Recently I have searched a foms editor – wizard” in web mode. I looked for it on internet, believing many projects should greatly deal with this problem (I don’t like to develop something if it already exist). After many tests I have come to the conclusion that it does not exist (or that it is not well “referenced”…).
Also I have taken advantage of my holidays to do this “little” project.

After my research I signal you the following sites which seem quite good but do not fit my objectives (tey were not in opensource).

JotForm : I like the presentation

Wufoo : Seems interessant but an inscription is compulsory.

The goal

It is really simple !

Demonstration rbl_forms

• To permit to construct a html form in 100% web mode (without codeing)
• Not to force to use a library as (jQuery, prototype, dojo,..) in the generated code
• To offer the basics controls (compulsory area, size…)
• To be easily adaptable (it is at you to tell me if this goal has been succesfully reached)
• Not to use table
• To save in XML size
• To generate a page in pure html

Tools used

jQuery : I love it more and more, it’s lib !

jQuery UI : the logical extension to work in web mode.

t_fotm : For the validation part of the form.

The functionalities

To make easier the visual creation of the form the use of the “drag & drop” is very important to register areas of the form or to move them.

There is three levels of personnalisation ( Form, Column, Element ). Theses differents pannels permit to specify with precision the size and the presentation of the form.

The form pannel

This dialog box permit to specify the following informations (they are activated by cliking on the item “Edition Form” on the left pannel) :

• The name : form name attribut
• The file : to save
• The title : Display in the form (fieldset legend)
• The action : form action attribut (url or other)
• The method : POST or GET
• The size : Appear in the style properti (width, height)
• The layout : unused actually
• The CSS : This gives the principal style of the “form”

In the case of a cration of a new form you must not forgive of modify the “file” area to specify the names of the saving files.

Les colonnes

I accept the definition of many column for the construction of theses elements because I don’t want to have too vertically form. I limit it to three column at this day.
You can edit the proprieties of the column by selecting (by a simple click) the line “column 1″ of grenn/yellow color then by clicking on the item “Edition” of the left pannel.

Description of the pannel :

• Name of the column : unused
• Size : (width, height) can be define by resizing the column or by directly keyboarding the values.
• The layout : it is a CSS clss which permit to specify the type of presentation in the column.
• The CSS : other CSS class (at this day undefined but implented)

The item “supression” in the left menu permit to cancel/delete a column with the whole areas.

The areas

You can add areas in a column of the form by a simple “drag & drop” from the left menu. Also appear a dialog box which invit you to specify some informations (theses data change with the type of area).

• ID : for information (readonly
• Nom : attribut name
• Label : Input information (title / label)
• AccessKey : keyboard shortcut
• Format : standard input mask (email, date, money, …) for input control
• Freemask : you can use this to define other format / mask
  • 9 : A digit char 0-9
  • # : An optionnal digit char
  • A : An alpha char in uppercase
  • a : An optionnal alpha char in uppercase
  • M : An alpha char (upper or lower)
  • m : An optionnal alpha char
  • N : An alphanumiric char
  • n : An optionnal alphanumeric char
  • V : A coma or point
  • v : An optionnal coma or point
  • S : A sign + or –
  • s : A optionnal sign
  • T : A char
  • t : A optionnal char
• Regex. : a regexp for more complicated control
• Size :
• Table associted : personal use in other project
• max length :
• autoskip : sklip to the next zone if all char is entered
• CSS : style html (class)
• Required
• ReadOnly
• Aide : Help message

Sample form

Sample generated form

In the next versions

I would like add many other functionnalities in the next version of this tool.
Je souhaite ajouter plusieurs fonctionnalités dans les prochaines versions de cet outil.

• CSS : Define new CSS styles (form, colonnes, input)
• Translation : Add other language
• Add more complex controles : Captcha, Tabs, …
• Can select other datepicker and forms controles
• Add other load/save script in JSP, ASP, Perl…
• And more….

