Dot Mac

Response.Redirect and 302 and 301 status codes

David Veksler — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:32:13 +0000

If you use Response.Redirect to direct users to a new location, you should be aware that it issues a status code of 302, which means that “the resource resides temporarily under a different URI.” If you intend to communicate that the resource has permanently changed locations, you should not use Response.Redirect. This is important for search engines and other crawlers that might need to know the definitive url.

To send a 301 redirect:

Response.Status = "301 Moved Permanently";
Response.StatusCode = 301;
Response.AddHeader("Location", url);
Response.End();

Set the admin color scheme for all WordPress users

David Veksler — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:32:38 +0000

INSERT INTO wp_usermeta
(
user_id,
meta_key,
meta_value
)
(
SELECT 
id,
'admin_color',
'classic'
FROM wp_users
WHERE id  NOT  IN (SELECT user_Id FROM wp_usermeta WHERE meta_key = 'admin_color')
)
 
UPDATE wp_usermeta SET meta_value = 'classic' WHERE meta_key = 'admin_color'

Bulk update post slugs in a WordPress blog

David Veksler — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:25:07 +0000

The following script updates missing post slugs (permalinks) in a WordPress blogs, or reformats them according to your needs:

";
< ?php
// change this this to strip old slugs if needed:
//update wp_posts set post_name = '' where guid like '%.asp'
set_time_limit(20000);
 
/** Loads the WordPress Environment and Template, allowing wp functions like the_title() */
define('WP_USE_THEMES', false);
require('./wp-blog-header.php');
 
function bleach($which)
{
    $result = sanitize_title(get_the_title($which));
    return $result;
}
 
$dbhost = 'data.mises.org';
$dbuser = 'mises_blog';
$dbpass = '5u7$^kjW8V';
$dbname = 'WordPress';
 
$sql = 'SELECT ID, post_title' . ' FROM `wp_posts`' . ' WHERE post_status = "publish"' . " and post_name = '' " . ' order by ID asc';
 
$db = mysql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass) or die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
mysql_select_db($dbname);
 
$result = mysql_query($sql) or die('Query failed: ' . mysql_error());
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC)) {
    $id         = $row['ID'];
    $title      = $row['post_title'];
    $clean_slug = bleach($id);
 
    echo "ID<i>:{$row['ID']} " . "post_title : {$title} " . "sanitized : {$clean_slug} ";
    $sql_u = "UPDATE `wp_posts` SET post_name = '" . $clean_slug . "' " . 'WHERE ID = ' . $id;
    echo 'QUERY:' . $sql_u . '';
    mysql_query($sql_u) or die('ERROR: ' . mysql_error());
    flush();
}
 
mysql_close($db);
?>

Delete smart quotes and fix latin1>utf8 encoding issues in WordPress

David Veksler — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:36:17 +0000

If you use wptexturize, smart quotes will just mess you up.

UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,""","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"“",'"');
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"”",'"');
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"‘","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"’","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"Ã¶","ö");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"Ã¼","ü");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"Ã©","é");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content,"Ã‰","É");
 
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"Ã©","é");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,""","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"“",'"');
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"”",'"');
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"‘","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"’","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"Ã¶","ö");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"Ã¼","ü");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_users SET display_name = REPLACE(display_name,"Ã©","é");
 
 
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,""","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"“",'"');
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"”",'"');
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"‘","'");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"’","'");
 
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"Ã¶","ö");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"Ã¼","ü");
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET post_title = REPLACE(post_title,"Ã©","é");

SQL script to migrate from Movable Type to WordPress

David Veksler — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:05:02 +0000

While trying to migrate a large blog from Movable Type to WordPress, I found the built-in export and import functionality unable to handle volume of content on the blog or to properly preserve the primary keys needed for permalinks.

With assistance from Alvaro on the MisesDev list, we came up with the following MySql SQL script to import the entries directly from the Movable Type (5.01) database to WordPress (2.9.2). What would take many hours otherwise can be done in a minute or two. This is especially important if you don’t want to lose data during the time it takes to migrate the blog, as the script can be run immediately before the switch. This script also includes additional stuff like IP addresses and url-friendly names.

