Author Archives: witchyrichy

I used the database to write a short piece for a group paper and discovered that I needed to have the page number of quotes appear. I also created a View Quotes choice in the Resource list that shows all the quotes related to a particular resource AND has the title at the top of the page. I would like to add the author and other biblio information so I have it on one screen. The volume, etc. won’t be hard because it’s in the same table as the title. The author will require another query related to the resource id: Hmm…I suppose you would create a function called show Authors and then have them show up. I’ve done this before I think. That’s the peril of having to do other things besides code: you lose track of the project somehow. For instance, I was thinking about the View Quotes feature and was pleased to discover that I had already created a View Notes option related to quotes. So I just modified a few field references and voila! I had a webpage.

I had a few hours between meetings and classes: just enough time to add a new table to the database. It stores information about institutions and will be part of the new author and new resource screens.

I also “fixed” the delete publisher, delete periodical, etc. screens to that they now delete the item as well as the resource associated with this. This is how it SHOULD work so you don’t end up with a resource assigned to a non-existent publisher or periodical. But it is also very scary and I’m wondering if it should just delete the publisher or periodical and then leave it up to the user to edit the resource and pick a different publisher.

I’ve been using the database pretty regularly and have a nice stash of resources, quotes and notes. I’m keeping a list of stuff to fix that ranges from making longer text fields for data entry to how to change the page title that shows up as Login to Noter on every page, and finishing up the edit resource page. OR I may just take the time to create separate book and journal data entry pages.

Well, I wasted a lot of time last night trying to get logged into mysql on my simplykaren server. Then, I tried creating a database and got a variety of different error messages ranging from incorrect syntax to access denied. So…I’m giving up on the terminal window and working with phpmyadmin to create my databases for now. I am eager to really dig into this project and want to get past the “stalled out” feeling I have had for the past week.

It is now 2:30 and I really have spent close to four hours working with MySQL. I used phpMyAdmin for the first part of the session and followed the directions to create the special relation table that allows you to make relational links. I also added a few records to see how the linking works and immediately discovered that I was unable to do one-to-many relationships.

I spent the past hour or so working with MySQL in the MySQL monitor window, typing commands and I think that may be how I continue for now. While it’s tempting to have a GUI interface, I think I need to really learn from scratch. So, tomorrow (or maybe late tonight while I watch the tape of the debate), I am going to start working on Chapter 4 in Ullman’s book using the monitor window.

Of course, I have nothing to show for this since I’m doing it all locally!

I had high hopes for this blog…I was going to read through all the ed news stuff I get everyday and leisurely post ideas and issues while also ruminating on programming. All very Zen. Then, this week hit! It has been crazy and it’s not over yet.

Monday was a workshop on the Northern Neck on Integrade Pro, helping teachers work with the gradebooks we set up in August. Most of them seem to be doing fine as they figure out how to adapt the technology to their grading styles. It occured to me that “grades” given by school teachers really don’t mean all that much since each teacher has a different way of calculating grades. Some include behaviors like punctuality and neatness. Others focus mostly on testing while yet others give lots of extra credit. For my own part, I generally had a range of grades in my reading classes but almost everyone got an A in my computer class. Different subject matters, I suppose. Different treatments. But extensive comments about grading come another day.

Tuesday started REALLY early for me but I had a great time with a group of elementary science methods students playing with digital microscopes and Kidspiration. One of the students went to her placement school later that day, asked the media specialist about the programs and learned that the school owned a site license. So the pre-service teacher helped the in-service teacher install the programs! WOW! Direct impact on what happens in the classroom. I called my consultee for 602 and then had class until 7 and then OOTW rehearsal. When I got home, I still had stuff to do to prep for my Wednesday classes.

And then there was yesterday: dentist, quartet rehearsal, ED 304, and T02! Got home around 9:30 and vegged out to the last half hour of The Apprentice.

Which brings me to this morning. I planned to use the time to read Dr. Leslie’s article (very good and much more later) and then start working on my database. Unfortunately, I discovered that the feature that allows relations is turned off on both my local machine and my server. There are configuration directions that I understand about half. For instance, I get that there is a script that can fix this problem but I’m not sure how to “import” the script as the directions say. Anyway, I need to get back to it because with a little reading, I CAN figure this out but so far in the interest of avoidance, I have payed a bill, cleaned the living room floor, and wrote this blog entry.

But now it’s time: I’ve got a fresh cup of coffee, I ate a little breakfast and I have four or five hours to work on this problem. I’d like to get it solved before Bob returns at lunch time. Wish me luck!

An article from The Japan Times lamenting the ignorance of Japanese students when it comes to astronomy. So it’s not just American kids after all! The Japan Times Online