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Archive for December 27th, 2006

Quick online galleries

Sometimes you want to post pictures online but don’t have time to make a post or add them to a proper gallery. I wrote little pieces of Applescript and a short action for Automat (for MacOSX then) that send on a webserver a folder containing the appropriate files to generate a gallery as well as your images. Otherwise, just add the content of Autogallerie.zip or AutosmoothD.zip in a folder containing your pictures and just send that folder to your server FTP.

  • The first option is displaying two frames, one of them displaying the content of the folder and the other frame displaying the selected picture. Loading those pages are very slow to load since all full size pictures are loaded at the same time… The PHP code was available on the Internet but I forgot its source and author. If you have any hint about that, just let me know. Example of such a gallery
  • The second solution uses SmoothGallery by JonDesign. This solution is generating a slideshow and looks really better. It is coded in JavaScript and is fully customizable. For more details, just have look at JonDesign’s website. Example of such a gallery

In both cases, remember to modify AutoXXX.scpt (This file just copies the gallery’s files into the folder containing your pictures) to adapt it to the location where you extracted upFTemP, Autogallerie and AutosmoothD files. Remember to modify upFTemP.workflow (This file sends files on a FTP server. In this case it will send the folder containing your pics and the gallery’s files) with the identifiers for your FTP connection. This Automator file requires Fetch FTP actions (free educational license).

Once all the settings are ok, you just have to save the .scpt and the .workflow as applications (.app). To create a gallery, just drag and drop the folder containing your pics on Autosmooth/Autogalerie’s icon. You will get a gallery located in http://upFTemP-website/Folder-you-drag-and-dropped-on-AutoXXXX/index.php

upFTemP

Autosmooth

Autogalerie

December 27th, 2006 | Tags: , , , |

Category: Articles in English, Tech >> Computer | Leave a comment

Galeries en ligne rapides

Parfois il arrive qu’on veuille mettre en ligne une petite série de photos sans pour autant vouloir l’intégrer à une galerie de grande envergure ou en avoir le temps. J’ai donc écrit deux petits scripts Applescript et Automator (pour MacOSX donc) qui envoient un dossier sur un serveur avec de quoi générer une galerie automatiquement. Sinon, il vous suffit de copier le contenu de Autogallerie.zip et AutosmoothD.zip dans un dossier d’images et de l’envoyer vous-même sur votre serveur FTP.

  • La première version produit deux cadres, un affichant la photo et l’autre le contenu du dossier. Le chargement est très long pour les visiteurs car toutes les images non-redimensionnées se chargent en même temps… Le code PHP était disponible sur Internet, je l’ai retouché un peu mais je ne retrouve plus son auteur ni où je l’ai trouvé, si quelqu’un peut m’aider, contactez-moi. Exemple d’une telle galerie.
  • La seconde solution intégre SmoothGallery par JonDesign. Cette solution est bien plus belle à mon avis. Celle-ci est codée en JavaScript et est complétement personnalisable. Pour plus d’informations, consultez le site de JonDesign. Exemple d’une telle galerie.

Dans les deux cas, pensez à modifier AutoXXX.scpt (Ce fichier se contente de copier les fichiers de la galerie dans le dossier contenant vos images) pour l’adapter aux emplacements où vous avez décompressé Autosmooth, Autogalerie et upFTemP. Pensez aussi à modifier upFTemP.workflow (Ce fichier envoie sur un serveur FTP les fichiers qu’on lui soumet. En l’occurence, le dossier contenant votre nouvelle galerie) avec vos identifiants pour une connexion FTP. Ce fichier Automator nécessite les actions Fetch FTP (gratuit pour les étudiants).

Une fois les paramètres réglés, vous n’avez plus qu’à sauvegarder le .scpt et .workflow sous forme d’applications (.app). Pour créer une galerie, vous avez juste à déplacer un dossier contenant des images sur l’icône d’Autosmooth ou d’Autogalerie et le tour est joué ! Vous avez une galerie située dans http://Site-configuré-dans-upFTemP/Nom-du-dossier-que-vous-avez-glissé-sur-AutoXXXX/index.php

Autogalerie

Autosmooth

upFTemP

December 27th, 2006 | Tags: , , , , |

Category: Articles en français, Tech >> Computer | Leave a comment

Changing the hard disk drive of your PowerBook

Here is a guide to change the internal hard disk drive of your PowerBook G4 (1,67GHz, model 5,8). I am changing the original Seagate 80GB for a Hitachi HDD ordered at my local Apple retailer (160GB, 5400rpm).

First you have to be ready to lose Apple’s warranty and to get a few scratches on your laptop, especially at the junction between the keyboard and the frame. If you go slowly you can reduce the scratches but they are unlikely to be completely avioded. Those scratches appear when you use a screw-driver as a lever to separate the frame from the keyboard

For backup purposes, I advise you to buy an external rack for 2,5″ hdd (25e at any store) and to clone the older drive on the newer one, using Carbon Copy Cloner (free). Then you will swap the disks. There should be no problem during the duplication. Only LittleSnitch complained about being modified but it’s ok, just ignore it the first time it appears. I used the following settings for CCC : Make Bootable, Repare permissions, and don’t create an image but do an actual cloning. Before the backup, remember to partition the new disk with the Disk Utility in case you want or need it. In order to install Linux, let some space after your MacOSX (hfs+) partition. The old and the new MacOS partitions do not need to be the same size, as long as you can copy the old one on the new one…

What you need: time, a good pocketlight, a little clip and possibly a plier, smallest screw-drivers you have (incluging a 1,0 torx) and also large screw-drivers to be used as levers.

First of all, remove the battery and the two screws inside the battery bay. Then remove the three screws on each side of the laptop and the four screws on the back. I am not quite sure it is necessary but you can open the memory bay and remove the two long screws fixed there (remember to replace the cover of this compartment before the next step). Then, remove with a torx screw-driver the two screws at the bottom of the screen on the keyboard.

The next step will be to set the keyboard loose from the mother board frame. It’s better to use a large strong screw-driver and to begin on the back and go round the frame. Don’t worry about the plugs on the side, it should go fine. There will probably be noises of the glue seals breaking (or of screws breaking their lodging if you have forgotten some…). With a tiny screw-driver, you can remove the four shoes under the laptop, it seems to be helping. They might seem broken once removed but if you did it carefully, they should be easy to put back afterwards.

Once you have gone round the laptop with your lever, the keyboard should loosen. Don’t open it too much or you will disonnect the keyboard connector. The hdd is located right under the trackpad. Remove the rubber block located in the front side of the hdd(cf. picture). Remove the two screws located on the right side and remove the metal bridge-thingy. Unplug the cable from the motherboard and then lift the hdd from the right and make it slide to the right.

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Now it’s time to swap the two disks. Remove the rubber pieces on the side of the old hdd and place them on the new one, along with the isolating foil. Just follow this guide backwards to reassemble your laptop.

In the case you have a problem during the reassembly, make sure you are not folding the ventilation grid located at the junction between the keyboard and the screen, it is a tough part to negociate. Before closing everything, check that connectors are completely plugged (hdd and keyboard).

You can also have a look at the Installations Guides by MCE here. MCE is also selling kits with HDD and tools as well as 2,5″ external racks.

The pictures of the process in full size are here. They may take a while to load…

December 27th, 2006 | Tags: , , |

Category: Articles in English, Tech >> Computer | Leave a comment