learning to be human, since 1984
organization
Using Windows 7 Symlinks
2681 days
I ran into a problem with integrating my web development/design projects on my computer with my local webserver. To further explain:
- I keep all my professional work, including client files, on a separate hard drive partition so that I can easily and regularly back them up, let’s call it g:\
- Client files for web projects are organized as such: g:\clients\client-name\project-name , so that if a long-term client wants a site redesign, I can easily keep these separate rather than dumping them into a single public_html directory for each client
- My local testing server is pointed at a different partition, let’s call it h:\
- I want to be able to serve individual projects via the testing server, but only work on the project files
Naturally, I thought of unix aliases but I’m currently running Windows 7 so I tried shortcuts. Didn’t work. After a little digging, I found the solution: symlinks (which work in numerous OSes – thanks for the correction). From the command line, type:
mklink /D H:\target\directory\linkname G:\clients\client-name\project-name
mklink /D creates a symlink, or a soft link that is the Windows equivalent to unix aliases. The first argument is the directory where you want the link to be placed, and the second is the source directory. Easy as pie.
Be careful when deleting/writing content – the linked directory allows you to manipulate the original file!
Saving Illustrator CS4 Preferences
0763 days
While Adobe products are industry standards, they are still not without serious workflow issues.
One of my major gripes is Illustrator’s inability to save and load preferences from within the program. This would come in handy when working in different units, as I regularly do; The 10px grid I use for web work isn’t compatible with an imperial or metric grid for print work, and vice versa. Luckily, I’ve devised a workaround.
- First, you’ll need to find your Ai preferences file. For Windows 7, it can be found in a hidden folder:C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CS4 Settings\en_USFrom your explorer window, drag the en_US folder to your start menu and Pin it there. In OS X, you can similarly make a link to the folder and keep it in your Dock, desktop, or wherever you fancy. The file we’ll be renaming later is named AIPrefs (no extension)- we’ll deal with that soon enough. If you don’t have hidden folders visible, here’s how. If you’re on a different OS, or using a different version of Illustrator, have a look here, or search the nets.
- Open Illustrator, start a blank document, and set your preferences. The document type doesn’t matter.
- Close Illustrator.
- Open the folder you linked in step 1, copy and rename your preferences file to something descriptive like AIPrefs[web]. It’s crucial to copy so we don’t accidentally modify or delete our manually defined preferences.
- Repeat steps 2-4 for each grid-setup or preferences variation you need.
- Now you’re ready to use your custom preferences. Before you reopen Illustrator, delete the current AIPrefs file.
- Copy the preferences file you want to use and rename it to AIPrefs.
- Start Illustrator and behold the glory.
Obviously, if the last thing you worked on is for web, and the current thing you worked on is for web, you don’t have to change the AIPrefs file, so it might be helpful to keep a note of which file is currently active. You can also search the AIPrefs file to see how Illustrator is modifying the contents. It’s for the most part readable alpha-numeric content. If anyone knows of a better way to do this, please let me know. Ciao.
Choosing Drupal
0While designing and developing websites, I’ve run into a lot of repetitive tasks. From client survey and project proposal, to information architecture issues, requisite files (jQuery, mootools, reset.css, etc.), standard grid templates in XHTML/CSS, to grid layers and naming conventions in Illustrator® documents, and client invoicing, there are a lot of processes that get repeated.
A Blessing and a Curse
01178 days
I’m at my Aunt’s and Uncle’s house for the night. They let me use their button maker for a school project which involved 50 unique, hand illustrated (with use of a graphics tablet) vegetables and fruits. I’ll maybe post photos at some point. Following that I did a brochure for the campus writing center, again by hand. It feels so good to abandon technology sometimes, or at least, to connect with it in a more natural way.
Anyhow. I realized something. I am completely anal and a perfectionist when it comes to the work I do, when/if I do it. I’m getting better, I swear. I trick myself into moving on and getting things done. But that’s all it is-a trick, a loophole that lets me override my natural proclivity for innane fumblings which yield only marginal improvements, yet make me feel like a million bucks.
I am this way because of my Father, and my Uncle. I came to this realization while in the bathroom, nursing an upset (probably stress-induced) stomach. It was there, in the room that my Uncle made with his tools and hands, that I realized his attention to detail. I then thought about the meticulous work my dad does, for no one but himself. The sheets upon sheets of hand-written spreadsheets tracking his stocks, soccer scores, and other things important to him. And though completely different men in their abilities, understandings, and pursuits, they both share that immense ability to produce amazingly detailed work.
So while I am lucky to have inherited and gleaned this trait, it is something I try to override, to circumvent. I need to learn to focus it, hone it into a surgical tool and wield it with effortless grace-lest it consume me.
How to Write: The Importance of Editing
0I’ve been writing a lot more than usual lately. I like it. In fact, I love it. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t. Things we do regularly seem to get easier every time. There are a few things I’ve learned to do to make writing go faster and better:
- Get main ideas down quickly, in the fewest words possible. If seemingly unrelated words trigger some idea for you, then do that. Whatever it is, just get everything out.
- Then, just write, write, write.