Change the MT database name in the script below:

 
USE `WordPress`;
 
/*  !!! Truncate tables to prevent primary key conflicts !!! */
TRUNCATE TABLE wp_posts;
TRUNCATE TABLE wp_comments;
TRUNCATE TABLE wp_users;
 
/* users from author */
INSERT INTO wp_users (
ID,
user_login,
user_pass,
user_nicename,
user_email,
user_url,
user_registered,
/* user_activation_key, */
user_status,
display_name
 
) (SELECT
author_id,
author_name,
author_password, /* fingers crossed */
IF (author_basename IS NOT NULL,author_basename,author_name) ,
author_email,
IF (author_url IS NOT NULL,author_url,' '),
author_created_on,
/* user_activation_key, */
author_status, 
IF (author_nickname IS NOT NULL,author_nickname,author_name) 
 FROM mtutf.mt_author); 
 
/*  post from entry */
INSERT INTO wp_posts (
ID,
post_author,
post_date,
post_date_gmt,
post_content,
post_title,
post_excerpt,
post_status,
comment_status,
ping_status,
/* post_password  */
post_name,
post_modified,
post_modified_gmt, /* --post_modified_gmt,  */
/* --post_content_filter,  */
/* --post_parent,  */
/* --guid,  */
/* --menu_order,  */
/* --post_type,  */
/* --post_mime_type,  */
comment_count,
to_ping,
pinged  
) (
SELECT
entry_id,
entry_author_id,
entry_created_on,
CONVERT_TZ(entry_created_on,'+00:00','-06:00'), /* GMT */
CONCAT(entry_text,'',entry_text_more) ,
entry_title,
entry_excerpt,
TRIM(CAST(entry_status AS CHAR)),
TRIM(CAST(entry_allow_comments AS CHAR)),
TRIM(CAST(entry_allow_pings AS CHAR)),
/* --post_password  */
entry_basename,
/* --to_ping  */
/* --pinged  */
entry_modified_on,
CONVERT_TZ(entry_modified_on,'+00:00','-06:00'), /* -- post_modified_gmt,  */
/* --post_content_filter,  */
/* --post_parent,  */
/* --guid,  */
/* --menu_order,  */
/* --post_type,  */
/* --post_mime_type,  */
entry_comment_count,
'',
''
 FROM mtutf.mt_entry);
 
 
INSERT INTO wp_comments (
comment_ID,
comment_post_ID,
comment_author,
comment_author_email,
comment_author_url,
comment_author_IP,
comment_date,
comment_date_gmt,
comment_content,
/* comment_karma, junk_score? */
/* comment_approved, comment_junk_status?? */
/* comment_agent, */
/* comment_type, */
comment_parent,
user_id
 ) ( SELECT
comment_id,
comment_entry_id,
comment_author,
comment_email,
comment_url,
comment_ip,
comment_created_on,
CONVERT_TZ(comment_created_on,'+00:00','-06:00'), /* comment_date_gmt, */
comment_text,
/* comment_karma, */
/* comment_approved, */
/* comment_agent, */
/* comment_type, */
comment_parent_id,
comment_created_by
 FROM mtutf.mt_comment WHERE comment_junk_status = 1);
 
 
UPDATE wp_posts SET post_status = 'publish', comment_status='open', ping_status='open';
 
/*  More... */
 
UPDATE 
wordpress.wp_posts, mises_blog.mt_entry
 
SET post_content = CONCAT(CONCAT(entry_text,''), entry_text_more)
 
WHERE LENGTH(entry_text_more) > 0 
AND 
mises_blog.mt_entry.entry_id = wp_posts.id
 
 
/* Specific to our DB: */
 
UPDATE wordpress.wp_posts SET guid = CONCAT('http://blog.mises.org/archives/', RIGHT(CONCAT('000000', ID),6), ".asp");
 
 
/* Set User Contributor Levels */
 
INSERT INTO wp_usermeta
(
user_id,
meta_key,
meta_value
)
(
SELECT 
id,
'wp_user_level',
1
FROM wp_users
WHERE id  NOT  IN (2,295,3)
);
 
INSERT INTO wp_usermeta
(
user_id,
meta_key,
meta_value
)
(
SELECT 
id,
'nickname',
display_name
FROM wp_users
WHERE id  NOT  IN (3,295)
)
 
INSERT INTO wp_usermeta
(
user_id,
meta_key,
meta_value
)
(
SELECT 
id,
'wp_capabilities',
meta_value = 'a:1:{s:6:"author";b:1;}' 
FROM wp_users
WHERE id  NOT  IN (2,295,3)
)

