Accident Designs

Better wordpress extensions with an object oriented approach.

When searching the web for WordPress plugin tutorials and introductions the vast majority utilizes procedural programming. However having recently discovered Object Oriented programming in PHP 5 i decided to take another approach to both plugins and themes.

When encapsulating plugins or parts of your themes in classes, you create a container for variable, constant and function names thus avoiding name clashes with the core or with other plugins. You can also encapsulate your class in a statement checking if the class already exists to ensure that in the rare case of a name collision your plugin will not initialize and crash the WordPress installation.

Here is a simple example

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< ?php
// Plugin Name: Text Barking Dog 
 
if (!class_exists('OurWpPluginDog')) {
	class OurWpPluginDog {
		function __construct() {
			$this->text = "wuff wuff";
		}
		function bark() {
			echo '<!--' . $this->text . '-->';
		}
	}
	$dog = new OurWpPluginDog;
	add_action('wp_footer', array(&$dog, 'bark'));
}

This plugin will insert “wuff wuff” as an html comment at the hook wp_footer. The __construct function runs when the class is constructed you can also place your actions and filters here, if you do you simply reference array(&$this … instead.

Object oriented programming encourages DRY - it simply makes it more convenient to reuse your code. As your plugin grows you will also find it easier to get an overview of the code.

From Evil Mac-Zealot to "Ubuntu"

About a year ago i bought a Macbook Pro and made the change to Mac OS X from Windows, and for a while i became a true Mac-Zealot. Then as now i was enthusiastic about open source software and hell i discovered a lot of small and nifty applications for OS X. However more often than not i found that the best Open Source applications was made natively for Linux and then ported to Mac, and the best games were made natively for windows and often not ported at all. At first i was perplexed that software manufacturers did not develop for Mac. But as i became increasingly aware of Apples company structure, it wasn’t startling. In How Apple Got Everything Right By Doing Everything Wrong Wired describes the Apple company as the Evil Genius in vivid detail. I won’t go into further detail on the article but i truly recommend you read it, especially if you are a dedicated Apple fan the article can put things in perspective.

Motivated by moral reasons i finally installed Ubuntu on my Macbook Pro. The change did not involve major complications. In fact the synaptic package manager puts more order into your computer than any drag and drop interface and gives you access to an ocean of amazing Open Source utilities making ubuntu a good choice for both the casual and the professional user. Unless you are a hardcore gamer ubuntu will most likely more than suit your needs.

The peach open movie project released Big Buck Bunny. Not along with paranoid legal statements and copy protection. But rather a creative commons license.

This week i recieved my preordered copy of Big Buck Bunny. A video production by the Peach open movie project. The movie tells the story of a giant hearthful rabbit taking revenge against three rodents who harass him. The storyline is alright, and the general quality is stunning. However the aspiring aspect of the project is the philosophy behind.
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Website for 3D visualization studio

I have worked with geist on this website for the 3D visualization studio CENARIO. The project is the largest I have taken upon me in web development to this date and i have worked with several technologies that i have not utilized professionally before. The site is developed in Zend framework and uses the amazing mootools for the frontend. The site is hosted on Media Temples (dv).

bamboo competition

Along with ten other wonderful projects i was accepted for the next round in the Design for an Eco-friendly Community architectural competition about sustainable bamboo constructions.

With no experience as an architect i have come along way. From believing bamboo resists gravity, to actually understand the materials properties in the real world. I have read a great deal about bamboo, its structural properties and different uses. Bamboo is the steel of nature, and the ways in which it can be used continuously amazes me.

For my project i have worked mainly with woven bamboo. Sophisticated weaving techniques allows you to weave bamboo in all imaginable shapes. For the framework i utilize heat bended bamboo. The structure positioned in the treetops of the jungle is supported by long structural elements of four black bamboo canes connected with steel knobs. The structural elements are mounted in a concrete foundation in order to avoid moist damage to the canes. Several of the elements are inspired by the prototypes presented by Bamboo Lab a research project on bamboo as a building material.

I have tried to investigate more sophisticated ways of handling bamboo in order to showcase its potential as more than a Tiki Hut material but a beautiful element in contemporary architecture.

Accident Designs just enlisted in this competition arranged by arcspace.com and ecolandnow.com, in collaboration with INBAR - International Network for Bamboo and Rattan.

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Bamboo …!

The competition is a great opportunity for me to unite my interest and ideas regarding architecture with my expertise in Second Life. I am looking forward to be a part of it and i am sure i will learn a lot in the process.