Do npt hesitate to contact me if you wish to help me in this developement or if you have add a functionality or correct a bug.

Download

rbl_forms last version

After the article “How to sign a PDF in Java” I had various demands concerning the verification of this signature.
You will find in this article an exemple of code which permit to check this.

Tools used

• http://itextpdf.sourceforge.net/howtosign.html#howtoverify : Origins of the informations and of the code used below
• Acrobat reader 8.x ou sup To read the PDF documents
• iText 2.xJava librarie tools (the reference according to me) to create, sign and handle PDF documents
• bouncycastle.org used in itext (bcprov)

Exemple (source code)

As you can see the java code to do this is very simple :

package com.berthou.test.pdf ;
 
import java.io.*;
import java.security.*;
import java.security.cert.Certificate;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Calendar;
 
import com.lowagie.text.*;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.*;
 
public class test_pdf  {
	/**
	 * Name of the PDF document
	 */
	static String dirname  = "D:\\" ;// "D:\\"
	static String fname  = "HelloWorld_sign" ;
 
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		try {
			test_pdf.verifyPdf() ;
		}
		catch(Exception e) {
			System.err.println(e.getMessage());
		}
	}
 
	public static final boolean verifyPdf()
                   throws IOException, DocumentException, Exception
	{
		KeyStore kall = PdfPKCS7.loadCacertsKeyStore();
 
		PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(dirname + fname +".pdf");
		AcroFields af = reader.getAcroFields();
 
		// Search of the whole signature
		ArrayList names = af.getSignatureNames();
 
		// For every signature :
		for (int k = 0; k < names.size(); ++k) {
		   String name = (String)names.get(k);
  		   // Affichage du nom
		   System.out.println("Signature name: " + name);
		   System.out.println("Signature covers whole document: "
                                + af.signatureCoversWholeDocument(name));
  		   // Affichage sur les revision - version
		   System.out.println("Document revision: " + af.getRevision(name) + " of "
                                + af.getTotalRevisions());
		   // Debut de l'extraction de la "revision"
		   FileOutputStream out = new FileOutputStream("d:\\revision_"
                                + af.getRevision(name) + ".pdf");
		   byte bb[] = new byte[8192];
		   InputStream ip = af.extractRevision(name);
		   int n = 0;
		   while ((n = ip.read(bb)) > 0) out.write(bb, 0, n);
		   out.close();
		   ip.close();
		   // Fin extraction revision
 
		   PdfPKCS7 pk = af.verifySignature(name);
		   Calendar cal = pk.getSignDate();
		   Certificate pkc[] = pk.getCertificates();
		   // Information about the certificat, le signataire
		   System.out.println("Subject: "
                                + PdfPKCS7.getSubjectFields(pk.getSigningCertificate()));
		   // Le document à t'il ete modifié ?
		   System.out.println("Document modified: " + !pk.verify());
 
		   // Is the certificate avaible ? Be carefull we search the chain of certificat
		   Object fails[] = PdfPKCS7.verifyCertificates(pkc, kall, null, cal);
		   if (fails == null)
		       System.out.println("Certificates verified against the KeyStore");
		   else
		       System.out.println("Certificate failed: " + fails[1]);
		}
		return true ;
	}
}

Sample PDF generate

HelloWorld_sign.pdf

I often print an article to keep a copy. I use most of the time a “see before printing” to select the pages I want to print. But I’ve remarked that 50% of the printing area is employed with publicities or menus.

When we create the design of a site we foresee an area for menus, for publicity and sometimes others specific areas to boost the look and the ergonomic of the site.
These areas useful for the navigation become a pain for the printing of the article. However it is very simple to handle this problem if you use the style papers.CSS.

In an ecological wish (it’s tendance) but also to have a “cleaner” printed text, I am going to explain you how to adapt your WP theme to print correctly.

