Chad Ritchie

How to disable WordPress plugin updates

Chad — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:00:24 +0000

This snippet of code prevents WordPress from checking for plugin updates. For security reasons, it is important to keep third-party WordPress plugins up-to-date. However, there are times when you might create a site for a client and don’t want them to update their plugins. Perhaps you have changed a plugins code or concerned a plugin update could cause problems or break the site.

Simply paste the following code into your sites functions.php file. The functions.php file is located in your sites theme folder.

View source code on iPad/iPhone

Chad — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:01:59 +0000

As a web developer, I spent lots of time looking at source code. So a few days ago, a friend asked me to take a look at his company’s web site to see how they could improve their SEO ranking. My first actions were to grab my iPad, take a quick look at the user interface and then at the source code. It was then that I realized, I had no way to view the source code of any site on my iPad—I had always used my computer for that task. And so the search was on—for an app—a “view the source code” app. After spending several minutes surfing through the App Store and finding nothing worth the .99 gamble. I discovered a couple JavaScript bookmarklets on the web.
Awesome! This will work better than an app, since I will already be in the Safari mobile browser.

I made a mashup of the various code I found and it’s posted below.
There are other scripts available that enable syntax highlighting, but I prefer to simply view the source code.
If you already know how to install and edit a bookmarklet on your iPad or iPhone, copy the code below and enjoy!

javascript:(function(){
	var a=window.open('about:blank').document;
		a.write('Source of '+location.href+'');
		a.close();
	var b=a.body.appendChild(a.createElement('pre'));
		b.style.overflow='auto';
		b.style.whiteSpace='pre-wrap';
		b.appendChild(a.createTextNode(document.documentElement.innerHTML))
})();

For step-by-step instruction on how to install this piece of awesomeness onto your iOS device, here goes:

Copy the code above (keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + C).

Step 1: Create a new bookmark via the Add New Bookmark function at the bottom of your iPad/iPhone screen.
Step 2: Name the new bookmark something that makes sense, like “View Source”, “Source Code” or whatever you like.
Step 3: Note where you are saving the Bookmark, e.g., Bookmarks, Bookmarks Bar, etc., then click Save.
Step 4: Open your Bookmarks (the icon that looks like a book)
Step 5: Click “Edit” in the lower left corner of the screen.
Step 6: Click on the newly added Bookmark that you named.
Step 7: Select the url and delete it, by pressing the “X” to the right. (The “X” will appear after you click on the url).
Step 8: Paste (keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + V) the JavaScript into the address field and click save.
Step 9: Enjoy!

If you know CSS and prefer to change the background or text color, have at it. Note the style tag in the head section of the script.

Quickly Toggle Blend Modes in Photoshop

Chad — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:04:50 +0000

This tutorial shows how to quickly toggle through blend modes when making a selection in Photoshop.

Mac 10.7 Lion Spotlight Tip – Finding the Path

Chad — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:04:42 +0000

This is a tip for Mac users using Mac 10.7 Lion. In previous versions of Mac OS X, when you hover over the file, folder, etc. in Spotlight, the path would be displayed. However, in 10.7 Lion that is no longer the case. I have found a shortcut that will display the path of the item you are searching for.

Step 1 In spotlight, type the file or folder you are looking for.
Step 2 Hover your mouse over the file, folder, app, etc.
Step 3 A Quick Look dialog box will appear to the left.
Step 4 While this Quick Look box is visible, hold down the command key and notice at the bottom of that Quick Look box the name of the file will appear. If you continue to hold the command key, the path of that file will appear.
Step 5 To toggle between these options you can also include the alt/option key.

Text Zoom In with Lens Flare using After Effects

Chad — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:00:12 +0000

In this tutorial, learn to create a title intro that features a text blur zoom in effect, followed by a cool lens flare—all using Adobe After Effects.

Create Lower Third Motion Graphics Using Photoshop

Chad — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:00:37 +0000

Photoshop is the preferred editor of choice for many graphic designers, but did you know that you can animate Photoshop layers to create motion graphics? Using the Animation panel in Photoshop, you can create animations up to 10 seconds in length. Take a look at this video demonstrating this simple technique for creating basic motion graphics using Photoshop.

Create a contact sheet using Adobe Bridge

Chad — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 05:00:40 +0000

Here is another option for creating a contact sheet for photography, video, web site screenshots or design layouts that does include the file name, watermark, header and footer options using Adobe Bridge.

Quick Contact Sheet using InDesign

Chad — Fri, 20 May 2011 22:00:32 +0000

Let’s say you want to create a quick contact sheet of some photos to send to a client or print as proofs. We will place twelve images into an evenly spaced grid on a standard 8.5 x 11 sheet. To do so, choose File > Place>select your twelve images>Click Open to load the images into the cursor>Draw out a frame filling the area inside the margins. With your finger still holding down your left mouse button, tap the up arrow twice to split the frame into three rows. Now tap the right arrow three times to split the rows into four columns. Now release your mouse button. That’s it! You now have twelve identical frames.

Create a road using Illustrator

Chad — Fri, 13 May 2011 19:00:14 +0000

Technique demonstrating how to create a road using a single path, then saving as a graphic style in Adobe Illustrator.

Align objects evenly around path using Illustrator

Chad — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:00:21 +0000

Simple technique demonstrating how to align objects evenly around path using Illustrator.