Thursday, December 21, 2006

ImageReady/PHP/Mysql - Isn't This Where...

One More Time.

Is my life repeating itself... or is it just me?

So I've spent the week working on a new website for keeping track of collaboration information. It is to be your basic php frontend to a mysql database. It took me a few days to remember everything I had forgotten from the last time I did this - so thought it might be wise to jot down a few notes this time.

I used Photoshop / ImageReady for my frontend... I know - it's so early 2000's - but it does give me a fair looking frontend in no time.

Things to remember for ImageReady:

  • When slicing the header, slice the header into at least 5. You'll want the two thin edges - plus at least three interior (above left nav, and one other split). Depending on the shape of your header, you may eve want more - if you want to allow for stretching horizontally.

  • When slicing the body, slice the two thin edge pieces - then the nav, then the body.

  • Footer can be sliced just into 3 - but again, think about horizontal stretching.

  • To stretch horizontally, you'll have to take a chunk of the header and footer to be used for the background of the cells that could stretch. Create a small image from the slices.

  • Layers are your friends... use them. Plus, layer blending effects make good rollover effects.


  • Make sure there are no missing pixels between slices especially at the edges!


Once sliced, break it into some include files for php (std_header.inc, std_footer.inc, etc).

A great HTML reference I use is Index DOT Html at http://www.blooberry.com/indexdot/html/ Specifically, they have a very good element index (here) that contains all the html elements complete with browser differences/specifics .

The also have a similar reference for css here.

This site it a fabulous reference, I've used it for years... never let me down.

More to come....

2 comments:

  1. That reference is money! I've been crawling through the W3C docs for years because I was too lazy to look for something better. Thanks for pointing that out.

    Does look a little stale if the updated date is to be believed, though...

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  2. Agreed. Money. Ya, definitely not right up to date with the browsers, etc - but it does give you a quick reference of all the elements, etc. Always looking for good references...

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