I know this is going to be closed immediately because its not the type of question thats meant to be asked here. BUT, BEFORE YOU DO, can you please let me know a good place to ask these kinds of questions? OK so here it goes:
I'd like to learn how to do the following: browse the internet from terminal (on mac), and be able to automate certain web based tasks. For example, log into a given site, traverse to a given page and download a table into a text file.
Now, I'm not asking for anyone to tell me exactly what to do, but I'd like to know how to get stared with learning that type of thing. By all means, close this question, but please let me know where is a good place to ask.
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Please help me. I have been assigned to input data in the CKEditor demo and store that input in a database. What is the code for this? Any help would be appreciated.
The question you are asking is very broad. There are a multitude of different ways to go about accomplishing your goal. The scope of answers we can provide vary greatly depending on your experience. I would recommend visiting W3 schools to get you started.
http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_mysql_intro.asp
Start off by making a new database, or connecting to an existing one. Then you can start by installing CKE and we can go from there.
This site is designed to answer specific questions, for example we would be more than happy to help if you hit a road block while trying to design or build a database. We do ask however, that you please provide us with what you know, and what you have tried and experienced problems with. Doing so not only makes it easier for us to answer, but helps beginners get in the proper mindset for development and makes it much easier to learn. There is an overwhelming amount of tutorials you can find via google to get you started. We will be more than happy to help once you come back with a more centered question.
When I simulate the app on my device the buttons move down from where I have them placed in the storyboard. I am using SWIFT. Ive had this before and all the sudden it disappeared one day Any suggestions? thank you.
Please provide more information pertaining to your issue. Your question is not only vague, but there's also no context provided. Look at the 'How to Ask a Question" Rules, Specifically:
Be specific
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Closed 11 years ago.
I want to make a iis log viewer for websites I develop. I know there are utilities already developed out there, for e.g http://visuallogparser.codeplex.com/ , but I want to develop something of my own. Couple of questions I've is, how can I access files on the windows 2003 server.The log files are stored in a particular folder on the server. I've to manually open the files and then look through them for the information that might be relevant.
The first problem I see is being able to first get this file as input to let's say perl or python for file processing and then the issue of sorting and filtering data as is desired. Also getting a GUI for this.
I've no clue in what language or any framework this can be build. Looking for guidance here.
Personally, I think C# is head-and-shoulders above the competition for building standalone GUIs. It also has good support for parsing text, including decent support for regular expressions.
According to http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic525288-146-1.aspx you can just run a query to find out where your SQL-Server instance keeps it's log (and data) files.
If you're just starting out programming it'd be a real good idea to work through "the basics" in tutorials before you get started on project like this. Once you "feel ready" then have a go, looking for tutorials/discussion on each aspect as it arrises... and if you get stuck you can ask more specific questions right here.
One other piece of advise: Before you start coding this sort of thing sit down and do a mock-up of the interface. Workout what operations you want to perform. Analysing the problem WHILE you attempt to code a solution is a CLASSIC recipe for spending a lot of time to get not-much done. You need clear goals BEFORE you start coding... and then, of course, you "adapt" your goals as you learn more... as you go along... But it REALLY helps to be clear about what (roughly) you want before you start.
It might help you to use a couple of those existing log-presenters. Find-out what other people have done... what THEY find useful. If you find a particular functionality useful then you could attempt to copy-cat it... or maybe something someone else has done just gets you wondering "HOW do they do that?" and that get's your creative juices running.
finally, The blank canvas is the scariest one. Just get SOMEthing really simple working, and then add functionality to that, iteratively.
Cheers. Keith.
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Background: On a new project I've found myself 3 levels removed from my actual source of information. I report to my PM, who reports to our contractor, who reports to the actual client. Getting answers to questions has become something of a problem and I'm curious to know what people recommend.
Needs: I'm trying to find a technology or disciplined strategy that will assist me in ensuring that the questions I'm asking are getting answered:
Correctly without much modification of the original question
Quickly so the original context isn't lost
Completely so that if a question is deferred I don't forget about it.
Does anyone know of a software suite that assists in this matter or do you have any personal discipline strategies that worked for you?
Thank you for the guidance
One strategy might be to cut out the middleman. Go directly to the client and ask what s/he wants.
On a slightly less bold note, request that you, your PM, the contractor, and the client all meet at the same time rather than on relying on an email chain or technology (which will undoubtedly not serve everyone's needs) to relay information. This strategy works particularly well in my experience, as long as you have a manager willing to let you tag along.
Best technology I can suggest is the telephone. You've got to open up direct lines of communication. But I guess you know that and are finding it difficult, someone along the line is not helping. So now you have to tackle that person, find out why not, what their reservations are and how you might allay their fears.
As for software, I recommend that you DO NOT look for a software solution to this sort of problem. Suppose you implement a new trouble-ticketing system for capturing client questions and comments and to feed back your questions and comments to your client. Next time you tackle your management about the issue one of 2 things will happen:
-- The response will be 'But you told us installing system TT would fix this !'
