Problems with new search v2.0
Well it seems we have some issues with the new search – for example it stopped working today at 8:30 am after what appears to be only 6000 queries or so. Does this mean we stop using the Google API? I don’t know. I will update this post today as we take a look at what happened. What actually happened was the wrong Google API key was in there and it did run out of queries. It is fixed now and I feel silly. I need to keep an eye on the queries though, there are an awful lot in a 24 hour period. Also, there are problems with the keyword search and how it all functions. That will be fixed.
In the meantime, the old search is back Cache is cleared and things are back to using the new search. This is version 2.0 but 2.1 is not far behind. With 2.1 the search will:
- not query Google if UWdir results are returned, why? Because you have to be pretty accurate to get UWdir results so you are likely looking for a person.
- Keyword queries need to be more forgiving because very few ‘titles’ in the db have keywords associated with them. 800 or so entries over 8 years, tough to keep on top of. Just working on cleaning that up. That is why the old one is long dead.
- better tracking of search terms and results
Oh and the stuff listed in the other post…
Return of the keywords
A few minutes ago I made the switch in the searches over to the new tri-search (UWdir, keywords, google). Over 800 unique queries were made over the past week on the beta run and only a handful of emails were sent. I hope people like the new search. It will be considered ‘done until the next version’ tomorrow A big thanks to Areeb Shams (Co-op student that worked for me last term), his hard work is really what created this search. I just tweaked it for a couple weeks.
The major change with this search is that the new search brings back the keyword database. People really seemed to have missed that and given the confusion for some that Google can bring, its good to have it back. Plus there are no choices to miss, no more ‘how do I search for people’ email I hope.
Things I am particularly proud of:
- search cache – speeds things up, allows us to track queries in the future
- UWdir results refined – removed the userid’s, id numbers, bolded names, and got rid of some other junk.
- Google API – SOAP is good, hopefully take full advantage of it in the near future
- Keyword search – people have requested it return but we had to rebuild, it is back! and folks with UWdir access can submit changes.
Things yet to do:
- faster search, seems UWdir is really slowing it down – that and/or the Google API
- keyword API
…and we are getting about 15-20 queries a minute right now. Should be interesting.
Dreamweaver 8 changes relative link management in templates, workaround is here
If you are using templates in Dreamweaver MX 2004, you happen to link to CSS in your template using @import url("css/custom.css");, and you want the relative css/ to remain untouched because you have CSS directories in each of your sub-directories then you need the solution posted below. Same problem exists for server side includes (SSI), images, and a couple other tags.
Update: with the update 8.01 for Dreamweaver the issue is now sort of fixed – read the technote. It’s not a bad solution for the apparent problem but keep in mind the 8.01 update changes your default you may have gotten use to. If you haven’t got used to it, check out the technote and get the update. Read on for description of the problem 8.01 fixes…
In Dreamweaver 8 there appears to be is a fix for a template problem that had DW MX 2004 not managing links properly but this fix causes problems for those that took advantage of the problem behavior in Dreamweaver MX/2004. This problem will likely effect at least a couple large sites at UW and goes beyond CSS to annoy your relative links in includes (PHP, ASP, CFM, JSP, etc), images, and more.
Stephanie has an explanation of the problem on her site. We spent the better part of the afternoon on this
For includes
Without using template parameters:
Simply change double quotes to single quotes for include file path – only works for ASP and .NET templates
For example: <!--#include file='include.inc' -->.
Use template expression:
PHP: <?php include("@@('include.inc')@@"); ?>CFM: <cfinclude template="@@('include.inc')@@"> JSP: <%@include file="@@('include.inc')@@" %> ASP & .NET: <!--#include file="@@('include.inc')@@" -->
(Note: include.inc is the real file path, not template parameters, so it has to be quoted.)
Using template parameters:
Create a template parameter in head section of the template: <!-- TemplateParam name="inc_url_param" type="text" value='file="include.inc"' -->
(NOTE: the parameter has “text” type) Change the include in the template to: <!--#include @@(inc_url_param)@@ -->
For other dependent files like CSS, IMAGE, and LINK (‘A’ TAG)
Without using template parameters, change the css link or image tag to:
<link href="@@('styles.css')@@" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> @import url("@@('styles.css')@@"); <img src="@@('image.gif')@@" /> <a href="@@('link.htm')@@">link text</a>
(Note: styles.css, image.gif and link.htm are the real file paths, not template parameters, so they should be quoted.)
Using template parameters:
Create template parameters in head section of the template: <!-- TemplateParam name="img_url_param" type="text" value="image.gif" --><!-- TemplateParam name="css_url_param" type="text" value="styles.css" -->
(NOTE: the parameter has “text” type) Change the css link and img tag in the template to: <link href="@@(css_url_param)@@" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> @import url("@@(css_url_param)@@"); <img src="@@(img_url_param)@@" />
A little introduction of myself…
Hi, my name is Vincent. I’m the Co-op student working for Jesse right now. So for the next 3 months or so, I’ll be involved in a few web development projects for him.
Let me say a little bit about my background. I’ve been studying in Computer Science now (in the same university) for 4 years already. And I’ll graduate next year in Winter. In the past, I have worked mostly as a web developer. I have done a little bit of this and that, both front-end and back-end.
This work term is my last one, even though it’s actually my 5th one. I could have done 6 work terms, but last winter I chose to skip one so I could go to study at UBC. I took their 4-month Multimedia program because I wanted to see whether I like doing more visual work. So now here I am, doing both front-end and back-end work for UW. Hopefully, I can use what I’ve learned at UBC during my term here.
So what have I been doing now? I’m doing some interface improvements for CPA (Communication and Public Affair department) websites and creating a guideline for them. I’m also fixing some scripts for the UW search-related functions.
I’m looking forward to working here in the next few months. So far I’ve enjoyed my work and hopefully it continues to be great too.
Big to-do list, care to add something?
If you haven’t noticed I have been working on the new search for the UW home page. Areeb (Co-op from last term) did a great job getting things to the beta stage and he has a post that documents his fun with the API coming up soon. But what else is on the ‘to-do’ for the near future:
- Session for co-ops working on web pages at UW this Friday, MC 2009 @ 11:30am. We will talk XHTML, CSS, JS, Ruby, coffee, and other fun stuff.
- Finished search for the home page and other CPA sites – nearly there. 2.0b2 will appear tomorrow.
- API for the keyword search so you too can use the keyword db (thinking about the UWhub search).
- Submission of keyword changes is fixed for IE, will appear tomorrow.
- PHP/XML parser for UW sites that want to read our upcoming news streams
- XML streams of news classified by faculty, research, all…
- Accessibility presentation for the Friday morning seminar
- What’s new in Dreamweaver 8 in November
- WATITIS – Paradox of accessibility and usability: perceptions and reality, December
By no means an exhaustive list (couple conferences and such) but I think covers things that folks that read thing might be interested in. Think this is good enough for one term?