Modifications for WordPress

WordPress, like all the blog or CMS motors, use style papers to make easier the adpatation of the presentation. Also it is quite simple to adapt your theme, if it doesn’t permit it. In my case the adpatation took me less than one hour. Here is the modifications to make :

• print.css : creation of the specific style paper for the printing – It is a minimum version I only use the ID No Print that I hide for the impression, you can make it richer to modificate the margins, the size of the police and many other things.

  * #NoPrint {
  display: none;
  }

• header.php : Add of the style papers “media” for the print.

  <link rel=”stylesheet” type=”text/css” media=”print” href=”<?php bloginfo(‘template_url’); ?>/print.css” />

• index.php, page.php, … : Modification of many pages in the theme to add a – id=”NoPrint” – to the elements i don’t want to print.

Downloads

I propose you to download the last version of the theme Rbl-Illacrimo which includes the support of the printing.

Rbl – Illacrimo – Français

Rbl – Illacrimo – English

Recently I had a little problem on a Websphere application server. A JSP page running on this application server had a problem (a no ending loop). This was a bit hard to identify because noting permit to isolate on this server the pages running.
To solve this lake of informations I realized a little Servletfilter which permit to monitor this.
I propose you this little tool for exemple as a ServletFilter. I wish it would be useful to you.

The goal of the project.

It consist to put in a HashTable the running pages. I also had some others informations which permit me to offer some more statistics (execution time, number of errors, number of executions…)
A JSP page display the informations of this Hashtable.

The use of this filter allows me to add this option to the whole webapps without changing the actif code (only the file web.xml which have to be modifiate to activate the filter).

Project source

The whole source code is avaible to download. The application is composed of three smalls classes :

StatsFilter.java : The filter

Little class doing all his work in the methoddoFilter

package com.berthou.web.filtre;
 
import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
 
public final class StatsFilter implements Filter {
    private FilterConfig filterConfig = null;
    private String appli = "" ;
 
    public void doFilter(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response,
        FilterChain chain) throws IOException, ServletException {
        if (filterConfig == null)  return;
 
        String key = "" ;
    	long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
        try {
    		key = appli + ((HttpServletRequest)request).getServletPath() ;
    		// On ajoute la page dans la liste des pages en cours
    		MonitorJsp.action( MonitorJsp.ACT_ADD, key, 0) ;
    		chain.doFilter(request, response);
    		// On supprime la page dans la liste des pages en cours (+temsp d'execution)
    		MonitorJsp.action( MonitorJsp.ACT_DEL, key, (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) ) ;
        } catch (IOException io) {
    		// Une erreur ce produit => on la trace puis on la renvoie
    		MonitorJsp.action( MonitorJsp.ACT_ERR, key, (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) ) ;
    		throw io ;
        } catch (ServletException se) {
    		// Une erreur ce produit => on la trace puis on la renvoie
    		MonitorJsp.action( MonitorJsp.ACT_ERR, key, (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) ) ;
    		throw se ;
        }
    }
    /**
     * Lecture des paramètres d'exécution (dans web.xml)
     *  Ici uniquement la zone APPLICATION
     */
    public void init(FilterConfig filterConfig) throws ServletException {
	this.filterConfig = filterConfig;
	appli = filterConfig.getInitParameter("APPLICATION") ;
    }
 
    public void destroy() {
	this.filterConfig = null;
    }
}

MonitorJsp.java : The monitor

It is a static class of supervision (it is possible to change to a singleton)

package com.berthou.web.filtre;
 
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.*;
import java.io.* ;
 
/**
 * Classe de suppervision permettant de suivre l'état de certains objets
 * c'est un classe <b>static</b>
 *
 * @author rberthou
 *
 */
public class MonitorJsp {
	public static final String version = "MonitorJsp V1.00 du 4 Septembre 2008";
 
	static protected Hashtable map = new Hashtable(100);
 
	static final int ACT_ADD = 1 ;
	static final int ACT_DEL = 2 ;
	static final int ACT_ERR = 5 ;
 
    public static synchronized void action(int act, String key, long delay) {
 
    	ItemMonitor itm = (ItemMonitor)map.get(key) ;
    	if ( itm == null ) {
    		if (act == ACT_ADD) {
    			itm = new ItemMonitor() ;
    			map.put(key, itm) ;
    		}
    	} else {
			if (act == ACT_ADD) itm.add() ; 	       else
   			if (act == ACT_DEL) itm.remove(delay) ; else
   			if (act == ACT_ERR) itm.error(delay) ;
    	}
    }
    ..... [CUT] ....
  }