- Seriously, don’t stop writing. Every little thing, write it down. I cannot emphasize this enough!
- Do not erase anything. If you must, strike out ideas with a single line
- Explain why the subject is important
- Reveal any biases—be as transparent as possible
- Edit, edit, edit. Edit some more. Sleep. Edit again.
- Chop as much out as possible while maintaining your original meaning and intent
I’ve got three main places I write. When at my computer I use a program called xPad (Mac only). It has a dock that lists all the documents I’ve written, auto-saves as I write, spell–checks, and has a word–count. I’m sure there are alternatives for other operating systems. If I’ve got internet access, I use gmail or Google documents to write and save whatever it is I’m working on. The third place is in my notebook/cards. I always have my notebook or a stack of notecards held together by a binder clip. I jot down my ideas so that I don’t forget. If it’s not written directly in xPad, it eventually gets reviewed, transfered, and elaborated upon later when at a computer.
Writing by hand—unless for a thank–you note, personal letter, or the sensuality of ink on paper—just seems like a huge waste of time and energy. Don’t get me wrong—I love to do it—but writing research papers and blog entries require a bit more organization and flexibility. And that’s because I edit the fuck out of almost everything I write. I’ve tried to write rough drafts by hand, then revise by hand, and type them out once completed. It just doesn’t flow as easily. I can’t cut and paste ideas from one location to another; I can’t copy a quotes quickly and reference their sources; I can’t write at almost 80 words per minute by hand. I’ve considered learning shorthand to do just that. Perhaps I will, but until then, I’ll stick to my computer when possible and appropriate.
Writing is a necessary tool, not just as a student, but as a professional. Be it for a designer or internet-based crafter, the ability to communicate adeptly through written word is an undeniable asset—and one that I strive to continuously hone.
The Em-pear Strikes Back
21245 days
I know, the clever titles are killing you.
Its just past 3:30 in the morning and though tired, I don’t really feel it. So, I went for a super-mini bike ride up the street to check on the pears I mentioned awhile back. Unlike last time, I spotted a cluster instantly. They’re not full size yet, nor should they be. Afterall, its barely September. Anyhow, here’s a photo:
I found a long stick near the tree and used it to knock a few morsels off their boughs. Weirdly, all of them had a really soft side. At first I thought it was due to them hitting the road, or from the impact of the stick. But I probed further and found this:
Looks like either:
a) general underdevelopment (though not likely)
b) some sort of insect infestation (though the darker bits didn’t seem like insect eggs…but I’m no entomologist)
c) aliens (yes, Dr. Who’s fault)
Anybody have any ideas?
I did manage to get one which had a significantly smaller patch and only nibbled one side (seen in first photograph). It was a bit tart and much harder than a ripe pear, but the sweetness had definitely started to develop and the skin was nice and crisp.
This led me to a pretty decent idea: I’m going to build a tree-fruit harvester out of recycled goods. I’ll post the process on here in the weeks to come, along with photos of the tree, its yield, the surroundings, and related recipes. Keep your eyes open and your mouths closed–chewing delicious food, of course!
O Really? Unionization, Hope, and the Future of America
11255 days
The cicadas were whirring madly in the late Summer sun as my friend Brian handed over two lime green tickets. My heart skipped a beat and I think I soiled myself. Okay. I know I soiled myself. But why?
I was skeptical of the Obama campaign’s ability to translate spirit and hope into action and change. So why was I still get excited to see him? What weak-willed wretch had I become to be persuaded by this potential sycophant? I pondered more as we waited in line at Milwaukee’s lake-front amphitheater.
I realized my excitement comes from the fact that I have little faith in fortune tellers. And I don’t think Obama hovers over a crystal ball. His faithfuls often divine what future our nation will face under their leader’s incumbency—but that does not mean that Obama’s campaign is without a solid vision or plan.
My initial reaction to his campaign was one of awe. The design is refined, classic, masculine but elegant. Something Cary Grant would approve of. It smells strongly of web 2.0—dare I call it Campaign 2.0? As Kennedy’s win hinged on television viewers in the 60s, so too does Obama’s hinge on technology users today. The comparisons to Kennedy have been going on since he announced his intent to run for office—so I’ll leave it at that for now.
Some time passed and it occurred to me that this could all be a ruse. And if not a ruse, then it could perhaps fall flat. My skepticism of the campaign polish—the logo, the website, the SMS donations, video feeds and so on—has gotten me into many arguments. As a designer, I appreciate what goes into creating an identity—more importantly, I know that an identity can be used for good or ill. That’s what scared me. That power and potential.
But as the crowd filled the seats and their rally cries emanated through the covered venue, I realized that what brings change is people. I looked around at all the people. Their eyes watering and hearts pounding, these people filled with hope, inspired and empowered by a man who understands how the world is changing and what it takes to mobilize a nation. It was hard to not have faith in the 20,000 human beings surrounding me.
Obama shows intent and social consciousness beyond that of Kennedy, Carter, Clinton—the few presidents who give me even a whisper of patriotism. We are extremely lucky to have a leader who knows that citizens run nations—and isn’t afraid to empower them.
That is why I pooped my pants. Change indeed.