PHP Database Pulls

With the new year brought a brand new website complete with a new language, PHP! PHP allows more controls and compatibility because of it open source and quick modifications. One of the many new features brought into our spectrum is very simple database controls and easy access to insert info in and select data out of the database. We've used this feature to its full potential by creating secure accounts where our mentors, alumni, coaches, and our team members can enter information about themselves which automatically updates the website and displays the new information in a neat and organized table. We have also set up our leaders and coaches accounts to enter new articles on our home page to get frequent updates on all the different sections of our team.

Upcoming Events and Google Calendar

This year Nat and I wanted to make the website as low maintenance as possible. To make calendars simple our leadership chose to use Google Calendar early in the year so it could be easily accessible to the team. Seeing the opportunity to use this electronic calendar to our advantage we accessed Google Calendar's RSS feed feature. As new events are added RSS creates them in an electronic list. We then used another Google application, Feedburner, to modify the RSS output and make it to our liking. As a result our leadership team and coaches can update the website without having to know the programming language and allow us to stay hands free to continue making the website more accessible and appealing.

Website Design Process

All design ideas start on paper, this year's website was no exception. Nat, Deb, and I all went over many ideas in our heads, each with unique pros and cons. Finally, we came up with a layout that we all agreed had the most potential and accessibility. After the ideas on paper were set came the computer design aspect. Nat and Deb used Adobe Illustrator to set the unique color scheme and look of the site. With the help of an alumni, Jared Broddle, we finished the layout within a few hours. Our assistant coach and mentor Matt Breitkreutz helped us slice the Illustrator design and get started on an HTML template for the site - a couple nights later, a website...was born! From that moment to the present has been a long and difficult journey that would have been impossible without the immense devotion and input from Mr. Breitkreutz. All of our buttons were custom made by Nat and Deb while most of the forms and PHP code I completed.

Pictures-Homepage and Pictures Page

The homepage this year shared the idea of pictures as an essential part of a homepage. Last year's website shared the same idea but the execution went with a full screen approach and this year was hoping to go with a minimalist approach and one that did not require refreshing the page. With the help of Flabell and their Free XML Image Slideshow we were able to make the design come true. With the control that the Flash Animation allows coupled with the use of XML that allows adding new pictures just a drag and drop process it is the best choice. When it came to the pictures page itself we needed a simple way for our chief photographer to quickly and easily add pictures to both Flickr and the website. The solution came in the form of a flash gallery that instantly grabbed the most recent pictures that our photographer posted. Thanks to Reality Software we were able to find one that did just that. With FIRST wanting extensive use of multimedia we found our use of other products growing. This showed up once more in the form of video players.