ItemMonitor.java : The data

It is a representation of a list of element.

package com.berthou.web.filtre;
 
public class ItemMonitor {
	private long nbrun  = 0  ; // Nombre d'execution
	private long nbact = 0 ;   // Nombre de page active
	private long nberr = 0 ;    // Nombre d'erreur
	private long mints = 0 ;    // Temps min
	private long maxts = 0 ;   // Temps Max
	private long lastAcc = 0 ; // date last exec
 
	/**
	 * Constructeur
	 */
	public ItemMonitor() {
		this.add() ;
	}
 
	public void reset() {
		nbrun  = 0  ;
		nberr = 0 ;
		mints = 0 ;
		maxts = 0 ;
	}
 
	public void add() {
		nbact++ ;
		lastAcc = System.currentTimeMillis() ;
	}
 
	public void remove(long delay) {
		nbrun++ ;
		nbact-- ;
 
		sumts += delay ;
		if (mints < 1 || delay < mints) mints = delay ;
		if (delay > maxts) maxts = delay ;
	}
 
	public void error(long delay) {
		nberr++ ;
		nbact-- ;
	}
      ..... [CUT] .....
}

Utilisation

To use this filter you have to :

• Add the archive .jar in the collective librairies of your application server. (Be careful: if you put it at once in your directory /WEB-INF/lib of your webapp it will only work for this application.)
• Change the file web.xml to parameter this filter (exemple just below).

    <filter>
      <filter-name>StatsFilter</filter-name>
      <filter-class>com.berthou.web.flitre.StatsFilter</filter-class>
      <init-param>
          <param-name>APPLICATION</param-name>
          <param-value>TEST1</param-value>
      </init-param>
    </filter>
 
    <filter-mapping>
       <filter-name>StatsFilter</filter-name>
       <url-pattern>*.jsp</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>

It allows you to identify the filter in your webapp. You just have to write a JSP page as the one below to display the current datas

<%@ import="com.berthou.web.filtre.*,java.util.*"%>
<%
	// Get iterator for keys in HashMap
	Hashtable monitorSession = (Hashtable)MonitorJsp.cloneIt("b");
	Iterator sessionIter     = monitorSession.keySet().iterator();
	String id = "" ;
	ItemMonitor itm = null ;
%>
<table><thead><tr>
  <th>id</th><th>act</th><th>run</th><th>err</th><th>last</th><th>min/max</th><th>Sum</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody><%
while(sessionIter.hasNext() ) {
  id = (String)sessionIter.next();
  itm = (ItemMonitor)monitorSession.get(id);
  try
  {
		%><tr valign="top"><td ><%=id%></td><%=itm.toHtmlString()%></tr><%
  }
  catch ( java.lang.IllegalStateException ie ) {
  }
}
%>
</tbody></table>

Attention

I use a static class which is “synchronized”. You have to be careful about the goulot d’étranglement for the application server with a huge traffic. Personnaly I use this in a production server (intranet ) without any problems.

Downloads

StatsFilter.zip le code Source
StatsFilter.jar la librairie

Rbl-Navigator is my second plugin for WordPress. In this plugin I just integrate a treeview menu in a widget.

This plugin permit to represent in just a widget your last articles, the list of the categories (and their “n” last articles), static links and the directory contents. I think I am going to add soon, if it seems usefull to you, the blogroll and the list of the last comments.

