jquery

MacRabbit's Espresso (http://macrabbit.com/espresso/) has been my favorite editor for server-side scripting for a while now. I was an avid Coda user before that, and Coda is a fine editor, but I like several features of Espresso better (e.g. large file browser in the center and ability to simultaneously open files from any number of servers).

Espresso is much "younger" than Coda and it was a little behind on language support (and availability of plugins in general), initially. We even had to post a hacking instruction for how to "teach" Espresso Drupal files. (UPDATE: new instructions at: http://freshblurbs.com/espresso-and-syntax-highlight-custom-file-formats)

The situation is much different now. There's a wonderful abundance of quality plugins now at http://fileability.net/coffee/ that work like a charm. We are using Combined Python&Jango, JQuery, YAML and Drupal-PHP sugars and they are simply awesome. To install, all you need is download appropriate tar.gz, unarchive. rename resulting folder so it has extension .sugar and move that to ~/Library/Appplication Support/Espresso/Sugars

An absolutely awesome jQuery book: http://jqueryenlightenment.com/

It's this simple: if you are a Web developer, you need this. And you will support the project. And PDF version is dirt-cheap.

We all have come to love and admire jQuery for the amazing Javascript library it is. But we also have fallen in love with numerous extensions to jQuery; plugins, modules - whatever you call 'em. Most of us, however, just use these goodies and bless the hearts of all wonderful people who make the gems available. Some of us are even a little bit intimidated when we look at all the complicated Javascript-ing going on in the source files... Especially when/if we accidentally look into a minified version ;)

Jokes aside, starting a new jQuery plugin is quite simple. Here is just how easy one could be:

(function($) { 

	// jQuery plugin initialization
	$.fn.irakli = function(conf) {   
		alert("okaaaay");		
	}; 
	
})(jQuery);

This goofy plugin will allow you to invoke irakli() function on a jQuery object. For instance, $('div.something').irakli() will have an alert box pop up.

A really nice extension to Drupal Forms API has been released over the weekend: Selector Element module introduces the hip awesomeness of jQueryUI Sortable widget to Drupal's Forms API in a very easy way.

If you are using Drupal and wanted to quickly implement one of those drag-n-drop-n-sort selectors - you found a perfect module for yourself.

I have no doubt I will be using this new element a lot, myself.