Luhn algorithm validation via a CustomValidator control

David Veksler — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:25:43 +0000

The Luhn algorithm is a checksum used for credit cards and many other identifying numbers as a basic integrity validation check. It’s useful for credit card forms because it avoids unneeded transaction attempts when card numbers are mis-typed.
It’s easy to add an account # Luhn checksum validation control to credit card forms in ASP.Net:

Add this method to your business logic.
Add a control with the error message, target control, etc.
Add and wire up a void ServerValidation method:

void ServerValidation(object source, ServerValidateEventArgs args) {
// use a RequiredFieldValidator to check for an empty value
 if (txtCardNum.Text == string.Empty) args.IsValid = true;
 args.IsValid = IsCreditCardValid(this.txtCardNum.Text);
}
 
protected override void OnInit(EventArgs e)    {
 base.OnInit(e);
 valLunCode.ServerValidate += ServerValidation;
}

(Optional:) For client-side code, use a Javascript version from here.

Quickly open an app in Terminal

David Veksler — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:39:28 +0000

To open an app in terminal, type open -a AppName or open /Applications/AppName.app if you want to specify the path. I use it for starting VNC server via SSH.

Bonus: echo “set completion-ignore-case On” > ~/.inputrc will make auto-completion case-insensitive.

Correct photo orientation using EXIF data with C#

David Veksler — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:43:55 +0000

When processing photos, sometimes you want to re-orient the photo according the orientation recorded by the camera (such as the iPhone’s accelerometer) and stored in the EXIF meta data. It’s easy to do:

// Rotate the image according to EXIF data
var bmp = new Bitmap(pathToImageFile);
var exif = new EXIFextractor(ref bmp, "\n"); // get source from http://www.codeproject.com/KB/graphics/exifextractor.aspx?fid=207371
 
if (exif["Orientation"] != null)
{
RotateFlipType flip = OrientationToFlipType(exif["Orientation"].ToString());
 
if (flip != RotateFlipType.RotateNoneFlipNone) // don't flip of orientation is correct
{
bmp.RotateFlip(flip);
exif.setTag(0x112, "1"); // Optional: reset orientation tag
bmp.Save(pathToImageFile, ImageFormat.Jpeg);
}
 
// Match the orientation code to the correct rotation:
 
private static RotateFlipType OrientationToFlipType(string orientation)
{
switch (int.Parse(orientation))
{
case 1:
return RotateFlipType.RotateNoneFlipNone;
break;
case 2:
return RotateFlipType.RotateNoneFlipX;
break;
case 3:
return RotateFlipType.Rotate180FlipNone;
break;
case 4:
return RotateFlipType.Rotate180FlipX;
break;
case 5:
return RotateFlipType.Rotate90FlipX;
break;
case 6:
return RotateFlipType.Rotate90FlipNone;
break;
case 7:
return RotateFlipType.Rotate270FlipX;
break;
case 8:
return RotateFlipType.Rotate270FlipNone;
break;
default:
return RotateFlipType.RotateNoneFlipNone;
}
}

Maxing out HTTP compression in IIS7

David Veksler — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:41:21 +0000

1: In IIS7 manager, enable dynamic and static compriession. (This adds to applicationHost.config)

2: Open C:\Windows\System32\Inetsrv\Config\applicationHost.config and go to the httpCompression section. For both dynamicTypes and staticTypes:

3: Run appcmd in %systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\
appcmd set config /section:httpCompression /[name='gzip'].dynamicsCompressionLevel:10
appcmd set config /section:httpCompression /[name='gzip'].staticCompressionLevel:10

(Set the value to 7,8,or 9 for less CPU usage)

Note: compressing static files prevents them from displaying incrementally while the rest of the file downloads in the background. This may be useful for viewing partially loaded PDF’s, text files, images, etc. It may be appropriate to enable/disable compression per-directory in some cases.

More information on IIS7 HTTP compression.

Xcode All-In-One View

David Veksler — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:57:19 +0000

One thing I don’t like about the default Xcode layout is that all the views – code, debug, console, find, etc open in new windows by default.

If you’d rather not manage a bunch of Xcode windows all the time, Xcode has a “hidden” All-One-One view which shows all your views in a single window and ads a page toggle which conveniently switched between code and debugging toolbars. You can access under Preferences – General – Layout. This took me a long time to figure out because the Layout dropdown is disabled when a project is open. Maybe it’s my Visual Studio background, but I like the integrated view much better.