This service looks promising and while I do not really use any URL shorteners, they do offer a JavaScript implementation that you can stick in your head tag, and specify which domains to exclude.  This turning each outsite-link to a possible ad conversion.  This I can get onboard with.

I implemented the service into MyPraize.com and also my blog here at ETHODE to see how it works.. After 1 month I will give stats, analytics and we’ll how it stacks up for the rest of you.

Apparently FlexJson doesn’t really handle next objects or List<>’s very well.  Matter of fact I found it almost impossible to get the result I was looking for even after using their “include()” method to added in different object properties.

After toying around in a couple forums I finally stumbled upon someone mentioning Gson.  Gson is now my favorite thing for this week !!!

Implementing GSON was simple.

// Initialize Gson
Gson serializer = new Gson();
// Serialize almost any object.. POOF, done!
String jsonString = serializer.toJson(object);

Simple huh?  Have fun with Gson, and comment any tips or tricks you have for Json API’s!

Upgrading dotCMS

1. Backup your dotCMS directory and database. (I’ve had several upgrades fail and ruin a db, please make sure and back everything up)

2. Download the latest dotCMS and unzip it. (I experienced better results from using the latest “trunk” in svn and compiling then I did with releases zip from their site)

3. Copy your older dotCMS/assets directory to the newer dotCMS-Root /dotCMS/
Note: If you have changed where your assets live use your altered assets directory.

4. If you have changed velocity files or jsps on the filesystem you will also need to move them.  If you don’t
know what these are then you probably haven’t.

Note: If you have changed any language properties copy the file under /common/ext-ejb/content/*

Note: From a version prior to 1.7a you need to move your reports directory also.
5. Change new instance database settings.
Uncomment the database you are using in the config (/dotcms/tomcat/conf/Catalina/localhost/ROOT.xml).

You will need to update the last part of the URL to your database name along with username:password.
The following is an example of a postgres config pointing to a database named dotcms

<!– POSTGRESQL –>
<Resource name=”jdbc/dotCMSPool” auth=”Container”
type=”javax.sql.DataSource” driverClassName=”org.postgresql.Driver”
url=”jdbc:postgresql://127.0.0.1/dotcms”
username=”postgres” password=”xxxxx” maxActive=”50″ maxIdle=”10″ maxWait=”-1″
removeAbandoned=”true” removeAbandonedTimeout=”60″ logAbandoned=”true”/>

6. Check your setting in conf/server.xml are correct.
This file is all new. Make sure that ip, ports, settings and ssl are all configured
correctly (configuring Tomcat is outside the scope of this document).
By default dotCMS will automatically run on localhost. If you need
the dotCMS to run on a particular IP address, edit the ./conf/server.xml file and search
the connector and server tags and add the address property on both. E.G.

<Server address=”208.250.1.102″ port=”8005″ shutdown=”SHUTDOWN” debug=”0″>
…
<Resource name=”jdbc/dotCMSPool” auth=”Container”
type=”javax.sql.DataSource” driverClassName=”org.postgresql.Driver”
url=”jdbc:postgresql://localhost/dotcms”
username=”postgres” password=”xxxxx” maxActive=”60″ maxIdle=”10″ maxWait=”60000″
removeAbandoned=”true” removeAbandonedTimeout=”60″ logAbandoned=”true”
testOnBorrow=”true” validationQuery=”SELECT 1″/>

7. If you are on a UNIX box, change the /bin scripts permissions,
add execution permission to *.sh in the bin dir.
> cd /wwwroot/test.dotcms.org/bin
> chmod 755 *.sh

8. Start your dotCMS using bin/startup.bat or bin/startup.sh depending on whether on UNIX or Windows.

9. Log into the dotCMS as an admin and goto CMS Maintenance usually under CMS Admin tab and do the following.
1. Execute Fix Asset Inconsistencies
2. Reindex all structures (very important, if you do not, then don’t be surprised if your hosts POOF disappear!)

Conclusion

All in all the process is pretty simple.  If you’re paying for a non CE version of DotCMS then they can simply upgrade you with a WAR file which in essence is just the new compile sources and once ran by your container (tomcat, GlassFish, etc) then it will perform upgrade tasks to the db and else where.  It’s fairly straight forward, but for those of you trying to save some dough this manual process is all you have at your disposal.