OR
-- There must be something wrong with system TT, we'll divert our energy to fixing the software.
Oh, and do write things down, so email might be even better than the telephone.
Regards
Mark
I'm sorry, but this doesn't sound like a technological issue. Good project managers ensure communication and should allow you to work directly with the client where necessary. This is a communicaiton/management problem.
PRINCE2 (the project management methodology) would define your questions as project issues (essentially an issue is anything which needs attention so a question is no different to a software defect).
Based on this I'd recommend tracking them the same way you track any other issue.
In your defect tracking system (you do have one right?) set up a category / classification / whatever "Question" and log them and assign them to either the client (ideally they should be given direct access) or to the Project Manager (who now has a way of tracking them and recording the answers).
As with all issues you should make sure you put in plenty of information and context to ensure you get a good answer (obligatory Jeff / Joel reference: in this case to Jeff's belief that you only get out of a question what you put into it). This will also obviously help if you're not the person actually asking it, though as many people have said do everything you can to get closer to the client.
The key point to remember is that people are lazy.
If you formulate questions through e-mail clearly and in format your contact likes, most likely he'll forward them to the next chain of command unchanged and so on.
Some quick tips on how to structure such an e-mail:
Numerate all your questions. Essential, otherwise all too often only the latest question will been answered
Be very specific in what the actual question you need input on is
If there is a fixed set of alternatives or if you have a clear recommendation, make sure this is clearly stated
Avoid mixing FYI messages with the questions. Instead, send separate e-mails
Carefully read your e-mail before you send and look for content that may be misunderstood
Good luck
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Back in the days of Unix, you couldn't even close a software without reading the man page first. Then came Mac and Windows with consistent menu layout and keyboard shortcuts, but you still saw paper user manuals shipped in the shrinkwrap box, which described each and every single operation possible in the app. After the Internet, help files became html documents.
Nowadays with Web 2.0 applications, you hardly see the Help. Even if it's there, they simply describe some specific tasks. In other words, the apps are relying more on the common sense or don't-make-me-think factor of the user base.
Years ago Microsoft came up with a concept called Inductive User Interface, which basically tells programmers to put in instructions on the apps itself, but I am not sure how popular that idea is.
Are help files, user manuals, and context sensitive online help with F1 key dead? Have I failed if user could not find out what to do from the UI? If not, what degree of help should I provide? (both for desktop and web app)
EDIT: How does documentation/help file mesh with agile development methods? For example, should the developers think twice before UI changes that may obsolete a bunch of screenshots?
Three notes on help:
F1 / stand-alone context-sensitive help was always doomed. It was hidden by default, and so the people who most needed it were least likely to read it. There was hope at one time that we would be able to train users to always hit F1 when they ran into trouble, but too many applications without useful context-sensitive help... combined with too many bizarre help interfaces... pretty much killed this.
Manuals are as important now as they ever were. Not so many printed manuals anymore, but online manuals are better than ever. The proliferation of wiki-as-a-manual systems has helped here, reducing the up-front cost of creating good online documentation. Of course, plenty of people just don't read...
The beauty of using web pages as an application interface is that you can combine useful context-sensitive help with the UI, removing the barrier for novices and others who otherwise couldn't be bothered to look for relevant information when they get stuck.
Of course, there are still plenty of apps, even online apps, designed with obtuse interfaces and a tiny little help icon in a corner somewhere, presumably hoping that the latter mitigates the former. Pity them.
No way. You look at the amount of documentation and training and marketing expenditure even MS puts up.. you'll get your answer.
Try using someone else's product, and you will learn the true value of documentation - I'm learning Godiagrams right now.. :)
So I can say without a doubt.. NO and it never will.. no matter how intuitive user interfaces get.. beyond a certain size, you will need help and training. But by understanding the user and what he needs to get done, you could design it such that the time he/she needs to learn the system to do his/her routine tasks is minimal.
Have I failed if user could not find out what to do from the UI?
If not, what degree of help should I provide? (both for desktop and web app)
They should be able to use your your app to do basic things from the UI. eg say for an image editor, they should be able to create a new image, and draw some lines then save it just by looking at the UI.
This is best done by following common layouts (like having new, open and save under file in the menubar, and using the standard open and save dialogs).
The same goes for webapps, people exspect to be able to do the basic stuff without having to read the docs, but for more advanced features people will still read the docs. (eg most pople will read the docs for say BB code, or markdown at least sometimes, but they expect to be able to post without having to know them)
Are help files, user manuals, and context sensitive online help with F1 key dead?
They still have their place. People will use them to learn about how to best use various features, for example markdown or bbcode, or how to use filters to get certain effects in an image editor.
I've been incorporating context-sensitive screencasts into my applications. I've found this helps non-technical users grasp the application quickly, without asking for live help.
The Idiot/Dummy books must be doing quite well. Imagine if the standard application help was as good as those books. The standard F1 help for a lot of apps is just awful.
Is help dead? No, but some of it should be taken out and shot.