Exemple of use

Installation

To install this plugin on your WordPress configuration you just have to:

• Unzip the download file in the index/wp-content/plugins of your wordpress installation.
• Start the plugin in the administration console.
• Add a widget Rbl-Navigator in your SideBar.
• Configure this widget

Configuration

When you parametrize the Rbl-Navigator widget, a window appears and permit to specify the followings parameters :

• Title : Title of the widget
• Data : This data permit to build a treeview.
• Image Base : Default index of the images used by the plugins. (normally “img/ot”)
• Separator : Separation tape normally used by the plugin.”§”
• Max size : Max lenght of an item of the treeview in tape. (0 if there is no limit)

Data zone

0 § Home § 14 § /fr/index.php § ?Welcome
0 § %%LAST-5 § Last news § 1
0 § %%CAT-19,20-5 § Mes categs 19 et 20 § 1
0 § %%CAT-4-5 § Ma categ 4 § -1
0 § A propos § 19 § /fr/?p=2

This area permit to define teh whole contents of a treeview. This is structure as the following exemple :

• Static links :
  

  Col	Description
  1	Hierarchical level (0 1st level).
  2	Title
  3	Icon number
  4	URL
  5	destination target or help message (bullet) if the string start with a ‘?’

• Commandes (WP) :
  

  Col	Description
  1	Hierarchical level(0 1st level).
  2	Command (start by %%)
  3	Title
  4	Icon number

• Commands format :
  

  Command	Description
  %%LAST-(n)	Show the last n news Exemple : %%LAST-5
  %%CAT-(idcat)-(n)	Show the last n news in categories idcat Exemple : %%CAT-19,20-5 (display the last 5 articles in the categories 19 and 20) %%CAT-ALL-3 (show les 3 last news in all categories)
  %%REP-(directory)-(action)	Exemple : %%REP-/www/tliste/-aaa.php?file=tliste/ (display a structure and contents of directory /www/tliste/ and define an action for each item aaa.php?file=nomdufichier

Other

• JQuery : This plugin use the intern version at WordPress of JQuery to limit the modifications during the oppening of the closing of a node.
  But it perfectly works if the Javascript support is desactivated.
• Optimisation : To limit the acess to the data base, a file is generate during the key-boarding of an article or during the modification of the widget’s configuration.

Background

• 04/05/2008 : Version 1.00 1st version

Downloads

rbl-navigator.zip

For the lambda user it is very difficult to “test” Linux. Indeed, everybody don’t have many computers, the installation in a virtuel machine or in DualBoot can be risk and the tests with a “live-CD” distribution are quickly limitated.

It is in this point of viewthat I tried “andLinux” which is a Ubuntu complete distribution which directly works under Windows.

Installation

After a quick visit of the official site of these attractive product, I choosed to test the KDE version and I downloaded the 665MB (a minimal version XFCE 163MB is also avaible).
The installation is very simple and you don’t need any particular knowledges (a uninstall option is of course offers).
During this phase I choosed to configure the product with 256MB of ram (this seemed perfectly satisfactory).
After a classical reboot, usually necassary for the installation of a product under Window, you have have now a Windows which is able to run Linux applications (by default with the KDE option tou have already KWrite, Konsole, Konkeror, Kate, Kontrol, and many others…).

Warning : During the installation I had no questions about the disk place and a “base.drv” disk of 4Go had been created. So you have to plan some free place.

Utilisation

I was very surprised of the quick start up and of the fluidity of the applications (Kwrite, Konsole, Konkeror), everything seemed to work perfectly (“apt-get install”, disk share with Windows, Cut/passed in Windows and Linux applications, …).

Conclution

After 48 hours of test I waan’t any probems ( with andLinux or impact on my Windows’s configuration). So I am very satisfied of this product.
I think I am giong to do more tests and to try to configure it as a Web serveur.
This solution is very satisfactory to test Linux without any restriction and even for a higher use.

http://www.andlinux.org Le site officiel
http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/AndLinux
Le forum
Téléchargement