate to the folder and edit php.ini fileusing ‘vi,’ use these commands:

• cd /etc (assuming it’s the php.ini is in this folder – see above)
• vi php.ini (opens the VI editor for editing the file)

Simple VI commands

• a to append
• : to user command line
• wq to write and exit on command line
• CTRL C to exit editing

A Website can integrate with Youtube, Facebook, Amazon, etc. with very little effort. I used to dream about the day I can just do the coding and not have to worry about ‘updating the website’ for someone. Well, that day is finally here. WordPress has made it possible to design and develop an entire Website and hand it over to a client to update it themselves.

This is great news for the good programmer and the good designer of WordPress. The good programmer can now convert almost any visual design concept into a WordPress Template. Do it once, Website built, move on to the next one.

The good designer, in the long run (as always), thus become more of a necessity if you want to build a unique Brand for your Website. As more people start paying less to Update their website, they should have more funds to allocate to a unique design.

If someone has a hand in BOTH is where the fun begins. Little Applications can be re-written, thousands of available ‘plugins’ can be integrated with custom made code to provide to a client exactly what they need.

That’s where I’d like to come in.