Click to go to Downloads

Implementing MS SQL Server JDBC 4.0 Driver

Connection con = null;
CallableStatement proc_stmt = null;
ResultSet rs = null;
try {
// populate a connection
Class.forName("com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDriver");
String connectionUrl = "jdbc:sqlserver://<host>:1433;databaseName=<database>;user=<username>;password=<password>;";
con = DriverManager.getConnection(connectionUrl);

// If the procedure has parameters, then your procedure call would look like this "call PROCEDURE_NAME(?,?)" where each question mark represents a parameter
proc_stmt = con.prepareCall("{ call PROCEDURE_NAME() }");

// OPTIONAL if you have parameters
proc_stmt.set<type>(1(param index), "param_value");
rs = proc_stmt.executeQuery();

// if resultset is populated loop through records
if (rs.next()) {
this.setSomething(rs.getString("someColumn"));
} catch (SQLException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(Case.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
} finally {
try {
rs.close();
proc_stmt.close();
con.close();
} catch (SQLException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(Case.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}
}

Affordable Dominican Vacations

Affordable Dominican Vacations is ETHODE’s latest CMS client. Trying to capture part of the timeshare market, A.D.V. partners with Lifestyle Holidays to provide some of the most beautiful vacation spots in the world.

http://www.affordabledominicanvacations.com

For more information contact us via email or phone.

Joe Hintz For Commissioner

http://www.joehintz.com

Here is a list of 7 Online Resources that you (and I) can’t live without”

1. Web Templates:  Theme Forest
   Theme Forest is a young site, but is my number 1 source when I need a new fresh template.  They offer a pretty good selection between PSD, HTML, and pre-made themes for CMS’s like Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress.  The prices are cheaper then the famed competitor Template Monster and the designed (in my opinion) tend to be more Web 2.0 and trendy.  Also, because you’re technically buying the theme from a fellow designer/developer, they become a resource for updates, bugs, etc.
2. Small Apps: Code Canyon
   Code Canyon, also very young still (just a couple months) is already starting to dominate the market and take traffic from sites like Hot Scripts.  The reason?  Their stuff is much better, better organized, more useful, and less oriented at selling “premium listings”.  Because they make money on every thing bought from their site they don’t offer specialized listings, or push you junky apps first, they really allow you to find what you wanted in the first place.    Much like Theme Forest, once you purchase something, the developer who created the small is usually pretty easy to get a hold of, and have changes made.  This is not a “must see” site, but it’s very useful and I can’t live without it.
3. Flash Apps: Active Den
   Active Den as you can imagine after checking it out for 5 minutes, is the best place to get Flash Apps.  I have in the past outsource projects on sites like oDesk, Elance, etc, but the problem is, I’m never happy with their work.  For literally hundreds less you can usually find a pre-made app that does exactly what you need and the developer is usually more then happy to customize it for you if you would like for a small fee.  Also, it’s more of a community with discussions and ways to chat with other users and collaborate.  I’ve used a couple things from their site, MP3 players, banner rotators, etc and all of them worked great and the source code was actually very neat and clean with comments on most of them.  Of course this is up to the individual developer/designer but the ones’ who succeed on these type of sites are the ones who go the extra mile.
4. Graphics: Graphic River
   Graphic River is a great resource to add to your stock photo site bookmarks.  I can’t say it fills ALL of my needs but I can usually find stuff here, and cheaper then more expensive stock sites.  I still wind up using other sites here and there, and that’s okay with me, but Graphic River has quickly became priceless for me.  Also, the competition of photographers really helps keep the photo’s top notch!

Well there you have it, that is my list of awesome resources…  That you or I shouldn’t live without and you should learn and love them.

Here in Cleveland you can breathe easy, not because our basketball team stands a chance any more but because you can now get your very own website for as low as $25 dollars a month! That’s includes, hosting, design, development, email hosting, and SEO changes before the site goes live. All sites go on our award-winning Content Management System (Built on dotCMS).

Give us a call today or send us an email and we can talk about what your needs are.